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 18

What was that?' Ryan froze, listening. She heard it again a woman screaming. Ryan's hand went to her belt but she quickly remembered she didn't have her gun. "Damn!" She muttered as she walked briskly down the path. She was fifteen feet from the opening that came out to the basin. Ryan clicked off her flash light, walking carefully.

Spencer ran down the steps, over the gravel parking area and down the small grassy knoll to the edge of the lake. He got to the path when Ryan ran into him.

"Jesus, Spencer you scared me."

"Did you scream?" He held onto her arm with his left hand, while pointing his gun to the ground. Hotch and Morgan got there next, followed by JJ and Emily. Rossi remained at the cabin with Garcia.

"It came from over in that direction." Ryan pointed to her left.

"I thought it sounded like it was from over there." Emily pointed more to the right.

'No disrespect Agent Prentiss this is my home. I know every inch of the woods and this basin, it came from over there!"

The tension was thick between Officer Miller and some of his team and Hotch needed to defuse the situation quickly.

"Officer Miller, take JJ and Reid in that direction and Agent Prentiss and I will head this way."

"I am not armed Agent Hotchner."

Hotch bent over getting his gun from his ankle, handing it to her. They split up walking slowly around the lake. JJ was lagging behind unable to move as quickly over the uneven ground as Ryan did.

"Why are you out here? Ryan there is a killer on the loose?" Reid asked annoyed.

"I can take care of myself thank you!" She snipped

"How? You're not even armed." He couldn't hide the frustration in his voice.

"It's not like you care. Why didn't you go with Emily? Oh I know because SSA Hotchner made you come with me!" Ryan was hurt by his attitude and his apparent rejection of her feelings.

JJ passed them when they both stopped walking. They were speechless, starring at each other in the limited light.

"I did not turn you away! You wouldn't talk to me, allow me to explain."

"What's to explain? You lied to me about who you are, and took advantage of me. And all the while you had her too."

"I didn't lie really, I just didn't correct you. Wait, what? Had who?"

"Her! I saw her kiss you!" Ryan waved the gun in the direction of Emily and Hotch.

JJ had stopped walking. Their argument had gotten out of control because neither of them was thinking about the woman they heard scream.

Reid forgot himself for a moment. Forgot JJ was there and why they were out in the night to begin with. He pulled her against him kissing her roughly. Ryan leaned in kissing him back until she realized just how mad at him she was. She broke away from him and pushed on his chest backing him up about a foot.

Spencer was shocked by her strength.

"You think you can just do that. Brush it all under the rug?" Ryan starred at him in disbelief.

"I…I wanted…" Reid stammered. He was reeling over that kiss and the fact that she had easily responded to him for a brief moment.

"What, what did you want, to make me love you? And then crush my heart?"

"You love me?" Spencer's heart leapt in his chest. He felt sick to his stomach momentarily and then tears sprung to his eyes. He blinked them away as joy washed over him. He wanted to hold her close to him, kiss her again and tell her all that he was feeling. And most of all he wanted to hear her say it again.

JJ looked everywhere except directly at Reid and Officer Ryan. She felt like she was eaves dropping. Something caught her eye, three feet away from where she was standing. "Guys?" JJ tried to interrupt.

"I…" Ryan closed her mouth then opened it again but the words refused to come. He made her so mad, because he had a way of getting her to say things and do things she didn't really want to do. Angry at that fact she barked at him in her best cop voice, "No don't you change the subject, what about that kiss? And that day on the dock you thought I was her. Did you have a fight with her, and then come here to have a little fun?" Ryan knew she was grasping at straws. She just could not let him know how much she cared about him. Her heart was so fragile right now. And that little slip of the truth was bad enough.

Reid's anger slipped away all he could think about was that Ryan loved him. She was so mad at him though and for some reason she believed he had something going on with Emily.

"Guys, I think…"

"What?" they both barked at JJ.

JJ ignored the rudeness from the two of them. She fanned the flashlight across the ground and up the embankment. Reid and Ryan noticed the drag marks at the same time.

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!