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Derailed

It seems very trite to talk about everyday things like the fact that my cousin Mark got accepted to medical school for next year, or that my aunt Gina fell and twisted her ankle trying to help my uncle move a dresser in the guest room. She's going to be okay, and I'm very happy for Mark, but I just can't think of that right now.

We had a bad one at work today. Of course, when I got to my office, the teetering pile of files reminded me that I had another ten hour day of paperwork ahead of me, unless we got a case.

I went looking for Elle, and Hotch told me that she was in Texas doing a custodial for a child murder. I was surprised that he sent her on her own and I told him so. He looked at me like I was out of line for asking, but I've never been afraid of asking the tough questions. He said that she could handle it and I went back to my office.

We got the call that a train had been taken hostage in Texas and honestly I never made the connection till the team was listening to Spence talk about the un-sub, and something called "Tardive Dyskinesia." I think it had something to do with facial ticks or something. Anyway, Gideon came into the conference room and took one look at the screen. I haven't seen him look that upset since we lost the agents in Boston. He was the one that pointed out to us that Elle was on the train.

I think everyone was in a state of shock, because no one talked on the plane. It was like we all lost our voices till we were on the road. The locals told me over the phone how the un-sub was asking for a "higher authority." Gideon was the one that told us to go in with our lights on, and sirens flashing, and to ignore the train. Have you ever noticed that when someone tells you not to do something, like don't look over there or when your mother said don't stare at the girl in the wheelchair, it just makes you want to do it more? Maybe it's just me that happens to, but when Gideon said that, I had the hardest time not looking at the train.

Did I say that I was sitting next to Spence in the truck and it was very distracting. I really don't know why. I guess it doesn't matter, I can still do my job, even if we're jammed up together in the truck. After all he's the one that said he just wants to be friends. I can do it if he can. No problem.

Spence distracted me from the train and the thought of my good friend in danger, by talking to one of the officers there about how many different delusions a paranoid psychotic can have. He was telling him that some movie that was made about a guy who thought he was getting messages by aliens wasn't true to the real story, when Morgan said we didn't need a movie review. It was enough to get my mind off of Elle for a minute.

Morgan and Garcia came up with names for all the passengers. We had to work fast because when Gideon spoke to the un-sub; he was demanding that the higher power take something out of him. We had no idea what he was talking about and only had an hour to figure it out.

Then we found out that there was a psychiatrist, Dr. Linda Deaton on the train with one of her patients, a Dr. Theodore Bryer. He worked for the government in the eighties and Gideon said that was probably where he developed his delusions of persecution. I looked it up and he wrote all of this stuff on M theory that made zero sense to me. I'll bet that Spence could read and understand with no problem.

Gideon went through the names of the rest of the passengers to see who was going to be a problem. The strange thing was that the man he said didn't take risks, was the one that had a gun in his possession and ended up shooting Dr. Bryer.

I'm getting ahead of myself again. Dr. Deaton was the one that helped us figure out that he thought there was a micro chip imbedded in his arm. He had scars all over it from where he tried to dig it out. I can't imagine being so desperate that I would cut into my own body for something. I guess he must have been really frightened.

None of us were very happy when Spence decided that he could fool Dr. Bryer with sleight of hand. I know that he's really good with magic tricks, but this was his life. Morgan told him no way and I think it sort of pissed Spence off. Morgan only wanted to protect him, but I don't think Spence really saw it that way. He talked Hotch and Gideon into letting him try to con Dr Bryer, after explaining to Morgan that there was no way he could teach him the trick in forty minutes.

He kept dropping the micro chip while practicing and Gideon was ready to call it off when he finally made it work. Gideon told him in no uncertain terms to get on, take out the chip and get off the train. Spence said he would and I guess we were all looking at him like he was going to die because he said

"Can at least one of you look like you're going to see me again?"

Personally, I wasn't looking at him any special way. I have complete trust in his abilities. It must have been the others that looked scared for him. I certainly wasn't at all. Okay…

So long story short, he got on the train took off the vest he was wearing despite Morgan telling him not to and took out the chip. Of course something went wrong, it always goes wrong, and Spence ended up talking to the psycho for a long time. Everyone else, especially Gideon, was very freaked out when Spence didn't do what he was told. I was fine… I had no fears for him at all… I know he can take care of himself. Look at what happened with Philip Dowd. See… it's no problem. Alright… So I can see why Gideon was upset. An agent has to obey orders for the safety of everyone. It has nothing to do with me being all concerned. It's not like we're dating or anything. We're friends and that's all!

Spence and a passenger along with Elle saved the day when the passenger called Harold shot Dr Bryer. Spence was wrestling for the gun and Elle grabbed the second one he had in his waistband. Did I forget to mention that not only was the guy a psycho, he was a psycho with two guns?

Anyway… it's all over now and everyone is okay. Elle was a little banged up and Dr. Deaton was shot, but she's going to be okay. Spence was okay too. I told you he would be okay. I wasn't afraid at all!

I'm going to go call my aunt Gina… Suddenly, I feel like talking to family.