#skylar nott

[ssa-spencer]

[ssa-spencer]

spencer x skylar

[ssa-spencer]

Post-Vegas

Plot: After the mysterious mass murder in a five-star hotel in Vegas, Skylar happened to know the man responsible for the murder and tried to protect him during the FBI’s stakeout. Spencer arrived late and Skylar received a near fatal shot.

Status: ONGOING

SKYLAR

Blinding white light. That is what Skylar woke up to. Her brown eyes squinted for a moment before they adjusted to the on slaughter of colours. Her eyes adjusted and focused for a moment before she realised she was staring up at a white ceiling. Her hearing was the next sense to return. The noises had her eyes darting around but she couldn't see much of anything. Her vision was still blurry.

Her body felt like lead, heavy. She was sure she had been a goner after that bullet had pierced her chest. But she had survived miraculously and was now in a hospital. She wondered what had happened since then. Hoe long had it been? The last thing she remembered was Mathieu hovering over her and Spencer running towards them.

Spencer! His name had her immediately snapping out of her dousy state and into awareness. That's when she felt it. The pressure across the throat. Her mouth was covered with a mask. There was something lodged in her throat. Was she on a ventilator?

All coherent thoughts flew out of her head as she panicked. She could vaguely hear a beeping sound going off. Her heart monitor was beeping, indicating that her heart was racing, probably because of the sudden panic. Breathing was difficult for some reason, probably because she was hyperventilating and also because she had a tube stuck down her throat. God, that hurt. And it was definitely not helping.

SPENCER

All the events that unfolded before this very moment flashed into Reid's mind in a blur. All that mattered now was Skylar. Oh god, Sky. She was losing a lot of blood from the gunshot wound. Taking his handkerchief, he quickly maneuver her to a sitting position that would slow the blood flow and made a makeshift bandage on her wound. He picked her up in his arms and rushed to the medical team that was on standby near the hotel. The medical team helped him get Skylar to the ambulance, where he stayed with her the entire time. Even on the way to the emergency room, Spencer wouldn't let Sky out of his sight. But he knew she needed the medical attention asap. It felt like hours, a heavy drag he felt as he paced, sat, paced again. The feeling of dread wouldn't settle. He said he wouldn't let anything like this happen to her again, but it did. Guilt mixed with worry was driving the doctor to insanity. By the time the surgery was over, the operating doctor appeared, greeted by Spencer's worried and hopeful eyes. "She's all right, Dr. Reid. We've retrieved the bullet and patched up the wound. Thankfully, no major arteries were hit. We'll be taking her to her room now. She needs some rest." Reid took the information with a grain of salt and nodded. "Okay." He should feel relieved by now, but he wasn't. He just couldn't possibly forgive himself for that. He arrived in her room, where some nurses were tending to the tubes and medical equipment connected to Skylar. He blamed himself for Sky's current disposition. The nurses finish their setup and excused themselves, leaving Reid alone with her. Spencer walked like a ghost and fell on the seat by the bed. He took her hand into his and whispered. "I'm sorry, Sky. I'm so sorry."

SKYLAR

She pretty much had no idea what all had happened since she had since she lost consciousness. She remembered falling in and out of darkness for a while, and she had remembered Reid’s face and then darkness. Until now. White ceiling was the next thing she remembered when she woke in the hospital. And then the panic of not being able to breathe properly. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t feel anything other than the tube down her throat and the pain of the ventilator. God, it hurt. She hadn’t even realized he had been holding it until she clenched her hands. Her hand clenched down around his and her eyes snapped to the right. She hadn’t seen it before. But he was here. Right next to her. And he was even holding her hand. The thought warmed her heart and her heart monitor picked up as well. She couldn’t believe it. She was alive and he was right next to her. He looked exhausted, as if he had been through hell and back. But a moment later those thoughts left her mind too as the discomfort of the tube returned. She clenched his hand again, her eyes on his face hoping he’d realize she was awake and call the nurses or even a doctor. Weren’t they supposed to come and check on her anyway if her heart monitor was going off the charts? But they must have assumed she was getting better after the surgery so they probably didn’t think anything of it.

[mathiefmatic]

Sing us a song and we'll sing it back to you We could sing our own but what would it be without you?

[ssa-spencer]

From Proofless Coincidence to Possible Casualty

Skylar Nott and Spencer Reid

SKYLAR

What were the odds. Each time she was in the States, something went wrong. It was not always anything major. Just some small things here and there. The only two times she had had anything bad happen to her was both murder. Not hers of course. People she knew.

The first time had been over 6 months ago. She was visiting a friend in New York. She was staying with her at her place. It had been only a few days since she had arrived when it happened. They had gone lubing one night. Her friend had gone back into an alley to smoke after a while, leaving Sky inside to dance by herself. It had been a while and she never came back. Sky had gone back to find her. The alley was empty. Nothing. Just her purse let in a corner, her friend missing. She had alerted the police but needed to wait a minimum of 24 hours before she could report her missing. 24 hours had come and gone. And yet no sign of her friend. Finally, the police had taken her statement.

Few days went by before they found her. Or rather her corpse. She was left in a ditch by the side of the road just outside New York. Skylar had made her identification. That is when she had met him. Dr Spencer Reid. He was young FBI agent. She had been impressed. Someone so young, working such a job. And he was smart. Very smart. She had spoken to him. About her friend. He was interesting. She liked it. They had exchanged email Ids, even though it was against protocol for him. They had kept in touch even when she was back in London.

The second time, was another murder. She had been at a bar where a friend of a friend worked. Just another trip to New York. She was trying not to think about the last time she had been there 6 months ago. Her friend had offered to take her out to a bar where another friend worked. Unfortunately she had had to leave half way. Skylar had been left with this 'new' friend. Skylar hadn't noticed anything unusual until the girl when out to drop some trash and never came back inside. Minutes passed. Finally Skylar had gone back to look for her. No sign of her in the alley. Just the bags. No. It couldn't be happening again. Could it?

She had been terrified. She needed help. Someone. Anyone. His face had flashed across her mind. Yes. Reid. Before she knew it, she had hailed a cab and was on her way to the airport. She had called up her friend to say the other one was gone. Missing maybe she didn't know. Alert the police.

She was on a flight to Quantico before she knew it. And before no time, in front of the building where he worked. Would they let her in? She needed to see him. The only other person she knew on this coast. Thankfully, they had let her in with an ID check. He was out, it seemed. On a case. She would wait. No matter the time. She sat on one of the chairs. The guard told her he'd send Dr Reid right over when he came back.

Skylar had no idea what to do or say if and when he did come back. She had flown in without warning. But she was terrified. A little. And he was the only one she knew here now.

SPENCER

Every year, Marymount University holds a job opportunities seminar for the Criminal Justice majors. On this particular day, the FBI had tasked Dr. Spencer Reid alone to represent his department, the Behavioral Analysis Unit. He was usually accompanied by another team member, so this was surprised.

"I'm sorry, Chief Strauss, are you sure about that?" Spencer asked his boss.

Chief Erin Strauss replied with a nod, "Agent Hotchner said you're ready."

'Hotch vouched for me?' He looked rather puzzled but accepted the task. "Okay, ma'am. I'll do my best." With that, Spencer was off to Marymount.

---

Reid was pretty sure he was doing a god-awful job. As an FBI profiler, he could very well read body language. Right now, all he saw was a group of college students - with eyes that screamed, 'Just get this over with' - barely paying attention to the words he'd spoken. It made him pause and rethink his strategy. 'What would Morgan do?' A question he often asked in social situations. He backed up on his speech, this time using the particular wording his pal would have used. "Crime rates continue to increase and the general population's fear grows along with it. That's why we come in the picture. We want those people, those families to feel safe again, and to get the justice they deserve. We at the Behavioral Analysis Unit, we study what we call the unsub or unknown subject. For example..."

He finished delivering his promotional speech, and was surprised the students were more enthusiastic, asking him significant questions. He was just about to entertain a third question when his phone rang. "Garcia?" He excused himself from the crowd, walking outside the symposium room.

"Hey, sweetie," their technical analyst's voice fills his ear, "there's a pretty brunette waiting for you here at the office."

"I'm sorry?" Reid was clearly surprised, confused even. If this was some prank Garcia's pulling before telling that there's a case he needs to go to, then it's working.

"I'm serious, Reid. A woman named Skylar Nott claims she knows you. What do I tell her?"

Ah. That pretty brunette. With an eidetic memory like his the recall was instant. "Uhm okay, tell her I'll be there in 10."

He bid his goodbye to the folks from Marymount due to the personal matter, but gave them his contact information in case they wish to ask more questions. He left the university and was back at Quantico by 7.

Spencer was fidgety on his way up. He and Skylar had stayed in touch for some time, but this surprise visit was different. There must be something wrong.

The elevator opens and he heads to his office desk, where Skylar was waiting. "Skylar, hey," he grinned, "This is unexpected." Spencer was known for being very frank. "What brings you here?"

SKYLAR

Skylar was sitting on one of the chair couches in the waiting  area. She had been offered a cup of coffee by a kind blonde woman. She had later asked for her name. Garcia. She had thanked her as she took a sip of her coffee while waiting.

Her mind was in a huge thinking frenzy. She was beginning to think maybe this wasn't the best idea. She wasn't even sure if it was the same thing. For all she knew, the second girl had just left or something. But in that moment, she had been reminded of her friend's murder. It had spooked her.

Her eyes glanced to the door when it opened, revealing Spencer. She stood up, putting the cup down on the desk as he walked up to her. "Spencer. I didn't know what else to do." She said as she played with her fingers nervously.

"It happened again. I was in New York. Again. She went missing. Just like Tina. "She said referring to the first murder. She knew he'd remember. "In an alley. She went out and never came back in." She rambled. " It may not be related at all but it spooked me and you were the only other person I knew here." she said and stopped to catch her breathe.

SPENCER

Spencer sat from across Skylar and listened to what she had to say. His forehead creased at the mention of last year's encounter. He nods, remembering every detail as if the case was just yesterday. He licked his lips in thought, "Are you sure?" He'd already explained to her in the messages they had exchanged how the BAU weren't allowed involvement in cases unless the local PDs ask for their assistance. More than that, there was another variable in the equation: Skylar was emotionally attached to her friend, and now that a similar situation presented itself, she was certain to have her bias. If anything, Spencer was a man of science and she knew that. They had nothing to go with to pursue this case but her gut feeling.

SKYLAR

"No I am not." She replied when he asked whether she was sure or not. "I don't know. But I know the similarities. Both brunettes. Both in their early 20s. Both taken from back alleys behind a bar. And both their belongings left in the alley. And within 6 months." She said as she looked over at him. "I don't even know if there is a connection. But it spooked me. And. I needed someone. And you were the only other person I know here." She said.

She had been taken back to the day her friend had gone missing 6 months ago. She was very emotional at the moment, that was certain. But she knew there was more to it than her emotional response. She wouldn't prove it, but she knew this missing woman again, wasn't a coincidence. But what ever the odds. She and Spencer had exchanged emails over time, and he had explained how his department worked. He couldn't get involved until he was called. But she had to tell him what she thought anyway.

"And Tina was found 3 days later. If this is the same, I couldn't not do anything." She said finally.

SPENCER

He'd expected her to reply exactly what she did. Spencer had come across people like Skylar too often— he himself had a similar phase regarding the death of a friend. But it had never influenced his objectivity; he refused to acknowledge his emotions in such ordeals. "If it really is the same unsub, there's no doubt about the victimology," he nods.

Morgan and Prentiss arrive at the office. Seeing Spencer with a girl they probably don't recall, Morgan's teasing smirk was instant. "Hey pretty boy." Spencer ignored him, continuing his conversation with Skylar.

"Listen Skylar, I know how hard it must have been to lose Tina. I really do. And as much as I want to help, I can't. My hands are tied. Besides, how long has your other friend been missing? There's really not much for us to go on here." Spencer didn't like how he was putting off a friend who needed his help, which resulted to him putting on an apologetic grin.

It was Rossi who arrived next, calling out to Spencer, "Reid, Hotch wants us in the meeting room. New case."

"I'll be right there," Spencer said and looked over to his friend. "Look, I can try asking my boss if we could look over the case but for the meantime, I don't encourage you to get your hopes up." He knew he wasn't the most comforting person to go to, much more talk to. Add to that was his lack of skill to emphathize without being too awkward. He gets up and pats her shoulder before walking to the meeting room where everyone else had already assembled.

SKYLAR

She listened carefully to what he had to say. She chewed on her lower lips as she nodded. She understood what he was saying. It was true. There wasn't much to go on. Just her word. "I understand." She said after a moment. "You are probably right. Maybe it's just my mind. Maybe I am over thinking this." She said with a nod.

Her eyes lifted to the door as two new people entered. A man and a woman. Skylar assumed they were part of his team by the way the man teased Spencer. It wasn't a moment later than another man called out to him. Ah. He needed to work.

"I understand. Thank you for listening to me,Reid. Anyone else  would have thought I was just crazy." She said as she gave him a small smile while he stood up to go to his meeting. She gave him a wave as she vanished.

She should probably leave and check into a hotel. It was getting late. She grabbed the coffee mug that she had previously abandoned and took a sip. She'd finish it and go. She could text him later. Just then her phone chimed and she dug into her purse to check it.

SPENCER

Once the team had assembled, Garcia began to present the case to them. “Tina Foster. 21 years old. Went missing 6 months ago after excusing herself for a smoke. Her friend reported her missing immediately but the police couldn’t take action until the first 24 hours have passed. 3 days after Tina’s disappearance, her body was found dumped in a ditch. Ugh,” she reacted in disgust to the crime scene while she pressed her controller that flashed the pictures on the screen.

“Yesterday, Molly Walker went missing,” Garcia showed the photo of the second victim, “and Detective Sprout thinks it’s the same guy because-”

“-she disappeared in an secluded area outside a bar,” Spencer chimed in, finishing the details as he was very familiar with them. "Same victimology as the first victim. White female. Brunette. Early twenties. Possibly the same MO given the method of abduction," he concludes his statement.

"Yes. Exactly, Reid." Garcia managed to look surprised with how much he knew about the case. "I was just talking to Skylar, the friend that reported Tina missing and eventually identified the corpse. She had a feeling they were connected too," he looked to the team, then to Garcia as she finally pieced it together.

“Ooh! The girl who was looking for you! So that’s why she looked familiar.” Reid gave a small grin to their Tech Analyst, before Hotch finally announced, “If our unsub plans to stick to his schedule, we have less than 36 hours to find Molly. Wheels up in 30.” The team is dismissed, and Spencer hurriedly pulled out his phone to inform Skylar that she was right, and his team was on its way to find her friend.

SKYLAR

After quickly finishing the coffee, Skylar stood up. She found a small paper and wrote a 'Thank You for listening to me.' and place it on Reid's desk. She left the building, hailing a cab and heading to a nearby hotel to spend the night. On the way to the hotel,  her phone had chimed. It was her friend in New York. Surprisingly the police had taken her statement about Molly's disappearance almost immediately after she had approached them. Now they wanted to talk to her as well. With Molly gone for only 8 hours, something felt out of place to Skylar. She had told the driver to change directions and head for the airport instead.

Didn't they usually wait 24 hours? They had made her wait that much last time. Did they change their policy? Or did someone unusual happen?

She was pondering things over in her head when a call snapped her out of her trance. She glanced down at the screen and was surprised to see his name flash across it. "Reid?" She asked as she picked up the phone. Maybe she had forgotten something in his office?

She almost missed what he was saying due to his rapid talking. Her eyes widened slightly as she finally realized what he had said. "You are? That's amazing! Thank you for much Reid. I am heading to the airport to get a flight back to New York. The Police want my statement as well." She said as the cab halted in front of the airport.

SPENCER

Spencer knew Skylar couldn’t see him, but he was smiling. “Don’t thank me just yet. We still need to find your friend and our time’s running short. It would help if you’d come by NYPD’s office so me or one of the team can ask you some questions about both disappearances though.”

“And Skylar,” he paused, unsure if he should tell her his theory. He knew it was too early in the investigation to rush to conclusions so he chose not to, instead opting for a, “be careful, okay?” Satisfied with her response, he ends the call and grabs his go-bag, heading straight to the airport to reunite with his team.

---

“Garcia, what have you got so far?” Hotch asks.

The eyes of the team were on the screen where Garcia’s video feed was on. “Tina Foster was not a local. She is from London, taking a vacation with a few friends, Spencer’s friend Skylar included. I checked her social media accounts, she posted photos and status updates from time to time but she was very good at handling her privacy settings and careful about her posts. Nothing to indicate that the unsub would know where to find her.”

“Molly Walker. Been in New York for most of her life, just graduated with a degree in Psychology. She worked part-time in a bar in New York. She didn’t need to, but she chose to finish one last shift while meeting Skylar. It didn’t end as well as she hoped.”

JJ nods, “In both cases, Skylar was always present.”

Spencer looked at JJ oddly, wondering why she brought that up as if Skylar was a suspect, but apparently everyone else had the same thing in mind. Garcia pulled up her research on Skylar, “Same as our first victim, Skylar is from London. There’s really not much I can tell from what I found,” which Reid felt certain Garcia was saying for his sake, “so I just sent everything in your tablets.

“Thanks Garcia,” Rossi bid farewell to their tech analyst. Hotch began dividing the team into individual tasks. “Morgan and JJ, go check the recent abduction site. Rossi and Prentiss, victimology. There must be something more than physical appearances to connect the two, that is if we’re dealing with the same unsub. Reid and I will set up shop.” The jet arrives in New York and they were all off to work.

---

Rossi, Prentiss, Reid and Hotch were greeted by Detective Polly, the man who suspected the two abductions might be related. “Agent Hotchner, thank you for coming,” Polly said and shook Hotch’s hand. “Detective Polly, this is Agent Rossi, Agent Prentiss and Dr. Reid.”

The two shook hands, but Spence waved his greeting to the detective. “Where can we set up?” he asked

“Right this way,” Detective Polly leads the profilers into a room. “Oh, that girl, Skylar. She’s waiting for you in my office, doctor.”

“Okay, let’s go-” Hotch puts a hand on Reid.

“Reid, a word?” Hotch looks to Detective Polly. “Tell Ms. Nott we’ll be with her in a few.” Once Polly had left the office, Hotch was onto Reid.

“I know you think I should consider her as a suspect. I do, but I don’t think she’s the unsub, Hotch.”

Hotch asked, “How can you be sure?”

“I’ll help Rossi and Prentiss with the victimology. I think the answer’s in there somewhere.”

Hotch nods, “Okay Reid, I’ll go talk to her.”

“Thanks Hotch,” Spencer grinned before joining Rossi and Prentiss in digging through the files.

SKYLAR

“I will come by as soon as I land” She replied. “And I will. Don’t worry” She said softly.  There was something in his voice. Something that she couldn’t place. Maybe he was just concerned since she had travelled so much in the past few hours.

Skylar paid the cab driver as she got out and then headed inside the airport. She brought a ticket back to New York on the first flight available. After landing, she was picked up by her other friend Rebecca. Rebecca had already been questioned by the police and didn’t need to go back in. For now.  Rebecca had been the one to introduce Skylar to Molly. But Rebecca didn’t know much since she had left the bar long before Molly had gone missing. Skylar went back to Rebecca’s apartment to freshen up. She hadn’t been in a house for the past whole day or more. Not since Molly had vanished. Sky had first gone to Quantico and now was back in New York. She took a quick bath, changed her clothes and drank a cup of coffee to keep herself awake before heading out to meet with the detectives that had called her in.

Rebecca had graciously offered to drop her to the police station. She had been grateful. She was honestly too tired to travel by cabs or subs. The whole event had been tiring and nerve wrecking. She thanked Rebecca as she got out of the car.

She headed into the station. She was greeted by a detective named Polly as soon as she had given her name to one of the officers. He had asked her to wait in his office while the FBI set up. They could be with her soon. She had agreed and taken her place in a chair in the office. She texted Rebecca telling her not to wait and go home instead as this could take a while.

Had she been alone in all this, she would have been a mess. But she knew Spencer and that was one thing that helped keep her calm. He wouldn’t lie to her. Or so she hoped. But he did have rules and regulations to follow. He obviously couldn’t tell her how the investigated was going or would go. But something was better than nothing. His team was here and were looking for Molly.

SPENCER

Prentiss and Rossi dug through the files while Reid set up the New York map on the board and began working on his geographic profile. Hotch had already left his team and went to Polly's office, where Skylar was waiting. "Skylar Nott? I'm Agent Aaron Hotchner with the FBI. We'd like to ask you about the disappearances of your two friends, so we can make sure if we're dealing with the same unsub."

He took a seat from across her before continuing. "Let's start with Molly Walker. How did the two of you meet?" Hotch gave her time to answer and tell him about what happened the day Molly went missing. He nods and takes note of the minute details she mentions. "When the two of you were in the bar, did you notice anyone or anything in particular that stood out?" He lets her finish her answer until he was satisfied with it.

"6 months ago Tina Foster went missing. Similar place, in a bar, she was taken when she went outside. Can you tell me what happened before that?"

---

"There's really not much for me to go on here," Spencer said as he finished pushing a pin to the bar where Molly went missing. The pins were color-coded, red for Molly, blue for Tina. Judging from the other places they first visited the day they were taken to the places Molly frequented in New York as well as the dump site for Tina, there was no determinable comfort zone or pattern to it. At least, nothing he could see right now.

"Not much here either," Prentiss chimed in as she flipped through a file. "I'll check on Garcia in case she has better luck that us." She called their tech analyst, "Garcia, you're on speaker."

SKYLAR

Skylar had been waiting in Detective Polly's office when someone waited in. She immediately stood up to greet him. After a brief hand shake, she sat back down. She looked over at the new detective, Hotchner as he took a seat opposite her. " I was introduced to Molly by a mutual friend. Rebecca Smith. She came in earlier for questioning. Rebecca and I were going to spend the evening together but she got a unexpected call and had to go back to work for a while. She didn't want to leave me alone so she took me to a bar near her house where Molly worked. She introduced us and told Molly to entertain me for a while till she came back from work. She wouldn't be long she said." Skylar narrated.

"I don't think so. It was loud. We had to practically yell over the music to hear each other. I was sitting on a chair near where she was bar tending. She would come over once in a while to chat when she was free. There were a lot of people. It was noisy. Talking, Laughing. Nothing different than a usual bar." She recounted.

"Tina and I are from London. We came 6 months ago for a vacation. We were coming to meet Rebecca then as well. We were staying at a hotel. The Plaza. We usually spend the days sightseeing and the evenings with Rebecca. One evening Becca was busy so we decided to go to a bar. Tina was really excited." She said with a small smile. " She had wanted to go since the beginning but we hadn't had the time. It was just a normal bar. Nothing unusual." She said with a sigh. "I am sorry if that wasn't much of a help."

She paused for a moment before she spoke again. " Wait.. I don't know if it is something but I do remember the distinct feeling of being watched, that someone was watching us. It was almost like a chill. But I suppose that is common in a bar isn't it?" She asked as she looked over at Agent Hotchner.

SPENCER

“Hello my dear friends, I bear not-so good news, but not-so bad either,” Garcia’s voice echoed from the speaker.

“What did you find?” Reid inquired.

“I looked through their credit card records, phone activity, online activity, you name it. Zilch. Nothing out of the ordinary comes out. Both girls spent on what any other girl would. They post photos online every now and then, and there were no unknown callers or any suspicious phone activity that would suggest our unsub made contact or threatened them. Same for their emails. Squeaky clean. No history of crimes either. These girls are angels and the only thing connecting the two of them is that they’re friends.”

“Keep looking. There must be something to connect these two more than the obvious,” Prentiss spoke.

Garcia said, “Will do, my loves. I’ll keep looking.”

Spencer’s forehead creased, “Thanks Garcia,” and the call ends. He walked back to the board were the map was set up and he continued to study it, looking for something unusual.

---

Hotch listened and nodded, “It does help, Skylar,” he grinned. “Did Rebecca return like she said she would?” The question nagged in his head. The last part she mentioned though, it would be hard to consider if it was Skylar’s gut feeling telling her or just paranoia since both her friends are gone. “Was it only just in the bar you felt that?” Hotch decided she might be onto something, since if it were her guts on the work, then chances are her guys were right and she might be the next victim. He wasn’t about to let that happen, and surely Spencer would feel the same way.