Chapter 02

Spencer Reid's apartment
Washington DC

October, 2011

Every month, on the first of the month, Penelope Garcia took it upon herself to go to Spencer Reid's apartment, much as Dave Rossi went to Ashley Seaver's. She opened the windows, checked the pipes, sorted and stacked the mail, and wiped up any dust. There was very little dust. "It's not fair." She said as she sagged on his couch.

This time Derek Morgan had come with her this time, to turn over the engine on Reid's car, or so he said. "I know momma." He said as he settled beside her. "I know the odds are slim, but those two are strong. They'll make it."

"I hope so. But, I mean, I don't know how long we can keep their lives going for them."

"The Bureau gives it seven years before they're declared dead. We've got time and resources; especially now that his Dad is paying for his Mom. I still can't believe he stepped up."

"I think Hotch went out and talked to him." Garcia said.

"That explains it. You know we just need one break. Then we'll be all over that and we'll get them home."

"But what are they going to be like when they get here? I mean they're going to be a mess, they have to be."

"I know. But once they're home safe we can help them figure it out."

Garcia sighed. "I hope so."

JJ Jareau's home
Washington DC

Later in the month it was JJ's turn to deal with the missing. "Mom! Is Spencer coming to my birthday party?" Henry asked.

JJ sighed and kept the worry in her eyes away from her son. "I don't know yet sweetie. He might have to work. I know he wants to be here though, very, very much."

Henry huffed in frustration. "Will he be here for Halloween?"

"I don't know."

"How about Christmas?"

"I don't know hun."

"Can I call him and ask?"

"Not right now. And before you ask I don't know when."

Henry threw himself onto the couch. "I miss him Mom! I want him to come play!"

JJ settled and pulled her son into her arms. "I know. So do I."

"Will I ever see him again?"

"I hope so."

Ashley Seaver's apartment
Washington DC

"This is my fault." Dave said as he opened the window of the tiny, feminine space.

"How do you figure?" Emily asked.

"She was too young, fresh out of the Academy. She wasn't ready for the BAU. She should be working in a field office somewhere, be safer."

"In that case it's as much my fault as it is yours. I was supposed to mentor her, not go off cowboying after Ian." Emily looked around the room and sighed. "She's strong. She'll make it. So will Spencer."

"I hope so."

BAU Headquarters
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Quantico, BA

"Agent Hotchner," Strauss called him in to her office. "You still need to find a replacement for Dr. Reid."

Hotch sighed. It wasn't that replacing Seaver was easy, not in the sense that any of this was easy, but it had been simple. JJ came back as a full profiler, for reasons of her own, and then Emily returned from the Valhalla Task Force. Either of them could carry Seaver's workload, the two of them were a formidable pair.

But Reid was different. "I haven't found anyone qualified."

"I have sent stacks of personnel files..."

"And none of them will work."

She sighed, annoyed. "I understand your team is in mourning..."

"You haven't sent me a multidisciplinary expert who has a court-certified eidetic memory, can read 20,000 words a minute, and who specializes in talking down delusional unsubs." Hotch was quiet a moment. "Dr. Reid cannot be replaced. If the workload becomes a problem I'll revisit the issue. For now my team is better off as it is."

Strauss was silent a long moment. "All right Aaron." As Hotch got up to go Strauss managed something like a smile. "They are strong agents. They could defy the odds here."

"I hope so."