The next morning found Reid still curled up in bed and it took much coaxing from Garcia to even take pain medication. That afternoon Morgan moved to pick up Reid and take him to the tent when Reid slipped off the bed by himself.
"Derek is the tent still outside?" He asked his voice so soft and exhausted Morgan barely heard him.
"Yeah kid, Rossi rented it for the whole week." Morgan said having asked David that morning.
Reid didn't say a word but went into the bathroom with some clothes. Morgan left the room and after a few words with Rossi and Garcia set up food and drink in the tent along with blankets and teddy bears (which Morgan still got from time to time). Reid came into the tent accompanied by Garcia but without his hat or cane. He made a beeline for a ray for sunshine and curled up on a settee. Garcia fixed him a cup of coffee with five spoonfuls of sugar and cream. Reid settled in with his coffee looking like a well contented cat. Morgan, Rossi, and Gideon took sandwiches and chips, while Garcia curled up with a cup of hot chocolate. They spent an hour just enjoying each other's company as they waited for Reid.
"I need my medication." Reid said softly and defeated handing his mug to Garcia.
Garcia took a small paper cup of pills and gave them to Reid along with a glass of water. Reid swallowed them down with the entire glass of water, then sat back down and gestured for Morgan to sit next to him.
"Finish the story; tell me about the scientists Elton hurt." Reid said leaning his head against the arm of the settee.
It was Gideon who filled Reid in on Elton's past. As Jason talked Derek put an arm around Reid and held him tight. When Gideon was done, Garcia pulled a pile of papers out from behind a chair which had hidden them from sight.
"Spencer, I wrote to the people Elton hurt and asked if they had anything to say to you." Garcia said holding out the papers but David intercepted them.
"Penelope this is not the time." He said sharply.
"I would like to see them." Reid said shrugging out of Derek's hold.
Reluctantly Rossi handed them over and Reid read them snuggling into Derek's chest as he did so. Tears filled his eyes as he got halfway through them. After he was finished he abruptly stood and put the letters on the settee.
"I need some air." Reid said wiping his eyes.
Morgan immediately got to his feet but Rossi signaled for Gideon to go instead. The men put on their shoes, Reid tied a blindfold around his eyes, and they left the tent.
"Why didn't you want me to go with him?" Derek asked
"Gideon has a lot of experience with guilt, remorse and has returned to be something of a mentor to Reid." Rossi said
"What do you mean?" Morgan asked
"Gideon and Reid talk once a week, and Gideon tries to see Reid every month and has given him free access to his cabin." Garcia answered
"Also Derek, Hotch wants to meet you for lunch tomorrow, he has an offer for you and I wanted to talk to you before he makes it." Rossi said.
The next day Morgan left for his lunch with Hotch, while Rossi, Gideon and Garcia went over some of Elton's files.
Morgan drove to a four star steakhouse near Rossi's mansion. He parked and despite being early was led to a table where Hotch was already waiting with a scotch. Morgan ordered a whiskey and looked over the menu; waiting for Aaron to speak. Time passed but neither man made a move to talk beyond asking questions about work or basic personal questions. Finally halfway through their steaks Aaron got down to the reason he asked Morgan to lunch.
"I want you to talk over as head of the BAU."
"That's your sale pitch?" Morgan asked
"It would come with a significant raise, the ability to choose your cases, your team, and opportunity for promotion." Aaron said
"And what would you do? Retire?" Derek asked sardonically
"No, I'm replacing Erin Strauss as Section Chief; I need to find my replacement within the next four weeks."
"Rossi told me about the pressure you've been under about Reid, about how much scrutiny he is getting even months later compared to other agents. I also know you're ambitious and this is the most natural promotion for you. I can't accept though, I can't work for you again though I will work with you." Morgan said.
"Did Dave also tell you about how I engineered Straus's transfer?"
"He did and though I don't hold it against you I couldn't accept any job that came from such a morally questionable place."
"Morally questionable? That is a very diplomatic way of putting it." Aaron said dryly.
"You blackmailed an alcohol forcing her to leave her job and enter rehab to avoid having her career destroyed: that is crossing some serious ethical and moral boundaries."
"I did it to protect Spencer and the team."
"I know and I understand the need to protect yourself and those you love. You've done everything you can to protect Reid and it's almost solely due to you and Dr. Cline that Reid still has a job, probably even his mind but I can't work with someone willing to cross the lines you did."
"I understand, I wish you all the best in your career and life." Aaron said coolly extending his hand clearly having anticipated Derek's answer.
"You too." Derek said.
The two men finished their meal in silence, Hotch paid the bill and the two men went their separate ways.
JJ walked into the conference room of a police station in Seattle and saw a figure bent over the table, his head obscured by a fedora. JJ leaned over and rapped on the table, while at the same time taking the man's hand. Reid started awake and looked at her through heavy sunglasses.
"JJ, I'm sorry I took a red eye, I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"What are you doing here?" JJ asked
"I'm here to help on the case." Reid responded clearly puzzled why she'd even ask
Emily and Luke Alvez entered the room from the latest crime scene.
"Reid, I thought I told you to stay in Washington DC." Emily said
"I'm still a member of the BAU; I'm allowed to be in the field if there's a need."
"Yes but Agent Hotchner doesn't want you working cases here."
Reid took off his hat and sunglasses, but was stopped by replying by David Rossi and Tara Lewis coming back from the morgue.
"Hey kid." Rossi said quickly to diffuse the tension "I'm glad you're here, we could really use your help with the geographical profile."
"Of course." Reid said rising to his feet and walking over to the map on the evidence board.
The day passed quietly but Emily was clearly unhappy with Reid's presence and avoided speaking or even looking at him. At the end of the day, while the rest of the team was heading into a restaurant Rossi drew her aside.
"Emily, I know why you're upset, but Reid does have the right to be here."
"What if something happens? What if he freaks out, or shuts down or causes a scene?" Emily asked
"Are you more worried about Spencer or your career?" Rossi put a hand on her shoulder "I know the situation is hard, you've only been unit chief for a few months and everyone is looking at you wondering if you can do this job. Reid is and will always be a wild card but he has proven himself time and again, he'll be alright,"
"Hotch warned me about the pressure he and Straus were getting to get rid of Reid, I just don't have the political capital to protect him and the team." Emily said.
"That's why Hotch took Straus's job. Listen Reid will be fine, he's here for a reason and we have to trust him." Rossi smiled "The kid's tough: he survived Elton, survived the troubles of his returning to his job and it only took him a two week break to come back from the soul crushing guilt of learning about Elton's crimes."
"Okay, but I am going to give you a key to his room, I want you to keep an eye on him and to wake him up every morning."
"Understood."
They rejoined the rest of the team and that night when Rossi explained the conditions of his stay he accepted without even a raised eyebrow. The case wrapped up quickly due in no small measure to Prentis's zeal in getting Reid back home as soon as possible. However there was some mechanical problem with the plane and they were forced to stay in extra day while it was fixed. At ten Pm Luke got a knock on his door.
"I'm sorry I know it's late but I needed to ask you something." Reid said nervously
"Sure what is it?"
"I need to go to two locations before we leave town and I need someone to drive me," Reid said.
"Of course I will." Luke said clearly puzzled by why Reid was asking him
"Thanks." Reid said and left before Luke could ask any questions.
The next morning after Rossi checked in with Reid, Luke and Reid drove to a rundown neighborhood. Luke parked his car on the street and looked around perplexed as to what Reid wanted in a neighborhood like this. Reid quickly climbed out of the car, with a raven head cane and walked to a motel. Luke followed him, scanning for trouble. Reid took of his sunglasses and hat in front of the building and looked around before entering. He walked up a flight of stairs and paused on the first floor and closed his eyes taking deep breaths.
"What are we looking for?" Luke asked
"This is where Elton took me after we had dinner. I don't know if this is where he destroyed my eyes and mind but I had to see the place." Reid said putting a hand on the wooden railing.
"I'm sorry." Luke said at a loss for anything else to say putting a light hand on Reid's shoulder.
Reid jumped but stayed still, The two stood in silence for several minutes before a whore came out leading her drunk John to the stairs. Luke and Spencer quickly exited the hotel: Reid not even bothering to put his shades or hat on as they went back to the car. They pulled up to the second location a restaurant which was closed. Reid still got out of the car and looked around the deserted parking lot.
"What is this place?" Luke asked
"This is the last place I was " Reid stopped at a loss for words. "This was the restaurant I met Henry Elton at." He said after a few minutes. "That night I was normal, healthy in full control of myself, the next morning I lost my independence, even the full control of my mind."
"This is where he took you?" Luke asked
"Yes, I just wanted to go here and see it, I can't explain it I just had to come."
Reid walked quietly over to the restaurant door and took a seat on a bench outside. Luke walked over but kept a slight distance.
"When I learned the true extent of Elton's crimes I almost killed almost; I couldn't bear the guilt of having helped him destroy so many lives." Reid said
"Why didn't you?" Luke asked
"Garcia, Derek my Angel and My knight they told me I could still do good in this world, that I could make things better. The letters from the people Elton and I hurt also helped telling me that they didn't blame me for what happened." Reid let out a shuddery sigh "That's not entirely true some did blame me but they said they forgave me and told me to use my knowledge to help people."
The two men stayed for several minutes in silence before they left with Reid driving. "I promise I'll pull over if I feel even the slightest pain in my head." Reid had said with a slight smile.
Luke who had never seen Reid drive before was concerned but knowing Reid needed this feeling of independence agreed. They got back to the hotel just in time to join the others in going to the airfield. On the plane Luke saw Reid put in headphones and lie on the couch with a Braille book. Spencer gave Luke a slight smile and Luke settled in a seat fully confident in his teammate.
A/N Done, finally done, sorry it has taken so long I've had a hard time figuring out how to end this. Hotch blackmailing Strauss might be slightly out of character but Hotch has a dark side held in place by his strict morality and ethics. I could see him doing some dark things if he felt he had no choice. Please let me know your thoughts, critiques to be honest I'm not quite sure if I got it right to feedback would be appreciated. Thank you to all my patient readers I have loved writing this story.