As always I do not own the rights to Criminal Minds, CBS, ABC and their affiliates. This is a fictional story for entertainment purposes only. All Original Fictional Characters are of my imagination and any resemblance to living or deceased individuals is purely coincidental. Do not use any or all parts of this story without prior permission from the writer.

Buried Beneath Still Waters

Chapter 11

They slept to the sound of howling winds and torrential rain, neither of them even aware of it. Her cell phone alarm went off at 4:30am. Spencer rolled over onto his side stretching. She kissed him as she slipped out of bed. "I'll talk to you later."

"Okay…be careful."

"Don't worry, darling being a police officer is dangerous, but not in this area. Getting into the mind of a killer, trying to figure out why they killed and how they did it is scarier." Ryan was talking about the job she did in Florida, but for a second he thought she found out about him. "That's why I gave all that up."

Spencer sighed, she would have been furious if she knew about him.

Ryan headed to her car. She needed to get her uniform at home. It was still dark and misting, but she could tell they had a hell of a storm. Tree limbs littered the road way and she did her best to avoid the larger ones. She wondered what shape the town would be in, if they would be directing traffic this morning or not. It wasn't uncommon for them to lose the power to their street light in a storm like this. Her day had just started and she already knew it was going to be a rough one. Unbeknownst to Ryan she was spot on in her summary. Her day was about to get very tense, very long and very confusing.

Reid couldn't sleep he cuddled the pillow she slept on, smelling her scent on it. He responded to that sent, wishing she could have stayed a little while longer. Nothing would compare to her, now that he had the experience. He waited for a few minutes before getting out of bed. Sleep far from his mind. He stripped the sheets throwing them in the wash. After a couple of cups of coffee Reid looked outside. It was still overcast, but it had stopped raining. He dressed and put the bedding into the dryer. His body ached, but it was a good kind of ache and he was rather content. He turned on the TV and watched the local news report. The fishing segment was first and it struck Reid that this place could be on another planet compared to Quantico and other parts of the country, where the lead off stories on the news were murder, rape, abuse and drug raids. Here in Bath County the biggest issue was fishing and tourists. He smiled to himself, grateful that crime was low here and Ryan was right she would be safe at work.

"Logan, come! Now! Here boy! Stupid dog doesn't listen worth a damn. Just like his owner." Erica Wilcox yelled at the dog. Mr. Plautus said just put the dog out he knows what to do. Yes he does know what to do, run away. "Damn now I'm not going to get paid! Logan! Logan, come here now! Stupid dog!' She heard him barking and she followed the sound, climbing up the grassy embankment. She stood and looked at the lake on the other side. The dog was stopped three feet from something bluish white or grey maybe. Either way it was a stark contrast to the brown and red clay on which it lay. Logan was hunched low, a growl then barking and some prancing around made Erica wonder if it could be an animal. She climbed down the rocky side of the embankment to take a closer look. "Logan, come here!" The dog looked at her once then continued to growl, moving closer to the thing. "To big to be a fish." Erica said out loud. Then she saw it. Legs- it had legs, human legs. Erica ran to the golden retriever grabbing his collar and pulled. When the dog refused to budge Erica turned her back on the body, bracing her legs on the side of the dog to keep him from getting to the remains of that person. She pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed 911.

"911 what's your emergency?"

The wind changed direction and Erica got a whiff of the decaying body. Her stomach lurched and she leaned over the dog, still grasping his collar she heaved until her eyes watered and she couldn't possibly have anything else in her stomach. She sunk to the ground, unable to stand any longer, using all her strength to hang on to Logan.

"Ma'am I'm sending help. Are you there?"

Erica put the phone back to here ear. "Yes I'm here. It's dead, please help me!"

"What's dead ma'am?"

"The body, it's dead. I…I can't see a head! Where did it come from! Oh God. Oh God help me!" She let go of Logan's collar enough that the straining dog bolted free. Erica had enough of the dog she didn't care if it got to the body or if the damn thing ran away all she knew was she had to get away from this. She scramble up the embankment and tumbled down the other side landing in the tall grass on her stomach. Her cell phone skidded across the ground. She crawled to it. 'Call home' her mind screamed.

"Ma'am you're at Moomaw Lake?" The 911 operator repeated.

"The Plautus cabin, the….the…it's at Covington Basin. I got to get out of here!"

Deciding to kill sometime with a walk around the perimeter of the lake he was half way around when he noticed the path. Curios, he entered the forest. The pines, the main smell and he inhaled deeply. This was beautiful. He strolled along mindfully watching his steps. His wound still bothered him at times so he was extra careful not to re-injure his knee. For the most part it was easy going, the path clear and smooth, well worn down from traffic. He wondered what this place would be like during summer weather when everything was in bloom. He wished he could see it. Wished he could walk here with her, and have her share her favorite parts of it with him.

Ryan was finishing her coffee when the call came in of a body discovered. The address stunned her. Reid's property! 'What?' her mind was on overload wondering what this was all about.

"Wow, this is beautiful." Every few steps that phrase repeated itself in his mind. He walked the path taking in the sights and smells. This has to be where she came from that morning. He came to a gully it was flooded, he could tell that the path went on from there but there was no way to pass this raging "river". He watched it for awhile before turning back.

Reid went to the cabin deciding not to walk the perimeter after he looked up at the cloudy sky. Had he gone around the tree line and the curve he would have seen all of the Bath County PD working the scene.

Ryan kept looking to her left knowing full well the cabin was a little more than half a mile away on the other side of the trees. And there was the doctor. Her stomach did a flip flop wondering about this twist of fate. A body washes up on the shore of his property. It would be odd if he didn't know anything about it. She tried to ignore that fact. Ignore the nagging feeling that she had about him and the suspicion she held. She really knew nothing about him. 'Not true…' her heart replied. 'You know how he smells, the feel of his skin the way he knows just what makes you unbelievably hot. You know he gets a far away look in his eyes right after he has…'

"Stop it!" She said out loud.

"Stop what? I'm not doing anything" Carlos Pasquita looked at her confused.

"What? Oh never mind I'm just talking to myself." She waved him off as she continued the grid search of the grounds.

"Keep that up and we will have to lock you away." He laughed, but she didn't.

"Over here!" Harley Geoff yelled from the shore line.

Ryan walked over to him opening an evidence bag. "Don't touch it until I get a photo." She was the only one on this team that had any experience in Crime Scene Investigation, other than regular police work. As soon as she got there and took a look at what the officer was looking at. She gasped, but quickly coughed to cover it. There next to a rock was her underwear. She snapped a photo and quickly scooped them up putting them in a bag. She was mortified, but there was no way she would show it or claim these were anything but potential evidence.

Reid decided he would head out to the store and get some real food for the cabin. This way when she came over they didn't need to waste any time trying to go out to eat. They can cook here without bothering to get dressed. He smiled at that idea. If he could figure out away to live off of love he would be set for life. Love, could he be in love with Ryan? Spencer stopped walking. The look one his face was one of shock and bewilderment. He laughed and then jogged to the car.

Almost all the way into town, Reid past a fire truck. He looked in the rear view mirror as the truck continued to drive slowly down the road. He shrugged figuring if it was an emergency they would have the lights on and would be speeding. He pushed a cart around an old store not exactly sure what to buy. He started with the staples bread and milk. He wandered around aimlessly.

"Dr. Reid?"

He turned around to see a bleached blonde staring at him. "Candi, hello." He waved.

She laughed, "You look lost."

"I am. I will admit. If you point me to the frozen food section I would be fine, but I don't think she…"

Candi smiled when he turned a bright shade of red after he admitted to Candi he had female company at the cabin. He also knew she was well aware of who this guest was.

"Let me help you." She drawled. I think officer…excuse me your friend would enjoy a nice bottle of wine and maybe some pasta. Oh and we have good bread too. She put her hands on his buggy along side of his. He looked at her confused, but let her lead him. "Where are you from?"

"Born and raised in Bayou La Batre Alabama! But I have been here for more years than I can remember. I guess some of the south still resides in my soul."

By the time Reid was finished in the store he had a good understanding of how to make pasta and shrimp alfredo, and a better understanding of Candi. She was a very sweet girl and so helpful. He was glad to get to know her. He got home unloaded the groceries and began to make diner. He tried it and was very surprised that it tasted good. He lit candles on the table turned the lights down low chilled the wine and waited for her to come after work.

The divers began their search and they waited for any discoveries. The body was picked up by the coroner hours ago. Ryan had a cup of coffee in her hand when one of the divers started to yell, "Over here, over here."

Reid looked at the clock, two hours past the time she should have come. There was no use waiting any longer. Dinner was ruined and so was Reid's mood. He blew the candles out, grabbed the bottle of wine and went to work drinking it. Apparently she got what she wanted and moved on. He would too. Tomorrow he would go back to Quantico. He could not help the pain he felt over her rejection. He thought it could be love and here he was sitting alone, used and abused. He couldn't sit there looking at the romantic setting he created for her. He went outside on the porch. The sun was setting and he sat on the rocking chair in the far corner. Something caught his eye off in the distance, red and blue lights of police cars. Reid's heart sank. He couldn't tell how far off in the distance it was. He hoped to God she was alright.

Spencer waited for hours watching the lights. He thought a couple of times about walking there to see what was going on. Thing is you could only walk to that part if the lake or drive on the beach of Moomaw lake on the other side and hike into Covington. He got his gun out, laid it on the table. This was the first time in over a week he thought about it or using his credentials. He checked his pockets and looked at his ID. Should he go over there? He knew if he did it would end everything they had. She would know the truth and know how much he deceived her. He didn't want to risk that, not yet. His heart was torn on what to do.

She didn't come over or call. He was so afraid something happened to her but he wouldn't dare call her incase it could put her in danger. 'Ryan, please be careful.' He whispered while lying in bed around 4am.

A/N Special thanks to CSK for helping me with the forensic aspects of the case. Without you Crime Scene Kelly my case would be a bunch of fabricated foolishness. From the bottom of my heart a very big thank you for your time and effort!

Thanks to all of you who are out there proof reading, giving me suggestions and helpful hints. And to you the reader for your reviews and your continued support!