1 | Undeniable Chemistry [S. Reid]

xiii. aluminium

AS THEY LOOK THROUGH THE open door of the room, Willow's heart drops. In a bundle of blankets, handcuffed to the bed, was Mrs. Everson. It didn't take a profiler to see how shaken up she was, and Willow couldn't imagine what the women was going through.

"Why is she in restraints?" Willow asks softly, making Rossi look down at her.

"She tried to kill herself. Twice." Rossi answers, making her bite her lip, before they walk in. Willow stands right next to the bed.

"Mrs. Everson? We're with the FBI." Spencer informs her softly, as she moans in pain. Rossi and Spencer look up at Willow, silently asking her to talk to the women. She takes a deep breath, before she looks down at Mrs. Everson. Willow's features soften, as she smiles down weakly at her.

"We know you talked to the detectives this morning. But if you're up for a few more questions, It could help." Willow says barely above a whisper. She sees the look of fear and absolute inner destruction in her eyes.

"Why didn't he kill me?" Mrs. Everson asks weakly, making Willow take a deep breath before looking up at Spencer, who nods reassuringly.

"It wasn't about you. This man only thinks about power and control." Spencer explains, before he looks at Rossi, who looks down at the woman.

"Leaving you behind gives him that." Rossi concludes, making a few sobs escape her mouth. Willow, takes a deep breath as she tries to fight her own tears.

"Now... Did he ever speak to you directly?" Willow asks, making her take in rough breaths. The brunette tries to swallow the lump down that formed at the back of her throat. "Did he talk to you?"

"No, he really didn't. I'm sorry." Mrs. Everson says easily, making Willow smile softly.

"It's ok. Take your time."

"Greg looked at me... The way he always did. I... We didn't need words. We... He just... Looked at me, and we would know. I tried to be strong, But I...I... Shut my eyes... When the gun went off, and... That's the last thing Greg saw. Now every time I shut my eyes... I see him. How long will that last?" Mrs. Everson asks as she starts weeping, making Willow look up and Spencer notices the tears threatening to spill in her eyes.

"You rest now." Willow says, her voice cracking at the end, before she follows the two men out of the room. As soon as they're fair distance from the room, she can't hold back the tears as they silently roll down her cheeks. Spencer notices them and stops walking, before pulling her in a hug. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm crying."

"It's okay." Spencer breaths out, as he buries his face in her hair and holds her tightly, as she cries on her shoulder. "This, isn't going to be an emotionally easy case. And it's okay, to sometimes let your emotions take over, because that's what differentiates you and the people who do this. It's what makes you human."

"Come on, kids. Let's get you back at the station." Rossi says, making them pull apart. Willow wipes her tears away. Spencer takes her hand and squeezes it softly. "Do you want to stop by McDonalds maybe?"

"McDonalds?" Willow chuckles as she tries to understand why he'd ask that.

"I don't know what you kids like to nowadays." Rossi shrugs, making Willow shake her head as they leave the hospital and get to the car. The car ride is spent in silence, as Willow looks out the window into the night, the city dark due to the blackout. It's not long before they arrive at the station, and Spencer leads Willow inside, as Rossi goes in his own direction. The best friends, walk into a room where JJ is and pictures have been hung up on the boards.

"Hey. Where's Rossi?" JJ asks as she notices the two. Spencer immediately walks up to the boards, while Willow sits down.

"He's talking with Hotch and Morgan." Spencer answers, before pushing one board aside to receal another one.

"It's incredibly detailed." JJ says, making Willow look at it.

"Yeah. Detective Matt Spicer and his partner are the go-to guys for robbery-Homicide, central bureau, Newton Division, Busiest in L.A." Spencer explains just as his phone rings, making him fumble to pick it up. "It's Garcia. Hey, Garcia, I got JJ and Willow here."

"Praise the gods. Los angeles has a weirdly low rate of home invasion burglaries. I snagged a case in Westchester where a guy violently knocked down the front door, kicked the dog, and took off with the TV." Garcia says, making Spencer frown in thought.

"Breaking down the front door sends a message. He's trying to intimidate the victims."Spencer muses.

"Yeah, and as horrible as this dog-kicking burglar sounds, I think the guy we're looking for is even more horrible." Garcia says in slight panic.

"Garcia, this unsub's had practice, a lot of it. Maybe not in L. A., but he's definitely done this before." Spencer explains to her.

"Word. This is not his first crime party. I seriously can't find a single case in L. A. that equals this level of emotional destruction." As Garcia says that, Spencer takes a look at Willow, making sure she feels a bit better.

"We need to expand the search to all of Southern California. He can be in other cities with a quick ride on the freeways." Spencer instructs to Garcia.

"Yeah. Will do."

"Thanks, Garcia." Spencer says, before hanging up.

"We're going live on the 11:00 news. You think he'll be watching?" JJ asks, making Willow stand up and walk up to them.

"It's late. He could already be hunting." Spencer says softly, as he looks down at Willow. "Are you okay?"

"I've seen better days." Willow admits, making him smile tightly at her. He takes her hand pulls her back to the chair, making her sit in a chair before sitting down next to her.

"Was it that bad?" JJ asks worriedly, making Spencer nod. She sits down to the brunette and puts a reassuring hand on her, just as Emily and man walk into the room.

"It's not like I talk to the universe or anything. I've just always believed that things happen for a reason. It's hard to find the reason for this, though. Utterly meaningless crimes, no obvious motivation. Pure evil." He says to Emily as he looks at the boards.

"Evil can't be scientifically defined. It's an illusory moral concept That doesn't exist in nature. Its origins and connotations have been inextricably linked To religion and mythology. This offender has shown no signs of any belief." Spencer says, making Willow close her eyes and take in a deep breath, as she tries not to laugh at how adorably awkward he is. "I'm, uh, I'm Spencer Reid."

"Matt Spicer." He introduces himself.

"Jennifer Jareau and this is Willow Crawford." JJ introduces herself and the brunette, who waves shyly, before standing up as well, while JJ shakes his hand. "The media's been asking for you."

"Yeah, well, nobody else around here wants to talk to them. I figure it hasn't hurt me yet." Matt says, radiating with immense confidence.

"Uh, they'd like an interview for the 11:00 news. Can we go over a few points?" JJ asks, making him nod.

"Absolutely."