SECRET LOVE, hotchniss

15

2X17

Most of the team had been here since 8:30am, chatting in the bullpen as they sipped their first coffees of the day. But not Reid. He was always early, generally following not too far behind Aaron - and more recently Emily, who had been getting in early to use the gym before work.

Aarons concern was growing when 9:30am rolled around. They were in the conference room going over a new case, and he still hadn't shown up. Reid was never late, and yet today he was no where to be seen.

That was until he walked in hurriedly, a look of displeasure on his face and an air of dishevelled exhaustion floating around him. Frankly, he didn't look... well... 

Aaron observed as the team exchanged silent looks, first towards Reid, before meeting each others eyes. Silent conversations of concern flowing through the air. Conversations Reid was either oblivious too, or ignoring.

As they continued to go over the case Aaron noticed Emily in particular, her eyes repeatedly flicking to Reid who sat beside her, not even attempting to hide her obvious concern.

It was because of this that he wasn't surprised when she later offered to pair up with him, to help him with the geographical profile.

What did surprise him however, was Reid's response.

"I can handle it." His words were instant, and his tone was dripping with offence. If Aaron had simply overheard Reid's response he would have assumed she had just condemned his skills, denouncing his character and ability to do his job.  But she hadn't. She had been kind, and simply wanted to do her part in helping catch this unsub.

Aaron wasn't the only one shocked by Reid's response, the whole team, almost simultaneously, lifted their heads. Their eyes were no longer focussed on the file in-front of them, and were now trained directly on Reid.

Their eyes stayed locked on him, even as Emily spoke. They were all in shock, internally analysing the conversation searching for the information they had missed.

"I wasn't suggesting that you couldn't." Emily responded, there was a slight hostility in her words. She was confused and becoming slightly defensive.

"Isn't that what 'I'll help you with it' means?" Reid quipped back. He was defensive himself, and looking to start a fight.

Emily was shocked, she didn't even know how to respond to that. She was worried about him, she had been for the past few days as she had noted his increasing irritability as they mulled around the office. But she had been attempting to stifle her concerns, if she was honest they all got a little irritable sometimes especially on long cases and a chronic lack of sleep. But she had never seen Reid like this.

She was pulled from her thoughts by Hotch's voice telling Reid that she would indeed be helping him. His tone was not a request, but an order.

"Fine." Reid stated, his voice insolent as he once again locked eyes with Emily, before looking away and subtly rolling them. He was clearly displeased about this.

Emily's mind was racing as she hunted through her memories. She was searching for a conversation, a situation, a moment in which she could have inadvertently given Reid the impression she didn't trust him or his abilities. But she couldn't find one. She liked him a lot, she always found herself laughing and joking with him, impressed by his magic tricks and expansive knowledge no matter the subject. This reaction was completely unexpected, and by the looks being rapidly exchanged between the rest of the team they were just as shocked as she was.