As It Was, Criminal Minds²

𝒍𝒊𝒊𝒊. just say something

       "Yeah. Which is why the plane's been ready. We can be in Indianapolis in two hours." Hotch informed as the elevator finally opened and the team all joined inside to head to the jet.

         After the jet ride to Indianapolis, Hotch had split the team like he always had. JJ, Kate and Casey would be heading over to Allen Archer's home to talk with him. The car ride there was quiet but JJ and Kate knew what was up. They had noticed it for a few days now but the icing on the cake was when Casey had sat over with Morgan instead of Spencer for once.

          JJ had been driving, Casey in the passenger's seat and Kate sitting in the back. It was quiet until Kate decided to break the ice. "Since it's just us girls, Casey, I gotta ask... are you and Spencer okay?"

         Casey nods, "Yeah, we're fine." She said, but they instantly could tell by her tone of voice that she was lying and Casey knew that too once they exchange a glance to one another and she decided to give in. "I'm worried," She admitted. "Spencer hasn't been home in days. I mean, he occasionally calls me and texts but... he hasn't been home."

        "Have you tried talking to him?" JJ asks. "He changes the subject every time." Casey tells. "Or he just ignores me... which is worse. I mean, what do I do? I'm worried that if I leave him alone for too long, he's gonna think I don't care but if I don't, he's gonna think I'm smothering him." It felt good to finally vent about this stuff with the people she trusted. She had needed to talk to someone other than her one-year-old son for once.

          "The one thing you could do is just give Spencer his space. You know how he is when he's lost someone or has almost lost someone." JJ suggested. "Has this been affecting Christopher too?" Kate decides to ask.

          "Probably more than me. We have this routine where Spencer reads him to bed. The minute Spencer opens the book, he's out like a light but the minute I do, it takes five books for him to sleep. He's been getting fussy, he's even crawling into bed with me now." Casey explained. "It's like he almost knows he's not there. I just... I wish Spencer would just talk to me."

           JJ puts a reassuring hand on Casey's thigh. "He will. You just gotta give him time. You know how much Gideon meant to him. And besides, you're Spencer and Casey. You guys always figure it out." She tells.

           The woman was right about that. Spencer and Casey always figured it out when they had issues. Even with the lack of communication, they always managed to get through it. She just wanted to wait for him to say something. She always felt like she was the one that grounded him and maybe he just needed to reach out first.

           Once the women arrived at the Archer residence, the place was riddled with news reporters, wanting a new story from the man. With a few 'no comments', the three managed to head inside the home to speak with Allen Archer and his wife. Allen Archer had saved a pregnant woman after the attack and was billed the town's hero.

          Kate and Casey had sat down the couple as JJ had been scoping around the house, subtly. She looked outside to the newscasters. "It looks like the media is scrambling for a sound bite from their local hero." JJ told.

         "Yeah, I don't know what all the fuss is about. Anybody with half a right mind would have done the same thing." Allen told. "But they didn't. You did." His wife assured, holding onto his arm lovingly. She looked up at the women in front of her. "How's the mother?" Brenda asked, curiously.