Thanks for the support!

Chapter 24:

Reid was packing up after class when one of his students approached him.

"Dr. Reid, I lost that booklet of information Dr. Rayburn gave out," she said nervously. "I know it was irresponsible of me to lose it but I tripped one day and my stuff went—"

"It's okay Annabel," Reid said. "I'll have Rayburn's office send over another copy."

"Thank you!" she said gratefully.

…

The next day he was surprised to see none other than Addison Rayburn with the booklet during his office hours.

"You didn't have to come out here," he said instantly standing up.

"No, I wanted to," she said almost nervously. "This felt like a good excuse to get out of the office for a little while. I remembered Annabel Lee. She seemed very bright and I was looking forward to hearing from her."

"She is among my top five students," Reid said.

"I'm glad you called my office then," she said.

There was an awkward pause where neither would look each other in the eye.

"How is—"Rayburn started.

"If you don't mind—"Reid said at the same time.

They both stopped and breathed. Reid spoke next.

"My daughter is doing better. If don't mind my asking, how is yours?"

"She's doing better too," Rayburn said. "Respecting rules more. My ex and I are being more civil than we have been three years."

"I think I misread my daughter," Reid said sitting down and Rayburn did the same. "I think I miss my wife more than she does and what is bothering her is more immediate. My friend won't tell me but I am beginning to think it might be a boy."

Rayburn couldn't help but laugh. "You are in real trouble if it is a boy. My Stephanie doesn't think much of the boys in her class."

"Which is why I think he is older than her," Reid said. "I am letting my friend take care of it but I made her promise that if it was a serious issue she would tell me."

"At the meeting you said something about what 'you call family' so are you referring to someone from your old team?"

Reid couldn't help but smile. "You pick up quickly."

Rayburn turned slightly red. "Your team is a bit of an anomaly. There was a very low turnover rate with that team for a number of years. I studied your case history to understand what made you such a cohesive unit. I had a suspected it might be something deeper."

"Would you like my input?"

"Yes, that would be helpful," she said.

"We became a full family unit," he said. "I don't have much family so Derek Morgan became something of an older brother to me. He is my daughter's godfather. Aaron Hotchner, Jason Gideon, and David Rossi provided mentorship on a paternal level. Jennifer Jareau, Penelope Garcia, and I developed a sibling relationship and I became the godfather to Jareau's first son."

"Why didn't I see that?" Rayburn said thoughtfully. "I had no way to connect god parents."

"When we fell apart we also picked each other up together," Reid added with a touch of emotion. "I was never alone when I worked with them."

"So do you miss it?" Rayburn asked suddenly.

"Sometimes, but the team has spread apart," he said with a note sadness. "It wouldn't be the same and I have Jenna to look after."

"I get that," she said.

"What about you?" he asked. "Do you miss working in a lab?"

"Sometimes," she admitted. "I miss the thrill of new discoveries and working with raw data all the time. But there is more inspection of elements I can't predict or fully understand like how your team stayed together for all those years."

"I didn't know my team was that fascinating," Reid said.

"It is just I never put names to subjects," Rayburn admitted. "I don't have a memory for names just, statistics."

There was the sound of students rushing through the hallways. Reid looked at his watch and sighed.

"I guess office hours are over. I'll give the booklet to Anabel the next time I see her."

"Thanks," Rayburn said.

"Your welcome. Thank you for dropping by."

"It was my pleasure."

There was another awkward pause. Reid spoke up.

"Are you going to another meeting?"

"I think so. I could use some support with my next custody battle. You?"

"I'm afraid of how to deal with Jenny growing up. So I guess I'll be there."

"Great," Rayburn said. "I'll see you then."

"Goodbye," Reid said with a slight wave.

As Reid shut his door and began to pick up his things all he could think of was the fact that her reaction was "great" to see him again. And why did he feel the same way? It was going to be "great," to see her again.

…

Rayburn looked at Reid's case reports more closely when she got back. She never connected his name to any of these statistics of marksmanship or heroic achievement to the father of the girl who started a fight with her daughter. She had only skimmed the surface of who Spencer Reid was.

She also kept asking herself why her response was "great," to he was coming. It was great but why did she use that word in front of him? It was going to be an interesting experience seeing him again after that reaction.