Categories > TV > Criminal Minds > Saving Spencer Reid
Spencer knew that there was something wrong. The entire team knew that Sarah was dead, Frank had seen to that. But what they hadn't expected was the complete silence and withdraw from Gideon. Hotchner had seen it as a possibility but that didn't mean that he or the rest of the BAU team had expected the meltdown that would follow. Spencer could have told them that another depressive episode was on the horizon and there would be nothing he (or anyone for that matter) could have done to stop it. Knowing this didn't mean that he'd been ready, not by a long shot. Spencer had always figured that Jason Gideon would act like his surrogate father; he hadn't even thought of what he would do if he were gone.
Spencer was sitting inside Gideon's office, chessboard ready and waiting to see if he was going to come in. He was surprised when it was Aaron Hotchner that came in. And judging by the look on the Unit Chief's face, he hadn't been expecting to see Reid either.
Aaron looked around the room. "Where's Gideon?"
"I don't know." Spencer shook his head. "He never came back last night." Reid tried to shrug it off; he was trying to remain positive. He tried doing this by telling himself that everything would be fine. Jason would probably leave for a few days to straighten himself out; he would come to terms with what had happened and then return to work. Although Reid was unable to shake the uneasy feeling that was growing in the pit of his stomach, he had to remain positive and believe that Gideon would pull through. The thought never occurred to Reid that this might not happen.
Aaron pulled out his cell phone and dialed Gideon's number. He let it ring about half a dozen times before deciding that he wasn't going to answer.
"Reid, do you know where Jason's cabin is?"
Spencer didn't even hesitate; of course he knew where the cabin was. It was the one place that Gideon had, (that he had shared with Spencer) where he said it was safe. He'd told Reid that it was a good place to go when the demons from work got to be too much. He'd given Reid a key stating that if he was going to have a long, healthy career with the BAU it was vital that he had a place where he could be alone and away from everything and everyone, just so that he could clear his head and his heart of the evil that he'd endured.
Reid looked at Hotch puzzled. "Why do you want to know where the cabin is?"
"In light of everything that has happened, it's my job as Unit Chief to make sure that all of the members of my team are well."
Reid shook his head, he understood where Hotch was coming from but he just can't bring himself to betray Gideon like that. "Hotch, do you," Reid takes a deep breath and licks his chapped lips. He tries again, "Do you think that I could go alone? He's entrusted me with the location of his cabin, and seeing as I have disappointed him enough this year, I wouldn't feel right just giving up that information."
Hotch ran his hand through his hair. He was feeling uneasy and extremely uncomfortable with sending Reid anywhere on his own, He always had been but he was not delusional enough to think that it hadn't gotten worse since Reid had been abducted and tortured by Tobias Hankel. But he knew that this was an argument that he wasn't going to win. Reid could be stubborn when it came to his own personal causes and Hotch knew that it would be unwise to argue with him over this.
"Okay, but I want you to call someone from the team as soon as you get to the cabin, whether he's there or not."
Reid could see the pain and concern in Hotch's eyes. He knew that Hotch didn't want him going by himself but he also knew that Hotch wouldn't degrade him or humiliate him by insisting that he take someone with him. "Yes, sir."
He stood up, leaving the chessboard sat up. He still had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he knew that this was going to end badly but he also knew that even though it was important to trust his instincts, it was essential to keep a clear head. There was no point in acting like the worst had happened when he hadn't even seen the cabin yet.
He left Gideon's office and headed towards the parking lot. He was trying to be positive while at the same time trying to mentally prepare himself for what he might find when he got there.
Spencer was sitting inside Gideon's office, chessboard ready and waiting to see if he was going to come in. He was surprised when it was Aaron Hotchner that came in. And judging by the look on the Unit Chief's face, he hadn't been expecting to see Reid either.
Aaron looked around the room. "Where's Gideon?"
"I don't know." Spencer shook his head. "He never came back last night." Reid tried to shrug it off; he was trying to remain positive. He tried doing this by telling himself that everything would be fine. Jason would probably leave for a few days to straighten himself out; he would come to terms with what had happened and then return to work. Although Reid was unable to shake the uneasy feeling that was growing in the pit of his stomach, he had to remain positive and believe that Gideon would pull through. The thought never occurred to Reid that this might not happen.
Aaron pulled out his cell phone and dialed Gideon's number. He let it ring about half a dozen times before deciding that he wasn't going to answer.
"Reid, do you know where Jason's cabin is?"
Spencer didn't even hesitate; of course he knew where the cabin was. It was the one place that Gideon had, (that he had shared with Spencer) where he said it was safe. He'd told Reid that it was a good place to go when the demons from work got to be too much. He'd given Reid a key stating that if he was going to have a long, healthy career with the BAU it was vital that he had a place where he could be alone and away from everything and everyone, just so that he could clear his head and his heart of the evil that he'd endured.
Reid looked at Hotch puzzled. "Why do you want to know where the cabin is?"
"In light of everything that has happened, it's my job as Unit Chief to make sure that all of the members of my team are well."
Reid shook his head, he understood where Hotch was coming from but he just can't bring himself to betray Gideon like that. "Hotch, do you," Reid takes a deep breath and licks his chapped lips. He tries again, "Do you think that I could go alone? He's entrusted me with the location of his cabin, and seeing as I have disappointed him enough this year, I wouldn't feel right just giving up that information."
Hotch ran his hand through his hair. He was feeling uneasy and extremely uncomfortable with sending Reid anywhere on his own, He always had been but he was not delusional enough to think that it hadn't gotten worse since Reid had been abducted and tortured by Tobias Hankel. But he knew that this was an argument that he wasn't going to win. Reid could be stubborn when it came to his own personal causes and Hotch knew that it would be unwise to argue with him over this.
"Okay, but I want you to call someone from the team as soon as you get to the cabin, whether he's there or not."
Reid could see the pain and concern in Hotch's eyes. He knew that Hotch didn't want him going by himself but he also knew that Hotch wouldn't degrade him or humiliate him by insisting that he take someone with him. "Yes, sir."
He stood up, leaving the chessboard sat up. He still had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he knew that this was going to end badly but he also knew that even though it was important to trust his instincts, it was essential to keep a clear head. There was no point in acting like the worst had happened when he hadn't even seen the cabin yet.
He left Gideon's office and headed towards the parking lot. He was trying to be positive while at the same time trying to mentally prepare himself for what he might find when he got there.
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