Hello all! You probably won't here from me for about a week maybe a little longer. Reports are looming oh no!
LestatHughLover: Glad you can't decide about Evie yet, although how people respond to her may affect later chapters nods her future's not set in ston that's for sure. shifty look yes I suspect everybody. Also I suspect your sadistic side may enjoy the end of this chapter mwah ha ha ha!
Ryuzaki: Thank ya muchly. I am enjoying writing this story. Especially when I should be working :-)
tearbos: I hope Evie can help him too. I wish I could help him! Mmm pictures hugging Reid yeah that would be nice
Hope06: Oh I'll settle for hugging you! hugs Hope06 you say such nice things jumps for joy. Oh aren't they such a family, Hotch really steps up to the plate as a father figure doesn't he? Yep Evie's a tough cookie, poor ittle ting (why do I like to make people suffer?)
blackpanther2288: Hey :-) glad you like. Yep Reid's being a teensy bit of a jerk, drugs'll do that to ya (that's a message for you kiddies). I'm glad you like how I write Hotch, I'm actually enjoying writing him the most I think.
Anyways here's the next chapter. It's a little shorter than the last one but I hope the dramatic flair will make up for it.
Enjoy!
Agents Derek Morgan and Emily Prentiss walked down the main street of Eurora.
It wasn't as busy as it should have been on a weekend, people weren't venturing out anymore.
"So what do you feel like?" Morgan asked.
"Anything so long as it's not a meat pie" Prentiss replied.
Morgan chuckled "yeah I hear you".
Prentiss fanned her face with her hand "I thought it would've cooled down once the sun set".
"Hot balmy nights" Morgan grinned, "my kind of thing".
"Yeah when there are beaches and coconut drinks involved" Prentiss laughed, "here. This place looks okay".
Once they had sat down and ordered Morgan looked Prentiss up and down.
"You okay Prentiss?" Morgan asked, "you seem tense".
"Well there is a serial killer on the loose" Prentiss said with a weak smile but Morgan didn't buy it.
"Never bothered you before".
"I'm just… still a little freaked out by Gideon leaving" Prentiss said hoping Morgan would believe that, "it feels strange working a case without him".
Morgan had a tinge of anger in his voice "yeah well, it was his choice wasn't it?"
"You're still mad at him for leaving?"
"Aren't you?" Morgan asked.
Prentiss shrugged "I guess so".
"It's just something Garcia told me" Morgan explained, "Gideon knew something was going on with Reid and he just abandoned him. No one else can get through to Reid, Gideon was the only one who really understood him and he just… walked out".
"Mmmm" Prentiss nodded, she didn't really want to talk about Reid, "I guess he thought that Reid's a big boy now, let him deal with his own problems".
"Maybe" Morgan nodded, "so what's really bothering you?"
"Nothing".
"Uh-huh" Morgan looked sceptical.
Prentiss sighed "ever been caught between a rock and a hard place?"
Morgan looked at her curiously "what's going on?"
"I really don't want to talk about it Morgan" Prentiss shook her head with a smile, "I can deal with my own problems. You don't have to worry about me".
"Fine then shut me out" Morgan shrugged, "I'm getting used to it by now" he added to himself.
Morgan stretched out in his chair "should we get some take-out for Hotch and Reid?"
"Hey if they wanted food, they should have come with us" Prentiss laughed.
Reid sat on his bed and stared at the slip of paper in front of him. There were five words written on it.
Evie called. Please call back.
His hand moved cautiously to his phone and pulled back.
Reid took a deep breath and moved his hand again only to repeat the action.
'She left her name as Evie because it's friendly and informal. It shows that she's not upset with me' Reid thought, 'she doesn't want an apology. But she deserves one'.
Reid chewed the tips of his fingernails.
He felt conflicted about speaking to his old friend.
He stood up and began pacing the room.
Part of him wanted to run to her and make sure she was alright.
Reid knew that the events he had just learnt of transpired many years ago but he felt as if it had all just happened and Evie needed to be looked after.
He tried to tell himself that she was fine, she was probably watching television or reading in her hotel room.
Still he should call her, if only to apologise.
'Maybe I should apologise in person' Reid thought as he headed to the door.
His stomach churned at the idea of facing her.
What could he say?
Would she be angry that he had found out her secret?
What if she started asking questions?
What if he had to tell her about Gideon?
What if he had to tell her about Tobias?
His head swirled with all these thoughts and it made him feel dizzy.
Reid stopped with his hand on the door handle and turned his head back towards his suitcase.
Maybe just to settle his nerves…
Evie Vimes was balled up on the couch of her hotel room.
She hadn't given herself time to process the phone call she had received in the morning.
Now that she was alone she could deal with it.
It annoyed her more than anything else, her mother tried something like this every couple of months.
It was an attention-seeking act.
One that was never rewarded.
Vimes tolerated the weekly phone call but she never visited her mother.
The fact that she only felt irritated by the suicide attempts made her feel so guilty.
'Think of something else or you'll end up crying in the shower again'.
Rolling onto her back, Vimes stretched herself out and stared at the ceiling.
Spencer Reid.
She'd promised Agent Hotchner that she would do her best to help him.
But it was more than that. She could see that Reid was a good person and she didn't want to see him crash and burn.
As soon as she'd returned to the hotel room Vimes had called Reid's phone but there was no answer.
Instead she'd left a message with the hotel manager for Reid to get in touch with her.
Vimes sighed, she had a pretty good idea as to why he hadn't answered and it had nothing to do with avoiding her.
'Shouldn't have slapped him' Vimes told herself, 'it was an overreaction and now you've just pushed him away'.
Oh well, hopefully bridges could be rebuilt.
A knock sounded at the door.
Vimes swung her legs off the couch and jumped up.
She opened the door "what brings you to my humble hotel room?"
"Why didn't you mention that your mother had tried it again?" Jacobson said pushing his way past Evie into the room.
"You know I'd appreciate it if you didn't go behind my back" Vimes shook her head.
Jacobson knew many people, it didn't take him long to find these things out.
"I've said this time and time again to you" Jacobson frowned, "move on with your life".
"I have" Vimes said with pursed lips.
"She calls you every week" Jacobson pointed out, "and I've watched those phone calls slowly kill you for 12 years. You don't deserve to suffer any more than you already have"
"She doesn't have anybody else" Vimes said quietly.
"That's her own doing" Jacobson said tersely.
"If I tell her that I don't want her calling me…" Vimes sighed, "she might try a little harder to end it next time".
"You're not responsible for her Evangeline" Jacobson looked weary, "but you act as if you are and it's stopped you from living".
"No it hasn't" Vimes lied, she did feel as if she was in purgatory.
"You've always wanted to work in America" Jacobson urged, "talk to Agent Hotchner or you're friend Dr. Reid. I'm sure they'll be able to tell you about endless possibilities".
"I can't leave" Vimes said desperately, "I can't turn my back on somebody. No matter what they have done".
"It's okay to do the selfish thing once in a while" Jacobson told her, "you've got a bright future if you'll only just free yourself".
"I'll think about it" Vimes muttered grabbing her car keys.
"Now where're you going?" Jacobson asked.
"Like I said" Vimes replied ushering him out of her hotel room, "I can't turn my back on someone".
Hotch listened to the sound of the phone ringing.
"Hello?"
"Hi" Hotch smiled at the voice, he always missed hearing it when he was away on a case.
"Ah good morning" Haley Hotchner said warmly.
"Depending on your point of view" Hotch laughed, "I'm just about to turn in for the night"
"So how's the case going?" Haley enquired.
"Well we haven't caught him yet"
"You will" Haley said with certainty, "you always do".
"How's Jack doing?" Hotch asked.
"Oh great" Haley said sounding exasperated, "for breakfast he decided it was more fun to throw his food on the floor than to eat it".
Hotch laughed "I told him to keep Mommy busy while I was away".
"He's not disappointing you" Haley replied.
"Then tell him I'm very proud" Hotch said.
"Hold on" Haley said, there was a sound of rustling and moving around then…"there we go. Say 'hi' to Daddy, Jack"
Hotch smiled as he listened to his baby son gurgle over the line half a world away.
Spencer Reid opened his hotel door and beamed "hi Evie".
"Hi" Vimes replied tentatively, "did you get my message?"
"Yeah" Reid replied, "I was gonna call- no…no I was gonna visit you but-"
"You were busy" Vimes enquired as she sat down in a chair.
Reid's cheeks flushed "I was looking over the case file-"
"Spence stop it" Vimes interrupted gently, "I can see that you're high".
Reid sank down in the chair next to hers "how could you tell?"
"I grew up in Collingwood. I saw people overdose on heroin every other day up and down Smith Street" Vimes laughed dryly, "that's why I like coming up to the country".
"I'm not using heroin" Reid told her.
"Methadone?"
"No. Dilaudid".
Vimes winced "oh bugger".
She pinched her brow and nodded, "okay. Do you want to stop?"
"I don't know" Reid shook his head, "I don't think I can".
"Why not?" Vimes asked "and don't you dare say it's because you need it".
"But I do!" Reid protested, "I tried to stop. I did stop. Then I started again".
"Because the FBI guy left right?"
Reid eyed her suspiciously "who told you about Gideon?"
"Agent Hotchner did" Vimes replied, "he's worried about you".
"So he went behind my back?" Reid shouted jumping to his feet, "to try and get information from you?"
"Spence you're shouting" Vimes said gently.
"I'm angry" he shot back.
"No, you're high" Vimes shook her head, "and you know that".
"What else did he tell you?" Reid demanded.
"Nothing" Vimes replied.
"You're lying".
"He only said that you'd had a bad experience. He wouldn't say what" Vimes admitted, "please sit down".
Reid dropped back onto the couch and buried his face in his hands, a wave of nausea rolled over him.
After a few minutes Vimes spoke "those are some pretty nasty mood swings you've got".
"They're getting worse" a muffled reply came, "the more dependent I am on the Dilaudid"
"You sure you don't want to quit?"
"How?" Reid asked
"Get rid of it" Vimes replied, "I'll help you".
"And go through withdrawal in the middle of a case?" Reid looked at her incredulously.
"Well what do you want me to say?" Vimes shot back, "sure Spencer go ahead and dope yourself up every night?"
"Maybe if I just use a little bit…" Reid thought out loud, he was starting to feel dizzy.
"How can someone with your IQ be so stupid?" Vimes asked, "it's never going to be a little bit, you won't have that self control".
"Well what do you propose then?" Reid snapped.
"Quit!" Vimes replied, "I'll help you with the withdrawal".
"And what happens when I have to go back to America?" Reid asked, "I'm on my own in this again".
"Tell Agent Hotchner" Vimes replied.
"What? No way" Reid shook his head, "I'm working a case Evie. I'll get fired. I can't lose this job, it's all I've got!"
"I don't think you will get fired Spence" Vimes replied, "I think Agent Hotchner will protect you".
"No" he shook his finger roughly at Vimes "you cannot tell anyone, do you understand? Not Hotch, not Morgan, not Prentiss or anybody else have you got that?"
"Yeah" Vimes replied backing away a little "I won't tell a soul. But come on Spence, I got it. How long do you think it'll take others to realise what's going on".
Reid buried his face in hands again "what do I do? What do I do?" he asked nobody in particular.
Vimes had an idea "stay here".
"What?" Reid asked.
"Stay in Australia a bit longer" Vimes replied, "you're team knows that something's going on anyway. Just tell them that you need a bit of a break away to deal with things".
Reid sighed "I can't just not go back".
"Then tell your team" Vimes replied, "tell Hotch at least".
Reid shook his head and began gnawing on his fingernails.
"Please Spence you have to stop" Vimes begged, "what if next time you take too much and end up in a body bag?"
Reid looked at Vimes "do you hate her?"
Vimes stared at him "what?"
"You're Mom" Reid said, "the hotel manager and his wife told me…"
"Oh for Christ's sake" Vimes put her hand to her forehead.
"I'm sorry".
"Doesn't anybody know when to keep their bloody mouths shut?" Vimes groaned.
"I'm so sorry" Reid said a lump forming in his throat, "if it makes you feel better I had to send my Mom to an asylum".
"What?" Vimes look at him with belief, "why would that make me feel better?"
"It's a figure of speech isn't it?" Reid asked, his brain felt a little muddled.
"Well don't use it" Vimes said "okay?"
"Mmm-hmm" Reid closed his eyes.
"Spencer what's wrong?" he heard Vimes' voice demand urgently.
"Nothin'm sleepy" Reid slurred.
"Fuck! You're lips are turning blue!"
Reid giggled "you shouldn't swear".
"Oh no no no" Vimes gasped, "Spence how much did you take?"
"I don't know" he murmured and began to slump forward.
He felt someone catch him and lower him to the ground.
"Oh shit, oh shit! Spence open your eyes!"
He whimpered.
The sound someone shouting his name began to fade away with the last vestiges of consciousness.
For a moment Spencer Reid almost thought he heard Jason Gideon call out to him.
Uh-oh I'll leave you hanging there.
I feel I should also mention (just in case anyone from Collingwood reads this) that Smith Street has been cleaned up now and is actually kinda nice but when I was a kid, oh man that's not really an exaggeration there.
See you in a week or so!