unedited
TWENTY ONE. FAMILY TIES
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY THINK I CAN FORGIVE HIM," SPENCER SCOFFED, PACING BACK AND FORTH OUTSIDE OF THE HOTEL. Daisy watched, allowing the doctor to ramble. After Garcia had dug though his father's computer to find nothing dodgy except a folder dedicated to the young man, Spencer had once again grown frustrated. "I mean, all he did was google me."
"Spencer," Daisy began, crossing her arms. "You have this image of your father that you've created in your head to spare yourself from further trauma, and I assume you know this."
Spencer nodded.
"And I'm well aware how hard it can be for kids to grow up without a parental figure," she continued. She had slipped into her therapy voice, though she didn't want to make it too obvious considering how touchy Spencer was at he moment. "I'm not excusing his actions in any way, but I need you to remember that he is still a person. He kept tabs on you because he needed a way to convince himself that he could still be part of your life in his own way."
"You don't understand!" Spencer interrupted, clearly angry. Daisy didn't react; she knew it wasn't personal. "Daisy, you don't know what it's like, okay? All I got was a note and crappy explanation. He doesn't care about me, he never has. If he did, he would have visited in the last twenty years."
"I didn't say he was a good person," she muttered. And she did understand. She did know what it was like. But it wasn't about her at the moment. "But if he is a suspect, you need to treat him like one. Don't bring your personal bias into it, because it's not going to help at all. No one is asking you to forgive him-"
"Why did they tell me all that stuff back there then?" Spencer pointed to the hotel, referencing the call they had just gotten from the BAU.
"Because they want you to be happy," Daisy replied with ease. "Do you think any of us like to see you hurting like this?"
Spencer fell silent.
Daisy took a step forward. "You're not your dad, Spencer. You are nothing like the man who left you. And all these walls you've built up? They're only going to hurt you more if you don't start letting people in."
Spencer looked down at his feet and sighed. He then smiled to himself, as if amused. Daisy knew it was because he didn't want to show how he really felt. She couldn't judge, she was the same. "You know, one day we're gonna sit down and talk about your childhood trauma instead."
Daisy chuckled, linking their arms together. "Today is not that day, Doctor Reid."
★☆
Two hours later, Daisy sat outside a hypnotist's office with Derek at her side. Rossi accompanied Spencer in the room, being the most capable of handling emotional distress. Daisy was worried about Spencer, which was why she still insisted on being there.
"Do you really think his dad could have done this?" she asked, looking up at Derek from where she sat on the floor. Not the most professional, but then again, she didn't really care.
Derek met her gaze, and thought about it for a moment. He shrugged. "I don't know. There's not much evidence to go on, but I don't think he's completely innocent."
Daisy nodded and looked back at the files containing background information on the suspects. Spencer's dad, as well as the man whose file had been slipped under Spencer's door when they got back to the hotel. There was definitely something fishy, but they were yet to figure out what.
Silence ensued, the only sounds being the soft pop playing over the speakers. Daisy vaguely recognised it from the radio, though she was usually a tad bit preoccupied to pay attention. She picked up her cup of water and took a sip, trying not to spill any on her papers.
"So," Derek closed his files and put them on the table beside him. He smirked, lacing his hands together and leaning down toward Daisy. "What's going on with you and Hotch?"
Daisy choked on her water in shock. She started coughing manically, attracting the attention of employees in the building, and she gasped for air as her face turned a deep shade of red and her eyes began to water. Derek smacked her back a couple of times, and eventually she caught her breath.
Looking back at him, she cleared her throat. Derek snickered. She looked an absolute mess now. "That bad, huh?"
"What...what are you talking about?" Daisy wiped her eyes, coughing a couple more times. Derek was staring at her as if to say, really? She sighed, blinking a couple of times. "How long have you known?"
"Since you two couldn't keep your eyes off each other last night at dinner," he chuckled, watching her turn to face him properly. "I asked Emily about it but she wouldn't crack, neither did Rossi. But, when you came back from the restroom with a hickey on your neck, it all kinda fell into place."
Daisy lifted her hand and touched the red spot. She cursed softly, before sheepishly smiling.
Derek quirked an eyebrow. "You know, at first I didn't see it. You two are at each other's throat way too much for it to be healthy, but then again, that's how all those romcoms start."
"I wouldn't peg you as a romcom type," Daisy poked him lightly.
"That information goes nowhere," he pointed at her warningly, and she grinned. He then sighed softly, and reached out to ruffle her hair. "You know, I think you and Hotch would be sweet together."
"Don't get your hopes up," Daisy snorted, swatting his hand away and fixing her ponytail. Derek quirked an eyebrow. Daisy averted her eyes and looked back at her files, which had dots of water spread across them. She remembered what Hotch had said to her the night before; how could she forget? "I don't think it'll work out."
"Don't say that," Derek nudged her. "You never know."
Daisy smiled and shook her head. "Maybe I should get back into the dating game. You got any cute friends?"
Derek knew he wasn't going to get anything else out of her on the subject. So, he agreed to move on. He chuckled, leaning back in the chair. "Baby, I am the cute friend."
Daisy snickered. "In your dreams."
Before the man could respond, her phone began to ring. She looked down at where it sat on the ground, and her breath caught in her throat when she saw the contact name. Derek peered over, and he smirked. "Looks like you lover's calling."
"Shut up," Daisy muttered, standing up and walking around the corner to answer the call. She took a deep breath, before holding the phone up to her ear. "Hello?"
"Alvarez," Hotch's voice was somehow deeper over the phone.
"Hey, Hotch," she tucked her hand in her pocket, starting to wander up and down the empty corridor. "What's up?"
"How's Reid?" Hotch asked. Daisy furrowed her eyebrows.
"He's okay, he's still in with the hypnotist," she replied. "You usually call Morgan for updates, why are you calling me?"
"Morgan...wasn't answering."
Daisy laughed. "Aw, Hotchner, you're missing me that much already? Don't forget about those rules you set last night. I didn't forget them."
"Alvarez," Hotch groaned irritably. "Can you please be mature for once? This is serious."
"You don't think I know that?" she scoffed. She ran a hand through her hair. "Did Garcia find anything on that guy? Gary Michaels?"
"She's still looking," Hotch muttered. He then paused, clearly hesitating. "Alvarez?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm..." he trailed off. "I'm sorry about how I handled things last night. It was just that-"
"Don't worry your pretty little head about it, Hotch," she cut him off quickly. She didn't really want to have this conversation right now. Not over the phone, or...ever, really. She knew she'd just get all embarrassed again. "I'll see you when we get back to Quantico, yeah?"
"Daisy-"
"Bye!" she hung up and shoved her phone in her back pocket. Her stomach was doing backflips, and she raced back to where Derek was sitting, grabbing the coffee pot and pouring herself a cup nearly full to the brim.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Derek stood up, rushing over as she began to chug it. He grabbed the paper cup and pulled it away just as she emptied it, and he placed his hand on her forehead. "Since when do you drink this stuff?"
"Since now." She gasped out for breath, pulling a face at the taste. "God, ugh! How do you drink this? It tastes like how the ground smells! Oh my god, I think I'm gonna be sick."
Derek put the cup in the bin beside the small counter, and reached out for Daisy. Ignoring her protests, he pulled her into an embrace. "Everything okay?"
Daisy gave in and huffed, resting her head on his chest. "Is it immature of me to never go back to Quantico so I don't have to face Hotch?"
Derek hummed. "A little, yeah."
★☆
this is for those on deep tiktok maybe i guess idk i was struggling with this chapter:
Spencer exhaled softly, scratching the back of his head. He was so deep in thought Daisy wondered if he'd ever find his way out again. He then began to sing softly. "Oh lovely pussy, oh pussy my love."
Daisy's eyebrows furrowed, and she began to back away. Fear struck her - an unusual emotion to feel around the doctor. "Spencer, is everything okay?"
Spencer's eyes turned red and he opened his mouth. Like a snake, his jaw unhinged to a shocking extent, fire escaping from the back of his throat. Daisy screamed as the flames engulfed her body, killing her instantly. Spencer spun around on his heels, effortlessly burning the city to a crisp. He looked around, then stood over Daisy's ashes and laughed to himself. "UH oh! I just killed my very good friend...AND I'D DO IT AGAIN BOP BOP!!!"
i'm sorry i'm going a little crazy