Adopted daughter of Aaron Hotchner joins the BAU. Harper Vincent, naturally reserved with her head always in her sketchbook. Spencer Reid, naturally shy with his head always in a book. Some would say it's fate, others would say it's a curse.
[kinda...
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𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿 "These victims have to be surrogates for someone" Morgan exclaims with a huff. "Possibly a girlfriend or wife?" I suggest. "That actually makes sense if we take into account the sexual assault" Spencer adds.
"Okay guys let's get some sleep, we'll continue where we left off in the morning" My dad instructs. Everyone nods before standing up.
"Dad, you know how I feel about hotels" I mumble, rubbing my arms defensively. "I know Harper, I'll see if you can stay with Emily or JJ" he suggests. "I don't know them that well" I reply quietly. "You know I have a hard time talking to new people, we just haven't had time to connect much," I continue. "Okay, so, who have you connected with?" He sighs pinching his fingers at the bridge of his nose.
I look down at my hands for a moment before glancing over to Spencer packing up his things. "Harper," he says in a stern voice. "Dad, you of all people can see he's harmless" I reply quickly.
"I know, It's just, you're my daughter" he sighs. "Yeah, I'm your daughter that was forgotten at a hotel for two nights by your wife" I mumble. "Harper, don't bring Haley into this," He says defensively. "I was left alone with a creepy manager that wanted me to play hide and seek with him" I seethed.
"Fine, but he sleeps on the couch" he points. "Dad I'll sleep on the couch" I reply playfully, a small smile on my lips.
"Hey Spencer," He turns around to look me in the eyes. "Harper, what uh, what do you need?" He stutters out in a hushed tone. "Could I um, stay with you. In your hotel room?" I ask sheepishly.
"Oh, sure, yeah" he stumbles on his words, obviously flustered. "Great, thank you so much, Spence, really" His eyes widen slightly at the nickname.
"Sorry, I didn't mean-" he cuts me off. "No it's okay, I uh, I like it" he shifts his weight, rocking back and forth slightly. "Should we go?" I ask. "Oh yeah of course" he chuckles lightly.
We enter the room, I toss my bag gently onto the bed. A single bed. "I'm gonna change in the bathroom" I inform him. He nods as I walk through the wooden threshold.
I walk out in one of my Dad's old t-shirts and a pair of soccer shorts, pulling my hair back into a low ponytail. "The bathroom is open" I smile at Spencer in his pajamas. "Looks like you don't need it" I chuckle. He blushes slightly and looks to the ground. "The bed is uh quite small," he notices. "Yeah, But It's okay I'll just sleep on this side" I gesture to the side of the bed I'm closest to.
I move the covers before sitting up in the bed, resting my head against the wooden headboard.
"If you don't mind me asking, why don't you like being in hotels alone?" He questions wearily. "It's okay" I don't know what it is about Spencer Reid that compels me to tell him everything about me.
"When I was ten, long before Jack was born, my dad thought it would be a good idea for Haley and me to go on a bonding trip together." My voice begins to tremble slightly as I begin to pick at the skin on my nails.
He reaches for my hands, holding them in his while rubbing his thumbs on the backs of them soothingly. I smile up at him, noticing his eyes soften.
"She uh, left one night, presumably to get us dinner but, she never came back. Turns out she went home without me. The hotel manager noticed I was alone and took me into his office, asking me to play hide and seek with him" a single tear trailing down my face.
He reaches up, wiping it away with his thumb. I lean into the touch, feeling deeply comforted by his action.
"Two days later my dad showed up to get me, Haley's excuse being that she didn't mean to leave me. I knew she did, she never liked me from the moment my dad brought me in. I think she always saw me as her competition for his love" I sigh, ending the story.
He wraps an arm gently around me causing me to lean into his chest. I close my eyes as I listen to his steady heartbeat. He leans us back comfortably, sighing in contentment. I smile as I feel him kiss the top of my head while drawing circles on my back.
࿏ This was just a cute chapter that I really like. In the next chapter, they will continue on the same case just so you know :)
2025: 20 year old me realizes this is out of character and on the second chapter of all things I really don't know what I was thinking but I'm not changing the main plot parts of my books so we are just accepting this universe's Spencer.
