How Dare You [ReidxReader] - 2nd Edition

(12) Partners in Crime

You sleep for a long time. But when you eventually wake up, you feel neither calm not well rested. You're just as agitated as last night, plus a headache from the sleeping pill as a bonus. In the bathroom, try to wake up by showering and doing marginal tasks like counting how many tiles are on the wall opposite your bathtub. You still cannot really feel your face. Even when you rub it repeatedly with a towel as you dry off.

The fresh clothes, however, make you at least feel somewhat human.

You trudge to the living room and stretch, downing as much water as you can without getting sick. At this point, you're not sure if you did more damage than good by...well, by anything, really. You cringe when you think about how you overstepped with Spencer yesterday. Shaking your head, you try to get rid of the memory flashing up constantly.

You decide it would be best to leave your apartment and get a really, really strong coffee. You probably should not be driving a car, but you do it anyways. Honestly, getting into an accident doesn't seem like the worst thing that could happen to you right now.

Leaning against the hood, you hold your face into the sunlight and sip on the coffee that magically helps you to feel more grounded. You forget about your worries. You simply feel warm and calm. It's salvation. At least for a few minutes.

Thankfully, you get an idea on how to distract yourself whilst being productive. You get in your car and drive to the BAU. The building is as busy as usual, the bullpen, however, is not. You throw your badge onto your desk and sit down in your chair. You turn in it to look for a sign that anyone else came in today. You find that the lights in Hotchner's office are on. You curse. He is kind of the last person you want to explain yourself to. Except, maybe, Reid. Once again, you flinch at the unpleasant memory.

Hoping that Hotchner will either not notice or ignore you, you shuffle through the files on your desk. Your head still hurts, but it got better. You're reading speed is considerably slower than usual, but who cares. At least you get to feel good about yourself for getting work done. You'll be less stressed tomorrow then, when you will have to endure the awkwardness of being around Reid.

Hotchner doesn't do you the favor of ignoring you, by the way. After an hour or so, you hear him clear his voice behind you. Slowly, you put your pen down and turn around.

"What are you doing here?" Hotchner looks at you with his arms crossed.

"Work."

"I can see that. You're supposed to rest." His voice is stern, but with a hint of worry in it. He narrows his eyes and seem to be analyzing your face. You sigh and reply: "I did rest. Now I would like to get a head start on the paperwork."

Hotchner presses his lips together but finally tells you: "I will kick you out by six."

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Your enthusiasm about working does not keep you from getting tired. It's only four when your eyes get droopy. You're also really fucking hungry.

You tidy up the chaos of files on your desk and get up. Hotchner sees it and looks at you through the window in his office. You give him a smile. He just nods.

Putting on your jacket, you get an idea. You don't have your cell with you, so you use the phone on your desk. The only number you know off the top of your head, is your old number at the DEA, connecting to your desk.