north//spencer reid

chapter twenty four

"Sorry, everyone," I apologize to my class, shaking my head, annoyed. "I gotta take this. Give me a minute. Talk amongst yourselves." I step aside and answer Jenna's phone call as my students grow in volume. "Jenna, I'm in the middle of teaching a class right now. Can you call back to yell at me later or–"

"Do you know where Amelia is?" Jenna rushes out, seemingly heaving for breath. "She was supposed to come over hours ago and she still hasn't come over. I called her and I texted her but she hasn't answered. Have you talked to her?"

My blood runs impossibly cold and I could swear that my heart stops. "N–No, I haven't heard from her. We haven't really been talking this last week. We got in a fight. You called her a bunch and she didn't answer?"

"I've called her more than a bunch. I've called and texted her probably a million times over the last hour. Should I go to her apartment to check up on her?"

"No, don't," I answer quickly, frantically. My thoughts are moving a mile a minute and I'm doing everything I can not to completely freak out in front of a class full of college students.

Amelia could just be sleeping, or her phone could be dead, or she could be intentionally disconnecting from everyone to her a break. She's been through a lot lately, hence why I suggested therapy, and she might have wanted to unplug. She should have told someone first though, preferably me. But Jenna is Amelia's best friend and they tell each other everything. Amelia would have told Jenna if she wanted to disconnect and she wouldn't have made plans with Jenna just to stand her up.

"I'm gonna call her," I tell Jenna, glancing once more at my watch. "I'll call her and if she doesn't answer then I'll go over to her apartment."

"I'm really sorry," she rambles. "You said you're in class, and I–"

"Jenna, it's totally okay. Let me handle it. I'll call you back later and let you know, okay?" I quickly hang up and dial Amelia's number, waiting for the dial tone. But it goes straight to voicemail and plays me Amelia's sweet voice, but at this moment, it doesn't comfort me at all. I call two more times and it goes straight to voicemail both times, and that's when I really start to panic.

I whip around and rush towards my bag, shoving my papers and books inside. "I'm sorry everyone," I announce to the class. "I have a family emergency and I have to go. Class can end early. No homework or anything. Look for an email about upcoming classes. Have a good day."

I get out of the class as quickly as I can, and when I know I'm in a completely empty hallway, I reach into my bag and pull out my holster and gun, clipping it to my pants and then stuffing my FBI credentials in my pocket. It's a preparation for the worst case scenario but this is what I've been fearing for our entire relationship and more so for the last few months.

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I leave my bag in my car when I get to Amelia's apartment and I barely even wait to put it in park before I jump out. I rush up to Amelia's apartment, skipping stairs, ignoring the way I can hear my heartbeat in my ears.

I freeze when I get to the top of the staircase, my eyes fixated on her door. It's cracked open, resting just slightly ajar, and the lock is clearly intact. It's not broken. I swallow the lump in my throat and immediately draw my gun, slowly approaching the door.

"Amelia?" I call in and then wait a moment to enter, but the only response I get is silence. I tighten my grip on my gun and inhale through my nose, then push the door all the way open.

Amelia's apartment mirrors her studio. It's completely destroyed. Pictures have fallen off the wall, plants are tipped over and soil is spilled on the ground, records are shattered, there's a hole in the wall not too far away from the door. It's an absolute mess with glass on the floor and some ripped clothing and spilled food in the kitchen. I'm checking every single crevice in the walls for Amelia, but all I find is more destruction. I press on and keep searching for anyone at all, but I get nothing.