When We Cross Paths Again!

Chapter 12:

"You are one hell of a singer, Meg." JJ told her. "Yeah, can you transfer some of that talent to me, please and thank you?" Penny asks jokingly. "Have you heard her album?" Reid asks everyone.

"You have an album?" JJ asks with shock. "You just get cooler the more I learn about you." she adds.

"It's called 'Holly Blue'. It's on youtube and all other music service platforms. You'll see a picture of a blue butterfly with black and white outlining the end of the wings. The songs are actually pretty good. They each individually tell a story if you really listen to the lyrics." Reid explains.

"Oh yeah, pretty boy? And how would you know that? Have you listened to the album already? Better question, how many times have you listened to it?" Morgan asked Reid. "He drove me home one night from work after a case and heard me humming one of my songs and I played it for him. I told him about the album." Amory tells him.

"She also likes to go to the Songbyrd Music House. If you go there she'll probably be singing at the piano." Hotch said. "OMG! I love Songbyrd! They have the best karaoke nights!" Penelope basically squeals. "Oh yah, she is quite the performer. If you think this is cool, you should see her kombat skills. This girl can put up a real fight." Anastasia said.

Eventually the bootleg ended and everyone made their way home. Spencer got to the door last after helping clean up. "Hey, Spen?" Amory asked before he walked out the door. "Yeah?" He said after he turned around. Amory wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, returning the hug.

"Listen, I'm sorry for getting all up in your personal space last night. I should've asked before I got so close to you." She apologized. "Don't be sorry. I let it happen. But it didn't bother me. If it were anyone else I'd probably have freaked out or have just sat away from them."

He starts to let go, but stops when Amory says, "Just one more minute, please. Don't let go."

She stands on her toes a little and leans her head onto his shoulder. He reciprocates the gesture by burying his face in her shoulder and gently hugging her a little tighter. The moment quickly ends when Amory gets a text. Her and Spencer release each other from their grasp on each other as she checks her phone and smiles.

"It's Braelynn." She told Reid then showed him a photo of them and the Hotchner family. Braelynn is dressed in her Scuttle costume and stage make up. Reid smiles at the picture of the happy family. "Aw, that's precious." he says.

"She's my little rockstar. You should've seen her face when she was on stage performing. She was so proud of herself. Her face lights up when she's on stage."

"That's how you looked on stage in Heathers. Like all of the worries and dangers in the world didn't exist."

"When she ran over to Aaron,  Jack and I after changing out of her costume she said something to me that kinda reminded me of you. She said that I may not be the Ariel in her show, but I will always be a princess. It made me think of whenever you call me a warrior.

His heart skipped a beat after she said that. Hearing her say that she thinks of him. "You two share a similar smile. She looks at you like you're the world."

"She's a special one and so smart. She has a memory like us. I swear whenever I see her she acts older than any other 10 year old I know. Sometimes though... Sometimes I fear that my work life will interfere with my personal life and something might happen to her even though I know she's safe."

"Meghan, I know life is scary and this job can really get in your head, but Braelynn is safe. Knowing that she has you who thinks of anything and everything she can to protect someone she cares about, having Hotch as a sort of grandfather figure if you will and the FBI on her side you have nothing to worry about."