Title: A Love As Old As Time
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Category: Romance, Angel Fic,
Ratings: NC-17
Pairings: Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid
Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Spencer Reid, Various Criminal Minds Characters
Spoilers: up to season 5
Summary: Spencer Reid has harbored a secret. He’s an Angel and he keeps meeting and falling in love with Aaron over lifetimes. But when an unsub gets the upper hand will Spencer come back from losing the one thing that has kept him going in his long-lived existence? Will Heaven and his Father help him or will he be banished forever?
Words: 9114
Warnings: Canon Character Death, memory trauma
Tags: Haley lives, romance, angst
Beta: DarkJediQueen
Notes
“AARON, NOOOO,” Spencer rushed up to his lover as the unsub stood over him, knife in one hand, blood dripping a heart in the other. The wound in Aaron’s chest was gaping and horrific. Reid’s eyes glazed over in anger and pain as he unfurled his wings, grabbed the unsub and flew away. The rest of the team hadn’t seen him fly away, hadn’t seen him take the unsub with him and when they got to Aaron it looked to be too late.
“You will pay for this,” Spencer’s anger shown white hot and for the first time the unsub was actually afraid.
“Please, please don’t kill me. You understand they had to die, all of them it was unnatural, they had to-“ He cried out as Spencer’s eyes burned white hot and they burned the unsub from the inside out. Then, Spencer let go, he was ten thousand miles in the air. He knew the man wasn’t going to survive and he didn’t care.
He looked to Heaven and yelled, “Why, why couldn’t you leave us alone, why couldn’t you let us be. Father I gave you EVERYTHING for eons and you punish me because I fell in love. Then you take him away WHY?” His anguish was palpable and it rocked Heaven to its core. He curled into his wings, sobbing desperately because his beloved was dead, truly dead this time. No coming back again for Aaron Hotchner and all Spencer wanted to do was die, but he couldn’t he was immortal, he was an angel. Albeit a fallen angel but his fall was born out of love, a love he had shared with one man over lifetimes and he was punished for it.
“Brother, it’s time to come home.” A soft gentle voice said as he was wrapped in another set of wings, holding him, comforting him.
Spencer looked towards the voice and next to him was Gabriel. He was the only one to have stood by him and fight their Father for him, the only one who understood. He turned in his brothers arms crying and broken not caring where he was taken he just knew he wanted out of this world. If Aaron was no longer there, then he didn’t want to be either.
Gabriel held him close and he could tell his brother was broken, broken in ways that not even Heaven could fix. He flew up to Heaven hoping beyond hope that Father didn’t rain down punishment yet again. When he finally landed in the palace of the First of the Angels Gabriel bought his brother inside.
“Gabriel, why have you brought Sabathiel back?” Raphael asked as apprehension filled his voice.
“Did you not hear his anguish Raphael? Did you not feel his pain? What does Father expect? How can we keep punishing him just because he loved too much? Did you not feel it when his beloved died, truly died this time? How can we not care for him?” Gabriel pleaded.
“Alright Gabriel bring him in.” Gabriel brought him into the palace and laid him on a bed. Raphael came in to check on him and already Spencer’s sorrow was affecting him. His wings were no longer white, they were turning grey and a few feathers had already started to fall. His eyes were glazed and they could tell he wasn’t seeing anything around him.
“Raphael, we have to do something, he is going into atrophy.” His heart was breaking for his brother and he didn’t know what to do.
“I will talk to Father, try to argue for leniency. You’re right we have to help him Gabriel. We won’t abandon him this time.” He took one last look at Sabathiel, who on Earth was known as Spencer Reid and his heart ached. Father was wrong to punish him, and Raphael was wrong to have not stood beside him. Not this time. This time he would plead Spencer’s case and try to fix this.
Raphael found Father in the Heavenly Garden contemplating. “Father, Gabriel has brought Sabathiel home.”
“Yes, I know Raphael, I felt it when they passed the barrier.”
“Father he is going into atrophy, we have to do something. You’re punishment was too harsh and now he is wasting away.” Raphael pleaded.
“Maybe you’re right. Maybe my anger was not appropriate. Aaron Hotchner has proven himself time and again it’s no wonder you’re younger brother loved him.” Father thought for a long moment and made a decision, “Bring him here Raphael, bring him here and let me see them through him.”
So, the angel brought his broken brother to their Father and hoped for compassion and understanding.
“Sabathiel, look at me son,” When Father saw just how broken his son was he knew in that moment the mistakes he had made. When Spencer looked up and Father saw the utter despair in his son’s eyes his heart broke. “Let me see through your eyes Sabathiel. Let me see where your love took you.”
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The first time he felt the spark he wasn’t sure what to do about it, so he just followed it. When it became a human he was curious and fascinated as he watched the boy grow. His name was Aron and his father taught him to be a shepherd. Aron proved exceptional and he grew his father’s estate quickly. He married and had many sons and daughters and his wealth and generosity grew as well. Even though it was customary for wealthy landowners to have many wives Aron only had eyes for one. When she died in childbirth he was heartbroken, inconsolable and Sabathiel knew he had to do something.
He went to Aron and became his friend and eventually they became lovers. They spent many years together and when Aron passed, Sabathiel grieved.
What he later learned was that Aron was special he was a Fenix, a near-immortal. He lived and died, but he would resurrect after ten years as either a young child or a grown man. He would have no memories of his previous life, but he would always start a new one, make new memories, new loves and new places in the world to call home.
The next time he was Aion a general in the Spartan army. Sabathiel found him and transformed himself into a Spartan warrior and again they fell in love. This was not looked down upon in fact many Spartan warriors took comfort in each other. Some had wives and families, some did not. But during the battle of Thermopylae Aion fell with his brothers and again Sabathiel grieved, but he didn’t have to wait long.
Arion was a born warrior and he fought valiantly during the Trojan War. Sabathiel again found him and they loved and during the fall of Troy Sabathiel rescued Arion whisking him away to a private island. They lived in isolation for the remainder of Arion’s day’s and loved each other like no other.
And so it went through the eons, Sabathiel would find his beloved wherever he was reborn. And it wasn’t until Christianity swept the known world like a plague that the angel started to worry. When he went to his Father about how this new church was perverting the words of the Savior, Father did nothing. They were told not to interfere. Sabathiel couldn’t help it, he needed to find his beloved and when he did it was the first time in centuries the he refused to be loved by the angel. This was also the first time he was called Aaron. He was a clergyman during the first Spanish Inquisition and it broke Sabathiel’s heart to see his beloved commit such atrocities. He was almost grateful when this life was done.
It was during these dark times that Father became worried for his son. He thought his son’s love had become an obsession and he forbade Sabathiel to seek out Aaron again. The angel became angry and argued with Father. Then in a rash decision Father banished Sabathiel to Earth. He left him with his wings and his immortality, but he was forbidden from stepping foot in Heaven again. So Sabathiel became Spencer and through the ages he walked the Earth always seeking out and finding his love.
Time and time again the lovers would find each other and something in Aaron always recognized the angel, even if he had no memories of his past lives. It didn’t matter, Spencer remembered them all.
By the time the twentieth century rolled around Spencer was becoming jaded when he saw how little the humans had changed. They didn’t grow they still committed wars against each other and found new ways to kill each other, but in the face of such sadness Spencer heard a voice that called to him. When he found it the voice belonged to a woman. Her name was Diana Reid and she grieved for a lost child. Spencer made a decision. Even though this would delay finding Aaron again for some reason Diana Reid’s pain touched him deeply. And so he transformed himself again and he became her son. He loved being cared for by her and he vowed to always protect her. He wished he could heal her mind, but that wasn’t his power. His was the power of light and of the mind and he used it. He went to school, which was a novel idea for him but he relished it. Many times during this life he could have fought back against the bullies, but it would have meant he had to reveal himself so he just took it. The beatings didn’t hurt him physically, not much could, but they hurt him emotionally. He had loved these humans and it broke his heart to experience the depths of their cruelty.
When he made it to CalTech he still hadn’t found Aaron, but he knew he was changing the course of his life. He wanted to do something different change direction and in school he found his own enthusiasm for living again. When the FBI had a recruitment seminar he decided to go to see what it was all about and as fate always happened he found his beloved once again. There was Aaron with a man named Jason Gideon and Spencer knew exactly what he was going to do.
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“Hotch, I don’t know if you remember from that seminar we gave at CalTech? Dr. Spencer Reid,” Jason Gideon was beaming with pride that he had snagged one of the best minds he’d ever come across. “Today’s his first day.”
“Nice to meet you Dr. Reid, SSA Aaron Hotchner, you can call me Aaron or Hotch, whichever you prefer.” He held out his hand for Reid to take. Normally he didn’t like to touch people, too many emotions came through in a handshake, but he made an exception with Aaron.
“Nice to meet you Hotch,” He smiled shyly and thought, this was always how it went and Spencer was anticipating getting to know this Aaron.
He was introduced to the rest of the team which consisted of Derek Morgan, who he became fast friends with. Then there was JJ who he instantly felt a connection with. And eventually the sparkly, but slightly scary Penelope Garcia who he learned was their tech analyst. Spencer had never felt so welcomed, not since Sparta all those eons ago.
So his first couple of years he got to know this version of Aaron and it was a time of longing and confusion. Spencer had waited too long to find his beloved and now he was married and had a son. At night when he was home alone in his apartment there were times he silently cried. He knew he could wait that time didn’t really mean anything to him anymore, but for some reason this time he felt unease. He felt something was different, but he didn’t want to speculate on what it was.
When their latest case took them to Georgia and he heard the name Raphael he wondered for a moment if his brother had fallen also, but when he was kidnapped he found out the truth. It was a delusional young man who perverted the name of his brother. The restraints that were used on him were strong and when he tried to break out of them he couldn’t, which confused him more. What he didn’t account for was the drug that he was given was making him weak. He cried out in protest as the unsub pushed the needle into him time and again. He knew he had to keep it together. He couldn’t let his secret out but the longer he was in the clutches of Tobias Hankel the likelihood that he was going to be outed was getting stronger.
The Raphael personality was trying to get him to confess his sins, but he wouldn’t. His biggest sin, according to his father, was loving one man too much. Finally he saw an opportunity to get a message to Aaron and his beloved thankfully understood. When he shot Tobias his heart broke. Oh he’d killed humans before in the eons he’d walked the earth, but this was the first one that he truly felt sorry for.
He didn’t know why he grabbed the drugs, but he did and by the time he got home again the strange need for them coursed through his body but he tried to fight it. He had assumed he was immune to most of the temptations of the human race but evidently he wasn’t.
A few weeks after the terrible events he suffered through there was a knock on his door, he knew his behavior lately was erratic and strange and he expected Aaron to show up at any moment.
“Aa-Hotch,” He exclaimed as he opened the door.
“Reid, we need to talk,” Aaron looked at the young man he had come to care for very deeply. His heart had broken watching what Tobias had done to Spencer. He had realized in those moments just what the young man truly meant to him.
“What about?” He knew he sounded off, angry almost as he stared at the man that kept refusing to acknowledge what was between them.
Aaron stood there his heart racing he never knew why Spencer affected him so and before he knew what he was doing he pushed the angel up against the wall and kissed him. Spencer threw his arms around his beloved and let himself be kissed.
After a minute Aaron pulled back, “I thought we, I had lost you. I don’t know what I would have done Spencer.” Tears formed in the unit chiefs eyes as he held the young agent close to him.
“What do you want Aaron? You confuse me with your mixed signals. Always wanting to be around me, but then you hold back. You seek me out above all the others on the team. You touch me and bring me coffee, then back away.” Spencer wanted to cry. This had only happened once, in Spain and it saddened him then, it was breaking his heart now.
Aaron cupped his face, “I want you Spencer, I want you so much that it hurts. I’ve done nothing but want you since the first day you joined the team. I don’t know why but I feel like I’ve always known you. When I touch you I get these flashes, I don’t know it’s strange, but I feel like we’ve known each other over lifetimes.” Aaron stared deep in his eyes and he just wanted to get lost in them.
Spencer closed his eyes and let his head fall on Aaron’s shoulder. He wanted to tell him the truth, but Spencer wasn’t sure if Aaron was ready yet to hear it. He swallowed back the tears that wanted to fall, swallowed back this pain he felt and said, “Aaron as much as I want to be with you too,” He looked in Aaron’s eyes, touched his face, “And believe me I want to be with you more than anything you’re married.” Just saying it was breaking his heart. He wouldn’t commit even more sins to cause his Father to rain down even more punishment on him. The need for the drugs suddenly flared up in him and he was shaking.
“Spencer,” Aaron didn’t know what to say to that. He was confused, had been confused for over two years now. He held the shaking man in his arms and he didn’t want to let go. “Spencer, are you okay?”
“No Aaron I’m not okay,” He broke down and it was like nothing he’d ever experienced in his long-lived life.
“What’s going on?” Aaron thought he knew and he wanted to see if the young agent would admit to it.
“I, I, I have a problem,” He said quietly, softly. It was the hardest thing to admit that he had succumbed to a human vice. “I try to stop but this pain…” He stopped speaking he didn’t want to say anymore.
Aaron closed his eyes and realized that maybe he was partially to blame. He made the decision to stay with Spencer that night under his protests. All he did was hold the young man close to him and let him know he was there. When they lay together in just their boxers Aaron’s dreams were filled with images of himself and Spencer through the ages. When he woke to find Spencer in the bathroom crying he immediately went to him.
“What can I do?” Aaron sat on the floor and pulled Spencer into his arms, “Tell me how to help you.”
“Just hold me, please.” And so he did.
Aaron stayed with Spencer for a few days, over the protests of Haley, his wife. He just told her that Spencer needed help and that he felt responsible for the young man.
“Aaron go home, please?” He begged after a few days of his unit chiefs hovering.
“Are you sure?” Aaron didn’t want to leave he felt the pull to stay there to care for Spencer, forever.
“Yes, I’m sure. I’ll be fine.” He knew he was lying but it was worse having his beloved there and not being able to be with him.
“Okay I’ll go, but you call me if you need me.” Aaron didn’t want to leave but he knew he needed to go home. His family needed him too.
Once out the door Spencer slid down the wall and cried. He didn’t know why this lifetime was so hard but it was and it hurt.
All of a sudden there was someone in his apartment and when he looked up he saw one of his brothers.
“Sabathiel, what is wrong?” Gabriel asked the broken man.
“He’s lost to me this time Gabriel. He’s lost to me and I don’t know why but I’m scared. I’m scared something is going to happen and this will be the last time I ever get to be here with him.” Spencer laid his head on his curled up legs and let himself cry.
Gabriel sat next to him and pulled his brother in close and held him.
“I messed up again Gabe. I gave into human temptation.”
“You have been too long among the humans Sabathiel, I’m sure Father has forgiven you by now, come home.” He pleaded with his younger brother.
“I can’t not yet. I have to see this through,” He laid his head on his brother’s chest and held on. When he was finally spent Gabriel carried him to his bedroom and called for their brother Raphael.
“Heal him Raphael please. If anything we owe him that. Father didn’t let us interfere when he was in the hands of that human. We owe it to him to take care of him now.” Gabriel pleaded.
So, against his better judgment Raphael laid healing hands on Spencer taking away the need he had for the drugs.
“That is all we can do Gabriel. If we interfere anymore Father will punish us also.” Gabriel nodded and they silently left their brother alone.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
The next few weeks Spencer was able to push past his addiction. He knew something had happened when he was passed out when Gabriel showed up but he didn’t question it. He slowly healed and a part of him grew angry at Jason Gideon and the team for not helping him, except for Aaron who was there, had been there and he was grateful.
It would be a few more weeks before he felt himself again and in that time many things changed. Another madman upset the balance of their team, their family. Gideon lost faith in himself and in the job and ran away. Reid was tempted to find him but his anger at the man stopped him. Aaron almost left the team but by a strange set of circumstances he was able to stay. The team got a new member, David Rossi and he and Spencer butted heads for a while but eventually they became friends.
It wasn’t till Aaron and Reid went on a custodial together that things finally changed between them.
“Haley wants me to sign the divorce papers uncontested.” Aaron tells Spencer as they were driving to their hotel for the night.
“What do you want?” Spencer asked afraid of the answer.
“What I want I’m not going to get,” Aaron tells him. Spencer’s heart broke with the knowledge that Aaron was still in love with his wife. When he’s silent for too long Aaron looks over and sees something pass over Spencer’s face.
“Reid, are you okay?” Aaron asks softly.
Reid clears his throat, “I’m fine Hotch.” When Aaron gave him a look that told Spencer he didn’t really believe him he replied. “Really, I’m okay. Let’s just get back to the hotel I’m tired.” Spencer lay his head back and closed his eyes. They ended-up sharing a room because it was all the bureau would pay for.
They had a quiet dinner together and made their way to their room. Spencer silently got ready for bed. He typically didn’t need sleep but there were times when his body was so worn out that he needed the rest, so he gave in laid down and closed his eyes. He knew depression was setting in that maybe this was the end and it was breaking his heart. He resigned himself to letting Aaron go. He didn’t know what he was going to do, and he thought that maybe he had to leave the team, that maybe Gabriel was right, it was time to go home.
Aaron, on the other hand, wanted to talk.
“Reid…Spencer, are you asleep?” Aaron looked over to watch Spencer on the other bed.
Spencer rolled over and looked over at Aaron and he saw heartbreak in Spencer’s eye’s, “No, but that’s not unusual.”
Aaron moved and Spencer found himself lying underneath him. “Um Hotch, what, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to do what I’ve wanted to for a long time Spencer.” Aaron leaned down and kissed the angel. It wasn’t soft and gentle, no this kiss was passionate and needy. His teeth scraped and bit Spencer on the lip and when his hands cupped Spencer’s face he deepened the kiss even more.
Spencer responded, not just to the kiss, but to the feel of the man on top of him. He’d waited for this for so long and now that it was happening he was nervous. He pulled back a moment needing to get his breath.
“Please be sure Aaron, this won’t be just a one-night thing for me. If it is for you-“
“Shut up Spencer,” Aaron said softly as he kissed the young man again.
In no time they were tearing at each other’s clothes as they tried to get to the flesh underneath. “Aaron,” Spencer cried as their naked bodies came together, flesh sliding over flesh. “Please, oh god Aaron please.” Spencer had waited so long he just wanted to feel his beloved inside him moving in him again.
Aaron got up and grabbed his go bag. He had been keeping a bottle of lube and some condoms with him. He knew this was going to happen, he just didn’t know when. He lay back down next to his lover and carefully and slowly slid a slicked up finger inside him. Spencer cried out at the feeling of the slick finger, “More, please,” He begged.
Aaron moved and took Spencer’s hard heavy erection in his mouth while he added a second finger stretching Spencer’s entrance, slowly stroking and finding his lover’s prostate.
“God yessss,” Spencer cried out pushing back on the welcomed intrusion. Aaron’s mouth was doing wicked things to him and Spencer wanted to cry. By the time a third finger was added Spencer was a mewling, writhing needy mess on the bed.
“Are you ready for me Spencer?” Aaron whispered in his ear as he kissed and nibbled at the angel’s neck.
“Please, please now,” Aaron slicked up his own erection forgetting the condom in his haste as he slid ever so slowly and carefully inside his new lover. When he was fully sheathed he fell on the young agent, his forehead falling on Spencer’s.
“God, Spencer, you’re so tight. Feels so good,” He started to slowly move.
Spencer wrapped his legs around his beloved’s waist, arching into the feeling of their connected bodies. “Faster Aaron, please move faster,” He panted as he moved his hips to get his lover to move faster, thrust deeper.
This seemed to have an effect on Aaron as he sat up and grabbed Spencer’s hips and proceeded to pound hard, pistoning his hips faster. Much too soon he felt the orgasm building and he didn’t want it to end so quickly but he couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Oh God I can’t hold back,” Aaron closed his eyes and threw back his head and cried out, at the same time he reached down and grabbed Spencer’s bouncing cock and pumped, it didn’t take much and Spencer was coming at the same time as his lover. A strong wash of energy flooded over the lovers as a deep bond was formed between them. At the same time Aaron’s mind was bombarded with images of him and Spencer together. The images were from many different eras throughout history and it scared him. He quickly moved off Spencer his face full of confusion.
“What the hell?” His breath was shallow and his heart was racing.
“Aaron? What happened?” Spencer was suddenly afraid.
“Those images, us, Spence, what was that energy that passed between us, I don’t understand.”
Spencer let out a deep breath, “We’ve formed a bond Aaron. That part always happens.” He wasn’t sure how much his beloved could take and he also wasn’t sure what else happened. The images, that was new. “As far as images I, I don’t know what you mean.”
“Spencer I saw us together they were all jumbled, but I was in some kind of shepherd’s clothes, then battle armor Greek maybe? And other images a monk’s robe and I’m hurting you, banishing you,” He looked over at Spencer and closed his eyes against the flood of emotions. “It’s like we’ve met again and again.”
Spencer sat up in bed and took Aaron’s hands in his, “That’s because we have.”
Aaron’s eyes widen as he tried to make sense of what was going on, “What are you talking about Spencer.”
Spencer knew he couldn’t tell him everything, Aaron wasn’t ready for that but he told him what his lover might be able to handle. “Aaron,” He took a deep breath, “I am going to tell you something and it’s going to sound crazy to you, but, you are going to have to trust me.” He took a moment to gather his thoughts before he said, “I am an immortal.”
Aaron narrowed his eyes at Spencer, “Spencer, are you taking drugs again?” He asked cautiously.
Spencer didn’t take offense because he knew how crazy it sounded. “No I’m not Aaron.” He held out his arms and where there should have been scars from needle marks there was nothing, “Look, my arms should have needle marks and they don’t. The bottom of my right foot should have brands where Charles branded me, the time that bullet grazed me here,” He pointed to his upper arm, “I should have a scar and I don’t. How do you explain it Hotch.” He looked at Aaron daring him to check.
Aaron lifted Spencer’s foot and saw that there were no marks, he also looked at the arm and there was no scarring like there should be. His eyes widened and he wasn’t sure what to think.
“Aaron, there’s more.” He paused a moment as he schooled his emotions. He knew this was the moment that Aaron would either believe him and accept what they were to each other or pull away, “You are a near-immortal, there are a few of your kind in the world, the name for what you are is Fenix. It’ s what the ancient Greeks based their myth of the Phoenix on. You live, you die but ten years later you are re-born. Sometimes you are a child, sometimes a teen but most of the time you are a full grown man. You usually have no memories of your past lives.”
Aaron stared at Reid like he was crazy. “Spencer, have you ah,” Aaron tried to ask delicately, “Have you been you know tested for-“
“Aaron, I’m not schizophrenic if that is what you are asking. I can’t explain everything you’re just going to have to trust me.” Spencer’s heart was beating fast hoping that Aaron wasn’t going to be scared off.
Even though Aaron was confused and he thought Spencer was a tad crazy he moved so he was again lying on top of the genius. “I trust you Spencer. I trust you with my life. And if you believe it, so will I.” He kissed Spencer again and slowly sank into the body of the man that he had loved for the last three years.
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Haley was in trouble. Spencer knew something was wrong and that the federal marshal watching her was dead. He felt Aaron’s fear through their bond and vowed to do something. He broke off from the team as they piled into the SUV’s and quietly took flight. He looked everywhere for her and then it dawned on him, Aaron’s old house. That would be the place that would torture Aaron the most. He silently landed out of sight and made his way to the front of the house. When he looked in through the front window he saw Haley on the phone and Jack run up the stairs. He knew he didn’t have a lot of time to make a decision. He took the chance and silently made his way to the front door, quietly opened it and using all his stealth walked behind Foyet.
“I really wouldn’t do that if I were you,” He said with a darkness to his voice that no one on the team had ever heard.
Foyet turned around and saw the white heat in Spencer’s eyes. “Ah yes, the boyfriend, come to play?” Foyet turned the gun on Spencer and fired.
Spencer knocked the gun out of Foyet’s hand as it went off. He turned to Haley and said, “Run,” Her eyes widened at the look that Spencer was giving her. She turned and ran upstairs to try to find Jack.
“What the hell are you?” Foyet was scared for the first time in his life.
“I’m something you’ll never see again,” He raised his hand to smite the psychopath but felt when his hand was stayed.
He turned to see his brother Michael, “Michael, what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to stop you from killing this man Sabathiel. If you do Father will reign down more punishment.”
“If I let him free he is just going to continue coming after my beloved. You’ve killed millions for less and on Father’s orders.” Spencer was angry as he looked over at his brother eyes still shining with holy light.
“Please, Sa-Spencer, don’t kill him like this,” Michael looked at him pointedly.
Spencer looked at the man he was holding and he let go. “Okay I’ll do it your way.” Michael left and Foyet just stood there in shock.
A dark look came over Spencer’s face, “Run,” He said quietly.
Foyet was trying to figure out the man’s agenda when Spencer spoke up again, “I said run.” Foyet didn’t think this time he ran out the house and started down the street. Spencer got a wicked gleam in his eye as he started after Foyet. The man took Spencer on a wild goose chase through the neighborhood, but he kept up finally tackling the man in a small open field.
Foyet hit Spencer in the stomach hoping the awkward looking man would go down, when he didn’t Foyet truly became scared. Spencer’s eyes again shone with white hot light and Foyet cried out as he felt himself burning from the inside.
Reid then punched Foyet over and over again. He pulled the man up to his face, “You will leave my family alone.” The menacing growl that came from Spencer put Foyet on edge. Spencer kept a hold of him as he flew up in the air, high enough to where no one could see, but close enough he knew where he was going. When they got back to Aaron’s house, Spencer let go. Foyet fell and landed right on the lawn of Aaron’s old house.
Spencer landed a couple of blocks away from the team as he manifested a cane and a new shirt and limped his way to the house. He had to keep up the pretense of his healing knee.
When he saw the body lying there he couldn’t quite keep the glint out of his eye.
Aaron saw him and walked over, “Did you do this?” He whispered in his lover’s ear.
“How would I do that Aaron?” He looked innocently at his lover.
Aaron had felt Spencer’s anger through the bond and he was doubly afraid of what was going to happen. “If you did, we can’t prove anything anyway.” He stroked a hand down Spencer’s cheek, “Thank you, you saved Haley and Jack.”
“Aaron you should know by now that I’d do anything for you.” He smiled softly. Aaron smiled back at him as he walked over to the rest of the team.
“Uncle Spencer, Uncle Spencer,” Spencer turned to see Jack running out the door as he crashed into the angel, wrapping his arms around Spencer’s legs. Spencer picked-up the little boy and held him close.
“I saw you fly away,” Jack whispered in his ear.
Spencer put a finger on his mouth making a shushing sound, “It will be our little secret.” He whispered back.
“So, how the hell did Foyet fall?” Rossi asked looking around at the rest of the team.
“Maybe he was trying to climb this tree to get away from something?” Emily was perplexed.
“Does it really matter? The man was trying to kill me and Jack I don’t care what happened to him as long as he can’t hurt us ever again,” She turned to Spencer and took Jack back in her arms. She looked at Spencer and somehow knew the man was responsible for Foyet’s death.
She pulled him into a one-armed hug and whispered in his ear, “Thank you, I know it was you.”
“I would do anything for Aaron.” He whispered back.
She pulled back and he put on the boyish persona the rest of the team had come to know.
“Well, this is going to be interesting to try to explain.” Rossi shook his head as he tried to work out just exactly what happened.
None of them could explain what happened and they put that in their reports, but just the fact that the Boston Reaper was dead no one was going to really question them on it.
Aaron and Spencer went in to check on Haley and Jack while the rest of the team dealt with the coroner.
Haley grabbed onto Aaron as they entered the house, she had been so afraid when Foyet had the gun to her head she thought she was going to die. She looked at her ex-husband and for a fleeting moment she thought there was a chance to get back together, but when she saw how he looked at Spencer she knew. It didn’t really take a profiler to figure it out and she wondered why it took her so long.
“You should have told me,” She said to Aaron.
“Told you what?” Aaron looked at her in confusion.
“Aaron I may not be a profiler, but the way you look at him,” She smiled sadly thinking about what she lost, “I don’t think you ever looked at me quite that way.” She patted his arm as she walked away to take care of Jack.
Spencer moved next to Haley, “So, she figured it out?” He quietly asked.
Aaron smiled, “Yes, she said that the way I look at you I never quite looked at her that way.” He linked a finger with one of Spencer’s. They hadn’t told the team neither one quite knowing if they would understand.
“I think we should tell them Aaron,” Spencer looked at his lover knowing that it was getting harder and harder to hide their relationship.
“I know, but later. Right now I just want-“ Aaron was suddenly full of emotion and couldn’t continue.
“It’s okay. Go be with them. I’ll be at home. Maybe-“ Spencer wasn’t sure if Aaron would want to bring Haley and Jack home with them, but he thought it might be the best solution while the investigation was wrapping up.
“Maybe what?” Aaron asked.
“Maybe you should bring them back with us. It would be good for them and for you.” Spencer could still feel the fear pouring off of Aaron through their bond.
“You don’t mind?” Aaron asked hesitantly.
Spencer smiled, “No Aaron I don’t mind. Go talk to them and I’ll see you at home later.” Spencer walked towards the vehicles and waited to be taken back to the office. No one had asked him how he had gotten there; they were too wrapped up in trying to figure out just how Foyet died to ask too many questions.
The next several days Haley and Jack stayed with Aaron and Spencer. Haley just watched the two men together and realized just how deeply they loved one another. Even though she was saddened at her lost chance, she was happy with Aaron’s choice of partners. Spencer took care of Aaron and Jack, she saw just how much the young man loved them and it put her own heart at ease that Aaron had truly found happiness.
She was a little perplexed about the events with Foyet. She had seen Spencer’s eyes turn a strange opaque white and wondered if it was just a trick of the mind. She watched him carefully and nothing like that ever happened again so she just let it go and chalked it up to the unexplainable.
They went home a few weeks later, Haley letting Jack stay with the couple for a while longer knowing Aaron needed the time with their son.
“You’re good with them,” She told Spencer as she was getting ready to go back home.
“They mean everything to me,” He was suddenly shy and quiet with her.
“I know. I see how much you love Jack and I also see how much you are in love with Aaron.” She smiles softly at him, “Take care of him. Don’t let him obsess, make him realize what a good thing he has with you.” She sighed deeply, “You understand him like I never could and that’s something I will always have to live with.” She said goodbye to Jack, grabbed her suitcase and left.
“She left?” Aaron questioned.
“Yeah, she’s letting Jack stay here a few more days.” Spencer grabbed Aaron around the waist and leaned in for a kiss.
“Thank you for being so understanding Spencer,” Aaron was filled with so many emotions at once.
“You needed it, all of you.” He leaned in and kissed his beloved holding him tight letting him know he was there. “I’m always going to be here for you Aaron, whatever you need.”
Aaron smiled and held the man he loved. He still didn’t understand the strange connection or the flashes of past lives that ran through his head whenever they made love, but he long ago learned that it was just something that was always going to be a part of who they were. He wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
“Four men in two months, all tall over 6 feet, dark haired, dark eyed.” Garcia put the pictures of the recent case they had been asked in on up on the monitor. All eyes looked at Aaron for he fit the victim pool all too well.
“Okay look we have all, at some point, looked like the victim pool. I’m not going to change anything and you can all stop looking at me like that,” The ever stoic unit chief glared at his team, especially Spencer.
“I just have a bad feeling about this one Hotch,” Spencer’s eyes bored into him. They still hadn’t told the team about their relationship even though they’d been together for over four years now.
“Reid, I will be fine. If it will make all of you feel better I will take more precautions than I normally do,” Which was saying something because if there was one thing about Aaron Hotchner it was his vigilance. Ever since Foyet had broken into their apartment and harmed him his vigilance was on high alert when in the field and when first walking in the door to their home.
When they landed in Phoenix, Az, which gave Spencer a bad feeling, they made their way to the hotel because it was late in the evening.
“Aaron,” Spencer wanted to try to dispel his anxiety, it wasn’t a feeling he liked, “I don’t have a good feeling about this case.” He was sitting on one of the beds with a book in his lap trying to concentrate but he couldn’t.
Aaron walked over and sat down next to Spencer, pulled the book away and gently pushed his lover down onto the bed. “Spencer, I will be fine. Nothing is going to happen to me. But if it does won’t I just come back in ten years like you keep telling me?” He teased.
Spencer tensed up at his words, “This feels different Aaron. I can’t explain it. Please, please be careful.” His brow furrowed as he looked at his beloved, “I can’t lose you.” The fear in his voice came through their bond and Aaron leaned down and gently kissed him.
“You aren’t going to lose me Spencer,” He climbed on top of his lover and started to slowly make love to him. As they started to come together more memories flashed through his mind and Aaron tried to capture them and hold onto them like he always did. When they were spent he laid next to his lover pulling him in close.
Aaron fell deep asleep after a while and Spencer waited till it was safe. He walked out onto the small balcony, spread his wings and flew to the top of the Hotel and sat on the ledge. His thoughts were unsettled and his heart was beating fast in his chest.
“What is wrong Spencer?” Gabriel had shown up and settled down next to his brother.
“I’m afraid Gabriel. Something’s wrong and I don’t know what it is. I don’t like not knowing.” He turned to look at Gabriel with concern written all over his face.
“Spencer, you’ve always been the worrier. Nothing’s wrong, you have to let your doubts go.”
“I’m not doubting Gabriel, I’m genuinely worried. Somethings not right and this unsub,” Spencer looks out into the city and closes his eyes, “He’s targeting men who look like Aaron.” He took a deep breath, “I can’t lose him Gabe and it feels like I’m going to.” He said as he bowed his head trying to fight off the feeling of dread.
“Spencer, I know you’ve lost your faith and I know why. What you’ve chosen to do you see nothing but pain and destruction, but brother have faith. You are not going to lose your beloved.” Gabriel laid a hand on Spencer’s shoulder trying to comfort him then after a moment he flew away.
Spencer sighed deeply trying to quell the dread that had crept up into his heart. He made his way back to the hotel room. When he lay back down he curled up into Aaron and tried to find his faith again.
It took two days before they were able to identify their unsub, his name was Andrew Taylor. They deduced that he was delusional claiming that the men he was killing were freaks and needed to be killed. They searched the man’s apartment and found hundreds of files of research that Taylor was working on. He claimed there were people in the world that when they died within a few short years they would be re-born as a grown man. What Taylor didn’t realize was that he figured out about the Fenix.
When Spencer found the file on Aaron he became more than worried, he was terrified.
“Aaron look,” Spencer showed Aaron the file with pictures of him going back over a hundred years. “He found out what you are.” Aaron could tell that Spencer was afraid, truly afraid.
“I already told you I’ll be careful.” Aaron turned to his lover and did what he so rarely does, kissed him passionately right in the middle of the unsub’s room. “That’s a promise that I’ll be fine.” He then went back to looking over the other files Taylor had been working on.
A few minutes later Taylor showed back up at his apartment. When he saw the FBI he didn’t hesitate, he ran. Morgan and Aaron took off after him trying to chase him down.
The chase wasn’t going quite to plan. The unsub was trickier than they thought. Aaron was still running after him while Morgan double backed and got into one of the SUV’s with Spencer and Rossi. At one point they stopped and Spencer got out trying to fix on Aaron’s location. When he got it he ran after him, the rest of the team telling him to wait. He knew he couldn’t he knew something was terribly wrong.
“We’ve got you Andrew, just put down the knife and come with me. There doesn’t have to be anymore killing.” Aaron was trying to talk down the man he had cornered.
“You don’t understand, you’re one of them. It’s not natural.” Andrew Taylor, the unsub threw a handful of dirt at Aaron, distracting him just enough to give Taylor the advantage. They fought hard; Aaron reached for his clutch piece when Taylor swung a metal pipe at Aaron’s leg making him go down.
Aaron was trying not to let the pain get to him, it looked like the bone had cracked, he again scrambled for his gun, but Taylor was on top of him holding him down. They traded punches and unfortunately Taylor again gets the better of Aaron the unit chief is knocked out cold.
“I figured out the secret, this knife is special and when I use it on you, you won’t come back again,” The unsub raised the knife he had recovered and plunged it deep into Aaron’s heart. He then proceeded to carve into his chest and rip the heart out. He was standing over Aaron’s body when Spencer finally caught up to him.
“AARON, NOOO,” Spencer rushed up to his lover as the unsub stood over him, knife in one hand, blood dripping while holding the heart in the other.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
It was the end of their story and Father sat back on the bench in the Heavenly garden and contemplated. He had always assumed that Sabathiel’s love was one-sided. Aaron proved him wrong. Each life a part of him recognized the Angel and he fell in love time and again.
Spencer was curled up his wings surrounding him as his sorrow grew. Having relived his whole lifetime for Father broke him that much more. His atrophy was increasing as his heart was slowly dying in his chest. He thought, not for the first time, that he wished he could die.
“I have been too harsh with you Sabat…Spencer I thought I was protecting you.” Father stood and paced for a few minutes before he came to a decision. Raphael and Gabriel were just watching, they didn’t know what to do.
Father got down on his knee in front of Spencer, “Look at me son,” He laid a gentle hand on one of Spencer’s wings hoping to get his attention.
“Please Father, let me die. I cannot go on knowing I’ll never see him again. I couldn’t save him, not this time. Please, please let me go I know you have the ability.” Spencer looked up at his Father his eyes were full of such despair that it broke Father’s heart to see his son so utterly broken. To hear Spencer begging to die because his beloved was gone spurred his decision.
Father smiled and laid a hand on Spencer’s cheek, “Go back and have faith my son.” He waived his hand and Spencer was gone.
He was still curled up in his wings when he felt the concrete under him and a voice say “What the hell?”
Spencer stiffened at the voice and recognized it as Morgan’s. He slowly unfurled himself, stood up and looked into the faces of his team. They were still there with Aaron’s body lying on the ground. All of them were giving him a dumbfounded expression.
Finally one of them broke the silence, “Spencer, I ah think you have something to tell us?” Rossi’s heart was beating fast not knowing just what was happening.
Before he could speak they saw movement on the ground and Aaron started to stir. Not caring about the other’s around him or the fact that he was still in angel form he immediately lay propped up on one arm next to his beloved.
“Aaron?” Spencer’s hand cupped Aaron’s cheek as his beloved started to open his eyes, “How,” His heart was beating fast as he kissed his beloved, not believing he was alive.
Aaron ‘s hand was stroking Spencer’s cheek as he kissed his lover back. After a few minutes Aaron pulled back, “Um Spencer?” He asked with a hint of confusion and amusement in his voice.
“Yes Aaron?” Spencer smiled.
“You ah, you have wings.” Aaron tried to keep his voice neutral but he knew he failed. He slowly sat up because he felt like he had been hit by a car.
“Oh, yeah um about that,” He stood up, helping Aaron to his feet. He then fully unfurled his wings which were slowly turning back to white as his heart was healing. He was standing there bare chested and bare foot. He only had on a pair of soft white pants, “I’m an Angel.” He said smiling.
Aaron’s breath caught in his chest as he saw Spencer in his full angel form, “You’re beautiful,” He said as he walked up to his lover and grabbed him by the waist and pulled him close. “Can I?” He was afraid to ask but he really wanted to touch them.
“Can you what Aaron?” Spencer smiled his full boyish smile and it caught something in Aaron’s heart.
“Can I touch them?” He asked anxiously.
“Yes,” Spencer blushed.
Aaron placed a hand on the back of Spencer’s shoulder where his wings started and slowly ran a hand across the thick cartilage that held the feathers. Spencer shivered at the touch. It was soft and sensual and it was doing strange things to his body.
“Do you not like that?” Aaron asked apprehensively.
“No, no I, I mean yes, yes I like it, I like it very much,” Spencer said breathlessly his head was thrown back as pleasure coursed through his body.
“Ahem,” The lovers heard a loud clearing of the throat, “You two might want to get a room if you’re going to continue this little display.” Rossi said.
Aaron turned and blushed deeply, “Um sorry, it’s just, this is just,” He didn’t know what to say.
“Why Aaron Hotchner I do think you are speechless.” Rossi smirked at the unit chief, “I think you have some explaining to do Dr. Spencer Reid. Like how is Aaron still alive and what do you mean you’re an Angel?”
Spencer sighed deeply, “My real name is Sabathiel, I have lived and walked this earth since its beginnings. When I first encountered Aaron’s spark I was intrigued and I followed it. It grew into a man and I have loved him over many lifetimes. My Father believed my love was an obsession and I was banished from Heaven until I repented and gave Aaron up. I couldn’t do that. I took the name Spencer and I’ve been Earth bound for many eons.” He looked into the shocked faces of his co-workers.
Aaron smiled and looked at Spencer, “I remember Spencer, I remember everything.” His heart swelled as his memories flooded him and he saw him and Spencer throughout his lifetimes always being loved and cared for by the angel.
“Father,” Spencer closed his eyes and pulled his beloved into a hug.
“Sabathiel, know this you’re Aaron is now truly immortal. You no longer have to see him die or wait for him, you can always be together.” Spencer heard his Father in his head and silently cried.
“Spencer? You okay?” Aaron held him close once again afraid to break contact.
Spencer smiled, grabbed his beloved in his arms spun around and took flight. “Aaron, Father made you truly immortal. I won’t ever have to watch you die ever again, we can be together, forever.” He kissed his beloved deeply as Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer and soft wings enveloped them, cocooning them as they fell in love all over again.