White Lies ✓

21 - A Dangerous Backfire

Your Saturday was quite boring. You woke up early, getting ready and sitting at your kitchen table to make the now long list of chores you needed to get done on your weekend off. After mapping out your tasks for the day, you grabbed your purse and headed out the door. You stopped at the grocery store and the pharmacy, and the bookstore down the corner. You browsed the isle and caught yourself picking out a 'welcome home from rehab' book for Spencer. You smiled to yourself as you grabbed him a copy of The Illustrated Man.   You made your way home to start your inside chores. There had been no word from Spencer, you assumed he was busy too, preparing for his short stay at the rehab clinic. Selfishly, you wanted to be by his side through all this, but you knew Spencer, and you knew there were some things he'd rather do on his own, like pick which books he'd pack. You pushed him to the back of your mind as you started your laundry, and it seemed to work, filling your day with consuming chores in order to distract yourself. 

Sunday, however, you were awoken early, by the sound of someone knocking at your door. You thought maybe Spencer was stopping by to say goodbye, so you jumped from the bed and rushed to the door. But, when you swung it open, no one was there. Instead, there was a small piece of paper folded and set on your doormat. 

- Y/N                                                                                

Thanks for everything, see you soon.

                               - S.R.

Spencer's messy handwriting was immediately recognizable, and your heart dropped when you realized you wouldn't see him today. You turned around and trudged back into your apartment, shutting the door and going back to sleep for a few more hours. When you finally got out of bed for the day, you couldn't help but mope around the apartment. You made yourself some coffee and settled down on the couch, starting a movie. 

The first week of Spencer's absence wasn't as bad as you thought. You missed his academic arrogance at the beginning, but then the team was pulled away from the office to handle a big case in Idaho. There was no space in your mind for him, as you and the rest of the team were kept extremely busy for a few days, and you didn't even have the time to eat, let alone miss Spencer. Per his request, you fed the team his 'I'm going to visit my mother' excuse, and they knew enough about her medical condition to know not to press the subject. When the team finally came home from the Idaho case,  you and the girls of the BAU decided it was time for you all to spent an evening out on the town. Garcia planned the night, making reservations at a local resteraunt and coordinating a carpool. The night started out quite fun. The freedom that came with going out without the guys made you all feel giddy. The added excitement of JJ announcing her relationship with Will to the rest of the ladies kept you all happy. You were halfway through the meal when your phone rang. 

"Y/N?" Hotch said urgently. 

"Yes, sir?" You said, startled by the importance of his tone. The girls glanced over at you, realizing you were on the phone with Hotch. 

"I need you to pack as much as you can and come to the office immediately. Don't speak to anyone, don't go anywhere, come straight here. Understood?"

"What's happened, is everything okay?" You stood up and grabbed your purse, and your friends followed. Prentiss dropped some bills on the table and the four of you rushed outside. YOur heart dropped, and you could feel the nerves twisting in your stomach. 

"Sadly, It looks like you may be in danger. Get here as soon as possible." 

He hung up the phone and you turned to your friends. "Can you take me home? Something's wrong."

"Of course," JJ said immediately. The four of you piled into her car.

"What's going on?" Garcia asked 

You shrugged as you directed JJ to your apartment. "He wouldn't say, all he said was for me to pack as much as I could and come to the office, and that I was in danger." You shivered, thinking about what he meant. 

JJ drove a little quicker than allowed, and  parked in the front of the building. You led the way to your apartment and stepped inside quickly, with the girls right behind you. Without asking, Prentiss and JJ took a bag from under your kitchen sink and started towards your bathroom, packing your toiletries while Garcia helped you in your bedroom. She grabbed the duffle bag from the floor of your bedroom and helped you pack as much as you could. You walked to your closet and grabbed a second bag and filled that one as well.

"Whatever it is, we'll handle it," Garcia said quietly as the two of you left the bedroom. 

You smiled feebly. "I hope so." The feeling of imense dread settled into your chest. 

JJ and Prentiss met you in the living room, and handed you the bag of toiletries. You looked around your apartment one more time before leaving, with you heart pounding. You locked the door behind you and hurried out to JJ's car, remembering the strange warning in Hotch's speech.

"It looks like you may be in danger..."

JJ climbed into the drivers seat with Prentiss in the passenger, leaving you and Garcia to take the backseat. No one spoke as JJ started the drive, but Garcia did reach across the space between you and took your hand in hers. The second she touched you, tears welled in your eyes. If you didn't have her to hold on to, you'd definitely would have lost it by now. She smiled comfortingly, as best she could, as JJ parked the car. You rushed to the elevator with your friends by your side. Hotch met you in the conference room. Rossi and Morgan were already there, and they looked up at you in pity as you entered the room. Prentiss, JJ, and Garcia all took seats, but you couldn't bother to sit. You stood across the room from your boss. 

"Hotch, what's going on?"

He took a deep breath. "A body was found last night. Usually we wouldn't be called in on a single victim case, but there was something left at the scene that got us called in. Y/N, there was a reciept left at the crime scene with your name on it." 

"What?!" 

Hotch clicked a button on the remote on his hand, and an image appeared on the TV. A bloodsplattered receipt for one large popcorn and two sodas from the movie theatre by your house. Your heart leapt into your throat. 

"Oh my god." You collapsed into an open seat. "Julius."