Lifelike and Posable

!!I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

I'm someone else, I'm someone new: Marilyn Manson

Spencer had a wonderful evening. They had said goodnight in the car park, which was slightly disappointing but not the end of the world. He had gone home on a high and had fallen asleep content. It was Saturday now and today he decided that he would go for a long walk to the bookstore and find something to amuse his brain for the weekend.

He really wanted to make a phone call – but his date had insisted that he wait for the call. So he was waiting. Impatiently, constantly checking his cell and making sure the landline hadn't come unplugged, though in his heart he knew it hadn't. By Sunday evening he could hold off no longer and made a call. His stomach turned in excitement, wanting, needing to hear that voice again; that lovely accent, but it went straight to answerphone. He looked down at the cell phone in his hand and sighed. This really was to be expected. Someone like that wouldn't want to keep dating someone like him. This is understandable if not very disappointing.

Sunday night he went to bed and curled up and hugged his knees as he slept, and he had dreams of Hankel which made him whimper in his sleep.

Monday morning and he was on his way to work. Always standing room only on the morning subway, and he felt a hand touch his back and a voice in his ear. "Sorry I didn't call Spence. I wasn't sure – you know – if you wanted me to." That delicious accent made Spencer shudder and his stomach twist in a little knot.

Reid turned around so he was facing the voice and grinned. "Hey – no – it's alright, I understand."

The train shuddered to a stop. Reid's stop. "I'll see you then." That wonderful accent and Reid could feel himself getting off the train and watching the doors shut and the train was gone. He should have said he would call. He should have said it was OK to call. He should have said anything but what he did. He sighed deeply and turned jogging up the stairs on onto work.

……………

"Oh good – Morgan has left his paperwork for me again." He muttered to himself. The lovely high had been on had now dissolved into a feeling of self doubt and a big blob of insecurity. The date he had thought had gone so well, had obviously through other eyes been a failure. At least he hadn't taken it as far as a one night stand. He had that to be grateful for.

"Hey genius, have a good weekend?" Morgan's question was answered with a little scowl and the passing back of a pile of files. "I guess that's a 'no' then."

"I had a great weekend." He walked off to get some sugar and coffee.

Morgan stood and watched the retreating back. That wasn't the walk of a man who had scored. That was dead man walking. He glanced down at the folders and passed half back to Reid's in tray then pursued him to the coffee machine.

"Reid, need to talk to someone about it?" This was a genuine offer of support.

"There is nothing to talk about." Making his coffee with quick angry hands.

"Is it the nightmares again?" He really did look concerned.

Spencer picked up his mug and started to walk back to his desk. "I had exactly fifteen folders in my in tray. I will know if you have added to it."

"That's what is bothering you? Paperwork? Come on Reid this is me you're talking to."

Spencer sat at his desk and glanced at the twenty seven folders and sighed. "Yes Morgan, I am still having nightmares." He pulled his pen out of his jacket pocket. "I am alright, really."

"You know if you need to talk about it. I know you would have talked to Gideon."

Spencer looked up and chewed on his bottom lip. "Thank you Morgan."

Derek sat down at his desk and watched Reid. He leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head. "This isn't about nightmares is it?"

Reid put his pen down again and looked across to Morgan. "You are insufferable. You just don't give in do you?" Reid leaned on his elbows and rested his chin in his hands.

"I knew it! So tell me. Dish the dirt." Morgan was grinning.

"There is nothing to say." A sigh and he picked up his pen again.

………………..

Hotch had called them to the roundtable room. There was a case, which will be followed up with more paperwork, Reid was thinking. They needed time off just to cover all the administration they had to cover and in some cases cover everyone else's too.

JJ stood with her remote in her hand and Hotch sat with hard eyes looking at a folder in front of him.

"Right," JJ started, "The reason we have been handed this case will become evident. A series of drug overdoses. They are not all from the same social background. They are not all found in the same situation. They have all died in the same manner however, and there are the obvious links between them all. The first. Jacob Levers – twenty nine – heroin overdose. The needle was still in his arm. He was found by school children in an ally way next to the school. The next one Seb Harker - twenty four – again heroin overdose – needle still in his arm, he was found on his bathroom floor by his sister. Then Salvadore Montal aged twenty six found in his bath tub by his boyfriend. Maurice Veche – twenty eight – found by a patron of the bar he had been drinking in on the men's room floor. Trent Fipps twenty seven – laying on his bed, found by his boyfriend and last for now, Larry Lamburg twenty eight, found in an ally way by a passer by."

"All heroin overdoses?" Prentiss asked. She got a nod "How do we know they are connected?"

"A note was left with each victim." JJ passed around the folders now and clicked up the first picture.

Reid sat and opened the file. There was a copy of the note in the front of it. 'Agent Aaron Hotchner, It should have been one of yours.' Reid started to flick through the photos. He could feel his skin crawling with what he was looking at. Tall skinny men of around his own age. The bodies had all been posed and notes said that they had all been wearing similar clothing. Reid suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"This is a threat. This unsub is goading us." Derek was talking but Reid was finding it hard to concentrate. He glanced up to see everyone looking at him.

"What?" He looked over at each of the faces looking right back at him.

Hotch had his unreadable face on.

Morgan was looking concerned? Was that a concerned face?

JJ was avoiding looking at Reid and was fiddling with her file.

Prentiss sighed and picked up the note and started to read it.

"This is local. Reid, stay close. I really don't like the look of this." Hotch finally said.

………………

They divided up between the SUV's. Reid ended up in the back with Prentiss. Fine with him, it would give him time look over the file more carefully without any distractions. He wasn't sure what he had done to offend Emily so early on in their working relationship, but she just didn't seem happy with him. Fine – not a problem, he didn't feel like chatting anyway. He realised he was sitting twisting his hands on his lap and looking out of the window and not actually looking at the file. He was thinking of the train and that voice and of all the things he should have said.

……………

Reid stood with the team and looked down at Jacob Levers. He had collar length light brown wavy hair. He was wearing grey cords and a dark green shirt with a grey sweater-vest over the top. The sleeve on his right arm had been rolled up and a needle was still sticking in his arm. There was no sign of a tourniquet of any kind. He was laying on his left side, his right arm resting across his chest, his left hand was nestling under his chin. Reid felt a sudden twist in his stomach and the need to get out of the ally way and be sick somewhere. As he turned to leave Derek caught hold of his arm.

"Hey buddy – don't wander off." He glanced at the grey face of Dr Reid and quickly led him away from the crime scene.

………….

The next scene was at the apartment of Seb Harker. He had been found on the bathroom floor. They stood and look again at the macabre scene. Seb was fully dressed but not in his shoes. He had odd socks on. One plain black the other black and white stripes. He was sitting on the floor with his back against the toilet. He had his right sleeve rolled up. His knees were bent upwards and his arms wrapped around his legs. His head was down and his wavy brown hair was covering his face. They could see the needle in his arm, but it looked like it had been placed there afterwards.

"Hotch." Reid's voice shattered the spooky silence. "If notes were left at all scenes, and if they were addressed to you, why have we only just found out about this?"

Aaron looked over to Reid whose eyes were fixed on the vision in front of him. "This all happened last night." Hotch was watching Reid carefully.

"Six in one night?" Spencer stepped back out of the room. Hotch could see his hands twisting and the odd expression on his face. "Are they – are they all posed?" He received a small nod as a reply.

…………

Salvadore Montal's body had been removed from the bathtub, but the photos showed him with his right arm dangling over the side and his head of wet hair facing the wall.

…………

The bar where the body of Maurice Veche was awaiting them had been closed and taped off. They again stood and looked, and again Reid felt like someone was leaving him nasty messages. This one was a bit more obscure for the team, but blatantly obvious for Reid. The man was on his knees facing the wall with his head resting on the yellow wall tiles. Again the right sleeve was rolled up and this arm was resting on his legs. The other hand was between his forehead and the wall. Again brown wavy hair hid the face.

Reid stood and looked. The hand twisting becoming harder. He looked at the team members who were again looking back at Reid.

Hotch spoke "Reid have you ever been to this bar before?"

Spencer slowly nodded his head and then turned and left the building. Morgan again close behind him. "Don't keep walking off man." A gentle hand on Reid's arm.

"There are two more." Was Reid's reply. "I need to see the other two."

……...

!!I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

A/N: Let me know if you would like me to continue.