⠀⠀⠀ twenty three

T W E N T Y  T H R E E



SCOUT LOOKED UP from the pile of files and cases on her desk.


It looked like it was going to be hours of work. She mentally groaned, resting her head on the most recent paperwork she was doing.


Across the room, Scout could see the ever present Spencer Reid who was also working on his pile. The only thing was, he was working at a much quicker and steadier pace than she was.


She inhaled deeply and exhaled, drawing her breath to a sigh. Of course, he was going to get out of there long before dinner time. She, on the other hand, felt like she was going to be working through the night.


Scout looked back at the file and reread the summary that she had already written down. It was long but deserved. She didn't want to miss any details. It was the least she could do for what she had done.


From what she remembered, her argument with Hotch didn't help at all.



"What do you mean? They don't deserve it, they didn't do anything wrong!" Scout exclaimed, pointing at the women in handcuffs and being leaned against police cars.


After she had cleared the situation with Mary and the women, Scout called in her team to clarify the situation inside the Lusty Leopard. She had coursed the women to walk out with her to further explain everything to Hotch but the moment they stepped outside, they were surrounded by police officers and FBI agents.


Hotch sighed at looked down at the new agent on his team, "What they did was illegal. They hacked into government accounts and the online registry, not to mention social security and highly classified information. That alone is not okay."


"They were doing it for a right cause. They were protecting these women, that has to mean something, doesn't it?" She spoke louder than she wanted to but she was frustrated.


This wasn't right, not one bit.


"Whatever cause it was, it doesn't rectify what they did. It was illegal and they have to be held responsible." His look hardened.


It was almost like he was daring her to keep going. And Scout was not one to back down from a dare.


"So you're saying that they should have just left these women to suffer and not help at all?"


"They should have done it the right way."


"And what way would that be? Go to the government? Because I'm sure the FBI would be willing to help on a case that didn't involve missing children and mass murders!"


"Agent Wiley, you will stand down." Hotch's voice deepened, as if he were scolding a child.


She puffed out her chest and took in a deep breath, "No, I will not. This is wrong and you know it. If I were in their situation then I would've done the same thing. And if you had the ever present conscience as you always do then you would have done the same."


His eyes narrowed but she didn't stop.


"These are good women and they deserve a chance. They're doing what this country promised to do and we failed. So they decided that they were going to do the work themselves. How dare we as people with this kind of responsibility to our nation and it's people be the ones that incarcerate them?"


Scout felt like a hypocrite once more as the words fell from her mouth. But it didn't mean that she did say every word with intention. Because in that moment, she did.


Rossi, in turn, placed his hand on her shoulder. He could feel the girl soften at his touch but after that, her shoulders began to shake. Scout was trying to suppress the overwhelming emotions that ran through her.


"C'mon Scout, lets get you out of these clothes and into something warmer, how's that sound?" Scout let the older man take her away from the scene and into a car.


She was glad that the car had blacked out windows, so that Hotch couldn't see her flipping him off.


Hotch sighed and looked at the women, they looked terrified and filled with guilt and shame. He didn't want to admit it to the girl, but she was right. Sadly, the picture in front of him was the reality of his job.


"The kid's right." Morgan took off his sunglasses with a sad and stern look, tucking them into his pocket.


"She is."


"And you didn't want to tell her that?"


"It wouldn't have made a difference." Hotch turned around, wondering what would happen next. And how was he supposed to face the fiery agent again. He supposed with the same look he always had, that seemed to work out every time.


Morgan nodded and crossed his arms, "Maybe not to you, but it would have to her. Remember Hotch, she doesn't trust us yet. And we're still getting used to her. If we can't trust her, how can we work as a team?"


"I trust her," Hotch nodded. "And I trust her morals. But, the way she shares them, I'm not so sure."


"She's passionate." He said with a shrug.


"Yes, but is that what the team needs?"


"More than ever, Hotch. More than ever."



Scout finished writing down her side of the story and had hoped that it would be enough. Perhaps she could be there in court and she could testify, maybe that would help?


Is this really necessary? You know what Xander would say. He'd say you're wasting your time. He'd say that it's a distraction from the mission.


This mission.


Her eyes widened as she looked over to Spencer. His pile was significantly getting smaller by the minute and he paced never stopped. Scout could almost relate him to a machine.


She noticed his eyes darting back and forth along the lines and how he would tuck a strand of hair that would fall into his eyes backwards. And his lips, he bit down on them inconsistency, switching between his nibbles to licking them.


A flash of eyes and her mind faded back to that other night from the mission. From when she was dancing in the pole and she eyed his body up and down.


Scout grabbed the pole again and spun around one more time as the song drew to a close. When she landed on her feet, her eyes made contact with Spencer's.


His mouth was agape. His eyes were as wide as golf balls. And his - bulge - was anything but unnoticeable.


Scout's cheeks started to burn again and the hotness made its way up to her ears. She was certain that she shared the same skin tone as a tomato at this point.


"Oh man." She whispered under her breath.


Her eyes trailed back to him and landed back at his crotch. It wasn't - protruding. But a part of her wanted it to be again. Scout tightened her thighs at the thought of it, feeling her insides bubble again. A tingling sensation had started in her own crevasses and she had hoped that pressed her legs together would have helped.


It didn't.


The thought of him watching her plagued her mind. Did he get like that often? And was she ever a reason that he did? Did Spencer even think of her that way?


Scout shook her head, "This is not good. Not good one bit."


"You okay?"


She looked up and made eye contact with JJ, who had a fresh cup of coffee in her hands. The blonde woman looked at her with concern and confusion.


Scout nodded. "Yeah no, yeah. Just - writing about this past case. It's kinda hard to think back at."


Technically she wasn't lying, Scout was thinking back at the case but a particular moment didn't have to be clarified. At least, not to her team.


JJ nodded, "It get it. It was a hard case, especially for you. I mean, you're still new to this but you did amazing. And you put up with Spence, that's talent right there."


"Ha ha, talent. Yeah, it really is." She chuckled awkwardly, tucking a stand of hair that had fallen behind her ear.


"You okay?" JJ looked at her, curiosity written in her eyes. "You look a bit, I don't know, overwhelmed?"


"Yeah, well. Some people can get overwhelmed, others can get underwhelmed. Why isn't anyone ever just whelmed? Am I right?" Scout chuckled again, not being able to stop herself.


"Ri-ght, okay." JJ nodded and walked away, not wanted to say another word to the young agent in case she exploded from emotion.


Idiot, Scout thought. She knows something's up. I could blow my whole cover. All because of some stupid crush.


She froze. Crush?


"Nope. Nope. Nope. Not a crush. Just a mission, just a little horny. That's all, nothing else." She mumbled again and picked up her pen, clicking it quickly.


There was no way that Scout Wiley had a crush on Spencer Reid.


First of all, he wasn't her type. Sure, she liked nerdy things but that wasn't necessarily a category she had hoped for in a guy. He was awkward and nervous whenever he was around her and Scout wasn't sure of that was because he liked her or if that was his character.


Second of all, he was a mission. This whole situation was a part of a mission. It would be - messy to get emotionally involved. And it wouldn't lead to anything but that, another mission.


And third of all...Scout glanced back at him and sighed.


There wasn't a third reason.


He was - cute, to say the least. Spencer was always well dressed and had an ever present giddy smile on his face. It was goofy and rather contagious, to say the least. And he always knew something about anything. It could be annoying at times, but also a bit endearing.


And the look her gave her sometimes, it was like he was studying her. And for once, she knew it wasn't because she was a trained assassin or sharp shooter.


It was merely because she was Scout Wiley, and nothing else.


And that made her happy.


"Ughh." Scout groaned and put her head in her hands. She needed to calm down and fast.


She got up from her desk and walked towards the kitchen, somewhere she was grateful was nowhere near Spencer's desk. Once there, Scout grabbed a her mug and filled it was hot water and a green tea bag.


It felt like she was in middle school all over again with an uncontrollable crush on the cute guy. And she did not like it.


Not one bit.


"Wiley Coyote, hows it going?" Scout glanced up and saw Garcia, walking in with her empty mug as well.


Scout chuckled. "Wiley Coyote? Never heard that one before, creative. I like it."


"Well, I do give the best nicknames." Garcia said with a smile and poured fresh coffee in her mug.


Scout hopped on the counter of the kitchen and held the tea close to her, not bothered by the steam. Her chocolate brown eyes staring into the green liquid, hoping to clear her mind if the genius in the next room over yeah.


"You alright up there?" Garcia inquired.


"God yes, jeez." Scout said with a groan but her eyes widened as she realized what she said. "Shit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. It just that - you're the second person to ask me that in the last 20 minutes and well, I'm sorry."


Garcia shrugged, "Not a problem. Its a talent of mine to tell when a friend looks like they have a problem."


"You consider me a friend?" Scout smiled softly.


"Yeah, duh." Garcia took a sit of her coffee. "Why? Am I not one of yours?"


Scout chuckled, "No, that's not it. I just mean, I wouldn't have expected it. And yes, I think everyone on the team is a friend."


Liar.


Garcia's smile brightened, "Good, cause I'm sure some of us would bet very disappointed if you said otherwise."


"Like who?" Scout's curiosity peaked.


"Like JJ and Morgan. And most definitely Reid. Why do you ask?"


Scout shrugged, "Uh, no reason. I guess - that just means I have to work harder at it with Hotch, Rossi, and Blake. That's all."


Garcia eyed the small girl sitting at the counter, knowing something else was on her mind. Instead she had an idea, and planned on putting it into motion.


"You know," She leaned against one of the walls and stirred her cup absentmindedly. "Reid said that the last case went really well and that he had a good time, any particular reason why he said that?"


Scout's eyes widened half a centimeter, her cheeks flushing red almost instantaneously. Nope, no idea." She squeaked.


"Anyways," The girl got off the counter and picked up her mug of tea. "Gotta get back to work, you know. Busy, busy, busy. It was nice to catch up, see you Garcia."


Scout quicken her pace and walked out of the kitchen, leaving the tech analyst by herself and her coffee.


"And they say I miss out on all the fun while they're out in the field, ha." She chuckled to herself once Scout was in the distant.



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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Not gonna lie, this is one of my favorite chapters that I've written. Scout's logic is so fascinating and she's just realized her feelings for Spencer. Now what's she gonna do about it??


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