Disclaimer: I own nothing. Sadly.
Isabella Swan met Spencer Reid when she was ten years old. He was two years older than her and already finished with High School. He had a photographic memory and he was crazy smart. They lived next door to each other, which meant they saw each other every day.
They were always there for each other, when Spencer would get bullied, Bella would stand up for him and make the bullies leave him alone, even the older ones. Spencer was used to people being mean, making fun and degrading him, so having Bella around was like a breath of fresh air.
When he moved through college, leaving Bella in High School, he thought for sure that he would lose her to other people, but she never made plans with anyone outside of school hours so she could spend her time with him.
They were best friends and they were each other's 'first's' for everything. Spencer had been nervous about his first time and Bella had also been nervous so she had asked Spencer to be her first. He said no, of course, after blushing a million shades of red, but after a lot of coaxing, the sixteen and the almost eighteen year old experienced their first time.
Bella had told Spencer that it was the best night of her life, even though they weren't a couple and didn't feel for each other in that way, nothing could ever top that night. She knew she was lying, she was completely in love with him, but she didn't want to scare him away. Spencer agreed, completely heartbroken, he had hoped that maybe she had wanted more. He felt stupid for even thinking it was possible that she would love him.
Bella was a popular girl in school so the other students never understood why she would waste her time with Spencer, but she knew him better than anyone. Spencer helped her when she was behind in classes, he would keep her company on nights when her parents would scream and shout at each other and she had nowhere else to go, he even introduced her to the most important person in his life; his mother.
Mrs Reid was a lovely woman. She was funny and she cared a great deal for her son. On her good days she would let Spencer and Bella study at the kitchen table whilst she would make snacks and constantly try to make them laugh.
On her bad days, she wouldn't come out of her bedroom. She would cry and beg Spencer never to leave her. She was paranoid and scared. Bella would come around on those nights and bring some dinner over that her mother had made for Spencer and his mother.
Spencer would constantly watch Bella, as if waiting for her to roll her eyes and make fun of him and his mother, but she never did. She would laugh wholeheartedly at his mother's jokes, she would offer to help make dinner and help with the cleaning up. Even after she would leave, she would arrange another night for her to come round so they could do it all over again.
She watched her best friend of eight years walk out of his house, clearly upset, but that wasn't anything new. He would go visit her almost every night, frustrated that he couldn't help his ill mother. She would discuss the possible options with him, even though she didn't need to.
He knew what he needed to do, even when he tried to convince himself to give his mother a little more time, he knew he needed help that was far beyond him.
So when Bella saw Spencer slam his front door and walk towards her, she ran to him and wrapped him in her arms. The eighteen year old boy cried on his best friends shoulder and asked her to be there when they came.
Bella stood in the dining room with Mrs Reid, watching her read her favourite book by the window, thinking. Her best friend's mother had been like a mother to her over the last eight years, and now she was going to be taken into a psychiatric institution. Bella knew it had gotten to the point where Mrs Reid could no longer take care of herself and it broke Bella's heart. She couldn't imagine how Spencer was feeling.
Spencer watched as they escorted his mother, who was crying and begging Spencer not to let them take her, to the van outside; and he cried. His apologies were drowned out by his mother's cries, and all Bella could do was hold his hand as they watched as she was taken away.
Spencer went a few weeks, hating himself for turning his back on his own mother, he shut Bella out and began to stay locked in the house. After a month and a half, Bella stood for over an hour banging on his door. Eventually he opened it and it took her breath away at how awful he looked.
She didn't want to make him feel any worse than he already was or to put any pressure on him, but she couldn't keep this secret to herself any longer, she needed her best friend and it was only right for him to know.
Bella walked past him, into his house, and saw that everything was boxed up, and there were suitcases in the hall.
"What are these for?" She asked, carefully, terrified because she already knew his answer.
"I'm leaving." He told her, curtly. She closed her eyes, hoping that her next words would change his mind.
"I'm pregnant."
Spencer's eyes widened. He couldn't believe it. He wasn't ready to be a father; he hadn't even had a life yet. He was so disappointed in himself and in Bella.
He looked up at his best friend, who had tears pouring down her face.
"You're still going to leave, aren't you?" She accused, glaring at him.
"I have to go." He told her with a lump in his throat.
"No, you don't have to do anything. You are choosing to turn your back on me!"
"I'm sorry, Bella." He took out his wallet and removed all the cash and handed it to Bella.
"What's this for?" She dreaded his answer, fresh tears falling from her eyes.
"It's to help you deal with your situation." He hated himself for his cruel words, but they were too young to have children.
"My situation? I didn't do this on my own, Spencer!" She yelled, anger flashing in her eyes.
There was a car honk outside and Bella fell to her knees as Spencer picked up his suitcase and walked out the door. A heart wrenching sob tore through her body as she held herself up with her hands. She was heartbroken.
Spencer climbed into the cab, tears pouring from his own eyes. He would never forgive himself for what he had done, but he didn't want to have children, for the simple fact that he would never want them to have a Paranoid Schizophrenic parent like he did. He loved his mother more than anything, and he was almost certain that he would follow in his her footsteps.
If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger ― Emily Brontë
I woke in a shock as my alarm began blaring out the repetitive annoying tune. I begrudgingly threw the covers from over me, slinging my legs over my bed and sat up. I was not a morning person.
I shuffled across the hotel floor into the bathroom and closed the door. Looking up at the mirror I took in my appearance.
My hair was like a bombshell, my eyes were barely even opening and I had a crease on my face from where I had been laid when I was sleeping.
With a huge huff, I spun and turned on the shower then began brushing my teeth whilst the water heated up.
After my shower I dried myself and put on my black dress pants and a blue shirt and my black almost heels. I packed a 'go' bag of clothes and shoved some running shoes in there too; no doubt I would probably need them.
I let my hair dry naturally as I ate my breakfast.
I put up my hair into a ponytail, letting my loose curls hang down. When I was ready, I grabbed my bag and set off to work.
I was starting my first day at the BAU, and I was extremely nervous. At twenty three I was totally way too young to be taken seriously as an FBI agent, but I worked my ass off to get where I am. I studied and got a degree in both Psychology and Criminal Justice.
I went nights without sleep, trying to get my work completed and to finish before my actual time. I was busy all the time, I never went out with friends, and I stayed home and did what was needed. I would never be able to regret a second of my life and for that I was proud.
A few days before my graduation, an actual FBI agent, profiler came into our classes and overheard our presentations. He came back every day until my graduation and finally, when I was all done with school, he introduced himself as David Rossi and told me that his team were in need of a new member. The position was mine if I wanted it.
Climbing into my car, I started the engine, only to be cut off by my Phone ringing.
"Hey Rose." I answered, not needing to check the caller I.D.
Rosalie was my best friend along with Alice. Rose and I knew each other from kindergarten, but we only got close after turned seventeen. She helped me through a lot of rough patches and hard times. It is safe to say that my working status is all thanks to her seeing as I wouldn't have been able to get through it all without her presence and support. Her and Alice are the only support I have and I couldn't ask for anything more.
"Hey, good luck for this morning chick!" She yelled. I smiled and thanked her. We chatted for a few minutes before I told her I had to get going. "Aw, okay. We are so proud of you Bella."
"Thanks Rose."
"Anyway! Me and Alice will have the place all nice and spruced up for when you get home tonight! We can order in and watch movies and chat about your new job!" She was way excited and I could hear that Alice was just as excited in the background.
"Sounds awesome, Rosie. I will see you guys tonight. I love you both!"
I chuckled as they both began making kissy noises at the phone as I hung up.
I climbed out of my car and began walking towards the office building when a man stopped me by grasping my arm.
I turned to face him and pulled my arm from his. Taking in his appearance, I was reminded of someone, but I couldn't place who.
"Can I help you?" I asked, taking in his coppery brown hair and his crooked smirk.
"You don't remember me?"
"I don't. I'm sorry,-"
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure it will come to you." He smiled a friendly smile and took a rose out of the bouquet I only just realized he was holding, and handed it to me.
"You could tell me who you are…." I trailed off, expecting him to tell me.
"Now where is the fun in that? I think I'll keep you guessing. That way, when you do remember, you will have a reason to speak to me again." He winked at me. He pulled out a pen and wrote his number on my hand.
"What am I supposed to save your number as?" I asked him and he laughed.
"I'm sure you will think of something creative." He said and then gave me a small wave before walking away.
I chuckled to myself, realizing how weird that was, and then I carried on into the building.
"Miss Swan, or should I say Agent Swan?" David Rossi smiled and walked towards me. "I'm glad you decided to come in."
"Why wouldn't I?" I asked, frowning.
"This is a hard job, Bella. It isn't for the faint hearted."
"I know that." I said, getting defensive. Then I realized what he was doing. "You know that too. You chose me, if you thought I couldn't handle it, you wouldn't have bothered." He smiled and put his arm out, gesturing for me to follow him.
He led me into a room with a round table and eight chairs surrounding it. There was a huge screen covering one of the walls, the rest were windows with blinds, which were drawn.
"This is the room the team meets in, the conference room." I nodded, guessing that this was my tour. He led me back out of the room and pointed to two doors, just next door to each other. "These are Agent Hotchner's office and my office. The doors are mostly open, you are welcome any time." I nodded and he gave me a quick smile before walking again.
He led me down a few steps and towards the desks that were all placed away from each other, but close enough to each other that you can chat with your friends. I rolled my eyes at myself. I was here to work, not to make friends.
"This is your desk. Now remember, this team is like a family, they will be wary of you at first, but they should make you feel comfortable. They are lovely people." Somehow, that didn't make me feel better.
Two men walked in at that moment, a gorgeous dark man with an absolutely beautiful smile and a middle aged man with dark hair. My nerves decided to appear as the men walked towards us. Here we go…
"Isabella Swan, meet Agent Aaron Hotchner and Derek Morgan. Guys, this is the new girl I have been talking about."
"Nice to meet you." Aaron Hotchner said with a genuine smile and a handshake.
"Emphasis on the girl. Are you sure she is up for this?" Morgan asked Rossi with a frown.
"I am sure,-"
"I may not look like much, but I am pretty sure I can handle myself. I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could handle it." I defended myself, causing him to raise his hands in surrender and a lazy smile to cross his face.
"Hey, just making sure, sweetheart. Welcome to the team." He too shook my hand and then offered me a coffee. I nodded my head and watched him walk away.
"Oh, new girl!" Someone called from across the office causing both David and Aaron to chuckle.
I looked at the woman who was fast approaching me and I smiled. She had red hair tied up, her clothes were so colourful and none of her accessories matched what she was wearing. She was smiling huge and her eyes seemed to shine behind her glasses.
"I am Penelope Garcia, but you can call me Garcia, everybody else does." She smiled. "It's so nice to meet you!" I think I fell a little bit in love with her.
"I'm-"
"Isabella Swan, just moved here from Las Vegas, Nevada. You finished schooling two years before the rest of your class and you are a perfect addition to our beautiful little family. I just finished looking you up." She rushed out. She reminded me of Alice, which caused me to smile. I knew we would get along.
"Um," I began to reply, but I was cut off by a very familiar voice.
"Is the new girl here yet?" He asked over everyone.
My stomach dropped as I looked up and saw him. He looked good, really good. His clothes looked hot, from the button down shirt to his odd socks. Nothing had changed about him, other than the slight five o'clock shadow, he looked nerdalicious. He also looked happy. That was, until he noticed me and he stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened and he shook his head briefly, then his face went blank.
"Doctor Spencer Reid, this is Isabella Swan. Isa-"
"Bella." I cut her off.
"What?" She asked, looking at me with concerned eyes. Probably from the way I was glaring at my former best friend.
"I prefer Bella."
"Oh, well then, Bella." She said, a new kind of smile formed on her face. It appeared to be a proud smile.
"Welcome to the team." Spencer said, shortly and walked to his desk, deliberately blanking me out.
"Here's your coffee." Morgan said, passing over the steaming cup. I sighed in relief and thanked him profusely. He laughed and sat down at his desk, just as a blonde woman come rushing in and called for the team to join her in the conference room.
A load of men in army suits all came rushing in as we all stood around the table.
JJ, the blonde woman's name, introduced the team to Dr. Linda Kimua, an expert in pathogens.
She explained to us that twenty five people were who all just happened to be at the same park, all experiencing the same violent symptoms. Twelve had already died. Dr. Kimua was sure it was Anthrax.
"Anthrax doesn't kill this fast." Spencer said, looking down at the files on the dead victims with a frown.
"This strain does." She told him.
"The whole public is going to go into a panic." I murmured, immediately wanting to call Rose.
"She's right." Hotch said, looking up at me. "We need a media blackout. Nobody finds out. Our only chance of protecting the public is to make a profile as quickly as we can.
"Well there is one thing we do know…" Rossi said, causing all eyes to land on him. "We're looking for a scientist."
I was sent with Morgan to the park, which was obviously empty and taped off. There were men walking around, testing for any signs of leftover Anthrax. The cover story for the public was a methane build up. It was a believable story, but I was not comfortable with people not knowing about what was really going on.
"This park doesn't exactly scream 'target' to me." Morgan said, looking around once more. I nodded.
"Maybe this was symbolic for the unsub." I said, looking up at him.
Not too long later we got a call saying there was a suspected hit on a bookstore a few days before. Morgan and I jumped into the BMW and drove to the bookstore.
When we arrived, military were already there and their men were inside doing the tests. It was soon confirmed that there was in fact Anthrax in the store.
"He's got to have history with the place." Morgan agreed and we headed back.
Profile time. The team gathered with the military men to explain that we're all looking for a 'home grown terrorist.'
"We believe it is someone from the science or defense community," Derek explained.
"Also: this attack is likely to be personal to the unsub. This is not a random attack. This person is on a mission." I told them.
"There's something I think you should see," A man stepped forward and told Hotch. We all watched the video from two thousand and two, showing a Dr. Nichols, who was forced out of his job, raving about the dangers of anthrax and the government's poor response to two thousand and one attacks. Nichols fit the profile to a "T."
Derek, Spencer and I quickly headed over to the doctor's house to see if we could find anything. Spencer entered and just as I was about to step inside, Spencer slammed the glass door in my face.
"Get back!" He yelled at both me and Morgan.
"What are you doing?" I asked, and followed his gaze to some broken vials on the floor and desk behind him. The vials had been previously filled with Anthrax, which was now spilled onto the floor. "Spencer," I whispered in terror. I looked up at him to see him looking straight back at me.
"I'm sorry." He said as Morgan pulled my arm, dragging me away so we could meet Hotch.
"We can't just leave him!" I yelled.
"We'll get him out, sweetheart, but right now, we need to figure out how." He said, holding both my shoulders, calming me down.
The team arrived at the house. Luckily, Reid took a preventative pill earlier in the day, but there was no guarantee it would work against this aggressive strain.
Derek explained that Nichols appears to have died from blunt force trauma to the head. Reid estimated that the scientist had been dead for three or four days. Meaning: Nichols could not have staged the bookstore or the park attacks.
I tried to get Spencer to come out and be taken to a hospital, but he refused.
"My best chance is to stay here, see if there's a cure and try to figure out who killed Dr. Nichols," he said. Hotch reluctantly agreed and it was a good thing too; Spencer noticed two sets of handwriting among the detailed notes and files. Nichols had a partner.
My heart was pounding the entire time Spencer was in that room. Granted, he was no longer my best friend, but he was an important part of my life and just because it was the first time I had seen him since I was sixteen, doesn't mean I wasn't still completely in love with him.
Spencer discovered that Nichols used to be a professor.
"He may have opened his lab for educational purposes," the sweating, coughing Spencer theorized. I felt sick, knowing the Anthrax was having its affect. He also found a thesis with Nichols' notes written in the margins in red ink. Nichols was helping a student with his thesis!
Garcia looked up doctoral students and found one that used to work at the book store. There was a match. The man's name was Chad Brown, he had been arrested twice at protest rallies.
"You did good kid, now get the hell out of there," Derek told Spencer. Just then, Kimura entered the lab wearing a protective suit.
"You said the cure would be hidden somewhere we didn't expect," she said. "What about Dr. Nichols' inhaler?"
"It's worth a shot." Spencer smiled a little. I frowned as I noticed his breathing became shallow.
"I'll wait with you." Morgan said to Spencer.
"No, you go. I'm in good hands now." He argued. Morgan still looked unsure.
"Go," I said, patting his arm. "I'll stay."
"You sure,-"
"Go!" I laughed. He nodded and turned away, joining Hotch.
I looked up at Spencer, who was being hosed down by men in protective suits. He wouldn't look at me and the silence was painfully awkward.
"You don't have to wait." He said, eventually.
"Yes I do." I replied, curtly.
"They're going to strip me naked and hose me down. Is that something you want to see?" He asked, slightly ashamed, which amused me to no end. I shrugged my shoulders.
"I've seen it all before." A deep blush covered his face and I laughed, but turned away to make him more comfortable.
I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and I pulled it out with a frown.
It should have been me – E
It was an unknown number with a cryptic message, signed with one letter. I didn't even know anybody called E, or anyone with E being the first letter of their name. I shook it off and decided that it must have been the wrong number. What I couldn't shake off was the terrifying feeling of being watched.
I looked around, only seeing FBI and CSI. Nobody had their eyes on me except a very naked Spencer behind me, but it was very doubtful he was watching me; he was probably just making sure I wouldn't turn around.
Whilst the team finished their paperwork at the office, I sat in the hospital beside Spencer's bed, finishing mine. Morgan had joined me about an hour ago and had taken it upon himself to flirt with the nurses.
Spencer had taken a turn for the worst in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. We were talking about something unimportant, trying to get him to concentrate, but he couldn't. Then when he tried to speak, his words became all jumbled together; he started to panic and soon after passed out.
I was completely terrified, but luckily, they did find the cure in Dr. Nichol's inhaler. Now we just had to wait for Spencer to wake up.
"You handled today well." Morgan said from across the room.
I smiled in reply.
"I half expected you to break down." He told me honestly.
"Thanks for the vote in confidence." I said, sarcastically.
"This wasn't the normal 'first day' people expect." He said, resting forward on his elbows.
"I didn't know what to expect."
"And yet you ended up giving up going out into the field, so you could sit in the hospital with someone you just met." He looked at me like he was searching for something.
"If I were sent to the hospital, not knowing what was going to happen to me, I would want somebody to hold my hand." I told him truthfully. "It's not nice to be alone."
"He isn't alone, Bella." He told me in a concerned voice. "And you won't be either." He grabbed one of the Jello cartons off the tray next to him and began eating it with a grin.
"Are you eating Jello?" A raspy Spencer asked, waking up and removing the oxygen mask from him face.
"I should go." I said quietly, relieved that he was awake, but not wanting to spend any time with him.
"You sure?" Morgan asked, frowning once again.
"Yeah, I need to get home. See you tomorrow." I picked up my bag and I left.
"Hey, pretty boy. I think she likes you." I briefly heard Spencer telling him to shut up.
I entered my new apartment, took off my coat and threw my keys on the nearest counter. I kicked off my shoes and checked the clock. Seven thirty.
"Bella, is that you?" Rose shouted. Who else would it be?
"Yeah." I mumbled, shuffling my feet as I walked into the living room and dropped onto the sofa at Rosalie's side.
"Rough day?" She asked, giving me a sad smile.
"You have no idea." I told her. "Where is Alice?"
"She had an early night. She said she wasn't feeling too good." I nodded and stood up.
"We'll talk about my day when I get back." I told her and she giggled a little.
It was strange that Rosalie loved hearing about my days, but considering she is a writer, she doesn't get out of the house much.
I quietly entered Alice's bedroom and took in her tiny appearance in her bed. Her long dark brown curls were sprawled across the pillow, her mouth was open slightly and she had kicked the covers off her bed. It was something she did every night. She had a book open and resting on her chest, showing that she had in fact fallen asleep whilst reading.
I smiled a little as I sat beside her and stroked her hair. She mumbled something and began to stir.
"Mommy?" She whispered, looking up at me through squinted eyes.
"Hey baby, how are you feeling?" I asked her in a quiet voice.
"My throat is a little scratchy." She said and brought her hand to her throat to emphasise her point.
"Is it really hurting or are you just trying to get out of going to school tomorrow?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. She blushed and looked down. She was such a bad liar. "Alice, we have talked about this."
"I know, but what if they don't like me?" She asked, her eyes filling with tears.
I hated that my six year old daughter was scared to go to school, just because children didn't like how smart she was. It was safe to say Alice Diana Reid was the smartest girl in her class and she definitely took after her father.
It was hard at times, being reminded of him so strongly every day. Alice would say something or do something that would completely resemble her dad.
She knew who her dad was, of course. She had a picture of him, in a frame, on her bedside table. Well, it was a picture of us both that his mother had taken before he graduated college. Alice didn't know that Spencer was in fact an FBI agent and that he was in the same city. She also didn't know that her mother would be spending a lot of time with him.
"Ali, you are the kindest and most beautiful girl I have ever met."
I named Alice after both of her grandmothers. Alice was my mother's name. Diana was Spencer's mother's name.
Alice had never met any of her grandparents.
Spencer's father hadn't been in his life since he was six years old and Diana was in a Psychiatric Hospital.
Both of my parents had been killed by a drunk driver.
It was the day after Spencer left. They had gone on a date to try and start again. Their relationship had been rocky at best. On their way home their car was smashed into by a drunk driver. They never found the driver, who obviously survived.
That was when I met Rosalie. She helped me get through it.
"You're biased." Alice whispered, looking at her lap. I frowned and picked up the book she had been reading, chuckling when I saw what it was. Wuthering Heights, my favourite book.
"That is a big word for such a small girl."
"I like to learn different words." She told me.
"Alice, if the people at school don't like you, they are missing out, because your aunt Rose and I happen to think you are the coolest girl ever!" I said, dramatically. She rolled her eyes at me, but kissed my cheek and thanked me.
"I think I should go back to sleep now." She said, looking over to the picture of Spencer and sighing.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Do you think I am strange because I don't have a dad?" She asked not taking her eyes off of Spencer's picture.
"You do have a dad." I told her.
"But he doesn't want me." She whispered.
"Sweetheart, I don't think he knows that you are here." I told her truthfully. Spencer showed no signs of knowing that I had in fact had his child. He must have thought that I had dealt with my situation. I did deal, but not in the way he expected.
"What do you mean?" I sighed and realised that she was way too young for this conversation.
"I think that if your daddy met you, he would love you more than anything in his world."
"Even you?"
"Even me." I said, pushing her shoulders, and laying her down. "Sleep time."
"I love you more than anything in my world, mommy."
"Ditto." I whispered and kissed her head.
"Goodnight."
"Night baby. I love you."
I closed her bedroom door and went back into the living room to Rosalie, who was just setting out our dinner on the coffee table. Next to our huge pepperoni pizza, there was so much chocolate, cookie dough and popcorn. My best friend knew me so well.
"So we have dinner, and comfort food. In the DVD player is Phantom of the Opera and I have tissues in case you need a good cry." She pulled the tissues box off the arm of the sofa and placed them between us. "What happened today?"
"I saw Alice's father." I told her, looking up at the Main Selection on the TV.
"Spencer? You saw Spencer Reid? Today?" She asked as if she couldn't believe it. I nodded. "Where was he?"
"At work." I mumbled. "I finally get my life together and then he pops up and nearly dies!" I yelled and she put her hand on my back.
"You saved him?" She was clearly confused so I shook my head and took a deep breath.
"Something happened today, I can't really say what it was, but it was bad. Spencer ended up in the hospital, but he's okay now."
"What was he doing here anyway? I thought he would be living closer to his mom." She said, relieved that he was okay.
"He works at the BAU." I said, closing my eyes and pulled the hair tie out of my hair. "He is one of the agents on my team. Doctor Spencer Reid."
"Oh my god, what did he say when he saw you?" She was on the edge of her seat, I feared if I told her anymore she would be sat on the floor.
"He said 'nice to meet you', and then he sat down."
"He doesn't remember you?" She shouted and stood up.
"Of course he remembers me. He was just being an ass." I picked up a slice of pizza and took a huge bite. After a few minutes of silence, Rosalie looked at me.
"I'm sorry, Bella." She said, sadly.
"I lost him a long time ago, Rose." I told her. "I just have to figure out how I'm going to tell him that he has a daughter."
Weeks went by and cases flew past. Alice had settled in nicely at her new school, Rosalie was dating someone and I had made five new close friends. I enjoyed my work, even though some of the cases were so twisted and screwed up.
The only thing that was keeping me down was Spencer. Once he was cleared to come back to work, he went straight back to ignoring me. He would either pretend I wasn't there, or he would snap at me about silly little things. We never spoke about our past and he sure as hell made it clear that there would be no future.
Derek, however, made sure to make me feel completely welcome. Ever since the night he showed up at my house with beer, we have been almost inseparable.
I had just got Alice in bed and settled before when I heard the knock on the door. I didn't bother running to answer, expecting it to be Rosalie complaining about leaving her keys.
Her dates with Emmett had been making her nerves get the best of her. It was nice to see that even beautiful girls like Rosalie could be shy too.
I opened the door to reveal an empty hallway. I sighed and looked at the ground and saw that somebody had left a bouquet of red roses. I looked out into the hallway to see if the person was still there, but no such luck. I picked up the flowers and closed the door with my foot.
I put the flowers on the counter whilst I pulled out a vase. Emmett must be feeling a little disappointed to find out that Rosalie never got her flowers.
I chuckled to myself as I filled the vase with water and then placed the flowers in it.
Another knock on the door sounded through the apartment and with a huff, I went to answer the door for a second time.
"I come bearing gifts." Derek smiled and raised the beers as I opened the door. I grinned and stepped back, allowing him to enter the apartment. "Sorry for just showing up, but you seemed to have a pretty rough day."
"Nothing a few beers won't cure." I said, leading him into the living room.
We talked all night. Mostly about work and the woman who had been in my place before me; he seemed happy with the exchange. We talked about Garcia, who was his best friend and his work girlfriend.
I had to admit, I loved his relationship with Garcia, even if they weren't actually together. It takes one word of a gorgeous guy to make a girls day and he makes sure to never forget to make Garcia feel good. He was a good man and I had a small inkling that he may harbour some serious feelings for our technical analyst.
"So, why don't you and Spencer get along? I thought you guys would be nerds together, but you barely even look at each other." He pointed out. I sighed.
"I guess we're too much alike?"
"But that doesn't explain why he doesn't like you. He normally gives everyone a chance." His frown grew deeper, but I just shrugged it off and changed the subject. I really didn't want to get into all that right now.
When the beers were gone, he stood to leave when he saw a picture of me and Rosalie. He raised his eyebrows and grinned.
"She's pretty." He nodded in appreciation. I chuckled and assumed that he would have a few more things to say about her if I didn't tell him she was already in a relationship.
"She is. She is also taken." I laughed.
"You know, Bella; you're kind of alright."
"Well, you're kind of alright too."
We had a big case that we were working on, but we still had to accept little ones to keep us working. There was a man who was raping women. He would take them for three days and beat them to death, then leave them lying somewhere public were children would play.
School playgrounds.
Parks.
One mother was found in her daughter's bedroom.
Whoever was doing this was clever. He knew exactly what precautions to use and what he had to do to keep out of the public eye.
"There's been another victim. Jessica Stanley; aged twenty five. She was reported missing three days ago and her body was found in a nursery this morning. By the looks of things, she'd been beaten to death." JJ said, looking at the picture of the young mother.
"This is the fifth victim." I said.
After we had visited the crime scene we had to head back to the office. Questioning friends and family had been hard and I really just needed a glass of wine. We were getting nowhere, fast. This guy just seized to exist after he killed these women.
We were all seated at our desks, Reid was explaining to Morgan about where each body was placed and how far away they were from each other. Whilst I was listening, I was also finishing up my paperwork from our previous case. My phone vibrated and when I checked, I noticed it was the same unknown number that had been texting me for over two months.
"I am trying to settle how I shall pay HIM back. I don't care how long I wait if I can only do it at last – E
I frowned at the message. It was a quote from Wuthering Heights, only the word 'Hindley' had been replaced with 'him'. I didn't understand what it meant or who would send me such a message. I knew now that it had gone further than just a wrong number. Whoever this was, they knew who they were speaking to.
"Mom?" Spencer said in a worried voice, causing me to look up from my phone.
My stomach dropped when I saw Mrs Reid walking towards Spencer, shaking and in terror. I stood up and approached her, causing her to look at me. She frowned and began to say something when Spencer's phone rang. He answered and listened before he rolled his eyes.
"I know, she is here."
"Mrs Reid, can we get you something to drink?" Morgan asked, gesturing towards the small kitchen in the office.
"Water." I said without thinking. Both Spencer and Morgan looked at me like I had grown an extra head. Spencer recovered first.
"She's right. Caffeine gives her nightmares." Spencer said.
When Mrs Reid was seated in the conference room, Spencer asked her what she was doing in Virginia. She would have had to get on a plane to get here and she hates planes. Or she did.
"Someone is following me." She told him, finally. Spencer sat back in his chair, ran his hand over his face and exhaled.
"Mom, you always think someone is following you." He said, softly. I missed seeing this side of Spencer and it was nice to know that at least his love for his mother hadn't changed.
"I have seen him. You have to believe me." Her face was so serious, she was almost in tears.
"Mom-,"
"I believe you." I told her. I knelt down and grabbed her hands. "Mrs Reid-,"
"Bella, I have known you since you were ten years old. I think it is a good time for you to call me by my first name. Besides, you were always so good to my boy." She smiled adoringly down at my whilst I could feel the rest of the team stiffen and listen intently to what she had said.
"Okay, Diana." I said and her smile grew, as did the tears in her eyes.
"He says he wants you, and he will hurt you any way he can. That's why he came to me." She cried.
"What are you talking about?" I asked. Her shaky hands opened up her bag that she had been clutching to her chest, and pulled out an envelope. I took it from her and opened it, reading its contents.
You shouldn't have left them alone.
My blood ran cold as I dropped the piece of paper and pulled out my phone and dialling the number and pressing loud speaker. I stood and began pacing the room, praying to god that she would answer the phone. I looked behind me, seeing Morgan gesturing to me that there had been a team sent over to my home, to keep them safe.
"Hello?" Rosalie's chirpy voice answered. I sighed in relief.
"Rose, is Alice with you?" I asked in a panic.
"Of course she is, Bella. Is everything okay?"
"Rose, I need you to,-"
"Oh, hang on. There is someone at the door."
"Rose, no! Don't answer the,-"
"Can I help-," She was cut off by a gun shot and Alice's blood curdling scream. "Rosalie?" I yelled, tears pouring down my face.
"No, Alice! Run!" I heard Rosalie cry.
"I'll give them twenty four hours, then they're dead."
The dial tone.
I looked up, slowly, facing my team's worried gazes. I placed the phone down on the table and I glared up at Spencer. His frown was laced with worry and concern as he looked at the tears on my face.
"Bella," He began, but I raised my hand.
"Don't you dare speak to me now!" I yelled, wiping at my tears angrily.
"Bella, we need to go over everything you know." Rossi said, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"I don't know anything." I sobbed as he wrapped his arms around me.
"We know it's hard, Bella, but we need you to think. Has anything strange been happening lately. Anything out of the ordinary?"
I started shaking my head, but stopped as I remembered the messages. I passed my phone to Derek and he began to read them.
"Do these mean anything to you?" He asked me after he had passed the messages on to Spencer.
"They're quotes from Wuthering Heights. They appear to be aimed at a man in your life." Spencer said, looking down. "Is there a man, Bella?"
"No." I replied, bluntly.
"Why Wuthering Heights?" Hotch asked.
"It's my favourite book." I told him.
I was getting frustrated; I needed to be out looking for my daughter. I sat down in a chair next to Diana, who was crying, silently. I couldn't find it in me to try and comfort her. I was too busy crying myself.
"Who knew that it is your favourite book, Bella?" Spencer asked.
"You, Rosalie and Alice. I don't tell people." Spencer nodded, causing everyone else to once again look at us confused. Spencer and I barely spoke to each other and when we did, it was never nice, and now they are finding out that Spencer knows more about me than they do. But not much more.
"The house is empty." Garcia said, walking back into the room. I hadn't even noticed she had left. "There was blood." She said. She looked so devastated.
"Was there any bodies?" JJ asked, and thankfully, Garcia shook her head.
"I need to leave. I need to find them."
"We will find your friends, Bella." Spencer said. "I promise you."
The need I felt to just run into his arms and beg him to hold me again was outweighed by the anger I felt towards him.
"I don't want your kind words or your promises, Spencer Reid." I spat. "You are the last person I want to be comforting me!" I saw JJ escort Diana out of the room, obviously senses something was about to happen.
"Bella, I am so sorry, for what I did,-"
"Sorry?" I yelled. "I was there for you Spencer! Every single night, for eight years, I was there for you. Through the bullies and your mom, I held your hand through every storm that came your way!"
"I know," His own tears began to fall and I felt my will begin to crumble, but I carried on. "Bells,"
"The one time I needed you most, you deserted me. You threw money at me like I was some cheap whore and you walked out of my life!"
"I never meant for you to feel like that, Bella."
"I had your baby!" I sobbed. That shut him up. He was staring at me with his mouth agape, as was everybody else in the room. "I handled my situation and I had a baby. Now this monster has taken her away from me and you think the word sorry is going to make it all okay?"
"You never told me." He whispered.
"Between the death glares and the digs, when did you stick around long enough for me to get out a full sentence?"
Rossi kept me company in the room I was told to stay in whilst the rest of the team worked on the case. They said I was too close to the case so I wouldn't be able to concentrate properly.
Derek would come in every two hours or so and update me, and to make sure I hadn't given Rossi the slip and left the building.
I had cried continuously, apart from when Derek addressed Rosalie as my girlfriend. I had to laugh at that. He thought I was a lesbian, I suppose that wasn't a good thing.
Six hours after Rosalie and Alice were taken; Spencer came in to me and told me I was needed in an interview.
When I entered the interview room I was shocked to see Emmett, Rosalie's boyfriend, sitting with his head in his hands. He looked up at me when I closed the door and he sighed in relief.
"Bella," He went to stand, but I raised my hand, telling him to remain seated. "What's going on? They've dragged me in here, but they won't tell me why. I haven't done anything."
"It's Rosalie." I told him, shortly. His expression turned from worry to dread. His face went pale and I thought for a second that he was going to throw up.
"Is she… How did she- when-" He swallowed thickly and I frowned. "She's dead?" He asked, tears filling his eyes and falling. I didn't expect this reaction, but I could tell that it wasn't fake.
"She isn't dead, I don't think." I assured him.
"You think, what does that mean?" He asked. I shook my head, realising that I needed to ask him the questions.
"How did you meet Rosalie?" I asked.
"My brother introduced us."
"Your-" I was cut off by the door opening.
"Bella, you need to come see this." Hotch said and flicked his head to the left, gesturing for me to go with him. I nodded and told Emmett that we would continue soon.
I followed Hotch into Garcia's office, were Garcia was crying softly in Derek's arms.
"What's wrong?" I asked, rushing to her side.
"There is a live link on a website called 'watch me do it'. He streams his live footage and people watch it!" She answered, crying.
"Okay?" I pushed.
"The women who were raped, they are all on there. A new video was just played. I am so sorry, Bella!" A new round of sobs burst from her chest, but at that point, I was too frustrated to care.
"Do you want to tell me what the hell she is talking about?" I asked Derek. He sighed sadly and nodded.
"There was a video of Rosalie. He raped her." He told me, his eyes filled with sadness.
"Oh my god." I whispered to myself. I sat down and covered my face with my hands.
"I'm sorry, Bella."
"Was Alice there?" I asked, ignoring his words.
"What?"
"In the video, was my daughter there?"
"No, he must be holding her in a different room." I breathed in relief, glad that my daughter hadn't had to witness the horrors of what had happened to my best friend.
An hour or so later I found myself alone with Spencer in the conference room. He was putting together pieces of the profile whilst I sat and watched. He hadn't spoken to me about it since I had confessed that Alice was his daughter, but that was my fault for walking away whenever he tried.
"She acts like you." I said after noticing his sad expression. He stopped what he was doing and looked up at me, interested. "She is so smart. She loves to read."
"Does she have the, um," He stopped talking and pointed to his head.
"She has a photographic memory. Whatever she sees, she doesn't forget." I nodded. "She is a good girl."
"Does she know about me?" He asked, looking at his papers.
"Yes," I told him. He looked up again, this time his eyes were bright. "She has a picture of you beside her bed." He nodded and I looked down. "She thinks she is weird for not having you in her life. She thought you didn't want her."
"Did you tell her that?" He accused.
"I told her that if you met her, you would love her more than anything in your world."
"I made a mistake, Bells." He put his head in his hands and his shoulders shook.
I wanted to hold him, I really did, but it wasn't my fault he had never met our daughter. He left me and just because he felt guilty, I couldn't exactly just forgive and forget. Things like that take time. My daughter had been taken away from me by some nut job, I needed to concentrate on getting her back; I couldn't distract myself by fighting with Spencer.
But hearing him call me 'Bells' like old times, it did things to me. I hated the way I felt around him. It was like every nerve in my body was on high alert.
I wanted him to be in Alice's life. I wanted him to be a dad to her, but I wasn't sure if that was what he wanted, or if he would be ready to do it.
I was brought out of my thoughts by Spencer standing up quickly, rushing across the room to grab a piece of paper. Tears were fresh on his face, but the look of concentration said that they were long forgotten.
"Bella, I asked you if there was a man in your life and you said no." He said, frowning at me.
"Right," I said, hoping for a bit more to go on.
"Your first day here, you had a number on your hand."
He was right. I had met a man that day, who apparently knew me from somewhere. He gave me his number but I forgot to save it in my phone.
"What do you remember?" He asked, writing down some numbers.
"What is that?" I asked, looking at the numbers.
"This was the number you had on your hand that day." I shook my head in disbelief, amazed at how his mind still shocked me, even though I had grown up with it and then had a child who could do exactly the same.
"He looked really familiar, but I couldn't place him. I still can't remember. He gave me a rose and told me to give him a call when I remembered him."
"And you didn't call." He asked and I shook my head, feeling insanely guilty. Could he have taken my best friend and my little girl?
"That could have been the stressor." Morgan said from behind me. I hadn't realised he was standing there and I flushed, thinking he may have witnessed mine and Spencer's sort of truce.
"Garcia ran the image," JJ said, laying a file down in front of us all. "His name is Edward Cullen. Moved here almost a year ago; he's a lawyer. He has squeaky clean record."
"Cullen?" I asked with a sick feeling in my gut. Cullen was Emmett's last name.
"You went to school with him, Bella." Spencer told me, looking down at the table. I hated when he did this. It meant he was ashamed or embarrassed of something. Then I remembered.
"You're a freak!" I heard some jerk accuse as I turned the corner to go home. When I saw who the boy had cornered, my blood boiled.
I ran across just as Ed raised his fist and brought it down across Spencer's face. I grabbed the back of his shirt and dragged him back, away from Spencer.
"Get lost, Ed." I sneered as I stood in front of Spencer, blocking him from Ed's view.
"You need a girl to look after you. You are pathetic." Ed laughed. He stepped forward to get to Spencer, but I sidestepped him and we stood chest to chest. "Aw baby, if you wanted to get close to me, all you had to do was ask." He smirked.
I brought my knee up to his groin, making him fall to the ground with a loud groan. I knelt at his side and whispered in his ear.
"I'm not that desperate."
"You crazy bitch." He ground out. "You need a man to put you in your place."
"Spencer is more of a man than you'll ever be."
"He was a jerk." I mumbled. "Seems nothing has changed."
"His family has just bought this building." Garcia said, handing me a picture. It was a huge, empty building. "These are pictures of the rooms inside. This one looks scarily familiar." She handed Derek a picture and he nodded, confirming that it was the room from the website.
Poor Rosalie.
I shook the thoughts out of my head, knowing that if I let myself think about it, I wouldn't be able to concentrate on getting her back.
"Let's go."
I stood along with the team, but Hotch put a hand on my shoulder.
"You should stay here." He said, as nicely as he could.
"With all due respect, sir, that's not going to happen."
He gave me a quick stiff nod and then we were on our way.
SWAT followed us into the building, all weapons out. The building was dark and it smelled damp. The team had split up into groups. Spencer and I were together, JJ and Morgan then Hotch and Rossi.
We had been searching the building for a good ten minutes before I heard the sobs. We were standing right outside the door.
"Please, just let her go." Rosalie whimpered from the other side of the door.
I looked to Spencer, who put one finger to his lips, making sure I kept quiet, and then he turned and kicked the door through.
We entered the room swiftly, pointing our guns at the only standing person in the room. When I took in the sight, I almost fell to my knees, ready to beg for my daughter's freedom.
Edward was stood with my baby girl in his arms, a knife pressed against her neck. She had tears and dirt stained on her face, but she had her brave face on. I looked briefly to Rosalie, who was tied to a chair, her hair a mess and her clothes torn.
"Mommy." Alice whimpered; her brave façade slipping.
"I'm here, baby." I looked up at Edward. "Edward, put the knife down."
"You forgot me." He said, glaring at me. "I gave you my number and you forgot about me again. I loved you!"
"I'm sorry."
"Did you know that if I hurt every single person you love, you will eventually give yourself to me?" He assured me, with a brief smile. "I already killed your parents; I thought that would be enough to make you run into my arms."
"My parents died in a car crash." I told him, shaking. I needed to get Alice away from him, quickly.
"A drunk driver drove into their car, killing them on impact, and then managed to drive away before anyone arrived on scene." He smirked at me. "Nobody questioned my broken arm."
Tears welled in my eyes, but I would not allow him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I glanced at Spencer, only to see his sad eyes on Alice.
"I hurt your best friend, your rock, in the worst way possible. And now I am going to kill your daughter." He pressed the knife to her throat and she yelped.
"Stop!" Spencer shouted, lowering his gun to the ground, slowly. "What about me?"
"What about you?" Edward asked, looking at Spencer in disgust.
"If you hurt that child, you will be dead before you hit the ground. That in turn would cause Bella to run straight back into my arms. Not yours." Spencer said, smugly.
I knew that Spencer didn't actually believe what he was saying; he was just trying to get Edward to second guess himself. But it was all true, no matter what happened here, the only place I would knowingly take comfort is in his arms, whether he knew it or not.
"That's not true." Edward disagreed, shaking his head.
"It is," Spencer replied, walking closer to him. "She loves me; she always has and always will. Nothing can get in the way of that. Unless…" He trailed off. "Never mind."
"Unless what?" Edward yelled, making Alice jump and then wince in pain.
I felt sick to my stomach knowing what Spencer was doing. He had Edward right where he wanted him and that was good, except he was going to convince Edward to kill him instead of Alice.
"Well, if you kill her daughter, that just runs her right back into my arms. But if you kill me, who does she have then?" He spoke casually, as if he was making a business deal. I knew Spencer and I knew that this new found courage was a father's courage. He was offering his life to save his daughters.
"Spencer," I whimpered, tears now pouring down my face.
Edward looked between me and Spencer; I saw the decision in his eyes. I heard the door behind me open and I heard the guns lifted in the air, but nobody spoke. Rosalie was crying, knowing that this was going to end with somebody dead.
"Come closer." Edward said to Spencer, holding the knife firmly at my daughter's throat.
Spencer moved closer with his arms in the air. Alice cried out as Edward gave her a rough push forward, but before he could grab Spencer, Spencer grabbed Alice's waist and pulled her down to the floor, rolling slightly away from Edward. I felt myself pull the trigger and Edward fell to the ground.
I didn't move. Nobody did. We just watched, waiting to see if he would get up. He didn't.
"Spencer?" I called, carefully. He groaned in reply and rolled over, showing an unharmed Alice.
She ran and crashed into my waiting arms. I held her close to me and cried into her tiny shoulder. She patted my head softly.
"It's okay, mommy. The bad man is sleeping." She whispered. Her strength shocked me.
I sniffled and pulled away from her to see Morgan helping Rosalie out of the chair she had been tied to. I took in the blood that covered her left shoulder and the blood that covered her pants. She gave me small nod and a bit of a smile to let me know that she was okay as Morgan escorted her out of the room.
I looked over to Spencer, noticing that he still hadn't stood or moved from his position on the floor, Hotch was at his side and he spoke quietly into shirt asking for EMT's. I looked up to JJ who nodded and knelt at my side, talking sweetly to Alice, gaining her trust quickly and then left the room with her.
I stood and made my way across to Spencer, passing Rossi who was knelt at Edward's still breathing body, and sat beside Hotch. I saw the blood before I saw the knife that was sticking out of Spencer's stomach.
Edward must have stabbed him when he tried to grab him.
I closed my eyes for a quick second and took a deep breath.
"Spencer, can you look at me?" I asked, pulling his head into my lap. He looked up at me and tried to smile. His eyes began to flutter and my stomach dropped. My heart was pounding and Hotch was watching me carefully, as if he was waiting for me to break down. He had no idea how much I wanted to.
"I'm sorry about your parents." Spencer choked out, but then winced in pain. He grabbed a hold of the knife, ready to pull it out, but I wrapped my hand around his, pulling it away so he didn't do any more damage.
I didn't reply to him because there wasn't really much to say. I could say 'it's okay', but it wasn't okay. It was my fault my parents were dead, because I ignored a boy in school.
"Just keep your eyes open, Spencer." I murmured, smiling at him with tears in my eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Bella."
"Don't." I told him in a newly found strong voice. "Tell me when you're better.
EMT's came running into the room at that point with a gurney. I moved out of their way, with Hotch, who wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me in for a hug.
Rosalie was seen to immediately when we got to the hospital. JJ stayed with her the entire time whilst I was with Alice.
After a bunch of tests the doctor gave her the worst news possible. She wouldn't be able to have children. Edward had killed her spirit and her future.
She had been shot in the shoulder, which would have been the gun sound on the phone before he took them.
Alice was completely fine. Other than a few bruises on her wrist from where she had been tied up and the cuts on her neck from the knife, she had no other marks. She was scared to be left on her own though, which was completely normal.
Both Rosalie and Alice were kept in overnight for observation.
Spencer was taken straight into surgery and was then put onto morphine. The doctors said he was lucky, the knife hadn't hit anything too serious and that he would be up and about in no time.
Edward didn't make it to the hospital; the gunshot to his chest killed him in the ambulance. I couldn't say that I was sorry.
Emmett was arrested, having admitted to setting everything up so Edward could get his revenge. Emmett had stalked Rosalie, waited for her to be somewhere he could approach her and then he pretended to be someone he wasn't so she would fall for him.
Emmett had told Edward that I wasn't home the night he took them.
The next few days were hard. I wasn't sleeping, Rosalie and Alice were both having nightmares and Rosalie had sunk into a deep depression.
I hated myself for what had happened to Rosalie, but she constantly assured me that she did not blame me for what happened. 'How was you supposed to know some whacko from High School was gonna kidnap your family just to hurt you?'
JJ told me about the woman who looked after her son, and that she had offered to take care of Alice too when I needed it, just till Rosalie becomes herself again.
Rosalie cried when I told her about it and she apologised for not being up to it. I told her that I understood completely, which I did, and she seemed to believe me.
I had fallen asleep for a few hours on the sofa and woke up to an empty living room. It was dark outside which meant I had slept for a good few hours.
I padded through the house and stopped at Rosalie's bedroom door. I knocked lightly and poked my head in and sighed at the sight.
Alice was curled in a ball at Rose's side on the big bed. Rose, who was in her oversized grey hoodie, her hair on top of her head in a messy bun, was sat staring at her laptop, frowning.
"Rose?" I asked quietly, entering her room and sitting on her bed.
"I can't write." She said in a hoarse voice. "I keep trying to finish my chapter, but all I can think about is what he did to me." Tears fell from her eyes, but she remained calm.
"Maybe you should take a break from writing." I suggested, feeling completely useless. "You won't have to think as much."
"I don't have anything else to do to take my mind off it. If I'm not writing, I have nothing to distract me."
"Um," I looked down at my hands, not knowing if this would be a good thing to suggest. "There is this therapy-"
"I don't need therapy." She said, shortly, wiping away her tears.
"Hear me out." I insisted. "There is a kind of therapy, once a week you do have to talk to a psychiatrist, but every night, in order to help you feel in control, is a self-defence class." She looked at me with wide eyes. "If you're not interested, it's fine-"
"I am." She whispered.
"You will have to speak to somebody though."
"I will. Promise." She gave me a tiny smile and I stood from the bed. "Bella?"
"Yeah?" She looked at the bed for a second and then back at me.
"Would you guys sleep in here tonight?" She asked, sheepishly.
"Sure." I nodded, trying to make her feel something other than embarrassment. There was nothing wrong with needing someone at your side to help you sleep.
That was the first time in a week that I had slept all night.
Two weeks after the ordeal and one day before I was due back at work, Alice ran up to me, bouncing around like someone had injected her with caffeine.
"Mommy, can we go visit your work?" She asked, way too sweetly.
"Why?" I asked, confused.
Alice hadn't mentioned Spencer since the day he saved her, and it had worried me. I knew that she knew who saved her and I was surprised she hadn't even tried to mention him.
"I need to give him this." She said, holding up a piece of paper.
I took it from her and my eyes filled with tears at what I saw.
She had drawn a man with an FBI vest on and messy hair. Holding his hand was a little black haired girl with a big smile on her face. In the corner of the page it said 'My daddy is a super hero. By Alice Reid'.
"Go get your coat." I managed.
I quickly checked in on Rosalie before we left, asking her if she wanted to join.
"I don't think so. I'm just gonna stick around here for the night."
"You're not going to your self-defence class?" I asked.
She sighed and looked down at what she was wearing. I different pair of joggers and the same hoodie. She shook her head.
"Will you be okay on your own?"
"I'll be fine." She said, not looking at me.
"Okay, we'll see you soon. I'll bring you some dinner back." I told her.
"Thanks."
Alice and I drove in silence to the office and I knew that she was nervous. Normally she couldn't stay quiet for five minutes.
We parked the car and Alice practically ran to the building an inside. I stayed behind when we got to where we needed to be, and watched her run across the room to the team.
They all welcomed her with smiles, but she quickly made her way to her father, who was seated, obviously not allowed to be standing for too long, and passed him the picture she had drawn for him. He looked at the picture, looking at it a lot longer than he needed to, and then cleared his throat. After quickly wiping his eyes, he pulled her into a massive hug.
I wiped my own tears as I went to join them. JJ and Garcia both welcomed me with a hug and Derek pulled me to the side.
"How is Rosalie?" He asked, awkwardly.
"I'm not too sure." I told him, sadly. "She won't come out of her room, she barely eats anything. Her nightmares are really bad. I'm worried about her. I told her about the self-defence classes and she said she would go, but I think she is too scared."
He looked so concerned it shocked me. We returned to the others. JJ and Garcia had to leave; they were planning a night of booze. Derek also quickly excused himself, which left me, Alice and Spencer.
"How's the super hero wound?" I asked him. He grinned at me and shrugged.
"No villain can take me down." He said, rather smugly, making Alice giggle at his side. "It was definitely worth it." He told me, all joking aside.
"We were, um, going for some dinner, if you want to join us, we could use the company." I offered, awkwardly. It had been a long time since we had spent time alone and I hoped that this would be a good thing.
"Mommy, you're blushing." Alice said, making Spencer laugh out loud.
"Thank you for the observation." I mock glared at her.
"I would love to join you." Spencer smiled.
R&DD&R
Rosalie sat on her bed in her grey oversize hoody and her dark grey joggers. She sat on her bed, staring at the window.
Bella had gone out to dinner with Alice, so she was alone in the apartment. That was why she was sat, not moving.
She was listening.
She was terrified of being alone and she partly wished she had accepted her best friend's invitation to go out for dinner.
After what Edward did to Rosalie, she couldn't even look at herself in the mirror. He had ruined everything about her. She had her future planned out. She was going to finish her book she was currently writing, she was going to settle down with a man Emmett and she was going to have kids.
Now, she can't even look at her laptop, never mind finish writing her book.
Emmett wasn't who she thought he was; he was against her the whole time. She was just a pawn in the brothers' game and it killed her. Then she had to find out that, not only had Edward and Emmett destroyed her mind, but her body had been destroyed too.
She would never be able to have children.
The thought alone made her want to throw up. She was used, tainted and useless.
Who would want a woman who had been used in such a way? Who would want someone who couldn't even give them a child? She hated herself. Her life had been ruined and she just wanted it to be over.
Noises in the apartment made her freeze and hold her breath. The hairs on her arms stood on end, her heart beating too loud in her ears.
Bella left a while ago, but there was no way she would be back already. Plus, she always shouted when she got home, so she didn't scare Rose.
Rose remained on the bed, scared out of her mind, silent and listening. Tears filled her already sore and puffy eyes and they fell freely down her cheeks.
Three soft knocks on her bedroom door made her jump, but she didn't get up to answer the door, she stayed, seated and crying.
She watched as the door knob turned. Her whole body went stiff as the door was pushed open slightly.
She let out a breath and a sob in relief as she saw who was standing outside the door.
"Hey, hey," Derek said as he made his way into her bedroom. "I didn't mean to scare you. I called your name, but you didn't answer." He sat beside her as she cried.
"I'm sorry." She whimpered, embarrassed for crying like this.
"Don't be sorry, sweetheart. It is completely acceptable." He offered out one of his hands to her, which she eyed carefully before placing her own into it and allowing him to pull her into a hug. "You are safe now." He whispered into her hair as she cried.
It took about half an hour, but Derek finally calmed her down and got her talking. He watched, enthralled at her beauty, even when she was at her worst, she still managed to look better than any girl he had ever seen.
"I'm a mess." She said, her voice sore from the crying.
"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, earning a raised eyebrow.
"Are you a psychiatrist?" She asked, causing him to laugh.
"No, but I would be surprised if Spencer isn't. That guy has way too many ." He laughed and so did she. "You got a thing against psychiatrists?"
"They pry." She answered.
He nodded and sighed.
"You don't want to go to the self-defence classes?" He asked her. She sighed and shook her head.
"I don't feel comfortable around strangers." She whispered.
"Are you comfortable around me?"
"Too comfortable." She answered quickly, looking him in the eyes.
She couldn't explain it, but since he walked in she has felt safe. She let him hold her and she didn't want to pull away. She wanted him to hold her, comfort her.
"Would it be too weird if I asked you to stay with me tonight?" She asked, looking at her hands.
"Stay with you?" He asked, trying to see her face. He knew immediately that she didn't mean it sexually or even romantically. He didn't mind. He wanted her to trust him and it appeared that she already did.
"I mean, lay with me, while is sleep?" She looked at him then and he pretty much fell in love with her eyes.
He nodded at her and laid down on one end of the bed, facing her as she laid on the opposite end.
He put his hand in the middle of the bed and closed his eyes, smiling slightly when he felt her place her hand in his.
R&DD&R
After we had eaten, we took Alice around an arcade before she began yawning, letting me know that it was time for bed.
Spencer asked if he could come home with me, saying that he really wanted to talk to me about some things and he couldn't really do it with Alice present. I told him he could come, which in turn made Alice squeal in delight, asking him to read her a bedtime story.
When we got home, I helped Alice bath and dress for bed. I plaited her hair and got her settled in bed, then let Spencer know she was waiting for him.
Whilst Spencer was reading to Alice, I went to check on Rosalie, and was shocked at what I saw.
Her bedside lamp was on so I could see clearly that she was lying on one end of the bed facing Derek, who was sleeping, with a respectable distance, on the other side of the bed. He was facing her.
Derek had in fact been smitten with Rosalie since he had seen a picture of her, automatically assuming that she was my girlfriend, he hadn't asked anymore about her, but when he found out that she wasn't, he was acting different.
He was asking about how she was because he was genuinely concerned. He liked Rosalie.
I smiled and closed the door quietly, trying not to wake them. I shuffled down the hall into the living room where I fell onto my sofa and waited for Spencer.
After about half an hour, Spencer sat beside me, loosened his tie and his top two buttons on his shirt and sighed.
"It took me seven chapters to convince her that I was supposed to read the bedtime story and she was supposed to go to sleep." He said, with a small chuckle. I smiled at the look in his eyes. He looked proud. "She is very clever."
"She takes after her daddy." He sighed, sadly at my words and I knew it was about to get serious.
"How can you not hate me?" He asked, glaring down at his hands.
"I tried, if that helps?" He shook his head and looked up at me, pain etched on his features.
"I will never be able to make it up to you." He murmured then put his face in his hands. I leant forward and removed his hands, making him look at me.
"You saved her life and almost died in the process. I owe you now, Spencer." I told him, seriously.
"I didn't know… I thought… If I knew, I would have-"
"I know." I cut him off.
"That day, when you told me-"
"Spencer, you don't have to explain."
"Yes, I do." He said, holding one of my hands in both of his. "When you told me you were pregnant, of course I panicked. I was too young. I hadn't had a life yet, but that wasn't what scared me. I had just sectioned my own mother. There is a good chance that, in ten years or so, I could be exactly like her." I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I was speechless. I hadn't expected this.
"I don't want my child to have to go through what I went through."
"Oh, Spencer," I whispered, shaking my head. "Your mom raised you alone. Your father left her knowing she was sick, she didn't have anybody to help her."
"I'm alone too. People think I'm a freak." I smiled at how young he both sounded and looked with that small frown on his face. He was adorable.
"I never thought you were a freak." I told him. "And you are not alone. If we see the signs, we get you the right medication, and you won't stop taking it like your mother did."
"We?" He asked and looked at me with pleading eyes.
"We want you in our lives, Spencer. And I want to be there for you, whether it comes to it or not."
He smiled and wrapped his arms around me, holding me for the first time in over seven years. When he pulled away I smiled up at him.
"Okay, enough with the heavy talk." I told him.
"What do you want to talk about then?" He asked.
"Um," I thought for a few seconds and then grinned. "Morgan is in bed with Rosalie."
"What?" He yelled. I laughed and shushed him. "Are you serious?"
"Mhm, I think he was just keeping her company and helping her sleep. I think he will be good for her…"
Reviews are appreciated. I may be convinced to continue, but for now, it's just a oneshot :) Thank you for reading