Chapter 5: Reid's Wedding
Morgan, Prentiss and JJ walked out of the hotel room while Diana walked back into the room with Reid. The three of them walked into the hotel's wedding hall and arrived at the witness seats to find Hotch, Beth, Jack, Jessica, Garcia, Kevin and Strauss already sitting there with Will.
"What?!" surprisingly said Prentiss.
"What are you guys doing here?" asked Morgan.
"Reid invited Dave here a few months ago," answered Strauss. "And, I'm Dave's date."
"Reid invited me here after I apologized to him at Henry's birthday party," answered Garcia. "Kevin is my date."
"Hi, everybody," said Kevin.
"And, he invited me and Jack here after I apologized to him," answered Hotch.
"It's our first date," smiled Beth.
"Well, where's Rossi?" asked Morgan.
"You'll see," said Strauss.
"And, where's Henry?" asked JJ.
"You'll see," said Garcia.
Morgan, Prentiss and JJ sat down alongside the rest of the BAU family. Reid's friend, Ethan was playing jazz music on the organ. Reid escorted Diana out to the front of the witness group and they happily kissed each other's cheeks. Everybody watched Reid join the minister at the alter. Then, Rossi came out as Reid's Best Man while escorting Elle Greenaway as the Maid of Honor.
"Elle," said Morgan.
Then, to JJ's surprise, Henry came out as the Ring Bearer. JJ and Will proudly looked at Henry.
"Oh, my God," happily cried JJ. "Henry looks so cute!"
Then, a little brunette girl close to Henry's age came out as the Flower Girl. Ethan started playing, "Here Comes The Bride" on the organ. The beautiful bride was being escorted out to Reid by Jason Gideon.
"Gideon," said Morgan, Prentiss and JJ.
Morgan and Prentiss recognized the bride when she got close enough.
"Oh, my God," said Prentiss. "That's..."
"That's Austin," said Morgan.
"Who's Austin?" asked JJ.
"The lady bartender who we saved from Robert Parker in Atlanta, Georgia," answered Morgan.
Gideon gave Austin away to Reid. Austin and Reid said their wedding vows and their "I do's" and then the minister pronounced them husband and wife. The minister permitted Reid to kiss his bride and Reid happily kissed Austin. Everybody clapped and happily cheered for Reid and Austin. Diana, JJ, Prentiss and Garcia cried happily.
An hour later, everybody had their fill of food. Gideon stood up to make a toast.
"Normally," said Gideon. "The Best Man, David Rossi is the one who would make a toast to the bride and groom. I asked him to let me give the toast. Spencer Reid was the brightest young man whom I had ever come across at Cal Tech. I took him under my wing for a little while and brought him into the FBI. Before I retired, I watched Spencer grow into an outstanding agent. I was amazed to hear that the town, Atlanta, Georgia, where a monster almost killed Spencer once was the same town where he met this lovely young woman, Austin and fell in love with her. Spencer has grown from an FBI agent to a consultant, an amazing chess player, a magician, a teacher and guidance counselor, a godfather to two different children, a new husband and an outstanding human being. I'm proud of you, Spencer. I love you, son. To Spencer and Austin!"
Everybody drank to Gideon's toast. Reid gave Gideon a big hug and then Austin happily hugged Gideon.
"Austin," said Reid. "You remember Hotch, Morgan and Prentiss. These two are Penelope Garcia and Jennifer Jareau. JJ, meet my bride, Austin."
"Oh," smiled Austin. "So you're JJ? Spencer has told me so much about you."
"Uh, I'm sorry that I can't say the same thing about you, Austin," smiled JJ. "So, please tell me, how did you two meet each other?"
"We met in Atlanta during a case three years ago," answered Reid. "Just like you first met Will in New Orleans during a case, JJ."
"Reid and I were passing out fliers in bars warning women about the charismatic pick-up artist unsub," said Morgan.
"Austin was a bartender at the time," added Reid. "We introduced ourselves as FBI to her and I...dazzled her with a magic trick."
"What?" said Garcia, Prentiss and JJ.
"He amazed me by sticking a pencil in the eye of a man's drawing," added Austin. "He moved the pencil around the paper and he took it out without putting a hole in the paper."
Reid added, "I told Austin to give me a call if she saw the man who we were looking for."
Austin added, "And, I asked Spencer, 'And if I don't see him, can I still call you?'"
Garcia happily squealed.
Reid added, "And, I said, 'Yeah, yeah, you can call me."
Austin happily kissed Reid's cheek.
"Nice move, kid," smiled Rossi.
Austin added, "They started to leave and I said, 'Wait, I don't have your number.'"
Reid added, "And, I said, 'Oh, it's behind your barrette.'"
Austin added, "And, I reached behind my left ear and I found Spencer's business card behind my barrette. Spencer said, 'Bye.' And he and Derek walked away."
Everybody laughed. Austin and the BAU family told JJ about Reid helping save Austin's life from the pickup artist unsub, Robert Parker. Then, Austin told everybody Reid rode with her in the ambulance while holding her hand all the way to the hospital. Reid told everybody that after the BAU team returned to DC, Austin called Reid saying she was released from the hospital and quit her bartending job.
"...and I said, 'I was thinking about taking up magic,'" said Austin.
Reid added, "And, a package was being delivered to me in the bullpen."
Austin added, "And, I asked Spencer, 'Did you open the package?'"
"I opened up the package," said Reid. "It was my business card that I gave Austin...with a lipstick kiss on the back of it."
Everybody happily cheered for Reid and Austin.
Austin added, "And, I asked Spencer, 'Is this your card?'"
Reid added, "And, I said, 'Yeah, this is my card.' And, Austin said, 'Cool!'"
Austin kissed Reid's lips.
"Wow," smiled Prentiss.
"Well," said Hotch. "When did you two start dating?"
"About a week after that case," answered Reid.
"Spencer took me out to a comic-con with him. It was the best first date I've ever had," laughed Austin. "It was so magical and so much fun watching Spencer acting like a child at Christmastime wearing a costume and meeting some famous authors and some other costumed guests."
"Comic-con?" thought JJ to herself.
"After I got poisoned with Anthrax," added Reid. "Austin visited me when I checked out of the hospital."
"I took care of Spencer in his apartment," smiled Austin. "We spent a whole week together."
"And, after I got shot in my leg," added Reid. "Austin visited me on weekends."
"I helped Spencer with his home therapy sessions to help him move from crutches to a cane," smiled Austin.
"And, after Hotch and JJ faked Emily's death," said Reid. "I went to Atlanta to visit Austin that following weekend."
"Oh. I'm...sorry about that, Austin," said Prentiss.
"Don't be," smiled Austin. "Because of that, Spencer told me that life is short sometimes. He proposed to me that weekend and I said, 'Yes!'"
Everybody cheered in amazement and surprise.
Austin laughed, "I waited two years for my sweet Spencer to propose to me. And, after Spencer started suffering terrible headaches, I..."
Austin suddenly felt faint and Reid caught her in his arms. Everyone was shocked. Rossi pulled out a chair for Austin.
"Here, child," said Rossi. "Sit here."
Austin groaned, "Thank you."
"Are you okay?" asked Reid.
"Yeah," answered Austin. "I just...felt dizzy."
"Dizzy?" said JJ. "Wait a minute. Austin, are you...?"
"Pregnant," smiled Austin.
"We're going to have a baby," smiled Reid.
Everybody happily cheered and hugged Reid and Austin.
"How long have you known, Reid?" asked Morgan.
"Ever since shortly after I resigned," answered Reid. "After I visited Elle, I went to Atlanta to visit Austin."
"And, I told Spencer that when I decided to be his 30th birthday present to...unwrap, it got me pregnant," smiled Austin.
Garcia happily squealed.
"Austin and I went to Las Vegas together to tell my mom," smiled Reid.
"A baby?" happily said Garcia. "Reid, why didn't you tell us?!"
"I tried to tell you guys," answered Reid.
"What?" said Prentiss.
"When?" asked Morgan.
"At Henry's birthday party," answered Reid.
"Reid told Aaron and me at the party," added Rossi.
"That's why I asked Reid was he thinking about having kids of his own," added Hotch.
"And, when I tried to answer Hotch..." said Reid."
Morgan and Prentiss lowered their heads.
"...We rudely interrupted you," admitted Prentiss.
"We...teased you about never having a girlfriend," added Morgan.
"Of course," whispered Garcia. "See how much we've missed about Reid's life just because you two wouldn't listen to him?!"
Garcia angrily hit Morgan and Prentiss' arms. Diana smiled at Garcia.
"I'm sorry, Baby Girl," said Morgan.
Garcia gave Morgan a mean look while motioning her head towards Reid.
"I'm sorry, Reid," said Morgan.
"I'm sorry, too, handsome," said Prentiss.
Ethan continued playing jazz music on the organ with the little brunette girl sitting next to him. Elle came over to Reid and Austin and she happily hugged Austin. Then, Elle happily hugged Reid.
"Hey, little brother," smiled Elle.
"'Little brother?'" whispered Morgan and JJ.
"Hi, Elle," smiled Reid.
"You guys did it," smiled Elle. "I'm so proud of you!"
Diana and Elle happily hugged each other.
"Hi, Diana," smiled Elle.
"It's so good to see you, Elle," smiled Diana.
"You two know each other?" asked Morgan.
"Yes," answered Diana. "Elle's been the best friend my son's ever had. You three could learn something from Spencer's real sister!"
"I kept in touch with Elle after she quit the BAU," explained Reid.
"Reid saved my life from that trigger-happy maniac, Bryar aboard a train in Texas," added Elle. "And on our last case together in Ohio, Reid came into my hotel room one night and helped me deal with my PTSD issues from recently getting shot in my own home. Hotch and Gideon asked me to be the bait in a sting operation to catch the serial rapist, William Lee. But, I knew I wasn't emotionally up for it, so JJ was the bait instead. I asked Reid to stay by my side at the police station while Gideon, Morgan, Hotch and Detective Callahan arrested Lee when he broke into that house. He got a life sentence. But, Detective Callahan called us saying that the other inmates killed Lee when they learned what he was arrested for."
"Elle told me that she spent a year talking with Detective Callahan," added Reid. "They opened up a battered women's shelter together and named it after Shelly, the rape victim who committed suicide."
Elle added, "I returned to New York after I left the BAU. And, I realized that a sweet, caring and compassionate friend like Reid is unique. So, I kept in touch with him all of this time."
"Elle said that we both had something in common after I told her what Tobias Hankel did to me," said Reid.
"And, I told Reid to say what he wanted me to say every day after what Randall Garner did to me," said Elle.
Reid held Elle's right hand with his left hand while they smiled at each other.
"I'm the lucky one. My monster is dead. And, no one is ever going to hurt me like that again," said both Reid and Elle.
Prentiss was moved from hearing those words.
"Elle saved my life reminding me of that mantra," said Reid.
"Just like Reid saved my life by teaching me that mantra," said Elle. "I knew that I couldn't just leave Reid with Morgan's sense of compassion. Not after the time Reid failed his firearms qualification test and I told Morgan and Gideon in the bullpen. Gideon and I agreed not to embarrass Reid by mentioning it. And, Morgan said, 'Not a word.' But, right after Reid sat down at his desk, Morgan came up to Reid seemingly compassionate while saying, 'Hey, we're all here for you. I'm serious.' And then, Morgan put a police whistle around Reid's neck saying, 'If you need anything, just blow on that!' And, Morgan blew on the whistle and walked away laughing. He was terrible!"
Diana gave Morgan a mean stare. Morgan looked at his watch.
"Man, look at the time!" grinned Morgan. "I think I'd better leave now."
Morgan attempted to run out of the wedding reception. But, Prentiss grabbed his right arm while JJ grabbed his left arm pulling him back towards them.
"Oh, no, you don't!" said Prentiss.
"You're not leaving us alone with her bad side, Agent Terrible!" said JJ.
"Stay!" ordered Prentiss.
"Ah," smiled Elle. "Derek got on Diana's bad side already!"
"Elle's sage advice got me to the altar with Austin today," said Reid.
"Oh?" said Morgan.
"And, when did that sage advice start?" asked JJ.
"During the serial rape case we got on Reid's 24th birthday in California," answered Elle. "While we were at the precinct waiting for the unsub to bait call us on the phone so Garcia could track him, I told Reid I was thankful that he knew all of the things that he did. He asked me if that was why he couldn't get a date. I simply asked him, 'You ever ask anyone out?' He said, 'No.' And, I said, 'That's why you can't get a date!'"
"Beautiful," smiled Diana. "Pure honesty. No teasing. No negativity. Just helpful advice. Exactly what my son needed."
"I told Elle everything about me meeting Austin," said Reid.
"And, I told Reid to go for it," said Elle.
"That's why we both asked Elle to be the Maid of Honor," smiled Austin.
Ethan finished playing his jazz song and he and the little brunette girl walked over to Elle. The little girl lovingly hugged Elle's legs.
"Hi, mommy," said the little girl.
"'Mommy?'" said Morgan.
"Hi, sweetie," smiled Elle.
Ethan and Elle kissed each other's lips.
"Hey," smiled Ethan.
"Hey, honey," smiled Elle. "Guys, meet my husband, Ethan and our daughter, Maddie."
"Hi, sweetie," smiled Garcia.
"Ethan?" said Prentiss.
"You're Spence's jazz musician friend from New Orleans," said JJ.
Will walked up next to JJ.
"Did I hear someone say New Orleans?" asked Will.
"Oh, hello, Will," said Elle.
"Hello, Elle," smiled Will. "Ethan."
"It's good to see you, Will," said Ethan.
"You know Elle, Will?" asked JJ.
"Through Ethan," said Will. "We've both known each other since he moved to New Orleans to play jazz. Spencer introduced Ethan to Elle."
"Spence?" asked JJ.
"When was that?" asked Morgan.
"Four years ago," answered Elle.
"Both Elle and Ethan helped me beat my drug addiction," said Reid.
"Spencer invited us both to DC to witness his one year sober anniversary at the Beltway Clean Cops meeting," added Ethan.
"After the meeting, Reid introduced us to each other," smiled Elle. "It was love at first sight."
"They got married two years ago," added Will. "So, how do you know Elle, JJ?"
"Elle used to be on our team until shortly before I first met you, Will," answered JJ.
"Small world," smiled Will.
Everybody laughed. Ethan motioned Reid to go up to the organ.
"Excuse us," said Reid.
Reid and Austin walked over to the organ together. To JJ, Morgan and Prentiss' surprise, Reid started playing the organ.
"Reid can play the organ?" asked Prentiss.
"Yes," answered Ethan.
"I didn't know that Reid could play," said Morgan.
"Neither did I," said JJ.
"Did any of you guys ever ask Reid if he had any interests other than chess, comic-cons, poker, magic and classical music?" asked Elle.
"No," answered Morgan, Prentiss and JJ.
"Then, that's why you three didn't know that Uncle Spencer could pway the organ," said Maddie.
"She is Elle's daughter," smiled Diana.
"And, Reid's goddaughter," smiled Elle.
JJ gasped.
"I knew that Reid could play," said Rossi. "He started playing the piano in that Louisiana case last year."
"The parent kidnapping case in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana?" asked Prentiss.
"With the autistic 10 year old son, Sammy Sparks as the witness?" asked Morgan.
"Yes," answered Rossi.
"Why?" asked JJ. "What happened on that case?"
Rossi explained, "Reid and I were trying to get Sammy to tell us what he saw when his dad, Charlie was shot and both him and the mom, Ali were abducted at home by the unsub. But, Sammy didn't speak much and he was sensitive to people touching him. With his Aunt Lizzie, we returned Sammy to his home and he started playing the piano. Reid started playing the piano alongside Sammy. I said, 'I didn't know you could play, Reid.' He said, 'I can't. I never have before, but it's essentially all math.'"
"That sounds like Spence," laughed JJ.
Rossi continued, "Reid got Sammy to answer 'yes' on a high note key on the piano while answering 'no' on a low note key. Sammy started playing a song. And when Reid asked him what did the song mean, Sammy took Reid's hand and they both started playing the song together. Lizzie and I found a flip book showing us what Sammy did every day. Sammy saw his life in pictures. He drew anchors on one piece of paper because of the anchor socks that Reid was wearing. He drew the treads of my shoes on another paper. And, he drew what we thought was the letter L on a third paper. But, it wasn't an L, it was a time: 3:00. Sammy went to the music store every day at 3 pm. We took Sammy there and he started playing the same song on the organ in the music store."
"We found out that the unsub, Bill Thomas delivered supplies to the music store every day at 3:30," added Morgan. "Sammy was trying to tell us that Thomas shot Charlie and took him and Ali away. We found them on Thomas' boat, but Charlie had died from his injuries."
JJ gasped.
"Oh, no," said Elle.
"Ali somehow got Thomas' gun and she shot him dead," said Morgan.
"I comforted Lizzie for losing her brother and we saw Sammy hugging his grieving mother for the very first time in his life," said Rossi. "After we returned to DC, Reid bought himself an organ. He's been playing the organ ever since."
"A son hugging his mother for the very first time," cried JJ.
"That part was beautiful," cried Elle.
"I didn't know Reid bought himself an organ after that," said Morgan.
"Because Spence felt if he tried telling us that, we would not have listened to him," said JJ.
"Reid has had better communication with friends outside of the BAU then he's had with the three of us," said Prentiss.
"He introduced Elle and Ethan to each other and because of it, they both got married and had a daughter together," said JJ.
"And, he dated a pretty girl who he helped save during a case for the last three years," said Morgan.
"None of us even knew that Reid had been dating," said Prentiss.
"Or, that Reid was even engaged," said Morgan.
"Spence has made a beautiful personal life for himself these last four years," said JJ.
"And, he just got married," said Morgan.
"Yeah," said Prentiss. "And, almost without us even witnessing the wedding."
"And, they're expecting a baby together," said JJ.
"And, he can play the organ," said Morgan.
Prentiss lowered her head.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm ashamed of us," said Prentiss.
"Yeah," said Morgan. "We've missed watching the kid grow up in so many ways. I'm ashamed of us, too."
"I am, too," said JJ. "Will, Diana and Penelope were right. We have not been very good friends lately to Spence."
"If we had just treated him better," said Morgan. "Maybe I could have been another Groomsman at the wedding today. Maybe I could have even been Reid's Best Man."
"Yeah," said Prentiss. "If we hadn't caused Reid to leave us in the first place, maybe you, me and Garcia could have joined Elle as Austin's Bridesmaids at the wedding today, JJ."
"Or," thought JJ to herself. "If I had said, 'yes' to that comic-con invitation, maybe I could have been Spence's bride."
"Well," said Elle. "The three of you did witness Reid's wedding. So, maybe you all can just try being better friends to Reid from now on?"
"Yeah," said JJ. "We can't change what we did in the past, but we can learn from it and become better people for it."
Morgan and Prentiss agreed with Elle and JJ. Garcia brought Henry over to Will and JJ. Henry lovingly hugged JJ's legs.
"Mommy," said Henry. "I dint know Unca Pence could pway the pi-anna'."
"Mommy didn't know that either, baby," smiled JJ.
"Reid is good," smiled Prentiss.
"Reid is amazing," smiled Garcia.
"Henry," said JJ. "Meet Maddie. Uncle Spence is her godfather, too."
Garcia happily gasped.
"Hi, Maddie," smiled Henry.
"Hi, Henry," smiled Maddie. "Does Uncle Spencer do magic twicks for you, too?"
"Yeah," smiled Henry. "Unca Pence is da gweatest!"
"Yes, he is," smiled Maddie.
"They look so cute together," smiled Garcia.
"Who knows, JJ?" said Elle. "Because of Reid, we may become in-laws some day!"
JJ and Elle laughed.
"Excuse me," said Ethan.
Elle and Ethan kissed each other's lips. Ethan returned to the organ to play more jazz music. Reid and Austin returned to them, Garcia gave Reid a big hug.
"You were great, my former Junior G-man!" smiled Garcia. ''Why didn't you ever tell us that you could play the organ?"
"Oh, Reid didn't think that we would want to hear about it," said Prentiss.
"Oh, really?" said Garcia.
"Yeah," said Morgan. "He said if we never wanted to hear him rambling on about Halloween, Star Wars or anything else that excited him, then why would we want to hear him telling us that he fell in love or that he could play the organ?"
"So, he kept things about his personal life to himself these last four years," added JJ.
Garcia looked at Reid while he nodded his head.
"Why?" said Garcia. "Because you falling in love and getting engaged and expecting a baby genius are the things we've all waited six years for you to tell us, dummy!"
Reid and Austin laughed. Diana smiled at Garcia. Morgan, Prentiss and JJ looked surprised.
"Di...Mrs. Reid," said JJ. "Aren't you mad that she called your son a dummy?"
"No," smiled Diana. "Penelope said that out of love. There's a difference between the way you pick on him and the way she does."
Prentiss suddenly suffered PTSD feelings from her bad Doyle memories. Doyle murdering most of her old friends and colleagues. His forcing that tattoo scar on her and his staking her nearly to death. She walked over to Reid and Austin.
"Reid," said Prentiss. "Can...you teach me that mantra? I think I'm going to need it."
Reid recognized Prentiss' PTSD symptoms. He understandingly took her left hand into his right hand.
"Elle? Garcia?" said Reid. "We need your help."
Elle, Kevin and Garcia came over to Reid and Prentiss.
"What is it?" asked Garcia.
"Emily wants...needs to learn our mantra," explained Reid.
Elle and Garcia easily recognized Prentiss' PTSD symptoms.
"I see," said Elle. "Okay, let's all join hands."
Elle took Reid's left hand and Garcia's right hand. Garcia took Prentiss' right hand and they formed a circle.
"You know this mantra too, Pen?" asked Prentiss.
"Yeah," said Garcia. "Reid taught it to me after Jason Clark Battle shot me. I tell it to myself every day."
"Yeah, she does," said Kevin.
"Spencer does, too," added Austin.
Prentiss was facing Elle while Reid was facing Garcia.
"First," said Elle. "What was your monster's name?"
"Ian Doyle," answered Prentiss.
"He's caused you a lot of physical and emotional pain?" asked Elle.
"Yes," answered Prentiss.
"You've died and came back?" asked Elle.
"How did you know?" shockingly asked Prentiss.
"Our monsters did the same thing to us in their own ways," answered Elle.
"Not to just you and me," added Reid.
"All of us," added Garcia.
"Is he dead now?" asked Elle.
"Yes," answered Prentiss.
"Then repeat after us," said Elle. "I'm the lucky one."
"I'm the lucky one," repeated Prentiss.
"My monster is dead," said Reid.
"My monster is dead," repeated Prentiss.
"And, no one is ever going to hurt me like that again," said Garcia.
"And, no one is ever going to hurt me like that again," repeated Prentiss.
"Good," smiled Elle. "Now, repeat that last part with more confidence. No one is ever going to hurt me like that again."
"No one is ever going to hurt me like that again," repeated Prentiss while feeling more confident.
"No one is ever going to hurt me like that again," repeated Prentiss and Reid.
"No one is ever going to hurt me like that again," smiled Prentiss, Garcia and Reid.
"No one is ever going to hurt me like that again," smiled Prentiss, Garcia, Elle and Reid.
The four of them repeated the mantra for the next ten minutes while squeezing each other's hands comforting Prentiss and relieving her PTSD symptoms. Kevin, Austin, Diana, Morgan, Will and JJ were watching them. Afterwards, Prentiss gratefully group hugged the three of them.
"Thank you," cried Prentiss. "I...I didn't think that anybody..."
"...understood what you've been going through?" asked Elle.
"Yes," sniffed Prentiss. "It's been 9 months now, but sometimes I still feel Doyle scarring me with that clover tattoo."
"Sometimes I still feel Garner reaching into my bullet wound to write the word, 'rules' with my blood on my apartment wall," said Elle.
"I sometimes still see the Charles personality whipping my foot," said Reid. "The Raphael personality pointing a gun to my forehead playing Russian Roulette, and the Tobias personality injecting me with drugs."
"I sometimes still see Battle shooting me," said Garcia. "And then, I see him looking down at me thinking he had succeeded in killing me. And, I can still see the blood stain on my doorstep when I came home from the hospital with Morgan."
"I...I sometimes think that stake is still in my stomach," cried Prentiss. "Ever since I returned to the BAU, I've been trying to get back into my old life and..."
"Pretending that nothing bad happened to you?" asked Reid.
Prentiss nodded her head.
"We've all made that mistake," said Elle.
"Pretending that nothing bad happened to us doesn't work, Em because what happened to us did happen to us," said Garcia.
"It doesn't stop the nightmares from coming," said Reid. "All of our monsters have given us nightmares."
"He gave you a bad feeling that you've never felt before?" said Elle.
Prentiss nodded her head.
"I was crying for four whole months at home after I got shot," admitted Elle. "I started drinking because of it."
"I was crying after I got shot, too," admitted Garcia. "I had nightmares of him coming into my apartment in the middle of the night shooting me dead. But, Reid really helped me with my bad feeling."
"If Gideon wasn't by my side at the hospital," said Elle. "Reid was by my side instead. He's been a true friend to me throughout my whole ordeal."
"Reid checked in on me after I returned to work from getting shot," smiled Garcia. "He's been my hero."
"Reid comforted me with that mantra after I was shot," said Elle. "He's been my hero, too."
"And, Reid comforted me with that mantra after I was shot," added Garcia. "When he had to stay behind with me after he got shot in his leg, we held hands and we repeated that mantra together in the bat cave between our video chats with the team."
"Elle reminded me of that mantra after what Tobias Hankel did to me," said Reid. "All of us tell it to ourselves every time we start to experience that bad feeling because of what happened to us."
"Yeah," said Elle. "Trying to avoid that bad feeling won't fix it. But, repeating that mantra every day can help you fix that feeling."
"We can meet in the bat cave and repeat that mantra together if you want, Em," said Garcia.
"I'd like that," sniffled Prentiss.
The three ladies lovingly stared at Reid.
"What?" asked Reid.
"I love you, little brother," smiled Elle.
"I love you, too, Elle," said Reid.
"I love you, Boy Wonder," smiled Garcia.
"I love you, too, Garcia," said Reid.
"I love you, handsome," smiled Prentiss.
"I love you, too, Emily," said Reid.
"I love you, Dr. Reid," smiled Austin.
"I love you, too, Mrs. Reid," smiled Reid.
Austin and Reid kissed each other's lips.
"I guess I was wrong," admitted Will. "Spencer does know how to say, 'I love you' to somebody besides his mama."
"Will," said Morgan. "You could have easily been right, man."
"You were right about everything else you told us," said JJ.
Everybody watched Reid and Austin happily cutting the wedding cake together. Suddenly, the BAU team got a text about a new case on their phones.
"No," said Prentiss.
"Crime never sleeps," said Garcia.
Morgan groaned, "They can't be serious."
Strauss and Hotch walked over to them.
"A serial rapist has resurfaced in Houston, Texas," said Strauss.
"They've nicknamed him, 'The Piano Man,'" said Rossi.
"We can't go," said JJ.
"We have to," said Hotch. "I'll tell Reid and Austin."
Hotch and Rossi walked over to Reid and Austin.
"Wheels up?" asked Reid.
"Yes," said Hotch. "I'm sorry."
"A rape case in Texas," said Rossi.
"Stay safe," said Reid.
Austin happily hugged Hotch and Rossi while Reid shook their hands.
"Thank you for coming to our wedding," smiled Austin.
"And, thank you both for everything," smiled Reid.
The BAU team looked over at Reid and Austin dancing happily together in each other's arms before they left the wedding ceremony. Hotch kissed Beth and Jack while JJ kissed Will and Henry. The five of them got into an SUV to drive over to the BAU jet while Kevin drove Garcia and Strauss over to Quantico in his car.
"That was amazing," said JJ. "I still can't believe that Spence just got married."
"I still can't believe that Reid is expecting a baby," said Prentiss.
"I still can't believe that Reid can play the organ," said Morgan.
"When did our boy genius grow up?" asked JJ.
"Reid was already grown up," said Rossi.
"You three were just too blind to see it before today," said Hotch.
"Spence and Austin looked so happy together," tearfully smiled JJ.
"I guess I can't call him, 'kid' anymore," said Morgan.
"Does this mean we no longer have to worry about Reid?" asked Prentiss.
"One thing I've learned about being a parent," said Hotch. "You will always worry about your children. But, if you give your children the right tools and the right guidance, they can surprise you in ways that you never even imagined."
Prentiss put her hands together and closed her eyes and quietly said, "I'm the lucky one. My monster is dead. And, no one is ever going to hurt me like that again. No one is ever going to hurt me like that again..."
Reid never returned to the BAU team full time, but he did consult on their most difficult cases. Reid recommended to Hotch a new team member, Dr. Alex Blake, who was a linguist, a teacher and another resident genius. And, Reid did return to the BAU family full time. Reid had invested stock in a company called NanoVex and earned enough money from it to move himself and Austin into a newly built mansion. The BAU family watched Austin progressing in her pregnancy and she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl seven months later. To everybody's surprise, Reid and Austin made Morgan the godfather and Prentiss the godmother. It was up to the two of them to get little Penelope Diana Reid to Yale if anything ever happened to Reid and Austin.
Author's note: The mantra was inspired by the fan fiction story, "No One Is Ever Going To Hurt You Like That Again," by Klarolineluvr34. Reid taught Elle the mantra in that story. I felt that Reid himself, Garcia and Prentiss also needed to learn to say it after what their monsters, Hankel, Battle and Doyle did to the three of them.
Wheels up!