"Wait a second...they're a thing?" Derek looked completely mortified.
Hotch nodded. "Which suddenly puts a target on Spencer's back."
"This guy and making out with celebrities," Rossi muttered. "But erm yes, I can see how that would be a motive."
"Wait, wait," JJ interjected. "It was fake though."
"The public doesn't know that."
"True but the two haven't been spotted publicly in over a month after," JJ hesitated. "What happened."
Emily shook her head. "They don't care. I say we look through all of her social media comments, emails, fanmail, and Spencer's personal contacts."
"Agreed." Hotch pulled out his phone. "Garcia."
"Already have a word scanner in Y/N's socials and am sorting through Reid's stuff."
"You're golden, baby girl," Derek called out.
"Anything for our boy wonder, huh?"
The room quieted.
"I'll call you when I get something."
"Here."
You looked up, a chocolate bar in front of you. "Pardon?"
Derek sat down across from you. "A magazine says you like these."
"I uh sure yeah I do, thanks." You unwrapped it, taking a bite.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" You asked between bites, covering your mouth as you spoke.
Derek exhaled. "I was quick to label you as a heinous bitch."
"Not the first time—which I guess says something about me too, so I apologize." Your eyes narrowed in on the man. "May I ask where this is coming from?"
"If Reid comes back—When Reid comes back, it's likely that I'll be seeing a lot more of you." The ghost of a smile spread across his cheeks.
Your lip quivered. "He doesn't know."
"Know what?"
"That I love him," you whispered.
The agent leaned back in his chair. "Shit."
"I was so adamant in not wanting anything because I was scared he wouldn't like me once we got together, like the mysterious appeal of me would be gone. Last time we spoke, I almost let it slip, but I just said nothing." You squeezed your eyes shut, fighting to keep your tears from spilling out. "Now I don't know if I'll ever hear his voice again."
Derek fished through his pocket, removing his wallet. "This isn't anything special but..." He slid a photo of a very young Spencer over to you. "I kept it for blackmail because of how stupid he looks but uh, the funny thing about loving someone is, you love them for their stupidness sometimes."
Your shaking fingers gently lifted up the photo, bringing it closer to your face for further inspection. "God, that hair..." A small laugh escaped your lips, quickly turning into a choked sob.
"We can't let you leave the building, but, if you want, you can hang at Reid's desk. Maybe it'll provide some sort of comfort."
You stood up, wrapping your arms around the man. "Thank you."
Derek's initial stiffness disappeared as he pat your back. "You're in the family now."
"I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I was a heinous bitch when we met...to all of you, but you're being so nice and calling me family and stuff and—Thank you. For all of it." You gave him a last nod, leaving the room and finding the desk covered in books.
You grinned as you observed the little doodles all over the folders and scratch paper sprawled across the desk. Your fingers slid across the spine of each book, not collecting an ounce of dust. "Of course."
You picked up a folder, trying to look at a sketch, but something else caught your eye.
It was you—well, a picture of you, that is. A terrible, terrible yearbook photo from high school.
Two can play at that game -S.R
You held the photo to your chest, laughing as your thumb traced over the writing—his writing.
"Nothing weird," Penelope sighed. "Well, besides the usual creeps in her comments."
Hotch exhaled. "And with Reid's stuff?"
"Whoever did Spencer's hair and makeup for his time fake dating Y/N is some magician because nobody seems to have recognized Reid." Penelope shrugged. "It's gotta be more personal than a typical celebrity stalker case."
"Look into her family history, association with former companies, maybe an old manager or something? Someone close to her." Hotch ran a hand through his hair. "Whoever it is knows she and Spencer are real."
"On it."
Hotch glanced into the bullpen, observing the sleeping woman, an open book against her stomach and Spencer's FBI jacket across her shoulders.
"This is a little unique." Penelope walked into the round table room, the team caffeinating for the 20th time that day. "Y/N is adopted. She's got 2 adoptive brothers, Jacob and Justin L/N, and a blood related brother who was adopted with her, Joshua L/N."
"Anything suspicious there?" Rossi asked.
"Jacob and Justin have alibis, they're in Beijing and London, respectively."
"Her parents?"
Penelope grimaced. "Gala in New York City."
"And her biological brother, Joshua?" Emily questioned.
"This is where stuff gets weird. I found an account under Iris L/N, and Iris is the name of the first character she ever portrayed." Penelope clicked a button, the screen switching to various screenshots. "This account sent monthly payments to Joshua—big ones at that."
"Some months there are multiple," Derek pointed out.
Penelope nodded. "I've been trying to figure that out, when I found a voicemail transcript from him to Y/N a month ago."
"Y/N, please call me back. I didn't mean it. You know that I support you, I'm the only person who truly does. I'm the only person who truly cares for you, your only real family. You're an actress through and through, and we'll work together to get you out of this slump, okay? You'll be ready for your next starring role in no time, and Spencer Reid is just holding you back! He's great, but you're a star. Call me, please."
"Jesus," JJ murmured. "Gaslight much?"
"It gets better," Penelope exhaled.
"Y/N, I'm getting annoyed now. You're reckless, you know? You endangered your career and your reputation without me! I forgave you every time you forgot my share of the payments and was patient with you, but you've let everything get to your head. If you don't call me, you'll regret it."
The agents glanced at each other.
"I think Prentiss and I need to pay a visit to Mr. L/N's house," Derek mumbled, standing up.
Hotch held out his hand. "No, we need more from Y/N. We can't let him know that we know, but we have no proof beyond this call. We just need a little more." The chief inhaled sharply. "Wake her up and bring her in."
Emily nodded, heading outside.
"I think we might've found our guy."