Author's Notes: I know you guys have been waiting. Here's Chapter Six! Enjoy! Like I said last chapter, brace yourself for a lot of angst in this one!
Chapter Six: Omnivore Remastered
Annette sat down on the edge of Spencer's desk, watching as he read a book while leaning back slightly in his chair. He flipped through a few pages, and following the latest flip, looked up, locking eyes with her. They held the contact for a moment before he set his book down and reached for her hand, bringing it up to his lips to kiss her knuckles.
Morgan made kissing noises from his desk, and when the two looked at him, Annette gave him her sweetest smile before giving him the bird with her free hand, which made Prentiss laugh.
"Their relationship lasted longer than all of your flings combined, Morgan. I can't believe it's been a little over a year already."
"A year, one month, four days, five hours, twenty minutes, and twenty-six seconds in counting," Spencer said, making Annette giggle.
"All that's left is for Reid to get laid," Morgan said teasingly, laughing.
When Annette noticed Spencer sink slightly in his chair, she couldn't help but giggle, especially when she saw his cheeks turn a slight shade of pink.
"Don't tell me…has it happened already?" Morgan asked.
Spencer didn't speak or turn his head, and when Annette's smile widened slightly, both Morgan and Prentiss's jaws dropped in shock.
"My man! It's about time!" Morgan exclaimed, going over to give him a pat on the shoulder.
"Did I just hear what I thought I heard?"
Annette felt her heart stop at the sound of Rossi's voice, and she gave Morgan a look, causing him to laugh.
"Annette Renee Lennox, you better look at me."
Sharing a look with Spencer and Prentiss while also giving Morgan a death glare, Annette turned around, so that she was facing him.
"When did it happen?"
He had the look and tone of a typical father that had just caught his daughter in a lie, and after a beat of silence, Annette spoke up.
"New Year's Eve."
Rossi's eyes widened slightly, and after another beat of silence, let out an amused chuckle.
"It's about damn time the boy wonder got some love."
Annette couldn't help the smile on her lips as Rossi smiled at her, leaning forward on the railing. His "daughter" was all grown up, with a promising career on the team, and a doting boyfriend in the rambling genius that was Spencer.
"Hotch, wait a minute!" JJ called as she followed the Unit Chief out of his office. He had his go-bag in one hand and a case file in the other, hurrying out of the bullpen and through the double glass doors. Bafflement overtook JJ as she paused in the bullpen. Her reaction, in combination with Hotch's behavior, made the team look in wonder.
"JJ, what's going on?" Prentiss asked.
"It looks like we're going to Boston," JJ replied.
Annette stared at the case file opened in her lap as she took a moment to look at the crime scene photos. Her heart pounded madly in her chest, and she noticed a tremor in her left hand, causing her to clench her fingers around the sleeve of her top to steady herself.
The case file she was looking at was that of the notorious Boston Reaper, a serial killer that terrorized Boston, Massachusetts, back in ninety-eight. It was Hotch's first case as lead profiler, and the BAU didn't have a profile on him because of the lead detective, Tom Shaunesy, closing the case and sending the BAU away when the Reaper stopped killing.
They soon discovered that Shaunesy made a deal with the Reaper to ensure the killings stopped, waiting six weeks before sending the BAU away. He lied in dormancy, waiting for ten years and most likely planning what he intended to do if he started killing again.
As she took a moment to read some snippets from Night of the Reaper, a book written about the murders, Annette started thinking of the Reaper as a devolved version of Michael Boudreaux. Except she figured a boogeyman was more frightening than a reaper.
"Hey, kiddo."
Rossi's call snapped her out of her thoughts, and when she looked up, she noticed all eyes were on her as the team stared at her in unison.
"I know the wheels are turning in your head. What's on your mind?"
Annette breathed out a sigh as she gathered her thoughts.
"This is the first time I have ever seen an UnSub without a specific M.O. or victim type that is so disciplined. The Reaper knows how to make a scene, leaving no kind of fabric or DNA evidence that will lead us back to him.
"Based on his narcissism, he most likely taunts his victims before he murders them, their fear giving him a sense of power and sexual gratification. It's as if BTK, the Zodiac, and Ted Bundy combined to form the Reaper based on the similar traits between the four killers. I have a feeling it's going to take a thorough eye to point them in the right direction, especially keeping the truth of the deal Detective Shaunessy made."
"The longer we float the copycat story, the better chance we'll have of catching him," Hotch announced. "To ensure we close this case, let's work fast."
Annette waited patiently in the SUV with JJ and Spencer, watching as Hotch spoke with Sergeant Michael "Mike" O'Mara about the case. Her voice caught in her throat, keeping her from speaking as much as she usually does. Her heart wouldn't stop pounding, and her body hadn't stopped trembling since the flight.
"Annette?"
JJ's call of her name snapped her out of her daze, and when she looked at the front seat, she saw the woman with a concerned look in her eyes.
"You've been awfully quiet since the flight. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah," Annette replied with a small nod. "I'm just a little baffled. We're on one of the notorious unsolved cases the BAU has seen. I thought I had seen it all with Michael Boudreaux, and it feels like I'm getting a glimpse of what he might have devolved to had I let him kill me."
Spencer reached for her, taking her hand in his and feeling her shake in his hold. He gives it a reassuring squeeze, silently telling her she's not facing the darkness alone, and she returns the squeeze with one of her own.
When Hotch gestured for them to come, Annette took a deep breath and got out of the driver's side of the backseat, internally bracing herself for what she was about to see.
After listening to the phone call that saved the life of the survivor, George Foyet, Annette was staring at the crime scene photos displayed on the screen of Amanda Bertrand. She did her usual tilt of the head, completely lost in the depths of her thoughts as she tried to make sense of what she felt was off.
She was so distracted she didn't hear Spencer calling her name, much less feel his hands on her shoulders. Rossi was even wondering what was going on with her; the wheels were definitely turning in her mind, but what was bothering her so much that she'd tune herself out of reality?
"Kiddo."
She returned to reality at Rossi's call, and then she felt the sensation of Spencer's hands touching her. She brought her hands up to her shoulders, placing them on top of his.
"Are you okay?"
"Something is seriously off about this case, and I think the answer is right here in front of us," Annette replied. "I'm just not seeing it, and it's frustrating me."
"Hey. Take a step back and give yourself a breather," Rossi said. "Once you do, the answer will come to you when you least expect it."
"I hope so," Annette said with a nod.
"Come on. Let's look at the rest of the photos."
"Damn it. It's been a day already," Annette said, breathing out a heavy sigh as she plopped down on the bed in the hotel room she was sharing with Spencer. The Reaper killed two more people, Hotch and Rossi delivered the profile, and according to Garcia, George Foyet fell off the grid following his release from the hospital. So much had happened in a matter of hours, and it drained her fairly quickly.
She felt the bed shift beneath her as Spencer laid down next to her, and he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close until their foreheads were touching.
"You look exhausted, love," he says, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"I will not lie to you. I am exhausted, and I'll be damned if I get any sleep tonight," Annette said.
"Well, we don't have to focus on the case until tomorrow morning. So, we have the night to ourselves."
Annette nodded without saying a word.
"When we get back, want to go somewhere for a weekend?"
His question surprised her.
"Is this really an appropriate time when we're working a case?"
"Right now, I want you to focus on anything but the case, Annette. The case has stressed you out since the flight. So, focus on where you want to go with me."
The gesture touched Annette as she rubbed the tip of her nose against his. As she thought about where she wanted to go for a weekend, she thought of the water and hearing the waves when she passed through Chesapeake Bay. She yearned to hear it again and see it up close, and at the thought, breathed out a dreamy sigh.
"You have something in mind?" Spencer asked.
"Yeah. I want to go to Chesapeake Bay. I want to be near the beach and hear the waves," Annette replied.
"If that's what you want, then I'll take you there when we close this case."
"Okay," Annette said with a nod.
"You know, I have to admit, I don't like the beach."
"Really? Why is that?" Annette asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Sandy food, pink skin, limited and unengaging topography, but mostly, the drug-resistant bacteria spread by seagull feces."
Annette chuckled.
"Quite the list there, Doctor. Yet, you're willing to brave the beach setting just for me."
"That's because my love for you runs deeper than my lack of fondness for the beach. Wherever you want to go, I would happily follow."
Annette smiled slightly, and Spencer felt her relax a little.
"We'll make a list of everything we can do when we get back to Quantico," he announced. "Want to do that?"
"Yeah. I'd love to," Annette replied with a nod.
"Okay. Let's get some sleep so we're fresh on resuming the case tomorrow."
When Annette nodded again, they sealed the deal with a kiss before settling down for the night.
A pained groan left Annette's lips as a sharp pang of pain tore through the expanse of her back. She sat next to Morgan as two EMTs worked on removing broken shards of glass from them. She had several of them in her hair, while Morgan had his share embedded into his left arm, shoulder, and shoulder blade. He winced with each shard that was pulled from him, and she squeezed his arm in response.
At their assigned location of one of Foyet's addresses, the Reaper ambushed them, resulting in the death of O'Mara. He had thrown Annette into a glass display stand, and then threw the stand atop her. Morgan, having heard the commotion, tackled the Reaper away from her, engaging in a fight before being thrown out of a nearby window. Annette, taking advantage of the distraction, got herself back up and aimed her gun as she heard the Reaper taunt an unconscious Morgan with his revolver aimed at him. With a deep breath, she steadied her trembling hands and fired a shot. The bullet grazed the Reaper's right arm, and she fired several more shots to ensure he didn't kill her or Morgan, leading to him fleeing the scene.
She went to Morgan, staying with him until help arrived, and he ultimately regained consciousness a short while later.
"Are you two alright?" Hotch asked as he stood by Prentiss, who was eyeing them with utter concern.
"I'm okay," Annette replied. "I'm sore, but I'm okay."
Morgan simply nodded as he let out another wince.
"The important thing is you're both okay," Hotch emphasized.
Morgan held up a bullet in his hand.
"He left me this."
"It's all about power and manipulation," Annette stated. "He left it with you to mess with your mind. Don't let yourself give in to him."
"Annette's right. Don't let him get to you," Hotch said before gesturing to Prentiss to follow him to the back of the house, leaving the two with the EMTs.
"Why am I still alive, Annette?" Morgan asked, following another wince of pain with another shard removed.
"Because you were unconscious when he aimed his revolver at you. He couldn't torture you," Annette replied. "When I got back up, I heard him telling you to wake up so that he could kill you, and I knew if I didn't take the shot now, who knows what he would have done?
"Hell, he probably would have done that to me had you not intervened. So, thank you for protecting me."
"Thank you for returning the favor, Annette," Morgan said.
She raised her fist, and he did the same thing, the two of them doing a fist bump to seal the mutual gratitude between them.
Hotch, Prentiss, Rossi, and Spencer returned to the living room, and Spencer was quick to kneel in front of Annette. He had a concerned look in his eyes as he reached out to touch her face, and she leaned into his touch.
"Spencer, I'm alive, and despite the bruising and the glass, I'm okay."
"I wasn't here to protect you, Annette, and you got hurt."
"At least I'm not dead, thanks to Morgan. He saved my life."
"And she saved mine," Morgan said, making her smile.
"We'll call it even when we finally catch this bastard," Annette announced.
When Annette listened in on the discussion amongst the team, she felt the pieces of the unsolved puzzle coming together. Following Garcia's call on Foyet's aliases, she exchanged a look with Hotch, and when they locked eyes, they came to the same conclusion: George Foyet is the Reaper.
"Garcia, you better locate Roy Colson's cell phone, and you better locate it pronto, because George Foyet is the Boston Reaper," Annette announced.
Annette didn't miss the pissed off look on Foyet's face as the two stared each other down in a battle of wits. She wasn't afraid of him, and had it not been for the hostage he held, she wouldn't have hesitated to put a bullet between his eyes. The fact she wasn't showing him any signs of fear added to his growing anger, and she smirked at his reaction. He looked like he was about to say something, but opted against it as he put his revolver down, and Morgan cuffed him.
"Where's my badge?"
When Foyet didn't answer, Morgan grabbed him by the hair and pulled.
"Where is it, you son of a bitch?!"
Again, there was no answer as Foyet stared Hotch down.
"Take some pointers from the late Michael Boudreaux, Foyet," Annette said. "He frightened me more than you ever could, especially since a boogeyman has more of a frightening concept than a reaper."
There was a beat of silence before he spoke up.
"I'm gonna be more famous than you even realize."
"Keep dreaming," Morgan said before proceeding to take him out of the house.
Morgan fiddled with the bullet Foyet left him as Annette sat down in the seat across from him. When Morgan looked up at her, he saw a bruise forming on the right side of her forehead, just above her eyebrow.
"Hey, hey. Don't you dare pull that guilty expression," she said, leaning forward to rest her arms on the table. "What Foyet did to me is not your fault. If anyone is to blame, it's him, and we were just doing our jobs as agents."
She stole a glance at the bullet in his hand.
"You need to let it go, Morgan. We caught Foyet, and we're alive."
"Would you let it go?" Morgan asked.
"I have to," Annette replied. "I had to let go of Michael Boudreaux before he consumed me from the inside out. While I can't undo what he's done to me, I refuse to let him dictate my life and future."
Looking at her, Morgan saw the determination in her eyes, and seeing the person she ultimately became because of Michael, nodded.
"Of course, that bastard would spend the past ten years planning his escape route if he ever got caught," Annette said as she prepared for bed. She winced as she felt another sting of pain shoot through her back and shoulders, and as she laid down in bed, she suspected she was going to be lying on her stomach for the next few days.
Spencer laid down next to her, glimpsing the bruises that were now forming on her back.
"Give it a few days. The pain and the bruising will subside."
Annette nodded, not missing the guilty expression he had on his face.
"It's like I told Morgan on the plane. Foyet is the one to blame for my injuries. Despite what happened to me, I'm still alive."
He leaned forward to give her a kiss.
"I promise to draw you a bath in Epsom salt in the morning."
"And we can muster up ideas for what to do in Chesapeake Bay, too."
She snuggled up close to him, and he wrapped his arm around her waist before the two of them went to sleep.
End Notes: Fluff will follow suit in the next chapter! Check back!