A/N

Before I get to my story (Shudder and Burn) that I have been polishing for over a year, I have to say there are things in the story that I wrote after Season 14 ended, well before Season 15. Things that showed up in Season 15. I have left them in my story (or change slightly) since I wrote them first. I've written out the list with the Season 15 episode it appeared in. Call it what you will, premonition, clairvoyance, or since this story came from my dreams, call it wishful thinking.

Family member abducted (Date Night)

Kiss in the elevator with Spencer (Date Night) I wrote it originally in the elevator, but recently changed it to 'while waiting for the elevator'.

Spencer, wanting to 'jump in the deep end' (Saturday)

Spencer's love interest being a teacher (Saturday)

The Park (Saturday)

Diana responding to medication (Awakenings)

Talk of Quantum Mechanics and Superposition (Rusty)

OC - Susan, owning a Glock-19 (Date Night) I took that bit out.

Spencer, dreaming of conversation with a dead person (And in the End)

Matt & Kristy's baby (Saturday) I wrote her name was May, after Matt's mother Mai. In S15, she's named Rose Mary.

Susan (Date Night) the name of my OC and Cat's mother

So, if you read my story and you happen upon one of the above bits, I wrote it in my story first. Thanks. I hope you like the polished-up version of Shudder and Burn. If you could be so kind to leave feedback (reviews) for the chapters, I'd be most appreciative. Constructive critiques are welcome. THANK YOU, for taking the time to read my story.

Please enjoy.

The author.

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Dr. Spencer Reid woke up earlier than usual; he wanted to look his best today. He checked his mirror for the second time, straightening his tie and tucking it into his sweater. He hoped to make a good first impression on the Psychology professor.

On the drive to GW, he thought since the radio in his car no longer worked. There were too many talk shows and not enough soothing music. Driving gave him the time to do a lot of thinking, completely uninterrupted by case files.

The meeting today would be to set up the lectures he wanted to do during his month-long required sabbatical. Spencer learned to enjoy speaking on the subjects he knew best from his fifteen years with the FBI. As a Supervisory Special Agent with the Behavioral Analysis Unit, he also used these lectures as a recruitment tool to bring in new agent trainees into the Bureau.

After he made the decision to return to lecturing at the local colleges, in addition to his work with the BAU and seminars at the FBI Academy, Spencer had to re-establish connections with the department heads. First on the list was the Psychology Department at George Washington University. Next, the Forensic Science Research department at George Mason University in nearby Fairfax, Virginia, and Linguistics at Georgetown.

Originally, he had called Dr. Harkanian, the head of the Psych Department, at GW about returning as a guest lecturer. But he told Spencer that he was retiring at the end of the semester and offered to send an email to one of the other professors. The very next day, Spencer received an email from drsuspense to set up a meeting. It was the drsuspence that intrigued him. The message ended enigmatically with Dr. S.

He and Dr. S. had corresponded several times over the last two months but nearly every time they set a date to meet, he'd get called in on a case and had to postpone. And on one occasion, Dr. S. rescheduled, citing a family emergency. The email he had received yesterday, to confirm today's meeting—with an invitation to sit in on the Psychology of Human Sexuality class—ended with "Hopeful to meet, Dr. S".

Since he and Jennifer had, for the most part, worked through the issue between them, Spencer had time to think about their situation objectively. He cared about her, loved her as his friend but she made it clear it could never be more than that. He wanted to meet a woman he could talk to, about anything and everything, and not have her roll her eyes, or treat him like he was odd.

And at the office, Emily seemed unusually preoccupied. A couple of months before, after a long weekend off, she came to work and went straight to her office, not wanting to talk about what was bothering her. Garcia—who had returned to the BAU after only a month at her new job—told the team Emily had broken up with her boyfriend, Andrew Mendoza, but had no other details.

Perhaps the reason Garcia came back had something to do with whatever was going on between her and Luke. Maybe she was helping him through his breakup with Lisa. Spencer couldn't quite figure it out, but something was going on with them.

Then there was Max. The day after the team rescued her sister Eloise and their father, Don from Juliette Weaver and Cat Adams, he and Max shared a kiss in the elevator. Afterward, they made tentative plans for a third date. And that was the last time he heard from her. That was months ago. There was no explanation, no goodbye, she simply stopped answering his calls. Garcia gently explained to Spencer that Max had ghosted him.

He hoped this upcoming month off would help get his mind off his love life. Or more accurately, the lack of love in his life. But then, being on the campuses of GW and Georgetown would make him think about her again, the young woman in the pink outfit, from his very first lecture.

And now, with his time off only days away, he needed to set up the lectures or figure out something else to do for the entire month. He could visit his mother more or go visit his father. Or he could read…perhaps learn another language.

All of the recent internal and external strife reminded Spencer of a quote by Joseph Campbell, 'We must be willing to get rid of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.'

Spencer needed a fresh start and today, he was ready for it.

A/N

Please let me know if you like it, or if you find mistakes I need to fix & if you want to read more.