Playing With Fire

Chapter Eleven: Trust

Spencer had been silently watching Elizabeth from the chair for awhile now. Hours had probably passed but he hadn't really dared to look at a clock, watch it even his phone. He heard it beep every once in awhile but he had other matters to worry about than someone trying to contact him.

He kept remembering her face from the previous day. He knew that it had to be early morning by now, from the dimness of the sun peeking from the windows. It wasn't particularly bright, just orange. Day was breaking.

A quiet knock on the door made me move quickly towards the entrance and look through the peephole.

Finally, help was here.

"How's she doing?" The usually excited voice of Tara asked quietly as he moved to let her and another familiar yet surprise guest.

"She's been sleeping since we came back to the room. She hasn't really stirred so I'm not sure." He answered quietly before turning to the other awake person in the room; Emily Prentiss.

"It's nice to see you but what are you doing here?" He asked as leaned against the wall for support. He was exhausted but he hadn't really wanted to sleep last night.

"I bumped into Tara as she was leaving and decided I should come to." Reid didn't really believe that but he nodded anyway. He didn't want to argue with anyone at the moment. It was still too early. "Maybe you should shower, Reid. I think we can handle whatever she needs right now."

Spencer chewed the side of his cheek as he turned to see the two girls on the bed speaking quietly. He nodded and grabbed a few things from his bag before entering the bathroom.

Emily took a seat and waited, she was worried about someone too. Her friend was being weird about things too. She wondered was going through his incredible mind right now.

Elizabeth sat up as she heard the sound of water coming from the bathroom. She gave Emily a small wave as she got to her feet and followed Tara out of the room and over to a car that she didn't recognize. After a few seconds she realized it was most likely a rental car or maybe it was Emily's.

"How are you doing, kiddo?" Tara asked after a moment. She had taken out a cigarette and was beginning to light it when Elizabeth spoke. "I thought you said you quit. It's bad for you, you know."

"I need one right now and I'm aware. Stop avoiding the question, tell me what happened. Mr. Genius wasn't exactly clear."

"I fell from the top of a Ferris wheel. There was a gunshot, I think."

"What? Were you hurt?"

"No, Spencer caught me. It just brought back a couple bad memories from when we were kids. Do you remember?"

Tara tossed her stick and crushed it with her shoe. "Of course I do. Do you think its them?"

Elizabeth shrugged as her mind began to drift back to those days when she still lived here and they were barely entering their teens.

She had to be about tweleve then, while Tara had just turned thirteen a couple weeks prior. Elizabeth had went to the park to get away from the house for the day when they had begun to chase her. She had been lucky back then, she could climb trees and she was a fast runner.

So, with that combination she had made it up to a high enough branch where the crowd of girls and boys combined couldn't go up unless they had the strength to. Or at least knew how too.

Fortunately for her, none of them were skilled enough. They'd be crazy to even try. They'd be signing their death certificate if they did.

"Why are you running away, we just want to play?" One of the girls asked. She had been a leader of sorts back then. Her name was Susie.

Elizabeth had kept her mouth shut. Nothing she said would make them just leave her alone.

"We'll just make you come down then." A boy yelled up to her as he grabbed a rock. Elizabeth gasped as she moved out of their field of vision. These people were up to no good.

A rock had hit her though, on the leg as she was trying to trail up to a higher branch.

She had dropped one hand to check if any damage had been done. It hurt, that much she knew. With her guard down like this more rocks were thrown. She focused again and began moving.

"Leave her alone!" A new voice had screeched as she almost slipped on the way up to the new branch. She looked down carefully to see a red head pushing through the crowd. She had seemed familiar but it was the first time she met her; Tara.

There were plenty murmurs and then punches were thrown. She had decked quite a few of the boys and pushed the girls aside. There had been too many though. And soon she had been overpowered.

Elizabeth had wanted to help her too back then, if for nothing then as a thank you for trying to rescue her. They had been strangers then. But a friendship had followed.

One of the girls who she hadn't seen has sneaked up behind Elizabeth and had even climbed the tree. It had been a surprise and the shock of it had been her downfall. The girl had shoved her off the branch and she fell many feet.

As anyone would do she had tried to catch herself as she fell those many feet from the tree but that too didn't help the pain that she felt in her neck and all down her side as she hit the ground.

The fighting had stopped by then and all of them had ran away then. From what she remembered they didn't want to be in trouble, however they were the ones that caused it.

Before Elizabeth could take pity on herself and cry Tara was there lifting her up and helping her walk away. Not to go home but to Tara's family were there was her mother who had nursed her wounds many times before. She would help her too, Tara promised.

The memory began to fade as she shot her red headed friend a smile small. "I never really thanked you for not leaving me there."

"There was no need. We've saved each other over the years. The debt has been repaid dozens of times over. I just don't want anything else to happen to you. Compared to what happened yesterday, those morons are small fries."

"I suppose you're right. I just don't know who could be doing this. Who would want me dead?"

Elizabeth didn't exactly need an answer because there wasn't exactly one person. There was an army of people that hated her, any one of them could have pulled the trigger.

"I'll protect you babe. No one is gonna harm you as long as I'm around." Tara said as she pulled Elizabeth over to her and hugged her tightly.

"Okay." She smiled a real smile for the first time in hours. Tara was someone she needed. She was the only person she knew that wouldn't let her down.

It had been a couple minutes but they moved apart once they heard a cough from behind. They both looked and saw Reid and Emily.

"There may be a problem." Reid said as he and Emily walked over to them.

Elizabeth gave him a look of curiosity. "Hm?" She hummed.

"We have to leave. Our boss, has called us in for a case." Emily said quickly. The girls could see her looking for a reaction.

"That's no big deal. We'll be fine." Tara waved it off.

"Are you sure?" Reid asked looking in Elizabeth's general direction. She nodded and gave him a reassuring smile. "We're gonna head home in a few hours anyway." Elizabeth state quietly. She could stay here any longer. The memories of the past were gonna suffocate her.

"Okay. I guess I'll see you when I get back." Reid muttered and turned to Emily. She gave him a nod and they got into their own cars and left them.

"Genius is a peculiar boy. I think he likes you." She laughed as she playfully elbowed Elizabeth.

"Whatever you say, Tara." She rolled her eyes as they headed inside the room to get out of the heat.

Elizabeth knew though, Tara had to be right in someway. She was always was, and that was one of the reasons why she trusted her so much. She was happy that she had her by her side again. Things were probably about to get a whole lot worse, or at least that's what she thought.

A/N: Hey guys! Thank you to all the people who've become interested in this story! It really means a lot. I love all the feedback I'm getting, some more would be greatly appreciated also. Until next time. -D.