Summary: Short Reid/Allie one-shot. Reid tries to take care of her during a difficult case. Inspired by the song "21 Guns" by Green Day & the Cast of American Idiot.

Criminal Minds and Spencer Reid are not mine, but Allie is.


When you're at the end of the road; and you've lost all sense of control. And your thoughts have taken their toll, when your mind breaks the spirit of your soul…

The scene was chaos. Screams and shouts were heard everywhere, and the intense Wisconsin winter did not help matters. Blood was spread all over the ground, and floodlights did their best to light up the scene along the woods that night.

The team was running around frantically trying to help as many victims as they could find alive, along with gathering evidence. Never had Dr. Spencer Reid seen a mass killing like this. He followed a couple of Brown County Sheriffs through a path that led to the woods. There a couple more bodies lay, but it was much harder to see. Reid continued into denser wood, attempting to find something more. As he rounded a corner around a tree he ran into another body.

Allie gasped and looked up to see it was only Spencer. "Oh geez," she said, grasping her chest, "Sorry, you just startled me." The two stood at close proximity and Reid placed his hands on her shoulders. He noticed she was shaking and trembling quite fiercely.

"Are you okay?" he asked, starting to feel concerned.

She nodded silently, but Reid noticed the moisture in her eyes, the uncertainty. "This is just all… it's a lot," Allie said quietly.

Reid pulled her easily into a hug, and Allie found her hands clutching at where his shirt fell on his back. She was still trembling. Keeping one arm around her, he led her out of the woods and back to the side of the roads where all the lights and cars made their presence known.

Rossi approached them immediately. "Everything okay?" he asked. Reid and Allie both responded with a yes, and then Dave continued. "Hotch wants you two to head back to the field office. They've got enough people here to take care of the scene, but we need to get working on how to track down the scumbags responsible. Reid and Allie both agreed easily, and headed to the nearest SUV.

Reid took the driver's seat and Allie the passenger. They rode back in silence, however Reid had Allie's had clasped in his the entire trip. Once back at the field office Allie sat herself down at the conference table and Reid went to the mini-fridge. He pulled out a soda and handed it to Allie. "Drink this," he said. "It'll make you feel a little better.

Allie just shrugged but opened the can. Reid sat himself next to her. He could tell she was on edge. Her eyes barely focused on what she was reading, and she appeared to be emotional.

For a while, both attempted to analyze maps and evidence with little results. They then heard word from the rest of the team that they were going right to the hotel and turning in for the night. After Reid hung up the phone with JJ he turned to Allie. "They're all going back to the hotel for the night," he told her. "Do you want to go?"

"Not yet," Allie said softly. She was still slightly jittery.

"Al," Reid said, turning his body to face her, "you don't seem okay right now. And I understand. I just wish you would tell me what's going on, and let me take care of you."

"You should go," Allie continued. "Go back to the hotel and get some sleep. I'm going to stay here."

Reid was at a loss for what to do and walked out of the room. He was near the door and hesitated, realizing he could not leave her there alone. When he returned back into the conference room he found her head resting on the table and tears were flowing down her cheeks. Without saying a word, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up so she would stand, and turned her to face him. Allie would not make eye contact with him. "Why won't you let me help you?" Reid asked sadly. Allie gave a shrug as the tears continued to fall. Spencer pulled her whole body into his, even tighter. "Don't cry," he pleaded.

Allie released and looked up at him, her tears starting to slow down. "Let's go," she said. Then they walked out of the field office together, turning off some of the lights as they left. Once back at the hotel Spencer dropped Allie off at her room, and told her, "I'll be back in ten minutes to check on you." Allie quickly changed into some comfortable sleeping clothes and got herself a glass of water. Not long after she heard a knocking at the door to find Reid in gray sweatpants and an FBI t-shirt. How different he looked outside of the dress clothes he always wore.

She let him in and he reached out his hand and placed it in the curve of her neck. Filled with an uneasy passion, he took another step to be even closer to her. Her tears had stopped, and now she looked at him with a smile. Allie was busy admiring his distinct features, filling her lungs with his unique scent, and she suddenly felt safe. She grabbed his t-shirt and abruptly pulled him in and their lips crashed together.

When they finally broke apart, Reid had a dazed but happy expression on his face. "Spencer?" Allie asked tentatively. He nodded to show he was listening. "Thank you," Allie continued softly.

"I'm not very good at this kind of stuff," Reid responded. "Emotions and noticing when people need help. But with you, I want to. I want to know. So I'm going to try, if you'll let me."

"I'll let you for as long as you can put up with me," Allie agreed, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

"Which means forever," he murmured in response.