Feelings You Leave (HotchxReid)

I'm Fine.

Hotch leads Spencer to the bed, shutting the door on his way.

Spencer cries into Hotch's chest as Hotch rubs Spencer's back.

I knew you weren't ready, Spencer, Aaron thinks to himself.

"I really thought I could hide my feelings better, because my grief counselling is ending and everyone else has their own issues," Reid cries, seeming to read Hotch's mind.

"I-" Hotch tries to say. He just sits there, mind blank, not knowing what to say for the first time in a while.

"I'm not fine. I came to you because I knew you understood how am right now," Reid admits, wiping excess tears from his face, sitting upright.

"Reid, I'm here if you ever need to talk, anytime. I'm here for you," Hotch says and Spencer nods, grabbing a tissue from the tissue box.

"I know," Spencer cries a little more.

"I know it doesn't seem like it now, but it will get better. I promise you that. It does hurt me to this day that Haley is gone, but I feel like I can talk about her to Jack and I have good memories of her. I don't like think of the bad ones," Hotch says, looking at Reid.

"I told Riley everything was going to be okay. I can't get that past me that I lied to him," Reid looks down ashamed.

"I did the same with Haley, Reid. I'm not going to say you'll forget that, the guilt still gets to me, but like I said, I loved Haley, and I want to think good of her. Not all the bad things that we went through," Hotch admits.

Reid nods, "Okay, Hotch."

They sit in comfortable silence, waiting for one of them to say something. Reid leans back on Hotch.

"Thank you, for listening," Reid says.

"No problem, Reid," Hotch says, reaching his arm around Reid to half hug him.

"I'm really glad I got to talk to you. I actually thought you were going to send me back to Quantico," Spencer smiles and Hotch exhales.

"No, Reid. I wouldn't do that," Hotch says.

"I know that now."

"Good. Go get some sleep, Reid. Unless you want to talk some more," Hotch says.

"I'll go to my room in a minute. I know everyone's worried about me, so, please, if anyone asks, don't tell them I talked to you," Spencer kind of begs and Hotch nods.

"Of course. This is between you and me," Hotch stands up and so does Spencer.

Hotch opens the room door and Reid goes back to his room, smiling to Hotch.

"Night," Spencer whispers, shutting his door behind him.

Aaron walks back into his room shutting off the lights and shutting the door on his way to his bed.

Aaron felt awful for Reid. Reid was always the sensitive one in the group and Hotch was upset he didn't make Reid stay home. He grabs his phone, not realizing what he's doing, and texts Reid right before they sleep.

Hotch: I'm glad I helped you tonight. You can talk to me anytime, remember that. Get some sleep. Coffee isn't the only thing we need.

Before Hotch can close the messages, Reid messages back, immediatly.

Reid: Thanks for talking to me. I will get sleep, Hotch. You get some too. Good night.

Hotch: Good night.

Hotch smiled as he turned off his phone and went to sleep thinking about the boy genius.