Three Little Words Chapter 6: Helpless, a criminal minds fanfic

Author's note: Remember that angst I mentioned in the first chapter? It's about to kick in.

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Three Little Words

Chapter Six: Helpless

By Ann Parker

"What are you talking about?" asked Emily. Before Reid could answer, Martian spoke up.

"Damn it, Webber," he groaned, exasperated. "Okay, everyone upstairs now. We can't let this information leak farther than it has." The group reluctantly nodded and turned to go back into the conference room.

"Gideon," Reid called out. The older man came to his side and put a hand on his shoulders.

"Give her some time to digest this while we figure it out," Gideon replied in a gentle tone, knowing what he wanted. Reid slightly nodded and let Gideon steer him upstairs. Once they reached the room he sat down with a resounding thud. He couldn't believe this was happening. Why now? Why him? Why her? His mind was racing with questions, but he waited for the door to click shut before he even looked at the other man.

"Okay, Webber, what the hell just happened down there?" ordered Martian. "I thought you said she worked at the Hoover building in DC."

"She does. She must have been here to see him," he replied looking at Reid. Reid's eyes narrowed at that accusation. Like he had the right to blame him of anything.

"Okay, somebody back up and tell us what is going on," ordered Hotch. He glanced at Reid and then at the other two men. Nobody offered up anything information right away, causing Hotch to pound his fist on the table. "Listen up. We have a terrorist attack to stop and we're losing time. So let's get this resolved now." He didn't know what exactly was going on, but he'd be damned if they were going to lose focus. He could have lost Hailey and Jack in the last terrorist attempt and he wasn't about to let something like that happen again.

"My real name is David Wright. I was married to Michelle, Agent Wright —"

"Stratford," Reid corrected. David blinked for a second, not expecting that.

"Right, Stratford, before I got placed on this detail and was forced to end the marriage," David finished.

"Yeah, by faking your death via a drug overdose," retorted Reid. He was still incredibly angry. How could this man do this to her? "Why fake your death? Why not just file for divorce and disappear?"

"Reid," Gideon warned. "This isn't the place for that." Reid looked up at him to protest, but Gideon lifted his hand. "I'm not saying they aren't valid questions," he continued, looking at David. "But don't you think she should be the one to ask them?" Reid sighed and nodded. He knew Michelle earned that much. God, he wondered how she was handling this.

"This information can't be leaked," stated Martian. The team nodded, understanding the implications if it got out. "Now, can you two handle working together on this case?" Reid and David studied each other for a minute.

"Yes sir," David replied.

"Fine," Reid stated. The group began to disperse when Garcia walked up behind Reid's chair and hugged him. She waited to say anything until the rest had left.

"It'll be okay," she whispered.

Reid looked up at her and she could see the fear and pain in his eyes, "is it? I think she might still be in love with him."

Garcia frowned, "how do you know that?"

"Because," Reid started, allowing a few silent tears to fall. "When I told her that I loved her, she couldn't say it back." The worry he had about her returning his feelings was finally surfacing.

Garcia hugged him tighter, "Just because she couldn't say it, doesn't mean she doesn't feel it. Just give her some time. Don't give up Spencer. It'll all end up perfect in the end."

"Reid." Gideon's voice, although authoritative still had concern it. He was at the doorway. Garcia released her grip as Reid rubbed his face.

"Yeah, I'm coming." He stood up and offered Garcia a sad smile before heading out the door. He really hoped she was right because he didn't know if he could handle it if she was wrong.

As the group left the building, Reid going with Gideon, Emily, and Martian to the military base where the men were being held, he noticed Michelle's blue sedan still in the parking lot. He then heard a slight scuffle and before the rest of them could turn around, Michelle had pinned David against the wall of the building. Reid took a step towards them, but Morgan held him back. He watched as she stared down her husband of a few seconds before reaching out a hand and gently touching his face, almost as if to make sure he was really there.

"Michelle," David whispered, trying to still keep his cover intact as well as talk to her. She simply shook her head quickly and began to walk away. She could still hardly process this; Reid could see it in her body language. David reached out to her, but she twisted his arm and forced him to the ground. She looked at him once more before releasing her grasp and walking away. She glanced in Reid's direction briefly; just long enough for him to noticed the stream of tears in her eyes. That was just about all he could take.

He shrugged off Morgan's grasp and ran after her, reaching her just before she got in her car. "Michelle." Her name came out as more of a plea than a greeting. He just wanted her to look at him. She stopped walking and he moved to stand in front of her.

"You…you didn't know that…"

She couldn't even get the whole question out, her throat being choked with tears, but he knew what she was trying to say. "Did I know he was still alive?" he asked for her, lifting her chin with his hand so he could meet her eyes. She nodded slightly, her green eyes shimmering from the tears. "No, I had no idea. I would have told you if I had. I just met him this morning and I didn't even connect it until I saw your face." She sighed slightly, knowing that at least he had been honest with her. He started to pull her into a hug, but she suddenly stepped away from him.

"I can't," she stated. He studied her for a second, trying to figure out if this was a rejection or not. "I just…I need to be alone right now." He nodded slightly as she moved past him and climbed into her car. She looked at him once more before she drove away. He watched her speed out of the parking lot. He hadn't felt this helpless since he had been locked up in that cabin months earlier. When he could no longer see her car he took a deep breath and walked back over to Gideon and the rest. He quickly glanced at David and the men briefly locked eye contact. It was clear to everyone, including Reid and David, that both men were in love with the same woman. The question on everyone's mind was – whom did she love?