By the time, you read this, I will be back home cuddled in a fleece blanket. But these first lines were written in Florida after I enjoyed swimming in a warm pool. I'm just preserving memories.
Chapter Fifteen:
It was around six in the morning when Miranda woke up. Reid was still sleeping. He looked so peaceful. Peaceful compared to the many nights over the years where he would be thrashing, and moaning. Crying and screaming about demons she could not see or possibly want to see. All she could do was hold onto him and promise to be by his side through his worst nightmares.
She gently kissed him on the forehead and got up to get ready for an early meeting that promised to be painful, but necessary.
…
Fleming ticked on her fingers. "A Mugshot we knew about, vials we didn't, prison uniform your husband knows about, handcuffs we didn't, and now a photo. Are there any other secrets you would like to share that aren't the nuclear launch codes?"
Miranda remained quiet.
Gina stared at her. "You thought it might have been one of us. Ma'am we are not just White House Staff, we've been with you much longer. Weathered more storms. Celebrated more victories. Ma'am you may not share the same feeling but I consider you family."
"I care about you too Gina," she said. "I just like to keep people at an arm's length I guess."
"You really can't do this job alone," Fleming said. "Keeping this stuff to yourself must be playing all sorts of havoc on your mind."
"I know," she said.
"You know but you didn't come to us!" she snapped.
"We're not going to get anywhere if you two start to bicker," Gina said. "I think the important thing to do now is chart a path forward together."
"So what do you propose?" Miranda asked.
"I'll handle Lang's spy," she said.
"Do you want backup?" Fleming asked.
"No. People thing we're conjoined at the hip enough as it is," Gina said.
"How do you intend to handle her?" Miranda asked.
"I'll inform you when I'm done," she said simply.
"Fair enough," Miranda said.
"Now these 'taunts,'" Fleming said. "We can't do much about them alone. I think you should get FBI director in here with us so we can help with the investigation."
"I'll get it scheduled," Miranda said.
None of the women spoke for a moment.
"I'm sorry," Miranda said. "The size of this office is getting to me. I feel like my opinion is needed on every little thing and I am afraid of screwing up. I just felt like I needed to keep this secret safe from the rest of the world."
"Ma'am," Gina said softly. "Including your husband?"
"Especially my husband," she said with a sigh. "And I know now that that is wrong and I plan on rectifying it tonight."
"If you don't mind my asking, where are the kids going to be?" Fleming said.
"Sleepovers," she said.
"Good luck," Gina said.
"I'll need it," Miranda said and then clapped her hands. "I think this has been a very productive meeting. Now get out before anyone finds out it took place."
"Yes, Ma'am," Fleming and Gina said in unison.
…
Gina appeared at the end of the day when Miranda was packing up.
"So how did you handle it?" she asked.
"I told she was being let go due poor job performance," Gina said simply.
"She bought that?"
"The job of a White House staffer includes a code of honor that she was failing to uphold."
"How'd she take it?"
"With little protest. If I'm being honest she looked like she wasn't surprised by the development. If I had to guess, she's been waiting to get caught."
"Well, that's one problem solved," Miranda said.
"I don't doubt there will be repercussions, but Whitney and I will deal with them. You focus on what you need to get done tonight okay?"
"Okay," Miranda said.
"Goodnight Ma'am," Gina said.
"Goodnight Gina," Miranda said and left.
Gina gently closed the door between her office and the oval office. Waiting for was J.J. and Hotch.
"Are you ready for your cognitive interview?" J.J. asked.
"Yes," she said taking a seat opposite her.
"Think back to the day of the retreat…"
…
"So, what's on your mind that you didn't want to spoil dinner with?" Reid asked as they went to the living room with glasses of wine.
"That drill wasn't a drill," Miranda said as she sat down.
"I figured out as much. And what about those desk drawers that were glued shut?"
"It was the bottom right drawer," she said. "In each of them was dirt from a desert in Mexico and your first mug shot."
He looked shocked. "You thought you should keep that from me?"
"I've been told recently that I have trust issues," she said.
"I'm your husband Miranda!" he said loudly. "You should feel like you could trust me with anything within reason and this falls within reason."
"I know," she said sadly.
"There more isn't there if you're bringing this up now. What else?"
"A vial of red stones was found under my pillow at Camp David. A pair handcuffs were found in my favorite tub of ice cream. A photo of you in the prison exhibit with a note during my speech to congress."
Reid stood up. "Miranda!" he shouted. "How could you? What part of your brain told you that keeping this from me was a good idea?"
She burst into tears. "The part of me that wanted to protect you!"
"I don't need your protection," he said angrily. "Your support, yes. But keeping things like this only hurts more than harms."
She didn't say anything.
He spun around. "This is my life Miranda, someone isn't just mentally tormenting you, he, she or they are tormenting me also by using things from my past."
"Can you at least see why I wanted to keep it from you?" she said.
"From a short-sighted perspective, yes. But from the perspective of a spouse, no. You should have informed me earlier."
"I'm sorry," she said.
"I know," he said and left the living area.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Getting my things for tomorrow. I'm going to sleep in the guest bedroom."
She stood up. "Spencer!"
He turned around.
"I just can't be around you anymore tonight," he said. "I know your sorry and I know you'll trust me more. But tonight, I need to sleep on these things alone."
She took a few steps forward and he took a few steps back.
"Just give me my space," he said.
Miranda watched silently as he grabbed his things. She hoped he could sleep well.