[redamancy]: the act of loving in return
Dr. Spencer Reid did not need a therapist. But after the events of Tobias Hankle and his subsequent reliance on dilaudid, his friends at the BAU disagreed. For the sake of his career, his friends couldn't jus...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
one | after
Aaron Hotchner knew he was doing the right thing. Reid was in trouble. He was struggling. They'd all seen it since he returned from his brief sabbatical post-Tobias Hankle. Part of his odd behavior could be blamed on the drugs, which he'd kicked of his own volition, but he was still different.
Garcia had stormed into Hotch's office concerned when Reid missed an opportunity to answer her obscure question about prehistoric fish. "Hotch, he said 'I don't know. Look it up.' How am I supposed to think he's okay?!"
JJ came to him, worried, when for the first time in years, Spence didn't beg her for an early peek at their next case. "I always thought it was annoying, but... I've never seen him like this."
Morgan was disturbed when he didn't object to his obnoxious nicknames one afternoon. "What's the point of messing with him if he's too depressed to respond?"
Hotch had heard enough from his coworkers and had heard quite enough from Strauss about the solidity of his team. He had to take action before it was too late. He couldn't imagine what would happen to the team without Reid, but he knew it wouldn't be good. The boy needed help and Hotch was done sitting idly, watching his regression.
Spencer knocked on the door to Hotch's office lightly before letting himself in. He anxiously moved into a seat in front of his boss' desk. "You wanted to see me?"
Hotch nodded and slid a small card across the table. It was upside down so Spencer couldn't see the name. "Do you remember my sister-in-law, Megan?"
"Sure," he said, eyebrows drawing together as he picked up the business card. On the other side, he read: Dr. Megan Brooks, psychiatry. "Hotch, wait-"
"You're going to go see her."
"No! No! I don't need a-!"
"She's very good at what she does," Hotch continued as if Reid hadn't spoken. "She's discreet and willing to help keep this out of your files... But I'm worried about you. And your team is worried about you. I don't want one case to define your career... You don't have to move on. But you do have to accept what happened. Dr. Brooks can help you do that."
Spencer sighed shakily. "Hotch, I don't need a shrink."
"That's no longer for you to decide," he said sternly. "One session. Then you may decide if you'd like to return. But Megan is more patient than most could ever dream of. She'll convince you, any way she knows how."
"Yeah, we'll see about that," Spencer muttered as he walked out of Hotch's office that afternoon.
<3
Spencer sat in his car checking the address Hotch gave him against the building in front of him four times before he finally got out and approached. The building was tall and, according to the directory he passed, it was full of all types of services. No one thought twice of him as he passed through the bustling lobby and took the elevator to the eighth floor. This space was more empty. There was a front desk with a single attendant who took his name before he was allowed to take a seat in their cozy waiting room.
