I do not own Criminal Minds and my thanks to my sister for being my beta.

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Chapter #56

Both Reid and Hotch finally made it to the hospital. The witness reports took longer than he hoped. Even though, he was very impressed to the details that the police pay particular attention to, but he wasn't happy of how much time it had taken.

All he wanted to do now was to pick up his girlfriend and go back to his apartment. He knew that she was upset and they would have to figure out what was the next step. They had planned on moving in together once her place was done. But now that changed. She lost not only her home, but the trust fund which would have helped her greatly. He feared now that she would have to quit teaching and strip full-time.

And then there was Bailey. He had to figure out a way to get him and her things out of the Ashburton's fast. He could call Harry for help. Maybe he can get Bailey or stay with Ashley while he went over to the Ashburton's to get her stuff. But then where would he put him since his apartment doesn't allow dogs. Ask Morgan to babysit? Put Bailey in a kennel?

He then thought of calling the girls and having them come over instead of Harry. Maybe Ashley would open up with them. He knew that she didn't have too many female friends that she seriously trusted and he hoped that she could start trusting them. Then he realized that Ashley didn't know them very well. She may not open up to them right now.

They could move into a new place, an apartment that allowed big dogs. Either way, he wasn't looking forward of telling her what Rose had done. But he knew that it had to be done.

Once they arrived at the emergency room, Reid scanned the area for the guard.

He found him standing at the end of the emergency room with the section blocked with the curtain. As Reid drew closer to the room, he could see something on the floor behind the curtain. It looked like a pair of jeans and her shoes. It was odd no doubt, why were her clothes on her floor. Then there was something else on the floor which he couldn't make out from that distance.

"Uh-oh," he said, as he quicken his pace.

"What," Hotch asked. Reid didn't answer him, except he went inside.

"Excuse me," the guard said, trying to stop him.

"It's alright," he heard Hotch from behind.

"Hotch," Reid called out. He came in, seeing the same thing that Reid was seeing.

The room was in shambles with the restraints hanging over the bed or on the floor. Her jeans and her shoes were on the floor along with the restraints that were lying beside her. He saw the blood on the pillow and a spilled vase of white roses scattered all over her bed. There was a syringe filled with liquid on the bed as well.

He could feel the panic setting in which he tried hard to keep it at bay. The worst thing that he could do was to panic.

"What happened," he heard Hotch talking to the guard out front. He turned to see the guard looking surprise.

"I don't know," he said. "I was here since we got here. I did go to the bathroom when the nurse came in, but I was only gone for ten minutes."

Ten minutes, Reid thought. A lot of things can happen in ten minutes. He tried to think of statistics on that, but he wasn't coming up with anything. OK, don't panic. That is not going to do Ashley any good. And don't think as Spencer, start thinking as SSA Dr, Reid, it is only way to save her.

Hotch pulled out his cell phone, leaving the room. Reid instinctively dug into his messenger bag for his latex gloves.

He carefully picked up one of the restraints from the floor which he noticed that the edge was smooth and clean. Someone had cut off her restraints. He stood up, seeing the card scatter among the roses.

Who would give her roses? Who knew where she was at that precise moment?

He turned the card over with his silver pen, which some of the writing was smeared because of the water damage. But he was able to make out the writing.

Soon we will be together my love, J.

"Hotch," he called out, picking up the card by the corner with his right hand. He had the restraints in his left hand.

Hotch was still on the phone, giving orders. He put his phone down.

"Julian was here," Reid said. He showed the card to his boss then the restraints.

"These were cut off," he explained.

"Reid, we don't know for sure if it was him or not. Everyone is on their way and so is the crime scene investigators," Hotch explained. Then he went back on his phone.

After Reid bagged the card and the restraints in the clear plastic bags, he let out a sigh. He pulled out his cell, started dialing Ashley's number, but he stopped himself. Her phone was in her purse which was in the backseat of his car along with her overnight bag and bag that she had taken for class.

Suddenly his phone shrilled, interrupting his train of thought. It showed "Unknown Number" on his screen.

He quickly answered it before it rang the second time. "Ashley."

"No, but she is with me."

"Julian," he angrily said, going out of the room, tapping on Hotch's shoulder. Hotch said something in his phone then hanging up.

"No, I'm Darcy, Darcy Edwards. I'm her friend. She is with me at the Comfort Inn in Dumfries, on Old Stage Road. I just called Harry and he is on his way as well."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Can I talk to her?"

"She can't talk to you right now. She is not talking to anyone." Then he heard Darcy exhaled deeply before he continued, "Dr. Reid, you need to get over here now and bring a female agent with you. The room is booked under Bobbie Nickels."

Reid's heart stopped. "Is she alright?"

There was another long pause. Reid wasn't sure if this Darcy person hang up on him or not. "You need to prepare yourself and get down here fast."