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Chapter Nine: What To Do

The ride home had been a silent one to say the least. The only noise there had been was the low tune of the ancient radio in Spencer's car.

As soon as they'd walked into the front door of Natalie's house she spoke up running her hands though her now tangled hair. "I need to take a shower. I can smell it on me".

Spencer gave her a worried look watching her head to the bathroom shutting the door behind her. He glanced over at Morgan who was currently dropping his suitcase in front of the couch.

He spoke up swallowing the lump in his throat "You can have the guest room".

Morgan raised his eyebrows speaking up in mock seriousness "No offense Reid. I mean I like you and all, but I don't think I can share a bed with you".

Spencer rolled his eyes ignoring his sarcasm"I've been sleeping in Natalie's room so you'll have it all to yourself".

He tore his eyes away from Morgan before speaking up "I need to go check on her. She's taking this all really hard".

"Okay. Do you think she'll mind if I start some coffee? I think we all need some after today". Morgan stated giving his friend a concerned look.

Spencer shook his head as he made his way towards the bathroom door "She probably wouldn't mind. The coffee's in the cabinet next to the stove. Help yourself".

He finally made his way into the bathroom as he knocked on the door speaking up not being able to get the worried tone out of his voice. "Natalie sweetheart are you okay"?

He felt his stomach drop as he heard a quiet sobbing from inside the closed curtained bathtub. He walked over to the tub slash shower stall pulling the light pink butterfly printed curtain back.

He frowned when he saw her sitting down in the tub with the shower on and her knees pulled up tight against her rocking back and forth ever so slightly.

He knelled down beside the tub embracing her and running his hand through her wet tangled hair not caring that he was getting his gray shirt completely soaked. "I'm so sorry Natalie".

She spoke up looking up at him with bloodshot eyes "Spencer I'm next".

He shook his head "No your not. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm never going to let anything happen to you"?

"And how many times do I have to remind you that you can't predict the future. You have no idea what could happen to me and you can't control it.". She stated.

He sighed nodding his head "I know that nothing in life is predictable, but thats not going to stop me from protecting you".

She said nothing in response to this before he spoke up again "Lets get you out of this tub okay".

She nodded her head before he got up peaking out the bathroom door thankful to see that Morgan was busy in the kitchenette and wouldn't see anything.

He went back to the tub turning off the shower as he grabbed a light purple towel handing to her as she stood up.

"Do you think your okay to walk to the bedroom"? He stated not sure if he could lift her. He had never tried and he defiantly didn't want to drop her.

"Yeah I'll be fine". She stated knowing the truth. She would never be just fine again. Even if this guy was caught she'd always remember all of this. It was with her for life now.

They finally made it to her bedroom thankfully not being spotted by Morgan. Natalie sat down on the edge of her bed as Spencer rummaged through her dresser trying to find a pair of pajamas for her to wear.

He finally came across a pair of yellow pajama pants and a simple gray t shirt. He handed the articles of clothing to her with a pair of plain white undergarments. She got dressed quickly before speaking up again "I can smell it on me".

He frowned speaking up as he changed his shirt "Smell what honey"?

"Death, I could smell it as soon as we entered the store. There was blood where she was laying and I could smell it". She stated with widened eyes

He sighed knowing that her smelling anything was all psychological, but he knew he couldn't tell her that. She was obviously in shock. "Lay down okay. I'll go get you something to eat. It's almost lunch time and you didn't eat breakfast".

He made his way to the kitchenette as he attempted to find something for her to eat. He sighed when Morgan spoke up "Is she okay"?

"What do you think"? He stated as he slammed the refrigerator door shut.

Morgan raised his eyebrows surprised by the fact that Spencer had just practically snapped at him. Spencer frowned feeling guilty when he saw the shocked look on Morgan's face. "Sorry. She's not doing to good. She says she can smell death on her".

Morgan nodded his head as he heard this "It's all psychological".

Spencer nodded his head as he opened the fridge again making a second attempt to find something "I know".

"Is there anything I can do for her...for you"? Morgan stated as he frowned down at the coffee pot not being able to meet Spencer's eyes as he asked this.

"Yeah do you think you could hold off on asking her anymore questions? At least until tomorrow". Spencer stated as he managed to shove two leftover takeout boxes of noodles and sesame chicken that still looked edible into the microwave.

Morgan nodded knowing that not asking her anything wouldn't be that great for the case, but if Spencer was asking him this favor he'd have to do it "Okay. I'll need to talk to her tomorrow though".

Spencer nodded his head not responding as he made his way back towards Natalie's bedroom somehow managing not to drop anything.

He handed over the box of chicken to Natalie before she spoke up "What do I do if whoever is doing this gets me"?

He sighed looking up from his takeout box as he spoke up "No one is going to get you okay".

"You don't know that. It could happen. What do I need to do to stay alive"? She stated taking a sip from the can of diet coke that he'd brought her with the food.

He bit his bottom lip as he sat down on the edge of the bed "The best thing you can do is play into his delusions. Just go along with whatever he says. Try to keep calm and don't let him get angry. If he gets angry he might kill you in a moment of rage".

She nodded her head feeling her stomach churn as she remembered the scene at the antique store earlier. She prayed that she would never have to use anything that Spencer just told her. She knew though that he couldn't really protect her from having to use it. No matter how much he wanted to. He couldn't.