Independence Day

Ahmose Inarus

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, nor do I make any money off of writing this.

When I got this assignment, I was delighted. I chose the movie Independence Day just because I love that film, but lo and behold, I got the assignment two days before the Fourth of July soooo… I couldn't resist!

Spencer Reid sighed and flopped back onto his sofa, flipping on the television and picking up a book, looking forward to spending the rest of the day relaxing. It was the Fourth of July, and the team had just returned from a case. The boy smiled at that thought. The team… HIS team.

He had graduated from the FBI Academy not long ago, and his immediate placement into the Behavioral Analysis Unit, while breeding even more animosity between him and his fellow cadets, was a welcome new chapter in his life. While very nervous at first, his new team had made him feel more than just welcome… they had made him feel like this was where he had been meant to be. This was where he belonged. This was HOME.

His happy thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. He blinked. A knock on the door? No one knocked on his door… no one ever came to his door! Period!

Standing, Reid moved to the front door and peered through the peep hole. He blinked, and a confused frown overtook his face as he removed the chain and unlocked the door, opening it and staring at his Probationary Agent, Unit Chief and mentor.

"Gideon?"

The man smiled. "Good. You're dressed."

"Uh… yes?"

"Get your shoes on and let's go."

"Go?"

"Go."

"Go where?"

"Out."

"Where?"

"Y'know, maybe you don't have to ask so many questions." Gideon chuckled, inviting himself into the apartment. "It's the Fourth of July, Spencer."

"Yeah. We have the day off." Reid stated, still confused.

"A day off to celebrate our country." Gideon nodded. "the country that YOU serve. So… come out and celebrate."

"Oh… I dunno, Gideon…" Reid said, slowly. Gideon sighed.

"Spencer. You've been on this team for a few months now. And we've never seen you outside of work. I know Morgan has been trying to get you to go out for drinks…"

"I… I'm not good at casual socializing." Reid mumbled.

"You won't get better if you don't practice." Gideon pointed out. Reid gave him a pleading look. "It was also Hotch's birthday yesterday. We're celebrating that, too."

"… Well… okay." Reid gave in, and Gideon nodded.

"Get your shoes."

"Let me change." Reid said, and wandered off into his bedroom. Gideon turned and wandered into the kitchen, where he smelled coffee brewing. He made two cups, putting four tablespoons of sugar into one, and then went to sit on the sofa. "Here." He announced, holding out the sugared coffee when Reid re-emerged.

"Oh. Thank you." Reid said, accepting it and taking long sips. Gideon smiled and sipped his own coffee, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the flavor.

The silence was broken by the television when Detective Olivia Benson suddenly said, "Do you think that there was a reason that the killer sodomized your husband with a banana?"

Reid choked on his coffee and spewed it across the room. Gideon grinned and chuckled, shaking his head and asking "Why are you watching that trash anyway?"

"I wasn't!" Reid croaked, coughing. "I was watching something earlier and just never changed the channel when I got caught up in my book!"

"Let's go." Gideon said, turning off the television, and the pair left the apartment, taking their coffee with them.

"Where are we going?" Reid asked. "There are a lot of places doing celebrations."

"We're doing the big one in DC." Gideon said with a smile.

"That's gonna be MOBBED." Reid complained.

"It's your first Independence Day in DC. You have to go." Gideon grinned. "And the others are waiting for us."

Reid just sighed.

The drive into DC was chaotic at best. People from all over the country were coming.

"How the hell are we even going to find parking?" Reid asked.

"The Bureau has reserved a rooftop terrace for its employees. And a parking garage with it."

"… Oh." Reid blinked, smiling slightly. When they got to the parking garage, Gideon managed to whip the car into a spot right in front of someone else. When they got out, the man got out of his car, cheered on by his rowdy passengers, and began yelling at Gideon for stealing his spot, and howling about how much further he and his friends would have to walk to reach the Independence Day celebrations. Gideon just smiled pleasantly and said, "I'm sorry sir, I know parking in DC is hell on a normal day, but this parking garage IS reserved parking."

"For the FBI." The man snapped. "You don't look like FB—oh…" He blinked as Gideon , still smiling pleasantly, showed him his credentials. The man turned his glare onto Reid, who scrambled to show his creds as well. The man snorted, then turned and stalked away. He left, his voice drifting back about the damn government who was stealing hard earned money, benefits and now his parking spaces. Gideon chuckled merrily at that, and headed away. Reid blinked, and scrambled after him, eyes still wide over the confrontation.

"You can't let people intimidate you." Gideon said, putting a hand on Reid's shoulder. They rode the elevator up to the rooftop terrace, and stepped out into a party that was already in full swing. There was an area set aside for dancing to their right, and to their left were picnic tables draped in red white and blue, and several grills. There was a salad bar, and the grills were making ribs, brisket, wings, burgers, hotdogs, sausage and brautwurst.

"Hey! Pretty Boy!" A voice boomed, and Reid yelped and stumbled as he was slapped on the back.

"Hi Morgan." He coughed, before even turning around to see the man. The man had a woman on his arm that was wearing a skirt that was almost too short and a neckline almost too deep to be properly decent. Morgan introduced her, but due to a sudden loud cheer, Reid didn't catch her name. Not like it mattered. He would never see her again.

After a moment, Reid and Gideon headed over to the food, drawn by the delicious smells.

"Spence!" Reid turned with a grin, eyes lighting up as he saw JJ heading over to them. The blonde was the team's new Liason. She had joined the team only a couple of months before Reid had been posted.

"Hi JJ." Reid grinned, and the pair hugged. Reid couldn't help but admire her in her in her tight Tshirt with the American Flag on it, and her jeans. She joined them at the grills. Gideon got brisket and ribs, JJ got a burger. Reid got a burger and a brautwurst. They stopped off at the condiments and salad bar, where Reid piled on the Overnight Salad and Potato Salad, and then they headed to the tables. JJ led the way, and they sat down with Agent and Mrs. Hotchner. The woman was looking at a family with small children two tables away with a wistful look on her face; the team knew that she and her husband had been discussing having children.

"Haley, how are you?" Gideon greeted, sitting down with his plates.

"Great, Gideon. You?"

"Fantastic." Gideon grinned, eyeing his dinner to see what to eat first.

"Mrs. Hotchner." Reid nodded.

"Good to see you, Dr. Reid." She said with a smile. "How's the BAU?"

"It's great!" Reid exclaimed, and she smiled at the way he seemed to light up. JJ and Hotch exchanged amused looks.

"Good to see you here, Reid." Hotch said, and Reid smiled at him.

"Wasn't sure I was going to make it, considering the trip over." Reid said, and Hotch, JJ, and Morgan, who was just sitting down, laughed.

"That's what you get for riding with Gideon." Morgan said, and Gideon gave the younger agent a dirty look, his mouth stuff with brisket. Hotch grinned, chuckling into his potato salad.

"Come on, Jason." Hotch said, looking up at the elder man. "We'd be hard pressed to find someone who's a worse driver than you." Gideon glared, and JJ grinned.

"That is SUCH a lie, Hotch." She said, Hotch blinked at her.

"Huh?"

"It's easy to find a worse driver." JJ explained. Hotch blinked, and then he and Haley burst out laughing when JJ and Morgan both turned and stared at Reid, who froze, eyes wide.

"Point taken." Hotch snickered, and Reid drooped, turning red.

"It's alright, Pretty Boy." Morgan laughed, ruffling Reid's hair. "You have MUCH better uses with that big ol' brain o' yours." To Morgan's surprise, that just made Reid droop even more. "Hey… what gives, kid?"

"… Nothing." Reid mumbled. Hotch frowned slightly, then sighed.

"Reid… he doesn't mean that we only like your for your brain." He said, calmly. Reid looked up at the elder profile.

"What?" Morgan asked, looking shocked. Then he looked back at Reid. "Oh! No! I didn't mean that at all!"

Haley blinked and looked at her husband. He leaned in close and murmured, "Self-confidence issues."

"Oh." She nodded, and when Morgan had Reid relaxing and smiling slightly, she purposely included him in their conversation. Once they finished their dinner, JJ presented Hotch with a box of Birthday cupcakes, and they made the man blow out sparkler candles. He was bitching the entire time about how much it sucked to have a birthday so close to the Fourth of July. Haley, JJ and Morgan's date started talking about celebrities who had birthdays on or around holidays, and that led to everyone talking about movies, and Reid stopped participating… either he hadn't SEEN the movies, or all he had to say was about critiquing their accuracy. When he had gone off on the movie 'Independence Day', JJ had playfully stuffed a cupcake into his mouth, which made everyone laugh.

Then, people began to turn to face Capitol Hill. The sun had set; fireworks were starting soon…

As the group waited, Gideon wrapped an arm around Reid's shoulders and pulled him in close, turning and speaking into the boy's ear.

"You are a VALUABLE member of this team." He told Agent Reid. "Don't ever forget that. But more importantly, this team is a FAMILY. And you are a part of it." Reid blinked, and looked up at the man. Gideon smiled. "And don't ever doubt that." And slowly, Reid smiled. That smile widened to a grin when he felt an arm snake around his waist, and he turned to see JJ grinning up at him. He put his arm around her shoulders, and looked up at the first thundering explosion of bright colors over them.

Happiness filled his heart as he watched the fireworks. He had never been able to see them as a child. They would send his mother into an episode… Every Fourth of July and New Year, he would sit with his mother in the closet in her room, trying to assure her that they were NOT under attack… When he finally got to see them in college, he watched them alone… Seeing families together, and it only made him feel more lonely. He went to see the fireworks one year, and after that he avoided Independence Day celebrations. They only reminded him of how alone he was.

Until now.

He relished the feel of Gideon's arm around his shoulders, and JJ's around his waist. He looked around at his team for a moment, smiling at the sight of their happy faces, staring up at the lights in the sky. Morgan with his arm around Whats-Her-Name, Hotch with his arm around Haley… JJ smiled up at Reid, who returned the smile before going back to watching the fireworks, taking joy in the realization that Gideon had told him the truth. He was part of a team. And a part of a family.

He fell asleep in the car on the way home, and a smiling Gideon had to shake him awake. Reid stumbled up to his apartment, showered and collapsed into bed. And he lay there, staring at the ceiling as his mind spun. It didn't feel real… he was surprised that these people had accepted him. But he was happy about it. He had to admit it. This had been one of the best days of his life.

And that day would forever be ingrained in his eidetic memory as the first time he had ever enjoyed the Fourth of July. And he treasured that memory for the rest of his life…

Not my best work, but it's a nice little ficlet that makes me smile...

Happy Independence Day!