CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SIX
CECILIA'S SOFT HANDS GRASPED the steering wheel as she accelerated at a green light, Spencer beside her in the passenger seat. His labored breath could clearly be heard by Cecilia, and the tapping of his fingers on the console of the SUV obviously signed that the boy was nervous.
"What's bothering you, Doctor?" Cecilia inquired, sparing a quick glance at Spencer, who's attention was so bluntly elsewhere. He'd been quiet the whole ride.
"I'm nervous about seeing my mom." He uttered, meeting the girls eyes shortly before turning his gaze back to the road in front of them. The furrow in Cecilia's brow was apparent.
"Spence." Cecilia let the nickname roll off her tongue. "I'm sure she'll be so happy to see you."
"It's not that, I don't think." He paused to think over a response, shyly studying Cecilia's profile while doing so. "It's just every time I see her, I feel so sad afterwards. Like there's more that I could do."
Cecilia frowned, her and Spencer hadn't been over the topic of his mother before that evening when they concluded the unsub was a woman with a serious mental illness. She hadn't asked what had ridden Spencer's mother in the mental hospital, and if he didn't want to tell her she was fine with that.
"You told me you write her letters everyday, Spence." Cecilia turned to look at him when her foot landed on the brake to stop at a red light. "And you don't have to take my word for it, but she's lucky to have you. So many people in those types of situations have nobody. You're doing as much as you can."
Spencer gave her a tight-lipped smile as a blush grew on his face. He wanted to know about her life outside of the work they did together. Wanted to know about her family. Did she have any hobbies? Pets? He pushed the thoughts to the back of his brain, and the car grew silent. His eyes jumped to Cecilia's hand as she reached for the volume knob when a song he didn't recognize started softly playing through the speakers. He intently listened to the lyrics, and mentally set a reminder for himself to look up the song later. Why did she like it?
The car was silent for a few more minutes, Cecilia's eyes would ever so often switch their gaze to the scenery they passed, large flamboyant buildings were placed all over Vegas. The clearing of Spencer's throat set her eyes back on the road again.
"Thank you— for um, reading to me last night." He stammered. "I didn't have any nightmares."
"I told you it would work!" Cecilia's bright smile lit up in front of his eyes, his enlarging to match hers. "You're welcome though, I'll read to you anytime. Just have to ask."
Cecilia's content smile warmed Spencer. For reasons he couldn't yet understand. It had been about two months since she had joined the BAU, and she just fit. Into his life, his work.
"Is this it?" Cecilia asked, turning over to the boy before letting her foot rest on the break.
"Yeah, this is it." Spencer said as he felt his brain fill back up with nerves. Cecilia looked over at him once again before exiting the vehicle.
"It's gonna be alright, Spencer." She reassured him, having to look up quite a bit to meet his eyes. His ears perked up and he smiled down at her slightly.
"You never call me by my full name." He shook his head to himself mainly. Cecilia squinted her eyes in confusion. The two continued to walk to the door.
"Oh, I guess I don't." She frowned in confusion. "If you don't want me to I won't, I'll call you anything you like." The words flew over Cecilia's head but Spencer felt his cheeks warm slightly, though he didn't have time to answer because they had stepped into the facility as her last words left her lips.
The atmosphere was, in Cecilia's honest opinion, a bit sad. It was very quiet and slow-paced. She looked around the room with a tinge of empathy in her heart for the people before her eyes. She noticed a kind looking older man walking there way.
"Dr. Reid!" His soft voice rang through the two's ears. "Your mom didn't tell me you were in town."
"She doesn't know I'm here. I'm working on a case." Spencer shook hands hesitantly with the man. Cecilia kept an awaiting smile on her face, waiting to be greeted.
"And who might this be?" The man smiled at her politely, Spencer also moving his eyes to Cecilia.
"I'm Agent Cecilia Ryder, sir." She stuck her hand out welcoming a handshake. "We actually have a few questions, we were hoping you could help us?"
"Of course." The man shook his head in agreement.
"Have you read about the recent child murder and second abduction?" Spencer asked, the man's eyes quickly filling with sympathy.
"Yes." He hoarsely let out, nodding sadly.
"We've come to the conclusion that the unsub is a woman." Cecilia continued. "She could've been institutionalized, but we have reason to believe she was released fairly recently. Right around the first abduction."
"What can I do?" The man in front of them questioned.
"I'm assuming you have a good relationship with the administration at other hospitals." Spencer stammered. "I know no one can open their files, but if you wouldn't mind just giving them the profile, that would be tremendous help."
Cecilia watched him as he spoke, trying to look up without being obvious. His hair had been growing quite rapidly the past two months, he had it resting to the side of his head slightly. Cecilia watched his mouth move around the words that were leaving his lips. He wasn't hard on the eyes to study. The last few words were said between the two men before the girl was brought back to reality.
"I want to chat with my mom for a moment if you don't mind." Spencer swallowed. "You can meet her if you'd like."
"I don't mind at all, Doctor. I'd love to meet her." Cecilia nodded at him with a smile. On the inside she was a little nervous. She hoped his mother liked her. She tried not to let her thoughts get the best of her as she followed him. His frame slightly moving in front of the woman's sight.
"Spencer." His mom spoke almost in disbelief as her eyes switched between the two of them. "What are you doing here? And who is this?"
"I'm here for work." He sat down after Cecilia assured him she could stand. "We're investigating the murder and abduction of two five year-old boys. This is someone I work with."
"I'm Cecilia Ryder, it's nice to meet you Ms. Reid." Cecilia introduces herself with a small wave earning a slight smile from the woman. Her heart frowned at the fact Spencer just introduced her as a co-worker, but then again what else would she be to him?
"I don't like the idea of you working on things that are so sad." Diane shook her head. "It's nice to meet you, Cecilia."
"I'll leave you two to catch up, I saw a coffee machine on the way in." Cecilia pointed in the general direction, figuring it was best to let Spencer explain things to his mom by himself. Spencer watching her leave.
"I know you don't mom." Spencer gave her a sad smile.
"You're so thin." She ignored the topic to analyze her son. "The girl you came with, I like the way she carries herself. Very kind I can see."
"She is very kind." He couldn't help his smile from widening. "I was going to come the second we solved the case."
The two carried on a conversation. While Cecilia was fiddling with the coffee machine in the front. Noticing the cookies that were panned out, she decided to grab one for herself, and Spencer's mom. She waited for about fifteen minutes before she returned to the two, seeing Spencer was already waiting for her by the doorframe.
"We got to go, I figured something out." Spencer rasped out as soon as her figure was close enough.
"Alright, let me drop something off to your mom first." She smiled at his small hint of confusion before walking over to where Diane was sat at a table.
"It was so lovely to meet you Ms. Reid, I got you a cookie as a parting gift. Saw they were warm." Cecilia placed the gooey baked good in front of the woman, she looked up at her with a smile on her face.
"Thank you, dear. These are my favorite." Diane reaches out to pat Cecilia's hand. "Now you take care of my boy, and yourself for me."
"I promise, Ms, Reid. Have a great day." Cecilia waved before she walked off, with a content smile on her face. Spencer's eyes were furrowed at her in confusion but also in admiration.
"You got her a cookie?" Spencer asked, to which the girl just nodded.
-
Spencer sped down the freeway to the unsub's house. About five minutes ago Cecilia's phone rang and the two had gotten word of where the team was heading. Spencer had offered to drive, and Cecilia had no doubts that he could do it better than her. Her eyes landed on a ranch-like house, and she notified Spencer that she had seen it. The two grabbed their vest and struggled to get them on in time before they slid out of the SUV. Cecilia following closely behind Spencer as they ran to the house.
"Clear." Spencer spoke to her tilting his head in a way of direction for her. She made her way to the opposite side of the house, making eye contact with him again for reassurance.
She turned the corner sharply, scanning her eyes across the hall. The atmosphere didn't sit right with Cecilia and she cleared every room feeling uneasy. Until, Spencer's voice rang through her ears.
"I found Micheal!" He signaled and Cecilia let out a deep sigh as she raced to find Spencer and the boy. Once she found them she bolstered her gun as to not frighten Micheal. Her eyes landed on Spencer with the boy in his arms tightly. Her heart leaped a bit at the sight. The two of them met eyes and held their gaze for multiple seconds before leaving the room together.
Everything went smoothly and the boy was returned to his parents. Cecilia removed her vest as she walked to the SUV. Her eyes caught sight of Spencer walking towards her, and she smiled at him in a way that made Spencer tense up slightly.
"You did good today, Doctor." She rested her back on the hood of the black car. Him stepping to rest beside her.
"Thank you, Lia." Their closeness didn't go unnoticed by either of them. "I think I'm gonna stay with my mom tonight."
"That's a great idea Spence." She couldn't help but smile at her nickname. "Rossi had a plan for sushi, you aren't missing out on anything except watching Hotch miserably fail at using chopsticks."
"There isn't anything wrong with not being able to use chopsticks." He furrowed his eyebrows in a joking manner causing Cecilia to let out a warm giggle.
"You can't use chopsticks can you?" She rested her hand on his shoulder as she continued laughing.