Fic: Tangled Web, Interlude (Criminal Minds, Reid / Morgan, Hotch / Chad, Sean / Cain)
Title: Tangled Web, Interlude
Pair: Spencer Reid / Derek Morgan,
Aaron Hotchner / Chad Christensen,
Sean Hotchner / Cain Christensen
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
Criminal Minds Main List
Chapter 1/3
Chapter 2/3
“You knew about this.” Hotch stated. His eyes went back and forth between the two men. “You listened to me wandering what this was about and you didn’t say a word.”
“How bout we call it a night?” Cain suggested and got up from the couch. “Let’s pick it up from here in the morning.”
“We’re not done here-” Hotch responded but he paused when Cain positioned himself right in front of him.
“We’re done for now.”
“Stay out of this-”
“You’re their boss but you’re not mine.”
“This is not-”
“And I can knock you out so fast you won’t even have time to count the stars.”
Hotch let out a sigh and gave up. Morgan followed Reid out of the living room while Chad pulled Hotch back to the couch.
Sean watched the interaction from the couch. Finally he got up.
“Are we going?”
“Yeah.” Cain gave Chad a little squeeze on the shoulder. “Get some sleep, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He walked out with Sean in tow.
Hotch tried to resist the urge to follow him outside and initiate a relieving fistfight in the middle of the street. Chad still hadn’t said anything, he just leaned against the backrest with his eyes closed. Finally he pulled himself up to sit with his back straight and gave Hotch a knowing look.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“What?”
“Following him outside. He really could deck you.”
“I’m not exactly helpless, I-”
“You know I’m right.”
“Okay, but I would get at least few good jabs in.”
“No.”
“No?”
“No.”
A long silence followed. A small grin formed on Chad’s face.
“This is really weird discussion in this situation.”
“Yeah.” Hotch admitted. “How are you feeling?”
“No idea. Sad. Shocked. Angry. Bitter. Hungry. Tired.”
“Did you know your mother was going to…..”
“Try to match me up with Spencer from her grave?” He gave himself a small slap on the forehead. “Forget I said that, she’s not in her grave yet.”
“It’s a figure of speech.”
“I actually thought she had given up on that idea. And then she does that.”
“Maybe it was an old video.”
“No. Her other side was weak, she needed assistance to move. That was done after her stroke.”
“Well….” Hotch wasn’t sure what to say. “Shouldn’t I be mad, and not you?”
“Can we just agree that we both have a reason to be angry and go get some sleep?”
“Okay.”
Chad got up and headed to the stairs. Hotch followed him but stopped at the bottom of the stairs.
“Chad?”
“Yeah?”
“You really think he could beat me?”
“Yep.” Chad grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. “Believe me, you wouldn’t even stand a chance.”
-------------------------------------------------
“You think he’ll get me reassigned to cold cases?” Reid banged his head into the side view window in a steady pace. “I should have told him I already knew about it.”
“An old crow left you a piece of her estate, that’s none of Hotch`s business. If anyone should be angry, it should be Chad and Cain. And that third one….”
“Maris.”
“Yeah.”
“They don’t even have anything to do with the whole company, they just get a cut of the profits. The business is run by capable professionals.”
“How do you know that?”
“I googled it.”
“So what are you gonna do about it?”
“I don’t know. It should be flattering that she still valued me so highly, but…. I can imagine what it must be like for Hotch.”
“Like a smack on the face?”
“Something like that. Chad and Cain don’t care about it, but I can’t keep it.”
“Why not? She was sane and she knew what she was doing. Take what you can get and be happy.”
“I can’t.” Reid groaned. “I just can’t.” His cell phone started ringing and he pulled it out of his pocket. “Doctor Reid. Who? I see…. I really can’t talk right now. Goodbye.”
He hung up.
“You better explain that to me.”
“What?”
“That call. I know when you’re doing your evasive manoeuvres, and you tried to end that call as quickly as you could.”
“Remember what I said about people and sharks?“
“Yeah.”
“That was lawyer from Cleveland. He represents Mr. Christensen.”
“Chad’s dad?”
“Yeah. He said it’s early because the whole process is still on-going and the executors are handling the legal issues, but he wanted to make an offer to buy that ten percent.”
“Already? You don’t even have it yet. I mean, legally.”
“He knows his children won’t sell their shares. And I don’t think he even has the money to buy any of them out. My share is the smallest one, but he would get a seat in the board of directors.”
“Don’t tell me you’re gonna do that…..”
“I’m not.” Reid huffed. “I’ve met him just once and that was enough.”
“That bad?”
“He had enough to do trying to keep a civil face when Chad introduced us, and when his wife actually liked me he had one more reason not to like me.”
“So…. Let’s recap.” Morgan stated. “You can’t keep them but you don’t wanna sell them either. What’s left?”
“Trying to fix this.” Reid picked up his phone again and scrolled down the list of speed dials. He dialled a number and waited till the recipient answered. “Hey, it’s me. I know it’s late, but I wanted to talk about something.” He paused while the other person talked. “No, actually…. I wanted to suggest something.”
Chapter 3/3