"Fairy tales are not true. They are more than true. Not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be defeated." – GK Chesterton
Claire whooped and hollered along with Aaron Hotchner and Jennifer Jureau as they watched the final seconds of the Super Bowl at a crowded college pub in Quantico, Virginia. The pub might have been outdated and dusty and the music may have been cranked up a little too loud. But, the team of profilers and their guests didn't care. Despite all its shortcomings, the shanty bar was full of life. It reminded the team of the other side of human-kind, the lighter side.
Claire laughed as she watched Derek Morgan bump and grind on the dance floor with at least three younger women. She laughed even harder when Penelope Garcia ordered her and Emily Prentiss not to allow anyone to touch her prime viewing spot of Morgan whilst she visited the powder room.
"She cracks me up!" Emily exclaimed taking a sip of her mixed drink.
"I know she is a riot," Hayley Hotchner smiled.
"She certainly keeps her man-candy on a long leash," Claire said while twirling her finger around in the foam of her Guinness.
"Speaking of man-candy," Hayley said eyeing her, "where is yours?"
Claire laughed, "Oh, Spence found some old Trekie buddies, so I let him off to play." Her face turned mock serious, "He knows when to come home though."The women laughed together as Hayley spun onto the dance floor by Hotch so they could "show Morgan how it was done."
Claire Montgomery and Spencer Reid had been dating for about a year now. They had met at the BAU when she had brought in a painting that BAU Chief Erin Strauss had bought from her.
~~ FLASHBACK ~~
"Damnit," Claire whispered as the large painting slipped from her hands and onto the floor chipping the corner of the painting's frame. Normally, she wouldn't ever frame her paintings. She felt that a flashy frame took away the splendor of the piece. But, Chief Strauss was her first high profile client and Claire wasn't about to say "no" to a special request. She bent down to pick up the broken piece and fumbled for her spare tube of super glue in the pocket of her paint-stained jeans only to find her pockets empty.
"Ah fudge bucket!" Claire cursed.
"Excuse me?" a voice said.
Claire looked up to find a lean young man standing in front of her clutching a cup of coffee. "Oh," she blushed, "Uh, yeah . . . sorry." She picked herself off the floor and slid the painting under her arm. "Yeah, "fudge bucket" just something I say whenever I am in a public place and have the need to curse."
"Interesting," the young man said with a puzzled look on his face. "What would cause the need for curse other than you dropped something on the floor?"
"Well, I am delivering this painting to Chief Strauss and it slipped and dropped onto the floor," Claire said gesturing to the painting under her arm, "And this," she held up the corner of the frame, "broke off and I don't have my emergency bottle of super glue to fix it."
"Ah," the young man nodded. "When is the painting supposed to be delivered to her?"
"Uh," Claire glanced at her vintage Mickey Mouse watch, "ten minutes?" she grimaced.
The young man cleared his throat, "I think I may be able to help you out."
"Could you?" Claire asked pushing her auburn bangs behind her ear.
"Sure, follow me." The young man quickly turned around and walked down the hallway.
"Uh," Claire stammered as she raced to keep up with him. "If you could help me fix this, I will so owe you."
"Don't worry about it," the man said turning to acknowledge her. Claire couldn't help but notice that his eyes were the softest brown she had ever seen but there was something else there lying in their depths. Was it sadness? Regret? She didn't have time to be certain before he turned his gaze down the hallway again.
"I'm sorry. I don't believe I got your name." Claire said trying to get him to look at her again.
"Uhmm, I am S.A. Dr. Spencer Reid," he answered not looking at her.
Claire was baffled at the title. "Aren't you a little young to be a doctor?" she asked.
"Ph.D.s," Spencer said turning the corner. Baffled Claire stopped to get a better grip on the painting.
"Huh," she said, "Interesting."
"How about you?" Spencer said as he stopped before a nondescript door and faced her. Claire tried again to discern what it was in his eyes that she saw. But, she found whatever she had seen was lost. Maybe she had just imagined it.
She shook her head. "Uh, Claire. Claire Montgomery."
"Nice to meet you." Spencer gave a small smile.
"Same here," Claire said smiling back. Spencer turned and knocked on the door.
"Enter, mortal!" called a voice from within. As Spencer opened the door, Claire was greeted by the sight of at least five desktop computer screens and two plasma screens on the walls plus a wall of white noise which could only be described as technology at work.
"Wow," Claire whispered.
A young blonde woman turned to face them. "Hey, Reid," she said then she noticed Claire. She turned to Reid and shook her head. "Oh, Reid, you don't want to use my techie cave as a nooky cave, do you?"
"What?" Spencer sputtered, "No." Claire blushed furiously. "She, uh, just needs to fix a picture frame for Strauss," Spencer said trying to compose himself.
"JK, Reid, geez," the woman laughed. "Something pretty for the Madame?" she nodded towards a drawer as she stood up, "Look in there, Reid. There is bound to be one bottle in my junk drawer." She crossed to room and reached out to shake Claire's hand. "Sorry, if I embarrassed you. I am Penelope Garcia, my love."
"Claire Montgomery." She said as she shook Garcia's hand.
"Well, it is nice to meet you, Claire Montgomery. It is not often that Spence here brings in a random woman for me to meet. Well actually not ever." Garcia giggled.
"I –," Spencer started to protest but Garcia silenced him.
"Shh, go on. Keep digging," she turned back to Claire. "So what brings you to the BAU?"
Claire smiled. Garcia reminded her a lot of her sister who never stopped talking. She placed the painting on the ground. "This actually," she announced.
Garcia marveled at the oil painting. "Oh wow, that is absolutely brilliant. Did you?"
Claire nodded, "Yeah, it's not my normal style. A little cookie cutter. My usual style is a little more whimsical," she shrugged, "but Chief Strauss requested a landscape of The Hill so I gave her one." She stood back from the painting with Garcia to admire her work.
"Maybe as a reminder of the political career she never had," Spencer remarked handing Claire a small bottle of super glue.
"Thanks," Claire said and went to work on repairing the frame.
"Oh, Reid! Badmouthing the chieftess? Naughty, naughty!" Garcia scolded teasingly. Claire giggled.
"Just an observation," Reid defended.
"Hey, what happens in the Techie Cave stays in the Techie Cave," Garcia pacified.
Claire made sure the broken piece was firmly placed before standing up. "Okay, all fixed," she announced. She handed the bottle back to Garcia. "Thank you so much," she said.
"No prob, chica. Hey I'd love a few prints for my apartment. Is there any way I can look you up?" Garcia asked.
"Oh sure, here" Claire said drawing one of her business cards out of her back pocket. She picked up one of Garcia's many pink feather pens off her desk and scribbled something on the back of it. "Here is my card with my email on the back. Anytime time of day is good to contact me." She handed Garcia the card and picked up her painting.
"Awesome," Garcia said. "Now, Reid, lead this young woman to the Madame's office. I have background checks to finish." Reid started to protest but Garcia silenced him once again. "I will give Gideon the case files." She plucked the files from Reid's other hand that wasn't holding his coffee and shooed them away with her free hand. "Go, you cannot keep the chieftess waiting. Bye now." Garcia shut her door.
Claire laughed. "Ok, she is now my new favorite person."
Spencer gave a slight chuckle, "Shall we?" He gestured down the hall with his coffee.
"Oh, you don't have to," Claire said adjusting the paint from one arm to the other. "I am pretty sure I can find my way." She started to move down the opposite hall.
"Spencer," Garcia warned from inside the Techie Cave.
"Trust me," Spencer said turning her in the right direction, "We should do what she says. She has cameras everywhere." He whispered.
"Spooky," said Claire looking around suspiciously.
Claire gave Spencer a thumbs up before she knocked on Chief Strauss's door.
"Come in," a voice called from within. Claire opened the door. "Ah, Claire, right on time."
"Yes, ma'am," Claire said standing the painting up against a chair. "Here it is."
"Oh, it's perfect," Strauss cooed as she studied the painting. "Let me write your check." Strauss reached around her desk to pull her check book out of her purse. Claire eyed all of the Chief's accomplishments that she proudly hung on the wall. There were many of them. No achievement was too big or too small to be displayed in this office. "Did you find my office without difficulty?" Strauss asked Claire.
"Yes ma'am," Claire answered, "with the help of Agent Reid." She motioned toward Spencer who was standing in the doorway.
"Ma'am," Spencer acknowledged.
"Ah, Agent Reid, how is your team's case coming along?" Strauss asked.
"Slowly but surely," Spencer cleared his throat. "Garcia has a suspect pool and is running the names as we speak."
"Good, good, I may pay your unit chief a little visit later still," Strauss smiled to Spencer as she handed Claire her check.
Spencer shifted uncomfortably. "Always a pleasure, ma'am."
Strauss smiled and looked back to Claire. "Thank you so much for dropping it off."
"No problem," Claire smiled but she was somewhat puzzled over Spencer and Strauss's terse exchange. "Anytime. Enjoy it."
"I will," Strauss said. Looking back at the painting, she cocked her head. "I think I will take the frame off though . . ." she mused then turned back to her desk.
It was an obvious sign that they were dismissed but Claire looked to Spencer just to make sur., He nodded and she quickly followed him out and into the hallway.
"What was that?" Claire asked when they were a safe distance away from Strauss's open door.
"What?" asked Spencer who seemed wrapped up in his own thoughts.
"The whole 'oh well, you're investigation is going well but I am gonna pay you a visit anyway.' I didn't get you in trouble, did I?"
"That? Oh no, you didn't. If anything, I can give Hotch a heads up so he'll be prepared."
"Oh okay," Claire said tucking her bangs behind her ear. When they reached the elevators, they stood in silence for a moment neither knowing what to say.
"It was nice—,"
"Well, thank-,"
They both started at the same time.
Claire laughed nervously, "Go ahead."
Spencer cleared his throat, "It was nice meeting you." He reached out to shake her hand.
"Same here," Claire smiled taking it. "Thanks for helping me, I still owe you."
Spencer shook his head, "Oh no, it's okay."
"Nothing fancy, wonder boy," Claire laughed and pulled out her card. "Coffee, Friday? I know this great new place with live acoustic music." She wrote down the address of the coffee shop on the back of the card. Spencer looked at her slightly shocked. "C'mon it's the least I can do," she urged. "Giving your boss the heads up that his boss is going to pay a visit doesn't count."
Spencer shook his head as if he were trying to wake himself up from a dream. He nervously cleared his throat. "Sure," he stammered. Clumsily he fished one of his business cards out of his pocket and exchanged his for hers. Claire smiled. The elevator door dinged as the metal doors slipped open.
Claire stepped inside. "So eight o'clock Friday night?" she said as she pushed the first floor button.
"Eight sounds good," nodded Spencer. He still could not believe this had happened to a guy like himself.
"Cool," Claire smiled as the metal door shut.
~~ END FLASHBACK ~~
They went and had coffee that Friday and both agreed that the band playing that night was awful. And even though the same band played every Friday night after, Claire and Spencer still had coffee there every week, except when Spencer was consulting a case. They talked about many different subjects. But mostly, Claire would let him know about ideas she had for various art projects and he in turn would tell her a little about the cases the team was working on and if he needed a pair of fresh eyes to look at it from a new angle. The coffee shop became their special place and their relationship took off from there.
"Ah, good no one touched my spot," Garcia said.
"No one would dare with you around, dear," Claire giggled, "They are too afraid of what you could do with that computer if yours."
"As they should be," Garcia nodded as she watched Morgan dance toward her.
"C'mon baby-girl, you know you can't resist," Morgan teased and offered his hand.
Garcia blushed, "I prefer to watch." She nervously sipped her drink and looked away from him.
"All right," Morgan shrugged and turned toward Claire. "C'mon Red," he waved his hand in a "come and get me" gesture.
She looked at Garcia who gave her a mild "stay away from my man-candy" glare but Claire shrugged and took Morgan's hand. "Okay, Thunder, let's go," she said.
"Oh no, you did not just do that!" Garcia gasped.
Claire laughed and stuck out her tongue.
"You snooze. You lose, baby-girl."Morgan said. Garcia pouted. "But you are still my best girl," winked Morgan.
"Hey!" Claire playfully swatted Morgan's arm.
Garcia smiled then gave Claire the "I am watching you gesture".
"Did I just tempt fate?" Claire said in Morgan's ear over the pounding music.
"Eh, she harmless," Morgan yelled. "She likes you too much to do anything too bad."
Claire's eyes widened. "Too bad?" she squeaked.
"Maybe block you from the internet," Morgan shrugged.
"She wouldn't dare. She knows I use Skype as much as she does." Claire looked back at Garcia who was still giving her the mock evil-eye.
Morgan chuckled. "I'll make it up to her."
Claire eyed him. "Nooky?" she smiled playfully.
"Hey, don't make me pick a new dance partner," Morgan warned her playfully.
"Who in here could be a better dance partner than me?" she said cheekily.
Morgan just laughed as he spun her around the dance floor. Several dips, spins and grinding later, Morgan had finally decided that they had showed up Hotch and Haley and spun Claire into Spencer's unsuspecting lap.
"Oh hi," Claire laughed giddy from all the spinning.
"Hello there," Spencer chuckled. His arms slipped around her waist. "Morgan didn't give you any rum, did he?"
Claire laughed, "Nope, but with the way he dances he can make anyone drunk." She waved to Morgan who was dancing with another random girl while making his way across the dance floor to Penelope who was tapping her foot impatiently. He smiled and gave her a chin-up gesture. "He's a player though, not my type." She sighed.
"Good," Spencer said kissing her forehead, "because, you are taken."
"Yeap," Claire sighed looking forlornly back at Morgan who was doing some serious Garcia butt-kissing. "That's too bad."
"Hey," Spencer tickled her sides relentlessly. She squealed and tried to wiggle out of his grasp.
"Okay, okay, okay, I cave! I cave!" she squeaked out between her peals of laughter. Spencer kissed her soundly. Claire felt a warm tingle rise from her toes and melting her heart. "Mmm," she smiled snuggling against him. Guinness and Spencer's kissing always made her sleepy. "That was a good game wasn't it?"
"What game?" Spencer asked.
"The Super Bowl game, what else?"
"Eh, I didn't pay attention." He shrugged taking a swig from his Bud.
"Dr. Reid, one of these days, I am going to sit you down and teach you the ways of football."
Spencer nodded and moved to take another sip of his beer. "When pigs fly," he murmured.
Claire snatched the bottle away and took a swig. "What was that?"
"I said, when you say the time?" Spencer shrugged taking his beer back.
"That's what I thought," she said. "You are as smart as your IQ says."
"The IQ tests are quite accurate."
"Hush up." Claire kissed him again. "Have I told you how much geniuses turn me on?" she smiled snuggling into his neck. She loved the way he smelled: coffee, old spice, and books. She wished she had a bottle of cologne of his scent to spray onto his old oxford shirts she wore to bed whenever they started to lose his scent.
"While your clothes were on or off?" Spencer asked wiggling his eyebrows. Claire quickly covered his mouth with her hand and buried her face in the crook of his neck to hide the blush that was creeping up her neck. Since they had started dating Spencer had gradually come out of his shell and grown more confident around her. Claire knew that Spencer's father had left when his was eight and his mother was somewhat distant because of her illness and because of that Spencer was afraid to let anybody in and afraid to show too much of himself. There had been a lot of fights and heart-to-hearts between them before they could get to where they were at that moment. Spencer chuckled as he peppered kisses along her sensitive earlobe to draw her out of her hiding place. She squeaked and jerked her head away from his soft lips.
"Meh!" Claire cringed. "You know I am ticklish right there!"
"That was the point," Spencer said, "so I can do this." He cupped her face and gently gave her a lingering kiss. Claire melted into his arms and twirled her arms around his neck. He tightened his hold on her waist. A few catcalls and a long wolf whistle came from the dance floor. Claire knew it was Morgan so give him a rather rude gesture involving one of her fingers.
"Is that a promise or a demand?" called Morgan. Reid responded with a gesture like hers never breaking his and Claire's kiss. Morgan laughed again. "A threesome?" Garcia smacked him on the back of the head. "Ow, woman!" Morgan flinched and rubbed the back of his head. Satisfied with the way Penelope had intervened, Claire lowered her finger and moved it back to threading it through Spencer's long brown hair.
Someone nearby cleared their throat. "As much I hate to break things up…" It was JJ. She wiggled her phone. "We have been summoned."
"Really?" Morgan huffed.
"Yes, really, all other teams are elsewhere." JJ shrugged.
Garcia pouted. "I guess we all had to turn back into pumpkins sometime,"
"Hey," Claire protested.
"Except you and Haley, my dear," Garcia looked from her to Haley. "You can go home and sleep."
"Without our man-candy," Claire murmured. Haley nodded her agreement as Hotch slipped his arm around her waist. Spencer looked at her guiltily. "But you have to do what you have to do," she smiled and ruffled his hair. She didn't necessarily like it when Spencer had to go away. But, she understood it was a part of his job. Usually she tried to hide the fact of how much his going away scared her, knowing he could get hurt or…no, she didn't want to think of that. But he was a good profiler and could see through any mask she tried to put on. She stood up and brought him with her then followed the others out the door.
"Claire," Spencer began as they reached her car.
"Spencer, it's okay. I had a good time tonight. I know the demands of your job; I spend half my time with Garcia while you are away," Claire said struggling to keep her voice stable. Something was going to change on this case; an uneasy feeling was growing in her gut. She had never had this feeling before. But she smiled anyway. "Just focus on the case and nail down a profile really quick so you can come home." She wound her arms around his neck and hugged him.
"We can pick up where we left off," Spencer suggested with a mix of relief and eagerness in his voice.
Claire laughed and kissed him chastely. "Maybe…" she teased and kissed him again.
Spencer deepened the kiss and the battle for dominance ensued but was cut off as Morgan whistled, "Yo, Lover-boy! You coming?"
"Go now my dear," she murmured in between kissing. She playfully pushed him towards the Bureau SUV Morgan was leaning up against. "Be free. And call me tomorrow."
Spencer nodded and lifted her hands to his lips. "I love you," he whispered.
Claire smiled. "Ditto."
Spencer walked away holding her hand until it slipped away from him.
She watched him climb into the passenger seat. "Hey Derek!" she called out. "Make sure my love gets some caffeine in him before you brief the case!"
"Aye, aye, captain!" Morgan called out as he drove the car out of the parking lot and down the road.
Claire waved until they were out of sight then pulled her arms around herself. She hadn't even heard the details of the case and already she had a sense of foreboding. Maybe it was just PMS or hormones or something. She stared out at the dark highway and a chill ran over her spine. Yep, definitely hormones.
Claire mostly spent her days online when Spencer was away and when she wasn't painting. Today she was searching for a screen cap from a scene in Swan Princess. She love the animation in that movie and always thought it would be fun to animate movies for a living even though Spencer told her the process for animating movies was long and difficult. She didn't think she would mind though. She liked a challenge.
Her computer dinged as it opened a new chat with one of her best friends from high school. They had kept in touch over the past few years. Recently he was going through a divorce. He had gotten married right after high school and things hadn't turned out the way he had planned. So his messages and phone calls were becoming more frequent as he came crawling back to her. She hadn't yet told him that she was seeing someone. It seemed too cruel to share her happiness with someone who had just lost his.
"Hey, Claire! Check out this new vid!" The message read complete with a link at the bottom. "This is going to be the next big horror flick!"
He knew her too well. She liked a good scare. She clicked on the link and was directed to a video sharing site. The headline read "It's Not Too Late! Raphael's Punishment Has Begun!"
"That is a long ass movie title," Claire said to herself as the featured video began to play. The camera angle was weird and didn't move from its spot. She watched as a slight figure in dark clothing snuck behind another and proceeded to cut his throat, arm then leg. The camera angle didn't change and neither did the lighting as it did most of the time during horror films and the room wasn't dark either. The filmmaker wanted you to see everything. A woman screamed from off camera. The figured moved towards the voice and screaming was silenced.
Something about the video unnerved Claire. She wrote back to her friend. "Where did you get this?"
"It was a viral video sent to me by email. Isn't it awesome?"
Claire wasn't so sure about awesome. To her the movie or whatever was disgusting, repulsive, and so not horror film marketing. This seemed like it carried a message with it.
"I don't know." She wrote back. "I gotta go. Later." She logged out of the instant messaging software. She had to call Garcia.
Brrrrriiinnnnggggg!
The telephone rang loud and clear over the noise of her computers as the caller ID popped up on Penelope Garcia's screen. She punched the answer button with her pen.
"Oui my lovely Clarisse, what's happening? She said.
"Hey, Penny, listen, can you check something out for me?" Claire asked.
"Claire, I am sure Spencer and the others are fine," Garcia soothed having already been through this with her the night before.
Claire cut her off. "No, Penelope, it's something else."
"Oh, what is it?" Garcia asked.
"Okay, my friend sent me a viral video of what he thinks is marketing for a horror film."
"And?"
"I don't think it is. The camera angle and the lighting is all wrong. You would think it was one of Dawson Leery's 'innovative' horror flicks. But the content itself is unnerving. Do you think you or one of the other techs could take a look at it?"
Garcia frowned she didn't like the way her friend's voice sounded. "Of course, my dear, send me the link." Another window popped on her screen. "One new message!" She clicked on it. Her email provider popped open. The message title read "This new horror film with be effin amazing!" She clicked the link provided.
"Never mind, I think someone just sent it to me."
"Is it a video sharing website?"
"Uh huh," Garcia said as the video began to play. "The one with the burgundy settee against the wall with a creepy guy wearing a hoodie and – oh my god!" Garcia quickly turned her head away and focused on the cute fuzzy yellow bobble-bird Claire had given her for her birthday.
"Yeah, that one. Sorry, dear." Claire apologized.
"It's okay, love" Garcia looked back at the video again. It looked like the crime scene the team was supposed to be at. "Oh no," Garcia breathed.
"What?" Claire asked worriedly.
"It's nothing dear." Garcia said shakily.
"Garcia," pushed Claire.
"It looks like the crime scene the team is supposed to be at," Garcia said softly. She heard Claire take a sharp intake of breath.
"Are you sure?"
"I am not positive; I need to call Derek. I'll call you later."
"No, no," breathed Claire. "I don't want to know."
"Are you going to be okay?" Garcia asked.
"I think so," Claire said shakily. "Uhmm, I gotta go." The phone clicked off.
Claire ran to the bathroom straight to the toilet and threw up her morning coffee and last night's drinks. She was sure that Garcia was lying when she said she didn't know that was the team's crime scene or not. She flushed the toilet and brushed her teeth. She made sure to erase her internet history so she would never come across that website or video ever again.
"If tomorrow never comes, I want you to know right now that I…I'm gonna love you until the day I die. And if –"
Claire picked up her phone mid-ring. "Hello."
"Hey, love."
"Spencer, how are you?" she breathed.
"I'm fine, babe. What's wrong?" Spencer asked. He detected a twinge of fear in her voice.
"It's nothing really. I'm just a little more worried than usual, that's all. What are you doing?"
"I am here with JJ," Spencer said.
"Hey, Claire!" called JJ.
"Hey Jayje." Claire chuckled.
"Yeah, we are going to ask a possible witness a few questions," Spencer said. "I was just calling to check up on you. I know you were the one who tipped Garcia off about the viral videos. I am really sorry you had to see that."
Claire brushed her hair out of her eyes with a paint-stained hand. "It's okay. You can thank, Xander for that one."
"The really skeevy, pervy one?" asked Spencer.
Claire laughed, "I thought you would have more intelligent adjectives in your vocabulary, Dr. Reid."
"Well, those seemed like the best ones to describe him," Spencer said.
"Oh, he's harmless, Spencer. He knows where mine and his relationship stands. He's known since high school."
"I know. I am probably going to lose you in a minute." Spencer said.
"We are entering the middle of BFE!" laughed JJ
"I was just calling to make sure you were all right," Spencer said.
"I'm fine, love. Be safe. I love you." Claire said.
"Ditto. I'll call you tonight." Spencer promised.
"I'll make sure JJ holds you too it." Claire said laughing. "Bye."
"Bye," Spencer said.
Claire clicked off the phone. She was glad Spencer had called her. But she was sure the uneasy feeling in her gut wouldn't leave until he was back home in her arms.
So we like? Yesh? Lemme know?
Always, LLLimwen
P.S. Did any pick up on the Dawson's Creek reference?