Hey,so first off I apologize for the super long break in writing. Between some serious family things and MAJOR writers block, I haven't been able to write. But, family things are better and writer's block is slowly going away:) This chapter went a different direction than what I had planned but I think I really like where it is heading. Please please please read and give me your thoughts on this and tell me if you like it or not!

Happy reading:)

Brooke sat in the corner of the team's headquarters at the police station trying to read her book. She finally gave up and shut it with a sigh. There was no use,her encounter with Christina occupied too much of her mind. Brooke pulled her phone out of her bag and hesitantly powered it up,scared of what she might find. She was just about to open her messages when a shadow covered her.

"Mad about leaving school?" Morgan asked as he sat down next to her.

"Don't you have to work to do? Some killer to catch or something?"

Morgan gave Brooke a side look, "No need to get all upset,I was just asking."

"You're always "just asking",Brooke mumbled as she made air quotes, "Everyone is always just asking, just saying, just doing everything but what I need them to do!" Brooke jammed her fists into her eyes to keep the tears from spilling over.

"Hey,hey,hey, what's wrong?" Morgan looked at Brooke as he slung an arm over her shoulder.

Brooke pulled Morgan's arm off of her and stood up, "What's wrong? What's wrong is that everything is wrong and there is nothing that anybody can do to fix it. It can't be fixed!" Brooke screech as she stepped back and away from Morgan.

"Brooke,calm down. What is going on? What can't be fixed? Is it Spencer?"

Brooke shook her head, her eyes closing as she took a couple deep breaths to try and calm herself down, "Nothing. It's nothing. I just...I need to go. I need to get some.." Brooke trailed off as she looked around, "Air,I need air."

Morgan stood and reached for her but Brooke turned and walked out before he could stop her. He thought about going after her but stopped when he heard Hotch calling his name. Brooke would have to wait.
**********

Brooke stopped running after a few blocks. She knew Morgan wouldn't, no, couldn't come after her. This case needed his full attention. She wandered aimlessly through the streets, not paying attention to where she was going. She only paused when she heard a ping.

"Great,another text message," she murmured under her breath as she pulled out her phone.

She sat down on a bench and used her hand as a shield against the sun so that she could see the screen. It was from Abby.

'What the h*** is going on? Why is everyone saying you slept with Jake?'

Brooke grabbed at her stomach as she read that and she typed back a quick reply, 'What?'

Abby didn't waste any time responding, 'Yeah,at practice someone asked where you were and Christina made some comment about you probably shacking up with Jake just so you didn't have to be at practice.'

'Oh my gosh. Abs,you HAVE to believe me. I didn't sleep with Jake. I didn't make out with Jake. We talked and flirted a little and that was it...'

Brooke tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Abby to write back.

'I don't know what to believe anymore,Brooke. You've lied to me so much and as much as I want to say you didn't do what everyone is saying,I just don't know.'

Brooke shoved her phone in her pocket and took off running. This couldn't be happening, it wasn't happening. This was a horrible nightmare and she would wake up soon and she would tell Christina and Leighton and they would laugh at her.

Suddenly,Brooke found herself sprawled on the ground. She shook her head and stared to stand when a hand reached down and grabbed her arm and helped pull her up.

"Whoa,are you okay?"

Brooke shook her head, "I'm fine,I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention and I just...yeah.." Brooke trailed off as she looked into a pair of deep blue eyes.

"No worries, where are you off to in such a rush? Sorry, I'm Will."

"Brooke."

"Pleasure to meet you, Brooke. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I said I'm fine," Brooke spat as she pulled her arm from Will's grasp.

"Whoa,okay. Sorry, you just seem shook up. My apologies," Will said as he looked closely at Brooke.

"I'm sorry. It's just been a rough past few days."

"S'alright. It happens, as long as you're sure you're okay."

Brooke nodded, "Yeah,I am. Hey, are you from around here?"

"Yeah,why?"

"Know of any places that sell good coffee? And I don't mean a Starbucks or any chain coffee shops."

Will smiled, "Coffee is my specialty,come on I'll bring you to the best."

Brooke offered back a small smile, "Thanks."
**********

Hotch slammed down his phone, "Dammit."

"Another dead end?" Rossi asked as he closed his file.

"Of course because why should we be able to catch a break?"

Emily walked into the conference room with Morgan right behind her, "Nothing at the scene that we could find that would be helpful."

"This code is killing me," JJ groaned as she pushed her chair back, "Garcia,anything you can find that would be helpful would be much appreciated."

"I'm working on it but this would be so much easier if..." Garcia trailed off but there was no need for her to finish her sentence. They were all thinking the same thing, "if Reid was here."

"Any word from Strauss about him?" Rossi asked as he rolled his neck.

Hotch shook his head and sat down, "No. I'm taking that as good news but still. We need to solve this case and get back."

"Shit," Morgan groaned.

Everyone looked at him and he rolled his eyes, "Brooke. She took off earlier and I completely forgot about her."

Garcia looked slightly panicked, "When did she leave? It's dark,Morgan."

Hotch glanced out the window, "Garcia is right, call her. She might be at the hotel already."

Morgan nodded and pulled out his phone and dialed and then waited a few moments before hanging up, "Voicemail."

"Dammit, Brooke. We do not need this right now," Hotch swore as he stood up, "Okay, we are calling it a night. Everyone go get some sleep, I'll stay here and keep trying to reach Brooke."

"I'll stay with you, Hotch," Morgan offered, feeling guilty because it was because of him Brooke took off.

"No, you need rest. We are meeting back here at 5 a.m. and we are going to start from the beginning and we are going to figure this out."

The team nodded and filed out except for Rossi who paused at the doorway, "You sure you want to wait alone?"

Hotch nodded, "She'll come back. Brooke is a lot of things but stupid isn't one of them."

Rossi smiled, "Let me know when she comes back."
*********

"Eff,eff,eff," Brooke growled as she pushed her way through the crowd of people that had gathered at Will's house.

"Baby,where are you headed?" Will shouted as he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him.

Brooke yanked her arm back, "It's already past midnight, they are going to kill me."

Will tugged at her shirt, "What's another hour? You're already late,who cares?"

"They do, they care."

Will saw her hesitate and pulled her back once again, "Not from what you've told me. No one cares about you, Brooke."

"They do care, they've watched me when he couldn't. They make sure I have everything I need to succeed," Brooke whispered before Will pressed his lips against hers.

Will pulled back and smiled, "If they cared they would see you struggling and would help you,baby. They wouldn't just tell you that you need to change or that you're scaring them. They would DO something about it. Please stay,just a little longer."

Brooke shook her head, "I can't. I'm sorry." Brooke saw a flash in Will's eyes, the same one she had seen in Christina's not long ago.

"Fine,go. Go be with people who don't care about you."

"Will,please don't..." Brooke trailed off as Will shoved her a little.

"Don't what?"

"Be like this, please."

"Be like what, Brooke?"

Brooke shook her head and turned to walk away but stumbled over her own feet. She didn't realize how much she had had to drink. She leaned against the wall for support and tried to breathe. She couldn't find her phone anywhere but knew she had to call someone to come get her.

"Here,have another drink. You look like you could use it," some random guy said as he pushed a cup into her hand.

Brooke took the cup and downed it. He was right, she did need it. She stood again but suddenly got super dizzy, "Shit," she whispered, she had no clue what she had just drank and that wasn't a good thing.
************

Hotch looked at his watch, it was 1:36 and still no call from Brooke. He ran a hand through his hair and was about to go talk to an officer about the situation when he heard a call come across about a party.

He didn't hesitate to pick up the phone and call Rossi, "I think she went to a party," he said as soon as Rossi said hello.

"Address?"

"1458 East Providence Street. I don't know for sure if she's there but my gut says she is."

"Your gut is usually right. Pick me up, I'll be waiting.
********

Brooke moaned as she rolled over.

"Let's go,I think she's waking up."

"Wait, one more picture. This one will be the last, I swear."

Brooke struggled to sit up, her head pounding. She shook her head to try and figure out where she was when she realized that something wasn't right. She looked around but didn't see anything out of place except... "No no no no no," Brooke laid back against the bed,her eyes closing as she tried to erase the image of her shirt laying on the nightstand.

She opened her eyes when she heard a soft laugh and looked as a figure slipped out of the door. She covered her mouth and fought the tears that were threatening to spill over. This could not be happening, not right tried to swing her feet over the side of the bed when she heard a commotion from what sounded like downstairs. She listened and heard someone shout, "Police,everyone freeze!"