Chapter 11

Scarlett and JJ found Reid and Hotch looking over a screen with the school principal. It showed a grainy video of Owen standing in a towel in a school locker room.

"Guys, I don't think I can do this," Owen's voice sounded over the speakers.

"What's the matter? It's not like you don't masturbate at home…" came another voice from behind the scene.

"Oh, boy…" Scarlett muttered under her breath, putting the story together. Reid turned at her voice, catching her eyes. She saw from his tightly controlled expression, he was angry. She moved closer to his side, avoiding looking at the video.

"I can't really do it while you are watching me, man…"

"He didn't know he was being filmed," Spencer said softly, a sadness tingeing his voice.

Scarlett nudged him slightly, wanting to touch him. He sighed, reaching over to squeeze her hand that was hidden by the high desk. Scarlett pressed three fingers into his palm and felt him return the response before he released his hold.

"You want to be on the team, you gotta do it… we all did it…" said another voice.

"Okay, okay, I- I'll try…" came Owen's response.

Hotch flipped off the video.

Reid turned to the principal. "Did Owen tell you about this?" he asked.

"He didn't have to; it was posted all over the school's social networking site…" the man admitted. "We pulled it down immediately," he stated in the school's defense.

"Once it's on the internet, it's out there forever, Owen knew that," Reid shook his head, looking over at Hotch.

"Did Owen tell his father about it?" Hotch asked.

"Well, not at first, but when Owen quit the wrestling team, his father confronted him… He, uh, he blamed Owen for the whole thing," he told them.

Reid rolled his eyes, exasperated. The more they dug into this, the more it all came up as a perfect storm.

"He only joined the team to get his father's approval," he muttered.

"How were these boys punished?" Hotch asked.

The principal looked a bit shamefaced as he answered.

"Owen identified them, but on the video all we have is their voices. I mean, even if they admitted involvement, all they'd have to say is that Owen didn't have to do it…" he tried justifying his position.

Scarlett watched as Spencer turned away, running his fingers through his hair in exasperation. She understood how he felt, but could see he was taking things way too personally.

"Spence," she spoke his name softly, but he'd already turned back on the principal.

"He didn't know he was being filmed!" Reid stated vehemently. The principal stood up to face Reid.

"Look, all we have is his word against theirs…" the man threw his hands in the air. He looked away from Spencer's scowl.

"Parents would get involved… the school board, lawyers…" he stated, as if he couldn't have done anything differently.

Reid crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at the man angrily.

"Cyber bullying is a hot issue right now; the whole thing would end up on '60 minutes'… How's that going to help Owen?" he tried to tell the agents.

"What did you tell him?" Hotch asked.

"I told him that dealing with bullies is a part of growing up," the principal explained.

Scarlett sighed. "Sounds familiar," she muttered. She felt Reid tense up beside her.

"Boys have a way of working these things out for themselves…" the principal said as he met Scarlett's gaze. She gave him a scathing look.

"Yeah they sure do…" Reid said with a cocky chuckle. "And right now, Owen is sorting it out with an assault rifle…"

"Reid," Scarlett spoke to him softly, realizing he was crossing the line.

Spencer gave the principal one last glance as he threw Owen's files down on the floor. He turned, catching Hotch's disapproving glance, before he marched out of the office.

Scarlett sighed hugely. "I'll speak with Dr. Reid," she addressed Hotch and the principal, emphasizing the title 'doctor'. She threw a quick glance to JJ. Hopefully, the principal would attribute Reid's anger as frustration with the system, and not take it personally. She moved into the doorway, looking around for Spencer. She listened to Hotch explaining the outburst to the principal.

"I apologize, but you have to understand, we've heard those phrases before, when we interview school shooters…" she heard him stating.

JJ cut in. "Jordan was the motive for Kyle Borden, Owen killed him for revenge…" she warned Hotch of what they had learned from Eileen.

"I need to speak to the boys who made this video, immediately…" Aaron told the other man.

"Let me check their class schedule…" the principal moved to the computer, pulling up the names. He gave Hotch a worried look.

"What is it?"

"None of them showed up for class today," he stated, concerned.

Hotch turned catching Scarlett's eyes as she went through the door way. He and JJ followed, knowing that this meant that Owen possibly had already taken revenge on these boys. They had to find out where these boys had gone, or where they had been taken. The principal followed them.

JJ pulled out her phone, contacting Penelope.

"Garcia, we are sending you a list of names and cell phone numbers. We need you to triangulate where they are right now…"

Scarlett veered away from the team when she saw Spencer pacing in the library. She entered the room, closing the door behind her.

"Spence…" she called to him softly, pulling his attention to her.

"Scarlett, please don't tell me I'm wrong in this- you know I am right… This whole situation could have been avoided if someone, anyone, would have given a shit enough to care! It's like his whole life was a part of 'How to create a school shooter 101'!" he pleaded with her to understand, his voice pitching slightly.

"Spencer, I do see it… I understand; I do! But we have a job to do here- we have to remain impartial… Kyle Borden had tormented Jordan, he was murdered, brutally… and right now, those boys who made the video of Owen are missing. They never showed up for school today. They are our concern, and you have to understand that…" she shook her head when he looked at her with disinterest.

"Reid… they are the victims…"

"They wouldn't be, if they hadn't put themselves there…" he shrugged, turning away to look out a window.

"Hey… what the hell, Reid? What is wrong with you!?" she asked, pulling on his arm, turning him around to face her. "You can't tell me you think it's perfectly fine that Owen is hunting down these kids… they're only children too!"

"It's not that I think it's the right way, Scarlett," he said quietly, looking down at her. "But I understand him- Owen- I can understand how he feels… He's protecting Jordan. He loves her, and he feels like she's all he has left…" Reid sighed, looking up at the ceiling, then back down to meet Scarlett's eyes.

"I can understand that feeling," he admitted to her, reaching over to touch her face gently. "He just wants to give her, and himself, the peace he hasn't had, ever, in his whole life…"

Scarlett placed her hand over his, pressing it against her cheek. She dropped a quick kiss to his wrist before he pulled away.

"Spence, this isn't about you and me, lover. Don't look at it that way…" she warned him. "You can't help but empathize with Owen, I get it… I feel for Jordan too- she loves him just as much… he's her protector, her world; but we can't just walk away when he has decided to go on a killing spree…"

"We both know how this is going to end, Scarlett… I can't be a part of that- I can't watch another boy die in front of me," he told her, reaching out, then quickly dropping his arms.

"Spence," Scarlett looked around, making sure they were alone. She moved into his embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. She felt him lean into her, breathing in deeply, taking in her scent.

"My sweet boy, it's not your fault… what happened in Chula Vista wasn't your fault. You know that…" Scarlett rubbed her hands along his tense back, listening to his heart beat strong under her ear.

"I didn't say the right thing… If I'd gone about it differently…"

"Spence, please…" Scarlett lifted her face to him. "Please stop tormenting yourself on the 'what ifs'. You can't change what happened. All any of us can do is deal with the now…"

Reid looked down into her eyes, seeing the truth there. He sighed deeply, holding her tighter, as he leaned in to kiss her.

"I know," he said as he pressed his lips against hers. "I know, Scarlett. I'm trying to fix the 'now'," he told her. "If there is some way I could stop Owen from killing himself…"

"You'll try," Scarlett finished his sentence for him.

"Yes," he breathed the word against her mouth, stealing another kiss from her.

Scarlett moved back as she heard the handle click on the library door. They put some space between themselves as JJ walked in the room.

"Hey, guys… Garcia is searching through Owen's computer, with Morgan. It doesn't look good- he's deleted everything, but she's working on it. Hotch wants us all back at the station…"

"Right, okay…" Reid took Scarlett's hand as she passed him, pulling her back for a moment, as JJ headed out to the SUV.

"I love you, Scarlett…" he told her, pressing a kiss across his rings on her hand.

Scarlett watched his face, seeing something there that he wasn't saying.

"As I love you, my sweet farm boy," she said as she touched his jawline, trailing her fingers across it. When he smiled slightly, it didn't quite meet his eyes, and Scarlett noticed.

Spencer took her hand, pressing it against his heart. He lowered his forehead to bump against hers and kissed her nose.

"Let's get going…" he sighed, moving away from her, leading her towards the doors.