Sally POV

I woke up, cold and sweaty from a dream that only ended one way... With me dying. My heart was racing and my head pounding.

"Deep breaths" I whispered to myself. I turned to look at my LCD alarm clock and saw the glaring red numbers taunting me. 5:45AM I wanted to switch off my brain and go back to sleep but I knew that it would be impossible after reliving the horror of my time as a captive. I sighed and moved to get up for a second the fatigue that had been lapping at the edges of my consciousness overwhelmed me, but I persevered.

I looked around for a moment before I finally rose from my barely used bed and meandered over to my chest of drawers to grab some clothes. I put on clean socks and underwear and then pulled on some shorts and a t-shirt. I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and padded out to the hallway where I saw my running shoes by the door, I slipped them on with ease. Grabbing what little I needed and shoving it in a small backpack, I left my tiny apartment.

Once outside, I popped my earphones in and set off running before the memories could catch up to me once again. The streets were quiet for a while but as usual the city woke up bright and early. Soon enough, curtains were being opened and people were jogging and walking their dogs before they made their journey to work.

I checked the time on my phone and realised it was 6:30AM and I'd been running for over half an hour, I continued to run for a couple more blocks until I was right outside Morello's a 24 hour diner that did amazing coffee, one whiff of the amazing aroma and I dashed in the door. I walked to the counter and saw my friend Amy, standing there bored stiff.

"Hey Ames" I greeted her, I'd known her since we were kids and she hated working the night shift but was saving up for the deposit on a new place.

"Running again Sal? You want a large one to go?" She asked hurriedly as she grabbed a paper cup from by the machine.

"Yup and yup... Sleep just doesn't seem to be a priority lately" I mumbled. I started to go through my small bag, but I couldn't find my wallet anywhere.

"Here, you can get it tomorrow okay? See you at the same time" she said while handing me large cup. I added as much sugar as I could stand and smiled gratefully at Amy before turning to leave. I walked out of the diner and down the sidewalk to the memorial park I liked to sit in whenever this happened, which was a lot.

The trees were large and the atmosphere was very peaceful at this time of day, I walked to the little nook of trees that hid the most perfect one of all, the old oak had warped over time to make a perfect seat that nobody ever sat in because it was six feet off the ground. Except that day there was somebody sat in my spot.

"You're in my tree" I exclaimed to the back of a lanky figure before I realised that only one person in the entire world would be wearing a sweater vest at this time of year. He turned around and my worst fears were confirmed.

"Sally..." He murmured. It was awkward, it had been over a month since Spencer had been in my apartment and I had embarrassed myself by asking him to we dance, but since then we had done our best to avoid being alone.

"Doctor Reid... I'll just go" I whispered as I turned away from him shyly.

"Wait! Come sit with me" he requested, I was unsure, but my body cried out to be close to him once more. Every time I thought about him, I got more annoyed by how attracted to him I was, I didn't want to be because it made things at work difficult.

"Okay… But hold my coffee" I mumbled as I stretched up to pass him the cup of hot liquid. He grabbed the cup firmly and I began to climb the limbs of the tree, when I reached the right height and sat down, he handed my coffee back to me. I took a large gulp and savoured the taste.

"Mmmmm"

"Good coffee?" He asked, glancing up from the book he was reading.

"Yeah, want some? It has ten tons of sugar in it" I replied happily, amazing what a bit of caffeine can do to you.

"Sure" I passed him the cup and he removed the lid before he took a sip, he let out a sigh and replaced the lid before handing it back. "That is good coffee" He muttered.

"I never had you down as the climbing trees type of guy, how did you end up here?" I asked.

"Sometimes you need a change of perspective, also it looked like a good place to sit and read this" He held up a copy of 'The Hidden Life of Trees' and I laughed. His demeanour was passive, so unlike the Spencer I had been getting to know before the dancing debacle, I wanted that back.

"This is awkward Spencer… Is it because we danced?" I finally asked, the question had been eating at me since it had happened.

"No, it's not. It's because…" he looked at me in earnest and then seemed to do a double take "When was the last time you had a good night's sleep?" He looked concerned and then I realised that I didn't have any make-up on…

"About a month ago. But I'm fine Spencer. Honestly. I just want us to stop being so awkward so if it is about the dance then we can forget that it ever happened… I just don't see the problem. I mean it's not like it meant anything, we were just goofing around" I said the last part meekly and I felt like I had given myself away but the resolute look in his eyes told me otherwise.

"No, you're right. It was just a dance, I'm happy that I was able to cheer you up. Let's just move on. Friends?" He asked, and how could I deny that childish glint in his eyes. It was clear to me now that to Spencer I was no more than a co-worker and friend and that was enough for me. I needed some time to rid myself of the ridiculous feelings that were creeping up on me because there's no way I could carry on like this.

"Friends" I agreed.

Reid POV

We were gathered around the table in the briefing room, Sally and Garcia were passing round tablets and files before they began their presentation.

"Over the past five years five girls have gone missing In Summerlin, Las Vegas. They have all turned up a month later with no memory of where they have been. Each one has been ten years old with brown hair and brown eyes and all of them showed signs of being abused sexually." Sally reeled off the facts quickly. Cases involving kids were always the hardest. Both Sally and Garcia shuddered as they clicked the remote in turn.

"This week marks the anniversary of the abductions, Summerlin PD has asked for our help to create a profile of the unsub who has been snatching these girls" Garcia said sadly. We all looked over our files as we tried to decipher the unsub's behaviour.

After working up a preliminary profile and sending it on to Summerlin PD, Hotch called me into his office.

"I think it would be a good idea if you enrolled in some additional training" he announced after sitting in the chair behind his desk.

"I know my performance in Texas wasn't stellar, but I don't think it warrants this kind of reaction. If you want to reprimand me for my behaviour, then I understand but I've just been through the intensive training that the academy puts you through. I don't believe I need a refresher" I explained, confused as to why he was springing this on me almost six weeks after the incident.

"You misunderstand, I want you to take the courses in profiling that offered. Your insights have been appreciated during the last few cases especially when were looking into that case for Garcia, but I think you could be even better if you took the classes" he clarified, I let out a sigh of relief.

"I'll look into it. Is that all you needed me for?" I asked. He nodded and I turned to leave. I paused at the door and turned back to him. "I guess that was your ulterior motive for having me placed as Garcia's assistant then…" I said before opening the door and leaving.

Once I got back to mine and Garcia's office, I took a look at the introductory profiling courses and made up my mind to give it a try but keep it to myself. I didn't want to give Hotch the satisfaction of winning.

"Hey Garcia, you fancy a caffeine fix?" I asked, I had a craving for coffee since my lack of sleep was catching up to me.

"Sure" she replied, and I left once again to get some coffee, making sure to clear the evidence of what I had been looking at before leaving.

I walked into the kitchen to see JJ on the phone.

"There's no way we'll be able to find a sitter at this short notice" she said into the phone. I assumed she was talking to Will. She'd been talking about the fact that she was going to a movie with him tonight earlier in the day but obviously their sitter had bailed on them. I tapped her on the shoulder and she turned to look at me.

"I'll watch Henry for you" I offered. I had met him a few times when Will had brought him by the office and when JJ had invited us all to his third birthday party recently. I had plenty of experience watching kids, so I had no problem helping her out.

"Hold on a second Will" she muttered down the phone before moving it away from her ear. "Are you sure?" She asked me.

"JJ, I have eight nieces and nephews. I've looked after seven of them at once. One three-year-old will be easy as pie" I answered easily. She nodded at me and put the phone back to her ear.

"Will?... Sally just offered to watch him… Okay… Alright…Love you too… Bye" She finished and looked up at me. "You're sure about this?" she asked once again.

"One hundred percent. What time do you need me?" I countered, before she could ask again.

"Seven. We'll put him down before we leave though"

"That's good with me" I smiled and turned to make mine and Garcia's drinks.

The rest of the day passed without incident and it was soon 7PM. JJ and Will were gone by 7:30 and by 9 I was still channel surfing, trying to settle on something to watch.

"Sal?" Henry's small voice said from the doorway to the living room. I got up and went over to him.

"Yeah Buddy?" I answered softly.

"I had a bad dream; I want Mommy and Daddy" he cried. I was lucky that this wasn't my first rodeo, so I knew exactly what to do.

"Mommy and daddy will be back soon. How about I take you back to bed and stay with you until you fall asleep instead?" I asked, taking his small hand in mine.

"Mhmm" was the only reply I got as I led him back down the hall and tucked him into bed. I sat on the floor next to the bed and got comfortable. I was in for the long-haul.

JJ POV

The movie was good, but I was eager to get back and check on Henry. Will unlocked the door and we entered the living room. The TV was on low volume, but Sal was nowhere to be seen.

I headed into Henry's room and was shocked at the sight before me. Sal was fast asleep on Henry's bedroom floor with his hand bunched in her hair. She was using a stuffed toy as a makeshift pillow and they both looked peaceful. Henry had never taken to anyone so quickly as he had with her. Except of course with Spence but he was his godfather so that was a given.

I was reluctant to wake her up, but the floor wasn't comfortable enough for a full night's sleep. I began carefully disentangling Henry's hand from her hair when he woke up.

"Leave it Mommy" He murmured.

"Henry? What happened?" I asked.

"I had a bad dream, Sal said you would be back soon, and she'd stay till I fell 'sleep. Then we both fell 'sleep. I think Sal has bad dreams too…" he explained sleepily.

"Okay baby. Mommy loves you. Go back to sleep now" I told him and kissed him on the forehead. I went and grabbed a spare blanket from the dresser and covered Sal up before leaving quietly.

"I heard the whole thing" Will whispered outside the door.

"I think he's right, she does have bad dreams" I muttered back. "Come on, let's go to bed" I murmured before turning everything off and heading to bed.