Hostage
"Last night, this girl, Gina Bryant, flagged down a police car in St. Louis. She was wearing nothing but a dirty nightgown, she was barefoot and she told them that she had been kidnapped when she was eight." Penelope said.
"That girl's gotta be nineteen or twenty years old." said Morgan.
"Eighteen," corrected Penelope, "and they confirmed her identity. She was a foster kid who disappeared ten years ago."
"She's been in captivity this whole time?" JJ demanded.
"Long term hostage… That's rare. We got another Ariel Castro here?" Rossi speculated.
"Funny you should say that. Not ha-ha funny, weird funny. She told police she was held captive with this girl, Sheila Woods, fifteen years old who disappeared from Nashville seven years ago. Also she said there was another girl too, but all she knows about her is that her name is Violet and she's older." said Garcia.
"I'm assuming you checked the missing children's database?" Rossi guessed.
"Affirmative. There's no Violet anywhere." said Garcia.
"Did Gina say anything about her captor?" Spencer asked.
"Just that his name was Tom and he was an older white dude." said Garcia.
"Where were they being held?" Victoria questioned.
"Gina took the cops there. They found Sheila. Sheila's at the hospital, very ill, yet to be determined. Violet was nowhere to be found." Garcia said, clicking the remote to flash an image of a house on the screen.
"Probably safe to assume she's with the unsub." Hotch muttered.
"Who owns the house?" Spencer asked.
"Oh, that's where it gets even weirder! This woman, Clara Riggins, she's MIA but her checking account is active, she pays her bills on time and if my math is correct, she's a hundred and eight years old." said Garcia.
"I might be going out on a limb here, but I'm gonna bet she had nothing to do with the kidnapping." said Rossi.
"Well the real question is, where's the unsub and this other girl Violet?" Morgan asked.
"That's what we're gonna find out. Lewis is on a research assignment. Wheels up in thirty." Hotch replied.
…
"Both Gina and Sheila were grabbed when they were eight." said JJ.
:And both just blocks away from their home." Morgan added.
Victoria shifted in her seat aboard the plane. She was sitting next to Spencer, her shoulder barely brushing his. Good grief, even sitting next to him hurt. How was she supposed to work this case with a clear head and good attitude if she could hardly bear to sit next to him? Rossi mentioned the unsub leaving no witnesses, snapping Victoria away from her own discomfort. The case was more important than her own misery.
"There's an excellent chance he stalked them as well. Clean getaways usually mean they know daily routines and are familiar with the area." Spencer's voice sent Victoria's stomach churning with wasps.
"Which means this guy's patient. He has a plan which says he has patterns, too." Morgan added.
"This guy's more than just a preferential pedophile. His victims are children, but that's probably more about establishing control. Long term captivity is his goal." said Rossi.
"We've seen profiles like this before. There's always a sexual assault component to their M.O." said Victoria.
"Hello, all! I just sent you the 4-1-1 on statements and police reports. Turns out the neighbors haven't seen Clara Riggins in several years but they also know who this Tom guy is. According to one lady, Tom told her he was Clara's grandson, but I triple-checked, Clara doesn't have any relatives anywhere." said Garcia, her face flashing upon the computer screen.
"Did we get a description from any of the neighbors?" queried Hotch.
"Affirmative. They also gave the make and model of Tom's blue van, but it's a pretty common vehicle. I've got a long list of registered owners. So far the three Tom's and Thomas's all check out." said Garcia.
"All right, stay on it." said Hotch.
"You know I will, sir." said Garcia. She ended the video conference, her face disappearing from the screen.
"When we land, Dave and Morgan go to the house. JJ, Parker, Reid and I will go to the hospital to talk to the girls to see if there's anything they remember." Hotch said.
Victoria swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. She ignored Spencer the rest of the flight, though she noticed him glancing at her out of the corner of her eye several times. They landed at last and exited the jet. Victoria started to follow JJ to one of the SUV's waiting for them, but Hotch grabbed her by the arm. She paused. Hotch pulled Spencer aside, too.
"I already told Parker this, but the two of you are going to be working closely on this case together. I need to know that your situation will not interfere with your work. Understood?" Hotch said.
Spencer and Victoria nodded. She shot Hotch a grateful glance for not mentioning her transfer request. She didn't want the rest of the team to know just yet.
…
"Agents, thank you for waiting." said Dr. Givens.
"Of course. How is she?" Hotch asked, inclining his head toward Sheila Woods, who was unconscious in her hospital bed.
"Looks like she had complications from a miscarriage. Her infections are aseptic, and we had to perform and emergency hysterectomy. She has several old scars on her back, too. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were from a whip." replied Dr. Givens.
"Any idea when she might wake up?" asked JJ.
"There's no way to tell." said Dr. Givens.
"What about Gina Bryant?" asked Spencer.
"She's doing much better. Malnourished, dehydrated, couple of nasty cuts and bruises but she should be okay. Physically, anyway." said Dr. Givens.
"Do you think she's able to answer a few questions?" Hotch asked.
"She was pretty agitated when she came in, so we gave her a mild sedative. But she has the same scars on her back. And she's got a bunch of old injuries that didn't heal properly. Broken ribs, tibia and a couple of fingers. I hope you catch the guy who did this." Dr. Givens shook his head and pursed his lips before turning away. Spencer licked his lips and knitted his brow. He followed Victoria and JJ to Gina Bryant's hospital room.
Gina's eyes widened in panic when she saw the three strange people in her room. She pushed herself into a sitting position, the color draining from her face. Victoria stepped forward. "Hi, Gina. My name is Victoria. These are my friends, Jennifer and Spencer."
"Hi." Spencer said, his voice cracking slightly. He hadn't heard his own name on Victoria's lips in two weeks. She had referred to him as "Reid" since their split.
"We're with FBI. Do you know what that is?" JJ asked.
"A police?" asked Gina.
"Something like that." JJ murmured.
"I already talked to the police." Gina said.
"Well, we're a little bit different. Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?" Victoria asked.
"Okay." Gina allowed.
"Can you tell me about the day you were kidnapped?" Victoria said gently.
Gina looked straight ahead, avoiding eye contact with Spencer, JJ and Victoria. "I went to the park, forgot my sweatshirt, but I didn't wanna go home." Gina recalled, her voice wavering.
"Why not?" JJ queried.
"Trisha was mean." Gina replied.
"Your foster mother, Trisha Gilmore?" Spencer clarified.
"Her kids, too. They said I wasn't worth the money they made off me." Gina muttered.
"So you went to the playground to get away from them?" Victoria guessed.
"I went to all kinds of places. But mostly there." Gina confirmed.
"What happened that day?" Spencer asked.
"I saw Violet." Gina said.
"Violet, the girl you were held hostage with?" JJ replied.
"She was waiting for her dad to pick her up. And that's when he came." Gina said, her hands gathering fistfuls of the sheets around her.
"Who? Tom?" Victoria murmured.
"He had this little puppy. He asked me if I wanted to give him treats. He said that he went crazy for treats. They were in his car. But it wasn't a car, it was a van. And he opened the door, and he pushed me in, and he hit me. I tasted my blood and my eyes were watery and he said I'd better listen or he was gonna hit me again. We drove for a long time… But I never saw the puppy again. I'm sorry… He was so little! I don't know where he went, though! I'm sorry!" Gina dissolved into tears, her face screwed up in distress. Spencer felt his own face soften.
Victoria placed a hand on Gina's. "It's okay, shh… It's not your fault… It's okay…"
Gina's tears subsided after a few minutes. She sniffled, looking at the agents. "C-can I leave the room? I-I'm tired of being in here…"
Victoria glanced back at Spencer and JJ, her brow furrowed. Spencer looked around the room. He caught sight of the wheelchair. He rolled it over to the bedside. JJ and Victoria helped Gina out of bed and into the wheelchair. Spencer rolled the girl out of the hospital room and down the hall. He remembered seeing a hall with windows on a map of the hospital. He figured Gina would appreciate the view. He led the others to the hall, Gina sitting in silence in her chair.
"Gina, do you have any idea where Tom might be right now?" JJ asked.
"Maybe his disappearing place?" Gina guessed.
"His disappearing place?" Spencer prompted.
"He'd always leave. I always liked it when he was gone, though he didn't leave much food." said Gina.
"Do you know where the disappearing place is?" JJ asked.
"I didn't get to go. He only ever took Violet and Sheila, once. They were more special." said Gina.
"Why were they more special?" Victoria asked. Spencer parked the wheelchair by a bench, making sure to face Gina toward the windows. Victoria and JJ sank onto the bench before Gina.
"Because they were good. They never fought!" Gina said.
"But you did." Victoria's tone held no question.
"I hated calling him 'Daddy' and I wouldn't say my name." replied Gina.
"What do you mean you wouldn't say your name?" JJ asked.
"Rose. He tried to call me that." Gina shuddered.
"Did Sheila or Violet ever talk about the disappearing place?" Spencer queried.
Gina shook her head. "It was a secret. It would make Tom mad if they did."
"Well, what about Tom? Did he ever talk about it?" JJ prompted.
"One time when he was nice. He brought pizza." said Gina, her lips twitching fondly.
"Do you remember what he said?" Spencer asked.
"That one day maybe I could go. Then… Then he wanted me to go behind the curtain." Gina rubbed her neck. She twitched and jerked in agitation, like a horse's skin when a fly landed on it. "Sometimes I didn't fight as much when Sheila got there."
"Why not?" Victoria asked.
"Because we had to take care of her. We had to keep him happy. But I made sure she remembered her real name, no matter what." Gina replied.
"What about Violet? Do you know her real name?" Spencer murmured.
Gina pinched her nose between her fingers and rubbed her forehead. She wrinkled her face. "Mm… Just Violet. Sometimes he called her Vi." Her tone suggested agitation.
"Did Tom ever mention someone named Clara?" JJ asked.
"She liked flowers. That's where we got our names. He called Sheila 'Daisy'." Gina answered.
"Did you ever see Clara?" Victoria asked.
"No… But sometimes I was good, and he'd let me go outside at nighttime and we planted flowers. He said they were for Clara." Gina said.
Spencer exchanged a glance with JJ. They returned Gina to her hospital room. Spencer left to retrieve a file from Hotch. He headed back to Gina's room.
"This one turns the volume up and down and if you wanna change the channel –if you wanna watch something different –you press this button…" Victoria was muttering, leaning over a remote in Gina's hands.
"Victoria," Spencer whispered. Victoria glanced back at him. She turned to Gina.
"I'll be right back." she promised. She strode over to Spencer, who handed over the file.
"Composite sketch of the unsub. Garcia's running facial recognition against a list of van owners. How's she doing?" Spencer said.
Victoria looked up from the crude sketch of the unsub. "It's a lot. She has no money, no family and a second grade education… Not to mention a lifetime of PTSD…" Victoria trailed off as several nurses and doctors rushed past to Sheila's room.
"That can't be good." JJ muttered.
"Looks like Sheila might be coding." Spencer deduced.
"What's coding? Is that Sheila? Is she okay?" Gina demanded. She rushed out of her room. Victoria caught her.
"Okay, you know what? Let them work. You don't want to get in their way." Victoria said, standing in front of Gina in order to block the girl's path.
A scream from down the hall sent chills down Spencer's spine. Sheila's mother struggled against Hotch, howling for her daughter. "Is she okay? Sheila? SHEILA!" shrieked Gina. Spencer glanced back at Gina. The girl was fighting to get past Victoria, who was holding her own against the other girl. "What's wrong? What's wrong with her? I have to help her!"
Victoria caught Gina by the wrists, keeping her at bay. Gina dissolved into sobs. She collapsed into Victoria's arms, weeping. Victoria held Gina close, stroking her hair. She glanced up at Spencer. He watched her lips curve downward and her eyebrows pinch. The color in her cheeks faded into white as she struggled to comfort the hysterical Gina. Spencer gave Victoria a reassuring nod. She was doing well. Victoria looked slightly relieved by Spencer's nod. She led Gina into the hospital room after finally calming her down. Spencer watched after Victoria for several seconds. He felt someone else's eyes on him and looked down at JJ. She offered him a knowing smile. His brow knitted and the corners of his mouth fell. Hotch walked over.
"Garcia found a match," he said, handing Spencer a photo of a plump, blond man. "Michael Clark Thompson. See if Gina recognizes him."
Spencer nodded and slipped inside the hospital room. Victoria strode over to him. "What is it?" she asked, folding her arms.
"Garcia got a hit," Spencer explained, passing the picture to Victoria. Her face wrinkled.
"He looks like a rat," she muttered. Spencer raised his eyebrows. He hadn't thought of it that way, but now that Victoria mentioned it, he did notice rat-like features in Thompson's face. "I'll see if Gina recognizes him." She walked over to Gina, who was staring straight ahead, remnants of her tears still pooled in her eyes. "Gina, is this him?" Victoria said gently, showing Gina the picture.
"Yeah. Get it away, please." Gina snapped. Victoria hid the picture from Gina's eyes and turned toward Spencer. She gave him a nod. He slipped out of the hospital room and rushed to inform Hotch.
"She confirmed it was him." Spencer said.
"I'll issue an APB." Hotch replied. He stalked away. Spencer looked at JJ.
"Why do you keep staring at me?" he demanded.
"You know she looks at you when she's unsure of something, right? You're her rock, Spence." JJ said.
Spencer glanced toward Gina's hospital room, where Victoria was. "Really?"
"When Gina was upset, Parker looked at you. She didn't seem sure of herself until you nodded. She looked to you for support, Spence. You think she can just go out and find any guy to make her happy, and maybe you're right, but she wants you. You mean so much to her. You think she doesn't need you? You're wrong, Spence. She looked at you. She won't find someone else. She'll always be pining after you. And that's a pain that will never leave her." JJ replied.
Spencer met JJ's gaze. "Don't profile us, JJ." he muttered. He walked away, his chest clenching.
…
"She's refusing treatment. She won't even give us her last name." said Dr. Givens as he led Victoria, JJ, Hotch and Reid to Violet's hospital room.
"That's probably because she doesn't remember it herself." said Spencer.
"Violet isn't even her real name. It's most likely the name he gave her." said JJ.
"We do need to talk to her." said Hotch.
"Well, you can try. You might have better luck than I did." said Dr. Givens, stopping in front of Violet's room. He left the agents to their job.
Victoria looked at Hotch. "It might take some time to get through to her." she warned.
"All right. See what you can find out. I'm gonna go question Thompson." Hotch replied. He walked away to question Michael Clark Thompson, who had been brought it not an hour ago.
"She's probably child-level in socializing exactly like Gina and if she was in captivity the longest, she almost certainly fell victim to intense trauma bonding." Spencer muttered.
"Let's go," Victoria muttered. She followed JJ inside the hospital room.
"Hi. Violet? My name's Jennifer." said JJ.
"And I'm Victoria and this is Spencer." said Victoria, gesturing to Spencer.
He waved slightly. "Hi."
"Can we go now? My daddy and I gotta go." said Violet, her tone trembling.
"When you say 'daddy,' do you mean Tom?" JJ queried.
"I… I don't… I don't call him that." Violet's face wrinkled, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"You know that's not actually his real name? His name is Michael Clark Thompson. Tom's just a name he made up." Victoria said gently.
"Kind of like your name, Violet. Do you remember your real name?" Spencer added, his tone matching Victoria's gentleness.
"I need my daddy. We need to go." said Violet.
"Where is it you need to go? Maybe we can help you." said Spencer.
Violet's demeanor shifted. The agitated confusion gave way to cold realization. "He said you would do that."
"Do what?" JJ prompted.
"Ask questions and lie. Especially about him." said Violet.
"We know what he did to you, Violet. Gina told us everything." said JJ.
"You found her? Did you find Daisy, too?" Violet demanded, her eyes brightening.
Victoria glanced at Spencer. The twinge of dread and regret churning in her stomach was reflected in his eyes. "Her real name is Sheila, Sheila Woods. And yes, we did." Spencer said slowly.
"She was super sick. Is she okay?" Violet said.
"I'm sorry, but… no. She's not. The doctors did everything they could, but… She didn't make it. She died… I'm so sorry." Victoria murmured. Violet's eyes filled with tears and her eyebrows slanted upward while her forehead tightened. The corners of her mouth dropped. Her expression sliced at Victoria's heart. This part of the job was always the heaviest.
"You don't have to be afraid of him anymore. We can help you." JJ said.
Violet's despair shattered and anger surged forth. "He said you would say that, too! You don't know anything, okay? I would be dead without him! He's the only one who loves me!" she yelled.
Victoria closed her eyes. "Violet, please…" She didn't blame Violet for being angry and confused. She had just learned that one of her closest friends was dead. Her whole world, as fucked up as it was, was falling apart.
"I gotta go! Please! I've been good. I haven't done anything bad. Can I go now?" Violet begged.
Victoria glanced at Spencer. JJ pursed her lips. The three of them withdrew from Violet's room. "We should go tell Hotch." said JJ.
Victoria nodded. The team found an empty lounge room. Victoria bought a Dr. Pepper to reawaken her senses. They had been awake for nearly twenty-four hours. Spencer made himself a coffee that consisted of more sugar than coffee. The others already had empty coffee cups and were currently sipping on their second. Rossi plopped himself into a chair and shook his head. "Nothing to hide my ass!" he scoffed.
"The preliminary M.E. report does suggest that Clara Riggins died of natural causes." said Spencer, reading said report.
"I think he's telling the truth about that. He didn't kill her." Hotch said.
"I'm sorry guys, but I can't stop thinking about Violet. She could not wait to get out of here like it was urgent. It was all she could talk about." JJ said from her spot in the doorway.
Victoria glanced at her and frowned. That was true… "Well she's been held captive for most of her life. This all has to be a tremendous shock." said Rossi.
"No question about that, but it was more. It was like she had somewhere specific in mind and needs Tom to go with her." said JJ.
"Well, Tom conditioned her to depend on him for everything." Hotch reasoned.
"Conditioning requires you to do something over and over again," said Victoria slowly. "He repeatedly abused them. I doubt she was itching to go do that."
"Maybe he rewarded her somehow." Rossi suggested, nodding.
"What if she has a child?" JJ said. "Where else would you wanna go so badly?"
"You know, that's not a stretch. Sheila Woods had a miscarriage. Maybe Violet brought one to term." said Rossi.
"We did profile that he might be trying to fill some kind of void since he didn't have a family." said Spencer.
"Yeah, but Gina Bryant never mentioned a baby." said Rossi
"Well, Violet could've had the baby before Gina was abducted. Gina wouldn't even know about it." Victoria replied, somewhat defensively of Gina.
"Well, if we're right about any of this, that means there's another kid out there somewhere." said Rossi.
"And who's taking care of it?" JJ questioned.
Victoria's stomach churned. She looked at JJ. "You should talk to Violet about this."
JJ frowned. "You have more experience in counseling."
"And you have more in profiling," said Victoria. "If Violet has had any children, I can't relate to that as well as you can. You're a mother. I think Violet might be willing to connect with another mother. And you probably know the right things to say more than I would."
JJ nodded. "Okay. I'll go talk to her."
Victoria watched JJ go. Rossi and Hotch were already discussing ways they could get Thompson to confess. Spencer was reading over the medical reports. Victoria bit her lip and exited the lounge room. She made her way to Gina's room. Gina looked up when Victoria entered. "Victoria," she said, "it's you."
Victoria smiled softly. "Sorry if I scared you."
Gina shook her head. "I just… I didn't think any more people would come. I've told you everything I know."
"I know," Victoria said. "I just thought… You might want to say goodbye to Sheila."
Gina's furrowed brow softened. Tears pooled in her eyes. "C-can I?"
"Of course," said Victoria. She helped Gina out of bed and led her down the hall to Sheila's room. Gina stopped in front of the door. She looked at Victoria, her eyes rounded with uncertainty. "Don't worry. I'll be right there with you." Victoria assured her.
Gina nodded. "Don't leave me."
"I won't," Victoria promised. They entered the room. "I'm sorry to interrupt Ms. Woods but this is Gina. She was with Sheila."
Sheila's mother's eyes roved over Gina, who heeded the woman no attention and went straight to Sheila's side. Victoria watched Gina's hands tremble as she took in Sheila's lifeless form. Victoria's chest clenched. Gina looked up at Ms. Woods. "I'm sorry. I tried to help her. I tried." Gina sobbed. Victoria's lips parted.
"Victoria," murmured Spencer. Victoria jumped. She hadn't expected him to be here. She turned to face him. "JJ has news."
Victoria nodded. She led Gina back to her own hospital room. Victoria stepped out to meet Spencer and JJ. "Violet had two daughters and calls them her sisters. She didn't understand exactly what pregnancy was, but I got through to her. Only Tom knows where the disappearing place is. That's where the daughters are. Garcia figured out who Violet is and we've contacted her parents."
"They're here," said Spencer, checking his phone. "I'll go meet them."
Victoria frowned. "What are we going to do?" she asked, walking with JJ toward Violet's room.
"Introduce them," JJ said grimly. "She could barely look at their phot. I can't imagine how she'll react to see them in person."
"Maybe we should give her more time. Psych has gotten the evaluation yet. She could become hostile or retreat into a catatonic state." said Dr. Givens.
"We don't have time. Amelia may have information about the missing children that her parents could unlock." said Hotch.
"It's a calculated risk but one we have to take." said Spencer.
"I'll go update them." JJ offered, striding toward the Hawthornes. Victoria turned to Hotch.
"Do you need me in there with them?" she asked.
"No, why?" Hotch asked.
"Gina's going to be cleared soon. I was just going to check on her one last time, make sure she has things in order." said Victoria.
Hotch nodded. "Be available, though."
"Yes sir." Victoria dipped her head.
…
Spencer forced himself to look away from Victoria. He had caught himself admiring her form in her off-white trousers. Her grey V-neck top was made of loose fabric, which allowed for flexibility in the amount of chest shown. Spencer felt his stomach churn in disgust. How could he think about that during this case? Besides, Victoria was not a piece of meat in his eyes. Sure, she was attractive, but he had always been diligent about turning his sex drive off when on a case. But the distance from her seemed to have multiplied his observance of her. He rubbed his face in his hands.
"Reid," said Hotch, rounding the corner. "Morgan and JJ are getting the girls. Go get Parker. It's time to go."
Spencer nodded. He whisked off for Gina Bryant's room. He poked his head inside. Victoria was handing Gina a slip of paper. "If you ever need anything, even just someone to talk to, just give me a call or write me a letter." Victoria said.
Gina looked at the paper. She looked up at Victoria. "Thank you. For everything."
Victoria nodded. "Of course."
"Victoria," Spencer called quietly. Victoria glanced at him. "It's time to go."
Spencer glanced around as several nurses and doctors rushed past. He frowned but didn't think anything of it. Gina waved goodbye to Victoria and Spencer as they left the room. Spencer kept his mouth shut as they strode down the hall. Victoria slowed to a stop. Spencer paused and looked at her. "She'll be okay." he assured her.
Victoria glanced back toward Gina's room. "You think so?"
Spencer pursed his lips. "There are lots of programs for people with behavioral issues and traumatic disorders to help them get on their feet. And she has Amelia Hawthorne for emotional support. She has you. She's not alone."
Victoria nodded. "Thanks."
Spencer pursed his lips. "Yeah."
…
Victoria heard her phone buzz. She glanced at it. It was a text from Garcia.
Girls' night?
Victoria sighed. She wasn't sure if she felt like going out tonight. She was about to reply when JJ sent a text, via group message.
Yes! Will has the boys and I can finally drink alcohol!
Savannah sent a message, too.
Hallelujah! I need some girl time… P.S. V- Spencer is coming over tonight to meet Derek for dinner. We could make it seem like you're just picking me up… Just wear something super hot.
JJ: Yes! This is our chance, V!
Penelope: We could help pick out your outfit!
JJ: And do your hair and makeup
Victoria smiled to herself and rolled her eyes. She texted back a hasty response.
Okay, okay!
Savannah: Hurry up, you guys! Spencer is coming over around 7.
JJ: I'll just bring my clothes over to V's so I can get there faster.
Penelope: Same! Be there in 25.
Victoria grinned and rolled her eyes. She slipped her phone into her back pocket and headed outside with her dogs. The air had a slight chill to it, warning the coming of fall. Her eyes flickered toward the barn. She hadn't stepped foot in there since the incident with Korey. She sat down on her porch, gazing at the property around her. She enjoyed living out there, but… The house was too big for just her. It had been good for her brothers, but now… It was too empty. The barn remained untouched by her. She hadn't even cleaned it up since Korey.
Her phone began to ring. She pulled it out of her pocket. It was Hotch. She answered it. "Hey, Hotch."
"We didn't get a chance to talk after we got back. Have you decided yet?" said Hotch.
Victoria's mouth went dry. "I… Yeah, I have. I want to transfer."
Hotch was quiet for a long time. "Okay," he said eventually. "I'll give you the paperwork on Monday."
"Thank you. And… I'll tell the rest of the team. It should come from me." said Victoria.
"Agreed. I'll see you on Monday morning, Parker." said Hotch.
"Yes sir. Thank you." Victoria hung up, her eyes burning slightly. Her throat swelled with emotion. She cleared it. "Lumos! Nox! Let's go inside!"
…
"They're coming here?" Spencer demanded, trying to hide his indignation.
"Just to pick me up." said Savannah simply.
"They won't be here long, Reid. Then we're meeting Hotch and Rossi." said Morgan.
Spencer sighed. "I just… Being around her isn't easy."
"It won't be for long. It's not like I'm locking you in a room with her for a few hours." Morgan replied.
Spencer looked up sharply. "If you do that…"
Morgan chuckled. "Relax, kid."
"Hello!" called Penelope. Spencer glanced over at the front door as Penelope sidled into the house. She looked good in her silver bodycon dress. JJ followed, looking as beautiful as ever in her black spaghetti dress. Victoria entered the house last. Spencer widened his eyes. She wore a pair of distressed, tight jeans and black heels. Her top was a long sleeved, maroon shirt with a loose, plunging neckline. A black, lacy bralette peeked out from the dip in her maroon top. Her hair had been braided to the side. Gold earrings dangled from her ears. Her eyes were dark and smoky while her lips were painted red. She had left her glasses behind for the night.
"Damn, Parker," said Morgan, grinning at Victoria. She rolled her eyes.
"Are we ready?" cried Savannah.
"Let's go!" Penelope sang.
"Remember to call us if you need a ride home." said Morgan.
"We will!" Savannah kissed Morgan's cheek. The girls left the house, their laughter still echoing in the halls.
…
"Did you see the look on Reid's face? That was awesome!" laughed Penelope.
"I didn't look at him." Victoria admitted.
"He looked at you!" Penelope assured her.
"He couldn't take his eyes off you." said JJ.
"He might need a cold shower later, if ya catch my drift." said Penelope, giggling.
Victoria flushed. She rolled her eyes, but couldn't ignore the twinge of hope. They entered the club and immediately bought shots. Victoria didn't care much for hard liquor, so she only took one. Then, she hopped over to the dance floor with her friends. Victoria's dancing was more of jumping around rather than actual dancing, but she had fun nonetheless. A guy danced over to her. Victoria didn't mind him dancing around her. As long as he didn't try to do anything else, he was cool. After a few songs, Victoria made her way to the bar. The guy followed her.
"Do you know how much a polar bear weighs?" he asked.
Victoria frowned. "I don't know. A lot?"
"Enough to break the ice. I'm Ryan." said the man, extending a hand to Victoria.
She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Smooth, Ryan," she allowed, shaking his hand. "I'm Victoria."
"Beautiful name." said Ryan. He ordered a round of shots for them.
"Thanks." Victoria said.
"So," said Ryan, handing Victoria a shot glass, "What's it like being the most beautiful girl in this bar?"
Victoria raised an eyebrow. "What's it like being the biggest liar in the world?"
Ryan choked on his tequila. He coughed some, but smiled as Victoria took her shot. "Well, on a scale of one to ten, you're a nine. But it's okay, because I'm the one you need."
Victoria laughed. "Did you just Google these pickup lines?"
Ryan smiled. "Maybe a couple of them."
Victoria giggled and shook her head. "At least you admitted it."
"So, do you mind if I sit here?" asked Ryan. Victoria hesitated.
Fuck it. "Be my guest." Victoria allowed. Ryan sat down, grinning.
Ryan ordered them drinks. Victoria nursed hers for a bit, listening to Ryan talk about his job as some IT guy. She gazed into her vodka and cranberry, missing Spencer's dorkiness. She missed lying on the couch, watching TV documentaries or movies. She missed getting coffee before work. She missed scary movie night. She missed stealing his cardigans. "That drink isn't doing its job." said Ryan.
Victoria looked up. "What's its job?"
"Well, it's supposed to be a spirits, right? I thought alcohol was supposed to make people forget? It only seems to be lowering your spirits, not lifting them." said Ryan.
Victoria pursed her lips. "I'm sorry. I just got out of a relationship." Her chest ached with the usual hollowness.
"Damn, that always sucks. Wanna dance?" said Ryan. Victoria's eyes flitted toward the dance floor. She had lost sight of her friends a long time ago. Well, at least she had her phone. She drained the remnants of her drink.
"Fuck yeah, I wanna dance." she said, leading the way to the dance floor.
…
"Parker looked good tonight." said Morgan.
"I'm not blind." Spencer muttered, opening his menu and ignoring the stares from Rossi, Morgan and Hotch.
"I'm just sayin'." said Morgan.
Spencer closed his menu. "I didn't break up with her because I think she's ugly. She's far from that, actually. You know why I did. You should respect my decision."
"Reid, I would respect your decision if it made sense. But we've already established that there's hope. You're both suffering and you don't need to be." said Rossi.
Spencer looked at his hands. "It's for the best."
"Why? Because you're scared love won't be enough?" Morgan demanded.
"Kiddo, I've had too many marriages fail to know that's true. Sometimes, it just ain't enough. But that's where real love comes in. That's where love fights. You've gotta keep working to stay together. You can't get lazy. This job takes enough away from us. You don't need to lose Parker, too." said Rossi.
Spencer pursed his lips. "I just can't ask her to go through this with me."
"That's not your decision to make for her." said Morgan.
"Reid, she's requested a transfer." said Hotch.
Spencer's head snapped up. His heart felt as if someone were dragging a knife down it. "What?"
Rossi and Morgan stared at Hotch, equally as shocked as Spencer. "I told her to work this last case with you, to see if she could handle it. She told me it was too painful to be around you and wants to transfer. She's going to fill out the paperwork on Monday. She'll be gone by the end of the week." Hotch explained.
Spencer's heart twisted. His mouth went dry and his throat swelled. Morgan faced Spencer. "You love the girl, right?" he asked.
Spencer swallowed the lump in his throat. "Yes." he croaked.
"Then don't let her get away." said Morgan.
"We all love Parker, too. If she leaves because of you, I'm burning your whole book collection!" Rossi threatened.
Spencer's eyes burned with tears. "How am I supposed to fix things with her if I've fucked it up so royally?" he snapped. He widened his eyes when he realized what he had just said. "I'm sorry, I… I don't know where that came from…"
"Reid, Parker loves you. You know that, right?" Morgan said.
"Yes." Spencer murmured.
"Reid, as your friend, I'm telling you to do whatever it takes to get Parker back. She wants you back just as much as you do." said Hotch.
Spencer opened his mouth to retort, but he stopped himself. "Okay."
…
"I wouldn't say your dance moves are classically good, but you're a blast to dance with." said Ryan, chuckling.
Victoria giggled. She swayed slightly and fell into Ryan. "Sorry! I've had a bit too much to drink…"
"I'm not complaining," said Ryan, "I've got a beautiful girl in my arms."
Victoria rolled her eyes. "Right…"
"C'mon, let's get outta here." said Ryan.
"Go where?" Victoria slurred.
"My place or yours?" said Ryan.
"Both," said Victoria, "I'll go to mine and you can go to yours."
"C'mon, baby. I want you." Ryan purred. He grabbed Victoria's hands. "See?" he said, trying to make Victoria feel him up. She jerked away.
"Hey!" she protested.
"I can make you forget that ex of yours." said Ryan.
"I don't want to forget him, thanks." Victoria frowned.
Ryan's lips brushed Victoria's cheek. His unshaven face scratched her skin. "All I want is to worship your body, babe."
…
Spencer frowned. "Where's Victoria?"
"We haven't seen her." giggled Penelope.
"You left her on her own?" Spencer demanded.
"Reid, calm down. I'm sure she's fine. I'll get them in the car. You go find Parker." said Morgan.
Spencer was already pushing his way into the club, his eyes scanning the crowd for Victoria. He was beginning to grow worried when he caught sight of her. She was entangled in the grasp of another man, his lips against hers. It felt as if he had just taken a sledgehammer to the chest. Spencer's intake of breath was ragged and strangled. Victoria pushed away from the guy.
"Stop… I can't…" she mumbled.
"You've been teasing me all night, you little slut." said the guy.
"Excuse me?" Victoria slurred.
"What's the matter? You don't like dirty talk?" The man attempted to nibble at her ear.
"I'm not your fucking slut." Victoria snapped.
"You wanna be?" asked the man.
"No," said Victoria, "let go." She caught sight of Spencer and jerked away from the man, who protested and called her several names. Victoria strode up to Spencer, eyes never wavering from his. He parted his lips to tell her that it was time to go. Victoria grabbed him by the tie and yanked him toward her. She crashed her lips against his in an open-mouth kiss. Spencer's eyes widened, taken aback. Then, he closed his eyes. His mouth moved in tandem with hers, sliding and sucking with a desperate hunger. He relaxed and pulled Victoria closer to his body.
"What the fuck?" said the man. Spencer broke off the kiss and watched the man walk away. He glanced down at Victoria.
"Shit. Sorry. I… I just couldn't get rid of him." said Victoria.
"It's okay," Spencer assured her. He led her out of the club. She got into the car, keeping her head down as she climbed in the backseat. Spencer slid into the front, his mind racing. Morgan drove to his house, where he dropped off his wife. Will picked up JJ and Penelope. Spencer walked Victoria to his car. He assured Morgan that he wasn't too tired to drive and got into his car. Victoria stared out the window without talking. Spencer watched the road, but his mind was lost in a thicket of thorns and trees. She hadn't really kissed that other guy. It was obvious she hadn't wanted it. It had still hurt.
But seeing her with that man had also made Spencer realize that he couldn't watch Victoria be with another man. He didn't want her to move on with another man. He couldn't watch her be happy with some other man. He wasn't strong enough to witness that. Yes, he wanted her to be happy, but… Some part of him was selfish –was human –and wanted her to be happy with him. He remembered that night when Korey had shown up at the bar and tried to take Victoria away by force. The only reason Korey had left was because Spencer, Morgan and Hotch had stepped in. Victoria had not even lifted a finger to defend herself. But at the bar, she had. She had pushed away, despite her drunken state. She was a stronger woman now. Spencer felt a smile threaten to grace his lips. It faltered when he remembered staring at the computer screen, watching Victoria wake up to find herself strapped to a chair. He remembered the feeling of seeing her like that. The hot waves washing over his body, the sharpness in his chest, the feeling that the floor had given way beneath his feet. He remembered watching Korey torture her on camera, her screams and cries that she desperately tried to bite back, and how they sent chills down Spencer's spine.
Spencer pulled up to Victoria's house. He looked at the barn in the distance, his chest aching.
Spencer opened his eyes, his head throbbing. He was tied to a chair, but his attention was drawn to her. Victoria sat across from him, tied to a chair like he was, tears sliding down her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry."
Spencer blinked, forcing himself to push the memory from his mind. He would never forget the look in Victoria's eyes. He would never forget the racing in his chest when he saw Korey shoot Victoria. She had nearly died because she had loved him, and Korey had known it. Spencer sighed. "I'm an idiot." He gently shook Victoria, who had fallen asleep. "We're at your house."
"'Mkay…" Victoria mumbled. Spencer got out of his car. He helped Victoria out. She wobbled as she walked to her house. She stumbled inside. Spencer caught her. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to her bedroom, where he laid her on the bed. "Thank you…" Victoria sighed. She closed her eyes and rolled over. Spencer gazed at her for a few seconds. He listened to her breathing deepen as she fell deeper into her slumber. Then, he leaned over and kissed her hairline. Then he left her house.
...
Thank you guys so much for the reviews! They really keep me going! Next chapter will probably be shorter, so it'll probably be up sooner. I may not go into as much detail with the case as I have been (usually I watch the episode, pausing it after every few lines to write down what was said and it takes about two hours to get through one episode and that's doing only about ¾ of the episode). So, if the case part of the chapter is slightly confusing because I skip so much, I'm sorry. But I don't wanna just rewrite episodes for chapters. That's no fun, haha. Anyway, please review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!