Faces

!!I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

Reid leaned on Hotch and felt comforted by the familiar safe smells. When Hotch's phone on the desk rang, he looked over apologetically to Reid and did a small smile. "It will be OK."

He picked up the phone to hear JJ's voice. He clicked it to speaker.

"Hotch, there are two more."

Reid jumped to his feet, his heart pounding.

"The same unsub? The same MO?"

"Same unsub yes, notes were left. Different notes, but in the same hand, and addressed to you. The MO is different. We need to meet in the roundtable room sir."

Hotch looked over at Reid. Hopefully if the unsub had changed his MO then Reid will be able to get the images of the staged murders out of his head. It was upsetting for Hotch to look at them. He couldn't imagine how Reid was feeling. The fact that he seemed confused about what he needed and wanted was enough to make Aaron realise something bad was going on in Spencer's head.

"Reid. Stay here. I want to see what is going on first."

………….

He desperately wanted to lock Reid in his office to make sure he was safe. He left Reid sitting looking at the note he had received and closed the door gently.

JJ had files put together again and Morgan and Prentiss were sitting waiting. The looked beyond Hotch to see if Reid was there.

"I wanted to see this first before Reid does. What do we have JJ?"

She clicked the remote and the image popped up making Hotch's stomach turn. Again it was someone dressed Reidesque but laying in the leaves in a small copse of trees.

"He was found by a woman walking her dog this morning. Laying on his front." JJ paused for them to take in the scene.

"That could be Reid." Prentiss muttered.

JJ continued. "He had his wallet and drivers licence on him, which is why they were so quick to get an ID on him." JJ sighed. This is what they found when they turned him over."

They looked up at the picture on the screen. His hands were restrained in front of him with nylon cuffs and there was a bullet hole in his forehead. The rest of his face was gone. Hotch sat down quickly, and Morgan wiped his palms on the legs of this trousers.

"What did that?" Emily again.

JJ sighed, "They think it was rats. Once again he has been re-dressed. This is Rob Masters and he was twenty seven. I am getting sexual orientation looked into but so far nothing has come back on that. It was the gunshot that killed him. No drugs suspected this time."

She clicked again. "This is Lewis Timpany. He was twenty five." She let them look again at the picture. "He was found in the undergrowth of a hospital car park. Again on his front. The photos of when they turned him over were virtually the same. Hands cuffed in front of him, bullet hole in forehead and the face eaten away by rodents. JJ watched Hotchner's face, and then started to hand him a bit of paper. "This was the note. Same at both scenes."

"Agent Aaron Hotchner, He should have missed."

Hotch stood up. "I want Reid in a safe house now."

……………..

Reid sat and watched Hotch leave. That man confused him. He gave off confusing signals then seemed to deny things happened. He had desperately wanted to say that Haley knew there was something more than a working relationship going on, but was there? He didn't know anymore. He looked down at the note in his hand and ran his fingers over the writing. He wanted to get to know this person. He didn't want Hotch leading him on like that then spitting him out again. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and looked around the room. There were mics and cameras in here? Was everything they did recorded? He stood up and walked to the door. At least he wasn't locked in but he didn't want to hold this conversation where he could be over heard.

Spencer walked slowly to the men's room. How many times had he hidden himself away in here? What were they all talking about in the conference room? Why didn't Hotch want him there? Why was Hotch so confusing? Spencer just couldn't get his mind around the mixed messages Aaron was constantly giving him. He pushed open the door to the men's room and at the same time flipped open his phone. He pressed speed dial and put the phone to his ear.

"Hi – Spencer" A sigh. "Yes I just got your message. I would love to go out for a drink – yes but you know this case and everything." A pause. "No it's not an excuse!" Another pause. "I got a lift in." Standing with his back to the wall and his eyes shut. "No no carry on, I was listening to your voice." Another pause. "Now? At the coffee stand? I will be there."

……….

Yes he knew he shouldn't be doing this.

Yes he knew it was really stupid.

Yes he was going against what Hotch had told him to do, but sometimes impulses take over and you just do it. He checked they were all still in the conference room and went to the elevators. Spencer was desperate for something nice. No pressure just something pleasant. He pressed the button and hoped they would stay in the conference room for just a bit longer, just long enough to get in the elevator. When it pinged and the doors opened he stepped in and moved to the back wall of the car. He pressed ground floor and let out a long sigh of relief as the doors closed and the car started to move down again. He realised now that he had left his bag behind. It didn't matter. He was going for coffee with a friend and might even be back before they even realised he was gone.

Spencer was feeling almost light headed with happiness as he strolled down towards the coffee stand. He could see him standing there with his back to him. Spencer stopped and watched as he bought two coffees and handed over the money to the vendor and then turned around and saw Spencer and smiled. Reid gave a small wave back and walked towards him.

"Heya, I really wasn't sure you would come." And he handed Reid a coffee "Extra sweet, the way you like it." Reid took the coffee and smiled.

"I wasn't sure I would be able to make it. It's really quite hectic. I can't stay long. I will be missed."

Reid felt a hand brush against his. "Let's sit." And fingers wound their way around Reid's hand and led him to a low wall they could sit on. They sat and chatted and sipped coffee and sometimes the fingers around Spencer's hand seemed to hold on a bit too tightly but that was OK. They both felt insecure and this was new.

It was warm and the sun shone down on them as Reid listened to his friend chat and he tried to join in and be 'conversational'. It was something he never found that easy to do. Flashes of somewhere dark and deep and endless. He could feel his breathing had changed and become short and shallow. Sweat was prickling over his forehead.

"Are you alright?" The voice sounded concerned looking at Reid's sudden pale sweaty face.

Reid turned to look at the voice. "I was thinking." Memories of blood. Too much blood – shaking his head to try to remove the memories.

"Uh hu, that doesn't sound good."

"I shouldn't be here." Spencer stood up and started looking nervously around him. The hand clinging onto his suddenly felt not so friendly. It felt claustrophobic and uncomfortable. He tried to pull his hand away. "L l let go." Twisting his hand but the other was holding tight now and nails were digging in slightly.

"What the hell is wrong with you Spence?" Flashes of a nightmare came screaming through Reid's head so fast and hard that he dropped his coffee and staggered back. All he could hear now was the thumping in his chest and the blood rushing in his ears.

"Who – who are you?"

"You know who I am. Spence what's wrong. You look like you are going to have a heart attack. Sit down."

Panic. Pure panic. "I have to go." But he wouldn't let go of Reid's hand. Gun - Reid get your gun. Get away now. Where is everyone, surely they noticed you have gone by now? He was fumbling at his gun at his belt with sweaty slippery hands. FBI agents didn't panic like this. Calm down, calm down. This is just the guy off the train. But the memories of the nightmare he had the night before and of all the others preceding seemed to be flooding back so fast his brain couldn't cope with it. His hands felt numb and his legs were giving way as he could hear someone shouting for help. He couldn't work out what was being said, but the hand finally let go as all sounds and sights faded into the background. Too many people shouting now to work out what was being said as he fell face first onto the ground.

One voice could be heard above the others though. "I told you I'd be waiting."