Chapter 36

"No..." she breathed out, her entire body tensing in his arms. "No, please..." she turned her eyes to meet his and he saw the fear.

"Fuck..." he breathed out, holding her close. "Scarlett... stop..." as he felt her begin to shake.

"Where? When?" she asked in a strangled voice.

"No..." he told her and held her tighter when she tried to pull away. "Stop it Scarlett... stop now," he said, giving her a little shake.

"He was here, he went to my home?" she cried out looking at him for confirmation to her fears.

"No... no!" Spencer took her face in his hands, making her look at him. "No, Scarlett, he wasn't near your family..."

She stuttered out a breath. "He called... he spoke to my mother..."

"Jesus..." he held her tighter as she shifted again. "Scarlett, yes. Just a phone call, nothing more... It will be okay..."

Scarlett couldn't stop the shaking that took over her body. "He spoke to my Mother, Spence... he knows she's still there..."

Spencer ran his hands along her body, trying to stop her from shivering. He pulled her against him and held her tight.

"Just one call, Scarlett. Just briefly. She hung up on him... nothing more," he tried to downplay the situation for her mind.

"Derek... I need my brother," she tried to pull out of his arms and he held her tight.

"I'll call him over," Spencer told her, tugging her back again. "Stay put," he told her as he pulled out his phone. "Stay with me, Scarlett..." he asked. "Please..."

When she nodded and curled up against his chest, he dialed Morgan's number.

"She figured it out. Yeah, that's what I said. She wants to see you... Right," Reid hung up the phone as Scarlett listened to the one sided conversation. Within seconds there was a knock on the door. Spencer shifted her slightly and moved her into the chair.

"Stay..." he told her, afraid she'd run. When she just nodded, he moved to open the door.

Morgan came in with Penelope not far behind. He moved towards her even as she launched herself off the chair and into his arms.

"It's okay, little one... It's okay..." he held her tightly, "He can't get near you, baby girl, I promise..."

Derek gave Reid a pained look. "I should've realized she'd figure it out..."

Spencer shrugged. He watched Scarlett as she buried her face into Morgan's neck. He felt a twinge of jealousy that he quickly tamped down. Morgan was the one who saved her from her father the last time, it made sense that she'd turn to him now, he reminded himself.

"I feel like I can't breathe D," she said weakly. "I can't even think straight," she shook in his arms.

"It'll be alright, sweetie," Penelope's soft voice crooned as she moved closer to her friend. "Derek and Spencer will protect you honey, and I'll find out the bastard's every move... You'll always be two steps ahead of him, I promise..." she rubbed her hand over her back.

Scarlett reached over and pulled Garcia into her hug. "I'm scared, Pens... I can't help it," she caught herself as a sob broke out in her voice.

Reid paced along the perimeter of his friends while rubbing his hand against his chest. Scarlett's voice was starting to take on that younger sounding tone that she had the night she'd told him of her father. He tried to catch her eyes, but her face was still tucked against Morgan's neck. He ran his hand through his hair and moved over closer.

"Scarlett," he said talking to her in a stern tone. "Look at me," he told her.

Derek looked over at Reid. "Kid..." he started, thinking Spencer was upset that Scarlett wasn't turning to him. Scarlett didn't move, instead she held onto Morgan tighter.

"No, Morgan... make her look up..." Spencer interrupted and touched Scarlett's arm. When she flinched away, Derek held her tighter.

"Reid... don't push her," he said with a hint of anger.

"No... Morgan, you have to make her stop..." Spencer said, ignoring the warning tone in Derek's voice. He reached over for her again and ran his hand over her hair. "Scarlett, come on, crazy girl, snap out of it..."

Derek felt her shaking again and moved over to the sofa. When he set her down, she grabbed for him again, not letting him step back.

"Scarlett..."

"What's happening?" Garcia asked Reid softly as they watched Morgan try to talk to her.

Spencer clenched his fists at his side. "She's going into a flashback," he stated angrily. "She's reliving something in her head and I don't know what she's seeing..."

"Oh, Jesus..." Penelope shook her head. "From then? From what was done back then?" she whispered.

"I don't know, Garcia... I just know it's like re-living hell for her when it happens," he stepped forward again, kneeling down in front of Scarlett.

"Hey, crazy girl, look at me..." he begged. "Please, Scarlett, just see me, okay?" he implored softly, lightly tugging at her arm and touching her face.

When she turned to face him, he could see that distant look in her eyes. She wasn't looking at him as much as through him.

"Scarlett..." he took her hands in his and kissed them. "Please, come on darling, come back to me. You don't want to do this to yourself."

Morgan watched her blank eyed stare warily. "Katy-bird, come on now..." he looked over to Reid. "She's done this with you, before?" he asked.

Spencer nodded. "Haven't you ever seen her like this? You were the one who told me she had flashbacks..." he looked at his friend skeptically.

"Not like this, not where she'd blanked out..."

"She's holding it in..." Reid said quietly. "She's not talking, she talked before..." he touched her cheek gently. "Katy, please... at least tell me what you are seeing, beautiful. I'm here, I'm with you..."

Morgan watched as his sister turned towards Reid's voice.

"You can't be here," she said in a sad child-like voice. "You can't stay... I can't talk, I have to be very quiet and hide..."

Derek stood up from the sofa and moved into the bedroom. Reid heard him punch a wall and wished he could do the same. It hurt to see her like this...

"Scarlett, come on. You are safe, here. With me, Penelope and Derek. We are all right here in a hotel room. You are safe," he told her again and ran his hands along her knees and legs.

"Please, don't," she said in that same small voice as she watched Spencer's hands. "Please don't touch me..." she started to move back, away from him.

"Scarlett. It's Reid..." Morgan snapped at her as he came back into the room. "Look at him... It's Reid, not your father..." he stated, hoping his tone might snap her out of this.

"I need to run..." she said, looking around quickly. "I have to run..."

"Fuck..." Spencer said as he grabbed for her arms.

"No! I have to run!" she said shaking. She tried to scramble up the back of the couch, but he moved quickly and held her against him instead.

"No, Scarlett. You don't have to run... I've got you." he told her, holding her close. "I've got you and nobody is going to hurt you, ever again, I promise..." he tucked her against his chest and locked his legs around hers.

Morgan moved to the back of the couch behind them, in case Scarlett managed to get out of Reid's grip. He reached over and stroked a hand across her hair.

"We are all here, baby girl... nobody is going to hurt you..." he added. "You're safe, Katy-bird..."

Garcia moved to sit alongside Scarlett and Spencer. "We are all here, girlfriend. You're safe, I promise," she added her own voice to the others. Taking her hand gently, she rubbed at Scarlett's wrists. "Please just come back to us, sweetie..."

Spencer kissed her forehead as she shook in his arms. "Please, crazy girl, I need you. I need you here with me..." he said as he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. He felt her breathing change as she began to sob.

"Reid..." she cried.