How Dare You [ReidxReader]

(32) Burn It Down

„What the fuck?" You hear Morgan whisper.

You stare at the woman in pure disbelieve. You've seen the pictures. You read the report. This woman was buried. They carried this woman to her grave.

As soon as you realized who it is, you turn your head to look at Spencer. He stiffly sits in the chair next to you, not saying a word.

Then you understand why JJ and Hotchner kept looking at the clock.

"You knew?" You break the silence.

Hotchner looks at you for a second, it's enough to confirm that you're right.

"Hi." Prentiss finally says.

Isaacs reenters the room and hands you your coffee.

"What's going on?" He doesn't recognize Prentiss at first. Then his eyes dart between her and her picture on the whiteboard. "What the..."

You swallow hard. You're overwhelmed and don't know what to feel. Surprise? Happiness? Anger? Everything hits you at once. They faked her death so that she could hunt Doyle without him suspecting it.

Prentiss walks over to the whiteboard and explains: "I was following Doyle back into the States when he realized that someone was hunting him. He still doesn't know it was me."

You see that Spencer isn't listening at all. His eyes dart around the room and his hands are clenched into fists. When you take his hand under the table, he turns his head, and you see everything you feel in his eyes as well. He looks so hurt.

"You're alive?" He whispers. It's barely audible but everyone heard him.

"It was a decision we needed to make in the moment. We sent Prentiss to Paris to recover and then she started to track down Doyle." Hotchner explains calmly.

Everyone is way too stunned to ask more questions.

- - - - - - - - - -

The next few hours you keep working like it were normal to see and hear Prentiss in the same room. You notice Spencer repeatedly raising his head to check if she's still there before looking back at the files. It's probably the most bizarre thing you ever witnessed.

When you step outside for a minute, Prentiss follows you. You shook hands earlier but didn't exchange a single word.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" She walks down the stairs with you.

Your lips tighten when you turn around. Prentiss is standing close to you, her eyes darting over your face as if she hopes to find answers in your expression.

"Be my guest." You tell her.

"Doyle sent you to destroy the team?"

"That's what he stated in the interview."

"He planned to have you replace me?"

You have to take a deep breath: "Why are you asking me these questions? You read the file."

Prentiss blinks at your harsh tone.

"I-I actually wanted..." She sighs and props her hands up on her waist, looking at her shoes.

"What?" You snap at her. "You mad that I was sent to fuck up this team even though you were perfectly capable of doing it yourself?"

Her head shoots up: "I didn't make this decision."

"Neither did you oppose it."

You don't let her off the hook by walking away. Instead, you stare at her until she meets your gaze.