Catch-22| Spencer Reid

twenty-two

"What did I miss?" Gideon questions, finally coming through the BAU doors. He had only taken twenty minutes to arrive, but it felt like he was far too late.

Morgan is quick to answer, saying, "Strauss approved the case. Reid's waiting on a call from the M.E., and Garcia and Jareau are checking for traces on the suspect's whereabouts." He had only been there for a couple minutes, but Reid had caught him up.

"Where's Hotch and Grey?" Gideon's expression seems to be hinting at concern, but doesn't quite get there.

"Reid said that they were talking in his office. I'm not sure when they'll be done..." Morgan trails off, glancing at the door to Hotch's office.

Surprisingly, it instantly opens, Hotch holding the door and allowing Grey to exit.

Reid only looks in their direction for a split second, making sure Grey wasn't having a breakdown or crying. She looks completely fine, so he doesn't stare for much longer.

Morgan and Gideon head towards the two, though, meeting them at the bottom of the stairs. Both of them were worried about how Grey was holding up.

Grey sounds a little too normal, though, saying, "Oh, hey guys. Is Garcia here?"

The two are put off, not expecting such a calm reply.

"Yeah, yeah. She's in the tech room with Jennifer," Morgan responds, sounding perplexed.

"Oh, good," she says, her voice quite flat. "I'm going to check on them then, see if I can fill in any blanks."

She forces a barely noticable smile, walking past the two and towards the tech room.

Gideon and Morgan simultaneously give Hotch a stare that mimics the phrase, "What the hell was that?"

He doesn't give much of a physical response, simply saying, "Everyone grieves differently," and adding, "I'll put on some coffee." Giving them a curt nod, he walks towards the kitchenette.

Hotch knows he could've said something more informative. "She's just staying strong right now" maybe, or even "She's just numb."

He didn't think it was their business, frankly. At least, not until it has an effect of the case.

Derek and Gideon were left quite dumbfounded, looking at each other in confusion. They were quick to blow it off, heading back towards Reid's desk.

"No call?" Morgan asks, though he knows the answer.

"None yet," Reid slowly responds, looking up at the two men. "I doubt that's what you guys are staring me down like a couple of hawks for, though."

Derek is quick to explain, questioning, "How is Grey holding up?"

"Better than any of us would in her situation," he wittily replies, keeping his voice fairly toneless.

Morgan nods, sitting at his desk.

Gideon sits in Grey's usual spot, wanting to stay within earshot of the rest of the team.

Meanwhile, Grey was in the tech room, explaining every last detail of her records to Jareau and Garcia.

"Stephen was my mom's uncle, I think," she says, sitting in a chair, staring at the ceiling. She didn't understand much of the content on the screens Garcia used, so she simply listened to what she said and offered her knowledge.

"He died in '93, right?" Grey asks, "Everyone in the family thought his wife did it, but investigators said he offed himself."

Garcia nods, saying, "You are very much correct, doll. And what about Roger Grey?"