Title: Stranded for Christmas
By: Daisyangel
Pairing: gen
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Rating: PG
Summary: Written for Ren Kayashima for the 2013 Christmas gift Fic Exchange. Alex and Reid friendship, Christmas song, "Jingle Bell Rock" prompts, Christmas cookies, snow, and Chestnuts roasting over an open fire.

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"You wanted to see me?" Reid asked as he entered Hotch's office.

"Yes, St. Paul called, Leon Baldwin has agreed to do a questionnaire of ours and I'd like you and Alex to do it."

"Me and Blake? But why not send Morgan and JJ, or even me and Rossi?" the genius wondered.

"Because she's not done one yet and I think she'll be able to reach him in a way that JJ can't considering her linguistics background," the unit chief explained.

"Okay, when do we leave and does she know?"

"You leave tomorrow, your flight information is in your inbox, and yes, she knows," he answered.

"Two days before Christmas? You'd better hope that bad weather they're calling for doesn't hit," the genius lamented.

"I hope it doesn't, but make sure to pack extra clothes just in case," he advised.

"I will, if that's all, I need to get back to work," Reid replied. Hotch nodded, dismissing the genius. Rising to his feet Reid left the office thinking about the interview he and Alex were going to be heading for tomorrow.

XXXX

"Remember; keep him on the questions we're asking. He'll try and go off topic just throw you off," Reid coached as they flew towards St. Paul.

"I know, but thanks for the reminder. Do you have any plans for Christmas, Spencer?" It always made him smile when she called him Spencer. He'd been a guest lecturer in her classes periodically and she'd gotten to know him and see a side of him the others didn't normally see. That had given her an amount of respect the others didn't have for him. She only saw him as the genius and capable profiler he was, not the awkward kid the rest of the team had met all those years ago.

"I'm going to Vegas to visit my mom. How about you? Will James be home from Boston?"

"Yes, he's on vacation as of today and is making his way home as we speak. It sucks that I won't be there tonight, but we'll see each other soon enough," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes you will," the genius agreed as he settled into his seat and pulled out a book. They'd already gone over the case and the questionnaire, so he decided to read until they landed. Pulling out her MP3 player, the female profiler also relaxed into her seat intending on catching a quick nap.

XXXX

"So how do you think it's going so far?" Alex asked as she and Reid sat in a booth at a local dinner eating a quick lunch.

"I think it's going very well. You're doing great. I don't think he likes you're ready for him at every turn," the Vegas native commented.

"No, I don't think so, either," she agreed.

"Wow, that doesn't look good," Reid murmured as he stared at the TV they had on the wall.

"What doesn't look good?" Alex wondered.

"The weather that's heading this way," he said pointing at the screen. Turning so she could see, Alex frowned. This area was about to get slammed with a lot of snow and ice.

"Getting home could be interesting," she responded.

"Yes, that it could be," he agreed.

XXXX

"I'll check in with Hotch while you retrieve our weapons, sound good?" Alex said as she and Reid exited the room where they'd conducted their interview. The genius nodded and headed off to retrieve their weapons while Alex pulled out her phone and dialed Hotch's number.

XXXX

"Hotchner," came his gruff voice.

"Hey, Hotch, it's Alex."

"Hi, how'd the interview go?"

"It went really well. Spencer's getting our weapons then we're going to head to the airport. I just hope the flight is still on schedule. It was the last time I checked," she explained.

"Well, the weather looks like it's moving that direction. Keep me posted on your progress, please."

"Yes, we will, sir. Hope to be back in Quantico in a few hours.

"I certainly hope so. Just so you know once you're back and have dropped off the necessary paperwork from the interview you can get out of here. We're off until after the New Year, according to Strauss. The director has put us all on stand-down until then," the unit chief informed his colleague.

"That's great, well, see you at Rossi's for New Years Eve, Hotch, bye," Alex said hanging up her phone and heading to meet Spencer.

XXXX

"I'm sorry, agents, but all flights are canceled due to the weather," the airport worker informed them as she entered their information into the computer.

"How long do you think they'll be grounded for?" Reid asked.

"It's hard to tell. It all depends on the weather. I'd say you'd might be able to leave tomorrow, but most likely not until Christmas day. I'm sorry for your inconvenience. Here are two vouchers for a free flight to anywhere in the USA you choose that can be redeemed anytime within the next year. Once again, I'm sorry for your inconvenience, but I'd suggest you start looking for a hotel, but good luck, as it might be a difficult thing to find an open room," she said regretfully.

"Thank you very much," Alex said dejectedly as they turned and headed for the door of the airport to start looking for a hotel to stay the night at.

XXXX

"We're looking for a hotel with two vacancies right now. So far, we've not had any luck," Reid said as he talked to his unit chief while carefully driving their rental car through the snow that was starting to come down quite heavily.

"Did they say when they thought flights would be ungrounded?" Hotch questioned.

"She said tomorrow afternoon at the earliest, but probably not until Christmas day," Reid replied.

"That's too bad, I'm sorry you guys are stuck there. Have you told your mom that you'll be delayed?"

"No, I will call after I hang up with you. Alex is talking to James right now. We've arrived at a bed-and-breakfast, so I need to let you go so I can head in and see if they have a vacant room," Reid explained.

"All right then, let me know when you guys settled, and have a safe trip home whenever you get to, that is," Hotch replied.

"We will, thanks, Hotch," Reid said hanging up his phone.

XXXX

"I know, I love you to, and I miss you to. I'm hoping we'll be heading home tomorrow, if not the next day, talk to you later," Alex said disconnecting the call just as Reid opened the car door and climbed in.

"James?" he asked pointing at the phone.

"Yes, so do they have any rooms?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, they have three left. I just booked us two of them," the genius answered happily.

"That's wonderful, well what do you say we get inside and out of this nasty weather?" she suggested.

"Sounds like a great idea to me," he agreed. After grabbing their ever present go bags out of the backseat, the federal agents opened their doors and ran through the snow and sleet to the warm and inviting looking bed and breakfast.

XXXX

"Good evening to you both. My name is Ellie McMillan and this is my husband Walt, we run the bed and breakfast. Your rooms are the first two at the top of the stairs. Dinner will be in an hour in the dining room. After that, you're free to do whatever you'd like. We will be roasting chestnuts over the fire and singing Christmas carols for those who want to join us," she explained with a bright smile on her face.

"Thank you that sounds lovely," Alex complimented.

"Yes it does, you have a beautiful place here," Reid said glancing around at the beautiful antique furnishings.

"Thank you both, we'll let you get settled in, see you for dinner," Ellie said as she and Walt turned and headed for the kitchen to check on the dinner preparations.

XXXX

"I'm going to call my mom and let her know what's going on and then freshen up. Meet you back here in about an hour?" Reid said as they reached their rooms. Alex nodded as she turned and entered her room, smiling at the homey feel she got as soon as she stepped through the door. The walls were painted a soft blue and the bed looked very warm and inviting. The view of the falling snow from the large window made her smile. Sure she'd rather be on her way back to Virginia but if she had to be stuck anywhere, this place was definitely not the worst place she'd ever been stuck.

XXXX

"Did you reach your mom?" Alex inquired as they walked to the dining room.

"Yes, she's disappointed that I won't be getting there tomorrow like we planned, but she said she's looking forward to seeing me whenever I do get there," the genius said with a smile. Sure things with his mom weren't always easy, but she was still his mom, and he loved her dearly.

"I'm sure she treasures any time you get to spend with her," Alex commented with a soft smile. Reid nodded in agreement, he knew that even when she wasn't herself and the Schizophrenia caused her to be confused, she still loved him and getting to spend time with him.

XXXX

"That was absolutely delicious," Reid commented as he pushed his plate away and reached for a Christmas cookie on the plate on the table with him and the other two guests a husband and wife on vacation.

"Thank you, Spencer; I'm glad you liked it. Roast, potatoes, and carrots are one of my favorite things to fix in the winter time," Ellie explained.

"Well, Spencer's right, that was amazing," Alex agreed.

"Well then if everyone is done, let's head to the living room for Carol's, and a nice warm fire," Walt invited.

"Best idea I've heard all day long, agreed the wife of the husband and wife who had said her name was Regina.

XXXX

"So what's it like to be an FBI agent, Regina's husband Phil asked.

"It's definitely not like they portray it on TV," Alex admitted.

"No, most definitely, we don't solve a huge case in 45 minutes then fly home," Reid interjected. Alex nodded her head in agreement as they settled into the living room enjoying the warmth of the roaring fire.

"Okay, what should we start with first?" Walt asked as he handed out a packet of Christmas music they'd collected over the years.

"How about Jingle Bell Rock?" Regina suggested. The others nodded in agreement and once Ellie had begun playing the piano, they all joined singing the first of many carols and enjoying the chance to make new friends and enjoy the spirit of the holiday.

Finished!

A/n, hope you like it, Ren!

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