The Thoughts of the Lost Mindreaders: Rambling Criminal Minds One Shots

Where Did She Go? Pt. 2

"Sort of?"

"Yeah, so me and my friends call him the Crazy Phone Guy which I feel kinda bad about now that I know him in person. But he first called me like almost a year ago, and I got a video of him on the second call to see if he'd do it again."

"Do what again?" JJ asked with a sinking feeling that surrounded her.

"Well, I can show you," she pulled out her phone and began scrolling through her videos, "He sounded really cute until... this happened after like a minute."

It was a screen recording, and she recognized Spencer's number.

"Hey Maeve. How has your week been?" There was a short pause, "Good, the headaches are still kinda bad, but I'm doing okay."

She never spoke. Spencer was talking to someone that never responded, but he didn't know... why wouldn't he know? Why- oh god.

"Is that all you need to know?"

Maeve was so quiet.

"Do you have anything more to say?"

"I'm sorry I didn't do something about it. I was just curious I guess. There were a lot of times when I didn't answer, but I never blocked him. I wonder what he did then."

"It's fine," she offered with little sympathy as she walked back to the living room.

"Guys this was a false alarm. We need to head back to the office," she explained to the group.

"What other leads do we have?" Spencer asked just above a whisper, hesitating to stand from the woman's couch.

"We'll find her, Spence. She isn't here," she said with more definity than she thought she was capable of.

"I... fine. Let's go," he nearly sprinted to the car with his head buzzing with other possible leads.

JJ and Hotch thanked the woman and her granddaughter, soon following Reid.

He talked endlessly, more to himself than to the others while Hotch drove back to the office with an expression that seemed more tense than usual.

JJ, meanwhile, took out her phone and began writing a text explaining the situation, and hoped that Hotch didn't ask Reid to see what it was. Her prayers were answered.

They continued to drive with no sound but the mumbled thoughts of Reid. He was stressed now, but this was the calm before the storm. JJ drowned in it.

They returned to the BAU building, and Hotch checked his phone. He looked devastated to say the least.

"Reid, I need to talk to you."

"We're supposed to be finding Maeve. Why are you-"

"Please. Just... I need to talk to you."

Hotch sounded very quiet and in the way speaking where you're just so crushed that it's hard to get every syllable out.

Reid stayed silent save for a nod and small breath through your nose. He followed Hotch to his office.

"JJ made a discovery back at the house, but we wanted you to be in a place where you could take it."

"Take what Hotch?"

He seemed younger in that moment, his eyes wide and full of worry and his heart rate was rising.

"The phone number belongs to that young woman, and she said that when you would call, she would never talk. Maeve isn't real."

"I... what? I-I don't," he stammered.

His heart pounded so much it hurt.

"Reid, it's okay-"

"No, it's not! I've never been more afraid of anything in my life, and- and it's happening. I'm going crazy. God..." tears began crawling across his cheeks as he trembled and said, "What's going to happen to me?"

He shook, lowered his head, and sobbed.

"I... I don't know. I don't know what's going to happen now. I'm sorry."

Spencer didn't respond.

He didn't know if he could ever respond to anyone again.