Disclaimor: I do not own Criminal Minds or it's characters.
Author's note: I have always thought they could have done more with Reid and Cever. This story is set in early season 10.
DR Spencer Reid got slowly out of his midnight blue Volvo and strolled through the evening shadows. To the converted Brownstone. The building sat on a quiet, tree lined street. The evening was unusually warm for late November. Reid wore a tan windbreaker and khaki pants and carried his messenger bag over his shoulder. He opened the ornate, oak wood door and stepped into a cozy room. The shelves inside were brimming with books. Several arm chairs were set around the room, each chair had a table nearby where one could stack books pulled from the shelves while deciding what they wanted to purchase. A long, cherry-wood counter dominated the far wall of the room. Behind it sat a woman in her late fifties. Her black hair was streaked with silver, pearl earrings dangled from her ears and she wore a matching necklace that rested against a cream colored blouse.
"Good afternoon DR. Reid," The woman smiled warmly at the new arrival, "When is David Rossi going to call me? I have a number of students, and friends of Kendra's I suspect, who are asking if he will come and give another reading."
"I can remind him." Reid shifted on his feet. From further back in the building, he could hear the soft sounds of a piano playing Mozart's Moonlight Sonata.
"Yes, she's in and very eager to see you, though she is being very secretive. I can't imagine what the two of you are up to this time." The woman chuckled as she spoke.
The door chime tinkled and a distinguished, heavy set man entered.
"Professor Richardson, so good to see you. The Proust you were searching for just arrived."
The woman turned her full attention to the new arrival and Reid proceeded out of the main salon and into a long room which featured several tables made of a blonde wood. At one table, a pale woman with sharp features and black hair tied in a tight ponytail sat sipping a coffee and reading a book, making marks with a highlighter. At another table, three children, a blonde and a dark haired girl of about eleven, each wearing matching ponytails and sweaters with a flower print. A six year old boy with eyes a startling shade of blue and jet black hair sat between the girls. The youngster saw Reid First and waved excitedly.
"DR Spencer," he bounced in his seat, the blond girl poked the little boy.
"Chill out Cadence." The girl scowled as she spoke. Cadence ignored her, continuing to wave at the profiler.
"Hi Cadence," Reid favored the little boy with a smile as he returned his wave.
"Do you have magic tricks?" Cadence tried to wiggle out from between his keepers. The blonde girl grabbed his arm to restrain him.
"Come on Stephie, he's going to be impossible till he gets up." The dark haired girl pushed at her bangs. She looked shyly at the profiler, "Are you meeting Miss Ashley? She promised to bring me some stuff for my report on how kids can keep safe in school."
Reid opened his messenger bag and produced a folder. He walked to the table and handed it to the dark-haired girl.
"Ashley got called into a briefing. she didn't forget you though Bethany, she asked me to bring this to you, and she was specific that you needed it today."
Thank you, DR Spencer, This will be perfect!" The girl bent, dragging out a book bag and stuffing the folder inside.
Reid turned to the little boy.
"Cadence, I'll show you some magic later, first I need a word with your aunt."
The boy looked disappointed, his lower lip protruding in a slight pout.
"Don't be such a baby Cadence," Stephie fixed the boy with a hard look which he met steadily.
Reid turned from the youngsters and moved to the piano where a tall woman sat playing. Her ash blonde hair fell past her shoulders in waves. She was dressed casually in a lavender sweater trimmed with flowers and a pair of blue jeans. Chocolate brown western boots peaked out from under the cuffs of her pants. Reid joined her at the piano and began playing harmony. She glanced up, eyes a slate grey held a look of warmth at the sight of him.
"Hey Spence," her voice held a lazy drawl.
"How did it go in Charleston?" Spencer returned the woman's smile as they continued playing.
"Very well, thanks to your call, they recognized my press credentials and they gave me first look at everything and first turn at speaking to Ashford. Nothing anyone else wasn't getting but I scooped them all." Her smile widened. "My editor is delighted. Though he can't figure out for the life of him how I scooped everyone. He still seems to thinkit's a man's world in the press room."
"You remember the terms of our agreement."
"My editor has no idea a member of the BAU has eased the way for me. He just thinks I have the golden touch." The woman suddenly stopped playing, "I almost forgot, I have a surprise for you in addition to Ashley's Christmas gift."
"You were able to find it, Kendra," Reid let his hands fall from the keys.
"Did you doubt me even for a minute?" She too stopped playing and stood, beckoning him to follow. She briefly turned to the children.
"Bethany, Stephie, one of you text me when Astrid gets in so I can play mediator between her and Mom." The girls chorused their agreement while the boy started to wine about being left alone with them.
"Cadence, have you finished the chapter in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?"
Cadence squirmed and looked down at the table.
"Pop quiz in 45 minutes, ready or not and if you want that bag of salt water taffy you know what you need to do."Kendra's words had the boy picking up the volume on the table and quickly bending over it. Reid laughed softly as he followed Kendra through a door and up a flight of stairs. They crossed a hall and Kendra fitted a key in a door, leading the way into a sitting room. A green striped sofa sat on one wall, on either side were matching over stuffed arm chairs. Reid took one of the chairs and Kendra disappeared through a red and gold beaded curtain that separated the living and sleeping areas. She returned after a few minutes, a large box tucked under her arm, she dropped it in Reid's lap. Intrigued, he opened the lid, discovering several books inside. Carefully, he removed each volume, studying the titles. Two were major works by Christine De Pizan,; another was a volume of the poetry of Jonathan Keats. The final item was a copy of Canterberry Tales.
"Are these first editions?" Reid gingerly ran his fingers over the spine of each volume.
"While I was in Charleston, I was playing cards with some old friends from back home I ran into. The boyfriend of one was telling us about his father's trophy wife, the man had been an English literature professor. He just died and the gold digger was having him haul out all this stuff that was super valuable and just putting it on the curb for people to get. She had sold their house and was in a big hurry to get down to Florida, no doubt to snare a new sugar Daddy to pay her bills. He knew Aunt Julia sells old books and antiques so he asked me if I wanted a look before the cridders destroyed everything. So we drove out to the middle of nowhere. The woman told me to take what I could carry and welcome. I loaded up my truck to the gills and brought it back. I had to give most of it to Aunt Julia, that was only fair, but these, I kept out of the inventory just for my dear friend. Oh and I kept one more thing that will make a wonderful compliment to your other gift for Ashley."
"Wow!" Reid's smile faltered, "These are all very valuable. I can't just….I mean the cost."
"Oh, there's a cost but you can handle it."Kendra held up a hand to forestall any argument, "I am not going to be a crime reporter forever, especially not after this piece. It's time for me to move onto a bigger stage and I've already selected my subject." Kendra told Reid what she wanted. He nodded.
"That, I can do."
"There you are David; I was beginning to think you'd decided my humble establishment wasn't lofty enough for your exulted presence."
"I've been a little busy Julia." Rossi leaned against the long counter. "I haven't had time to prepare for our pasta cook off."
Julia Vagnalia, proprietress of Storyville, a combination, book and antique store and coffee bar beamed at her friend. "I'm ready to take you on any kitchen any time. I was referring to the reading you gave last month. You were quite the sensation."
"I enjoyed myself. It was nice to do one of these where the audience understood the magnitude of what these criminals were."
"You'd make a wonderful teacher. You…." Julia's words broke off as a teenager with light brown hair with pink and green highlight and a gold hooped lip ring s stepped into the store. Her hair was wild and in disarray. She wore a black leather jacket and a red mini skirt. Her shoes were black high heels.
"Astrid Leslie Vagnalia, don't tell me you were out in public dressed like that."
Astrid rolled her eyes.
"I look fine," Astrid started to the coffee shop when she stopped short.
"Aunt Kendra's not around?"
"Don't change the subject young lady."
"Maybe I should come back another time," Rossi suggested.
Before Julia could answer, the door opened again admitting two matronly women followed by several college students, one, a curly haired African American student Rossi recognized from the reading of a month earlier. The young man spotted Rossi and approached, hand extended. The two women, who were carrying boxes, approached Julia, speaking animatedly. No one noticed as teenage Astrid slunk away.
No one saw the shadowy figure that slipped in gliding to a spot between the bookshelves, waiting until most of the people left. His wait was long as others came and went. The figure noted that people stayed for a while, taking their time looking for books and even sitting down to brows them. He seethed inside as he listen to the store owner ooze charm and welcome to all, greeting many by name, asking after family. As though she had a right. Just like she had when he and Nicole were involved, acting as though everything was her business. He'd fix the bitch and take what was his. Finally there was no one left except the suave, older man with the Goatee. The way this one acted, he wasn't going anywhere; the figure knew what he was. Fine then, though he'd have preferred to make Julia suffer alone, he could and would adapt.
"After that, he started lecturing at the academy. After a while, there was a feeling that he had found a new vocation and he'd remain a teacher. That all changed when he stumbled on the Foot Path Killer" Reid took a sip of coffee then glanced out the window, it was full dark now and the lights of the capital had begun to wink on.
"We don't have to cover everything all in one night. I'm sure you'd like to get home and dine with Ashley."
"We do have reservations for 8 at Harry and Dave's."
"Then you, my friend, had better make tracks, it's nearly quarter past 7 now and you know what traffic is like." Kendra pressed the stop button on her tape recorder and rose to show the profiler out.
Astrid sat, eyes glued to her phone, re-reading the text. She hadn't really intended to go to the rave. She wasn't in the mood to party. But she was even less inclined to hear one of her grandmother's sermons on what made a proper young lady. She was so yesterday. She'd hoped to sneak in while her grandmother was busy with a customer, stow her books and slip back out. She forgot the old bat had eyes like a hawk. She'd considered hiding out with her aunt but as she approached her door she heard voices which meant she was busy. Astrid heard the voices of her cousins entering the apartment. She definitely didn't want to deal with those two brats or her brother who was probably with them. She waited until she heard the door close to their room then snuck out, using the back exit. Maybe she wasn't in the mood to party but it was the best place to hide and put off the grief her grandmother would soon rain down on her. She spotted the vintage cars that belonged to her grandmother and her Aunt Kendra's friends from the FBI and one other vehicle she didn't recognize. She froze as she caught a brief glimpse of the figure being shoved into the trunk of the car.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Astrid ran at the figure by the car, continuing to shout.
As she moved, she never saw the knife in time to avoid running into it, she started to back up but the figure grabbed her.
As he stabbed her a second time, he spoke.
"You were the one that told Julia about us. You ruined everything you little bitch!"
Astrid's eyes widened. She remembered the last time she'd heard that voice. And what had come after. Astrid let herself go limp and fall to the ground. It didn't take a lot of effort. She only hoped it would be just an act. She heard the man's footsteps receding. Good, he's going away, Astrid thought. She tried to call out but found her voice to be merely a squeak. Darkness threatened to take over and she reached out a hand, hoping she had enough strength to accomplish her task; she dipped a finger in her own warm blood. She had to help her brother.
"What's wrong?" Reid gently set down the box he had been carrying and placed a hand on his gun holster, glad he hadn't had a chance to stop home and discard it yet.
"I'm not sure," Kendra started to step into the coffee bar.
Reid placed a restraining hand on her arm. His senses were on high alert. He glanced around the coffee bar. The room was empty, so was the cashbox. On the floor, a power rangers backpack sat unattended.
"Check on the kids," Reid hissed.
Kendra opened her mouth to argue, then followed Reid's gaze and nodded. She hustled up the stairs. Reid moved into the coffee bar, his gun now clear of the holster. He eased his way into the bookstore to find it deserted as well. He frowned, concerned. He moved to a bookshelf. He felt around till he found the hinge that caused it to swing aside revealing a door with a keypad.
"Cadence is gone." Kendra hurried into the room; she was carrying a Smith and Wesson hand gun Reid noted. He wondered where that had come from. "I told the twins to wait for us."
"The combination now," Reid snapped.
Kendra looked confused. She glanced around.
"Where's mom?" Kendra's gaze met Reid's.
"It's probably 1967." Kendra shook her head. "I don't have much to do with the store since I got the job at the Tribune. Mom changes it every other month."
"Sorry I'm late Rossi, I wasn't even sure…." SSA Ashley Cever stopped short as she entered Storyville. "Spence, Kendra, what's going on?"
"Rossi isn't here." Reid felt a rising sense of dread.
"Yes he is, his car's in the lot next to yours."
"My nephew is missing. Where's Mom for that matter?" Reid saw dread creep into his friend's face."Ashley, we need back up over here. We probably need medical too" Even as Reid spoke, he was pulling out his phone and making a call.
"What's behind there?" Ashley wanted to know.
"It's the antiques area, Kendra punched the combination. The door remained closed, she cursed.
Reid put away his phone and ordered Kendra to step back. He kicked at the door. It took several tries but it at last gave in.
"Stay back," Reid ordered Kendra and he and Ashley entered the room.
Cever let out an involuntary gasp.
"Keep the kids out of here," Ashley choked out the words as she made out the pattering of young feet. She moved quickly to the bound and beaten figure of her friend and mentor David Rossi.
"He's unconscious "Cever bent over her friend, feeling his pulse and examining his injuries. "How is Julia?"
"It's bad," Reid turned to Kendra who stood frozen in shock and horror, She had apparently shooed the twins away. That was something but Reid wished she had stayed back herself.
"Kendra, I need something to stop the bleeding."
Kendra blinked then moved into the room. She yanked a tapestry off the wall and tossed it to Reid who began tearing the no doubt expensive fabric into strips and covering the wounds. In the distance, they all heard the sirens approaching. On the floor, Rossi moaned as Cever undid his bindings.
"Help is on the way David," Cever spoke quietly.
"I tried." Rossi began before coughing and spasming.
"I know you did. Spence is helping her."
Police lights bathed the parking lot in a red and blue glow, ambulances were being loaded. Medics barked orders. Reid was helping the medics load Rossi into one ambulance when one of the local police called him over. He motioned to Cever who was talking to Kendra. She followed him.
"We almost missed this."It looks like someone was trying to tell us something.
Reid peered at the ground where it looked as though someone had been trying to write something in what Reid recognized as blood.
"It looks lik o."
"Cade, as in Cadence, Kendra said he was missing, his cousins left him alone for a minute while they went to put up their books. They got distracted and forgot until Kendra came to see if he was with them."
"Bio, as in biological?" But who's blood?"
"Kendra mentioned the twins, but doesn't Cadence have a sister?"
"Astrid," Reid said, "She normally lives with her father but he was asked to do an assignment with the state department so he left her with Julia as well." Reid Frowned, "I think they've been butting heads. The last time I saw her Julia and her were quarreling about a boy she'd been out with that Julia thought was too old for her. I think Kendra's trying to play mediator."
Ashley nodded. Reid turned to the police officer, "Photograph that and begin a search around the area we have two kids missing. A 6 year old boy and possibly a fourteen year old girl."
Reid turned to his girlfriend, she wore a troubled expression.
"How's Rossi?"
"He's still in and out."
Spencer put a hand on Ashley's shoulder, rubbing it gently, "This is Rossi, and he's a fighter. He fought to protect his friend and he'll fight for his life. It's what he does."
Even as he spoke, however, it was hard for Reid to keep a tremor out of his voice. Forgetting protocol for the moment, the couple embraced, holding on and each drawing comfort from the other.
"I'll call the team," Spencer told Ashley as they drew apart. "They'll want to know, they'll want to help."