Thanks for the support! I am at war with a head cold that is finally starting to give up. Come for exposition, stay for possibly some tears.
Chapter Five:
Reid watched from the back of the jet as Simms showed off what she kept in her bag.
"A Tarot card deck, mostly for show. These things don't have that much power. I just know how to read what they mean in certain arrangements."
He wanted to add a note about the history of Tarot card decks, but still felt too tired to do so.
"A mini spice rack," she said with a wave of the hand. "Salt is actually extremely useful in real demon hunting just like in 'Supernatural'"
"So, what does pop culture get right about magic?" Simmons asked.
"Most creators understand that magic comes from the earth," she said. "That is why crystals, herbs, and natural elements are so important."
"What about astrology?" Reid asked.
"More myth-based than anything," she said. "People like the idea that if you're a Leo, your personality is like that of a lion. I don't depend on astrology for a lot of the magic I practice."
"What about Dia de Los Muertos?" Alvez asked.
Simms sighed. "Religion and Magic. They are related yet also contradict each other. Spencer may be better versed in this, but Halloween is a holiday with pagan roots. Christianity renamed many holidays related to local celebrations as a way of becoming part of the community. Are there times when the world of the living and the dead intermingle? It depends on where you live and what you believe."
"What about ghosts?" Reid asked in a quiet tone.
"Did you ever read Harry Potter?" Simms asked.
"Yes," he said.
"That is one thing Rowling gets almost ninety-nine percent right. Ghosts generally don't linger among the living. Those who do have chosen to become ghosts out of fear of entering the next stage after death. I deal with ghosts occasionally who are haunting relatives over past grievances. Other times it is family homes that have been turned into frat houses. A lot of the time it is just a feeling of being 'haunted' that really required someone willing to listen to them. I meet with a lot of lonely widows."
There was a beat of silence.
"Garcia is going to have a heyday with you," J.J. said.
"Who is Garcia?" she asked.
"You'll meet her when we get back to the BAU," Prentiss said.
"First, we need to attend to some business," Simms said and pulled out a set of business cards. "This may seem gross, but we're talking the safety of all your lives."
She passed the cards out to everyone but Reid.
"I already have a way of tracking you down," she said simply.
"You'll notice all of these cards have a drop of blood on them. My blood. I did this just after everyone fell asleep. I would like you to log my number in your phones and keep this card close with you at all times in the event you can't reach a phone."
Rossi looked at the card. "It doesn't say anywhere on here that you're a witch, just a fantasy novel editor."
"It looks less strange if it falls out somewhere," she said. "I like to keep the two businesses as separate as possible."
"So, if something bad happens you'll know?" Lewis asked.
"It would have to be life-threatening for me to get an exact lock on your location and we don't want it to get to that point," she said. "Try to call me as soon as something feels off."
"It looks like we're stuck in a waiting game with these demons," Prentiss said. "What would have happened if we weren't close?"
"I think that demon was planning on tormenting Spencer for a full twenty-four hours, so I think I would have gotten there in time," she said.
"What if you hadn't?" Reid asked.
"The medical terms would be that you had an extremely rare adverse reaction to the beta blockers where you would have sweat blood to death," she said somberly.
"What about my soul? My life force?" he asked urgently.
"It would have been sent to version of Hell where the demon would have feasted upon it for at least a millennium," she said.
There was another beat of silence.
"What do we do to prepare?" Prentiss asked.
"Spencer, your going to hate this, but vigilance is key," Simms said. "The demon may take control of you body a for only a few minutes you may not be aware of. If you guys sense something if off, ask him long term questions about the past or crazy complex logic problems, because demons are goal-oriented and won't think to remember birthdays or Schrodinger's Cat."
"What if the demons in him right now are watching and taking notes?" Rossi asked.
"Not likely," she said. "They're regrouping after seeing a show of force."
"We still don't know what to do about what happens after two weeks when Reid returns to work," Prentiss said.
"If I don't have any solid ideas for what to do in three days, we'll talk again. I believe I can contain them by the end of two weeks."
"I hope you do," Prentiss said and checked her watch. "We're due to land soon."
…
After multiple hugs and assurances given to Garcia, Reid was finally able to track Simms down as she left the main building.
"Ruby," he said breathlessly.
"Yeah?" she said curiously.
"Can you summon a ghost who may have found peace in the afterlife?"
"I can try," she said.
"Would you, for me?" he asked desperately.
"I said I'd do anything," she said. "I'm a woman of my word."
"Can we do it now?"
"Sure, I just need an object of significance from the person we're summoning and a location of importance to the person, or where the person is buried."
"I carry the object with me at all times and even won a petition to get it out of evidence," he said.
"May I ask who this person is?"
"My girlfriend."
…
They stood on the ground in front Maeve's tombstone. Reid held onto the book tightly as Simms pulled dirt out of an ornately carved box.
"Wind from the North/Wind from the South/ Wind from the East/Wind from the West/ I gather thee to summon/ the woman Spencer loved best."
She dropped the dirt into the air and Maeve appeared smiling. She was wearing what he had seen her wear in his dream of dancing with her.
"Hi Spencer," she said sweetly and then turned to Simms. "Thank you for arranging this meetup."
Simms curtsied. "The pleasure is all mine to be in the presence of such a strong paranormal being."
Maeve turned to him. "I like her. I know it can be hard to forgive deceit, but it was done with the best intentions. Please consider that."
He shakily put a hand forward to touch her cheek.
"I miss you," he said tearfully.
"I am never far," she said reaching for his hand. It went through his. "But I am at peace where I am, and you are not."
"Your essence was used to torment me!" he cried. "I don't know what to do!"
"Have faith Spencer," she said. "Have faith in the cosmos of knowledge that fills your imagination. Have faith in the friends who will never abandon you, including Ruby Simms. Finally, have faith in yourself, Spencer Reid. You are a strong, spectacular person, and you deserve to live life with all the joy in the world."
"I'm scared," he said. "Of these demons in me."
"They're merely ignorant little gnats as they have no clue who they are dealing with," she said with a confident smile. "It may seem scary, but you are never as alone as you feel."
Her image began to dissolve.
"Can Ruby summon you again?" he asked desperately.
"I am always with you Spencer," she said. "You don't need a witch to summon me."
She leaned close to him and whispered.
"I love you."
Then she was gone.
Reid looked to Simms. She shook her head.
"This dirt is from my grandmother's grave when it was freshly dug at midnight during a sacred coven ritual. I can't use it to summon the same spirit again."
His shoulder's slumped in resignation. Simms looked like she wanted to reach out to him. He merely smiled.
"Thank you," he said. "I forgive you."
"That is all I have wanted since this began," she said.
"You've earned it," he said.
They walked away from Maeve's grave in a companionable silence.
…
Reid woke up the next day with a huge smile on his face. The future was his seize.