Doctor Jones re-entered just as Rossi had concluded his third epic story of the early days of the BAU so fantastical Spencer was beginning to think that the older man was making it up as he went along. Casting Spencer a coy smile as if daring him to call his bluff as he wrapped up his tail upon seeing the doctor.
"Well good news" Jones announced clapping his hands "your mother is feeling a lot better and has agreed to see you. I'll take you to her. Now David you are free to wait here or…"
"He's coming with me" Reid cut in shocking himself by his sudden outburst. Rossi's only response was to clap him approvingly on the back as be made to follow Jones who did not seem to mind the interruption.
"Well with that settled let's get go then"
And so, the three marched out of the room and down several bustling corridors until they reached a quiet corner where multiple rooms led off from one large living area where several residents and staff mulled about their business in quiet reverence.
Jones stopped at a door furthest from the living area, knocked once and turned to the two FBI agents behind him.
"I've got to get on with my rounds now, but I'll be in the area if you need me" With that he excused himself starting to potter round the room checking in with the residents dotted around.
Rossi regarded Spencer for a second before reaching out to straighten his jumper and ruffling his hair. They shared a look before Rossi's gruff exterior walls were put up again.
"Right then, in you get I'll be right here waiting for you, if you need me just call." He added seriously.
Reid nodded turning to the door and slowly pushed it open to reveal a dimly lit bedroom, its only sources of elimination being several small reading lights that shone from around an oversized wingback stair. Where his mother perched surrounded by discarded books. The wreckage from her earlier incident had been stacked up in little piles under the shelves ready to be replaced, pictures hung slightly askew on the walls and the heavy curtains over the windows held rips, sometimes being a profiler was a curse as he noticed the all too familiar signs of a room that had recently experienced one of his mother's blow out sessions that had been hastily cleaned away.
He gently pushed the door to and turned back to his mother. The woman in question sat staring unseen into her book refusing to look at the newcomer. Reid let out a soft cough trying not to startle his mom. Her head whipped around like an anaconda ready to strike, eyes narrowed at the sight of Spencer pinning him with her signature stern look.
"Who are you?" She whispered dangerously.
He didn't let the flood of emotions that washed over him settle on his face. The only sign of his internal conflict was the crackle of his voice as he answered her question.
"It's-, It's me mother, its Spencer" He stumbled over his words.
She lent forwards at this, forgotten book slipping to the floor. "No, my Spencer is but a babe" She stated matter of factly.
"No mom its me" He stepped forwards into the light of the lamps, "Look at my face" he reached out to grasp her hands in his pulling them up to his face "hear my voice" He breathed "Do you not recognise me?" He dared to ask. Diana cocked her head to the side taking him in. Then as if a switch had been flicked a familiar flame appeared in her eyes, her body relaxed, and a thin smile pulled at her lips.
"Spencer" she called out in glee wrapping him in her arms. A sob of relief escaped his mouth as he buried his face in her warmth. After several moments of clinging to each other they broke apart just enough to gaze into the others face.
"Look at you" She called whilst wiping away his tears, "All skin and bones" In spite of himself he laughed whole heartedly, just refraining himself from letting out a whine at his mother's fussing.
"What have I told you about eating and that hair" She exclaimed "You are well overdue for a haircut, don't make me have to write to Gideon"
An awkward silence hung in the air for several beats after this.
"Mom Gideon left remember I told you in my letters, did you read them.?" Slowly she nodded.
"Yes, yes I remember but if he has swanned off into the sunset" voice dripping with anger "then who is looking out for you?, when you took this job that man promised me he would be there for you in my place. And then he goes and abandons you to those wolves" Spencer cut in before his mother could slip into another rant about the government.
"That's not how it went mom and I'm not alone I have Erin now she looks out for me and David too. So you don't need to worry about me."
"It my job sweetheart no matter how old you get I'll still worry."
"If it will help to put your mind at rest Dave has come here with me, he's waiting outside if you want to meet him."
She shifted in her seat regaining lost energy eager to measure up whoever waited beyond her door.
"Be nice" Reid added as he saw his mother's reaction.
"Always" She smiled as he ducked out of the room.
Stepping out into the hall Spencer's eye spotted Rossi leaning against the wall staring down at his phone in amusement.
"What's so funny?" he asked on approach.
"Just Hotch updating me on the drunken antics of the rest of our team. Apparently, they've had no luck at the casino so Morgan's dragged them all into the nearest bar." He slipped the phone into his pocket and regarded the younger man. "Everything okay?"
"Yes, really good actually. She wants to meet you if you want?"
"Of course," He replied pushing off from the wall.
"Thank you" Spencer whispered. They shared a quick smile before turning back to the door "Don't want to keep her waiting, Do we?"
Upon re-entering the room Reid noted that his mother had vacated her seat in favour of sitting on the edge of her bed.
"Please" She spoke, directing Rossi to sit in her chair.
She turned to Spencer now "Sweetheart, would you mind nipping out and grabbing me a cup of tea? Its been a very long day and I could do with one of your special cups of tea you used to make me." She asked smiling innocently up at her son.
Who opened his mouth to protest knowing full well what his mother was up to.
"Go on Reid, we'll be fine here" Rossi responded for him.
"Well if you're both sure" He trailed off looking from one to the other.
"I'll be back with the tea then" He spoke nervously, fixing David with one last questioning look that was waved off by the older agent.
As soon as Spencer's footsteps faded away Diana lost her gentle façade. Revealing what Rossi could only liken to a mother bear eyeing up a potential threat to her cub. David thanked his many years interviewing serial killers to prepare himself for the verbal lashing that was clearly about to take place.
"Mr Rossi isn't it?" She asked in a voice that made it all too clear that she knew exactly who he was. He didn't let this unnerve him, clearly this was a game, a test of sorts. One that he intended to pass so he sat calmly in his seat and smiled at his quizmaster.
"Yes, that's right but please call me David" She nodded at this.
"Well David I have a simple question for you, I'm sure you can clear it up in no time." A smirk of a smile grew on her face telling David that whatever she said next would not be simple or easy to clear up. Her wicked intellect would allow for no less.
"Why on god's green earth would I entrust my brilliant boy to a virtual stranger such as yourself." Her poisonous words cut deep.
"You're right" He sighed "You don't know me, and you have no reason to trust me. But I'm here to try and change that. I recognise that Spencer is an exceptional young man and all I'm asking is to be part of his life, I'm not trying to take him away from you." He tried to convey as much emotion into the last few words as possible.
"A touching sentiment if I'd not heard it all before, you FBI people are all the same" She scoffed "Gideon came to me before my boy had even left college, talking about his mind and his abilities. Practically drooling as if he was talking about buying one of those new computer things rather than a human being." She rained in her anger to continue "But I let him go because that is what Spencer wanted. And sure enough he got hurt because of it. So, Mr Rossi what makes you different?"
The words skating, thin and ice crossed Rossi's mind as he regarded the mother before him.
"What Gideon did was wrong, if I was around back then I would have thumped him one, might of knocked some sense into the old coot." Diana tipped her head at this; David took this as a good sign so continued. "I give you my word that I will never walk out. The team is my family, Spencer is family. Not because of his intellect but because of who he is, the kind-hearted socially awkward young man who douses his coffee with more sugar than anyone should consume in one sitting and enjoys above all else a night in with takeout watching Doctor who with friends. I know I speak for myself and Erin when I say that we will never turn our backs on the kid. If he wants us in his life, we'll be there with bells and whistles on."
This seemed to be the right answer as Diana smiled, clapped her hands once and exclaimed in a joyful tone "I knew you were different but if you ever hurt my baby I will scratch your eyes out with my bare hands." Before opening her arms to gesture for a hug. A relieved Rossi weighed up the likelihood of this action being a trap before stepping closer. If she wanted to physically hurt him, she would have done it by now he thought as he embraced her for a short hug. When he pulled back Diana's voice was already moving on to the next topic.
"Tell me about this Erin, Spencer has mentioned her a lot in his letters."
Where to start David pondered "Erin is the section chief for the BAU, Reid and her are close ever since April the two have been inseparable when not on a case. She's the only one that can get him eating three square meals a day and can draw him into a conversation on just about anything." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone finding one of the few pictures of a smiling Erin to show Diana. Who stared at it intensely for several minutes.
"And you say that she is good for Spencer?" She finally asked in a timider tone than he thought possible.
"They are good for each other" He admitted.
After another few seconds processing this information Diana smiled in a way that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Then I'm glad that he has the both of you with him in my place." She added solemnly. "It truly is a comfort to know that he has people keeping him on the straight and narrow."
Rossi opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by light footsteps making their way towards the door. Revealing Reid grasping a steaming mug of tea that was quickly passed to Diana, who smiled up gratefully at her son.
"Is everything okay?" Spencer asked the pair.
"Just fine honey now come sit down next to me" She patted the spot on the bed next to her "And tell me everything you've been getting up to. I want to know everything you haven't been putting in your letters."
"I'll leave you to catch up" Rossi made to get up but was stopped before he could even make it to his feet.
"Nonsense, David I need you here to make sure this one is telling me the truth." Spencer rolled his eyes at his mother's words.
For the next couple of hours Spencer, Diana and David sat round telling one story after another with them quickly focusing in on the topic of embarrassing stories about Spencer. Which had the man in question blushing tomato red by the end of the first story. A knock at the door brought the gathering to an end.
"Sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news but I'm going to have to ask you gentlemen to leave now, it's well past visiting hours. And Diana needs to take her evening meds" Doctor Jones stated apologetically.
"We understand" Spencer smiled showing there were no hard feelings.
"Go on get yourselves out of here, you've wasted one day listening to this old lady talk, no point wasting anymore time." She joked.
"Mom you're not old" Spencer reassured as he hugged her.
"Still young enough to come kick your but if I find out you've been skipping meals again, got it?" She asked whilst holding him close.
"Got it" He whispered back.
"Love you Mom"
"I love you two son, don't ever forget that" She released her hold on him. "You just keep listening to David and this Erin woman, okay? It warms my old heart to know that you're surrounded by people that love you just as much as me." She smiled touching Spencer's cheek before pushing his arm up.
"Now off you two go before they decide to keep you here." She looked between her son and David Rossi.
"Okay we're going" Spencer laughed causing David and Doctor Jones to laugh too. The pair had just made it to the door when Diana delivered her final call.
"Ow and David, don't forget what we spoke about earlier." Her tone again serious.
Rossi nodded his understanding "Thank you for having us Mrs Reid it's been a pleasure and rest assured I meant every word." He reassured before leaving the room, passing a confused Spencer.
"Let me escort you out" Doctor Jones offered leading them out the way they came.
"What was all that about?" Spencer asked as soon as they were out of sight of his mother.
"Trust me kid you don't want to know" He smirked.
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