chaos theory | a spencer reid fanfiction

nine.

TW: domestic abuse

After lunch you all headed back to the office, you and Spencer splitting off into your lab while Emily, JJ, and Luke stood by the elevator. They heard Garcia's heels clack as she ran to greet them.
"Okay, okay. Come on, you're gonna tell me everything." She grabbed their hand and dragged them into her office, telling them to sit down. "Now, what happened?"
"Apparently, Spence went to buy Y/N Tylenol this morning."
"So? That's something friends do all the time." They glared at Luke.
"Maybe it is, but guess what else he bought her?" Garcia's hands flailed wildly for dramatic effect. "A cupcake. From her favorite bakery."
"Again, isn't that normal friend things?"
"Oh, poor newbie. No, it's not normal friend things. He likes her, like he like likes her."
"I don't know." JJ shrugged. "You know how he's been since..."
"Yeah, I know. But do you see the way he looks at her? Maybe she'll be the one to change his view."
"I don't know, but I don't mind seeing that smile on his face again.
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You entered your apartment after checking your mail. You sifted through the various envelopes; credit card offers, a letter from your mother, power bill. A large orange envelope caught your eye, your eyes tracing over and scanning the large black lettering on the outside. There was no return address or name on the envelope, just your name written in large black letters. The handwriting was unmistakable.

"How the hell did he find me?" You didn't even want to open it. You just stood there, staring at the envelope in your hands. The worst part about being a forensic analyst was that you noticed every tiny detail, especially handwriting. You knew it was him by the way your name was written, remembering how it was written on every note he left when he went to work detailing how you weren't supposed to leave or go anywhere. It brought back too many painful memories. You finally managed up enough courage to rip open the package, pulling out a piece of paper, words written on it in black pen lettering. You recognized every curve on every G, the way the tail on his Js flicked back, the way the pressure on the paper increased when he was angry. You just stared at it, not even reading the words.

You had left as far away from him as possible and he still found you. How was that even possible?
You started to read the letter, slowly scanning each word.
You thought you could just run away from me like that? I made it very clear to you that nobody else can have you. You need me to survive you understand me? You are mine and only mine. You remember all those nights we spent together? When you told me-
A tear fell down your cheek and hit the paper, your hands crumpling up the paper as you balled your hands into fists. You couldn't believe this was happening.
You kept reading but skipped down a few lines.
If you tell anyone about this, I'll kill you. But I'll kill them first. I don't know who they are quite yet, but I will find out. I'll take away everything you ever care about, just like you did when you left me.
I'm not letting you slip away again. I will get you back. And I will keep you this time.

You remembered the night you left him like it was yesterday, but you forced yourself to push the memory back down as far away as possible. You just stood in the middle of your living room, shaking, in anger or fear, you couldn't tell which. You didn't realize how long you'd stood there until your phone vibrating snapped you out of your stupor. You pulled it out of your pocket and clicked the screen, checking you new message.

New case. Urgent.
Of course. Now would be the time that you get a case.
You ran into your bedroom and pulled a black shoebox out from under your bed, opening it up. Inside was a small black photo album, which you shoved to the side and threw the envelope into the box. You wiped another stray tear away and put food in the bowl for your dogs. You grabbed your keys off the kitchen counter and headed outside into the parking garage.