"The youngest holds the key" Those were the words that started everything.
Elle is injured.
Rebecca is fine.
Reid put his life in danger. Again. Reid is fine.
I don't know what to do. I've taken Reid to task many times, but now he is in deep trouble. So I decided to call Rossi. My mentor, my father from all but blood.
"This is David"
"Hi David, this is Aaron"
"How are you Aaron, today is Tuesday, you usually call on Friday. What's going on?"
"Well something happened at work, and I don't know what to do"
"What happened, son? you know you can talk with me about anything"
"I know Rossi, that's why I called. It's about Reid"
"What did he do? by the way. You promised years ago that you were going to introduce us. He is like my grandson. Why haven't I met him?" I chuckled. I did promise him that, but there has been no time. I didn't realize that it has been 2 years since Spencer became my protege.
"You will meet him soon Rossi, I promised"
"You did son, and you know how much I like when you break a promise" Of course, he is going with that. I think annoyed.
"Yes, dad. I know"
"You should. So what did the trouble maker do now?"
"Well he put his life in danger"
"He did? How?" He asks intrigued. I've only told him good things about Spencer. I want them to get on well.
"Well, it started…"
It started when we were all on a holiday. Well, everyone except for Penelope and JJ. They stayed at headquarters.
Morgan and Elle were in Puerto Rico. Gideon was in his cabin doing God knows what. Reid decided to visit his mother in Las Vegas. I decided to stay home with Jack and Haley. The unSub targeted all of us.
I received a call from the unSub giving me the first clues. I didn't understand what they meant.
"The youngest holds the key"
Elle was framed for a murder in Puerto Rico. Morgan and Elle were on their holiday and Elle was framed by the unSub. The Puerto Rican police thought that Elle was the killer. What a ridiculous idea.
Penelope was hacked via an online game that she was obsessed with. I don't understand how someone so smart can make those kinds of choices if I'm being honest. The unSub got all of our information from her computer. Don't ask me how but he did.
JJ received a yellow butterfly. Fun fact she collected them as a child.
Reid received the famous key. Gideon received a men's head on his doorstep. The unSub had us where he wanted.
"Oh, how is Jason? Has he given any trouble? You know how a hardass he can be" Rossi interrupted my story. He is a friend of Rossi. Well, a friend is a strong word. They are like brothers always bickering.
"He is fine, you know I can handle Jason". Or he can handle me. He is like an uncle, to me. We go way back.
"Yes, I know you can. How is the team?, you know I've only met Morgan and Jason unfortunately"
"They're fine. May I continue with the story"
"Yes you may"
We all gathered at headquarters. Joined the clues and Garcia found him. Or at least that's what we thought. The unSub wanted to play a game with us. There was only one rule. We were the only players. We weren't supposed to use outside sources. Everyone was tired, so we made a big mistake. We disregarded the rules and alerted the media. The unSub was outraged. So he attacked Elle. And she almost died.
"That was Jason's idea right?" He interrupted again.
"Yes it was"
"Why didn't you call me? You know I can help" I wanted to, but it was a risk.
"If I'm being honest, I wanted to, after Elle almost got killed, but couldn't take any chances. You know how an unSub can be" I told him
"Yes I know"
It was stupid of me to send her home. In my defense, I thought that Henderson was going to stay with her. He didn't. I blame myself. Gideon blames himself even more. He was the one that wanted to involve the media.
Reid was so nervous. I didn't know why. He realized that his mom was involved somehow. Diana Reid has schizophrenia and was admitted into a facility. The unSub knew her but Reid couldn't figure out why or how. And then the realization came to him. He has been sending her mom letters. Letters of all our secrets. And the unSub got all the details. He was so scared that we were going to blame him. It's like blaming Garcia, for playing her online game.
Reid was frustrated and in the middle of a panic attack. He needed to get her mom. He called the Las Vegas field office to get her mom to safety. They flew her to Virginia to be out of the unSub hands. Her safety was first but he thought that she may be helpful with the investigation.
His mom had other ideas. She was scared. Her mental issues were making her anxious. She was paranoid. Then Reid decided to play her a tape with the unSubs voice. She recognized the voice of the man. She told him everything that she knew and how he was delusional talking about a fire. And his lost family. Diana convinced the unSub that he was delusional. He thought that his daughter was dead. But she survived. In his mind, everything was made up. He needed to save her. But he didn't know what was real and what wasn't. There was a repetitive clue. "Save her" and "The youngest holds the key" . and now it made sense. He had her daughter captive. And Reid was the key for everything. Without his mom's help, the unSub would be lost.
After a while, we found the unSub he sent us a picture of the house they were in.
And then Reid decided to do something stupid. I can understand why he did it.
"I think that this is going to get interesting to me"
"Yeah, you love to tell me: I told you so" He does, I was a wreck when I was his protegé.
"You know that I don't like it when you're in distress, but it's funny when I see you on the other side of the problem. The gray hairs I have are yours to blame"
"I know, I know".
Morgan, Reid, and I went into the house. We had a plan. We get to talk to the unSub.
There was a repetitive clue. "Save her" and "The youngest holds the key"
He was going to tell us how to save her. Reid decided to talk to the unSub. He reasoned that he was the one that "holds the key" and the unSub must respond well to his plea. Reid also felt guilty because his mom was the one that told him that he was delusional and everything started from there.
Then my world almost crashed down.
"I'm going to move where he can see me"
WHAT!? NO!. This was not the plan. Reid was only going to talk with him. He doesn't need to go near that son of a…
"REID NO" Morgan and I said at the same moment.
What was Reid thinking? Going out of protocol. We had a plan. And now Reid is disregarding everything we prepared. After this case, I'm going to kill him. Well, not kill him, but he is for sure grounded.
"HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHA"
"Not funny Dave"
"Fall back," Reid said.
We protested, All the "Reid no" "Reid, don't do it" went into deaf ears. This kid is going to give me a heart attack for sure. I blame him for all my gray hairs. Jack will need to step up and not do anything Reid does. I'm pretty sure there is nothing Jack can do to surpass Reid's antics.
"Stay calm Mr. Garner," Reid told the unSub, calmly, putting his hands where he could see them. The kid didn't even have a gun in his hands. What was wrong with him. He started to walk towards the room that the unSub was in.
Morgan and other agents were behind Reid. Morgan decided to move to the other side of the hall.
"Ask the question, Sr. Percival". The unSub asked calmly.
"Mr. Garner, I've told you before. I'm not Percival. My name is Dr. Spencer Reid from the FBI. I'm Diana Reid's son. She was with you in a mental hospital" Reid told the unSub.
"If you want the grail you must ask the question"
"She's not a Grail, Mr. Garner. She is your daughter her name is Rebecca". Reid tried to be reasonable with the unSub
"You don't understand. My daughter died on a fire and I couldn't save her"
"Rebecca lived Mr. Garn–"
"NOOOOO, your mother explained to me that I was just making her up. She t–" The unSub interrupted Reid, and then Reid interrupted back.
"Mr. Garner, My mother is a paranoid schizophrenic, who forgets all her needs if she wasn't properly medicated. She is sick Mr. Garner. You can't trust what she says". Reid told him angrily. I can hear the pain in his voice. He blames himself. Is not his fault.
"She made me realize that I was wrong. I didn't even lose Rebecca she never existed in the first place. You are just lying to get to the Grail. But I'm not going to believe anything you say. Just tell me the question boy" We didn't prepare for this. What must be the question he wants? Reid needs to step up.
"She does exist Mr. Garner and we are here to help her. I know that's what you want. That's what you need"
The door of the room was opened. The house was loud. I don't know what's happening. I'm looking at Morgan for answers but he doesn't know either.
"Hotch, Morgan I think that maybe it be better if you guys waited outside". What? Outside? What's going on?. Over my dead body, I'm going to leave him. Morgan looks at me. His face says everything. He is thinking the same thing. Morgan loves Reid. He has always been protective of his wellbeing.
"Mr. Garner and I are just going to talk alone in here" The nerve of this boy. I was on my way to get Reid when Morgan told him
"Go ahead and talk with him Reid, but we're not going anywhere, pretty boy" Morgan looks at me and I nod at him. I don't know what's going on, but Reid is going to explain in detail this. We deserve an explanation. Right now, I'm understanding Rossi a little bit more. If I had put him in this position, I know that I would have regretted it.
"You put me in this situation many times Aaron" I did, more than once. I can't count how many times I put him in that position. Afterward, I regretted it. The punishment hurt (I couldn't sit for a week for God's sake) but the realization of disappointing Rossi was worse.
"I know Rossi. I'm sorry" I told him with all the honesty in the world.
"Yes, you are. Now you're a parent Hotch, you know better. I'm proud of you"
"I am, and I know that I was a pain in the ass. Karma is real"
"He is a good kid Aaron. Remember how Morgan was?" Oh, I remember. He has matured. He doesn't put himself in this kind of situation anymore. Well, he does, but he pays for it.
"Don't remind me, Dave, he was a menace. A teenager, in a grown-up suit"
"Ask the question, Percival. I'll be healed when you do. You may take the Grail too. Just ask the question."
"I can't do that" Reid told the unSub, but the unsub only got angrier.
"HEAL ME!" He answered with rage and desperation.
"Mr. Garner a Fisher King can't be healed by someone else. It's not a would of the body, it's a would of the memory. A wound that only you can find. You need to heal it yourself. "
"Ask the question and I will be healed" Asked stubbornly.
"There is only one question that matters Mr. Garner, there is only one question that is going to change everything. Can you forgive yourself?" What are you doing Reid, you are only making him anxious.
"I couldn't save them"
"If you tell me where Rebecca is, you saved her. You can save Rebecca now. I know you want to"
"Tell me where Rebecca is"
"You already know. I sent your mother the map. If Rebecca is the one you wanted to save, to heal. I don't know what you are doing here. You cannot save me" What map, he only sent us a picture of this house. Is she here?
"What map? What are you talking about Mr. Garner" Exactly. Reid is asking the right question.
"Answering your question, Can I forgive myself?" Silence. "No, I can't" At that moment I heard Reid running towards us. What's going on? "RUNNN" The blood escaped from my body. After hearing Reid yelling. I heard an explosion. And Reid was thrown towards Morgan and the SWAT team.
Reid is literally on fire. "Don't move a muscle Reid". Morgan extinguished the flames in Reid's leg.
I ran towards them. They need to be okay. The SWAT team was running downstairs.
"Reid, Morgan. Are you guys okay?" "Yes Hotch, we are fine" Morgan answered after giving Reid a SWAT on his butt. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU MORGAN" "You worried me sick pretty boy, I know Dad here is going to wear his hand in your butt, but if you want some practice beforehand, I can help you" Reid was speechless. There was truth in Morgan's words, but we needed to get out of here. There is no time for their hooligans.
"So, "Mr. your ways are archaic" did that?"
"I was surprised too"
"Let's go guys, this is going to demolish in a second, What was that Reid?" Morgan helped Reid stand up and was helping him walk
"A bomb, that's why I told you to go outside" That answer got him another SMACK from Morgan.
"The kid doesn't learn. Does he?"
"He does, but at that moment he wasn't thinking"
"Morgan!"
"Shut it, Kid. You are sinking yourself deeper. You wanted us to go outside, to what? Worrying ourselves to death while you were with a psycho. You are asking for it, kid." I understand what Morgan is saying, but right now I just want to get us all out here. The SWAT team is outside. There is only us left here. I took Reid from Morgan. I don't need to
"Stop both of you!. We need to get out of here, We will have the chance to talk about this".
"Wait Hotch, Rebecca is here, we need to save her" She is here? Where?
"Reid, what are you talking about?, We don't know where Rebecca is" "We don't have time to search for her" Morgan and I told him at the same time. We really need to get out of here.
"What are you talking about Hotch. Mr. Garner told us he sent us a map" Reid told us.
"Reid there is no time for this," I told him. I want to save the girl too, but if there is a chance to trade lives. I'm going to save my family first, and i'm not going to put anyone at risk. I will get both of them outside and then I'm going to get back to search for her.
"Let me think. Let me think. So he is the Fisher King. As a king, this is his castle . Rebecca must be in the basement. Yes, she is in the basement. I know it. We need to save her" And with that Reid, slipped from Morgan's grasp and started to run towards the basement
"He is dead, Hotch. Let me tell you, I'm going to kill him"
"So that's what happened"
"Hotch you have your arms full with that kid. He was reckless"
"I know Dave, that's why I called you". I know what I'm going to do with Reid but needed to talk to Rossi after this. He always calms me down. I don't want to hurt Reid. Not really. Just a reminder of the consequences.
"We both know that if you pulled a stunt like that one you would be over my knee right now"
"I know Dave, but we are not talking about me. I know that I'm going to have to spank him"
"Yes son, you do. He put his life in danger. There should be consequences for his choices"
"I don't want to," I said childishly
"Do you think that I wanted to spank you, Aaron?" I know that he didn't "I didn't, It hurt me a lot seeing you in pain, but it was necessary"
"I know Dave. I know."
"Thank you for listening"
"You know you can always call me. You should bring Morgan and Reid to my cabin. So I can meet my grandson. And give Morgan a treat for being good with him"
"What? You never give me treats for that. I'm always good with them"
"You are their parent Aaron, and I'm yours. Anyway, I want to meet the troublemaker, so I can spoil him. I hope his father allows it. "
"I know Dave, and what? I don't know when you can meet him. Call Morgan, he misses you"
"Well then I'm going to visit you, there is no negotiation, I'll see you soon. And Morgan calls me at least 2 times a week you know?" What? I didn't know they were talking with each other. It's a good thing.
"Okay, okay, we will see you soon"
"Love you, son, take care"
"Love you dad"
A/N: Hello Everyone. It's been a while since I posted something. I want to finish the spiderson/irondad story. I'm working on it. This story is crossposted on AO3 username: deanpotterblack. Hope you enjoy it. Please be aware that the story is unbetaed and english is not my first language, so I ask you all to be kind with the reviews. I take any feedback as a compliment, so feel free to do so.
Thank you all for reading!