From Victim To Hero: A Criminal Minds Multi-Fandom FanFic

Time to Forgive

"I told you to leave me alone!"

"You told us you weren't guilty because they were monsters which is not true!"

I can see Reid's hair split for the gun to dig in to his head. 'Get a grip Erica!' the little voice returns 'you don't want to get him killed!'

For once I have to admit its right. I don't want him dead, no matter how much he hurt me.

I put my hands up in the surrendering position.

"You for him."

"Okay." I start walking towards them.

"Don't you dare!" Morgan almost growels under his breath.

"Stay there!" Reid calls.

He winces as the gun digs into his head once more.

"She's one of them. Can't you see it? She's one of the demons!"

"This guy actually believes his fantasy is real. The only way he's going to let Reid go is if we go along with it." Morgan mumurs, trying not to let the UnSub see his mouth move.

"Thats what I'm doing." I say in the same tone, starting forwards again.

"You have to let him go." Morgan quickly starts improvising "How can we trust you if you're willing to hurt an innocent person? You have to let him go and come with us, we can help you."

I can tell by Henry's face that he's considering it and I see when he makes his decision.

His gun raises, pointed at me and I hear the bang that comes after a trigger is pulled.

Henry falls to the ground, revealing Hotch behind him.

I find myself running to Reid without even thinking. He hardly has time to register his surprise before my arms are wrapped around him.

His body is rigid for a few seconds, his arms straight out to the side but his body relaxes as fast as it tensed and I feel his arms wrap around me.

"I believe you." I whisper "I'm so sorry."

Maybe he told Hotch, maybe he didn't. At this point it doesn't matter how he found out, I had that clean slate after all.

It was time to forgive and forget no matter what the truth was.

Eventually it got awkward so we pulled back. It wasn't awkward for us so much as it was for everyone just staring at us.

"Why don't I get a hug?" Mogan teases.

"You didn't come this close to your deathbed." I hold my index finger and thumb only millimetres apart for effect.

"I was the one talking him down."

"Well you failed, didn't you?" then I quickly add "You do get an E for effort though."

I smile and throw my arm over his shoulder, almost having to stand on tip toe to do it.

My feet are pulled off the ground as Morgan throws me over his shoulder. After only a few tries I give up, knowing I would never win.

"Help me Spence!"

"I'm Spence again am I?"

"Getting him to let me go would be a good reward. Hint, hint."

He tries but fails.

"Sorry," he apologizes "I'm the brains, he's the brawn."

"Is that a complement or an insult?" Morgan asks.

"I'm not sure... I read it in this strange book."

I actually succeed in containing my laugh.

"Tell you what," Morgan starts "if you both agree to come with me to celebrate tonight, I'll let you down."

"Agreed." I tell him, my arm killing me by now.

Reid nods too.

Once my feet are on solid ground I make sure to keep my distance from him, don't want to fly again anytime soon.

"Relax Sher."

"Seriously?"

"Lets go home." Spence says.

"There's just one thing I'd like to do first."I tell them.

"Do what you need to, we'll meet you on the jet." Morgan encourages.

"Thanks."

Sean Shater welcomes me into his house without me having to say a word.

"Thank you for finding him."

"Have you ever met him before?"

"If he went to Ariellee's church I probably ran into him without knowing it."

"You know that it's not you right?"

"Of course. I know there's nothing I could've have done to save her."

"I'm talking about her change. It had nothing to do with you. Her interests changed. You didn't do anything to cause that. It was meant to be."

He smiles sadly "I wish I could believe that."

"Maybe one day you'll come to."

"Maybe."

"I better go, the jet will be leaving soon."

"I'm glad you were on the case Erica. I'm sure you're going to have a very good career."

His smile is real now and I'm glad. He just might be able to move on, to find a new love. A love even more epic than the first. I knew he'd never forget her though. You never do forget your first.

"Maybe not," she said as we came to the car. "But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts too much when it ends. The first boy is always the hardest to get over, Haven. It's just the way the world works."

Sarah Dessen