Retribution, A Spencer Reid/Criminal Minds Fanfic

Chapter 1. Groom

“Help me, Hotch.”

Spencer Reid had become unaccountably clumsy. His fingers wouldn’t obey.

Time was running out.

Perspiration threatened to erupt from his pores.

I know how to do this! Why isn’t it working?! But the intricacies of manipulating the silk fabric defeated his best efforts.

The tie refused to cooperate.

“I got it.” Reid’s best man stepped in. If there was anyone in the world who could claim mastery over ties, and the art of making them behave, it was Aaron Hotchner. With long, deft fingers and a few precise movements, he transformed the mischievous swatch of charcoal gray into a perfect bow. Giving it a final tug to make sure it was centered, Hotch stepped back and nodded toward the floor length mirror leaning against the cabin wall.

Battling with the tie had robbed Reid of his grin. Now, as he looked at himself…and the symmetrical bow at his neck…the grin returned. “Thanks, Hotch.”

The older man stepped closer. They looked each other up and down, then glanced at the mirror where both were now reflected, along with twin smiles stretching ever wider.

“Damn. We look good.”

A tap at the door preceded the creak as it opened.

“‘Hot’, Spence. You guys look ‘hot’.” J.J. peered around the corner and felt a little thrill of happiness for her friend. She looked on Reid as a gifted, but slightly awkward little brother. At one time she’d thought he had a bit of a crush on her and had dreaded the possibility she’d have to talk with him about the inadvisability of such a thing. But it had turned into a fond sibling-like relationship, preserving their mutual respect and dignity.

And then, they’d hit a rough patch. All of them, not just Reid and J.J.  The whole team.

Reid had been concealing just how remarkable his brain really was. ESP. It had thrown them all a curve. But we came through it. Stronger. Better. Closer. J.J. felt the constriction midway between her heart and stomach that meant sentimental tears were lurking in the wings. She let her eyes fill. After all, crying was part of the fun of being at a wedding.

She stepped all the way into the cabin. It was the men’s turn to express admiration.

Hotch’s eyes tilted upward as his smile reached them. “J.J., you’re beautiful. Really.”

“Wow. Yeah. Beautiful.” Reid’s nervous anticipation had not only made him clumsy with ties, it had deprived him of his normally indefatigable verbal abilities as well.

“Thanks. You should see your bride.” J.J. had helped Reid’s intended, Ana, into her gown and had seen the final product with hair and makeup by Garcia. Prentiss’ contribution had been to supply the ‘something borrowed, something blue.’ A satiny, midnight blue garter whose provenance Emily refused to reveal, although she did go as far as to say it could double as a fertility charm, if the newlyweds wanted to start a family right away. The glint in her eye made the others wary of asking too many questions. Prentiss was something of a wild card.

“How’s everybody doing?” Hotch shot his cuffs and checked their cufflinks one more time, wondering when the groom’s nerves were really going to start working on him.

“Great. Morgan and Rossi are seating everyone. Ana’s maid of honor is really nice. And her bridesmaids, of course, are reasonably well behaved. Even Emily.”

“How’s my mom doing?” Reid had more than just his role as husband-to-be on his mind.

Diana Reid had to be watched a little more closely than the normal mother-of-the-groom. Knowing her phobia about flying, Reid had made the trip west from Quantico early so he could escort her from Las Vegas to Needles himself via rental car. He’d kept a close watch on her to make sure she took her meds and didn’t wander into any situations that might prove troublesome for a paranoid schizophrenic. Most grooms were occupied enough with their brides and the demands of the ceremony itself. Reid had had the extra burden of his mother.

Hotch had done his best to help out, but Mrs. Reid didn’t trust the tall, dark man with the glaring eyes. She wanted her sweet Spencer. And Reid had endless patience with her. In truth, he’d never quite recovered from having her committed in the first place when he was only eighteen. His brain told him it was the right thing to do. His heart broke and the chasm that opened as they took her away had never quite closed. He was also very aware that Hotch had volunteered to return his mother to Las Vegas after the ceremony, allowing the newlyweds to have a honeymoon. But psychotically suspicious Mrs. Reid might not want to travel with the man she shrank from, claiming he had ‘government eyes’…the kind that spied out people’s secrets.

Reid sighed. That would be a hurdle to overcome, but, first things first. Worry about remembering your vows and not passing out and…and…and…

“You mom’s fine, Spence. Morgan seated her and she’s acting like any momma about to lose her son to another woman. Kinda proud. Kinda sad. Kinda loves you a lot.”

It was just what Reid needed to hear. He took a deep breath and nodded. “Thanks, J.J.”

“I better head back. Just wanted to see how you guys were doing.” She glanced at her watch and gave two of her favorite men another appraising look. “You really do look great.”

As she exited, Morgan poked his head in the door. “Wow. You dudes clean up all right.” He joined Hotch and Reid for a quick check on his own appearance in the mirror. “Hotch, you better get him out there. It’s almost time.”

Reid swallowed. “I’m really doing this. I’m getting married. Me.” He turned stunned eyes on his friends and some of what little color he had drained away. Hotch and Morgan exchanged looks, sharing complicit smiles. They’d been waiting for the nerves to hit, and they’d already decided what to say.

Morgan went first.

Stepping up to face Reid directly, he placed his hands on his shoulders, holding him in place and forcing him to pay attention. “Pretty, Pretty Boy. Ever since that time Hotch and Haley brought Jack in to meet the team for the first time, I’ve known your secret; the one you never talk about, but can’t hide.” Reid’s eyebrows rose, attention captured. “You looked at our big, bad boss-man holding that little baby and you saw how happy he was. And you saw how Haley was looking at both of them. And, again, how happy he was. We all saw it. You looking at Hotch, and thinking you’d like the same things: a kid, a woman who loved you…a family, ‘cause you never really had one growing up.

“That’s when I started trying to help you; teaching you about picking up and hooking up and playing the game. But that wasn’t what you wanted. You wanted the real thing, not the hunt, not the chase. So, damned if I know how you did it, but you went out and got yourself…the real thing.”

Morgan stepped aside and Hotch took his place, brushing the groom’s lapels and straightening a tie that was already perfect.

“Reid, because of what we’ve been through…you, me, and Ana…I think I can say I know you two together better than anyone else.” Hotch looked directly into the slightly panicked eyes before him. Reid saw complete, open honesty and a vulnerability that touched him, reminded him of the strange, psychic bond the three had shared. That Ana and Hotch still shared in a watered-down version of the strong connection he and Ana enjoyed.

“Reid, you guys don’t just fit together. You interlock.” He looked down for a moment. When his eyes returned to the groom’s, Reid saw pain had joined the honesty and vulnerability. “You know it didn’t work out for Haley and me. But you and Ana are so bonded, I can’t imagine either one of you without automatically seeing the other. I think that’s just going to deepen and strengthen with time. Reid, I think you’re gonna make it work.”

A slow smile began on Hotch’s lips, then stretched upward to his eyes. “And even with how things went bad for me in my marriage, it was worth it. Every minute was worth it. It gave me the best and the worst times of my life. Thing is, Reid…I’d do it again in a heartbeat. The best and the worst. That’s what makes life rich. From where I stand, I think you’re gonna be a very rich man. I kind of envy you.”

Reid studied the sincerity in Hotch’s unguarded face.

“Okay.” He drew in a steadying lungful of courage. “Thanks, guys.” He took one last look in the mirror.

“Let’s do this.”