Disclaimer: The only character I own is Jessica.
It had started out as just a normal day at the BAU. Morgan was quizzing Reid on the average number of stripes on a zebra, Elle was blindly making herself a cup of black coffee and JJ was making friendly conversation Hotchner when Gideon came in with the case file.
"63, it's 63." Reid said
"No, its 64. Trust me, I just saw it on animal planet."
"Wait, which part of Africa are you talking about? Is it north or east Africa, because the book I read when I was two said 63 but I'm not sure if that specified north African zebras or just all zebras as a whole."
"Wow, that was an interesting conversation to wake up to." Elle said looking a little less zombie-like with a cup of coffee in her hand.
"Here it is." Gideon said as he dropped the case file on the desk in front of the team. "Alex Johnson was pulled from her bed last night, strangled and then throne into the Mississippi river. We think it could be a cereal killer from a cold case this unit worked on ten years ago, same M.O. as the Scott's killer who took the life of a Samantha Hendrickson who was also strangled and dumped into a river. Her body was never found but blood and hair was evidence enough to conclude she was dumped there. We're thinking… Reid, are you alright?" Gideon stopped mid-sentence and looked over at his young teammate. Reid's face turned pale and he found it hard to breath.
"Uh, ya, ya, just too much coffee that's all, ha ha." He forced a fake smile. Gideon took a long look at him before he continued, "we're thinking something must have set him off to trigger this second kill. We're flying within the hour dew to the concern that he may strike again at anytime. This guy is highly unpredictable and we don't know much about him. Once we get to Mississippi there will be a guide there to help us around, her name is Jessica Thomson…"
Reid suddenly chocked on his coffee, spewing a gentle mist across the table. "Sorry" Reid managed between coughs. Clearing his throat, Gideon continued, "So, um, I guess that's it. See you on the plane"
As the unit dispersed, Morgan grabbed Reid's shoulder gently. "Hey, are you alright, man?" voicing his concern.
"Ya, fine… really. I'm just tired that's all." He assured Morgan before disappearing into the bathroom.
Reid splashed his face with cold water and examined his reflection in the mirror; his mind flooded with memories of Samantha Hendrickson, his childhood friend.
Samantha and Spencer had been inseparable as children. Well, at least he was a child. He met her in his first year of high school. She was the homecoming queen with men dragging from her ankles but she ignored all of them, wanting for what she called "the perfect one". She was a senior when Reid began high school but they graduated together, or at least would have, because he skipped grades so quickly. She was the only one who treated him with respect and showed any interest at all in what he was saying. He was viewed as a freak by most schoolmates and a challenge to the teachers, (they could never find enough for him to do) and the only one who he didn't have an absolutely miserable time with was Samantha. She had beautiful blond hair that she loved whirling in a bun at the back of her head with little tufts of hair sprouting out of it. Her eyes were a striking green with little flicks of blue that Reid was sure he only noticed. Though she paled in comparison with his intelligence, Spencer had to admit she was very smart for her age. She was younger than most seniors because she had skipped the seventh grade, but was still three years older than Reid. They would always study together and she was constantly finding ways to keep his mind entertained. After she failed to return to school after spring break, Reid began to worry; she was never absent. They found the hair and blood two days later and Reid buried himself in work for the next two years. He didn't really cope with death the same way most people did. It was hard for him because there wasn't much to analyze. She was dead, period. Sure he could run through the billions of things they would never get to do together, but that didn't take much time. So, after the shock had worn off he worked until he put her to the back of his mind. But his cursed inelegant never let him forget about her no matter how much he wanted to sometimes.
"Reid, you ready or what?" Morgan said, opining the bathroom door.
"Ya, be there in a sec," Reid said to Morgan's reflection. As the door closed, something clicked to the front of Reid's mind that had been bothering him. Jessica Thomson was Samantha's alias on a computer game she always played. Just a coincidence, Reid condensed himself. After all, both Jessica and Thomson were common names. That fact stored away, Reid got ready for the long flight ahead.
A/N: Should I continue this or is it too bad to salvage? Please review! I want to hear what you think! It matters to me! Thank you.