**A/N: Sorry for lateness again, but for your patience and kindness

for reading and reviewing I will post two chapters!

Hope that makes up for my tardiness**

Chapter Thirteen

"Every man is afraid of something. That's how you know he's in love with you; when he is afraid of losing you."- Author Unknown

Lauren span on her heel to the woman stood in her apartment. Tina Mayson stood grinning at her widely. It was only now did Lauren glance to the bunch of flowers behind the woman; they were all hibiscus each one as red as blood as though they had been soaked in it before delivery.

Lauren's gaze then flicked desperately over the room. Her gun was behind Tina, she would never reach it. The door was closed, her windows were shut and there was no one in the closest apartments. She was alone. Alone with her.

All of Lauren's police training left her mind, quickly replaced by scared thoughts muddled by a cloud of fear.

"Please…" Lauren whispered, stepping back from the murderer in her home. "You don't have to do this."

"Shhhh." Tina hushed, advancing slowly with her hands held out as if wanting to embrace Lauren in a hug. "I am doing this for you." She continued.

Lauren backed up as much as she could suddenly halted by a wall against her back. Panic struck every limb and it took all her strength just to stand.

"Why?" Lauren choked, trying to contain her terror stricken tears. Tina gained distance steadily now standing only inches from Lauren.

"Such beauty should not be wasted and mistreated by men." She said with a grimace, her hand reaching towards Lauren. She flinched, her entire body tensing as Tina's hand brushed down her hair. Although Lauren thought the gesture was to inspire reassurance, it only provoked more fear. "Someone like you needs to be cherished, to be appreciated." Tina's voice was soft but threatening.

"We need to go faster." Hotch said commandingly, as if the blocked traffic before him would part. His hands clenched the dashboard staring at the sea of stuck cars. He was on the edge of the seat, as if this small action would help them reach the apartment quicker.

"How far are we?" Morgan asked frustratedly.

"Not far." Hotch replied. Spencer could hear how he was trying to restrain the worry from his tone, but it wasn't working.

"I can't wait here!" Morgan said forcing open the car door and jumping out. Hotch said nothing and only followed suit. He slammed the door behind him. Spencer was quick to follow but had little time to get out of the car before Morgan and Hotch were dashing away down the street.

Spencer had said little since leaving the florists. He could barely think let alone talk. His thoughts were constantly jumping to terrible conclusions of how this situation could end. And those thoughts were enough to make him feel hollow.

Though Spencer had only known Lauren for a short time, the thought of not seeing her everyday from now on was painful. Losing her would break a part of him he wasn't sure he could repair. His fists clenched and he continued to follow determinedly behind Hotch and Morgan.

Lauren wrapped her arms around herself protectively. She was cowering away from Tina. Lauren was doing nothing to capture her; this woman who had killed five innocent women.

Lauren was a Detective of the NYPD and here she was, paralyzed by fear for her own life. How could she protect others if she couldn't even attempt to protect herself?

"How did you find me?" Lauren asked, her voice wavering.

"It wasn't hard." Tina confessed. "I guess taking a false name was your fiancé's idea?" She asked, spitting out the words viciously.

"I… I don't have a fiancé" Lauren replied, her eyes widening as Tina reached forwards again. But her hand fell onto her shoulder gently.

"You won't need to worry about him much longer." She said with a kind smile. "He won't hurt you anymore."

Without saying a word Lauren jerked out of her cowering position. The palm of her hand was thrust towards Tina's face. She felt it connect as a pain shot down her arm.

Tina yelped loudly and stumbled backwards. Lauren stood stunned for a moment. She could feel the adrenaline rush through her blood. Her stomach felt sick to the core and her head pounded but she wasn't going to lose this momentary distraction.

Spinning towards the sideboard where her gun lay she leapt forwards. But her efforts were stunted as something tripped her.

Lauren fell to the ground heavily, rolling onto her back barely able to gulp down a breath. Tina stood above her, glaring down at her with a blood shot eye. She grabbed Lauren's wrist forcefully pulling her upwards onto her feet. The movement was incredibly painful and it felt like she had wrenched Lauren's shoulder from its socket.

With a hiss of pain Lauren did her best to struggle. Her legs kicked out, her arms wriggled to be free but it was all for nothing. Her eyes widened and she gasped as Tina picked up a small brass trophy from Lauren's coffee table. As Tina raised it above her head Lauren did the only thing left.

She screamed.

Spencer entered the apartment building not long after Hotch and Morgan. It was hard to catch his breath from the long sprint but his mind was focused on something else.

"Which apartm—" But Morgan's question was answered as an ear piercing scream came from the ground floor ahead of them.

"Lauren!" Hotch yelled loudly, running past Morgan with gun raised.

The scream had shot through Spencer painfully and it took a while before his feet could move from fear. What if…? He couldn't even think it. Without another thought he followed Hotch, his tense hand hovering over his gun.

Morgan was the first to enter the apartment; his foot had easily ripped open the rusted lock as he kicked against it.

"Rose Greenfields." Morgan shouted loudly, announcing his presence within the room. "FBI! Put down the weapon and put your hands behind your head."

Spencer bustled his way into the apartment after Hotch. His gaze quickly surveyed the scene. Where was she? A small groan sounded from one side and all the BAU agents turned to look at the source of the sound.

Lauren's small figure lay limp on the ground. A large cut across her forehead was causing a trail of blood to travel over her pale skin. The red liquid made Spencer's chest clench in worry and Spencer made a move to go to her but Hotch's arm pushed him back into position.

Spencer glanced up at him, his concern was evident but his eyes were focused on the murderer ahead of them. He had almost forgotten about her. His worry for Lauren had overridden his usually keen sense of danger. Turning back to the woman he examined her.

"She is mine!" Rose Greenfields shouted desperately. The blood splattered trophy fell out of her hand and clattered to the ground. "I just wanted her to be loved."

"She is." Hotch said seriously and gestured to Morgan. Morgan understood the signal and quickly moved to handcuff the woman. Rose Greenfields didn't even resist, her gaze fixed on Lauren.

"Look what she made me do." She said. "I ruined her. I ruined her!" She screamed. Morgan had a little trouble pulling her out of the apartment but eventually succeeded.

Now there was only one thing his focus was on.

"Lauren?"