Criminal Minds 1. The Lounge

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After a long, tiring work week it was finally Friday. That only meant one thing, party time.

Gabrielle was a work hard play hard kind of girl and that was exactly what she was intending on this humid night in Virginia. She went to school full time and worked part time as an assistant manager at a high end retail store. And no matter how expensive or high class the store was, working retail sucked, it was just a fact. Her weekends were her escape, when she had no homework, and she looked forward to them.

Tonight it was a night out with the girls at a popular club, The Lounge. She had purchased an outfit just for tonight and she was excited to wear it. It was a simple black dress that had one long sleeve and was missing the other on the right shoulder. It was form fitting and stopped above her knees, a little lower than mid-thigh. Her accent pieces consisted of a dark blue bracelet with gold on the inside, black pumps, dark blue flower earrings, and a dark blue clutch. Her makeup was dark and smoky accentuating her vibrant green eyes, her lips nude; just a few shades darker than her olive skin.

Standing in front of her long body mirror she smiled fluffing her thick, brown wavy hair, running her fingers through it and letting it fall around her face naturally. She smiled, pleased with what she saw. She loved getting dressed up, like most girly girls.

Grabbing her phone from her nightstand she checked the time which read, _10:49 p.m._, and quickly stuffed it in her clutch walking quickly out of her room. She didn't want to be too late or her friends would start drinking without her.

Exiting her apartment, locking the door behind her, she quickly walked down the hall passing the other apartment rooms on her way to the stairs. Anticipation was tickling in her stomach and she couldn't keep the smile off of her face. As she entered the lobby she noticed there were a couple students sitting around a table studying. It was nice to see such young kids taking their education seriously, even if they waited so late to hit the books.

Stepping outside of the building she walked to the street and hailed a cab by waving her arm out. The yellow vehicle pulled over and she opened the back door, thanking the driver for stopping.

The older man turned to her. "Where to Miss?"

"The Lounge, please." She said while buckling herself in.

He nodded and pulled away from the curb, driving down the road faster than he should have been. "Seems to be the place to go tonight." He said with a hint of amusement.

She laughed. "I'm not surprised." She said sending out a message to her friends, saying she would be there soon.

After a while the driver spoke again. "Well, be safe young lady, world is getting more and more dangerous." He said pulling over in front of the club.

Gabrielle handed him the amount she owed and smiled politely. "Thank you." She said exiting the cab, closing the door behind herself and entering the club.

After waiting in line and paying the entry fee she got her mustache stamp so she could leave and go without paying again and went straight to the bar. She saw a group of three girls standing around and laughing all dressed in too short dresses and a face full of makeup.

"Glad to see you all are having fun without me." She said pushing her hair away from her face and leaning against the bar, a smirk on her face.

The girls turned to face her, all smiling. When they made eye contact with her they all greeted her, some sounding more excited than others.

"Hello to you too." She said happily. "Were any of you kind enough to bu—" Before she finished her sentence the blonde, Madison, put her hand out towards her, a pink drink in it.

"It's strawberry shortcake, we thought you'd like it." She said taking a sip of her blue drink.

Gabrielle took the drink and took a sip. "Mm, thank you." She moaned out. It was absolutely delicious. "Now, shall we dance?" She inquired, quirking her eyebrow and heading to the dance floor. She knew it was going to be an awesome night.

/\/\/\

A couple hours had passed and in that time she consumed one too many drinks and thankfully last call was announced when she was too far to hear or she would have consumed one more. 2 a.m. had come fast and the club was still packed, bodies pressed up against each other covered in shimmer and sweat. Everyone always came to the club looking like models and left looking like trolls.

Gabrielle stumbled away from the crowd, Becky and Ashley right behind her, breathing heavily. She leaned against one of the mirrored pillars and looked back at them with a small smile. "I need to get going or I'm going to end up sleeping here." She shouted trying to speak over the blaring music.

The two girls pouted. "We are going to stick around a little longer, see if we can get a hook up like Madison." Ashley said with a wink. Madison had left an hour earlier with some guy who bought her a drink. Gabrielle loved her friends but that was one thing she wasn't so fond of. As soon as a guy was nice to them, they were sold and their panties were off. She wasn't into that.

"Have fun with that." Gabrielle said a little sarcastically.

Becky rolled her eyes. "We will. Come on, Ashley." She said grabbing her arm and pulling her away.

Gabrielle scoffed before collecting herself and leaving the club. The fresh air was instant relief from the muggy stale smell of body sweat. She took a deep breath and let her body cool down before making her way to the sidewalk.

"Hey, are you waiting for a cab?" A deep voice came from behind her making her jump.

She turned to face the unfamiliar male. He was tall and had too tanned skin for being in Virginia. She immediately wondered if the tan was real. Taking her eyes away from his skin she looked up to his face, him being a few inches taller than her 5'8". His eyes were grey and his nose was big, the bridge arching outwards instead of in. His ears stuck out on the sides of his head and his lips were paper thin, maybe because he was smiling.

"Yeah, I am." She finally answered.

"Would you mind if I ride with you? It's so hard getting a cab this time of night." He said moving his arms too much. The way he moved was so awkward, like he practiced.

Gabrielle didn't particularly want to share a cab. "Where do you live?" She asked hoping it was in the opposite direction so she could decline.

"I live on Foster Road." He answered hesitantly.

She sighed. "That's on the way to my apartment." She said begrudgingly. "So it's okay if we share."

He beamed at her, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Great, I'm lucky to get to share it with you." He said licking his lips. "Thank you…" He left the end of his sentence open, looking at her expectantly.

"Look, I'll share a cab with you but that's it." She said not giving her name. "I hope that isn't rude, I'm just not in the mood." And he totally wasn't her type.

There was an awkward pause and she could see his jaw clench, his eyes darkening in a way that made her stomach churn, but she just assumed it was the alcohol. "Okay, understandable." He said calmly.

Gabrielle turned away from him feeling uncomfortable and stared out at the street.

"You know…I change my mind." He said slowly. "It is rude."

Before she could turn around she felt something sharp poke her in the upper thigh. Unable to react to the intrusive object before the burning started spreading through her leg and she gasped out, her hands flying to the area. "What the fuck!" She cried out. As she turned to him, she felt everything spin. "Oh God." She felt her vision blurring and she couldn't stop her knees from buckling as she collapsed towards the ground, but a pair of strong arms caught her around her middle and everything went black.

((Let me know if I should continue or not.))


	2. Not to be Rude

**((Thank you for the reviews and all the views and favs/alerts! Adds fuel to my fire :]. So without further ado, chapter two!))**

"Hey, I was thinking of having a little get together tonight." Morgan announced loud enough for everyone in the office to hear. "Who's down?" He asked walking away from the coffee station, mug in hand, a smirk on his chocolate features.

Prentiss turned and gave him her attention, leaning back in her chair casually. "Well, that depends on where you're going." She said sounding interested.

J.J. peaked over the glass that separated her desk from Prentiss's, wanting to hear the details.

Morgan shrugged, leaning against his desk. "I was thinking of Silhouette?" He suggested, looking at the two female profilers.

"Silhouette is a club that draws in more women than men," Reid said approaching the trio, his head down looking at a newspaper article.

Morgan laughed. "Exactly why I would go there." He said in his low, gruff voice.

Reid quirked his eyebrows, "I guess I see your point." He mumbled taking a seat at his desk.

J.J. wrinkled her nose in distaste. "How about we go to The Lounge? It's pretty popular on weekends." She suggested.

Prentiss shook her head. "That place is littered with college students."

Morgan sighed. "Look, I'll decide where we go. Are you in or out?"

"We have a new case, everyone meet in five." Hotch said walking past the open office space, holding a stack of manila folders in his hand, Garcia on his tail. The expression on his face was serious, as usual but his expression seemed a little angry.

"Guess that means out." Prentiss said standing from her desk.

The team didn't hesitate to get up and follow him to the briefing room taking a seat around the oval table. Hotch passed around the stack of manila folders until everyone had a folder. They opened the folder and read up on the case that Garcia was currently pulling up on the large screen television.

"Alright." She began holding the remote in her hand, pointing towards the screen. "So what he have here today is a case that is in our own backyard." She said pulling at her bright yellow cardigan. "In the past four months eleven girls have been found on popular beaches in several states. Three in Maryland, three in South Carolina, three in Delaware, and now two in Virginia."

Morgan frowned and looked over to Hotch. "Why are we just hearing about it?"

Prentiss seemed just as confused. "They waited until eleven bodies piled up before thinking of calling us?" She seemed exasperated.

"They weren't sure it was the same unsub until they found out one little creepy detail." Garcia said wrinkling her nose and furrowing her brows. She switched slides and on the screen eleven images popped up. All of the back of the victims heads. "He shaves off a lock of each girl's hair, right at the nape of their necks."

"So he's keeping souvenirs from each kill?" J.J. spoke now looking up from the case file.

Garcia nodded. "And it also seems after being examined this slink is raping and torturing these poor girls for days. It seems the girls go missing for about a week until the wind up on a beach and three days later another girl that has a striking resemblance to the last goes missing."

"Well clearly he is disorganized." Morgan stated. "He tortures these girls for his own sexual release and once he's done he dumps the bodies, not bothering to even hide them."

"Maybe he wants them to be seen?" Reid offered not pulling his eyes away from the file. "Wants attention drawn to the work he has done."

"That's unusual for a sexual sadist. They usually conceal their crimes not flaunt them." Rossi said.

"Maybe whatever triggered him to start killing is why he is dumping the bodies in public places?" Morgan questioned.

Reid nodded. "And maybe why all the women look so much like each other."

"Our current victim is a Gabrielle Evans, twenty-four year old college student at Strayer University." Hotch said. "She has an apartment in Fredericksburg, Virginia and was last seen leaving a popular club, The Lounge and never showed up for work the following Monday which is out of character for her."

"Yeah, when her employer tried to contact her and couldn't get ahold of her they called the police and searched her apartment. They couldn't find any signs of a struggle or burglary." Garcia added.

Prentiss put her hands on the table top, frown still on her face. "So when she left the club is when something happened to her. But what?"

"Well she is an attractive girl, maybe she was going home with someone?" J.J. suggested.

"We have interviews setup with some of her friends that were at the club with her on Friday night." Hotch said standing up from the table. "The unsub is keeping his victims for 7 days and it's already Wednesday, we have forty-eight hours to find her."

Everyone stood from the table and left the room to prepare themselves for the case and upcoming interviews.

/\/\/\

How many days had passed? How much pain could she continue to endure? She wished for death several times but was not granted such a pleasantry, only more pain.

The sound of a familiar door opening sounded in the small room and she closed her eyes tight.

"Good evening," he greeted calmly. "Tomorrow is the day." He said approaching her, a smile on his face. He sat down on the bed and she opened her eyes and moved as far away from him as the chain around her ankle would allow.

"The day for what?" She questioned, her voice croaked as she spoke.

"I take what you hold precious." He put his hand on her leg and she quickly drew them towards her body, hugging them against her chest, a look of shock and disgust on her face.

"I won't let you!" She cried out. She couldn't stop the tears from coming, streaming down her cheeks and collecting at the end of her chin. "Please, please just let me go." She begged. "I didn't do anything to deserve this."

The smile on his face quickly faded to a look a disgust. "Exactly! What you didn't do is _why_ you deserve this." He growled.

"I'd rather die." She spat.

"Oh, you will." He assured. Looking down at his wrist reading the silver watch that was latched on he stood quickly. "I've got to go." He said rushing out of the room pulling the door behind him with one hand.

Gabrielle stared at the door with wide eyes. She knew she had heard him right but she couldn't accept it. She couldn't have expected him to keep her around forever but a little part of her anticipated that. She moved quickly towards the chain attached to the wooden bed frame and immediately started to tug on it. She refused to die in this shithole, she had too much to live for. Her heart was pounding so hard it was becoming difficult for her to think. With her death sentence less than 24 hours away she didn't have time to wait any longer. Adrenaline pumped through her and she leaned back and kicked at the wooden frame repeatedly.

Thoughts of her family and friends plagued her mind and she kicked harder at the wood. "Come on. Come on!" She shouted and with one last kick the wood cracked and bent away from the frame. Tears of joy came as she was overwhelmed with emotions. But she didn't have time to relish in her small accomplishment.

She stood from the bed, nearly collapsing as she felt how weak her body actually was. She gathered all the strength she could muster and pulled the chunk of wood away from the bed until it completely gave and separated. She was about to drop the wood when she thought of how much noise it would make. She cursed and knew she was forced to carry it.

Cautiously she made her way to the door and her heart swelled seeing light shining through the smallest crack. She could feel her body throbbing all over and she prayed she could make it out because if she had to fight, she knew she wasn't going to make it.

Taking a deep breath as she tried to maintain what courage she had gained from her freedom, she opened the door and slowly stepped out into the hall. She looked around and tried to figure out where she was. The walls were cement as was the flooring. She saw going to the right led her to a dead end so she ventured left using the wall as her support. After a while she found a stairwell that led to a hatch. Looking around she climbed up the stairs and paused. Could she do it? Could she face him if he was up there waiting? Fear spread through her body like a wild fire and she laid on the stairs, resting her head on the top step. What would he do if he found her? She couldn't take any more pain. She couldn't gather her nerve.

She wasn't one to quit though. She reached up and placed her hand on the hatch. If she tried to escape, there was a possibility she would be killed but if she stayed there was no chance she would survive. She pushed up on the hatch and it slowly opened, there was something on top of it that made it hard to open and covered it like a cloak. Crawling out, she pushed it aside and was nearly blinded by the sunlight pouring in from the windows. She stumbled onto the hardwood floor of what looked like a living room and let the hatch close behind her. Looking down she noticed that a rug had been covering it and she quickly pulled it back over it.

She made her way through the surprisingly well lit house and found her way to the front door. She ran to it and reached out for the door knob when it jiggled. Her heart flew to her throat and she took an immediate step back. She could hear keys jingling on the other side and without hesitation she ran down the hall towards a stair case she had passed. The sound of a door creaking filled her ears and she was nearly crippled with fear.

"Hey!" His voice sounded behind her and she turned into the kitchen knowing she wouldn't make it to the stairs fast enough. She looked around quickly and saw a knife set by the sink and grabbed the meat cleaver from it, turning to the entrance and holding it out shakily.

When he came into view she gripped the knife tightly. "Stay back!" She warned. "I swear—I fucking swear if you come closer I will _kill you_!" She screamed taking a step to the side to get closer to the entrance.

He laughed. "No you won't, Gabrielle. You don't have it in you."

"Shut up!" She screamed. "Just stay away from me you fucking creep."

Rage filled his face and he lunged forward grabbing her by the throat and slamming her into the counter. She cried out as her back connected hard with thick counter behind her and she dropped the wood and chain grabbing his wrist and trying to pry it off.

"You stupid bitch!" He squeezed tighter. "You think you can just leave me!"

Gabrielle raised the cleaver and sliced down at his shoulder, the blade went in so smoothly it felt as if she hadn't hit him at all but when he cried out she knew she had. He released her instantly and fell to his knees, one hand pressed tightly on the bloody wound. Gabrielle turned and ran from him when she felt a tug around her ankle and she fell to the floor. She turned to see him holding on to the wooden block, wrath burning in his eyes.

She turned her body towards him and sliced the cleaver down towards him making contact with his wrist. The blade sliced through his skin like melting butter. He released her and she scurried off the floor and sprinted towards the front door which was wide open. She could hear him behind her which only made her move faster.

That was all the motivation she needed to run out of the house and down the steps into the street. She didn't stop running. Even though her body was screaming at her to stop and the pavement was scraping her feet, she didn't stop. She could hear him slowing behind her and she pushed harder. She could hear cars driving and she turned the corner and saw a busy road. She ran out towards it, waving her hands trying to get one of them to stop.

"Please…" she said aloud as she neared the street. "Please stop!" She cried out. Why weren't they stopping? Couldn't anyone see she needed help? She ran out into the street causing cars to slam on their breaks. "Help me!" She screamed slamming her hands down on the hood of the cars that were backing up to speed away from her in panic. "What's wrong with you people?"

She heard the sound of tires screeching and a siren ringing, she turned to see a cop car. She moved quickly towards it, running down the center lane ignoring the cars screeching to a stop to avoid hitting her. "Please officer, help me!"

/\/\/\

"When did you last see Gabrielle Evans?" Prentiss asked a young blonde girl, who was clearly upset.

"Friday night at The Lounge," Ashley said dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "We hung out all night but she left on her own. Becky and I stayed behind." She cried. "If we would have been there with her this wouldn't have happened."

Prentiss touched the girls hand in a comforting way. "Don't blame yourself. There is nothing you could have done and this is not your fault." She reassured. "Now, can you tell me if anyone talked to her at all while you were out? Anyone hanging around you girls?"

Ashley thought for a moment before shaking her head. "No, the only one who left with a guy was our friend Madison. Besides, Gabrielle wouldn't leave with a stranger."

Outside the room standing behind the one way glass were Reid and Morgan, listening in on the interview. "This abduction was high risk. This girl has a lot of friends, works, and stays in close contact with her family." Morgan stated taking a sip of his coffee.

"All of these abductions were high risk, all of his victims were college students." Reid said.

The door behind them opened suddenly and J.J. stepped in. "Guys, Hotch wants you to get to the hospital _now._" She said hurriedly. "They found the girl."

"Let Prentiss know so she can let that girl go." Morgan said rushing out of the room alongside Reid.

Upon their arrival at the hospital, they met up with Hotch who was speaking to a doctor, it seemed he had just gotten there as well.

"Hotch, did they really find her?" Morgan asked in a hushed tone.

"Thank you doctor," Hotch said before turning his attention to his two teammates. He looked stressed. "Yes. It's definitely her. A cop saw her waving down cars off of Jefferson in Fredericksburg." He sighed. "She has endured a lot and is refusing treatment. I don't know if she will talk to us but we need questions answered so let's go."

Walking into the room they saw her sitting on the edge of the hospital bed with her head in her hands. The shorts and tank top she was wearing were tattered and bloody and were a size to big, hanging loosely on her worn down body.

"Ms. Evans, I'm Agent Aaron Hotchner, this is Agent Derrick Morgan, and Dr. Spencer Reid. We are with the FBI and would like to speak to you if you are up to it." Hotch spoke softly and gently not wanting to trigger anything with the girl.

Gabrielle remained on the bed not moving from the position she was in.

What did they want from her? She couldn't stop the tears from flowing from her eyes and into her hands. "I don't want to be here." She sobbed out. No more poking, no more prodding, no more strangers touching her body. She clenched her fists and wrapped an arm around her middle, the other still covering her eyes. "I don't want to be around anyone. I didn't ask for this!" She turned to the three men revealing her face that was dirty with dried tears and blood.

"And you didn't deserve it." Morgan said. "But if you can help us, we can catch this son of a bitch and stop it from happening to anyone else."

"Anything you remember at all can be helpful, even if it doesn't seem important to you it can aid us tremendously." Reid said.

Her face contorted into anger. "Why didn't you stop it before he got to me?" She growled. "Why didn't anyone try to find me?" She sobbed. "Get out, I don't have anything to tell you." She said pulling her legs under the covers, the chain still around her ankle, and pulling the covers over her body.

"People were looking for you. You were the reason we got called to this case." Hotch said turning towards the door. "Sorry to have disturbed you." He added before leaving the room with Morgan and Reid close behind.

After getting a few steps away from her door Morgan spoke up. "What are we supposed to do when our only living victim doesn't cooperate?" He asked following behind Hotch.

"We took a chance by talking to her in the first place." Reid said. "She just escaped from a sadistic killer. Chances are she hasn't even processed what happened and she probably doesn't want to." He knew that feeling well.

"I understand that, but she is the key to stopping these murders." Hotch said. "Reid, I want you and J.J. to come back here in the morning and try to talk to her. See if she is willing to talk."

**((Don't forget to review and tell me what you think! Thanks.))**


	3. Why?

**((Hellooooo. Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm going to try my best to write a chapter every day and post every other day if I can! Knowing that you like it is what keeps me writing! Thanks again and let me know what you think!))**

Nighttime passed and morning had come all too quickly. Gabrielle lay wide awake in the hospital bed staring at the wall across from her. Every time she tried to sleep her mind was flooded with images of _him_ and that cold, dark room. There was nothing left in her but fear and anger. She had gone over it in her head a million times just trying to figure out, _why?_ She must have done something in her life time to deserve what he did to her. Someone she was mean to or didn't help when she could have?

The sound of a door sliding open snapped her from her thoughts and she sat up quickly to see who was entering. She recognized the slender male but couldn't recall his name. She did not recognize the blonde, thin woman who accompanied him. She stared at the two of them adjusting herself on the bed so she was leaning against the raised bed.

"Hello, Ms. Evans." The blonde greeted with a soft smile. "I'm Agent Jennifer Jareau from the FBI, you met Dr. Spencer Reid yesterday." She moved towards her bedside carefully, sitting in the chair next to her. "We have a few questions for you, if you're up for it?"

Gabrielle glanced between J.J. and Reid before finally settling on J.J. She had been so angry the previous night she hadn't even considered helping these people. Quite frankly she was still angry, but she felt so many other emotions as well. Enough to keep her from reacting the way she had. "I don't know what you want from me." She said in a hushed tone.

J.J. smiled as Reid took a seat against the wall, his notepad in hand. "I just need you to answer a couple questions." She said softly. "Can you do that?"

Gabrielle looked over to the young Doctor, which she was a little curious about him being a doctor, he couldn't be much older than herself. He was scribbling something down on his notepad. "You aren't going to put it in the paper, right?" She questioned, wondering what he was writing.

Reid took notice in her gaze and he held the notepad up. "It's just for us." He assured with a small smile, pointing to the top which read pre-printed, _FBI USE ONLY_.

She nodded. "I'll answer what I can." She said looking back to J.J.

J.J. seemed genuinely pleased and for some reason that irritated Gabrielle but she contained it. "Great." J.J. said. "But before we get started I have a question." Her expression became a little serious. "Why aren't you accepting medical treatment? Don't you think getting examined would be a good idea?"

Gabrielle frowned, almost glared at her. Why was she so angry at a simple question? She put her hand to her head trying to calm down before lashing out but it seemed impossible. She heard a chair suddenly scrape against the linoleum flooring and she looked up quickly.

"Are you feeling sick?" It was Reid's voice, he looked concerned.

She opened her mouth to speak but she couldn't decide what she wanted to say. She wanted to say she was fine as was the default answer to give. But she wasn't fine. "No, I'm not."

J.J. perked up suddenly feeling her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out and stood from the chair. "I'm sorry, I'll be one minute." She said exiting the room while answering her phone. "Go ahead, Garcia."

Reid sighed and sat back down in the chair. "You really should be properly examined by a doctor. 72 Americans die each day, 500 Americans die every week and approximately 2,175 Americans die each month because they won't get examined by doctors."

"I can't…" She whispered tangling her fingers in her thick messy hair. "I can't take anymore…_touching_."

The look she was giving him made his heart wretch. "You're a smart girl, Gabrielle. You know the doctors only want to help you." Reid assured. He knew it wasn't professional to refer to her by her first name but he could tell by her body language that she preferred it. "It's imperative you get looked at to make sure any damage that may have been inflicted on you isn't long lasting or at risk for infection." He could see she still wasn't convinced. Her gaze was on him but it was distant and her body language was tense, like she was expecting something to happen at any moment. "I-I can stand – be outside the room—or someone can—if that would make you more comfortable? You can trust us." He watched as her shoulders relaxed a little and he fought a smile.

She looked at him hesitantly unsure if what she was going to ask would be too much of a complete stranger. But he had offered…"Can you?"

Reid's brows furrowed together in slight confusion. "I'm sorry, I don't understand. Can I what?"

She looked away from him feeling her heart race at the thought of him refusing her request. She didn't want to be left alone. She closed her eyes tight and put her palms to her forehead trying to remain calm.

Reid stood from the chair again and moved to the one that was beside her bed. "Gabrielle, take a deep breath. I know you are overwhelmed right now." He tried to soothe, feeling a bit awkward. He wasn't very good at comforting many people, unless it was with facts. "Can I what?"

She looked to him with slight desperation. "Stay while they look." She caught his gaze and kept it. "Please?"

Reid felt as if he had suddenly swallowed a spoonful of cinnamon. He blinked a few times before spitting out what sounded to be a yes. He shook his head and composed himself. "Of course."

The door slid open and J.J. re-entered slipping her phone into her pocket. She smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I couldn't miss that." She said walking back over to the bedside as Reid silently took his spot in the chair against the wall again.

"Now, tell me if the questions get to be too much, okay?" J.J. said with the same polite smile when Gabrielle nodded. "What do you remember before being abducted?"

Gabrielle looked down at the bed as she searched her memory. "I-I remember leaving the club…The Lounge. It's me and my friend's favorite club." She said trying to focus. "I wanted to leave before they did, I had too much to drink that night. I normally limit myself but I didn't for that time for some reason."

"Did he approach you at all during your time there?" She asked.

Gabrielle shook her head. "No. The first time I had seen him…" She frowned trying to piece together her night. It seemed like so long ago. "Oh! Outside the club." She said perking up. "I was trying to get a cab and he asked to share!" She shook her head. "But I don't remember getting in the cab."

"Do you remember what he looked like?"

Gabrielle took a deep breath and clenched the covers tight as his face flashed in her mind, a wicked grin plastered on it. "White, dark hair." She choked out trying to stay calm.

"He isn't here, Gabrielle, it's just us here. We won't let him hurt you." Reid spoke up.

She nodded and let out a breath she had been holding, her fists still clenched tight. "He was tall, a lot taller than me." She stared ahead as she went over his image in her mind. "Grey eyes, when I looked in them I felt like he was looking through me. It always gave me goosebumps." She swallowed hard, closing her eyes tight. "He had a—a big jaw but it was so round, it made his bottom teeth stick out further than his top." She could feel her hands starting to shake from how tightly her hands were clutching the covers. "And his smile…" She felt her heart racing. "His smile!" She cried out. "Was so evil!"

J.J. stood from her chair, followed by Reid and put her hands on Gabrielle's shoulder. "It's okay! It's okay, he isn't here." She said over her hysterical sobs.

The door slid open and a doctor nearly sprinted in. "What's wrong with my patient?" He asked trying to see what was happening.

J.J. removed her hands from Gabrielle who was now silently crying. "Reid, can you?" She said gesturing towards Gabrielle as she walked out with the doctor.

Reid threw his hands out in exasperation. "Can I what?" He muttered to himself in frustration. But when he looked over to Gabrielle he quickly understood. Sighing he moved over to her and awkwardly put a hand on her shoulder. "I know it's hard to remember." He said in a hushed tone. "And I'm sorry we have to ask so much of you so soon." But it was so important that got the information while it was still fresh in her mind, before she had time to block it out.

Gabrielle turned to Reid grabbing his shirt and pulling him close to her as she cried. "Why did this have to happen?" She sobbed. "Why me?"

Reid looked down at the woman clutching to him with all her might and his heart ached with empathy. "I wish I knew the answer." He said wrapping his arms around her, trying to comfort her to the best of his ability.

**((Tell me what you think! Oh—the chapters are a little short only because I really want to get the story moving. When things thicken they will get longer :] ))**


	4. Examination

**((I have never done so much research on a story before haha. I really hope you are enjoying this because I am working pretty hard on it! If there are typos in this chapter, I will come back and fix it—for now I just want to get it up ;D. So please read and review! Thanks!))**

It had been over an hour since J.J. had left the hospital and Reid was starting to wish she had stayed behind to at least keep the air from being as tense as it was. He had no idea what to say to the damaged girl before him, waiting apprehensively for the doctors to exam her. He was starting to get irate with how much time they were taking. It couldn't possibly take that long to prepare for a simple examination. As a matter of fact, he knew it didn't take that long.

"This is fucking ridiculous." Gabrielle finally spat, breaking the silence.

Reid couldn't have agreed with her more. "But it's necessary." He said calmly.

"I'm clearly not dying." She disagreed.

Reid gave her his full attention. "That may be so but without knowing the extent of damage your body has suffered you can't be treated, or treat yourself suitably."

Gabrielle glared at him, but the look he gave her in response made her feel immediate guilt. She growled and laid back hard into the pillow behind her. "Sorry." She muttered bitterly. He was doing her a favor after all, she didn't need to be rude to him but anger was the only thing keeping her from crying.

Reid shook his head. "No need to apologize." He said sincerely. Lashing out was just a way of coping from a traumatic experience. Even though he didn't necessarily want to be the target of her anger, since he certainly didn't deserve it, he was far from offended by her words and actions. "I honestly think you are handling yourself quite well, so please worry about how you are feeling and not myself." He was waiting for a serious episode from her though,

Gabrielle looked at him warily. "I'm not a bad person and I don't want to come across as one." She said dropping her gaze when his eyes met hers. "I just can't control myself." She explained.

"No one thinks you are a bad person, Gabrielle." Reid said completely surprised that was what she was thinking. "You just experienced something horrific, which was unequivocally not your fault. I can guarantee you that no one is thinking anything bad about you."

Gabrielle turned her head to the door seeing something white flash in the corner of her eye and she immediately stiffened when she saw two doctors at the entrance. Her eyes found Reid who was already standing, close to her bedside. She hadn't even heard him move so fixated on the other doctors. "Second thoughts." She managed to spit out. Her body was tense and she couldn't make it relax.

Reid gave her a reassuring smile. "Just remember you are in a totally safe environment and they won't touch you more than they have to." He said. He couldn't help but feel uncomfortable being there. He wasn't someone she knew and yet she asked anyway. Maybe there was something about him that made her feel comfortable which strangely made his heart swell with a masculine pride he hadn't known was there. "You are sure you want me in the room?"

"Yes." She said through gritted teeth as the doctors entered the room.

One doctor was male, the other female. They looked to be about the same age, except the man's hair was stark white. His face was olive toned and he had frown lines across his forehead, but his smile lines distracted from them. The woman had brown hair that was cut in a short bob, framing her face well. Her pretty brown eyes hidden behind black framed glasses.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Evans." The male doctor began. "I'm Doctor Shawn Murphy and this is Doctor Marie Johnson. We will be examining you today." He said as Dr. Johnson pulled the curtains closed so no one could see inside the room.

Gabrielle didn't respond. That was when Reid stepped in. "Hello Doctors, I am Doctor Spencer Reid with the FBI, I spoke to you early, sir." He said to Dr. Murphy, holding his hand out to him.

Dr. Murphy took his hand, a surprised look on his face. "Yes we did. I didn't expect you to be so young." He said stepping aside so Dr. Johnson could shake his hand as well.

Dr. Johnson smiled at him. "How old _are_ you Doctor Reid?" They were all talking so quietly, like if they were too loud she would break. It made her feel worse than she already did. She didn't want their sympathy.

Gabrielle looked over to him, curious as well and a little relieved someone else was asking.

Reid shifted a little uncomfortably. "I'm twenty seven." Gabrielle's eyes went wide.

Dr. Murphy laughed quietly. "You must be a genius." He joked lightly.

"I am…actually. I have an IQ of 187." He said a little awkwardly. "But I don't believe intelligence can accurately quantified.*"

The room was quiet for a moment before Dr. Johnson cleared her throat and approached Gabrielle. "Hello." She said cautiously.

"I'm not going to break if you stop whispering." Gabrielle said as calmly as she could manage but it still came out harsh.

Dr. Johnson smiled a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry." She said politely. "We'll need you to strip down to your undergarments please."

"You can't do it how I am now?" She asked shifting in the bed.

She gave her the sympathetic gaze she had been dreading. "No, sweetheart we need to see."

Gabrielle pushed the covers off of her and stood from the bed. Reid turned around to let her undress without more eyes than necessary. He could feel his face getting hot with embarrassment but shook it off the best he could wanting to be completely professional about the situation.

"Okay, Doctor, she is covered." Dr. Murphy's voice sounded.

Reid turned around hesitantly, his eyes landing on Gabrielle with a hospital gown covering the front of her while the Doctors stood behind her. He could see her eyes welling with tears and he smiled reassuringly at her.

"It'll be over soon." He promised.

"These look like burn marks." Dr. Johnson said from behind Gabrielle, touching one of the small round marks on her back. "There has to be over a dozen." She breathed out.

Gabrielle squeezed her eyes tight. She was fighting the memories behind every mark, cut, and bruise. "Can I leave after this?" She said not relaxing.

After a moment had passed Reid realized she was talking to him. He glanced at the Doctors for an answer but they were engrossed in what they were doing. "Uh…I don't know. That's up to the Doctors." He said honestly, not wanting to give her false hope.

"I count forty-one lash marks." Dr. Murphy said.

Gabrielle was starting to feel anxious. "Hurry." She urged the doctors.

_Pain._

_Why was there so much pain?_

"_Help me…" _

_Peeling her eyes open she tried to look around the room but her vision was blurred and the room was dark. She moaned in pain and closed her eyes hoping to fall back asleep. But the sound of a heavy door opening made her eyes snap back open. She tried to lift her arms but she felt weight around her wrists, she tried with her legs but felt the same weight around her ankles. Her body felt impossibly heavy. _

_Turning her head to look at her wrists she saw metal cuffs around her wrists, thick chains holding her down._

_That was when fear ripped through her, clawing at her insides like a vicious beast. She jerked her arms and legs trying to lift them but the chain was so short she couldn't budge them an inch. She didn't stop trying though, ignoring the pain in her wrists and ankles as the metal scraping against her skin. _

_How long had she been out? How could this have happened? _

_Her vision was still impaired but she could make out the outline of a person standing at the end of whatever she was laying on. She blinked trying to get her vision to clear. _

"_What's going on?" She questioned, panic clear in her tone. "Why are you just standing there? Help me."_

_The person beside her laughed and that's when she realized it was a male. His laugh sounded off, it left goosebumps on her skin and made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. _

"_No." He replied calmly. _

"_What do you mean no?" She shouted. "Fucking unchain me!" _

_The man reached down for her quickly, wrapping his large hands around her throat, squeezing tight. He knelt down to listen to her choking and his face became clear. _

_Gabrielle gasped and her body jerked on the hard cement table. She stared the guy in the eyes trying to process what was happening but she was getting dizzy. After another moment he finally released her and she immediately began coughing and gasping for air, tears springing from her eyes. _

"_You?" She coughed out. "Why? What did I—why are you doing this to me?" The way he was looking at her was making her stomach churn. _

"_You really have to ask?" He bit out. "Well, I'm not 'in the mood' to answer you." He bent down beside her and ran his fingers through her hair, almost like he was petting her. _

_Gabrielle noticed she was shaking and tried to control it, but couldn't seem to stop the tremors. "Look, whatever you want, money, jewelry, anything, it's yours. Just let me go." _

"Let me go! Let me go!" She cried out.

"Gabrielle! Open your eyes!" Reid shouted, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her trying to get her to come back to reality.

Her eyes snapped open and she instantly noticed she was sticky with sweat and she was shaking. She looked around the room frantically but only saw Reid and the two other Doctors who had backed away a considerate amount.

"It's over." Reid said slowly releasing her. His heart was pounding at her sudden outburst. She had been standing so quietly, eyes closed as if the examination wasn't bothering her any longer.

"He isn't here…" She choked out.

Reid nodded his head. "That's right. It's just us." He said gesturing to himself and the Doctors.

She put her hand to her head and sighed waiting for her heart to stop racing. Reid helped her back onto the bed and covered her up. "Why don't you get some rest?" He suggested wanting to give her time to relax and consult with the Doctors.

Gabrielle nodded and laid into the soft pillow before closing her eyes and relaxing on the bed.

Reid turned to the two Doctors and nodded towards the door. They opened the door, leaving the curtain closed and exited the room. "So, how bad was it?" Reid asked, his mind still lingering on the frightened woman inside the room.

"When she calms down we plan on cleaning what hasn't healed already. She had several burn marks on her back as well as lash marks, probably from some type of whip of belt perhaps. There was bruising around her neck and on her sternum which tells me CPR was performed on her multiple times."

Reid nodded, a frown on his face, the news being anything but happy. "Thank you, Doctors." He said and they nodded once before departing. Pulling out his phone he made his way down the hall of the hospital, towards the entrance. Dialing a number he put the phone to his ear, after one ring he heard the familiar voice of his Unit Chief. "Hey, Hotch. I've got some information for you and the team."

**((Leave a review! I would love to hear what you have to say D: ))**


	5. Forget Me Not

**((Color me cruel, DevilToBeLoved, Gelly Reid, Gellyb92, Not-Knowing-Is-Everything, Sue1313. Thank you all for your reviews! I always get bursts of inspiration knowing people like my stories :D. So thank you very much! Your reviews keep me going!))**

Gabrielle woke in the morning to the sight of a vase full of flowers by her bedside. She frowned and pushed herself up slowly ignoring the pain in various parts of her body. After Reid had left the doctors had come back and cleaned her wounds after allowing her a much needed shower. She stood from the bed and looked at the flowers. They were small and a vibrant blue with a yellow center. As she petted the flowers, liking how silky the petals felt against her finger tips, a card fell from the center onto the surface the vase was placed on. Frowning she picked the card up and read it silently.

She dropped the card in an instant as if it had burned her and she wiped her hands on her shirt as if she had touched something dirty. She let out a quiet sound of panic as he stepped in place trying to keep herself calm. She put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from screaming as reality came crashing down on her like a boulder. She looked at the flowers and glared angrily them.

She swiped her hands across the table top and sent the vase flying into the wall, shattering on impact, water and glass spilling everywhere. She turned to the doors of her room and pushed it open walking to the front desk.

"I'm need to leave." She said to the small younger woman at the counter who was scribbling something down on a sheet of paper. She perked up and gave Gabrielle her attention before smiling politely.

"You've got good timing. I was about to come in with your discharge papers." She said handing her a slip of paper. "Just sign on the bottom." She said cheerfully.

Gabrielle scribbled what could hardly pass as a signature and glanced at the clock, it was almost noon. Had she slept that long? She shook her head of unwanted thoughts and went to walk down the hall without another word.

"Wait! Here are you papers to tell you how to maintain treatment on your injuries." She said waving the papers. "And this card was left for you."

She turned to her and took the small business card. She was a little surprised that the young Doctor had left her a business card. Hadn't they asked her everything? Probably not. She looked at the papers and turned to walk away. "I don't want them." She dismissed. She needed to leave; go home and stay there so she could wait until the FBI caught the man who had kidnapped her. She didn't have any other choice. As much as she wanted to try to forget about anything happening she knew it wasn't possible.

He knew where she was.

/\/\/\

"Excuse me, we are with the FBI. Is Ms. Evans awake for a short interview?" Hotch asked standing next to Rossi who was smiling politely. After Reid had talked to them about her outburst they wanted to try and speak with her again; see if they could get her to remember anything more.

The young woman at the counter frowned. "Evans?" She questioned. She typed something into her computer and whatever popped up clearly refreshed her memory. "Oh! Yes, Ms. Evans." She said turning to them with a smile. "She was discharged about two hours ago. Left the room a mess. Something really peeved her."

"Discharged? I thought the Doctors were holding her for us?" Hotch asked clearly unhappy with the news.

She shrugged. "No one said anything to me."

Rossi leaned against the counter. "Has anyone cleaned up yet?"

"Not yet." She said. "It's that room there. Just be careful, there is glass and water everywhere."

They turned from the counter and walked towards the room. Rossi had a frown on his face. "Glass and water?" He questioned a little confused. He followed in after Hotch and his eyebrows rose seeing what she meant now. The water had spread from the corner of her room to under her bed, the glass was scattered out further.

"Looks like it used to be a vase." Rossi concluded seeing the flowers.

Hotch walked towards the mess contemplating what had happened. "What set her off?" He questioned seeing nothing unusual about the flowers. He pulled out his phone and took a photo and sent it to Garcia, immediately after that he dialed her number.

"Good afternoon, you've reached the officer of supreme justice. What riddle can I solve for you today?" Garcia answered speaking over the clicking of her keyboard.

"Garcia, I just sent you a picture of some flowers can you identify them for me?" Hotch asked stepping aside as Rossi paced the room.

"Yes sir, I am downloading them now—no, stop it—I can do it myself, Reid." She hissed through her headset. "Okay sir, I have the photo and it seems they ar—"

"They are called myositis, it's Greek for mouse's ear. They are also known as forget-me-nots, they generally go in the spring time." Reid's voice sounded over phone.

"Hotch, take a look at this." Rossi said handing him a small white piece of paper.

_Gabrielle,_

_Glad you are okay._

_Don't worry about my shoulder, I'm not mad._

_I'll visit you very soon. _

_Take care of the flowers, they will help you remember me._

Hotch felt his heart start to race in reaction to the card, he slipped it in the pocket of his suit jacket and exited the room quickly, Rossi following close behind. "Reid, gather whoever is available and get to her apartment. The flowers were from the unsub." He said hastily.

/\/\/\

Once Gabrielle had left the hospital she realized she didn't have any of her belongings. Her phone, purse, wallet, I.D., everything was gone. She had no money on her, was under dressed, and was in hospital slippers. She probably looked like a crazy person to everyone walking by her, hell, she felt like one. Having no other options she had walked from the hospital in Stafford back to her apartment in Fredericksburg, which she deeply regretted.

Her feet were throbbing worse than her head by the time she had arrived at the apartment building. She felt like she couldn't take another step but she knew that she had to, she was almost home. Her stomach was screaming at her so obnoxiously she swore that it had startled a few of the people who passed her by. Or maybe it was her appearance that was startling? She didn't care either way. She couldn't focus on anyone one else's thoughts, just her own. Her throat was burning with thirst and she couldn't remember the last time she had had an actual meal.

As she entered the building she staggered straight to the front desk. She had never liked that hotel feeling the apartment had, but she welcomed it gladly now soaking in the familiarity. She leaned against the desk, her body sticky with sweat, eyes dark with exhaustion. "I lost the key to my apartment. Can you let me in please?" She asked the tall dark man who was typing something up on the computer. She glanced at the clock behind him, it was almost four in the afternoon. No wonder she was so damn tired from the walk. She bit back her growl of frustration.

He pulled his eyes away from the computer and looked at her, shock immediately showing on his face. "Ms. Evans, I thought you were missing? A-are you alright?" He asked looking over her fatigued figure.

Gabrielle sighed. "I just need to get to my apartment." She said not wanting to answer such an idiotic question. What the fuck did he think? Would he be okay after being held against his will and mutilated? Why did he have to ask such a stupid question? She wished she could have just punched him in the mouth as an answer, but decided against it.

He nodded. "Of course. Let's take the elevator." He said grabbing the master key before stepping out behind the desk. Gabrielle followed him not bothering to walk as fast as he had started out before slowing for her, noticing she wasn't keeping up. He pressed the button that signaled the elevator to come down so they could go up. Gabrielle could notice his body was tense with unasked questions and she was glad he was keeping his mouth shut.

The two silver doors opened and they stepped in, going to the second floor in silence. Once the doors opened they both exited the elevator and entered the long hall. The duo stopped in front of her room and the dark man opened the door for her. "It may not be my place…but if you need anything just call down and I'll do my best." He said holding the door open for her.

Gabrielle looked into his eyes and nodded. "Thank you." She said sincerely.

He nodded and closed the door behind her. Gabrielle quickly locked the door, placing the business card she had managed to hold on to, on the small desk where she usually set her keys, and ripped the putrid clothes from her body, tossing them carelessly on the floor. They were on the top of her list of things to burn but at the moment all she wanted was to shower, disregarding how drained she was. She walked past her bedroom and went straight for her bathroom which was exactly how she left it. The bathroom was a decent size, as soon as she entered, her counter space and sink were to her left; her bathtub directly in front of her, and the toilet between the two. Along the pale blue colored wall hung a white towel from a silver towel rack. The bathroom countered was littered with hair supplies and makeup.

Gabrielle looked into the mirror above her sink and her heart sank to her feet. She looked like a ghost of herself. There were dark bags under her eyes and healing bruises along her neck and cheekbone. She turned her head to examine herself further, only disgusting herself further. She turned around and pulled her hair away from her back and tears sprang from her eyes so quickly it surprised her but she let them fall. Her back was littered in hideous burns and long welts. She closed her eyes tight and let her hair fall over her back again, covering the reminder she could never rid herself of.

She stepped away from the mirror and turned the shower on, stepping in before it warmed up all the way. She let the water fall softly on her face and down her aching body. She closed her eyes and tried to let the water wash away her thoughts.

What was she going to do now? How was she going to go on with her life as if nothing had happened? It was such a short amount of time but it felt like she had been gone for years. Every day there was worse than the last and seemed to drag on longer as well. A normal week had gone by for everyone she knew. Worrying about e-mails, homework, their bosses, and other petty things. Every day for her she wondered whether or not it was going to be her last. She wished she could have stressed about essays and rude costumers instead. She wished for so much now, but she knew nothing would come of her wishes.

Sighing she leaned forward, after scrubbing her body until it was red, and turned the water off. She wrung her hair out and pulled the white shower curtains back, crinkling the flock of golden birds that decorated the curtain. She grabbed a white towel and dried herself off before wrapping it around herself, under her underarms. She stood in the mirror and avoided looking at her face. Grabbing the hair brush on the counter she brushed all the rough knots in her hair after days of being unable to maintain it.

Grabbing a second towel from the rack she wrapped her hair in it and exited the bathroom. Taking a shower only reminded her of how hungry she was, it was to the point of it being painful. She made her way to her kitchen and thought of what required the smallest amount of preparation. As she opened her fridge she felt her heart stop; her eyes widen further than she thought possible.

Inside her fridge lay a small bouquet of blue flowers with yellow centers, a small card lying beside them. She remained in front of the fridge staring in disbelief at the sight of the flowers. Her mind was racing so fast she couldn't keep up with her thoughts. They were undeniably the same flowers that had been at her bedside in the hospital. The same repulsive flowers that were undeniably from the same person. She felt her stomach churn and her mouth water as if she was going to be sick, but there was nothing in her to come up. She swallowed hard but the cotton ball she had evidently eaten wouldn't go down.

How?

Had he known where she lived the whole time? No, there was no way. She had never seen him before. She took a sharp breath. He still had her belongings that she had taken with her that night. He knew everything. Where she worked, lived, went to school…everything.

She tried to reach for the card but her body wasn't moving. She felt frozen in place, paralyzed by fear.

What?

She spun around quickly as a thought popped into her mind, sending chills down her spine. He had keys to her apartment now. Had he been waiting for her this whole time? Why hadn't she checked the rooms with the guy at the desk to make sure it was clear? She quickly moved to her knife set and pulled out the longest one she had. She gripped the handle so tightly her knuckles were white. If he was waiting for her, she couldn't just run out.

Her door was so close yet so far away. She stared at it wishing it was open so she could just make a straight shot into the hall, no stops. In that same moment the door knob jiggled. Fear rattled her bones and she felt her knees buckle but she remained upright. He had come, he knew she had left the hospital. Tears leaked from her eyes and she used both hands to hold the knife steady in her shaking hand.

There was a loud knock on the other end and she screamed in surprise stumbling back into the fridge, condiments falling out and onto the floor. The door suddenly burst open and five people walked in, guns pointed about.

She recognized three of them but that meant nothing to her in that instant. She stood where she was, knife held straight, eyes wide. The darker male came forward, she couldn't recall his name. He put his gun into his holster and held his hands up, walking towards her slowly. She could hear the others yelling clear throughout the apartment.

"Hey, you're okay, put the knife down." Morgan said calmly. "You are completely safe."

"Safe?" She breathed out her eyes drifting up to meet his eyes. "Safe?" She repeated through her teeth. "He…he was in my apartment!" She screamed, knife shaking in her hand. Morgan raised his hands higher to show he wasn't a threat but her news left him speechless.

"Are you sure?" He asked cautiously.

"Why would I make that up?" She growled.

"Gabrielle." A familiar voice sounded behind the tall man and she searched for its owner. "Put the knife down, we came here for you." Her eyes landed on the tall slender man and she dropped the knife to the ground, falling beside it as tears wracked her body.

Reid moved towards her quickly and knelt down beside her. "You're okay." He whispered pulling her into his arms. Prentiss came out of her bedroom with a blanket and entered the kitchen, handing it to Reid. He silently thanked her and wrapped it around the fragile woman's body.

"He left more flowers in the fridge." She sobbed, holding on to Reid's cardigan, beneath his bullet proof vest.

Morgan reached inside the fridge and pulled out the bouquet and note beside it. "Don't stop thinking about me. I won't move on until I have you. It'll be soon." Morgan read in a hushed tone to Hotch and the others.

"She can't stay here." Hotch said looking between the three of them. "We'll have to put her in protective custody starting immediately."

**((What do you think? I promise she won't be like this the whole story haha. She actually is a pretty fun-loving character, she just needs time to heal. But anyways! Let me know if it's too much or not enough. I hope you are enjoying. I will try to have a chapter up by tomorrow. But please don't forget to review! They really keep my motivated!))**


	6. Photographs

**((This chapter is a little short. Sorrrrryyyyyy. But big thank you to Lenika08, tannerose5, and Sue 1313 for your reviews! You really motivated me to get this chapter up tonight! I will go over it in the morning cause I'm sure I made one hundred mistakes cause I'm falling asleep! Bah xD. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.))**

"So where exactly am I going?" Gabrielle asked dragging her black suit case out from under her bed and plopping it on top of her thick comforter. Since the FBI agents had arrived at her apartment they had only called in more people to come and poke around where they weren't wanted. Her apartment was getting dusted and practically picked apart like it was a crime scene all because of the flower and note that were left. She guessed in a sense it was a crime scene but she didn't want to look at it that way.

After they arrived she had gotten a moment to herself to get dressed. She never thought it would feel so good to be in her own clothes. She wanted to put everything she owned on once just to feel it something familiar against her skin. But she didn't. She settled on a coral boyfriend blouse and distressed boyfriend fitted jeans that were cuffed at the bottom. Though she hadn't wanted to, she couldn't stand the way people were staring at her and she put makeup on to cover the bruises. She did nothing special though. Foundation all the way down her neck, black eyeliner, and mascara. That had seemed to help with the staring too. If she didn't look like a victim maybe people wouldn't treat her as such.

"We don't know yet." Reid said standing by her door way waiting for her to finish packing. "And honestly if I knew I wouldn't be able to say anything. Only a select number of people can know about the whereabouts of a victim in protective custody."

Gabrielle turned to him, a sadness in her eyes that caught him off guard. He didn't know what he said that could have caused her to look at him like that. "Did I upset you?" He asked cautiously. "That wasn't my intentions I—"

"I'm…not a victim, Doctor." She said softly. "I survived."

Reid nodded. "I'm sorry." He said smiling softly, understanding. It didn't take his skills as a profiler to see that she was a strong willed person. "Um…please feel free to call me, Spencer." He said a little awkwardly.

She nodded. "Okay, Spencer." She said smiling lightly before turning back to packing her bag. There was something about him that removed a lot of the anxiety she felt.

He smiled to himself when she said his name but didn't speak any further, letting her concentrate on what she was doing. He wasn't sure why she seemed so comfortable around him since he had done nothing to earn it but he was glad for it. She needed at least one person in a time such as this and he was okay with being that person for her. He knew how hard it was to recover from an event such as the one she experienced, he knew firsthand how hard it was.

"Should I bring all my clothes or is that unnecessary?" She asked peeking over at him still stuffing the suitcase, bring the folder clothes from her dresser and putting them directly in the bag.

Reid could tell her question had a double meaning to it by the way she looked at him. If he told her to pack everything that would tell her it was going to be a long time before they caught the man and that should would have to endure the psychological torture of not knowing whether or not she was truly safe. But he didn't want to tell her to leave things behind and give her false hope. He sighed. "I-I would pack the majority of your clothing. Just in case." He said feeling guilt well inside of him when her gaze became distance. That was the last thing he wanted was for her to feel as if she wasn't going to be taken care of. He wanted to promise to her that she was going to be fine and they would find the man who broke her down. But that wasn't his place to promise that.

He found himself wishing he could have known her before everything that happened with her. He wondered what she was like on a normal day. The way she decorated her house, in bright colors, pinks stimulated relaxation while yellow promoted memory. Her aves accents showed that she yearned for freedom or simply enjoyed the freedom she had.

"Okay." She said quietly.

"Hey, Reid, come here for a minute." Morgan called from somewhere in the apartment. Reid straightened himself from leaning against the door frame and quietly excused himself.

Gabrielle shoved her last pair of shoes in the bag as he left and zipped it up. She looked around her room to make sure there was nothing left for her to pack. She already had her bathroom products in a separate bag. She opened the drawer on her nightstand and dug through to see if anything she wanted was inside and all she found was chapstick. She pulled it out and slipped it in her pocket before dropping down to the floor to check under her bed. She pulled the bed skirt up and frowned seeing a clutch under bed.

Reaching beneath her bed she grabbed the clutch and pulled it in front of her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. She couldn't keep getting surprised by his games, but just knowing he was kneeling where she was made her stomach churn. She opened her eyes again and looked at the clutch she had brought with her the night he had abducted her. She opened it and saw all of her things were still inside, including her cell phone. She pulled her phone out and swiped her finger across the bottom to gain access to the main screen but the first thing that popped up was a picture of her. She stared at the picture unable to react. In the picture she was face down on a bed and was topless. Her back was covered in blood. She looked dead. He was just toying with her now.

She felt her hands begin to shake as anger started to bubble inside of her. Enduring what he had done to her wasn't enough for him. She threw down her phone and stood from the ground using her nightstand as support. She growled and punched her wall in a rage, ignoring the pain that came after. What else did he want from her? Why couldn't he just give up and let the police take him? Why wouldn't he leave her alone now? She looked at herself in the mirror closet doors. Why wasn't she stronger? More prepared to defend herself? Why couldn't she have stopped the whole thing from happening?

She grabbed her lamp from the nightstand and ripped it from the wall and smashed it into the mirror. "I hate you." She growled smashing at the glass again before tossing the lamp behind her. The image was stuck in her mind. She brought her fist back and punched at the second closet door, the glass cracking on impact. He punched again and again, blood leaking down the glass.

Footsteps boomed through the house and the first body to enter her room was Morgan. Reid and Prentiss close behind him.

"What are you doing?" Morgan shouted snatching her up in his arms, restraining her arms and pulling her away from the mirror.

"Just let him kill me." She cried out. "I can't live like this."

"I thought you said you were a survivor, Gabrielle." Reid said approaching her cautiously. His heart was racing still with adrenaline. "If you let him kill you, what will you be then?"

Gabrielle relaxed in Morgan's unbreakable grip and he slowly released her.

"He gave me my stuff back." She said looking over to Reid. "And he—" her voice trembled and she cleared her throat. "H-he took pictures on my phone."

Prentiss's mouth dropped and she glanced between the two men in the room. "Oh, please tell me you didn't look."

Gabrielle only nodded.

"Prentiss, take her phone and get it to Garcia. See if she can identify where this is taken based off of the room structure." Morgan said tossing her the phone. Prentiss caught it and nodded before exiting the room.

Morgan looked to Gabrielle. "You going to be okay if we leave?" He asked hesitantly.

Gabrielle nodded again before putting her head in her palms. She felt like she was losing control of herself. She had never felt so angry in her life and by the time her anger turned to rage she couldn't turn back. There was no calming down when she got to the point. But when the anger left her she was overcome with agony. She just couldn't win.

A tug on her shirt sleeve caught her attention and she pulled her hands away from her face to look up at Reid. He smiled softly at her. "Let's get your hands fixed up." He said leading her to the bathroom.

"They're fine." She said glancing down discretely to assess the damage. They were only a little scraped up. "I'm an easy bleeder, it just looks bad." She said walking into the bathroom. Even though she was telling him she didn't want to, she couldn't bring herself to outright tell him no.

"Take a seat." Reid said gesturing to the toilet as he dug through the cupboards under her sink, pulling out cotton balls and peroxide. He moved over to her and sat on the edge of the tub. "Here, let me see." He said grabbing her hand timidly.

Gabrielle watched him carefully as he wetted the cotton ball and started cleaning the scratches on her knuckles. "Is it your job to be this nice?" She asked watching him work.

Reid frowned not really sure how he should answer the question. He wouldn't even be in her apartment if it wasn't for his job but he thought he was a pretty decent person overall. What answer was she looking for? But at the same time he didn't want to tell her what she wanted to hear, he wanted to be honest. "I like to think I'm nice outside of work as well."

There was a small silence between the two of them before she spoke up again. "Am I going crazy?"

Without thinking Reid answered her. "That's something I ask myself every day." He said bitterly.

Gabrielle frowned. "What do you mean?"

Realizing what he had said Reid smiled awkwardly trying to play off his previous statement. "I didn't mean anything by that." He said dismissing her question. "But to answer you, no, I don't think you're going crazy. You really need to cut yourself some slack. You aren't going to get better overnight." He said moving on to her other hand. "Just by being a woman you are twice as likely to develop PTSD. Statistics say that at least seventy percent of adults experience a traumatic event in their lives and twenty percent of those people develop post-traumatic stress disorder."

"That makes me feel great." She said sarcastically.

Reid bit his lip in regret. "I'm sorry if that was insensitive." He looked up and caught her gaze. He stopped and stared in her eyes while she stared back. He could see the hurt in them and something in him was wishing he could take it away. But he didn't know what would drive him to think that. It was easy to tell from the first time he had seen her that she was attractive even if she had been a little worse for wear. Now that she was at least in her own clothing it only amplified how physically attractive she was.

"I don't want to be a statistic." She said tearing her eyes away from his gaze, feeling suddenly see-through. "But I can't seem to control myself…I just get so angry, it's overwhelming."

Reid finished up with her hands and tossed the dirty cotton balls in her garbage before returning his attention to her. "It's actually normal to feel angry, so try not to get to upset with yourself if you start lashing out." He tried to comfort, but he could see it hadn't helped much. He rubbed the back of his neck trying to think of something to say to her when he had a sudden thought. "How about this." He looked in her eyes, a small smile on his face. "Whenever you feel yourself starting to get angry try to rate it on a scale of one to ten, one being calm and ten being boiling rage. If it ever gets to a five try to step away from what is making you mad or diffuse the situation mentally."

"Do you think that will help?" She asked.

Reid nodded. "I think it is definitely worth a shot."

Gabrielle smiled softly before looking down at her hands. She brought them up to her face and bent her fingers to test for pain. When she felt none she turned to Reid. "Thank you." She said standing up.

"Reid, we are ready to go." Hotch called from the hall.

Reid stood quickly. "Looks like you'll be finding out where you'll be staying soon." He said trying to give her something to look forward to.

**((Can't wait for the next chapter! Time for Reid and her to really have some time to get to know each other! Yay! Don't forget to leave a review!))**


	7. Welcome Home

**((Ugh! I rewrote this like five times and I was just not happy with this chapter! Damnit lol. But I think I like this version best so here you are darlings! I really hope you enjoy since it was such a pain in the butt. I'm also a little busy right now with moving so chapters might not come up super fast, but at least once a week if not more.**

**OH! And thank you SO SO much for the reviews! SheepaRaw, superdexlock, ToxicSoap04, tannerose5, Brendabear, Sue1313, Lenika08!))**

From the FBI station in Quantico it had taken them forty-five minutes to arrive to a one-story home in a suburban area. The house seemed completely normal, green grass that was parted at an angle for the stony pathway that led from the driveway to the front door. The roofing had dark tile, but the house was crème colored with brick red accents around the windows. Along the front was a small garden which consisted of a few decorative rocks, small trees, and colorful shrubs. The houses were relatively close together, closer than Gabrielle would have liked.

_Hotch stood before his team. "Alright, it's decided, she will be placed in a safe house in Chester, Virginia." _

_Reid lifted his hand from the table a little to get Hotch's attention. "Will we be switching off on who will be with her?" _

_Hotch shook his head. "No, I've actually decided it would be best if you were her primary guard." _

_Reid's eyes widened and he nearly choked on his spit. "W-what?"_

_Morgan looked to Reid. "Don't be surprised man. It's obvious she is comfortable around you." He twisted in his chair slightly, going from side to side. "You must have said or done something to make her trust you." _

_Hotch nodded. "Exactly why you are going. It would be easiest on her for the time being. Is it a problem for you?" _

_Reid didn't know what to say. Of course it wasn't a problem for him but had anyone asked her? "No, but I'm not exactly the strong type." _

"_I don't think that's what she needs right now." Hotch said. "Grab your go-bags and I'll give you the address for the house." _

Reid put the SUV into park and removed the keys from the ignition. "This is it." He fiddled with the keys awkwardly. It hadn't been his intention at all to be the one to stay with her until the unsub was caught but somehow he landed the job. Morgan had been strangely adamant about not going even though Reid felt he would be the best candidate for the situation. He doubted he could make her feel very safe at all with his lanky limbs. But he would try his hardest.

Gabrielle stared out the front window and took in her new surroundings. She had never been further than Quantico before and being somewhere unfamiliar wasn't making her feel safe at all.

Reid cleared his throat. "Y-you said you were hungry, right?"

She looked over to him and nodded.

"Well, I can try to make you something if you'd like?" He offered.

Gabrielle shook her head too quickly. "You're already doing too much."

Reid unbuckled his seatbelt and pushed his door open, avoiding her gaze to hide his frown. "I beg to differ." He said under his breath.

Following his lead, Gabrielle stepped out of the vehicle as well moving to the trunk. "Ah, no, I've got the bags. Let's get some food in you." He moved to her side of the SUV to walk with her to the door but she stayed in her place.

"Let's just get the bags now, I'm not comfortable with them being out." She clenched her fists briefly before releasing them.

Reid frowned. "That's the eleventh time you've done that with your hands since we've left the station." He reached out for her hand and grasped it gently, touching his thumbs against her palm. "Clammy and shaky." His expression became nervous. "The bags can wait, let's get you food."

She let out a deep breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Fine, food first."

Reid seemed pleased she hadn't really argued with him about it. "Okay, this way." They walked up the smooth path way to the front door and Reid let her in. "The kitchen is right down the hall to the right, I'll get the bags."

She nodded and walked down the hall until she came across the kitchen. It was a moderately sized space with an island in the center with a top that extended out far enough to act as a breakfast bar. It also had the stovetop on it. The flooring was mahogany and the wall was painted a crème color, the cupboards painted white.

Gabrielle stood in the entry way for a moment before stepping inside. The kitchen had a cozy feel to it, it reminded her of her parent's kitchen. She always loved lounging around to watch her mom cook and be her taste tester. The thought of her family was warming but also painful. She couldn't imagine facing them now.

Making her way towards the pantry she pulled it open and looked over her options. She didn't want anything that would require any preparation. She just wanted to eat as soon as she could. Her eyes finally found a box of strawberry Pop-Tarts and she snatched the box from the pantry and opened the top a little impatiently.

Over the crinkling wrapper she heard footsteps nearing her and she turned to face the entry way, still fiddling with the wrapper. When Reid came into view she noted his frown. "What?"

He looked her in the eyes, still frowning. "You can't remember the last time you ate so you are going to have a pop-tart?"

It was her turn to frown. "I don't have patients for the oven or microwave right now." She pulled a piece of the pastry from its pouch and popped it in her mouth.

"You're going to get a stomach ache." He said pulling the pantry open. "I told you I could cook for you."

"And I told you, you are already doing too much." She pulled the other piece out and began consuming it quickly. She could feel her stomach devouring the food painfully but she wasn't going to admit to him that he was probably right. He was smart after all, she was sure he knew he was right.

Reid shook his head, shrugging slightly. "Because I want to."

Gabrielle paused and looked at him for a moment. "You don't even know me, though. Why would you want to?"

"Because it's what you need." He smiled lightly.

She opened her mouth to reply but no words came to her mind. She sighed and leaned against the counter, resting her palm in her hand and elbow on the countertop. The urge to eat left her and confusion filled her.

Reid approached her cautiously. "Are you alright?"

She put her free hand up before lifting her head up to look at him. "I'm fine." She put the pop-tart down on the counter and dusted her hands off. "Where is my room?"

He pointed to the pop-tart. "You aren't going to finish?"

Gabrielle tilted her head slightly to the side, her eyebrows furrowing together as sadness filled her eyes. "Please, Spencer?"

Reid nodded and turned to leave the kitchen. "I'll show you." He said.

Gabrielle followed him out of the kitchen and down the hall. The house was a decent size for a one story building and the color scheme throughout the house was bright, soft colors. It reminded her of her apartment.

As they turned the hall, there were two doors down the hall, Reid led her to the second door and opened it, stepping inside so she could walk through as well. "There is a bathroom in here so you can have maximum privacy and I'll get your bags for you." He said leaving the room.

Upon walking in the bedroom, there was a desk to the left against the wall and a few steps away from the desk was a bathroom. The walls were painted a soft minty green color and the carpeting was beige. There was a chair and foot stool along the wall on the opposite wall of the queen sized bed that had dark green and white silky sheets on top of it, and dark green pillows.

"Thank you." Gabrielle said walking around the room slowly, examining where she would be stay for God knew how long. The thought was depressing. She made her way to the bed and sat on the edge, kicking her shoes off and began removing her jewelry, setting it on the nightstand. How long was she going to have to stay with him? How long would she be wasting his precious time?

She shook her head trying to get the thoughts from her mind. She pulled the hair tie from her wrist and wrapped her hair quickly in a bun that sat on top of her head. Sleep was the only thing she wanted to do now, she wanted it to be her escape. She unbuttoned her shirt and dropped it on the floor beside her shoes.

"Where do you want your ba—ah! I'm sorry, I should have knocked." Reid closed his eyes tight and turned his body around so his back was facing the door. He felt his face get hot with embarrassment. There was no way he could have known she was undressing and he was suddenly wishing she could have at least closed her door to save him the awkwardness.

"Spencer, I'm in a t-shirt." She said calmly.

Reid turned around and sighed. "Different colored tops through me off…" He said still feeling a little awkward. In one hand he had two of her bags and in the other he had her rolling suitcase. "Um, where do you want these?"

Gabrielle pointed to the end of her bed. "There is fine." She said softly.

He nodded and set her things down carefully. "I'm assuming you are preparing to go to bed early?"

"Is that alright?" She asked hesitantly.

"Oh o-of course, you don't need to ask. I'll be sure to keep quiet and not disturb you." He said stepping out into the hall. "Call me if you need anything." He grabbed the door and pulled it closed.

"Stop!"

Reid's eyes widened and he pushed the door back open.

"Don't close it, please." Gabrielle said breathing heavily as fear spread through her quickly and unexpectedly. "I'm sorry. I-I just want to see…is all." Being closed off in a room was the last thing she wanted after being stuck in one for so long. She closed her eyes and sighed trying to calm down. "I have to sleep now." She said pulling the blankets up and burying her face in the soft pillows.

Reid felt guilt build up in his chest and something told him to comfort her but he knew that it wasn't a good idea. Was it? She did seem less angry with him and that made him wonder if she needed something different from him? Did she want comfort? Did she want it from him?

He sighed. "Sleep well."

**((Review please!))**


	8. Spaghetti

((Sorry for being gone so long! Had to move and on top of that my boyfriend fell through a glass table and had to get stitches so that's been fun—dealing with that. Anyway! Thank you, Padsey, 20000 WPM, superdexlock, Sue1313, tannerose5, Brendabear, NeciaGrey, Lenika08 for your reviews! I really appreciate it! It makes me so happy to hear your feedback :D. I had to keep this chapter a little short, just because I've been so busy. But I don't want to keep you waiting any longer! I hope you enjoy! R&R :D))

"_What do you want?" _

_He made a full circle around the bed before stopping by her head. "Just your attention." He grabbed a fist full of her hair and pulled hard. "Do I have it now?" _

_Gabrielle cried out in pain. "Stop! Stop please! Yes, you have my attention!" _

_He released her hair and smiled. "Good." He untangled his fingers from her hair and traced a finger down the center of her body. "You know, girls like you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss." He said partially between his teeth. "Always saying no before giving chances!" He grabbed her by the dress and pulled on it until the hem gave and ripped away from her with ease. _

_Her immediate reaction was to cover herself but as she went to place her hands over herself, the chains rattled and she was reminded she couldn't. Tears sprang from her eyes. "P-please…understand that I was tired. It wasn't you at all. Any other time I would have given you my name and my number if you were interested." _

_He balled up his fist and snapped it forward, striking her in the face. "Lies!" _

_She instantly tasted blood and spat it out on the floor. Pain seared through her cheek. "I'm not—" He struck her again and she cried out. She blinked back her tears and looked up at him. "My name is Gabrielle Evans. W-what's yours?" _

_The rage in his eyes was still evident but he answered regardless. "Anthony Reynolds." _

_Gabrielle smiled but it didn't erase the fear in her eyes. "I like that name." _

"_I don't care what you like." He walked away from her and towards a wall that was covered in odd objects. But it didn't take long for her to make sense of what they were._

"_Please…" She begged as he grabbed the thick leather whip from the wall, leaving a blank space between the gag ball and the blindfold._

_He knelt down and unchained one of her hands. "Roll over." _

"_No…" She sobbed. "Just let me go." _

_He brought the whip down against her leg, his teeth clenched and rage clear on his face. "Roll over!" _

_Gabrielle shook her head and he knelt on the bed and began forcing her on to her stomach. "Roll. Over." _

"No! No! Please!" She cried out.

A familiar voice sounded. "Gabrielle, wake up! You're just—Gabrielle!"

She felt hands on her shoulders and struggled harder. "No!"

"Open your eyes." The voice pleaded.

Her eyes snapped open and she blinked rapidly trying to force her eyes to focus. The room was dark but there was a light on in the distance that helped make out the person before her. "Spencer?"

"Yes, it's me." He slowly released her shoulders and ran his fingers through his hair trying to calm his racing heart. "You were having a nightmare."

Gabrielle put her head in her shaking hands and sighed. "I just want them to stop."

"It's normal to have recurrent nightmares after suffering a traumatic experience. One of two adults often experience nightmares." He said, although he muttered the last part.

She looked up at him, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Spencer." She leaned forward, resting her head against his chest. "What can I do?"

That was the question he was asking himself. How could he help her heal? "Just be happy." He said as he slowly embraced her in a comforting hug. "Happy that you survived and happy to be alive."

Gabrielle nodded as she cried into his shirt.

Reid stared down at the girl in his arms and couldn't fight the overwhelming urge to protect her from everything, even herself. He didn't want to rationalize the feeling, even though he was sure he could, he just wanted to help her.

She slowly pushed herself off of him though she kept close. "Were you sleeping or would it be okay if I stayed up with you?"

Reid shook his head. "No, I was just reading. I can turn a movie on in the living room if you want to join me there."

She nodded. "Please."

"Of course. Here, let me help you up." He extended his hand out to her as he stood from the bed and grabbed her hand pulling her with little effort from the bed.

She grabbed the cover from the bed and followed him out of the room. "What time is it?"

"It's three in the morning." He said as he entered the living room. It was a quaint room that had a white and orange color scheme, like a crèmesicle. There was a long sofa that had its back to the dining room that was separated by a couple of long white pillars.

Gabrielle frowned. "What are you doing up at three in the morning?"

Reid wasn't quite sure how to answer her. His insomnia was picking up again lately but he didn't want to make her think she was being watched over by someone unstable. "I just got caught up in reading." He said sitting down on the long sofa.

"Must be a great book." She said getting comfortable beside him, pulling her feet up on the sofa and wrapping them both in the blanket.

He lifted his arms as she placed the blanket over him. "I was reading just a couple of small ones, I was on nineteen eighty four by George Orwell." He said handing her the remote to the television.

Gabrielle took the remote but didn't turn the tv on. "I think I've heard of that. Isn't it about that weird government thing?"

Reid looked a little excited. "Yes, the omnipresent government surveillance, and public mind control, dictated by a political system. The book was actually written in 1949 about the depiction of what the world would be like now."

Gabrielle quirked her eyebrows. "Guess he was a little wrong."

"It's arguable." He said with a small laugh.

Her lip twitched up as if she were going to smile. "Only for someone as smart as you."

He shrugged. "That's arguable as well."

Gabrielle scoffed before pointing the remote at the TV and turning it on. The screen flashed on and the image of a restaurant popped up. She was going to change it but paused see Gordon Ramsey. "I guess this works." She said setting the remote down on the coffee table.

Reid suddenly perked up. "That reminds me I have something for you." He said as he stood from the couch and went out of site.

Gabrielle frowned and tried to see where he was going but he disappeared behind the wall. What could he possibly have for her? She hadn't said she needed anything and he didn't know her well enough for a present. She heard something shut and footsteps and she turned her body to see what he had as he entered the room. Seeing what it was she couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Really?"

Reid paused and glanced down at the plate in his hand suddenly feeling self-conscious. "You don't like spaghetti?" He looked back at her and saw the smile on her face. He felt his heartbeat quicken for a moment and his stomach flutter. He hadn't seen her smile since he had first met her at the hospital. It was incredible how much it brightened her face. He could feel his nerves starting to kick in but he tried to swallow them down. "I can make you something else if you'd like. I'm just not the best chef."

Gabrielle started laughing even though she didn't know what was funny. "No, I'm sorry. I love spaghetti" She wiped her eyes trying to compose herself. "Picturing you cooking is…funny."

Reid sat the plate down on the coffee table and pulled it close to her so she wouldn't have to lean forward. He wasn't sure what to say to her. His palms were starting to sweat and his mind was getting frazzled. Not that he hadn't noticed she was pretty, but it was becoming more evident as he spent more time with her.

When he didn't respond to him she felt guilty. "I'm sorry, did I offend you?" Was what she said rude? "I guess funny wasn't the right word. I guess endearing would be better, I just didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

He shook his head before laughing a little himself. "Endearing?" He could feel his face get a little hot. "I think funny would probably define how I am in the kitchen a little more accurately."

Gabrielle laughed again. "I'm sure it's delicious." She said shifting to face the coffee table, grabbing the fork in the mountain of noodles and red sauce.

Reid couldn't help but smile. "Your nose crinkles."

She frowned. "What?" She covered her nose self-consciously.

He put his hands up. "No, no, not in a bad way." He pulled her hand away gently. "When you laugh it crinkles."

She looked in his eyes, watching him carefully. "Does it?"

He nodded. "It's endearing."

A smile broke out on her face before she could stop it, a small laugh escaping her lips. "Is that so, Doctor?"

Reid quickly pulled his hands away and tried his best to lean away casually as embarrassment slammed into him like a brick. "Yeah."

Gabrielle smiled. "Thank you for being so helpful, Spencer. You're making me feel…better."

"I'm happy to help." He said turning his eyes away from her and to the TV to distract himself.

She turned her attention back to the spaghetti and began to eat, her eyes widened and she took another large bite. "Holy shit, this is so great." She moaned taking another bite in her already full mouth. "Please never stop cooking."

Reid's expression became bashful and he smiled. "I'll do what I can just know my recipes are limited." But he made a mental note to stock up on cookbooks and learn some new things. Maybe she would be willing to learn with him? He glanced over in her direction for a moment watching her eat. He tapped his finger on his leg trying to contain the nerves that bubbling inside him.

"At least you can cook something." She said shoveling the last of the food in her mouth. "God, I'm sorry for being such a pig—so hungry." She pulled the fork from her mouth and set it on the plate before falling back on the cushy couch. "Only thing I can do in the kitchen is taste test." She joked.

"Means you're halfway there to being a good cook. Tasting is very important while cooking." He said.

Gabrielle laughed lightly. "I guess that is true."

There was a small pause that left Reid's mind racing for something to say to keep the conversation going. But he was drawing a blank, he was working on refraining from giving people facts about things they didn't want to know about.

Gabrielle yawned and shifted on the couch so she could rest her head on the back of the couch. "I'm so tired."

Reid shifted uncomfortably. "Feel free to lay down, I can move to the armchair." He said getting ready to stand from the couch but she stopped him, grabbing his arm.

"No, you're fine where you are." She had a desperation in her eyes that Reid couldn't argue with.

He nodded and leaned back, grabbing a pillow and handing it to her. "Get comfortable."

She smiled thankfully and placed the pillow on his lap, laying down and pulling the blanket over her. "Thank you, Spencer."

Reid looked down at the woman on his lap not knowing what to say. What had he done to deserve her trust so whole-heartedly? Why did she feel so comfortable with him? Was she possibly experiencing transference or was she truly just comfortable with him. Maybe he was thinking too much into it? But how couldn't he? This was by far an abnormal situation for the both of them and her feelings could easily be displaced. Then again he didn't know what she was feeling. He could easily be misreading her body language, but that was unlikely. He needed to speak to Morgan.

Finally realizing he hadn't replied to her he looked down to speak but she was already asleep. He smiled lightly, brushing hair from her face. "You're welcome."

((Don't forget to leave a review!))


	9. Authors Note (Sad day)

Hey, just a sad update.

My computer crashed and I lost everything ): But I have every intention of continuing this story so please don't think I've just stopped. I love this story and want to see it to the end. I have a lot in story for Reid and Gabrielle. I'm getting another computer soon so bear with me!

Thank you for your support.

I adore you!


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Criminal Minds, Drama, Romance