Yes! Double update. I know this chapter is superbly short compared to my other ones, but the next chapter should wrap up the Vegas trip and is vastly different in content than this one. So patience! And Enjoy~
Strong arms embraced her from behind. Her tormentor fell in death. Her breath steadied as she relaxed in a silent embrace.
Spencer.
She knew his smell. The sweet musk so representing of him. Turning, she returned the relief, fingers clawing desperately at his shoulders.
Her face nestled in the crook of his neck. Familiarity and safeness swept over her.
"Thank goodness you're safe," was all he managed to say as he pressed his forehead against hers.
After what felt like an eternity, they separated. She went over to inspect the dead man.
Her knife had sunken deep into his forehead. It might have been what killed him. A bullet whole was also apparent by her knife though. Another kill shot. Impossible to tell what actually killed him. All the better she supposed. At least it was over.
Prentiss and JJ came over to check on her too. She only felt a wee bit dehydrated, but they quickly took her off to the hospital.
Sitting in the bed, she prepared herself when Hotch walked in. He was relieved she was okay, but at the same time, she knew all to well what he was thinking.
"What were you thinking?" His voice was calm, measured, controlled.
"Probability."
"What?"
"If I cooperated with the trade, the chance of both me and Isabelle surviving was much higher than if I didn't. He would've killed her. I'm positive."
"I can't have my agents running around on their own accord Payne. I have your gun and badge, and frankly, I'm not sure if you should get them back," his voice barely concealed his frustration.
Alina lowered her head slightly, then looked back up at him with a fire in her eyes, "I understand, but I do not regret my decision. I heard she made it back to her family. If getting beat up and risking death got that women back to her husband and child, then it was worth it."
Hotch stood in silence for a few long moments before placing Alina's gun and badge on the table next to her, "Don't let it happen again." He reached out and touched her shoulder reassuringly before turning to leave the room.
She watched him leave quietly. Her phone had magically found its way back to her as well. 25 missed calls. Her sister would always be her sister.
Dialing the number quickly, a hurried answer and reply came, "If I can't have you for myself..."
"We always have each other." Alina answered. Code words were always a good indication of the situation.
"Oh thank goodness you're okay! When you didn't check in, I didn't really know what to do!"
"Yeah, yeah sis, I'm fine. We'll be back in town soon, just got caught up in a case here."
"Well hurry home! Your birds keep calling your name and I SWEAR they are moping around like the saddest birds I've ever seen."
"No worries, no worries. Love you sis. Good hunting."
"Same to you. Toodles!"
As soon as she shut her phone Morgan and Spencer walked into the room.
"How you holding up?" Morgan asked.
"Not too bad. Wrists hurt, but the medicine is helping with that."
"Do they have you on anything to help you with the pain?" Spencer looked at all the things she was hooked up to, carefully observing each one.
"Ah nope. Don't really need any. Pain has never been a problem with Payne's," she grinned and Spencer smiled slightly.
Morgan placed the back of his hand on her forehead, "There must be something wrong with you if you're making such bad puns and playing them off as jokes."
She laughed and punched his arm playfully, "Hey!"
They all started laughing. Seemingly at nothing, but it was more so a way to express all the relief that everything worked out alright. They were just glad she was safe.
"Alright, well I have to finish filing reports, so I'm afraid I'll have to go. Don't worry though, pretty boy will stay here and keep you company," Morgan winked at Reid before leaving.
Spencer sat quietly for a bit, "So... I brought you things to read in case you were bored, but I wasn't really sure what you liked so I brought a variety of genres, but then I remember you also read really fast so they wouldn't last very long, so I tried to stick with just one genre but-"
"Reid."
"-you never particularly struck me as a vampire fan, even though JJ recommends it and-"
"Reid."
"-I've personally never read it because I don't really get the appeal of-"
"Spencer!"
He looked up from the pile of books he was flipping through, "Hmm?"
Alina took the book he was holding and smiled, "Thanks."
Well there we go. One case down. Still in Vegas. Now next chappy will be more relationship stuff instead of this kinda stuff. Reviews are nice :) Please and Thank You!
