Title: Revelation
By: Stacy L.A. Stronach
Pairing: vaguely implied Hotch/Reid
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Characters: Gideon, Reid (vaguely implied Hotch/Reid)
Rating: G
Word count: 1265

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"Appearances are often deceiving." Aesop

Coming to awareness slowly, Jason Gideon is confused and in pain. The last thing he remembers...the last thing he remembers is the sound of a gun going off. He moans softly, his shoulder aching with the release of breath. Obviously, the shot didn't kill him....

He's thirsty and opening his eyes, Gideon sees the white of the hospital room first and then he sees Hotch, sitting in a chair beside the bed, reviewing a file. "Aaron?" his voice is rough and dry.

Hotch looks up quickly and gives him a small smile. "Jason, good to have you back with us. Can I get you anything?"

"Water."

Standing up, Hotch grabs a glass of water off the nightstand. He puts the straw to Gideon's lips. "Sip it slowly, a little at a time."

"What happened?" Gideon asks after taking several sips of water.

Hotch sets the glass back on the nightstand and pulls the chair closer before sitting. "Watkins managed to fire a couple of rounds before we took him down. He got you in the shoulder. Mostly muscle damage, although you lost some blood and they had to operate to extract the bullet. With some time and a little rehab, you'll be fine."

Gideon nods his head; he can feel sleep trying to overtake him again. "Did we get him?"

"Yes, we did. He confessed shortly after we brought him in," Hotch says. He can see Gideon is starting to drift off. "You'll be here for a few days; do you want me to bring your things from home?"

"Mmm, yeah, thanks...," he manages before falling asleep again.

The next time Gideon wakens, the room is bathed in daylight and there is a nurse fussing around his bed. He moves, jostling his injured shoulder and he hisses a breath of pain.

The nurse looks at him and smiles. "Agent Gideon, you're awake. How're you feeling?"

"Like," he pauses, his voice rough and his mouth dry. "Someone shot me in the shoulder."

She chuckles, raising the top of his bed before handing him a glass of water. "Here you are. Just take a few sips at a time."

Gideon does so, while she checks his vital signs and makes notes on his chart. "What time is it?"

"Just past 8:30. I imagine you'd like something to eat?" At his nod, she says, "Then I'll have them send something up for you."

"Thanks..." He looks at her name tag. "Miriam."

She smiles at him. "All part of the service. Oh, an Agent Hotchner dropped off some of your things last night, they're in the locker. Is there anything you'd like right now?"

"I'm fine," he says, sipping more of the water.

"There's a Dr. Reid waiting for you. I asked him to come back during visiting hours, but he said he needed to talk to you about the case. If you don't feel up to visitors, I'll ask him to come back later."

"No, no, that's fine. I'm sure he'll be quick, send him in." Gideon vaguely remembers talking to Hotch last night and is feeling much more aware this morning. His shoulder hurts like a son of a bitch but at least he survived without too much damage.

"Um, hi, Gideon," Reid says, poking his head in around the door.

"Come in, Spencer, it's okay."

Spencer walks over to the bedside, clutching the strap of his bag. He seems uneasy being here. "How are you, uh, feeling?" he asks, barely making eye contact with Gideon.

"Sore as hell, but I'll live," Gideon says with a wry grin.

"That's good. Um, I need to tell you something," Spencer says, shuffling his feet, looking more at Gideon's pillow than Gideon.

Gideon keeps his face a neutral mask; he's been afraid of something like this. He's certain that Spencer is going to say that he's in love with him, although there's been nothing specific, it's just that lately, Spencer has been spending more time with him. Gideon figures that it can't be anything else. He dreads hearing the words because he doesn't, he can't, return Spencer's feelings. At most, he feels a paternal sort of love for him.

"Seeing you get shot yesterday...it, ah, made me realise..." Spencer trails off again, clearly embarrassed and completely unable to even look at Gideon.

"Realise what?" Gideon asks, although he's certain that he doesn't want to hear the answer to this particular question.

"That I should, that I need to tell you, you're-" Spencer pauses, taking a deep breath.

Gideon braces himself emotionally; he knows that when he rejects Spencer, it will crush him. "Yes?" he asks, unable to do more than stare at the buttons on Spencer's jacket.

"You're important to me, you've treated me more like a son than my own father ever did. You're the father I've always wanted but never had. You mentor me, give me good advice...you care about me. You're proud of me. My own father never told me that, ever. I-thank you, Jason."

Jason smiles broadly, feeling warmth suffuse his body. Partly from relief that he was wrong about how Spencer feels but mostly joy at what Spencer has shared with him. He knows how hard it is for Spencer to be so open. He reaches out and grasps his hand. "Spencer, it's been an honour for me to know you, for you to consider me your mentor...and it makes me very happy that you feel as you do. And you are like a son to me, I hope you know that."

They stare at each other for a few moments, both smiling foolishly. Finally, Jason lets go of Spencer's hand. "You need to get to work, don't you?"

"Aaron knows I'm here, he dropped me off on the way into work."

Jason raises an eyebrow, surprised at the use of Hotch's first name by Spencer. "That was nice of him."

"Well, it's quicker than taking the Metro to get here," Spencer looks at his watch. "He should be here in about fifteen minutes to pick me up. Oh, and he said he'll stop by after work today to visit you."

Jason looks at him. "That's good, I'm glad you can count on him."

Spencer's expression turns serious. "Yeah, I can. Just like I can count on you." Then he grins, his eyes sparkling. "I have some great...friends, now. It's kinda neat. I like it."

Jason chuckles. "That's wonderful, it really is."

Looking at his watch again, Spencer says, "I should head downstairs and wait for Aaron, I don't want to make him wait for me."

"Of course not," Jason replies, "I hope you'll stop by again to see me...and, thank you, Spencer."

Spencer leans forward, giving Jason a quick, awkward hug. "Um, you're welcome, and I'll stop by tonight with Aaron, then."

"Good, then I'll see you later." Jason watches Spencer gather up his things and walk to the door.

"Yeah, I'll see you later and I hope you're feeling better," Spencer says before he walks out of the room.

Jason relaxes into the bed, turning his head to gaze out at the blue sky outside the window for a few minutes. He realises how foolish he was to think Spencer was in love with him...but he's also very happy that he isn't. And he thinks again of Spencer's use of Hotch's first name and all the drives he's been getting with Hotch lately...and Jason can't help himself-he wonders what's happening between them, if anything...and there's nothing he likes more than a puzzle to solve.

~~**the end**~~

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