Escaping to the Genius

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Celeste's euphoria over having more confidence and finally having a real family didn't last long.

After the night with Hotch, she kept mostly to herself. Spencer noticed immediately, but she wouldn't tell him what it was. She just said that she felt sick, so she couldn't go in with him. Staying behind thinking about it was almost worse.

Spencer called her about an hour after he left for work. "Sweetheart, are you sure you don't want to come? I know Garcia really likes having you here."

It took her a moment to respond. "Yeah. Yes, I'm sure."

"Okay. Feel better. And there's medicine in the cabinet over the sink in the bathroom."

"Thanks, Uncle Spencer. I'll see you soon." She hung up and sat back on her bed.

I know where you are.

Those five words sent tingles of fear down her back. Well, more like waves, and over her whole body. They made her sick to her stomach and made her head pulse. The message didn't have a recognizable number, but she knew instantly who it was.

But if he knew where she was, you may ask, then why wasn't she desperate to get away?

She didn't want to put anyone in danger. Although she knew that he would never be able to get to her in the office, she didn't like the idea of potentially being the cause of an agent's hospitalization.

~

Spencer walked into Garcia's office after getting off the phone with Celeste. "Something's up with Celeste," he said to her. "She says she feels sick, but I know better."

"Maybe she really is sick," Garcia said.

"No, she isn't." He shook his head. "She's been acting like this since we left Hotch's place last night." Startled by a sudden thought, he looked at her. "You don't think he did something to make her act like this, do you?"

Garcia shook her head. She knew he hadn't, since she'd been there. "No way."

He wasn't quite convinced. "Can you check up on her while we're gone?"

"Of course." She nodded. "Now get going or they're going to leave without you."

He nodded. "Thanks, Garcia."

"Anytime, genius." She waved as he walked out.

On the jet, Spencer sat across from Hotch. "I don't want to accuse you," he said first, and Hotch looked up from the file. "I'm just curious. After Celeste and I left your house last night, she kinda backed off and will hardly talk to me. Do you think anything you did could've made her upset like that?"

Concerned, he thought back. She had seemed alright, as much as she could given what they were doing, until she looked at her phone about the time Spencer showed up. After that she shut down.

"I don't think I said anything; it could've been a text. She looked at one just as you pulled into the driveway, and she seemed fine before that."

"You didn't touch her or say anything? Are you sure?"

"Yes. The closest I got to her was when I offered her money for watching Jack, but she didn't take it, so we never touched."

JJ caught the last part and looked over. "I talked to Will; apparently she didn't get paid for watching Henry either time." She'd watched Henry once more since she met Will, and had left before JJ could pay her.

Spencer smiled. "That's one conversation I'm not dreading having with her."

~

Garcia called twice, and Celeste finally picked up, in case she thought that she'd died.

"Celeste," Garcia sighed in relief. "I-I thought you weren't going to pick up."

"I almost didn't," she said, her voice weak. She couldn't go back to Iowa. She wouldn't be able to do it. But she couldn't tell her uncle yet; she had to wait until just after he got back, because then he didn't have to sacrifice helping someone who needed his help to look after her.

"Oh, sweetie, you sound awful. What's wrong?"

"It's-it's just...look, can you come get me? I was really upset earlier when Uncle Spencer left, but now I wish I was there."

Garcia put her hand to her heart. "Of course I can, sweetie. I'll get Kevin to cover for me while I'm gone."

"Thank you." Celeste hung up and showered quickly; due to her small figure and short hair she took only a five minute shower. Once she was out, she rapidly shook her head like a dog, then brushed it out and blow dried it. Ten minutes until Garcia arrived.

With a smile Celeste threw open the door to her closet. She never got tired of picking out her own clothes.

Finding a pair of black skinny jeans, more proper than blue jeans for the office, she slipped them on and pulled down from a hanger a teal button down top (sleeves rolled halfway up her forearm), along with teal and silver bangles and a white tank top. Since she had gotten her ears pierced, she also put in a large pair of silver studs, then slipped on a pair of teal Toms to finish it off. (Outfit on side)

Garcia had declared that the blue was perfect for the shade of her hair, so she'd gotten it, and due to the volume of clothes she'd bought, it was actually the first time she'd worn it.

"Celeste? I'm here. Reid gave me a key last week."

Celeste stepped out of her room and smiled. "Hi, Penny."

Garcia smiled, assuring Celeste that the nickname was just fine. "Cute outfit. It looks perfect on you."

Celeste gave a little twirl. "Thanks. I didn't sleep well last night, so give me a quick minute to put on some makeup and then I'll be ready." Now that Garcia was here, she wasn't scared. Just having another person present really helped.

(Eye makeup on side)

Garcia helped out a bit, but Celeste had quickly caught on to putting on eyeshadow and eyeliner, so she didn't have to do much.

"Ready!" Celeste chirped, throwing the strap of her bag over her head. Now it carried her new smartphone, laptop, earbuds, charger, and To Kill a Mockingbird (the book that had previously been there). After seeing how often she used laptops, Garcia had gotten the new Apple MacBook for her as a gift. Not for her birthday: her seventeenth birthday was in another month.

Yeah, she was a little spoiled.