Ain't No Rest for the Wicked

"...............title from the song by Cage the Elephants. Pleaz R&R! Also, I know I should be updating FR or The End, but ive had a hotch/reid fic stuck in my head for so long now!! I swear I will update one by next friday!"

Spencer Reid sat down at the bar next to Aaron Hotchner for what seemed like the 6th time that week. The BAU team had had a series of cases in Virginia, so they didn't have to leave home for them. On their latest case, a mother of four with schizophrenia finally lost it and killed every one of her children. When the BAU team finally found her she was half-way through hanging herself.

"Another round." Hotch asked the waiter. The young waiter nodded.

Hotch glanced as his solemn colleague. He knew that the last case had been tough on the team-Reid in particular. Every night that Hotch and Reid had been out they had talked and laughed, but not tonight.

"Wanna talk?" Hotch asked as he nursed his cup.

"No, I'm fine." Reid mumbled.

"Reid, I'm a profiler. I know when you're lying." Hotch said.

"I'm a profiler too. I know when you're lying." Reid shot back defensively- taking Hotch off-guard. "Sorry." he murmured after a pause.

"I know you're sorry, but what I don't know is why you're sorry." Hotch replied, turning to look at Reid.

Reid stared back at Hotch-his eyes filled with something Hotch had never seen there before.

Regret. Sadness. Anger.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom." Hotch said suddenly. "And I want an answer when I come back." Reid just nodded and watched as Hotch left...

Hotch sighed as he entered the restaurant's bathroom. He wished Reid would talk to him, but he knew that he wouldn't....

"Well hello there boy." a musky, overweight biker greeted. Reid gave him a small smile and turned back to his glass. "You look lonely."

"I'm not, actually." Reid answered shortly. He didn't feel safe with the other man sitting right next to him.

"Aw, well don't be that way." the man replied as he touched Reid's face. Reid flinched back. "Hey now! Don't be shy. Why don't you and I just get outta here. You know, to somewhere a bit more private."

"No, that's okay. I've-I've got plans." Reid stammered.

"Please, what could be better than this?" he smirked back.

"I'm sorry, but I really do have to go-'' Reid started, but he was interrupted by a strong force throwing his body against the wall.

"Well, I suppose we could get it done here then..." he suggested.

"Uh, no. I don't......I don't really like...." Reid said desperately.

'Damn it. I knew I shoulda have kept my gun on me!' Reid thought.

"Oh you know you want it." he whispered as he stroked Reid's hair. "Mmm...."

"I..........I don't. I....." Reid stammered- wishing he knew what to do.

"Shh....Relax...."

Hotch had just finished washing his hands when he opened the door to leave the bathroom. He was hoping to get an answer from Reid when he returned, but instead he had gotten something very different.

"Relax." the man cooed as he wrapped his hands around Reid's tiny waist. When Hotch saw the distressed look on Reid's face as the man's lips lowered onto his cheeks. Reid whimpered as he tried to break free of the man.

But Hotch had had enough. Once he comprehended what was happening, he threw the man off Reid and punched him in the face. Reid gasped as he fell to the ground- trying to steady hi breathing.

"You're under arrest!" Hotch yelled.

"What the hell man?!" he shouted back at Hotch.

"It's illegal to assault an FBI agent." he replied as he whipped out his badge. As he cuffed the man, he glanced down at his agent to see if he was okay. "Reid, I'm going to call for backup to take him in. Just the local police." he added to soothe his agent's distress at making a scene in front of the FBI. Reid nodded, never once looking him in the eye.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" the offender shouted.

"You're drunk, stoned, and you just tried to sexually assault an FBI agent. If that isn't enough, I don't know what is." Hotch answered as he walked the man to the police car. "Thanks" he mumbled to the officer. The officer nodded and left the agent alone in the parking lot.

Hotch sighed as he looked around one last time. Once the police cruiser was out of sight, he re-entered the bar where the attack ha taken place. When he found Reid, he sat down next to him- letting a silence fill the air for a moment.

"Hey, ready to go?" he said softly as to not alarm Reid. He nodded, and with Hotch's help he stood up.

"Thanks." Reid mumbled. Hotch nodded,, although it wasn't any trouble to him to help his distressed friend.

"Come on; let's get you home." Reid nodded with agreement. With that, Hotch and Reid left the bar for the last time...

The car ride home was quiet; Hotch drove while Reid stared out the passenger seat. Ever since the incident Reid had become suspiciously quiet. He looked a bit more withdrawn, also.

Finally Hotch pulled up to Reid's apartment building. He unlocked the car, and Reid started getting out.

"Hey!" Hotch called after Reid, who turned around to look at his boss. "Do you want me to stay?"

"N-no. That's okay." Reid stammered.

"Alright, but I am going to call later." he warned. Reid nodded in understandment. "Take care." With that, Hotch took off.....

Later that Night...

Spencer Reid had gotten ready for bed, and was now sitting down on his bed watching bad TV. What had happened in the bar had put him in a bad mood; if he was being honest, he didn't really want to be alone. He drew in a shaky breath as he curled up closer to his bed. 'Why is it so cold?' he thought.

Before he could even attempt too answer the question, his phone started ringing. 'Hotch.' he thought.

"Hotch?" he said into the phone.

"Yeah." Hotch answered quickly. "How are you?"

"I've been better." Reid answered softly. He was suddenly finding it very hard to keep a steady voice.

"Do you want some company?" Hotch asked.

"Y-Yeah, actually." Reid admitted-his voice sounding teary. "Yeah, that would be nice." By this point tears were rolling down his face. He hoped Hotch hadn't had noticed, but Hotch already had.

"Alright; I'm on my way." Hotch reassured.

"Thanks Hotch." Reid whispered- barely audibly. With that, Hotch hung up......

A few minutes later, Hotch came knocking on the door. When the door was finally answered, Hotch was met by a distraught-looking Reid.

"I-I'm sorry Hotch. I know I'm just overreacting to what happened, but-" Reid started- tears in his eyes.

"Hey, it's not your fault. You deserve to be upset; someone tried to take advantage of you." Hotch soothed.

"Let's just go sit down and talk about this, alright?" Hotch suggested. Reid just nodded and led Hotch inside.

"W-where do you want sit?" Reid asked.

"Wherever you're most comfortable." Hotch answered.

"Do you mind if we go in the bedroom? I-I don't really like my couch." Reid admitted. Hotch sideways glanced at his couch- nothing the small size and un-cozy look.

"That's fine with me." Hotch agreed- somewhat glad that he wouldn't have to squeeze both him and Reid on to that small couch.

Reid sat down on his bed and pushed himself closer to the many lime green pillows surrounding the top half of his bed. Hotch sat at the edge closet to Reid.

"How are you-really?" Hotch asked. Reid gulped and nervously tucked a strand of hair behind his ear.

"I'm not fine. I'm an FBI agent! I should've been able to stop him. I shouldn't have let him even get that close to me. And I shouldn't be acting like this! I should be grateful that you stopped it before he-" But Reid couldn't finish the sentence. Instead, he threw his shaky frame against Hotch's chest- crying into his shirt.

Hotch would be lying to himself if he said the action hadn't had taken him by surprise. But his fatherly instincts had kicked in, and he was already stroking the younger man's back lovingly. Reid huddled close to Hotch- letting go of his pillows. "Shh....it's okay. He can't hurt you here." Hotch gently reached over Reid and grabbed a blanket. He threw it over Reid's small frame. Reid nodded at Hotch gratefully.

For the longest time, Reid and Hotch stayed in that position. After a few more minutes, though, Hotch realized that Reid's breathing had finally slowed down. "Reid?" Hotch whispered, afraid of waking his friend up if he had in fact fallen to sleep.

"Yeah?" he whispered back.

"Do you want me to leave now?" Reid shook his head no. "Okay; I will stay as long as you want me to."

"T-thanks." Reid whispered.

"How about I stay here tonight- just to make sure...." Hotch offered. He knew Reid was afraid to be alone tonight, and he didn't want to leave Reid when he was still feeling like this.

"Good suggestion." Reid mumbled- already falling to sleep. Hotch smiled at how much Reid was like his son Jack.

"Anytime." he whispered as he fingered Reid's hair-just like he did with Jack on nights when he had a nightmare.

Hotch made sure Reid was comfortable before heading off to Reid's living to watch TV. Throughout the night, he checked in on Reid to make sure he was still sleeping sound.

"Sleep tight, Spencer." Hotch whispered as he himself fell to sleep.

'Maybe there is rest for the wicked after all.........'

"...........alright, so not what I thought this would be. But whatever. Hehehe.....Pleaz R&R!"