Chapter Seven

We pull up to the hospital and as we're walking inside I see a man walking out. Spencer tenses beside me but says nothing and keeps moving. I glance up at him and he looks like he's made of stone.

"That was your father, wasn't it?"

"Ashleigh don't-" he tries to stop me but I'm already back pedaling and following the man back out to the parking lot.

"Hey stop! Stop right there you sick son of a Bitch!" I break out in a run and look back to see Spencer following me, exasperated. I grab the mans shoulder and he snaps his head around to look at me.

"Can I help you?" Before I even realize what I'm doing I draw back and slap him across the face.

"You should know, prisons don't take too kindly to child molesters. And I hope to God you end up being someone's Bitch." Spencer catches up with me and I feel his arms fold around my waist. He drags me back up the side walk and stops under an awning.

"What was that? We can't just go around hitting people!"

"Hey, I'M not the FBI. I can hit whoever I want."

"Okay there Rocky, calm your little butt down. I had to get you away from him but honestly, you're kinda hot when your mad and I had half a mind to look away."

"I don't know what came over me I'm sorry..."

"You didn't sleep last night."

"What are you talking about?"

"I heard you and Morgan talking."

"How did he not know you were awake?"

"Micro expressions." He shrugs and brushes the hair out of his face.

"So...I get to be there when you arrest him right?"

"Tell you what," he wraps an arm around me and starts to walk inside.

"I'll let you watch from the car."

"Just the thought of anyone hurting you...it makes my blood boil."

"I know."

...

The car ride back to the hotel is silent. Diane was understandably agitated but Spence got her calmed down pretty fast. Turns out his dad was there to give her a name to pass on to Spencer. Guilty conscience I guess. Whatever the reason, it doesn't excuse what he did. He drops me back at the hotel and leaves to meet up with Morgan and Rossi. I spend most of the afternoon alternating between reading and watching tv. About 7PM there's a knock at the door. I look out the peephole and see JJ.

"Hey...is Spencer okay?"

"Yeah yeah he's fine. We're all going out to dinner. I was on my way back to the station so I just figured it would be simpler for me to just pick you up."

"Okay just...let me change real quick."

"Don't be ridiculous, you look better than any of us."

"Okay...lets go."

...

Throughout dinner they all alternate between talking about the case and regular conversation. Apparently, Garcia has already found seven separate cases in Nevada and California and she hasn't even moved on to the rest of the country yet. These boys all reported multiple figures and all of their stories have been chalked up to imagination dealing with the trauma. Hotch mentions bringing someone into the case who specializes in this sort of thing. I only know bits and pieces of what Spencer tells me. The thought of having an entire sector of the FBI dedicated to crimes against children makes me physically ill. Spencer senses this and reaches for my hand under the table. They're going on a raid tomorrow which also makes me nervous. According to Morgan the best time to go is during the day. That ensures that everyone will be home since they do whatever it is they do at night. When we get back to the hotel room we move around in comfortable silence getting ready for bed. I curl into his side and rest my head on his shoulder.

"You okay?"

"I guess. It was a long time ago. Obviously my subconscious has found a way of working through it. I'm just focusing on helping these other kids."

"I'm sorry about today..."

"It's not a big deal. I'm honestly glad it happened as funny as that sounds."

"How come?"

"Because I can't. I can't lash out at him no matter how bad I want to. If I do then Hotch will have no choice than to take me off the case. If I lash out and then we make an arrest he will get off on police brutality. Technically I shouldn't even BE on the case."

"So I take it that you all were able to make it an official case?"

"Yeah. And if you don't want to be here for this you can always go home. I'd hate for you to be stuck in a hotel room while we're working this. Hours will be really long."

"Don't be ridiculous. I want to be here with you."

"Okay but at any time if you want to leave all you have to do is ask."

"I know."

I lean up and kiss him before settling back on his shoulder.

...

I wake up hot and thirsty so I ease out of bed and to to the fridge for water. I go out on the balcony to sit and watch the city below me. I could kill that son of a Bitch for hurting Spencer. He puts on such a brace face it I know he's crumbling inside and there's nothing I can do to help him. Maybe he will take Hotch's advice and talk to someone. Now I understand why he never tells me anything. He's trying to protect me from all of the evil in the world.

"No don't touch me...no...get em off me please get me off me..."

I rush to Spencer's side and shake him awake. His eyes go wide with panic before he snakes his arms around me and unceremoniously pulls me down beside him, rolling over on top of me. He crushes his mouth to mine and I am so confused. He pulls back and his eyes burn into mine.

"Spence...what-"

He puts a finger to my lips. "I just need you."

I oblige and restart the kiss. He makes quick work of discarding our clothes and we lose ourselves in eachother.