NanaSuchimura-You gave me quite the list of ideas and I just couldn't get over this one and have finally found time to write it! Thank you for your help! Enjoy!
You hummed as you washed the dishes in your apartment, your body swaying to the music playing in your ears, the outside world completely nonexistent. After finishing your last pot, you turned off the water and spun in a circle, closing your eyes as you strummed your air guitar, your head bobbing with the drums. Your socks slid on your laminate floors as you moved about your apartment without a care in the world.
But you were too busy enjoying your music to hear the click of your front door lock sliding out of its bolt hold. Or hear the creek of the door opening slowly, the shadow of your intruder blanketing your front hallway. You missed the sound of their feet squeaking on your clean floors or the sound of heavy breathing. Your back was to them as your arms chugged backward like a train while you attempted to do the moonwalk.
It wasn't until you backed into them and their hands grasped around your upper arms did you scream and turn around, yanking the earbuds out of your ears, your eyes wide with fear while your heart hammered wildly, your ears thundering with the sudden rush of blood almost as loud as your music. Fear nearly bubbled out in tears until you looked into their face.
"Jackson I swear to GOD you are the WORST brother EVER!" You hit his hard chest with every shouted word, your anger having a hard time staying plastered on your face as a smile tugged at your lips.
Your older brother, Jackson (L/n), lifted his hands in surrender as he chuckled. "Hey now, no need to assault the victim. If anything you should be apologizing to me. You not only forgot I was coming to visit today but I had to come home to you singing. I think it's time again I show you that video from tenth grade. Maybe that will refresh your memory to not sing, ever again."
You rolled your eyes and turned away from him, sticking one earbud back into your ear and turned down the volume a bit. "That threat doesn't work anymore. I, for one, am slightly worried you still have that ancient video."
Jackson shrugged a shoulder as he followed you into your office room, picking up random knick-knacks and placing them back in the wrong spot. "I figured they would be useful especially when your precious boyfriend thinks you are perfect. Five minutes with me and Ms. Soggy Pants will make a comeback. You are still dating that CIA, paper pusher, guy right?"
You placed some books back on a shelf, not even looking at him as you corrected him. "FBI, BAU Agent. And no, he's not my boyfriend." not yet anyway.
"FBI, CIA, BAU, LMNOP, same difference."
You turned to him and narrowed your eyes. "Why are you visiting anyways? Mom and dad's anniversary isn't until next month. Did you finally get that job you have been applying for?"
Jackson flickered his gaze to you as he folded his arms across his chest, leaning against the wall so he could look out the window, slightly moving your purple drapes with dirty fingers. "Actually I already have a job. Just got it two weeks ago. They needed me to scope out an area for the next gig, perfect weather, right vantage points, convenient resources, the works."
Your eyes widened as a smile grew on your lips. "Oh, so you got that show managing job!"
"I suppose."
You bounded forward and wrapped your arms around him, burying your face in his familiar chest. "I am so proud of you!" Your voice mumbled into his shirt. "I told you persistence was key! You leaned back and patted his arm. "Mom and dad would be so proud."
"Thanks. I think this place will be just fine." Jackson smiled.
You smiled in return, your nose crinkling as you stuck your tongue out at him. You turned to leave the office, turning the lights off on your brother as you headed to the laundry room to switch the loads. You focused on the music in your ear, missing the mumble under your brother's breath.
"This place will do just fine."
But the washer wasn't quite done so it was still loud when you entered the room, loud enough to muffle the sounds of struggle as two people fought for dominance but one of them gave up as the cloth on their mouth dipped in chloroform forcibly conformed them into submission.
The sound of a body being dragged gave way to the washer beeping off and shutting down as the load finished. The last thing left was the discarded set of Bluetooth headphones laying haphazardly on the ground, the sound of your favorite band blasting out of its small speakers and into the starkly quiet room unbeknownst to the rest of the world outside the fourth-floor apartment 880b.
~~~~~~~~
Spencer kept checking his phone, his face pinching each time he didn't see a text or a message or anything sent from you. Morgan tapped the end of a pencil on the top of Spencer's head, making the young doctor look up.
"You doing alright there Screwy Face? You've checked your phone like a million times. Have a hot date tonight?"
Spencer shook his head slightly. "Forty-eight times actually. And no, not a hot date. (Y/n) wanted me to help her with some history homework and offered to cook dinner as payment. I asked her when she wanted me to come over and she hasn't replied. Usually, she is quite attentive when it comes to planning."
Morgan smirked, lifting a shoulder. "Maybe she got sidetracked. Women tend to do that."
Penelope walked in right when he said that, earning him a nice swat on the back of the head. "That's because we have something in our brains other than sports and rep counts."
Spencer didn't find their banter funny as he scratched his face. "She does tend to get carried away with some projects but not like this."
Penelope heard the worry in his voice. "Not like what?"
Spencer held up his phone for them to see. "I asked her nearly a week ago."
Penelope's face grew white as she stared at the screen. "Are you sure?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Morgan took a step forward. "What is it PG?"
Penelope shook her head, swallowing hard. "I just spoke to her. Or at least received a text from her. It didn't sound like her but I didn't think anything of it. She doesn't have family in Texas does she?"
Spencer stood, shaking his head. "No. She doesn't have much family at all. An older half-brother and a few distant cousins. Both parents were only children. What did she say?"
Before Penelope could reply, Hotch, Rossi, and Emily entered, JJ was home with the flu. Hotch looked at everyone, his stern face not missing a thing. "Does this correspond with the case we were just assigned?"
Penelope walked to the front TV, turning it on as she nodded to their files. "You tell me."
Rossi picked up his file and sat down, stroking his beard as he read the abridged case. "'Four women from four different cities between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-three have been found in abandoned apartments with cuts and burns all over their bodies. Three possible unsubs. The women go missing right before their bodies are found. No indication if the unsub is male or female.'" Rossi let out a breath. "And am I correct to assume you think Miss (L/n) is now going to be our fifth victim?"
Penelope looked distraught, her eyes flickering to Morgan and Reid. But again, before she could say anything someone else spoke. Emily picked up where Rossi left off.
"'Reports from close friends and relatives say the victims would go day's without contact only to suddenly contact someone with an odd message that was later used to find the body of the victim.'" Emily looked up. "Penelope pull up those messages."
As Penelope did that, Spencer spoke, his eyes glazed and his mind working a mile a minute. "Where did we get called in?"
"Salina, Kansas," answered Hotch.
"And what did (Y/n)'s text to you say, Penelope?" Spencer asked quietly.
Penelope pulled up all the text messages, including yours. She explained them as she pointed to them. "The first was a dumpster truck. The second was a creek. The third was a bar. The fourth, a shopping mall."
"They all get progressively bolder," commented Emily in a soft voice.
Penelope nodded, swallowing. "And this," the fifth message filled the screen entirely, "is (Y/n)'s."
Spencer came out of his daze and narrowed his eyes at the screen. "'Texas is beautiful this time of year. Pity I'm too dumb enough to notice anything about it.'"
Emily shook her head. "That doesn't' make any sense."
Spencer's eyes widened suddenly. "Is that why you asked if she had any family in Texas?"
Penelope nodded. "But notice how hers is the only one that talks about a specific state. All the others elude to where they would be found." She pointed to the others. "'too bad I can't hold my liquor' and 'try swimming up a creek without a paddle'. This just says Texas."
Morgan shook his head as he leaned forward. "The second half. "Pity I'm too dumb enough to notice anything about it." I think that either has to do with us not noticing his actions, or their actions, or there is a place known for being forgotten."
"Where are her parent's buried?" Rossi asked, directing his question to Spencer.
Spencer went to stand at the large map of the US as he answered. "Fredericksburg."
"Never heard of it," Emily stated.
Rossi raised a brow, "Maybe that's the point."
"So are we sure this is all connected? That going to Fredericksburg is the next place?" Morgan asked as he looked at the file again.
Everyone held their breath as they looked to Hotch, their leader yet to say much of anything. He looked up and at every person, his eyes pausing on Spencer before he looked down at the file again.
"Penelope please get the-"
"Already done, sir. Jet is prepped and the destination is set. All they need is you guys," Penelope rambled as she nodded to everyone. She gave Spencer a tight smile. "Find her for me. I have never felt so strongly about this before."
Spencer nodded. He was doing his best to keep himself together as he tried not to think the worst. Instead, he and the others focused on deducing who the unsub was. But that didn't lessen the pain in his chest when he realized that the friendhsip he had for you wsn't what made him feel like charging Fredricksburg guns a blazing.
~~~~~
You closed your eyes and started humming your favorite tune as your mind tried to process everything that had just happened. You were bound to a chair by your wrists, ankles, and middle. You had a headache and your vision was slightly blurry. You remembered doing the dishes then talking to your brother then going to change the laundry then...nothing.
Your eyes widened as you heard muffled voices, one of them you recognized.
You were kidnapped by your own brother.
He was in the other room with his two goons as they planned to rob the area then take off again. To where, you knew not, but you did know that you weren't going with them. So that meant that...
you shook your head. No. You weren't going to think about that. Instead, you got a good look around you, trying to place the exact apartment you were in. You weren't sure for how long you've been here but only for the last two hours were you awake and free of your blindfold.
So far, you knew you were in Fredrickson, your hometown. That is until mom and dad passed away. Then you had to leave. You didn't want to stay when everything reminded you of them. Jackson had left before you and never contacted you until the past two years. It was weird. But you weren't about to try to figure him out and how he thought. You just wanted to get out of here.
Your head hung as tears slowly dripped out of your closed eyes, your song not working.
"Spencer," you whispered, "sorry I missed our study date. But please...come find me."
Suddenly one of the bedroom doors slammed open making your head shoot up. Your insides churned when you saw it was one of the goons you didn't care to learn the name of. He stalked toward you, his face learning as his gaze raked over you hungrily. You couldn't help but shiver as he leaned over you, his hands clasping over your wrists, his face inches from your own.
"Looks like the pretty princess is awake."
Your brother walked in, his cold gaze unchanging as he took in your frightened looks of desperate help. "Lay off Butch. Like I said, keeping her is going to be worth it."
The second goon came in, his small frame making him look like a kid. "Really? So they are coming."
Jackson smirked as he looked at you, nodding slowly. "The whole BAU team I hear is on their way. Looks like I'll be recognized finally."
You shook your head, keeping your breathing normal. "What do you want Jackson?"
He narrowed his eyes as he marched forward, his sudden change in mood making your chest thunder with fear. Jackson shoved Butch aside and took your face in his hand roughly, squeezing your cheeks and jaw between his thumb and fingers making you wince.
"What do I want? What do I WANT?!" He spat, his eyes on fire. "I want to be seen. To be known as somebody. I want a legacy. I don't want to be left in your shadow any longer. It took too long so now I'm speeding things up."
Your brows pinched. "Shadow," you managed through his grasp, "if anything I was in your shadow."
Jackson squeezed your jaw harder, making you whimper in pain. "Shut up and play your part princess. You should be thanking me that I'm going to allow you to say goodbye to your boyfriend before you see mom and dad again."
Tears leaked down the side of your cheeks as you hardened your eyes and yanked your face out of his hand. "He will kill you."
Jackson sneered but before he could reply the short man came running in, his face filled with fear. "They're here boss! They already have Butch!"
You looked at your brother, smiling knowingly. "See?"
"Get out there and stall them. This won't work if you all SCREW UP!" Jackson shouted. He turned to you and backhanded your face. "Shut up."
Then he untied you, but before you could run, the sounds of the BAU just down the hall, Jackson pulled out a gun. The cold metal pressed against your temple, making your body grow still enough to feel him silently cock the gun, the soft click echoing in your skull. But your hope was rekindled as your eyes stayed fixed on the doorway.
"Can he kill me with a gun against your head?" Jackson whispered harshly into your ear.
You swallowed hard. Spencer, I really hope you have been practicing with Morgan.
Prentiss showed up first, her dark hair pulled up out of her face. She made no show of surprise at seeing you a gunpoint. Next came Hotchner. His stern face was a glorious sight for scared eyes. But the relief the both of them brought you was nothing compared to what you felt when Spencer came sliding in, his eyes finding yours immidiatly.
"Jackson, let her go," Spencer said as he raised his hands, dropping the gun to the ground.
"No. First, you have to do as I say."
YOu all but rolled your eyes. You looked to Prentiss and moved your eyes to the back kitchen area where there was a door that lead into the same room. Assuming they took care of the two goons they should be free to roam the apartment.
Spencer kept Jackson engaged as Rossi and Prentiss moved back. Spencer glanced at you, his gaze earnest but his face passive. Very discretely he wordlessly mouthed to you.
"Hold on."
You nodded ever so slightly. Then the two of them talked, Spencer and Jackson. But it was short lived. Jackson was angry and Spencer was starting to run out of ways to appease him. Your body began to shake and your fear started to return.
"I swear if you move one more step closer I will blow her brains out, then yours!" Jackson yelled, his grip on you tightening.
You felt him press the gun closer to you, his hand shaking. "Jackson, please," you whispered.
But that was a mistake. He lifted the gun and smacked our head with the hilt, hard enough to give you stars but not knock you out. At the same time, the other agents came out the back door into the room scaring Jackson. But he was so far gone into his anger he started firing. Smoke and debris filled the air as bullets went flying. You fell to the ground with a cry as something hit your leg. That caused Jackson to let you go, his focus on the other agents.
It was a blur from then on until you were in Spencer's arms. You felt a prick of pain in your leg but nothing that would stop you from limping into his open arms as he came rushing over to you to the moment Jackson let go of you.
"I have you, shhhh, I got you. You're safe," Spencer whispered into your hair as he held you close, kissing your temple where the gun was once pressed.
You shook but you didn't cry. You buried your face in his chest and held onto him for dear life, committing his smell and feel to memory.
"I know this may be rushing things," you mumbled into his chest, "but can I please stay at your place now?"
Spencer laughed despite everything. He kissed the top of your head and nodded. "Yes, yes you can. You have quite the brother."
"Half brother. He was adopted."
Spencer pulled away placed his hands on your cheeks, stroking away some hair and tears off your face. "I understood that reference."
You smiled weakly then pushed up gently, bringing the two of you just a breath apart. "Thank you for coming to save me," you whispered.
"This wasn't the best way for me to realize I loved you but it doesn't change the fact that I do," he whispered back.
You smiled wider, "Ditto."
Then you kissed him. It was slow but sweet, gentle but full of promise. Spencer kissed you back, holding you close. But then he shifted making you do the same, causing you to call out in pain. Quickly he scooped you up in his arms, your head laying naturally on his chest.
"Hold on, let's get you looked at."
"My hero," you smiled as you kissed his jaw, then closed your eyes and began replacing this horrible memory with the parts that made you smile with a blush.
Ok, I had no intention of making this so long hahaha welp! I hope you liked it! I have two more personal ones on the way than a couple awesome other ideas from you guys. Can't wait to put them to paper! Oh and a reminder that all of February will be a bit slower due to my job BUT I will do my best to get at least one a week out for ya. And I promise they won't all be this long haha