Categories > TV > Criminal Minds > Saving Spencer Reid
Morgan had decided that he had to at least try and talk to Spencer. At first he was going to do it in the Bull Pen; but the more he thought about it, the more he realized just how terrible that idea was. He wanted Spencer to know that he cared, not feel like he was being ambushed. In the end, Derek decided that it would be best if he went to Reid's apartment.
He went to the Liquor Store first and picked up a bottle of Chardonnay, Spencer's favourite. He knew from experience that if you got a couple glasses into him, he would start to talk. If you let him talk long enough he would tell you every little thing that was bothering him, it was all about patience.
When he knocked on the door of Spencer's apartment he was a little alarmed. The mailbox by the door was overflowing with mail that hadn't made it inside. He knew that it was unlike Reid to let his mail pile up like that. After his first knock hadn't gotten a response he knocked a little louder, the lack of Spencer at the door didn't really bother him. He knew how Spencer got when he was busy with something; if he was concentrating at his task he had the tendency to block everything else out.
Just as Derek was about to admit to defeat, and go back home Reid appears at the door, looking a little worse for the wear. The dark circles that seemed permanently fixed under his eyes were a little darker than Derek remembered. Spencer was wearing jean and a black sweater, the sweater must have fit him nicely at one point but now he hung off of him. Derek shook his head, Spencer was losing weight again he just hoped that it wasn't from anything serious. It was at that point that Derek noticed that Spencer was shaking, he tried to tell himself that could be from any number of things…too much coffee, low sugar, low blood pressure or even lack of sleep. He wouldn't allow himself to entertain any idea more serious than that.
"Morgan," The surprise that he was feeling was clearly etched on his face. "What are you doing here?"
Morgan smiled. "Aren't you going to invite me in first? Or are we going to have this entire conversation from your doorstep?" He made sure that his tone was light. He wasn't sure how good Spencer's mood was and the last thing that he wanted was to have Reid think that he was being insulting; that would have thrown his entire plan out the window. He was pretty sure that would have also ruined their friendship.
Spencer seemed to consider the option of staying right where he was. Then he shook his head, almost as if he had been having an inner debate with himself and had won.
"Sure, come on in." He stepped aside so that Derek could come in. As Derek stepped in, Spencer closed the door behind him. "So to what do I owe this visit?"
Derek gestured to the brown bag that he had in his left hand. "I thought that maybe we could have a drink and talk." For the first time in a long time Derek actually saw Spencer smile. He was a little put down that the smile didn't reach Spencer's eyes completely but he was willing to take any small victory that he could get.
"Make yourself at home, I'll get the glasses." Spencer walked into the kitchen. As Derek sat there he wondered what in the hell he was going to say next. He knew that if he left the conversation up to Reid they would never talk about anything important. Spencer would do what he always did when he was feeling uncomfortable, he would steer the conversation away from Gideon and onto whatever he was reading or maybe something he had seen on television. No, if they were going to get anywhere he was going to have to lead the way.
Reid came back into the room with two glasses and the corkscrew. As Derek uncorked the wine, Reid seemed to be off in his own little world again. He was scanning the room and Derek had no idea why. Derek had figured that meeting Reid in his own home would have made him more at ease, not frightened and yet that seemed to be exactly what had happened. As soon as the alcohol was poured Reid downed his glass, Derek had been a bit surprised by this but didn't let it show.
Spencer sat back on the couch with his legs folded underneath him. He knew that Derek probably wanted to discuss Gideon and he wasn't sure if he could do that. He was trying to come up with a plan as to what he could do to lead the conversation onto more pleasant things. He found himself suddenly wishing that Derek had bought something harder than Chardonnay. He tried not to smile as Derek refilled his glass.
"Are you okay Spencer?"
Reid seemed to think this over. Normally Derek would call him Reid, kid or pretty boy; in all the time that they had worked together he didn't think that Derek had ever called him by his first name. This must have been a lot more serious than what he had thought. He blinked away the tears that threatened to prick his eyes.
"I don't know. I thought that I was. I thought that it was just a matter of processing the information but…" Reid shook his head as he took a sip from his glass, "Now I'm not so sure."
Derek put his hand on Reid's shoulder. "Look, we all understand that this past year has been anything but easy for you. I understand that Gideon's suicide may be the straw to break the camel's back but there is a way out. You are surrounded by people that love you and the entire team is there for you if you need it. Just take it one step at a time."
Reid drained his glass and placed it on the table. He suddenly felt extremely tired. He knew that if Derek stayed maybe he could fall asleep and for once not wake up screaming. He knew that if he asked Derek would stay but what would he tell the others at the BAU? That Spencer wasn't doing as well as they had hoped? That maybe the job was too much for him and perhaps they should look at having him transferred? No, that would not do.
"Thanks for the drinks but I am so tired. I think I'll take a nap." At first Reid thought that Morgan would argue with him.
"Did you want me to stay? When you wake up we could grab a bite to eat."
"No thanks. I'll be fine. I'll see at work in the morning."
Morgan looked skeptical but at the same time he had to respect Reid and the decisions that he would make. He did stay until Reid fell asleep as he left he tried to think of what he would tell Hotch when he got back to work.
He went to the Liquor Store first and picked up a bottle of Chardonnay, Spencer's favourite. He knew from experience that if you got a couple glasses into him, he would start to talk. If you let him talk long enough he would tell you every little thing that was bothering him, it was all about patience.
When he knocked on the door of Spencer's apartment he was a little alarmed. The mailbox by the door was overflowing with mail that hadn't made it inside. He knew that it was unlike Reid to let his mail pile up like that. After his first knock hadn't gotten a response he knocked a little louder, the lack of Spencer at the door didn't really bother him. He knew how Spencer got when he was busy with something; if he was concentrating at his task he had the tendency to block everything else out.
Just as Derek was about to admit to defeat, and go back home Reid appears at the door, looking a little worse for the wear. The dark circles that seemed permanently fixed under his eyes were a little darker than Derek remembered. Spencer was wearing jean and a black sweater, the sweater must have fit him nicely at one point but now he hung off of him. Derek shook his head, Spencer was losing weight again he just hoped that it wasn't from anything serious. It was at that point that Derek noticed that Spencer was shaking, he tried to tell himself that could be from any number of things…too much coffee, low sugar, low blood pressure or even lack of sleep. He wouldn't allow himself to entertain any idea more serious than that.
"Morgan," The surprise that he was feeling was clearly etched on his face. "What are you doing here?"
Morgan smiled. "Aren't you going to invite me in first? Or are we going to have this entire conversation from your doorstep?" He made sure that his tone was light. He wasn't sure how good Spencer's mood was and the last thing that he wanted was to have Reid think that he was being insulting; that would have thrown his entire plan out the window. He was pretty sure that would have also ruined their friendship.
Spencer seemed to consider the option of staying right where he was. Then he shook his head, almost as if he had been having an inner debate with himself and had won.
"Sure, come on in." He stepped aside so that Derek could come in. As Derek stepped in, Spencer closed the door behind him. "So to what do I owe this visit?"
Derek gestured to the brown bag that he had in his left hand. "I thought that maybe we could have a drink and talk." For the first time in a long time Derek actually saw Spencer smile. He was a little put down that the smile didn't reach Spencer's eyes completely but he was willing to take any small victory that he could get.
"Make yourself at home, I'll get the glasses." Spencer walked into the kitchen. As Derek sat there he wondered what in the hell he was going to say next. He knew that if he left the conversation up to Reid they would never talk about anything important. Spencer would do what he always did when he was feeling uncomfortable, he would steer the conversation away from Gideon and onto whatever he was reading or maybe something he had seen on television. No, if they were going to get anywhere he was going to have to lead the way.
Reid came back into the room with two glasses and the corkscrew. As Derek uncorked the wine, Reid seemed to be off in his own little world again. He was scanning the room and Derek had no idea why. Derek had figured that meeting Reid in his own home would have made him more at ease, not frightened and yet that seemed to be exactly what had happened. As soon as the alcohol was poured Reid downed his glass, Derek had been a bit surprised by this but didn't let it show.
Spencer sat back on the couch with his legs folded underneath him. He knew that Derek probably wanted to discuss Gideon and he wasn't sure if he could do that. He was trying to come up with a plan as to what he could do to lead the conversation onto more pleasant things. He found himself suddenly wishing that Derek had bought something harder than Chardonnay. He tried not to smile as Derek refilled his glass.
"Are you okay Spencer?"
Reid seemed to think this over. Normally Derek would call him Reid, kid or pretty boy; in all the time that they had worked together he didn't think that Derek had ever called him by his first name. This must have been a lot more serious than what he had thought. He blinked away the tears that threatened to prick his eyes.
"I don't know. I thought that I was. I thought that it was just a matter of processing the information but…" Reid shook his head as he took a sip from his glass, "Now I'm not so sure."
Derek put his hand on Reid's shoulder. "Look, we all understand that this past year has been anything but easy for you. I understand that Gideon's suicide may be the straw to break the camel's back but there is a way out. You are surrounded by people that love you and the entire team is there for you if you need it. Just take it one step at a time."
Reid drained his glass and placed it on the table. He suddenly felt extremely tired. He knew that if Derek stayed maybe he could fall asleep and for once not wake up screaming. He knew that if he asked Derek would stay but what would he tell the others at the BAU? That Spencer wasn't doing as well as they had hoped? That maybe the job was too much for him and perhaps they should look at having him transferred? No, that would not do.
"Thanks for the drinks but I am so tired. I think I'll take a nap." At first Reid thought that Morgan would argue with him.
"Did you want me to stay? When you wake up we could grab a bite to eat."
"No thanks. I'll be fine. I'll see at work in the morning."
Morgan looked skeptical but at the same time he had to respect Reid and the decisions that he would make. He did stay until Reid fell asleep as he left he tried to think of what he would tell Hotch when he got back to work.
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