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CHAPTER EIGHT
KIDNAPPINGS IN D.C.
It was a sunny Thursday morning. Spencer reached the coffee-shop knowing that Sadie would meet him at the door. They'd synchronized over the days, not consciously, but perhaps that wasn't such a bad thing. As he crossed the street, watching the corner that Sadie turned to get there, he saw her tangle of black hair appear, just as he reached the footpath. Sadie's hair seemed longer and more tangled each time they met. Some days, she'd braid it down to the end, others, she'd pull it into a messy bun. But, mostly, she let it free, allowing her hair to fly every which way that they pleased. The tangles, or rather, the de-tangling, didn't seem to bother her much. Perhaps, she never de-tangled her hair at all, Spencer mused, not hiding the smile that had crept up on his face as he met Sadie at the corner of the shop. Sadie smiled at him, giving him a quick peck on his lips and pulling away just as swiftly. Spencer was suddenly aware that they were not alone.
Cara Fitzgerald was scowling when she reached them at the corner of the shop, and shot a questioning glance to Sadie, it seemed. Sadie tried an apologetic smile, but Cara's frown made it very hard.
"Good morning" Spencer greeted. Cara's frowning face turned to face him.
"Nothing is good about this morning" Cara claimed, then walked past them and into the coffee-shop.
"Sorry about her" Sadie apologized, "She's in a bit of mood because her boss is being an arse" she explained, leading him to the shop entrance.
"Oh" Spencer said. Sadie smiled a little.
"She's also a bit hung-over from all the whiskey she drank last night while she complained about him" she continued, "I've never seen her this hung-over though" she added, almost amused.
"I didn't think you were the kind to laugh at other people's miseries" Spencer stated honestly as they stood in the long queue. Sadie shrugged.
"I like seeing this side of Cara" Sadie admitted, "She's very endearing like this" she added wistfully. Spencer smiled and shook his head. Cara, who was standing in the queue right in front of them glanced back and glared at Spencer.
"Doctor Reid" she said, "You meet here everyday?" she asked, sounding surprised. Spencer nodded.
"Except weekends" he offered. Cara scowled and looked towards the side of the shop. Sadie looked too and then, tore her eyes away from the small table by the entrance and looked at the queue ahead. Spencer was a bit troubled by this reaction and wondered if wanted to ask what was wrong, and be strong enough to hear the response. He noticed Cara was still looking at him. He smiled at her forcefully.
"How're you doin'?" Cara asked, not the least bit interested.
"I'm doing very well, thank you" Spencer replied, almost mechanically. Cara's eyes narrowed at him.
"Sadie, go ahead" Cara said, giving her a slight nudge. Sadie looked back curiously, back and forth between Spencer and Cara.
"Go order for us too" Cara said, "I'll have a soy non-fat latte" she added. Sadie's brows drew together in confusion. Spencer, noticing both women's distress, decided to step in.
"I'll have a double espresso" he said with a smile. Sadie's confusion cleared and she stepped forward, ordering. Cara looked at him.
"Don't take advantage of her ignorance" Cara said firmly, "She's strong, but not that strong, to lose two people she loves deeply"
Spencer looked at Cara, with her dark blue eyes that perfectly matched her head of red hair and the expression of seriousness that she seemed to wear when talking to him. She'd looked at him the same way that she'd looked at him when they'd first met: as if she were sizing him up and deciding whether or not he was good enough. Spencer nodded.
"I like her a lot" Spencer admitted, "More than I even realize"
Cara's expression softened a little, but she stared at him. Spencer wondered what it was that Cara had seen in the young Sadie that had made her, Cara, so protective of her, Sadie. Had it been something terrible? Something that even words couldn't describe? Or unspeakable? Spencer couldn't bring himself to imagine the tortures that her 'father' had inflicted upon a small child.
Sadie gestured for them to follow her. Spencer noted that she'd lead them to their regular table, the one in the corner, out of the way of all the foot-traffic of the shop. Cara sank into her chair, her hand clutching her head as she took a sip of her coffee. Sadie had bought a chocolate croissant, Spencer noted keenly, as he took his proffered coffee cup. They sat in silence for some time, while Cara drank her coffee.
"Do you want a croissant?" Sadie offered, holding up her post-breakfast snack. Cara's nose wrinkled in disgust.
"Sadie, now you're just being mean" Cara said, in a pleading, child-like voice. Sadie smiled and turned to Spencer.
"Croissant?" she offered. Spencer smiled and shook his head. Sadie bit into her pastry and chewed on it thoughtfully.
"Are you going to work?" Sadie asked, turning to Cara. Cara groaned.
"I think I'll go home" she admitted, "I feel a bit sick"
Sadie's face looked worried as she put a hand on Cara's back and rubbed it soothingly. Cara sighed.
"Maybe you can just sleep in the flat?" Sadie offered. Cara glanced at her.
"No, I've already bothered you too much" Cara said. Sadie smiled at her.
"You're not a bother, Car" Sadie said softly. Spencer was struck by how kind Sadie could be: he'd only ever seen her be shy, or angry, or flustered before. This was a whole new side.
"That's a good idea" Spencer said, clearing his throat, "That way, if you don't get better, someone can take you to a hospital" he added, looking at Cara.
Cara scowled at him.
"Preach" Cara muttered under her breath. Spencer smiled a little and stood up.
"Do you need help getting there?" he asked. Sadie stood up, her croissant half-finished still on the table, picking up the two take-away cups of coffee as she rose. Cara stood up stubbornly, and walked out the shop. Spencer walked beside her, unsure if she needed help or not. Sadie looked worried as she followed them closely.
"Cara, left" Sadie reminded. Cara sighed heavily.
"Has the city always been so loud?" Cara groaned, holding a hand to her head.
"Yes" Sadie responded promptly, making her sigh. Sadie gave the cups she was holding to Spencer.
"Hold this for a second" she said, then walked up beside Cara and took her hand to lead the way.
"This way" Sadie mumbled, leading the way to the apartment, then up the elevator and into her own. Spencer, carrying the two coffee cups, followed in an awkward silence. Sadie entered the apartment and lead Cara through the corridor to the guest room. Spencer, awkward and clueless, stood in the living room and looked at the scattered books on the couch and laZboy, and all over the floor: as if a hurricane had come through there and dislodged all the books and papers from their place. Sadie returned to the room with an apologetic smile.
"Sorry" she said softly, "We didn't get to talk much" she continued. Spencer smiled.
"It's alright" he admitted, "Is she going to be alright?" he asked, nodding towards the room that Cara had retreated to.
"If she isn't by afternoon, I should take her to a clinic" Sadie said, frowning a little, "Right?"
Spencer nodded.
"It's better if you do" he suggested. Sadie nodded again.
"Thank you" she said, smiling. Spencer frowned a little and wondered why she was thanking him. He hadn't done anything. Not even helped carry the coffee!
"I didn't do anything" he said. Sadie smiled.
"You were here" she countered, "Thank you for being there" she said. Spencer smiled a little. Sadie was looking up with his clear green eyes and he felt the urge to lean down and kiss her. And he did. He stepped forward, leaned down and captured her lips with his and kissed her. He barely registered Sadie's arms circling his neck, and his own, though holding coffees, were wrapped around her waist. He pulled away, wanting to hold her properly and put the cups down.
"Hang on a sec" he mumbled softly, missing the feel of her lips against his own as he walked around the couch to put the cups down. When he turned, he saw a bright red blush on Sadie's face that coloured her whole face and neck, and disappeared under the collar of her blouse. Spencer knew for a fact that she coloured red over her shoulders too, he'd seen it once when they'd watched movies at home and she'd worn a tanktop. He stepped close to her and she looked up, eyes wide and cheeks red.
"Spencer" she breathed slowly, "I love you"
Spencer froze, honestly taken aback by her words. He'd figured she was being casual with him and was going with the flow. They hadn't kissed much, nor spent any time together besides the coffee-shop visits, the few dinners and lunches and a few random dates to peculiar places that Spencer liked. He figured she was just passing the time, being with him until someone better came along in her life, someone unlike him. He saw her clear eyes watching him expectantly, and he wondered if could say what she'd said and mean it. Could he really fall in love again? So soon?
"I-I'm sorry" Sadie spoke, turning away, "I didn't mean to surprise you" she continued, her voice cracking, "It just slipped out in the moment of heat. I mean, sure I've thought about you and how I've felt about you and how it feels like the whole world is spinning around you all the time and I guess I just couldn't hold it all in when I thought about it. You're an amazing person, and funny, and cool and I love all your tics and habits and I like that you bring me coke even though you'd rather have sprite, and allow me to make pasta when you can eat better pasta in a shop. It's just after that last kiss, my mind's been muddled and my heart's a galloping mess and every moment that I spend with you, I feel like my heart will break out my chest and I-"
Spencer interrupted her by stepping forward, taking her into his arms and kissing her full on the mouth, tongue and all. First, Sadie's eyes flew open in undisguised surprise, then, she squeezed them shut, leaned in closer and let him do all that he pleased. Spencer felt her arms around his neck once more and he pulled her closer, close enough that their bodies were touching and molded into one another. After a long time, Spencer pulled away from the kiss, but not from the embrace.
"I love you, Sadie" he spoke, breathless from the kiss. Sadie's face was stained red from the exertion and she looked at him with wide, surprised eyes.
"I love you" she breathed, "I love you, I love you" she repeated, pressing her face in his chest, and holding him tight. Spencer smiled as he held her in his arms. He breathed her in, smelling of soap and fruits, and ink from the fountain pen and he felt his racing heart calm down. Sadie's face remained pressed in his shoulder, then, she turned, so her breath was against his neck.
"I'm so glad" she breathed against his neck and Spencer wondered why she seemed so tense when he'd been the one to ask her out in the first place.
His phone ringing, made them both jump and Sadie pulled away from the embrace, almost as if she didn't want to.
Spencer pulled out her cellphone and answered.
"Hello?"
"We're needed in the East coast, bud" it was Morgan, "Are you running late?"
"No, I'm on my way" Spencer said and hung up. Spencer looked up at Sadie, who was looking at nothing in particular, almost mulling over all that had happened in her head.
"Sadie"
Sadie jerked and turned to him, her cheeks colouring red again.
"There's a case in the East coast" he explained. Sadie, for once, looked sad that he had to leave. The last few times he'd left, she'd been encouraging, but this time, her face tilted down and she didn't meet his gaze.
"Oh" she said, "I understand"
Spencer frowned, wondering if he'd somehow disappointed her.
"Sadie?" he said, making her look up. Her eyes were brimmed with un-shed tears and she was forcing herself to hold them back, he realized.
"I'll be back soon" he promised, stepping closer and wiping her cheeks of the tears that had spilled.
"Ok" she said, nodding, her voice cracking. Spencer kissed her cheeks tenderly and Sadie closed her eyes, as if relishing in the touch. He pulled away from her.
"Soon" he promised, stopping by the main door. Sadie nodded.
"Take care" she breathed out, smiling at him. Spencer smiled.
"You too" he said, then before he could change his mind, turned away and walked down the stairs.
"Apparent suicides in New Jersey" JJ explained as Spencer hurried to get to the jet, "Hotch has already briefed us, here's the file" she added, handing him an iPad. Spencer looked at the post-mortem photographs with mild interest, his heart was not there, his mind wandered. He got on the jet and listened to his team that discussed the case with undivided concentration. Spencer felt like he was betraying them when his thoughts strayed to Sadie, her red cheeks, her full, soft lips and the curve of her back where he'd held her. He let out an involuntary sigh.
"Look at that" Morgan said, grinning at him teasingly, "He's in looo-ve" he said, dragging out the 'o' in the word comically. Spencer glanced at him and didn't deny it.
The whole case seemed to be one long blurry image. It was the next Saturday afternoon that they left New Jersey to come home. During this week-long excursion, Spencer had heard from Sadie twice. The first had been on Friday afternoon. She'd called him herself and asked if he'd reached safely. They didn't talk much though, after he'd responded, just listened to each other breath through the phone. Then, after a long silence, Sadie said good-bye and take care and hung up. The second time she'd called was Thursday, i.e., the day before yesterday, and she'd asked if he'd be coming back any time soon. He told her they were at the brink of breaking the case wide open and would be back before the weekend. Then, she'd sighed heavily. It seemed out of place, and when Spencer asked her about it, she'd said that Cara hadn't answered her phone that day, and that she was a bit worried. Spencer assumed it was because of Cara's busy schedule and told Sadie as much. She'd agreed with him and apologized for troubling him with her peculiarity. He was surprised she'd used that word to describe herself, but said nothing. Spencer wondered if he ought to call her before getting on the jet. Deciding against it, he sat in his seat and took a nap, to be fresh when he reached D.C so he could make up for all the time he'd spent away from Sadie.
"So, you're in love"
It was JJ, sitting across from him, her right leg crossed over her left, her blonde hair falling on either side of her face, framing it. Spencer sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
"I am" he admitted, now looking her in the eyes. JJ pressed her lips together.
"What about her?" she asked, almost pointedly. Spencer glanced out the window before meeting JJ's gaze again.
"She said it first" he admitted. JJ looked surprised.
"Congratulations, then" she said, smiling now, all the previous hostility gone, "I'm happy for you, Spence" she said seriously. Spencer smiled, thinking about the adorable smile that Sadie had smiled at him a week ago and nodded to himself.
"Thank you, JJ" he said honestly. JJ stood and went to the back of the plane to find her bag with the Cheetos.
"Coffee-shop girl, huh?" Morgan said, from across the aisle. Spencer realized he'd been listening.
"Yes" Spencer said. Morgan nodded.
"Good job, pretty boy" he said grinning.
Spencer smiled thankfully and turned to look out the window again. They were going to land soon, he realized. He took out his phone and stared at it idly. He looked at the contact information he had on Sadie. Just her name and number. No picture, no email address. He had been surprised that she didn't have one. 'I never had the need' she'd told him, 'And I don't know what to do with one.' Spencer found it hard to believe when she'd said so. He was honestly shocked that her cellphone was a five-year-old model flip-phone by Sony Ericsson, the only phone she'd ever owned, she'd told him. She hadn't even registered for voice-mail, because she always seemed to answer, and people knew ways to contact her besides her cellphone, be it the land line, or the rundown to her apartment.
The first thing that Spencer did when he stepped off the plane, was to dial Sadie's number. After several rings, the caller tune died out and ended in long, irritating beeps. Spencer frowned and wondered if he'd somehow caught her while she'd been taking one of her naps, or trying her hand at baking. He dialed again, walking briskly out the air-strip and to the nearest main road to hail a cab. The phone rang out and ended in beeps again.
Spencer took a breath and steadied himself. It was a nap, he told himself forcefully, dialing again and pressing the phone to his ear, waiting patiently. It rang out again. Spencer had managed to find a cab and tell the driver directions while he dialed Sadie's number again. Halfway through the ring, he hung up, deciding he was over-reacting. He would just appear at her doorstep and catch her off-guard, he decided and put the phone in his pocket.
The cab took twenty minutes to get to Sadie's apartment. All the while, Spencer burned off his jitteriness by moving his knees up and down restlessly. It got worse when he arrived. Paying the driver, Spencer got out and looked up at the apartment building before going in. He took the stairs, for it seemed that the elevator had been held up at level 4 for an exceedingly long time.
The moment Spencer reached the top of the stairs, he knew something was wrong. The door to Sadie's apartment was open a crack. Sadie never did this, he knew for a fact. She was a bit of a control freak when it came to doors and windows. She never left them halfway open, it bothered her a lot. And she seemed terrified of leaving the main door open for too long, as if the apartment would be tainted by the outside air.
Spencer moved silently, one hand reaching for his phone, the other searching his bag for his gun. He dialed JJ's number and held the phone between his ear and shoulder, freeing both hands to equip the standard issue Glock to battle mode.
"Spence, what's up?" JJ answered in a carefree voice. Spencer could hear Henry in the background, giggling.
"Something's wrong" Spencer whispered shortly, "Sadie's apartment, 45, Lexington avenue" he gave her the address.
"Spence, what are you planning to do?" she asked, "Don't do anything, I'll call the polic-" Spencer had cut her off.
"I'm going in" he whispered shortly, hung up and put the phone back in his pocket and pushed open the door.
The door opened soundlessly, Spencer, now pressed against the wall outside her door took a steadying breath. He could do this, he told himself, he could. Spencer stepped forward looking inside the apartment through the door and then, checked the corner and the back of the door, his gun hand held up, pointed and ready to be used. He took another step in, glancing left towards the kitchen and right towards the living room and the corridor that lead beyond. The lights were all off, the curtains drawn to a close. Spencer saw the mess that someone had made in the living room, everything was on the floor, the couch was lying on it's side, the laZboys seemed to have fallen over, even the carpet had been pulled away. The TV had crashed into the coffee-table and both had been smashed, the CDs were all scattered on the floor, and everything was a mess. Spencer glanced towards the kitchen and noticed that all the cupboards were open and several of its contents were on the counter and the kitchen floor.
After confirming it to be empty, he turned right, knowing there were plenty of places to look for the perpetrators. He checked the first door on his right, that lead to the bathroom and finding it empty, moved to the next, on his left, the mini-library. Spencer froze: a man stood in the middle of the room, looking interestedly at the book in his hands. He wore a black suit, his dark hair was pushed back, away from his face and his lips were pulled up in a taunting smile. He looked up at Spencer, who had frozen at the door, his gun hand failing to point at the perpetrator.
"Doctor, we've been expecting you" the man said, his voice thick with an accent. Spencer felt the blow to the back of his head that rendered him unconscious. The world around him seemed to dissolve into blackness and he could hear a laugh as his mind went blank.
Cliffhanger!
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