Cardigan, Criminal Minds¹

𝒙𝒄. your cardigan

CHAPTER NINETY: YOUR CARDIGAN !

━━━━━━

THE CASE WAS OVER AND IT ENDED WITH THE UNSUB KILLING HIMSELF. It wasn't exactly a win and Casey was disappointed with how it ended. The guy deserved better and he just needed the guidance he never received growing up.

The team had hung out in the office, all talking to one another and what their plans were tonight. Casey sat at her desk as Reid put his coat on and said his goodbyes to everyone. He looked Casey's way last, not saying goodbye but giving her the space she needed. He just waved at her and she waved back.

She decided that she would talk to him tomorrow and she would bring him out for coffee - her treat. Yeah, she would do that instead.

The subject with the team changed quickly as they began to talk about the case. "You know, one thing I will never understand is why he killed himself." Casey spoke.

"He didn't want to go back," Rossi tells. "He wanted to change." Casey looks at her co-worker. "But change... it's... scary. Why would he need a change when he had it good in jail?"

"Change isn't always so bad," Rossi tells. "Sometimes, we have to take risks. In our case, if they seem bad at first, it can lead to a whole new horizon of good. We just have to believe in it."

Casey began to think of Rossi's words as he spoke and related it to herself. Could she have been scared of everything changing and that's why she didn't want a relationship with Reid? It wasn't fair to him that she thought that way. But maybe Rossi was right, maybe change was good. Maybe if she just gave it a try, something good would come out of it. Maybe all she had to do was believe a little bit. And she had to give Reid a chance.

The rest of the team spoke to one another as Casey sat for a minute and thought it out. Casey immediately stood up out of her seat and grabbed her coat. "I have to go." She tells.

"Where you goin'?" Morgan questions.

Casey pauses as she heads towards the doors. "To do..." She realizes that maybe she shouldn't tell the team what she's doing. Not until she was ready at least. "Stuff."

With that, Casey had made her way to the parking lot to her car but remembered that she had taken Garcia's car to work today and Garcia drove her. Cursing at herself, she had no choice but to run. She knew where to go. He was heading to the bus station home. She knew he didn't like driving.

She had made her way downtown and knew Reid liked walking down here because of the lights and sights. Every moment in her life with Reid ended up to this moment in time.

From her being an intern, bonding with him, becoming an agent, getting kidnapped. She'd do it all over again if it meant spending time with him again. Casey ran and thought about when Gideon introduced Reid to her. He was this awkward, scrawny dude that hated germs. Nothing really changed, but Casey did. She grew up. She matured. But they had had the same brain and were young. And when you are young, everyone assumes you know nothing. She had tried to change the ending but he lingered like a tattoo kiss.

Soon enough, Casey had looked ahead and saw Reid walking by himself, close to the station. "Spencer!" She yelled. "Spence! Spencer!" Casey began to rush after him. She treated him like utter dirt, she had to make it up to him.

Casey had finally made it to him, almost slipping but he had caught her. "Casey, what are you—?" Casey pushed a strand hair out of her face.

"Ask me again." Casey started.

"What?"

"I want you, to, uh, ask me again."

"Casey—"

"I was afraid," Casey revealed. Here she was, pouring her heart like JJ advised. "Okay? And I'm still afraid. After what happened with Sawyer... I kinda suck at the love department and I didn't think I'd find anyone. At least anyone that would understand me the way that you do. And somehow, some mysterious way, you understand me and you're not afraid of me like I'm afraid of myself."

Reid watched her crystal blue eyes glisten as she spoke. "The truth is... I really like you. And I was afraid to take such a risk because I didn't want myself to get hurt, not again. I treated you like a shitty cardigan under someone's bed and that's not fair to you. I'm so sorry." Casey told.

"When Emily died, the only thing that ever got me through that... was you. You make me feel sane and—and happy. And even though, I make fun of you and sometimes you make me wanna pull my hair out with those little statistics you have that you think nobody else is interested in, but I am. I like our coffee talks, the way you give me butterflies whenever you talk and the way you annoy me, but I annoy you back. You make me feel content and you know... you know because what I went through... it doesn't make me who I am. You make me realize that I don't need to fight all of my battles alone and that... I hate everything in the world but you."

"And what I'm saying Spencer, is that I like you. And I want you to ask me that question again. So, please, for my sake, ask that question again." Casey moved closer to him. Reid looked down at her. This was all he needed. He needed her.

So, Reid moved the strand of hair in front of her face and asked the question: "Can we try this?"

Casey smiled at Reid and muttered: "Yes."

With that, Reid cupped her face and pulled Casey in for a kiss and Casey accepted the kiss, putting a hand on the back of his head and felt his soft lips on hers. Reid had removed his hands from her face and Casey opened her eyes and looked at his and both chuckled.

Reid had picked her up and twirled her around in the air and Casey looked down at him and kissed him once more, the two of them masking in their moments together. It took a long time but they had found each other. They found what they were looking for in one another. Even though Casey knew she treated him like an old cardigan under someone's bed, she would put him on and say he was her favorite.

And from now on, he was.

Casey Willows had Spencer Reid in her hands and that was all she needed. He was her cardigan.

and that is it folks🥲
goodbye chapter by me will be coming up quick here!
-mya </333