Chapter 50
Scarlett lay snuggled in the narrow bed next to Spencer. She couldn't sleep, too many things were running through her mind from the course of the day's events. When Reid shifted his arm slightly under her shoulder, she leaned up on her elbow to look down at him.
"Are you awake?" she asked quietly, staring through the moonlight at his face. He opened one eye and looked up at her.
"Yes... You think too loud..." he whispered back.
"Sorry, I can't settle my brain," she complained. "Too much to think about..." she told him.
"What's worrying you, crazy girl?" he asked softly, reaching up to brush some of her hair from her face.
"I'm not worrying," she clarified. "I just keep replaying Penny's worries over in my head... I wish there was something I could say or do to make them both see that they are so great for each other..." she stated, referring to her brother and Garcia's new dating status.
"Scarlett," Reid sighed. "It's really not your call..."
She huffed slightly at that. "If not me, then who..." she pouted.
Spencer laughed lightly and touched her bottom lip. "How about 'theirs'," he suggested.
"Ugh," she complained. "You are such a guy..."
Reid pulled her closer, nuzzling her neck. "Yeah... pretty sure I am..." he teased.
Scarlett laughed and pushed on his chest. "Seriously, Spence..."
He straightened up and tucked her back onto his shoulder. "Get some sleep, crazy girl... you don't need to interfere with this... I think Morgan can handle his own relationships," he told her.
Scarlett snorted. "Right, he's done so well up til now..." she shifted again, looking back down at Spencer. He sighed.
"If he does anything stupid, I will kick his ass," she frowned.
"You can't leave this go, can you?" he asked.
"No."
"Scarlett, sometimes you have to let people figure things out for themselves," he told her. "They'll work it out..."
"Or they won't," she rolled her eyes.
"Or they won't," he agreed. "But it's up to them..."
"You're not helping," she sighed. She felt him chuckle under his breath and slapped at him playfully.
"Don't laugh at me Reid," she warned, moving to stretch out across the top of his body. "I'll squash you..."
Spencer shifted underneath her weight and pulled her down closer. "You couldn't squash a flea," he teased, nibbling on her ear.
Scarlett turned her head slightly to give him a better angle at her neck. When he nipped a trail down to her collarbone, she felt the chill move up her spine.
"Well, that's a little bit more of a distraction," she hummed softly.
"Then let me take your mind off things," he breathed against her ear.
"Might take awhile," she told him.
"We've got all night..."
The next morning, Spencer and Derek sat out on the back patio drinking coffee. Morgan looked back through the sliding glass doors, watching his sister and Garcia making breakfast.
"So, should I be worried if Scarlett is putting something in my eggs?" he asked Reid with a halfhearted chuckle.
Spencer looked up from the newspaper, following the direction of his friend's gaze.
"Have you broken any hearts lately?" he asked with a shrug.
Morgan scowled. "No, and I don't intend to... Is that what she's thinking? That I'm playing around?"
"No," Reid turned the pages, scanning the articles. "She knows better than that. She's worried you might screw things up..." he commented offhand, turning another page.
"Well, yeah, I'm worried about that too, so tell her to get in line..."
Spencer sighed. "Derek, you and Penelope know each other better than an old married couple," he told his friend honestly. "You two won't 'screw up' anything... and if either of you make a mistake, you fix it..."
"Ah, sage advice from the resident relationship expert..." Derek teased.
"Just a lot of practice screwing up," Spencer laughed. His eyes moved to look over Morgan's shoulder, and a frown quickly replaced his smile.
"Morgan..." he said as Derek turned behind him to see what Reid was scowling at.
Spencer stood up at the table, blocking the back door. Derek quickly took a stand beside him as Brian walked up onto the patio.
"I'm not looking for trouble..." the man said, putting his hands in the air as he faced the two.
"Too late," Morgan barked. "You've found it..."
Brian took a step back. "I heard Scarlett was in town... I just wanted to talk to her. We used to all be friends once, Derek. Can't I talk to my friends?"
"You lost the right to call her that when you laid a hand on her," Reid stated flatly, taking a step forward.
"Look!" Brian pointed at Reid. "You don't get a say in this, I'm not asking you..."
Morgan watched Spencer's shoulders tense and stepped up between the two.
"Reid's got every right to toss you on your ass," he told Brian. "You've got two seconds to get off our mother's property before I let him do just that..." he warned him.
Brian took another step away from the men, jamming his hands through his hair. "I don't want a fight... Christ," he muttered under his breath, turned away and then turned back again. "I have a message for her. I ran into her father..."
Reid and Morgan both jumped at him and Brian ducked. Grabbing him by the arms, they dragged him back to his car. Morgan scanned the area as Spencer watched the back doors, making certain the women weren't aware of this little scene. Derek shoved Brian against his car.
"What do you mean you ran into Scarlett's father...?" he asked even as Reid started talking.
"Where? Where did you see him...?" Spencer was asking.
"Jesus!" Brian rubbed at his arms where they'd both grabbed him. "It was awhile ago... two weeks? I thought maybe he'd gotten in touch with her even, since she'd come back... What the hell?" he whined.
Spencer caught Derek's eyes. Brian didn't know. He had no idea of the story behind Scarlett and her father.
"Scarlett and her father are estranged," Reid said quietly. "She doesn't talk to him..."
Brian huffed, raising his eyes slightly to meet Spencer's. "Yeah, I kinda got part of that from the old man... and Scarlett isn't about second chances... I should know," he frowned. "But I thought maybe in his case, he'd gotten to at least tell her- maybe she'd changed her mind..."
"Where did you see him?" Reid asked again.
"Uh, about a month ago, I came across this..." he took a piece of folded newspaper from his back pocket. Spencer opened it, read the ad and handed it to Derek with a scowl.
"You answered it?" he asked Brian.
"Well, yeah... It asked for anyone who knew her to contact them..."
"So you jumped right on that..." Morgan snarled. "You just had to stay a part of her life somehow..."
"I thought it might have been important!" Brian snapped back. "I thought I could help Scarlett..."
Reid shook his head. "What happened when you contacted the number?" he asked, trying to get the whole story out of the man.
"I'd rather tell Scarlett... make sure she gets the message..." he said a little louder, folding his arms against his chest. Spencer saw his gaze shift and knew Scarlett had come out of the house. He cast a look over to Morgan.
Derek watched his sister set her face into a mask as she came down to stand beside them.
"What is going on here, boys?" she asked in a half bored tone. She took Reid's hand and stood closer to his side. Spencer shifted slightly to rest his arm across her waist. When he nodded to Morgan, Scarlett took the paper from her brother and scanned it. Brian grinned.
Reid felt Scarlett tense and begin to shake slightly. She held the nerves in check with sheer will. She wouldn't let Brian know she'd been frightened by the ad.
Actively Seeking any Information on the whereabouts of Katy Scarlett Ryan. Her family is searching for her. Anyone with any knowledge of how she may be contacted please call the number below. This is a matter of Life and Death. Please help us. (630) 555-2312
Scarlett folded the page and handed it back to Morgan.
"What does this have to do with you, Brian? Or should I guess?" she ground out.
Brian looked surprised. "You really are a cold bitch, Scarlett..." She felt Spencer's hand grip her waist and leaned into his warmth.
"Yes, I am Brian. Now, what was the message..."
