Unshed Blood | Criminal Minds

chapter twenty-one - Reid

- CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE -

REID

REID HAD noticed something that was off with Derek and the entire situation he had going on with Soren living at him home. Despite Spencer Reid having an IQ of 187, and an eidetic memory, he couldn't quite figure Soren Hale out and he planned on figuring her out sooner rather than later.

Similar to Penelope Garcia, he hated changes, especially when it caused the tension that it did in his team. They had worked together for longer than a decade, members of the team such as Elle and Gideon had left, and new members like Emily and Rossi had joined, but that still hurt Reid no matter how much he put on a brave face.

So, when Derek Morgan suggested that Soren should live with him, Spencer was beyond confused. Sure, Derek was the type of guy to risk his life for his friends and also a stranger he had just met on the street, but with Derek allowing a killer to move into his home, a place where he was supposed to feel safe, well...that didn't sit right with Reid.

All Spencer wanted to do was blurt out random facts he had read about to Derek on the dangers of living with a stranger, but Derek wouldn't listen to him. In fact, it would of caused an argument between the pair if anything was said. So instead, Derek and Spencer were beginning to grow apart and spend their time with either JJ or Garcia, despite the rest of the team noticing the shift in behavior.

Rossi had been one of the people to notice this, but unlike the others, he was bold and took Reid into his office where they stood facing opposite one another until Rossi spoke. "You and Derek haven't said more than two words to each other this entire day, what's going on?"

Spencer knew that Rossi would be the one to call him out on his immature behavior but he also felt a sense of relief that he could now openly talk about it. "I...I know, Derek and I are usually the best of friends but a lot of things have changed recently, Rossi."

"Does this have to do with a certain woman called Soren?" Rossi raised his eyebrows. "Because I understand how you are feeling."

"I don't think you do, Rossi." Spencer shook his head. "Derek and I are best friends, and now he is allowing a killer to live in his home without even thinking twice about it."

"So are you mad at Soren or Derek?" Rossi questioned, he was trying to understand what was going on but he also didn't want to destroy their friendship any more.

Spencer thought about it for a moment until he realized one thing, he wasn't angry at either of them because he knew that Soren had been manipulated her entire life by her parents, and now she was trying to help find him. Reid has studied everything, but he had never come face to face with someone like Soren. She was a complete mystery to him.

"I'm not mad at them because I understand." Spencer finally said after a moment. "I'm simply trying to wrap my head around everything that has been happening these past few months and I worry that it's getting in the way of my job."

"So you avoided Derek because you felt as though that was the cause, without realizing that you were destroying yourself more because you weren't speaking to Derek." David Rossi announced, being the profiler that he was.

Spencer nodded, eventually coming to terms with the way he was acting. "Thank you."

Rossi patted him on the shoulder. "You don't need to thank me, kid."

*

A FEW HOURS later, the team had just finished a case which left them all slightly shook. Reid was still planning on a way to speak to Derek and apologize for what had been going on, but Derek had quickly took off without another word to the rest of the team. Penelope had been informing him that Sybil Hale had been trying to get in touch with Soren who hadn't been answering and he needed to let her know.

Derek arrived home to find Soren making them something to eat, she was making herself some homemade pasta and sauce that Rossi had taught her how to make. Soren spotted him leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed together as he watched her. "Hey, is everything okay?"

Derek paused, staring at her for a moment. "Hard case, that smells good." He gestured to the food she was making.

Soren grinned, looking down at the food. "Rossi taught me how to do it, I hope it tastes as good as it looks."

Derek smiled at her, standing beside her as he watched her cook the meal. "Yeah, I hope it does." He said, licking his lips at her as she glanced down at his lips.

She snapped herself out of it, looking away when she announced. "Agent Hotchner called me in to his office at the end of the week, said he wants to talk to me about something important. Has he said anything to you?"

He shook his head. "I haven't heard anything about that, I'll come with you."

"Good, I don't think I can handle Agent Hotchner staring at me - or well, glaring."

Derek laughed at her wide eyes. "He does have a habit of doing that, but you'll be fine. He doesn't bite."

Soren nodded before getting back to cooking as she served everything up onto the plates, getting the drinks ready as Derek set the table. The two sat opposite one another, eating the meal in silence until Derek spoke again. "Garcia told me that Sybil has been trying to get in contact with you."

Soren glanced up at him through her eyelashes. "She gave birth a few months ago, a little girl."

"That's amazing!" Derek exclaimed. "Are you going to see her?"

"I'm on lockdown, remember?" She attempted to joke.

"Leave it to me, you deserve to see your niece."

Soren's eyes widened in shock, Derek had already been so selfless to her and now he was willing to do this for her too. "Thank you, Der."

The man smiled softly at the nickname she had given him, usually his close friends called him it but he loved hearing it come from Soren's mouth. "You're welcome."