Little Boy Blue (Criminal Minds Fanfiction)

Chapter Five: Books

When he's done letting everything out, he pulls back from Prentiss and wipes his eyes. "S-Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it," Prentiss smiles. "You okay?"

Reid nods. "Yeah, thanks."

"Of course," Prentiss replies. "Wanna' look for the envelope now?"

"Yeah, let's do that, but promise me something."

"Anything."

"Don't tell Morgan about me breaking down."

Prentiss smiles. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Reid smiles at this and it's so good to see the youngest member of the team smile again.

Reid and Prentiss walk back over to Gideon and Hotch who are looking through Dr. Seuss books.

"Hey, can I see the note again?" Reid asks. Gideon pulls it from his jacket pocket and hands it to the young doctor.

He reads it over (in two seconds, literally) and thinks, WHAT BOOK IS THE STUPID ENVELOPE IN?!

"We already checked all the Mother Goose books, since Little Boy Blue was from Mother Goose, but no luck," Gideon sighs, rubbing a hand down his face. "Now, we're just trying all the children's books."

"I don't think he'd put it in one of those. It's too obvious for him," Reid replies. "Can I see one of those Mother Goose books?"

Reid flips to the poem "Little Boy Blue" and reads it:

Little Boy Blue,

Come blow your horn

The sheep's in the meadow,

the cow's in the corn.

But where is the boy

who looks after the sheep?

Under the haystack,

Fast asleep.

"Maybe through the poem he's trying to tell us a title," Reid suggests. "Little Boy Blue... come blow your horn. HORN!"

Reid rushes to the "G" section of the library. He scans the books and finally finds what he's been searching for. "Big Horn Legacy!" He exclaims.

"What?" Morgan asks.

"This has to be the book!" Reid exclaims. "It's a classic!"

"In what universe?" Morgan mutters to J.J.

"Apparently Reid's," J.J. whispers back.

Reid turns the book upside-down and shakes it, until a blue envelope falls out.

"Hey!" the grumpy librarian yells. "If you wreck that book, you're paying for it!"

"I'll personally buy twenty copies if it means you'll shut your trap," Gideon hisses.

Yep. That shut her trap.

In a furry, Reid opens the envelope and pulls out the letter.

"Alright, here's what it says," Reid starts, "'My, my, that was a toughie, wasn't it? But I guess you don't get called 'The Great Boy Genius' by Miss Andrea for nothing, do ya', Spencey? Anyway, here's the next clue: Chalkboards and desks, kisses and pecks. Books and teachers, please don't be a preacher. Torment and fun all in one, after tonight, I'm just done. You made me do this, so now I'll get justice. P.S. you're so close to finding me out."

"That's not a poem I remember," Reid looks up from the letter. "Maybe he wrote it. Who knows. But he gave himself a way. Well, a little at least. He said 'Miss Andrea', so that means he was in my Junior year of High School Advanced English Class. Miss Andrea was the teacher and she always said I did amazing in her class and was a 'genius' and all that. There was only about twenty people in that class and Garcia could easily pull that up, right?"

"Yeah, I'll call her," Morgan says, whipping out his phone.

"So what do we have on this guy?" Prentiss says to one in particular.

"We know that he went to my school, knows I was awkward, oh wait, everyone knows that, he has long hair and wears a red jersey, apparently hates me if he kidnapped my Mom, likes poems, and was in my English class," Reid says in a long breath.

"And we put out an APB on the description of him, so we're getting closer to getting this guy, Spence," J.J. says encouragingly. "We'll get him."

"I hope so," Reid says, then realizes something. "Wait, I looked through the list of people working at the Sanitorium and I didn't recognize anyone, but that doesn't mean that Little Boy Blue isn't working with someone at Bennington's."

"Reid's right. Alright, I'll tell Morgan to get a list from Garcia," Prentiss heads over to Morgan.

"Okay, Reid and Hotch head to Reid's high school and look for the next envelope. Morgan and Prentiss will head back to the police department, and J.J., you and I will head back to Bennington's. I think that Mr. Flint is hiding something," Gideon says.

"Let's get this son of a bitch," Reid mumbles a little louder than he probably wanted.

****************************

"Hey, Baby Girl."

Nothing.

"Baby Girl?"

"I'm mad at you."

Morgan laughs. "Why, pretty lady?"

"Don't 'pretty lady' me, Derek Morgan!" Garcia retorts. "You guys have totally been ignoring your Lady Heroine of the Web and it's not cool!"

"Sorry, Garcia!" Morgan repliea. "We haven't been needing any of your numerous and amazing skills as a Lady whatever."

"A Lady Heroine of the Web. That is my title."

"Right, that," Morgan laughs. "But now I do."

"Lay it on me, babe."

"The list of workers for Bennington's and a list of Reid's Junior Year at Nevada High School Advanced English class."

"But that's so easy!"

"How 'bout you fax it on pink paper?"

"I like the way you think, Derek Morgan. Comin' up," Garcia says. "Hey... how's Reid?"

"Not good, Garcia," Morgan sighs. "He's practically falling apart."

"Well, whoever this Little Boy Blue freak is, kick his ass extra hard."

"Don't worry, Reid'll do that himself."