Evolution, a Spencer Reid/Criminal Minds Fanfic

Chapter 30. Bait Taken

Ana pocketed her phone and caught her reflection in one of the street-front windows. She was smiling and it felt strange. Her sister had died such a short time ago. Ana had thought she’d never have a reason to feel happy again; not when Sarah’s death had demonstrated so forcefully the ugliness and undeserved cruelty of the world. But an afternoon in Central Park with an almost-stranger had changed everything. She was still mourning, but now she could admit that the ugly, cruel world that took Sarah away, could also be a hopeful, beautiful place. It didn’t make sense and it wasn’t fair. It just was.

Ana decided to treat herself to something nice for dinner. She was starving. Her smile widened. She and Spencer had been so wrapped up in meeting each other, they’d completely forgotten to eat their pushcart hot dogs. She hoped some other creature had enjoyed finding a surprise meal nestled in the grass beneath their tree.

She headed home, thinking of purchasing a bottle of wine to accompany the pasta dinner she’d make in her tiny, utilitarian kitchen. This has really been the most remarkable day. She moved with light, buoyant steps, weaving through the sidewalk crowds and thinking of Spencer.

xxxxxxx

In Quantico, Reid’s steps were anything but buoyant. He dragged his feet as he plodded up the catwalk stairs toward a concerned-looking Rossi. A bullpen of equally anxious agents tracked his progress.

Once they were face to face, Rossi took the lead.

“Was that the girl?” He raised his eyebrows, referencing Reid’s call.

“Yeah. Anastasia. Ana. Her name’s Ana.”

“And you’re looking a little down because…?”

“Because I think Bescardi’s using her to get at me.” Reid bit his lip, glanced down into the bullpen where most eyes were still trained on him. “And there’s some other stuff I should probably tell you.”

“Like?”

“Like she’s the sister of the girl I found in the woods. In Needles. Sarah. The girl I was too late to save.”

Rossi’s face gave nothing away. He looked blank; void of reaction. He stepped over to the window of Hotch’s office and rapped on the glass. When the Unit Chief looked up, Rossi crooked a finger at him and tilted his head toward his own office. Hotch nodded. Rossi took Reid’s elbow and was about to steer him through the door when Prentiss, called out to him.

“Hey, Rossi! C’mon! We’re a team. All that stuff about ‘no secrets’, remember?”

Rossi gave her a sidelong look. “All in good time, Emily. Let’s sort things out on a need-to-know basis first.” He pushed the younger man into his office. “I’m sure Reid wants at least a chance to have a private life, okay?”

Prentiss settled back in her chair, grumbling at Morgan. “Not fair. The guy can practically read our minds and we don’t even get a clue about the first juicy maybe-romance-thing that happens to him. Not fair.”

J.J. sighed as Hotch entered Rossi’s office, closing the door behind him with a definitive click. “We could try to read their lips. If someone would ever remember to bring in some binoculars, or opera glasses…telescope…spyglass…something along those lines.” Her eyes widened for a brief moment as Hotch turned, gave one of his piercing stares and closed the window blinds.

Prentiss looked around at her co-workers. “Did he just, ya know, hear what you were saying, J.J.? Like the way Reid hears stuff?”

“I don’t know. No. No way. No. Uh-uh. That would  just be too creepy.”

“You guys are getting all weirded-out for nothing.” Morgan’s faint tone of derision helped ground them. “Hotch is a profiler. If you looked out and saw all of us staring at you, wouldn’t you close your blinds, too?”