Here's the next chapter. I don't like it all that much, but I needed a way to lead in to the next chapter. So here ya go. Hope you enjoy.
Reid practically sprints in to the building, cursing at the security doors and checkpoints. As he reaches the bull pen he realizes he is the last team member in the building. Just great, he thinks. He walks briskly to the conference room, sliding in to the empty seat at the round table. Hotch raises an eyebrow and Reid practically pants. He needed to get in shape. Rossi shakes his head with a smirk, quickly glancing at Bridie. Hotch nods to Garcia.
"Ok, my mystical crime fighters, this one's a nasty one." Pictures show up on the screen, sending a chill down each profiler's spine. The couples on the screen had their throats slashed from ear to ear. "Calico Rock, Arkansas: There have been two married couples in the past two weeks found with throats slashed." Reid tries to keep his attention on the screen, but he notices the cute dimple that appears in Bridie's cheek. She was in deep thought. "They're in their early 30s, white, and upper class. The police don't know how to draw the unsub to them. That's why they called us in." Garcia takes a deep breath, and Hotch stands.
"Wheels up in 20." He exits the room with the team close behind.
~CM~CM~CM~CM~
The Calico Rock Police Department could be described as chaos. The BAU team stares as the phones go crazy with questions and tips. Hotch walks towards the sheriff, his arm extended.
"I'm Agent Hotchner from the BAU. These are Agents Rossi, Morgan, Jareau, McDuffy, and Dr. Reid. You need us to help lure the serial killer here?" The sheriff shakes Hotch's hand before turning back to the white board.
"I'm Sheriff Wilkinson. We're trying to bait him with an undercover unit, but Calico Rock is too small. Most everyone knows who the cops in town are." He sighs, and Rossi raises an eyebrow to Hotch.
"Sir, we have agents that match the physical descriptions. Let us put them under cover," Rossi tries to reason with the sheriff, who shakes his head. The two begin an argument over who has the authority to do such a thing. Their words become jumbled amongst each other, that is, until the fiery redhead steps between the two.
"Sheriff Wilkinson," Bridie's voice is cool and smooth as she speaks, showing no sign of fear. "With all due respect, I believe I fit the description of the female victims." The sheriff nods his head, somewhat impressed at the calm that the woman brings. "That being said, I want to go undercover." The sheriff opens his mouth to protest, but Bridie gives him an icy glare. "It's fine if you won't let your officers go undercover. However, I am not your officer—I am a federal agent." Bridie stares at the sheriff who just gulps and nods. Bridie turns to face Reid. "That being said, I believe Dr. Reid will be going undercover as well." Reid's eyes go wide, remembering when he and Emily went undercover in a church environment. Reid licks his lips, ready to speak up, but the sheriff speaks first.
"He's the only one of your agents that matches victimology. If you didn't put him in, I couldn't tell you who you would partner up with." Then I've been sentenced, Reid thinks. Hotch nods.
"Reid and Bridie will be going undercover. I'll need your department to find a house for them to stay in—our tech analyst will be falsifying documents for them. Until then, do you have a room or office we can use?" The sheriff points to a door at the end of the hallway, and Hotch thanks him. The team walks down the hall and Hotch pats Bridie lightly on the back. "Nice job, Bridie. I see the mother gene never fails to stop a man in his tracks." Bridie laughs, but checks to see if any other members of the team heard him. No one was even close to them, except her father. Bridie gives him a hard look.
"You should know better, dad." Rossi laughs and shrugs.
"What can I say, I'm Italian!" They enter the small room, and petty conversations are stopped. Two members of the team were going undercover by tomorrow. They had more important matters to discuss.
~CM~CM~CM~CM~
Reid and Bridie sit on the couch of their 'new' house. They had pretended to move in for the benefit of the story—Reid pretending to be a medical doctor, Bridie pretending to be a musician. Reid looks softly at Bridie.
"So, you and Rossi?" Reid had overhead the comments the day before and everything started to make sense to him. Bridie nods, sighing.
"I didn't particularly want to keep it a secret from you, but I didn't want you to be intimidated before we even got to know each other." Reid nods, understanding. Bridie smiles and curls in to his body a little more. The hot air of Arkansas was blasted away by the air in the house, causing Bridie to freeze her ass off. "So, Doctor Reid, why did you never call me and ask to go on a date?" Bridie giggles at the light blush that crosses his cheeks. She never expected to have a reason to ask him questions like this; Reid had suggested they ask questions to occupy the time.
"I-I don't r-really g-go on dates." Reid sputters, but he manages to finish his sentence. Bridie throws her head back in laughter. Reid's cheeks adapt a new shade of pink as he finds himself staring out her mouth. He had never felt so relaxed and challenged around a woman. Bridie shakes her head.
"That's not what I meant. I guess it's your turn, though." Reid thinks carefully about his next question. His thought process, however, is interrupted by Bridie tracing invisible patterns on his hand.
"What was the first college you applied to, and were you accepted?" Bridie sighs. Of all the questions, she thinks, he asked possibly the most invasive thing. She stares at the grand piano just a few feet away. A few moments have passed, and Reid worries he's upset her. "You don't—"
"Juilliard. I applied to Juilliard and was accepted. I was voted as their most valuable student for three semesters in a row." Reid's eyebrows shot up. He hadn't expected her to reply at all, let alone with the name of a music and arts school. Bridie sighs. "I know, I know. Not what you were expecting. I dropped out of Juilliard half-way through my sophomore year. I then enrolled in Ohio State University for psychoanalytical linguistics." Reid looks impressed. When Bridie looks in to his eyes, he feels his stomach leap and twist. Butterflies, he thinks, these are what butterflies in your stomach feel like. Bridie bites her lip. "I… I want to know how you feel about me, Spencer. I know we just met a few years days ago, but it feels longer to me." Reid nods.
"I feel like a totally new person. You challenge me to open up and show that part of me, and you challenge my actions. You make me feel more relaxed and calm than I ever have before. And, about a minute ago, I experienced butterflies in my stomach for the first time ever." Bridie smiles, and Reid can't help but smile back.
"So you like me." Reid's mouth feels dry, but he nods in agreement. Bridie bites her lip again, moving closer to Reid. She leans up, planting a soft and chaste kiss on his lips. Even though the kiss only lasts a second, it sends electricity down both of their spines. Bridie shivers and Reid pulls her in to his side. Bridie smiles and lays her head on his chest, finally feeling complete after years of hurt and neglect. This could be my new beginning.