𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 ➳ [ SPENCER REID ] [PARTS 1 & 2]

━━━━ vi

"THAT'S ABOUT THE entirety of it," leah started. "it's why i was so- broken when shayne died. he was my last good thing, and now he's gone."

"wow," derek said. "i'm so sorry."

"it's okay, morgan. i know they would want me to keep living my life, so that's just what i'm going to do."

"you're really strong, you know that?"

"yeah." she smirked. derek laughed.

"i used to tell myself i'd never rest until they found the people who killed my parents. and they never did find out who did it."

"i wish there was something i could do."

"it's okay derek, really. the case was too long ago for it to be even looked into- there's nothing you could do if i did want you to."

he looked down, sadly.

"hey," leah grabbed his shoulder. "it's okay. i'm okay. i promise."

he nodded at her, pulling her into a hug. she had only just met this man a few days ago, yet here she is, crashing at his place and telling him something she had never really told anyone else before.

"alright, where's your bathroom?" leah asked. "i should get ready before bed."

derek pointed out the bathroom, and leah grabbed some of her stuff and went in.

𖥸

she got changed into her old pajamas, and brushed her teeth. when she was done, all she did was look at herself in the mirror.

wow, leah said. i really am broken.

she had never really thought about it before. how much shit she went through. her parents were killed, her best and only friend was killed. she never really questioned how she survived through all of it.

before she knew it, there were tears streaming down her face. the only memories that flooded her brain were the worst ones- the moment she found her parents dead bodies, the moment she found out the shayne was dead, the moment derek morgan broke down her door and accused her of killing her only friend.

she sobbed, audible sounds escaping her lips. it was a minute later when derek knocked on the door asking if everything was okay. she immediately opened the door and engulfed derek into a hug.

"why me?" she sobbed. "why does this shit have to happen to me?"

derek pulled away to look at her, just to hug her again a moment later. he wanted to say something, but what could he possibly say right now that would make her feel better?

"go sit on the couch," he said. "i'll be right back."

leah did so. derek came back 2 minutes later with blankets, pillows and some snacks.

"i hope you don't mind," derek said. "but i called hotch. i figured he would know more about what to do."

leah didn't respond, she just looked down at her hands, tears still streaming down her face.

"do you wanna talk about it?" he asked.

the tears just started coming quicker. "no," she said finally. "i just wish i wasn't so- you know, broken."

"hey," derek said taking her hand. she looked up at him. "you are a genius, you solved a case in five minutes, when in would have taken fbi profilers days. you're at fbi school, you have hotch, there's jack who i know adores you more than life." leah laughed a bit at that. she did love that kid a lot.

"i'd say you're anything but broken. you've been through a lot of effed up stuff, but at the end of the day, look where you are. you basically have a job at the bau before even finishing fbi school. you're amazing, leah gray."

leah smiled, still crying, at him and hugged him once more before there was a knock at the door.

derek got up and opened it, revealing not only hotch, but also spencer reid. spencer was just about to leave hotch's house when derek called saying that leah was crying and that she needed people to be there for her. hotch asked spencer to tag along.

"leah," hotch started. "are you okay?"

"actually," leah looked at derek. "i think i am."

spencer didn't say anything, he just looked at her. she was a mess- not broken; but he knew she had went through things he could never imagine, and he didn't want to upset her more than she already was.

hotch and spencer stayed for a few minutes, making sure leah was okay before they left. she had stopped crying, grateful that she had these people in her life.

"i'll see you soon, leah," hotch said to her, hugging her. "and i can't wait for you to join the team."

"wait," leah started, confused. "i-i thought you said it wasn't definite yet- that you had to figure it out with your bosses-"

"well, things changed. the job is officially yours, leah. as soon as you finish school."

she gasped, she was ecstatic. she jumped into hotch's arms, whispering millions of "thank you's" before letting him go.

"don't thank me," he said. "it was reid who convinced me to talk to my boss about you. i'm glad she saw things the same way."

leah looked over to spencer, who was already looking at her. "you really did that for me?"

spencer pursed his lips together and looked down. "i believe in you, leah."

leah walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. spencer didn't move for a moment, caught off guard by the hug. he slowly raised his own arms to hug her back, which earned surprised looks from hotch and morgan, who both knew reid wasn't the biggest fan of hugs.

they pulled apart after a few moments and leah mouthed a quick "thank you" to him. he nodded his head at her, smiling.

"thanks for coming you guys," leah said out loud. "you really didn't have to."

"i wanted to," hotch said. "we wanted to."

the two then left, and leah made her way back to her bed for the night- the comfy couch, and laid down.

"you sure you'll be okay?" derek asked her after a minute.

when she didn't respond, derek looked over at her to see that she had already fallen asleep. he smiled to himself, grabbing a blanket and putting it over her before heading into his own bedroom.

"goOdnight, leah."