Hi, IM BACK!!! I hope yall missed me. Sorry, I was gone for so long, I had a medical emergency, will be getting surgery soon so wish me good luck on that! I hope yall are still interested in this story. A lot of people seemed to like the To Hell and Back series, so thank you for the support, it really makes me smile. This is kind of a filler chapter so I hope thatâs okay.
This was an original idea thought up by @shelikesloki. So thank you so much for the recommendation. If you have any suggestions/requests or want me to write a specific idea then feel free to ask, my dms and asks are open, but for now hereâs part 4! Part 5 will be up tomorrow. PLEASE give me some suggestions of what you want to see! This series spans across the beginning of season 8.
Concept from @shelikesloki: After overhearing Morgan and Reid speaking about Maeve, Y/n has trouble with the idea that sheâs missed her chance with Spencer. But after the team helps save Maeve, will Reid and Maeve even work out?
Standing in Bobbyâs apartment wasnât as upsetting, glass from what looked to be a bottle littered the dining room floor, a small pool of blood left in the middle of it. Compared to the state of Maeveâs apartment, it seemed that the unsub had had a normal conversation which abruptly turned violent again, a running trait it seemed.Â
Diane Huntington had appeared to be a fake name, her entire identity had been preplanned, sheâd listed a fake address and used a burner phone to contact Bobby. With no trails to lead off of now, weâd had to work off of Spencerâs mind, details heâd subconsciously remembered throughout their interactions that could point us in the direction of the unsub,Â
âŸ
Weâd just started talking about the possibilities of the stalker being a former lover of Maeveâs when my phone had buzzed for the fifteenth time that day. Gritting my teeth and setting my jaw, I removed myself from my chair, offering a quick apology, before making my way out into the hallway before flipping my phone open.Â
âWhat, Tony?!â Iâd whisper screamed as I made my way for the stairwell.Â
âBeen bugging you that much, has he?â The familiar voice on the other end of the phone chuckled.Â
âGibbs,â I breathed, âSorry, Iâve been busy.âÂ
âToo busy to pick up a call for the past three months?â My former boss mumbled. The door to the stairwell groaned as I closed it behind me and inhaled deeply.Â
âThings have been⊠hectic lately.â
âWell, Iâll say,â his tone came out rough, annoyed.Â
âIs this about the case Tony mentioned, cause I really can't get in the middle of that right now, Iâm swamped and-â
âNo, no, we got that fixed up,â he reassured, âThatâs actually what I was calling about, Tony mentioned your case.â I suppressed a bitter comment as I listened, of course Tony had mentioned it, Iâd expect nothing less. âIs there anything we can do?â He asked.
âI don't even know if thereâs anything WE can do. Weâve got no leads right now, Iâm worried she won't make it, Gibbs,â I started. Gibbs had always been a father figure to me and my old coworkers. Thatâd been part of the reason Iâd been hesitant to speak to him, once you started talking, it was hard to stop. He had that effect on people, itâs what made him so good at his job. âIâve never seen him like this over a girl⊠over anyone really.â Bitterness seeped through my body once again.Â
âReally, y/n, we can be there in the morning, say the word and weâll consult,â Gibbs tried.Â
âYou don't understand, â I tried to explain. âThe section chief doesn't even want us on the case. It was hard enough to convince Strauss to keep us on, considering weâre too close to the victim. Itâs a conflict of interest. Getting the okay to have you consult would be impossible, you're not a current profiler, you're not in the unit.â I finished.Â
We sat there for a moment before he broke the silence, âI understand.â I paced the stairwell platform nervously as I waited for his next words, the team already noticed my absence, making it any longer would be a problem.Â
âY/n, are you okay?â He asked. I didnât know how to respond for a moment, Gibbs didn't indulge in conversations about feelings often, or hardly ever. But if Penelope had noticed how I felt for Spencer, surely Gibbs had too. My voice broke as I tried to keep my composure, âI don't know what to do, this will ruin him. I donât know how to watch that, to watch him break, Gibbs.â My throat felt like it was closing. âHow do I sit by when we know the probabilities of how this will end? And even if it doesn't end badly,â my mind raced as I struggled to put my thoughts into words. âHow do I sit across from him day after day knowing how I feel?â I knew I was being selfish, this wasnât about me, I needed to stay present to stay focused. Thinking of the future was a bad idea currently. Heat flooded my cheeks as I struggled to regain my composure.Â
âKid,â Gibbsâ voice came out softer, âYou canât think like that, you have a job to do. You can't worry about those things while remaining helpful to your team.âÂ
âI knowâŠâ I struggled to find the right words, âI just can't think of anything else.â
âListen, if it really becomes too much, you can take some time off, or- or you can come work for us again. Iâve been meaning to talk to you about that actually,â His voice trailed off towards the end, my head cocked as I registered his words.Â
âGibbs, I-â He cut me off before I could finish.Â
âI don't need an answer now, we just-â He was struggling as much as I was, that mustâve been the reason heâd asked Tony to call, so he wouldnât have to be the one to ask. âWe want you back, kid.â
I was silent as I thought it over. Could I really leave him like that, after going through one of the worst things imaginable? As his best friend, could I really leave in his time of need, just to avoid watching him suffer? I didnât think I could, in general, saying no to Spencer was hard, let alone when he was in pain. But if she survived, could I really face that either? The past few weeks had been hard enough, and Iâd known nothing about her. Now I knew what she looked like, I knew her history, I knew her achievements, I knew what theyâd talked about. He deserved his best friend, but would I be able to be the friend he needed? To be able to focus on my work everyday with a picture of her sat atop his desk? To lay it all aside? To potentially meet her one day? To attend their wedding? My stomach turned once more. Â
âItâs just an option,â He muttered in response to my silence.Â
âYeah, Iâll think about it, Gibbs. Thank you,â I said, checking my watch for the time. âIâve gotta go, Iâm sorry.â I said as I opened the staircase door.Â
âStay safe, okay?âÂ
âAlways.â She promised, âTell Abby I said hi,â I smiled as I imagined the perky forensic scientistâs reaction.Â
âWill do,â he chuckled.Â
okay, thatâs part 4, and like always, i hope it didnât disappoint. and if it did then, again, thatâs chill too. sorry it took so long. and again if you have any suggestions or recommendations just ask, and if you want to be tagged in part 5, let me know! part 5 will be up tomorrow. have a beautiful day loves :)
Thanks again @shelikesloki
tags for those who asked, if you want to be tagged or untagged just lmk. <3
Hi, IM BACK!!! I hope yall missed me. Sorry, I was gone for so long, needed to take a break. I hope yall are still interested in this story. A lot of people seemed to like the To Hell and Back series, so thank you for the support, it really makes me smile. This is kind of a filler chapter so I hope that's okay. This was an original idea thought up by @shelikesloki. So thank you so much for the recommendation. If you have any suggestions/requests or want me to write a specific idea then feel free to ask, my dms and asks are open, but for now hereâs part 3! Part 4 will be up tomorrow. PLEASE give me some suggestions of what you want to see! This series spans across the beginning of season 8.
Concept from @shelikesloki: After overhearing Morgan and Reid speaking about Maeve, Y/n has trouble with the idea that sheâs missed her chance with Spencer. But after the team helps save Maeve, will Reid and Maeve even work out?
âŸ
Maeve. Her name was Maeve. Itâd been almost an hour since Spencer had come to the team, I sat, my eyes fixated on the ground. Iâd never noticed the way the floor was installed, how each tile worked to make the shape of a diamond, how the light glinted against it. The fade in and out of the voices around me did nothing to comfort me. Logically, I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that I needed to sit up, lift my eyes and work, help Spencer. But my eyes stay trained on the floor and the voices stay distant. And when my name was called and I didnât have the energy to respond, I settled for raising my head instead. âY/n, Morgan, JJ, check out the loft.â
âŸ
Raindrops pattered on the window. It was only sprinkling out, tiny droplets skewing my vision of the world outside the car. Time passed by in a blur, my eyes growing heavy with exhaustion. By the time Morgan had parked the car, I'd almost nodded off.
I winced as the sound of glass breaking under my foot, it was everywhere. Mixed with large blocks of wood that had been destroyed. The table in the middle of the room had been broken to pieces. Evidence of a struggle was displayed throughout the living room. Iâd been asking a neighbor if theyâd seen or heard anything unusual when Iâd heard Morgan shout. Theyâd already cleared the apartment, both holstering their weapons. Hopping around the glass, I surveyed the small room. Green shards of glass littered the walkway to the kitchen, a different color than the kind in the living room. I inspected what had previously been a vase most likely, running my fingertips lightly on the jagged ends.
Nausea bubbled up, threatening to spill out. This wasnât even close to the worst of the worst when it came to crime scenes. Hell, there wasnât even blood. Iâd seen limbs torn off, bodies decayed, yet my body still bent and swayed as I stood, fighting the urge to lie down. Dread thumped along to every heartbeat. This was her home. This was where she sat when she spoke to him. I turned away, focusing on a robe hanging on her bedroom door. When the sight of that became too much, I turned to a pair of lampshades on a tabletop, closing my eyes when I imagined her standing where I was. My breathing came more evenly now. Cinnamon floated to my nose. The effects of a candle, a spray, or did she cook? Thousands of possibilities rushed through my mind on why her home looked the way it did. Organized, neat, clean, pristine if you will. Wrinkling my nose as I pushed away the thought. I need to not think right now.
âŸ
Every time I tuned myself back to the noise, it slowly faded within a few minutes. It was half a quarter to 4 and I was currently fighting the urge to pick up the phone. It was the fifth time Tony had called me, the buzzing in my pocket took up my focus as I trudged out of the room and slid my hand to whip the phone out. âWhat?â My tone was harsher than Iâd intended, the voice on the other line snapped back, âWhatâs got you in such a good mood?â
âVery funny,â I mumbled back, âWhat do you need? Iâm working on a case.â
âSo am I, Gibbs was wondering if youâd be able to consult, and since you won't answer any of his calls, he asked me to take it up with you.â
Before the BAU, Iâd worked in the NCIS, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. We consulted with detectives on cases that involved Naval officers. My brother, Tony, had gotten me the job a couple of years before, theyâd become a second family before I left. The BAU had given council on a case involving a group of Officers being targeted by a serial killer. Evan Backford had been hunting down men who reminded him of his father, and as the case got more intense, the BAU elected to join us down in D.C. After working with them, I was offered a spot on their team, and Iâd taken it. Jethro Gibbs, my boss at the time, still checked in every now and then, making sure to maintain contact. Iâd been avoiding him because even though he wasnât a trained profiler, no one could read you quite like Jethro Gibbs. I could tell Iâd already confused my coworkers by my shifty behavior last month after the revelation with Spencer, I didnât need more eyes watching my every move to see if I was okay.
âIâm kinda swamped with this one, Tony,â I mumbled, fidgeting with my belt loops.
âIâm sure they can handle at least one case without you,â His voice crackled through the speaker. âItâs not like youâre the Einstein of profilers.â
âTony, you donât understand,â I took a quick peek over my shoulder before continuing, âThis is a personal case, someoneâs targeting one of us.â
I didnât have to see him to know his demeanor had changed. âSomeoneâs targeting you? Were you not gonna mention that? Thereâs things we can do-â
âTargeting ONE of us,â I repeated, enunciating the word. âNot me specifically, someoneâs been stalking Spencer and his⊠girlfriend,â I barely managed the word, âSheâs gone missing, we're doing all we can to help.â The silence on the other side of the phone was deafening. âSpencerâs girlfriend?â I pulled my hand to my chest and wrapped it around my other arm, it was colder outside than Iâd expected. âYes, heâs been seeing someone.â
Another small silence before he responded, âThis is the Spencer I met? The one who assisted with our case?â
I hesitated, Tony had met Spencer multiple times before, he was my best friend, âWhat other Spencer is there?â I asked. âIâm just making sure, you said sheâs missing?â He asked. I rolled my eyes, âYes, yes, missing.â
âDo they live together?â
âNo, sheâs been in hiding at an apartment, whole thing was trashed, signs of a struggle, the whole nine yards.â
Tonyâs voice crackled through the receiver, âAny suspects?â
âNot yet, JJ thinks it's a female, we found a picture of Maeve-â I swallowed hard, Iâd never said her name before. âWe found this picture of her with eyeliner crossing out her head. That would explain why she let her into the apartment.â
âDoes Spencer have any exes?â I shook my head as soon as he asked, âNo, no, Iâm pretty sure this might be his first relationship.â
Tony hummed in response, âDoes she-â He was cut off by JJâs voice behind me. Over at the exit of the building, JJ hung out the door, eyes wide as I pulled the phone away from my ear.
âWe have something.â I nodded and turned away from her, bringing the phone back up to my face, âTony, Iâve got to go.â His voice shot up in panic, âY/n, wait.â I headed for the door, shuddering when the warm air met my skin. I pushed one finger in my other ear and strained to hear what he was saying. âGibbs has been trying to get a hold of you and wanted me to make sure you got the message, he needs to speak to you.â JJ held the elevator at the end of the hall open and I sped walked to meet her. âIs it about the case you mentioned?â I asked.
âYes, and no, just call him when you get the chance.â
âIâll do what I can, Tony,â I snapped the phone shut. I turned to JJ as the elevator doors closed, âWhat happened?â
âWe have the unsub.â
okay, thatâs part 3, and like always, i hope it didnât disappoint. and if it did then, again, thatâs chill too. sorry it took so long. and again if you have any suggestions or recommendations just ask, and if you want to be tagged in part 4, let me know! part 4 will be up tomorrow. have a beautiful day loves :)
Thanks again @shelikesloki
tags for those who asked, if you want to be tagged or untagged just lmk. <3
Hi so a lot of people liked the To Hell and Back series, thank you for the support, it really makes me smile. This was an original idea thought up by @shelikesloki. So thank you so much for the recommendation. If you have any suggestions/requests or want me to write a specific idea then feel free to ask, my dms and asks are open, but for now hereâs part 2! Part 3 will be up tomorrow. PLEASE give me some suggestions of what you want to see! This series spans across the beginning of season 8.
Concept from @shelikesloki: After overhearing Morgan and Reid speaking about Maeve, Y/n has trouble with the idea that she's missed her chance with Spencer. But after the team helps save Maeve, will Reid and Maeve even work out?
âŸ
After the unsub kidnapped a pregnant lady and removed the child from the womb, leaving both the mother and child at a hospital, the team became frantic. At this point the M.O. was non-existent. A completely different victim combined with a completely different type of crime was enough to label anyone and everyone as a potential victim.
With the idea that unsub might be trying to make up an entire family, we focused our eyes onto infants and children that could potentially be at risk. The placenta being completely scraped out of the female adult victim gave Spencer the idea that it could be linked to Placentophagy. Iâd had to force myself not to leave the room once he began speaking, knowing heâd be able to pick up on it. I needed to remain friendly with him, at least for now, to avoid suspicion. He needed to think my silence still had something to do with my made up date, not my undying affection for him. âConsuming the placenta, in the wild itâs common for animals to eat their own afterbirth. Itâs super rich in nutrients,â Spencer explained. I stifled a low groan in response, nausea rising as Rossi spoke, âSo the unsub might have harvested this last victim⊠for food?â
In the end, with the sawdust present in the victimâs airways, and nothing in the profile that suggested cannibalism, and with one of the most efficient substrates for compost on the earth being sawdust, weâd discovered sheâd been using her victims as human fertilizer. Emma Kerrigan, a widow who ran a small juice and vegetable stand at the farmerâs market according to Garcia, living west of town on a 100 acre farm that belonged to her late husband. She fit the profile of our unsub. Iâd stayed at the office while Morgan, Hotch and Blake left to apprehend the unsub.
The flight back to Quantico was quiet, most of the team asleep. When retreating to our desks upon our return to Headquarters, JJ had filled me in on how Henry, her son, was too afraid to dress up this year, a fellow classmate had explained to him that the real monsters always came out on Halloween since they wouldnât need to disguise themselves. Iâd stopped short in my tracks, my gaze moving to Spencer unconsciously. It was Halloween. Iâd been so caught up in the case that Iâd missed that it was Halloween, Spencerâs favorite holiday.
Filing in our paperwork one by one, the team slowly grabbed their things, discussing their plans for tonight and getting ready to leave, JJâs raised voice from the doorway caught my attention. âUh- Excuse me, everybody. I have an announcement to make,â eyes fell to her figure walking towards the center of the room. I grabbed my bag and through it over my chest as I powered off my computer, turning to give her my full attention. âAs Iâm sure some of you are aware, Henry was a little nervous about Trick-Or-Treating this year,â she started. âBut,â she lingered on the word for a moment, âHeâs decided to go anyway.â
âGreat, what changed his mind?â Rossi asked.
âThe BAU did,â Jennifer answered, âI told him that he should go out on Halloween and try to figure out which monsters are real and which ones are not.â Warmth swept through the room slowly, Morgan being the first one to speak, âSo he wants to be a profiler.â I suppressed an âawe,â as JJ held a finger up.
âAh, he wants to be his favorite profiler.â There wasnât time to process her words, however, before the tiny man himself walked through the door holding Penelopeâs hand. Converse were the first thing I saw, mini converse. A beaming Henry wore a blue polo, a gray sweater vest tucked into his tan pants. A red tie peeked out from behind the vest, a satchel draped across his chest. Iâd recognize that style anywhere. He was dressed as Spencer.
Cheers erupted from around the office, smiles replacing previous frowns as Spencer rose from his seat. âYou look great, Henry!â Spencer exclaimed as the mini version of him bounded over to his desk. A laugh bubbled from my lips before I could stop it. Bending down to the boyâs height, Reid pulled his identification card for the office from his sweater, mumbling to Henry as he attached it to him, âPut this on here.â Henry stood still as Spence clicked it on, looking down to inspect it.
âNow itâs official,â Morgan called from the back of the room. Penelope stood just behind the scene, taking a step forward and bending down to whisper in Henryâs ear, âTell him.â Without hesitation Henry turned to Spencer, smiling before he spoke, âE equals MC squared.â His voice came out softly, Reidâs eyes crinkled, his mouth making an âoâ shape. Morganâs head threw back, he let out a deep laugh, âThere it is!â He exclaimed. It was impossible to hide the giggles now, I couldnât fight a grin as Spencer raised his hand for a high five.
âThe monsterâs don't stand a chance,â Blake smirked.
Spencer stood, looking over his shoulder to me. My smile faltered. Just for a moment. But that didnât stop him from noticing. My eyes burned, misty eyed I stood as a thought echoed in my mind. Heâll be a lovely father. That was all it took, five little words to bend my frame, to sink my heart. A warm liquid trailed down my cheek, I turned away from the team as I touched a hand to my cheek. I hadn't noticed Iâd begun crying. I was out of the room before I could comprehend my own movements.
âŸ
The sound of heels clicking on the floor stopped my sob. âY/n?â A set of black glittery pumps stopped outside of my stall. âI know youâre in there, are you okay?â Penelopeâs voice echoed off the walls. âDid you eat something bad? Cause I saw you run and Iâve got a bottle of Pepto-â She stopped short in the middle of her sentence as I opened the stall door.
There was no point in pretending I hadnât been crying, sheâd stay outside until I left to make sure I was okay, and sheâd notice my face at some point.
âWhat happened?â Her voice came out higher than normal, her mouth agape as she stepped back so I could leave the stall. Her wide eyes followed mine as I stepped toward the sink, resting my hands on the cold countertop. My face was blotchy and red, deep bags had formed under my eyes from the lack of sleep. My nose bright ruby. My cheeks were soaked wet, my lips and eyelids swollen as I turned the faucet on. I let my eyes fall to the water in my hands as I washed them, looking in the mirror just made me feel worse, more small and weak than I already felt. I leaned my head down and felt Penelopeâs fingertips gliding through my hair, pulling my hair back as I washed the tears off my cheeks. She waited in silence as I turned the faucet off, pulling paper towels out of the dispenser to dry my face. Finally when Iâd recovered what little pride I had, I spun to look at her.
I was surprised to find her eyes understanding and calm, rather than wide and expectant. I struggled to find the words, âItâs just- I canât- I don't know how to-â
âItâs him, isnât it?â She asked. Heat flowed into my cheeks as I responded, running a hand through my hair, âItâs who?â
âSpencer.â
There was no point in lying, and who was I kidding anyways? I needed someone. My words choked in my throat so I nodded instead. Arms enveloped me as another sob broke through my chest. heaving, I held my hands together to force them to stop shaking. A numbness set through my body, starting first at my legs and then rising upward. I slumped forward into her arms, my eyes shut tight as a strangled groan leapt from my lips.
Iâm not sure how long we sat like that before I pulled back, reminding myself that standing in heels was difficult and Penelope was probably having a hard time right now. I muttered apologies to no avail. Pushing my hair out of my face, I couldnât keep eye contact with her. âHeâs- heâs so happy and- and-â
âAnd youâre stuck crying in a public bathroom,â she finished for me. âYou know about her, don't you?â Her voice was low, controlled, whereas mine broke apart with every sentence.
I worked to keep my composure, âSeeing him with Henry,â I hiccupped, âHeâs going to be such a great father, and not that I ever thought of him as mine, but-â
âYou wanted that future with him?â Penelope made this easier, I wasnât the best at talking through my emotions, she knew when I couldnât find the right words.
âBut now itâs hers. Her future. And I know I never acted on how I felt, but knowing itâs completely off the table now- I donât know how Iâm going to sit across from him everyday,â I was rambling with no endpoint now, so I let my voice fall quiet and stared at the grout between the tiles as Penelope draped a hand over my shoulder. âYou could take time off, come back when youâre ready, when youâve made peace with it?â She suggested.
âI don't know if I can make peace with it. He deserves his best friend and I just don't know how to go back to that,â I sniffled.
âLove, you deserve happiness too, you shouldnât have to suffer just to make it easier for him,â she said.
It was silent for a moment before a thought entered my head. âHow did you know it was Spencer?â Penelope rolled her eyes before giving a smile, âOh come all the talk about letting yourself get hurt, and the cold shoulder to Spencer? It doesnât take a profiler to pick up on it. Besides who couldâve missed you fawning over him for the past 6 years?â She giggled. I smiled at that.
âYou know he hasnât even told me about her? Iâm his best friend and he didnât tell me,â I chuckled.
âOh, call the churches, what ever will we do?â She teased.
âŸ
I made it out of the bathroom 15 minutes later. Penelope had supplied concealer to cover the redness in my face but there was no covering the swollen lips and eyes. Penelope figured no one would notice and for the most part, no one did. When I emerged to the lobby of our building I found most of the team still there surprisingly, still discussing the plans for dinner. JJ and Henry had already left, along with Hotch taking leave to go see his son. Rossi and Morgan however, had taken seats in the benches to the right.
âHey, mama, whereâve you been, weâve been waiting on you,â Morgan called as soon as Garcia was in view. âWe had some girly issues,â she replied, sheâd been smart to leave it at that, Derek immediately backs away from the topic, wrapping an arm over Penelopeâs shoulder as he walks toward the parking lot. Feeling someoneâs eyes watching me, I scan my surroundings before I notice brown eyes watching me. I know he picked up on what happened earlier, but he doesnât mention it as he strides forward. âWeâre going to head to JJâs for the Halloween party, I figured Iâd ask if you wanted to go too?â He asked, pursing his lips. I nodded, pulling my coat on as we started for the lot.
He pulled the door open for me and I gave a small smile in response. I was done trying to distance myself. This was going to hurt no matter what, and frankly I wasnât sure I could manage without my best friend. He wasnât mine, he never was. And Iâd just have to deal with that. âSpence?â He hummed in return, the group was only a couple feet away, getting into their cars as he walked me to mine. âAbout Comic Con,â his eyes lit up as the words left my lips, âStill have those tickets?â
okay thatâs part 2, and like always, i hope it didnât disappoint. and if it did then, again, thatâs chill too. and again if you have any suggestions or recommendations just ask, and if you want to be tagged in part 3, let me know! part 3 will be up tomorrow. have a beautiful day loves :)
Hi so a lot of people liked the To Hell and Back series, thank you for the support, it really makes me smile. This was an original idea thought up by @shelikesloki. So thank you so much for the recommendation. If you have any suggestions/requests or want me to write a specific idea then feel free to ask, my dms and asks are open, but for now hereâs part 1! Part 2 is probably already up. PLEASE give me some suggestions of what you want to see! This series spans across the beginning of season 8.
Concept from @shelikesloki: After overhearing Morgan and Reid speaking about Maeve, Y/n has trouble with the idea that she's missed her chance with Spencer. But after the team helps save Maeve, will Reid and Maeve even work out?
âŸ
Breathless. Thatâs how Iâd describe it. Like the airâs been sucked from my lungs, leaving me empty, dry, gasping. The rest of their conversation fades, Iâm not even able to process that Morganâs sitting back next to me until he offers me a peanut. I don't notice my head shaking until heâs already turned back to the window, my eyes trained on the page beneath me. Legs made of jelly support me as I stand and make my way to the bathroom, my lips hard pressed into a line. Logically, I know my eyes shouldnât sting. I know my breathing shouldnât come unevenly. How can I grieve losing someone who was never mine? My eyes meet the reflection in the mirror, willing her lips to stop quivering.
Running a hand through my hair, Morgan's words too loud in my head, âIf youâve got somebody new in your life to talk to, Iâd just like to know who she is.â I shouldnât have been listening to their conversation to begin with, but Spencer had been so off the past few weeks. Secretive, constantly leaving the group, as my best friend, I wanted to know what was wrong. Weâd come to a block in the case, confused on where to go next to find the unsub, and heâd come back from a drive with a major break. Iâd assumed Blake and him had been brainstorming. Morgan had continued as my breathing hitched, âCause sheâs got to be one hell of a woman to keep up with you.â Iâd come undone by three little words, âWho told you?â Spencer had confirmed. Hands that didnât feel like they belonged to me shook as they fumbled for the phone in my back pocket, dialing the only number I could think of.
âŸ
âStill not gonna tell me what this is about?â I suppressed a sigh, tilting my head to meet Penelopeâs waiting gaze. âNo idea what youâre talking about,â a forced smile made its way to my lips. Penelopeâs hands folded over her themselves, âListen,â she started. âI will always be up for slushies from a sketchy gas station, and I donât mind taking your mind off of whatever it is,â she gestured wildly with her hands. âBut you cannot just call me crying and expect me not to worry,â
âI know, I know-â
âNo, I am not finished speaking,â She held a finger up. âY/n, I love you so much, I would do anything for you and you know that,â Penelope took a deep breath. âAnd if it's really too much to talk about, I will understand, believe me. But I need to at least know that no one did this to you.â
I let out a sigh, âAre you done?â She nodded, curls bouncing as she did so. âNo one hurt me,â I hesitated, thinking it over. âI hurt myself,â that might be a better way to put it, itâs not Spencerâs fault that I never initiated anything the past six years. I allowed myself to get attached, thatâs my problem to deal with, not his. It wouldnât be right to cast the blame onto him. âI let myself get hurt, I let it happen. Itâs no oneâs fault but my own,â I crossed my arms over my chest. âNow if you don't mind, Iâd like to drink my slushie before it melts,â I added, slipping the straw into my mouth.
A hand found its way to mine and squeezed lightly, Penelopeâs eyes wide over her glasses as she spoke, âYou know Iâve always got you, right Y/n?â My response got caught in my throat, so I offered a small nod instead, placing a hand over hers. For a brief moment we sat there, both looking down at the table, before Penelope sat back and fumbled for her car keys. âSo, what are we watching, Legally Blonde or Clueless?â
âŸ
Emotions complicated things. Emotions werenât trustworthy. They were irrational and got in the way most of the time. It was irrational to act as if Spencer was the only man Iâd ever care for. It was irrational to dwell over him when he was happy with someone else. It was irrational to be upset over someone Iâd never even dated. I reminded myself of this when I walked into work Monday morning. So Spencer would never know how I felt, was that really the worst thing in the world? That meant there was no room for rejection, no room for the complications of working together might bring, no room for the inevitable downfall of our friendship if things went awry. I reminded myself that this was a blessing, not a curse. But as I caught a glimpse of the back of his head upon walking to my desk, a sharp burst of pain straight to my heart reminded me Iâd never actually be able to see it that way.
As soon as my bottom hit the seat he was turning around in his hair, âY/n,â a smile graced his face. Keeping my expression in check, I nodded in his direction, turning to my screen. The sound of wheels rolling against the vinyl flooring was shortly accompanied by Spencer rolling into view to my left, tapping lightly on the desk when I kept my eyes on my computer. Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I examined the bags under his eyes, he must have had a long night. I shook my head lightly to get the picture of who he might have spent it with out of my mind.
âIâve got two tickets to Comic Con this Sunday, I thought maybe Star Trek characters might be a nice team up costume?â He held the tickets up as he spoke. I reminded myself how much easier it would be to work through my feelings at a distance.
âIâm sure that will be fun,â my voice coming out more monotone than Iâd intended. He continued on, âIt just depends on who we choose to be. Spock might be a little too obvious so I was thinking maybe Kor-â
âIâm sure youâll have lots of fun,â I cut in. His head jerked back, his eyes narrowing, âYou're not going?â He asked, his eyes incredulous. When I responded only with silence he leaned in closer, âWe go every year, itâs tradition.â
âI have something this Sunday,â I said, working hard not to itch my shoulder. Lying always made me itch, Spencer said it was my tell, I moved around too much when I was dishonest to him. With anyone else I could lie easily, but Spencer made things difficult in every aspect. I gripped my leg tight as I ignored the urge to push my hair behind my ear and guilt trickled in when his eyes dropped from mine.
âWhat could you possibly have scheduled for on Sunday, itâs the one day we reserve,â He asked, taking his bottom lip in between his teeth. Heat rushed into my cheeks, so he could keep secrets from me but I wasnât allowed any privacy? Anger dripped through me like white hot liquid, irrational or not, he was hurting me and I was trying to save us both the grief of my little crush getting worse. I regretted my excuse as soon as it passed my lips, âA date.â My voice had been harsher than necessary, the effect was visceral. His jaw clenched, gulping as he pushed away from the desk. Iâd snapped at Spencer before, while tired from a case, while hungry, but Iâd always had a reason for it, now I had none to give him.
âSomething bothering you?â He asked, brows furrowed. Yes, you. Youâre making this so much harder than it has to be. I smoothed my face, âNo, Iâve just got a lot on my mind right now,â I let my eyes fall back over my computer, watching in my peripheral vision as he didnât move. Eventually a minute or two later I heard the sound of wheels rolling again and his presence faded out of view. He didnât deserve that, he deserves to be happy, snapping at him wasnât fair. But was staying close to him worth losing myself?
âŸ
I shouldnât have been surprised by a new case with Halloween so close, four men from rural Oregon had gone missing, bodies yet to be found, and with the latest victim, Terry Rodgers, police were calling us in. With no forensic evidence, no witnesses and no ransom demands, we had almost nothing to work with. But with 4 sudden disappearances in a community so small and no sense of a stop in deaths and the time between each abduction getting consistently shorter, they needed all the help they could get.
With no apparent overlap in the victims, it seemed the unsub was choosing victims at random. After the flight to Oregon I remained all too aware of Reidâs eyes on me during the investigation. Keeping my distance from him remained harder than Iâd expected. After Hotch had insisted that I join him and JJ on checking out the latest victimâs cabin, Iâd offered my help to Hotch and Rossi with the abduction site, and surprisingly theyâd taken it.
The abduction sight didnât show much, two sets of car tracks, vomit from the victim signs of a veer off the road. Heâd either been forced off the road or had gotten sick. With elevated levels of Melatonin in his lab results it was no wonder why heâd become so ill.
Shortly after our visit the second victim, Barry Deaverâs car had been found impounded, found abandoned in a rural spot three weeks prior. By the time Rodgerâs body was found in a bank the entire team had been back together. With only ligature marks, it was clear no obvious violent methods of torture had been taken against the victim. Heâs been sedated and drowned, and Iâd kept my head down as Spencer and Morgan discussed this. Retreating next to JJ when Reid had wandered next to my side. Due to the nature of the killing, weâd reassessed the unsub, we were now looking for a woman.
Delivering the profile was harder than expected, up to this point of the investigation Iâd simply stayed away from Spencer in the physical sense, leaving the room when he entered, working solely with the rest of the team members when on the case. But being forced to stay in the same room with him posed a new set of challenges. Before Iâd figure out what was going on, Iâd managed to slip back into old habits, standing too close, offering small smiles when heâd finished speaking to make sure he knew someone was listening to him. It was so easy to forget when I was around him, so easy to act like nothing was wrong.
All the men had been fathers in some capacity, the only link maybe, but it still told us what we needed to know about the unsub. While discussing the autopsy Spencer had come to the conclusion that itâd be a good idea to steal me away after his call with Rossi.
âDid I say something wrong?â He asked in the hallway. After pretending I didnât hear him didnât work, I turned my head to avoid his eyes as we walked, âWhat do you mean?â He was silent for a moment, only the clicking of our shoes echoing off the walls.
âY/n, I think you know what I mean,â he said, exasperation filling his voice. âHow do you figure?â I asked, picking up speed.
âY/n, please.â His fingertips find my shoulders and my feet fall short, stopping in place. His brown eyes are wide, alert as he fumbles for his words, âYouâre- Youâre ignoring me when I talk to you, or- or completely walking away. Youâre snappy. The thing with comic con. You were fine during the profile and then back in the morgue?â
âWhat did I do wrong during the autopsy?â My voice comes out more whiny than Iâd like.
âYouâre cold and distant, like the flip of a coin, is it something Iâm saying, or doing, or-â Guilt gnaws at me before I can let him finish. âSpencer, Iâm just tired,â but he glanced down at my fidgeting hands and returned to my eyes with a disbelieving look. I force my hands to my sides, I need an excuse, a reason for my hostility.
âMy date cancelled.â He pressed his lips into a hard line, his eyebrows raising. âOh,â he breathes. âYeah,â the silence makes my hands twitch upwards, Iâm going to have to make it believable, heâs a profiler for Christ sake. Lord forgive me for what Iâm about to do. I widen my eyes and lower them to the floor, fake solemnness playing on the corners of my lips, âI found out before I came into the office. I lied, itâs not still on, I just didnât want to explain.â I make my stature feel small, itâs easy to do so, to look weak like a little girl. It makes me uncomfortable, unnatural. Iâve spent my entire life trying to prove that Iâm not that. My stomach stirs, lying to Spencer isnât easy, let alone consciously trying to manipulate him, but my tactic works. The way he shifts back and mirrors my uncomfortable posture proves he doesnât know how to respond.
âI didnât mean to-â âOh, I know,â I cut him off, âIâd just rather not talk about it if thatâs okay.â He nods once, sliding a foot backwards and I take this as my cue to walk forward, leading down the hallway.
okay thatâs part 1, and like always, i hope it didnât disappoint. and if it did then, again, thatâs chill too. and again if you have any suggestions or recommendations just ask, and if you want to be tagged in part 2, let me know! part 2 is probably already up. have a beautiful day loves :)
Canât believe thereâs actually some dumbasses looking at this Astroworld tragedy and being like âitâs astounding how thereâs no empathy in the younger generationâ
What the fuck. How the FUCK did yâall see Travis Scott on a literal tower encouraging violence while watching dead bodies be carried out and go âhm, must be the young people at it againâ.
Yeah, there were shitty fucking people jumping on the ambulance (incited and encouraged by Travis Shithead Scott). Yeah, there were people still dancing. But do you seriously think every single person in that crowd simultaneously knew what was happening? The people in the crowd were all eye level, only the ones closest to the site of the casualties would have known what was really happening because TRAVIS SCOTT DID NOT STOP THE GODDAMN CONCERT. Even the people jumping on the ambulance likely did not know the full gravity of the situation. The one person with the power to get everyoneâs attention at that very moment did NOTHING.
Thatâs NOT a fucking generational problem. Stop trying to save some shitty rich person from facing the consequences of their actions by blaming people who were literally just in the crowd. All of you out here being like âgee those young kids these days donât give a shit about anyone but themselvesâ need to shut the fuck up. If youâre really that upset by the crowds response, why arenât you fucking incensed by how Travis Scott acted, which was hands down a billion times worse? Why arent you tweeting or posting about him, but rather the people in the crowd? Hm?