Innocent: Spencer Reid ✔️

{8} Anchor

e i g h t   .   o n e
A v e r l y n
a d d r e s s

We've struggled finding a lead on a Robert. What if Robert wasn't even his real name. This whole business is screwing up my head, making it even harder to sleep than necessary. None of this is necessary. I just want to scream at the world goddamn you let me have one decent night. I've been stuck on a creaky mattress for two years, the least this universe can do is put me to sleep for the night.

I toss and turn in the bed until the sheets are all tangled around me and I can't move or breath. I grunt, pushing the covers away, collapsing back on the bed with a huff. It's too hot to still be awake, it's tiring me. I grab my phone and check the time - 01:12AM. Crap. I debate to myself if Penelope would still be awake, my gut winning and saying no but I call her anyway. She picks up as it's about to go to voicemail, her voice thick with sleep. "Avery? It's like...one in the morning." She yawns, shifting in her bed.

"Yeah I'm sorry I just wanted to ask you a quick question before I forget." I begin, unsure how this is going to end. "Do you have Spencer's address? It's really important he..." one thing I can't lie about is where I want to go at one in the morning. Especially someone's apartment. "Look, I promise I'll make it up to you, for waking you but do you have his address?"

"Yes I'll send it to your phone. Why do you need Spencer's address at this time in the morning?" Because I need help.

"I think...he accidentally took something of mine. I put it in his bag and forgot it was there. In the morning I'll probably go and get it before he goes to work." Penelope believes me and so I say my goodbyes and let her get back to sleep. Once I hang up and I scurry out of bed to change into something decent to wear out on the streets. Spencer's apartment block isn't far from the hotel I'm at, I can just walk there. Nobody is going to be out on the streets at one in the morning. I'm still too paranoid, though.

I pause at my hotel door. Hotch says I'm to always go somewhere with an agent. What if I'm going towards an agent? I grab my phone and trudge out of my hotel room in some sweats, making my way outside to call a cab. Hotch doesn't need to know.

———

e i g h t   .   t w o
S p e n c e r
i n s o m n i a

Someone's knocking on my door. Quiet enough to not wake the neighbours, loud enough to wake me. I roll over in my bed and check the time, it's 01:28AM. Who the hell is at my door this time in the morning? I climb out of bed as the knocking continues, "I'm coming." I groan, checking through the peephole to see who it is. It's Avery, looking down at the floor with her hair covering most of her face so that walkers by can't identify her. I unlock the door which takes a few seconds, and open it. Avery looks up when the door opens but says nothing. She looks like she regrets coming here. She isn't even meant to be here without someone escorting her out. "Are you alright?"

She opens her mouth to speak but no words come out. Instead, she nods. After a few seconds of silence she stops nodding and her eyes start to water. She shakes her head before the tears start to fall down her face, her voice wavers, "I can't sleep."

I let her in, tell her to get comfortable on the couch and get to work to make her a hot drink. We both settle for hot chocolate, drinking coffee right now would only fuel her insomnia. I've known for a while she hasn't been sleeping, it was only a matter of time before she asked for help. I'm glad she came to me, I know what it's like to long for something you can't have. I hand her the mug and take a seat next to her. I'm glad she took comfortable seriously and is slumped down on my couch. "How long have you not been sleeping?"