The Soft-Spoken Intern | Spencer Reid AU | Age Regression

ch. 3 | cover-up

t/w: depressing/self-conscious thoughts. i really don't want to trigger anybody, so stay safe <3

Aria's POV

When Garcia announces that we have a case, I feel conflicted. Slightly relieved because I regressed in front of Spencer, but also kind of sad. I haven't regressed in a long time, and I am really anxious and scared today. 

When I look at him, his face says that he is disappointed. I immediately think that he is disappointed in me. 

There you go, Aria. You fucked it up with one of your idols. He probably thinks you're a freak. 

I feel myself start to space out and slump, something I do in these times. I sink into the self-loathing thoughts, sort of dissociating. 

Then I feel arms wrap around me. I snapped out of it and realized Spence was hugging me. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his shoulder, hiding from the world. He gently places a hand on the back of my head, petting my hair and whispering, "it's okay, you're okay," over and over again. At this point, I realized that I was shaking. He kept consoling me, and I started to calm down. 

He smelled like sandalwood, coffee, and peppermint. 

God, Aria, why are you such a freak? You can't just go around sniffing people. 

He pulled back and looked at me, silently asking me if I was okay. I nodded slightly and he grabbed my things for me, guiding me to the round table room. On the way, he showed me where everything generally was, like where our Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner's office was, where David Rossi's office was (I'm a huge fan, sometimes I write on the side, and he is another one of my idols), and where Derek Morgan's office was. I didn't recognize Derek's name. He showed me his desk and where I would be sitting, across from him. 

We make it to the round table room and the woman with the watermelon-themed outfit is standing in front of a projector screen while everyone else is holding tablets or case files. There are five people sitting around the round table when we get there, and Spence introduces me to everyone around the round table. 

In order, they were Derek Morgan, Emily Prentiss, Jennifer Jareau (I already knew her), David Rossi, and Aaron Hotchner. 

I signed, 'It's nice to meet you all, I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity to work alongside you.' Spencer translates for me, and all of them make their greetings. 

The woman with the watermelon-themed outfit speaks up, "Hi! I'm Penelope Garcia, and I am the tech analyst, I have a bat cave, and I love baby pandas." 

I smile and softly laugh, signing, 'I love baby pandas too! I'd love to see your bat cave sometime.' Spencer translates again, and then we sit down, me sitting next to Spencer. 

I pull out my purple notebook and purple pencil and pen, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Spence softly smirk. I didn't get it, so I shrugged it off. He scooted closer to me and pushed the case file between us so that I could look at it as well. 

Penelope starts announcing the case, about a little boy named Sammy, who was autistic, and he was found splattered with blood when he went to school. His parents went missing, and officers were having trouble talking to him since he was mostly non-verbal. 

Derek asks whose blood was on Sammy, and Penelope says that it was Sammy's father. I inwardly shuddered, feeling horrible for the boy. I push it down; these people are professionals, I cannot be childish about this. I must be professional. 

We see the crime scene photos, and I watch them discuss what they think is going on, and I stay out of the way. I had a question in my mind, and I think Spence noticed; he nudged me and gave me a look saying, go ahead. I sign, 'The unsub took both of Sammy's parents, but why not Sammy? Why leave a witness? Could the unsub have known that Sammy is autistic, and that's why?'