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Tribulations	By : hatochiisai Category: 1 through F > Criminal Minds Views: 19381 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: No profit is made from writing this. I don't own "Criminal Minds" or any of the characters.

Chapter List
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TRIBULATIONS
By hatochiisai
Disclaimer: I do not own “Criminal Minds” or any of the characters of the show.
Reidcentric
WARNING: This work includes nonconsensual homosexual intercourse.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 13
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Morning everyone.” Hotchner said, walking into the BAU. Reid followed.
“Morning.” He said, grinning. “We brought donuts!”
“Hmph… ‘We’ as in Reid whined and I paid.” Hotch said, smirking and heading up to his office.
“So… how was the slumber party, ladies?” Morgan asked.
“Hotch taught me how to use chopsticks!” Reid announced, nodding proudly.
“Awww… That is so SWEET!” Emily laughed.
“Hotch! You should be a Boy Scout Troop Leader!” Morgan called.
“That’s enough, please.” Hotch said, walking into his office and closing the door. Morgan, Prentiss and Reid all snickered.
“Morning, all.” Garcia sang, walking in. “So. Reid.” And she sat down on his desk. “Tell us all about it.”
“… About what?” Reid asked.
“What’s it like, home with Aaron Hotchner?”
“… Uneventful.” Reid said. Garcia visually drooped.
“… Nothing interesting?”
“Nothing.” Reid assured her.
“Well… there goes my entertainment for the morning.” Garcia pouted, and went to her office. Reid blinked after her, then shrugged and leaned back in his chair, pulling a book out of his bag and beginning to read. He didn’t pay attention when JJ walked into Hotch’s office.
“Hotch…” JJ said.
“Yes?”
“We uh… it’s been almost three weeks since we got this case.”
“Yes?”
“… There’s been no sign of Vanderwal since we raided the bunker and got Reid back. Strauss wants us to wrap up the case and move on to others asap. And… I have a mountain in my office that’s not getting any smaller.”
“… We can’t rush a case, JJ.”
“Well… then maybe we should put it on hold.”
“… Put it on hold?!” Hotchner echoed.
“We’re needed, Hotch. We have requests for help from all over the country. We can’t keep chasing Vanderwal unless we’re convinced that he’s not done.”
“He’s not! Reid is here. Alive. He’s not done.”
“And if we take a case and take Reid with us, he’ll be out of Vanderwal’s reach.” JJ pointed out. Hotchner leaned back and sighed.
“How much pressure are they putting on you, JJ?”
“Not much. Yet.” She said.
“… Alright. Let’s give it a few more days. It’s Wednesday. We’ll take a case on Monday.”
“… Okay.” JJ said, nodding, and left his office. Hotch sighed and left a moment later, walking across the bullpen and into Garcia’s office.
“… Kevin.”
“Oh!” The man jumped back from where he had been rubbing Garcia’s shoulders.
“… Now is not the time. I need Garcia working on this case.”
“She has been.” Kevin said, nodding. “She’s trying to track this Vanderwal guy. She’s overworking herself, I… I’m just trying to help.” Hotch stared at Kevin, who fidgeted nervously.
“… Help.” He repeated. “Define help.”
“Well…” Kevin turned and picked up a stack of papers. “I looked this up for her. Every move he’s made since he was born. She’s been looking into details from since he first joined FBI training. I’ve been looking into everything before that. Finding places or things he might be linked to somehow. I was just bringing these up to her. And then I realized how tense she was, hence the uh… massage you walked in on.”
“I see…” Hotch said, and flipped through the papers Kevin had handed him. Then, he looked up at the man, a strange look on his face. “… Good work.” Kevin blinked. “Thank you.” Kevin blinked again, then grinned, proudly.
“You’re very welcome, Agent Hotchner. Anything I can do to help.”
“… why?” Hotch asked. “You’re not part of this team.”
“… This team is Penelope’s family. If a member of her family is in danger, I… I wanna help…” Kevin explained. Hotch stared at him a moment, then nodded.
“I appreciate that, Kevin. Just don’t neglect your own job.”
“I won’t sir. Thank you.”
“Sir.” Garcia said.
“There’s an old apartment building that’s scheduled for demolition.” She said. “… One of the apartments was once rented by Neil Vanderwal.”
“… Okay. We’ll check it out.” Hotch said, then turned and left. “Rossi! Morgan! Prentiss! With me. No Reid, you stay here.”
“But—“
“You have NOT been approved to return to work.” Hotch said, firmly. “And you are under our protection. You will stay HERE.” And he led the others out.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Morgan sighed as they looked around the old apartment.
“… Well… Someone was here. Recently.”
“… Newspaper is only three days old.” Rossi said, picking up a newspaper from beside and old mattress on the floor.
“Here.” Hotch called from in the kitchen. The others walked in.
“… I guess this is where Neil was staying.” Prentiss said, looking over all the bits of plastic, metal and wires… the remains of the bomb that Neil had built.
“… So were Graham and Ryan with him?” Rossi wondered aloud. They searched the apartment, but they found nothing useful. Ryan wasn’t there. They didn’t know if he ever WAS there. Disappointed, they returned to the BAU with minimal physical evidence of anything useful… When they got back, JJ hurried up to them.
“You need to get to the crime scene right away.” She said, handing them an address. “I think you should see this.” And so they headed out again.
They ended up only eight miles away. It was a simple apartment complex. They were led to the third floor. In the living room lay a young man. The team was struck immediately by his physical resemblance to Reid… He had been stabbed several times. And knife was still in him, pinning a note to his chest. Rossi knelt and looked at it.
“It’s from Ryan.” He said. “He’s going to keep killing look-a-likes until he gets his real target.”
“… Don’t tell Reid.” Hotchner sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Hotch.” Morgan said, raising his eyebrows. “We can’t keep this from him.”
“He’ll blame himself.” Hotch pointed out.
“… I know. But what will upset him more? Knowing now, or finding out later and knowing that we withheld it from him?” Morgan argued.
“… I’ll tell him.” Rossi said. “I’ll go back now and tell him before he finds out from Garcia.” Hotch nodded.
“We’ll meet you back at the BAU.” He said. Rossi drove back to Quantico, and walked right up to Reid.
“… Reid. Step into my office.” He said. Reid blinked up at him.
“… What’s wrong?” Reid asked. Rossi just turned and walk to his office. Reid blinked and followed, shuffling along in his new sneakers that Hotch had made him get on the way into the office. Rossi closed the door after him.
“… There was a murder.” Rossi said. “Ryan claimed responsibility.”
“… Who was it?” Reid asked.
“A young man about your age. He looked a lot like you.” Rossi said, and Reid blinked. “Ryan left a note. He says he won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”
“What?!” Reid gasped, eyes wide in shock.
“He’s going to kill look-a-likes until he kills you.” Rossi explained. Slowly, Reid dropped into a chair, color draining from his face.
“We… We have to stop him!” Reid gasped.
“We’re trying, Reid.” Rossi said, squeezing Reid’s shoulder.
“… Set a trap!” Reid cried, jumping to his feet. “I’ll be the bait!”
“No.” Rossi said. “We can’t put your life at risk.”
“Is my life any more important that the lives of the people he’s gonna kill?!” Reid shouted.
“Reid, our job is to protect you right now. Just like any other victim.”
“… Just like any other victim.” Reid repeated, his tone hard and cold.
“… I… I didn’t mean it like that.” Rossi said, trying to calm Reid down.
“Then how DID you mean it?!” Reid demanded, beginning to shake in anger and frustration. Rossi stared at him, and sighed. Reid stared at him, then turned and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him. Rossi watched him go over to his desk. He picked up his messenger bag and headed for the door. Rossi blinked and opened the door to his office.
“Reid. Reid!” Reid ignored him, storming out of the BAU. Rossi took off after him. But by the time he got to the elevators, the doors had closed. Rossi cursed, hitting the button to get the other elevator. He rode it down to the lobby, but when he got there, Reid was nowhere in sight.
“Dammit!” He spat, and pulled out his cell. “… Hotch. I messed up. Reid took off.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Has Garcia found anything?” Hotchner asked the moment he walked in.
“No. Aaron, I’m sorry.”
“No. It’s not your fault.” Hotch told Rossi.
“All I can tell you is that Reid left on foot, heading in the direction he always does when he’s heading home.” Garcia said.
“… I’ll check his apartment.” Morgan said, turning and running back out the door.
“… I’ll call the hospital where that Nathan kid is, see if Reid went to visit.” JJ advised.
“I’m going to call Elle and Gideon.” Hotch said. “Garcia, track Reid’s phone.”
“He turned it off.” Garcia sighed. “He knows we would try to track him with it. He’s… playing rebellious teenager.”
“He’s not a teenager.”
“… He’s young and upset.” Garcia said with a shrug.
“… Keep trying, Garcia.” Hotch said, and went to his office, dialing up Gideon.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Morgan pulled over in front of Reid’s burned out apartment. He got out of the car and ducked under the crime scene tape, walking up the stairs. He sighed, putting on a pair of latex gloves and pushing the door open, carefully stepping in.
“Reid?” He called. There was no answer. He walked into the remains of the living room. “… Reid?” He turned at a shuffling noise. It was coming from Reid’s room…
“Reid?” Morgan called again, and walked down the hall.
“Hello Derek.” Morgan’s eyes widened and he threw himself to the floor as a gunshot cracked through the air from behind him. He rolled, pulling his own gun and turned, just in time to see the front door of the apartment slam shut. Morgan blinked, then scrambled to his feet and ran.
“RYAN VANDERWAL!” He shouted. “STOP!!!” He ran out front just in time to see a car screeching away from the curb. He leapt into the SUV and took off after, pulling out his phone.
“This is Special Agent Derek Morgan with the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI! I am in pursuit of a murder suspect and I need back up! He’s in a silver Chrysler Sebring, four door, license plate number V23-KSY! We’re heading north on Foxglove, just crossed Yew Bend!”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Aaron.” Rossi said, poking his head into Hotch’s office. “Morgan is in a high speed pursuit with Ryan Vanderwal. He found him at Reid’s apartment.”
“Any sign of Reid?”
“No.” Rossi said, and the pair hurried to Garcia’s office.
“Garcia, you have Morgan on the line?”
“Yes.”
“Morgan!”
“Kinda busy, Hotch!” Morgan announced.
“What happened?!”
“Son of a bitch tried to shoot me!” Morgan said. “He was hiding in Reid’s kitchen.”
“Was Reid there?”
“I didn’t see him. But I’ll bet that Ryan was waiting for him.” Morgan said.
“Be careful, Morgan.”
“I ain’t letting this guy go, Hotch. He heard me calling for Reid. He knows that Reid isn’t with us now. Let me handle Ryan. YOU find Reid. If Ryan gets away, we have to make sure we get to Reid first.”
“I’m on it.” Garcia said.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Reid sighed, staring across the park. He had never been there before. He had left the BAU and just… walked. His feet hurt. He wasn’t sure how far he had gone… hell, he wasn’t sure WHERE he was. He watched children on the playground, their mothers watching. Would any of those children fall victim to murder one day? Would they lose their mother some day to a killer? He turned and looked at older gentlemen playing chess… beyond them, teenage boys playing basketball… some others skateboarding. A pair of women talking as they power walked around the park. Kids feeding the ducks in the pond. A cop car passed, the officer in the passenger seat watching the kids on the skateboards and on the basketball court… Reid sighed, and turning and walking along the path… He left the park and continued to wander, not noticing the ache in his feet, nor in the rest of his body…
At one point, a group of teenage boys between fourteen and seventeen moved towards him as he walked absently down the alley. He paused and raised his eyes, looking around at them.
“Hey there, Toothpick.” The eldest said. Reid placed his age at about twenty. “Whatcha got in the bag?”
Reid blinked. “… Papers.” He said.
“What kind of papers?”
“… Crime scene photos. Evidence.” The boys blinked and glanced around at each other.
“… They only follow you because you’re older than them.” Reid said, suddenly. “And because you picked them. Because you know they could be easily intimidated and manipulated. And you keep them scared of you, because once they realize what a complete failure you are, they’ll ditch you. Or turn on you. You belittle them, and make them believe that without you, they’re nothing. You don’t want them to realize they’re full potential, because once they do they’ll leave you. They’ll go on to bigger and better things. They could become successful and happy. And you’ll be stuck right here where you are. Roughing up people in alleys. Because you’re too scared to try and be better than that.”
“… Who the hell do you think you are?!” The boy snapped, moving in on Reid. He pulled a gun and pointed it at him.
“… I’m not afraid of your gun.” Reid said, and slowly pulled up the hem of his shirt. The boy stared at the healing wounds. “I’ve been through worse.”
“This one might finish you off.” The boy sneered.
“Killing me will only finish you off.” Reid said. “My team will find you. And you’ll go away for life in Federal Prison.”
“… Federal Prison? Team?”
“And all these kids will go away as accomplices to murder.” Reid said, and turned to look at the youngest. “… Do you really want that?” The boy stared at him, eyes wide.
“… I ain’t got nuthin’ goin’ for me.” He snorted. “My mom’s just a drunk. Ain’t got a father.”
“You think that’s true?” Reid said, smiling slightly and shaking his head. “You choose what you have going for you.”
“What the hell would you know? You look like a politician’s kid. Private school… Getting into a good college because your parents pulled some strings and called in favors…” Another boy snorted. Reid just smiled and pushed his hands into his pockets.
He looked up at the teenagers surrounding him.
“I’m not that different from you. My dad left when I was ten. My mother is schizophrenic. We didn’t have a ton of money. I went to public schools. But now look at me.”
“… What ARE you?” Another boy scoffed. “Messenger boy?” Reid snorted slightly and pulled out his wallet, flipping it open.
“FBI.” He said, and all eyes widened. He looked at the leader. “Like I said. Hurt me, and my team will hunt you down and you’ll go to Federal Prison. And you kids remember; Follow a guy like him, and you’ll end up like him. Go home. You are only as good as you make yourself.” The kids looked around at each other, then scattered silently. Their leader stared at Reid. Reid stared at him and slowly approached him. He stared up into the kid’s dark brown eyes.
“The same goes for you.” He said, softly. “Do you have a record?”
The boy smirked. “I’ve never been caught.”
“… Then stop now.” Reid said. “Before you do. It’s not too late. But the moment you get caught, so many doors close…” The kid stared at him, frowning slightly.
“You really FBI?” The kid asked. Reid smiled and nodded, and let him see his badge and credentials. “How old are you?”
“Not that much older than you are.” Reid said, then pulled out his card and offered it to the boy. “If you ever have any questions… just give me a call. You never know. Maybe I can help.” And he stepped around the kid and walked away. The kid stared after him, then slowly looked down at the gun in one hand, and Reid’s card in the other.
Reid smiled to himself when he heard the clatter of the gun being tossed into a dumpster. He emerged out of the alley and onto the street. He looked up and down, then moved up the street and stepped into a coffee shop/internet cafe, glancing at the address. He ordered a large coffee, filled it with sugar, then sat as far from the windows as he could. Then he pulled out his phone and turned it on, dialing.
“Reid!” Was the angry sounding answer.
“Hey Hotch.” Reid said, softly. “I… I’m sorry. I’m in a coffee shop at 6^th and Commerce. I’ll stay here until someone comes to get me. And… I promise I won’t run off like this again.” Hotch paused for a long time, considering Reid’s words, then sighed.
“Alright, Reid. I’m coming to get you. And Reid… Morgan found Ryan.”
“What?!”
“He chased him. But he got away. Be careful; he knows you’re out there alone.”
“He knows? Sir… I’m out in the open… I have to get out of here!”
“… Is there someplace safe you can go?” Hotch asked. Reid moved to an empty computer and MapQuested the café.
“… There’s a precinct two blocks from here. I’ll head there.” Reid said.
“Okay. Be careful.” Hotch said. “I’ll be there in… twenty minutes.”
“Okay.” Reid said, and hung up. He left the café and hurried down the street, letting his hair fall around his face to obscure his features. His walk to the precinct was uneventful, and Hotch was there exactly seventeen minutes later. He pulled up in front of the building and looked up as Reid hurried down the steps, around the car and slid into the passenger seat. He fastened his seatbelt, and sipped his coffee. Hotch pulled away from the curb and they headed back to the BAU. Reid began to fidget five minutes into the drive.
“Hotch…”
Hotch glanced at him.
“… I’m sorry.”
“You disobeyed a direct order.”
“… I know.”
“You left when I specifically told you not to. You know there’s an ex-FBI Agent out there looking to kill you. And you left, alone without any backup or protection.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Reid.” Hotch said, turning and giving Reid a stern look. “If you do this again, I’ll have to go with what Strauss wanted. I’ll send you to a safe house with round the clock supervision until we have Ryan Vanderwal in custody.”
“Don’t kid yourself Hotch.” Reid said. Hotch looked at him sharply.
“… We won’t get him in custody. I think you know this as well as I do. He’s not going to let us take him alive. He’s either going to kill me or die trying.” Reid said. Hotch sighed.
“… You’re right.” He agreed. Reid nodded. “So… what were you doing?”
“Just… thinking. Walking…” Reid said, slowly. “I just kind of randomly ended up there…”
“Well, you made the team waste a day looking for you when they could have been working on Vanderwal.”
“Hotch… I’m sorry.”
“You’ll be staying with Rossi tonight. Morgan tomorrow. Then Garcia, then Prentiss. Then Will and JJ.”
“Yeah. Just watch. They’ll go out on the town and I’ll be babysitting.”
“With the way YOU hold the baby, not likely.” Hotch chuckled, and Reid gave him a look.
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Tribulations