Criminal Minds 1. Chapter 1

I own nothing

A young six year old with auburn sat huddled into her ten year old brother with brown hair. They were both sickly skinny cover with dirt and blood, had dark circle under their eyes, her blue and his hazel brown, from lack of sleep. They were locked in cell. Not far from the children cell there was a cell with was woman in her late twenties had tears in her eyes, as she edge closer to two children. The young girl looked at the woman with tear falling from her eyes.

"Irene it will be right"

"Are you sure Simon?" Irene asked in little voice.

The sound boots approaching the cell reach their ears. A man stood about six foot three walked into the room his dark brown eyes landed on them before coming to get the woman out of the cage. She screamed and started to fight him. After he got the woman, who Irene and Simon learned was named Angelina up the stairs. He came back down the stairs. He opened the door to the cage.

"Come" His gravelly voice said.

* * *

Irene awoke from her nightmare with scream. Tears where falling from her blue eyes; running her pale shaking hands up her face. Shakespeare, her Russian Blue with his light green eyes, moved over to his mistress and rub on her feet. He was followed by his, Egyptian Mau with smoke coloring companion, Sherlock; who hop up and rubbed on her face. The light flick on in bedroom, a now thirty year old Simon; his hazel brown eyes landed on his sister.

"Irene, are you alright?"

"Will they ever stop Simon?"

Simon walked over to her bed sitting down on bedspread. He placed his hand on her still shaking hand. He looked around the bed room to the picture of her graduating from high school four years before him at the age of twelve. Then picture of at Yale graduation day at the age of sixteen. There were other pictures of her getting her PHDs at age of nineteen and twenty one and twenty three, along other photos with him and his ex-wife, Eva. His dark brown hair was messy from sleep, looked back to Irene her auburn waves a mess from sleep. He gave her a little smile trying to think of something that would make her smile and not think about what had happened.

"In all your twenty six year has your brain ever stopped, sis?" Simon joked

"No" Irene said with sadly.

"Then I don't think they will ever completely stop. It is getting better your last nightmare was what a year ago."

"Eleven months, forty-nine weeks, three hundred and forty-three days, eight thousand two hundred and thirty-two hours …"

"Stop! Just stop it too early to do math. Irene it is three in the morning and I have to be at work at five a.m."

Irene started rub in-between Sherlock's ears. Shakespeare crawl his way up to her other hand and started to nudge it to get her attention. Simon looked at Irene in her blue eyes and nodded his head with sigh.

"You aren't going back to sleep are you?"

"Nope"

"So sister dearest what on agenda for today?"  
"Well, I will probably write until four make breakfast for us. I will head down to my office with my babies in toe then I am going to visit Angelina grave then I have progress report with publisher. At four, I have to pick up Allie-bug from dance."

"It still hard for me to believe you remember all of their names. How many pages is this book? It's the last one right."

"Eidetic memory, Simon it's hard for me not to. Three hundred and fifty-eight and yes, he will have no control over me hopefully."

Simon ran his hand over her jawline. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, shaking his head. He got up and walked to the door. He paused and turned back to look at her. The image of her after they were first saved flashed in his mind. The way she clang to the FBI agent that saved them he thought he was call Gideon. Simon shook his head it still affected him too but not like Irene.

* * *

An hour before Spencer had to be at BAU. He stood next to Maeve grave stone. It had been six months since her death. He still could not really sleep without picturing her. A black town car pulled up. A young woman got out of the car. Spencer's brown eyes met her crystal clear ice blue eyes. She had auburn hair that curled around her waist. She was dressed in dark green wrap dress. She stood maybe five foot nine with four inch heels make her stand without heels about five foot five inches tall. She tilted her head looking at him as if she was weighing him. Something about this woman caught his attention. She was odd mixture of things.

* * *

Irene walked a few grave stone down from the man with warm brown eyes. She let out a deep breath. It read:

Angelina Daugue

Born May 16 1970 Died June 23 2000.

Loving daughter and wife

May life no matter how short ever be forgotten.

She laid her hand on the stone. She took a deep shaking breath trying to fight of the memories that she could feel coming on.

* * *

The image of, Angelina being set on fire by the madman that still hunted her. He walked back over to Irene and Simon still frozen in shock. The echoes of her screams and fire nearly consumed her. It was like witch burning. Simon vomited. Irene had tears pouring from her eyes and tried to get to Angelina. The man pulled her back to him with his hands on Irene small shoulders.

"Lenore yes my dear watch as the witch burns"

* * *

"No" Irene Screamed.

Spencer talked to Maeve. Suddenly the sound of a scream woke him from his thoughts and words. He looked around the cemetery. There was no one but him the woman in there. That was when he noticed that the woman was panting and shaking from head to toe. She sat down next to grave stone sobbing.

"I'm so sorry... so sorry"

Something was off about this woman. Spencer walked closer to just to make sure she was all right.

"Are you alright?"

Irene got to her feet shook out her shoulder tried to remove the tears from her face. Before, she turned to look at him with small smile on her face.

"I'm fine" Irene said tightly.

It was a lie. Spencer looked at her with knowing look. They both knew it. Irene eyed him biting her full bottom lip; he still had the look that her brother gave her many times.

"It is nothing you can help me with…" Irene said softly.

"Spencer"

Irene nodded her head before head back to her car. She turned back to look at him one last time. He did not know why he did not introduce himself as Dr. Reid or Reid.

"Thanks" Irene said softly.

There was something about her that he wanted to know her at lease her name. He had not felt this way since Maeve. She was walking away. He could hear Morgan tell him he need to move on in his mind.

"Don't I get to know your name?" Reid asked shocking himself.

Irene turned back, gave him a little smile. The butterflies started to flutter in her stomach a feeling that she very rarely felt.

"Irene"

"Irene is Greek for peace. Also Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had character by name of Irene."

"To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex. (1)" Irene quoted with a smile and little giggle.

Irene turned to walk back to the car. She looked back Spencer who was standing near Maeve grave again. She paused for a moment. She tilted her head biting her lip. He honestly tried to help her. He seemed so lost in his grieve. Her blue eyes locked with his brown eyes again.

"It gets better" Irene said

Spencer looked at her as she got into car. There was something about her that caught and held his attention. It was easy to see that she had suffer a major trauma and that it left it marks on her just not physical ones. It made him wonder what had happened to her. Reid's phone went off, shaking his head looking at his phone it Morgan.


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing

Irene sat at her writing desk in the living room of her apartment in Fredericksburg, Va. Her eyes traveled over the computer screen at rapid rate reading the words type on the word processor. Shakespeare was curled up near her computer. Sherlock was nearby in an arm-chair curl up asleep. She smiled and rubbed Shakespeare's head. He got up and rubbing the corner of her monitor.

A knock sounded on her door of her apartment. She got up Shakespeare hop down and head for her bedroom. She shook her head at her cat before heading over to the door; looking through the peep-hole. She opened the door for the man who saved her life all those years ago.

"Hello, Gideon"

"Hello, Irene your brother told me you needed to see me?"

"Come in"

Sherlock came over from his perch and rub on Jason Gideon's pant leg. Irene let out a gasp and picked up Sherlock before, he got any more cat hair on Gideon's pants. Gideon smiled at her before, stepping into the apartment. It reminded him of Reid's apartment. Only this was much more feminine. There were books littered throughout the book shelves, none of them where her own novels. An antique chess table on far side of the room near teal color curtains. It sat like it had been used since the last time Gideon and her met here before he quit the BAU. There were pictures of her brother and his daughter on one wall along with pictures of forest meadow.

They walked over to chess table. She sat by the black pieces; placing Sherlock on the floor. They began to play chess.

"I must say I was not excepting you, I have not heard from you in years. You didn't even reply to my letters. But it is good to see you" Irene said.

"I read you latest book. It's quite good. It's amazing how you got inside his mind. It was like you read my profile on him. "

"I learned from what I saw and how he reacted and what he did. I don't want to know what did before he got us."

Gideon and Irene eyed each other for a moment. He made a move tap the clock so it was now her move.

"That's understandable. You brother worried."

"I know"

"He tells me you have nightmares, panic attacks."

"They get worst about the time I finish each book"

"This is the last one?"

"Yes, I don't see how that is important."

"He is afraid of what you may do."

Irene sat back in her chair, studying the pieces and things slowly adding up in her mind. Her eyes landed squarely on his eyes then she let out a sigh and looked away.

"He thinks I'm going to kill myself"

Gideon looked at her move then back to her.

"How could he not. He worries and he can't see into your mind."

"I don't plan to kill myself. I intend for this to be the death of Lenore not me. The person that he was trying to create in me is dying. So I can move on with my life. Simon is not thinking, check."

"What do you intend to do?"

"I have no idea. Maybe something that makes me happy. I would love to experience what it's like to be in love. Maybe write romance novels or two."

"Checkmate" Gideon said.

"You always beat me. Chess was never my game."

"You have gotten better. I still say you would make on hell of profiler"

"Gideon you know I can't. After all I saw. It took years for me to seem normal let alone deal with it."

Gideon and her rose from the chairs. They regard each other before hugging.

"It good to see you, Thanks for coming by"

"Not a problem. I await you last book as CJ Harrison. What it is going be called?"

"Nevermore"

* * *

Spencer was sitting at his desk in the bull pen reading. He looked up when Morgan pat him on his back.

"You have been staring at that same page for hour now, Pretty boy. What's up?"

"Nothing"

Morgan gave him a look and sat edge of his desk. Reid looked back to the book before, looking back to Morgan.

"I met someone"

"Is this someone a girl?"

Reid gave him a look.

"Her name is Irene"

"Where did you meet this Irene?"

"Cemetery"

"Only you, only you would become fascinated with girl you meet in cemetery"

Rossi walked into the bull pin.

"Come Hotch wants to talk to us" Rossi said

* * *

Later, Irene pulled up to the dance studio that she was to pick Allison; Simon's seven-year old daughter. There was book store not far from the studio. It was call Paradox books store. She got out of her car and walked down to book store. The clerk, an elderly woman with graying blonde hair smiled at she entered the shop. She waved to the clerk named Selma, before heading to Classic Literature section. She started to scan titles; picking up the copy of A Scandal in Bohemia. She smiled as she thought of Spencer. She kept it in her arm then started to scan the titles again. She picked up Charles Dickens Tale of Two Cities and Oliver Twist and then she picked up Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. She walked away from the section; she came across the Invisible woman. She picked it up and thumb through it, before put it on top her pile of books. She head toward the front counter when she saw a section with all sixteen books by C.J. Harrison. She stopped and ran her fingers over each spine. She started to whisper each name of the women the book coincided with as each of their faces flashed in her mind.

"Cassie, Isabelle, Jessica, Alexandria, Katherine, Kimberly, Mary, Sophia, Samantha, Rebecca, Susan, Brittany, Michelle, Patricia, Debra, and Desiree" Irene said softly to herself.

Not far from her was man reading the latest C.J. Harrison book, Night Desperation. His cold gray eyes looked up as he turned the page; seeing Irene looking at the books. She was lost in her mind.

"C.J. Harrison is amazing" The man said.

Irene turned to look at the man. Before, answering him.

"Yeah"

Irene eyes landed on his gray eyes. There was something off about them that she had not felt since she was six years old. She shook her head her cell phone went off; opening her purse and answering her phone.

"Hello, Simon… No. Not yet… Yes, we will…okay love ya too bye" Irene said.

Irene walked the counter, placing the books on it. Selma smiled at her and started to ring her up for the books.

"That will be thirty-five fifty-six ma'am."

Irene gave Selma forty dollars. She got her change before exit the store. Her eyes traveled back to the man with those eyes; he went back to reading. She shook her head again and walked over to the dance studio.

Allison was tall for her age; she stood out from the rest of her class. She was wearing black leotard and purple tutu with black ballet shoes. She had her mother light brown hair and blue eyes. Allison was already in eighth grade. She had her nose in book reading Sense and Sensibility.

Irene walked over to Allison placing her hands on her shoulders. She looked up from the book and gave her aunt a quirky smile.

"Aunt Ren"

"Hey, Allie cat, how was school, and dance?"

"Boring; but good overall. Bobby nearly caught the lab table on fire in science class"

"I'm sure Mrs. Nolan loved that"

"For her credit she did not lose her cool like Mr. Warren would. So did you get me anything?"

"What makes you think every time you come to stay with your father I have to get you something?"

"We both know you got me something Aunt Ren"

"Come on, Allie cat we will see when you get the car."

Once at the car, Irene opened the back door of her car and helped Allie in her car seat. The placed her book bag on floor near her. Allie smiled when she saw the bag of books near her car seat.


	3. Chapter 3

I own nothing

* * *

Spencer walked into a small pub near his apartment. They had a case and they where shipping at six in morning. This pub was new to him but Morgan said it was good food. It was filled with people who were drinking and some other people were by pool tables. That was where he caught sight of familiar face; it was Irene. She was playing pool with group of guys. She looked up and met his eyes with smile as she sunk the eight ball in the right corner pocket. She stood up and waved at him before turning to the men she was playing pool with. A few of them put money in her hands before Irene headed over to the bar near where Spencer was standing waiting for his food. She took the sit next to him.

"Hello, again" Irene said.

"Hi"

There was a momentary silence between them. Her blue eyes traveled to his face tilting her head.

"So, Spencer what do you do for a living?"

"I'm Supervisory Special Agent with the BAU."

"Wow you must me very intelligent."

"You know what BAU is?" Spencer said shocked.

"Yeah it stands for Behavioral analysis unit. You catch Serial killers"

"How did you?"

Irene looked over to him with small smile.

"My brother is a homicide detective."

It was the truth but not the full truth. Irene smiled at him before ordering water with lemon when the bartender came by. Spencer looked over to her shyly.

"So what do you do for a living?"

Irene looked over at him biting her lip.

"I'm a writer. Currently anyway, I'm nearly done with my last book in series and I want to do something else with my life but what that is I don't know"

Irene looked away from him blushing and cringing when she realized that she was sharing too much again. A man with black hair that was obviously drunk walked over to her and Spencer. He placed his hand on Irene's shoulder. Spencer looked away. He was torn about what to do.

"Dr. Rene Can you help me?"

Irene turned to look at the drunken man. Her eyebrow rose up as she looked at him.

"Jerry what can I do for you?"

"I want to get out here with that blonde but I can't while you are still here." Jerry said as he pointed to woman.

Irene let out a large sigh. Before, she looked to the woman who was also drunk leaning against a booth with fruity cocktail in her hand. Her hair was blonde done in sexy tussles look and eyes were soft brown. She wore tight black dress which hugged her thin frame she had full boobs that looked fake from here. She looked no older than Irene most likely younger. Then Irene's eyes traveled back to Jerry; who was like another brother to her. He was begging her with his dark brown eyes.

"Go get out of here. I can get home."

Jerry walked off over to blonde. Irene shook her head before turned back to look at Spencer.

"Sorry about that. When I come here my brother buddies normally take care of me. I guess I'm like baby sister of unit."

"No problem, are you a doctor?"

"I'm not that type of doctor. I have three PHDs. Jerry and rest of my brother's unit like to tease me about it."

"How old are you?"

Irene took a slip of her drink eying Spencer. She smiled as she faced him.

"You should know better than ask a woman her age. I'm twenty-six what about you."

Spencer turned red and shifted.

"Thirty; I have three PHDs as well."

"Really? What in?"

Irene eyes lit up more so; and turned completely to face him. She was truly interested. Spencer could read that. It was rare to meet someone who was that young with three PHDs.

"Chemistry, Mathematics, and Engineering, you?"

"English, Physics, and Music. I go by my original statement you have to be very intelligent."

Spencer brought his hand to back his neck blushing slightly. He was not one to brag but this was not bragging.

"IQ of 187 with an eidetic memory"

Irene looked over at him taking drink of her water. It was extremely rare to meet a person with eidetic memory. Her mind was trying to catch up with it all. Spencer looked at her he could almost see her mind working. She gave him a huge smile.

"You are kidding me, right?"

"Nope"

"IQ of 179 with an eidetic memory; I never met another person that had one."

"It happens 2 to 15 percent in children but mostly fade by the time they reach the age of six. It is extremely rare for it be present in adults."

Irene started to laugh as he continued to talk.

"So where did you go to school?" Spencer asked.

"Yale, you?"

"MIT, Yale was my backup school."

"Yale was closer to home. I was only twelve when I went there."

Spencer looked over to her as she played with her drink. The bartender walked over to them.

"Irene do you want me to call you a cab being that Jerry and his buddies left ya?"

"No, Andrew thanks though."

"Dr. Reid, here's your food" Andrew said.

Irene paid for her tab; as she rose to her feet. Spencer watched as she walked out of the pub. He could hear Morgan and Garcia saying that he could not dwell on the past; and Maeve would want him to be happy. He quickly made up his mind he wanted to see Irene again and what were chances of meeting the same person twice in one day not knowing each other. The stats were frantic running through his head. He quickly paid for the food before, rushing out of the pub.

* * *

Spencer made it out when he looked down the street he saw her not maybe a block down. He ran down to her as he called her name.

"Irene, Irene."

Irene tuned giving him a look as she paused in her walk. Spencer caught up to her.

"Do you know how dangerous it is for a woman to walk alone at this time of night? The number of things that could happen is immeasurable. I would not want anything to happen to you."

Irene looked at him tilting her head; before she smiled and nodded her head.

"So, you are offering to walk me home?"

"Well yeah"

* * *

Soon Irene and Spencer were walking and talking about books. They quickly learned that each other could read at same speed as the other. Irene was a lot more at ease with talking to someone.

"You know at times I read much slower it helps with getting my mind off things. It one of the way I cope with what I remember. At times I would give anything to be able to forget what I saw." Irene said.

Spencer looked at her as she stared off into space as if she remembering something horrible.

"What happened?"

"I really don't like talking about it. Let just say I have seen things that still haunts me twenty years later."

Irene paused for moment and looked at him. She tilted her head and tried to make out what he was thinking. He looked back her she was much better at conversation and interacting with people than he was. There was pain filled look in her eyes. He could only imagine what she could have seen that could haunt her still. He shook his head as possibilities filled his mind.

"So you are a writer what type of books do you write?"

"Crime novels, I have sixteen novels. I am working on my seventeenth one; under the pen name C.J. Harrison. My parents names where Cassie and John so CJ made sense and Harrison was my mother maiden name, my father last name is O'Hare so Dr. Irene O'Hare would not selling many books but CJ Harrison does…Sorry rambling"

"No it's fascinating. Maybe I'll read them sometime."

Irene came to a stop outside a three story apartment complex. She shifted from foot to foot with smile on her face.

"This is me; thanks again Dr. Reid" Irene said

Irene went to open the door. Spencer beat her to it opening it she brush his arm as she entered the building.

"What a gentlemen I thought your kind was all but extinct." Irene joked with a tiny laugh.

Spencer brought his hand to back of his neck and laughed at her joke.

"My mother raised me to be a gentleman; she was a professor in 15th Century Literature."

"I'm glad she did. I love classic literature. Baron, Keats, Shelley are some my favorites that what my degree in English is about; the Romanticism period in British literature. But literature is something I always loved."

"She walks in beauty, like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies; and all that's best of dark and bright meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellow'd to that tender light which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half impair'd the nameless grace Which waves in every raven tress, Or softly lightens o'er her face; Where thoughts serenely sweet express How pure, how dear their dwelling-place. And on that cheek, and o'er that brow, so soft, so calm, yet eloquent, the smiles that win, the tints that glow, but tell of days in goodness spent, a mind at peace with all below, a heart whose love is innocent! "

"Lord Byron. She walks in Beauty. I love that poem."

"I have to leave tomorrow for a case. But I would love to see you again."

"I would like that. One moment."

Irene reached into her purse pulling out a piece of paper and pen. She wrote down her cell number along with her house phone. She placed the piece of paper in Spencer jacket pocket. She smiled.

"You like Indian food"

"I never had it but love to try it."

Spencer and Irene looked at each other for a long moment. She turned to head up to her apartment. She turned back for a moment.

"Good Night Dr. Reid."

"Night Dr. O'Hare; call me Spencer"

"Then you have to call me Irene."

"I call you when I get back; Irene."

"Okay, stay safe and catch the killer. Night Spencer"

"Night Irene."

Irene turned back to head up the stairs. Spencer smile and pulled out her number. It showed a lot about her. But even her writing was a little contradicting. It showed that she was opening but shy and a few other things. He tucked the number into his pocket and head home.


End file.

Criminal Minds, Drama, Romance