Criminal Minds Imagines

forty one: birthday

"what are you? twenty nine? you have plenty of-"

"actually, i'm thirty," reid stopped prentiss.

"oh my gosh, we missed your birthday? reid. why didn't _____ tell us anything?" she asked him, a confused and concerned look on his face.

he shrugged. "because i told her not to."

"you told her not to?"

he nodded, looking back at the papers that he had in front of him. prentiss just gave him a look of concern before getting up and walking out to meet hotch.

-
"so, the victims were obviously placed here post mortem. i think the woman was laying face up so she could see her fate," you told morgan.

he nodded. "he clearly wanted her to see something. i think he's getting off on these kills."

you nodded, running a hand through your hair while squatting down to observe the scene.

"maybe there was a real reason for this murder. i mean, this victim looks like the same woman from the last murder scene. there's a pattern forming."

morgan joined you in looking down at the scene. you were confused on the reasons why but it still made some sense to you.

when you stood up, you saw prentiss was standing near the crime scene as she made her way over to you.

"hey, ____, can we talk for a minute? just some girl issues," she said, giving you a smile.

you nodded, turning to look back at morgan who urged you forwards as reid came over to where you all were. you gave him a brief kiss before walking off with prentiss.

"what's up?" you asked her.

she crossed her arms. "why didn't you tell anyone that it was reid's birthday?"

you let out a sigh, looking down towards the ground as you crossed your arms as well.

"he told me not to worry about it."

prentiss raised her eyebrows in concern.

"____, it's his thirtieth birthday! that's so important in someone's life. you should've told someone," she explained.

you nodded.

"emily, it was in the middle of your death."

her eyes downcasted as you nodded.

"you can't expect him to want to celebrate his birthday when you're gone. especially because reid is so sensitive," you told her.

"well, we should do something for him when we get back. he deserves a celebration. he also told me that he doesn't really understand his role here anymore," she said.

"he what?" you asked, concern in your eyes.

"talk to him later tonight, ____."

-
"reid?" you asked him on the plane back to the b.a.u. the case had been solved and now everyone else was asleep, including reid. he was laying on your stomach softly, holding you near him.

"hm?" he mumbled sleepily.

you ran your hand through his hair softly while keeping your hold on his hand loose. everything was running through your mind with what prentiss had said.

but reid was exhausted and just wanted to sleep. so you decided to let him.

"nothing, honey. i just love you," you told him.

you could see a small smile on his lips as he moved slightly but immediately got comfortable once more.

"i love you too, ____."

-
when you all exited the plane and back to the b.a.u., reid was now fully awake with his coffee in his hand while he rambled away to you.

you, however, hadn't gotten any sleep because you were so awake during the flight home. everything prentiss had told you was running through your mind.

"and many of the serial killers actually get aroused by the killing. although, some think of it as a game and see who can kill the most people in a short amount of time. also, sometimes these killers think of themselves as superior to other ones. they want to prove themselves to- ____?"

you looked up at him, rubbing your eyes lightly. god, you were exhausted.

"reid, why do you think that you don't belong here?" you asked him, trying to run away the sleep as reid's eyes shifted away from yours.

"i just could've done something bigger and better with my life i thought."

"is this not enough? putting away criminals is not enough?" you told him. he shook his head, giving you a kiss on the forehead while keeping you close.

"no, no, i'm okay now," he told you softly.

you nodded, taking his coffee from him and holding it tightly. reid gave you a questioning look as you smiled up at him.

"i need it more than you," you told him.

he shrugged. "yeah, i guess you do."

"also, honey," you said, looking up at him. "come with me. i have a surprise."

he grabbed your hand, letting you lead him to the conference room where you opened the doors to reveal a surprise birthday party for him.

he stared at everyone with a small smile on his face. when he looked down at you, he couldn't help but smile wider as he pulled you in for a tight hug.

"happy thirtieth birthday, honey," you told him. "i love you so much."

that only made him hold onto you tighter.

all the while, he was smiling.