Front Lines| Spencer Reid + Anne Grey

six

Anne was getting out of her car, phone in hand. She had just gotten to Sibley Memorial Hospital, where Hotch had informed her that he and Haley were currently remaining. She had to contact him again, though, as a room number was necessary for entry.

Holding her phone up to her ear, it barely even manages a complete ring before someone picks up. "Hey."

"Hey, Hotch," she says, beginning to walk towards the front of the large building. "I just got here. I think I'll need your room number...?"

"Oh, uh huh," he confirms, seeming thrown off. "Room 513."

Grey smiles, finding a coincidence in the room number containing '13'.

"Alright, I'll be right up," she confirms, hanging up and approaching the anterior of the hospital.

The rotating doors quickly reveal an open space, prompting her to step in. She continues to walk with the pace of the door, until she's in the lobby, which is significantly crowded. There are people all over the place, each individual ranging in emotion. Some have bland expressions, while others are elated. A few may be crying, but Anne doesn't stare long enough to find out.

She found hospitals odd, possibly due to the fact that dead people and newborns could be found in the same building, maybe even on the same floor. Grey just didn't find it to be a desirable place to reside. Today, though, it didn't bother her much at all. She was excited, despite the fact that it wasn't physically obvious.

Anne starts searching for an available receptionist, eventually finding one that had just finished assisting someone else. Briskly walking up to the table, she immediately says, "Hi, I'm here to visit a friend."

"What floor?" the plain voice asks, belonging to an older woman with brown and gray mixed hair.

"Should be postpartum recovery, wherever that is. Room number 513," Grey responds, hoping that would help.

The woman nods, opening a drawer and pulling out a sticker, asking, "Name?"

"Anne Grey."

She writes on the white sticker, then hands it to Anne.

It reads 'Visitor' in bold print, and in messy cursive, 'Ann Gray'.

Grey thanks her, though she's mentally cursing the receptionist for the spelling. It wasn't her fault, but it irritated Anne a small amount. She begins a walk to the elevators, speedily dismissing the thought.

The next ten minutes consist of her elevator trip to the recovery floor, and a brief search for room 513. She had eventually found it though, proud of herself for navigating without help. Grey gives a quiet, yet firm knock on the door, unsure if a loud rap would wake a baby that could quite possibly be sleeping.

"Come in," Hotch's voice confirms, sounding significantly more joyful than usual.

Anne slowly opens the door, a huge smile surfacing on her face as she steps in, shutting it behind her. "Hey, guys." Her eyes quickly drift the the bundle of blankets in Haley's arms. She can't see the baby yet, but she knows it must be there. The blankets are a light blue, which leads Anne to believe that the child is a boy.

"How's everyone doing?" she asks, looking from Hotch to Haley.

Haley sighs, smiling a bit and saying, "Better than I was a few hours ago."

Anne laughs, asking, "What, you're telling me giving birth hurts?"

She exhales, adjusting her grip on the pile of blankets. "Like hell. I opted out of an epidural, so you can imagine."