CM Fic: Step Up (Part 2 of 3)

[impulsiveanswer]

Title: Step Up

Part: 2 of 3

Pairing: Reid/Hotch

Characters: Reid, Hotch, Rossi, Jessica, and a cameo by Jack

Rating: (this part): T; (entire story): M

Warnings: Slash, angst

Disclaimer: I don’t own Criminal Minds and anyone who tells you otherwise is a filthy liar.

Summary for the whole story: Reid’s mother dies. As Reid struggles to deal with it, Hotch

Comments

[enmuse]

Conversation between Rossi and Reid at the market - too funny! Oh Dave, you'd so make a great dad.

And I like Jessica. Jessica FTW!

[impulsiveanswer]

Thanks! Dave and Spencer are a lot of fun to write. And Jessica had an important part because she's the closest thing there is to Haley, the person Hotch really needed to have that talk with.

[reidscat]

I love your story and how you write the characters so much.
Please update soon...and keep on writing so intensive Hotch/Reid FFs ;)

[impulsiveanswer]

Thanks! I'll try to update by the end of next week (and I've got at least three different story ideas for this series alone, so hopefully there's more to come...).

[pharmawriter]

I'm really enjoying this story. While your angst is very good,my
favourite scene is the one in the grocery store, whch manages to
include the hilarity of Rossi trying to "parent" Reid and force
him to eat properly as well as the poignant moment between Reid
and Jack.

[impulsiveanswer]

Thank you! Reid and Rossi are a lot of fun to write together, with Rossi doing what he can to draw out Reid's spunky side. And I wanted a moment that bonded Jack and Reid, so their encounter at the store made sense to me.

[gail19]

Aaron - oh my. He tries so hard to be absolutely perfect all the time, and beats himself up when he fails. He really needs to let someone else make the judgments and determine what if any punishment is due; the stress is not good for him.

The grocery store was fantastic. From Rossi critquing Reid's selections, to Jack's empathy. Box brownies?

The conversation with Jessica. When I read "...you used to say his name...I thought it was a good thing I'd set my water down, and then I read about the hot coffee. I giggled - not appropriate I know, but it did lighten the moment a bit. I could adore your Jessica.

[impulsiveanswer]

Thanks. I had a hard time finding Aaron's voice - much harder than finding Spencer's - but it was there in how hard he is on himself whenever he's not perfect or when he can't make something perfect, and in how he blames himself for things beyond his control.

The grocery store scene was fun to write. I wanted there to be a moment of connection between Jack and Spencer, because of a part I ended up cutting from this story that now will probably be its own one-shot. Dave and Spencer are fun to write, since Dave isn't quite like anyone Spencer's had in his life and vice versa. And the "box brownies" line came from my own supposition that Haley (who was a stay-at-home mother at least up until she left Aaron)could have very well made brownies from scratch and Jack recognizes the difference between the two.

With the scene with Jessica, I did want the fact that Aaron's feelings for Spencer started long before his marriage was officially over to be acknowledged, and for him to be able to come to terms with that so he could move on.

*eyes still shining*

[silverydragon]

not as much crying as before, this second part was more like the first healing balm on a really bad wound. It still hurts, but you're starting to heal, realizing that hope does exist, that it's you *are* allowed to feel it, and that no it's not an unforgivable sin being human.

Hotch was beautifully perfect in his imperfection, and it's freaking being able to see where both him and Reid stand, understanding deeply the way too high standards for oneself, and the low self-esteem, the believing that there's no one out there for you, or that you'll only be a failure and get your loved ones hurt for just being that much selfish in wanting them close

Re: *eyes still shining*

[impulsiveanswer]

Again, thanks for commenting. Guilt is definitely one of Hotch's defining characteristics as well as one of his most humanizing. When he acknowledges it and owns it he can forgive himself.