A Shot In The Dark.
!!I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!
Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.
"I was going to suggest you went to a safe house until this mess is sorted, but thinking about it, I would prefer you to stay with me." Hotch's fingers slowly gripped Reid's hand. "I am worried Spencer."
Reid yawned and looked down at the hand holding his. "Hotch – Aaron, I don't know. Haley."
"I told you it will be fine. There is nothing to worry about. She will understand."
Reid sucked in his bottom lip. "I am fine, really Hotch, there is no need."
Aaron sat on the hospital bed Reid was sitting up in. "Someone is either threatening you or trying to, and I need to keep you away from it, and somewhere safe. It's my place or a safe house."
Reid rubbed his eyes with his fingertips of one hand and then looked down at the hand holding his other. "Only if Haley doesn't mind." Then a puzzled look on his face. "Where is the guy I was having coffee with? He was there. Is he alright?"
The hand suddenly loosened on Reid's. "Morgan is checking him out. Having a chat."
"Do you know where my glasses are? They seem to have removed my contacts at some point." Aaron shook his head, probably in your bag. I will get someone to pick it up for you and bring it around to my place. For now you can go, so get up and we can settle you into my spare room. We are still awaiting lab results back on the last two victims."
Hotch watched Reid pull back on the clothes he had been wearing earlier. "I'm still not convinced staying at your place is a good idea. Haley really dislikes me." And Reid knew why.
"No she doesn't, you just confuse her." And he was smiling. Why did Hotch deny this all the time? Why did he constantly have him in a state of confusion?
………….
Flanders was released, as they had absolutely nothing to hold him on as all he seemed to have done was buy Reid coffee and annoy the hell out of Morgan. They were just not the sort of people who would ever get on with each other.
He returned to his house. A big place with big rooms full of odd things. It was an old creaking moaning house with very high ceilings and huge old paintings on the wall. There were display cabinets around the walls in most rooms full of old dolls and books and the occasional set of coins or stamps, but for the most part it was books and dolls. Dolls of all kinds: small as a pin and almost life sized. Some were hideously macabre and others looked almost life like. All very valuable and all his.
He turned lights on low and walked through the dark papered hallway down to the kitchen where he sat and ate alone again and drank coffee in silence. They wouldn't tell him anything about how Spence was. The hospital wouldn't give him any information. He is a Fed – and he? Well Floyd is just a collector. He wanted to show Spence his books. He had looked like he wanted to talk about books when he had mentioned them, but Spence and small talk just didn't seem to go together too well.
He did however give out lots of useful information on books and publishing dates.
Flanders went to the lounge. Again the room was full of big old paintings, bare wooden floors, shelf upon shelf of books and big leather couches. He poured himself a glass of red wine and sat down looking at the wall and fiddling with his cell phone. He had tried calling but each time it had gone to answer-phone. Either he was being ignored or Spence was too ill to answer. He lit up a cigarette and leaned back. All this luxury and no one to share it with and finally find someone and their friends won't let you near. Wonderful Floyd you chose well. When the cigarette burned down and the bottle of wine was empty he closed his eyes and relaxed.
Sleep was quick to arrive but it wasn't the happiest of dreams. He awoke in the early hours of the morning feeling lost and alone. He checked his cell phone for missed calls.
………..
Spencer sat on the bed in the spare room at the Hotch household. He really wasn't sure about this but it was here or a safe house somewhere and that was even less appealing. Hotch had installed Reid up here and then gone to talk to Haley. "Give me ten minutes." He had said. Spencer looked at his watch. Twenty four seconds left, and then he would go and find Hotch and Haley and see if this was alright.
……………
Haley was getting food ready in the big warm family kitchen. Aaron walked over to her as she stirred things on the stove and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the ear.
"You made it back for dinner." And she turned and smiled. "What's the catch?" She smiled.
"Does there have to be a catch?" He stepped back away from her. "I brought someone back with me. He needs to stay a few days."
Haley turned back to the pans on the stove. "Who this time?" He could hear her teeth were clenched.
"Spencer." He stood and waited in the silence.
"No Aaron. Not him. He can't stay here." She slammed the wooden spoon down on the work surface next to the hob and turned to look at Aaron.
"I wasn't asking your permission Haley. He is staying. He needs someone to keep an eye on him while this case sorts out."
"No. Not Reid. I don't want him in the house Aaron. You know how I feel about him! I won't have him here." Haley was slamming drawers and snatching up utensils in a very unfriendly manner. "After what he did you expect me to be happy about this? I don't want him here. I don't want his influence in my home. He disgusts me." She was hissing her words at Aaron now. Knowing it would hurt.
"Haley, he didn't do anything. I don't know what you think he did."
"Stop it Aaron! Stop it."
………..
Reid was halfway down the stairs when he heard the whispered voices. They didn't sound happy. He knew this was a mistake. He should just go back and get his tooth brush and leave. Nothing was going to happen tonight. He could phone Floyd – apologise for acting like a loon earlier. Yes he would go back upstairs and call Floyd. That would be a good idea. He could feel though that he was in actuality still walking slowly down the stairs. He put his back to the wall at the bottom of the stairs and pulled out his cell phone.
………….
"He needs my support."
"That's not all he will be asking for though is it!"
"You are insane Haley. What are you going on about?"
"You think I haven't seen the two of you! Holding each other." Spitting out her words. "I've seen it!"
"I don't know what you think you have seen, but you have misunderstood."
"Don't lie to me Aaron. I see the way he looks at you."
…………..
Reid's stomach was twisting in knots. He knew he shouldn't have come back here. He told Aaron Haley wouldn't like it. Why couldn't he see things the way they did?
He wanted to make his way to the front door. He wanted to escape but was rooted to the spot listening.
………….
"The way he looks at me? He looks at everyone like that."
"He is a dirty little freak Aaron. I don't want him in my home with my son. I don't trust him. If you insist he stays, then I am going."
She pushed by Aaron and walked out to the hallway with Aaron close behind. She stopped dead in her tracks so suddenly that Aaron walked into her back. She stood looking at Reid standing in the shadows.
"You heard all of that?" She snapped.
Spencer nodded.
"Good. You know where the door is. Get out!"
"Haley, don't." Aaron's voice from behind her.
"You choose him over me?!"
Reid was walking fast bumping off the small hall table and bouncing off a baby walker.
"Spencer stop. You can't go out there alone." Hotch was walking towards Reid.
"He is a grown man for goodness sake Aaron; as you well know. Stop treating him like a child! Let him leave. Make him leave."
It was now that Aaron's cell phone rang at the same time as the house phone and at the same time as the phone Reid was still clutching in one hand, the other reaching out for the door handle.
Aaron opened his phone. No one there.
Haley picked up the house phone. A continuous beeping noise.
Reid had a text msg. 'BaNg!'
And the three of them heard:
A gun shot.
Very close.
It made Reid jump back away from the door - as his eyes widened and something red sprayed up the misted glass of a window next to the big oak door.
………
!!I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!