𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭 ➵ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

Chapter 2: Mommy Issues

YOU'VE BEEN SITTING on a bench outside for longer than you would care to count - each minute passing by in what feels like seconds.

You can feel every small piece of snow that hits your exposed skin, yet you can't feel the emotions winter used to give you. You can't feel the simple bliss of the snowy aesthetic, and you most definitely can't feel joy in the slow snowfall.

The news you received a matter of 10 minutes ago is still running around your head, not giving you one second to think clearly. He's out of prison, and you are most likely still on his mind. The daughter that helped put him away.

At the time, just after he had been sentenced, the team had profiled him as someone who wouldn't hurt his family. Abandonment issues etcetera, but perhaps now his motive has changed. You can't help but think the many years he's served has changed his mindset, maybe he wants revenge.

You let out a shaky breath, a mist forming from your lips in the cold air. You lean back on the bench and close your eyes, only opening them when you feel the presence of someone beside you. Turning your head, you notice Reid sat next to you on the bench, his eyes watching the snow and not you.

"It's cold out here, did you know that-"

"If I save us both the time and say I probably don't, does that get you closer to the point?" You cut him off, pinching the bridge of your nose.

It's only when you see the look in his eyes that you regret saying anything, and you feel the guilt pile up in your heart. You usually love listening to his rambling, it's one of the positive things in your life that helps shift your mind from all the negative things - but right now, optimism isn't something you have.

"Reid, I'm sorry." You apologise, leaning further back on the bench in shame.

He matches your actions, also leaning back to be at your side.

"I get it." He answers with a shrug.

You can't bring yourself to say anything else, so you don't. You simply close your eyes and let the smell of winter enter your nose, unbeknown to you that Reid is watching. You sense his gaze and open your eyes, turning your head towards him. He adverts his eyes from yours and looks back at the scenery in front of you and sighs.

"I know it's probably not what you want to hear, but the team volunteered me to be the one to tell you."

"Why you?"

"I have the least chance of being murdered by you," he shrugs jokingly before returning his serious face, "We've been assigned to your fathers case."

"Fantastic." You sigh, placing your head on the back of the bench and facing the sky.

You would stay like that forever if you had the choice, but you know you don't. That choice isn't yours to make, your job is to stop the bad guys in the world, and you wouldn't spend your time doing anything else.

"Guess I have to go face them all then..."

Reid places a reassuring hand on the top of yours, throwing you into a state of confusion - Reid hates contact.

"You'll be fine, just ignore them." He states, grabbing your hand and helping you up from the bench.

He removes his hand from yours when he realises you can't take your eyes away from them and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly as you both begin your walk back into the building.

You converse slightly, talking about recent cases. You know he's just trying to take your mind off of the situation at hand before you have to go and work on it, and you're more than grateful that it's working.

When the elevator doors open, you both reluctantly step out. You're fiddling with your fingers as you walk, picking away at the skin around your nails nervously. Reid places a hand on the strap of his satchel as his eyes travel to your hands that he motions to.

"You always do that when you're nervous."

Just as he's finished speaking, you both arrive at the briefing room where the rest of the team are already gathered.

"You notice the small things about me Reid?" You joke as you sit down with him opposite you, and you see the way he's doesn't know how to respond, "I'm joking with you, Spencer."

Although his name is foreign in your mouth, you ignore the feeling. There are a few small chuckles from the team as you turn to the file that Garcia has placed in front of you. You take in a deep breath before finally opening it up and examining the first page.

"As you all know," Garcia begins, "We worked on this case last year..."

She hesitates before continuing, and you know she's trying to choose the best words as to not step on your feet.

JJ and Emily are sat either side of you, and both of them are giving you a comforting look. You smile at them the best you can whilst Garcia goes into depth about your fathers crimes, a recap per say.

Emily places a hand on the back of your shoulder as Garcia closes in on the one murder that started your fathers rampage, his first kill.

"And uh...The start of his spree was he found out uh..." Garcia mumbles, fiddling with the remote in her hand.

You sigh quietly and run your tongue over your teeth - you know Garcia won't say it, so you will.

"He found out my mother was cheating on him so he murdered her and got a taste for the kill." You conclude, leaning back in your seat and trying your best to act casual. "Daddy dearest has mommy issues."

Word Count
985