Lies - Criminal Minds || Spencer Reid Fanfiction

15. Defiance

"Accomplishments don't erase shame, hatred, cruelty, silence, ignorance, discrimination, low self-esteem or immorality. It covers it up, with a creative version of pride and ego. Only restitution, forgiving yourself and others, compassion, repentance and living with dignity will ever erase the past."  ~ Shannon L. Alder

The Daughter 

The message pinged through as I was delivering a new case to the team and I held back my groan, swallowing it with a sip of coffee. 

"I don't think there's much we can do," Black said, shaking his head. "I mean the Unsub, he doesn't seem too persistent. And besides, are we sure there even is an Unsub. These cases don't look related." 

I nodded my head. 

"This is why I've started running a few cases past all of you before deciding on our next one. It's important you-" I was interrupted by another email pinging through to my phone and I sighed. 

"Is that important boss?" Carter's voice came from behind my team and they turned with bright expressions. 

"Carter," I gushed. "This was the good news I promised you all earlier," I explained, clicking around the table as the team got to their feet excitedly. "How're you feeling?" I asked and she nodded her head with a relieved smile. 

 "Better to be back," She admitted. "And paranoid of cars." She joked and we all laughed. I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed tightly. 

"Well, it's good to have you back, regardless. But you'll be taking it easy on this next one."


"What do we got anyway?" She asked as she nodded at the team and sat down at the table. I crossed back to my tablet and swiped over onto the next case. 

"Well, we were just deciding what case to take next. We've decided against Ohio and Arizona so now we're onto one in Carlton." The team took to their seats and Carter pulled her tablet out of her bag, placing it on the table and clicking onto the case in question.

I opened my mouth to proceed with the briefing but was interrupted by Sheila, our secretary, knocking on the doorframe. 

"Sorry to interrupt, ma'am but The Director has called. He needs to see you immediately." I nodded at Sheila and turned back to the team as she bustled off to the reception once again. 

"Okay, I want you to start looking at Carlton and then take a look at Maine. Whichever one you think may be of higher importance, we'll go there next." My team nodded and I collected my tablet and phone as I left the conference room. 

Clicking onto my email as I walked I found the four unread messages I hadn't so much as glanced at since I'd received them, dispersed throughout today.

All of them were from Spencer, just like the three from yesterday and the two from the day before. He was subtly increasing his emails and I couldn't say that I blamed him. 

I wanted to reply, I really did. But I couldn't. I couldn't let myself go there again. 

Especially considering I'd only been in my office once since the last time, with Spencer, four days ago now. The memory of what happened in there, and the thought of what he could be saying in his emails made me feel nervous and worried and a thin sheen of sweat to develop on the back of my neck. 

The last thing I needed in this present moment was to be distracted by Spencer and all of his beautiful memories and glory when I was about to meet with the Director. Over what, I wasn't entirely certain of either. 

"Hi Katy, I'm here to see Director Gary." The Director's secretary smiled at me as I approached through the lobby on the top floor. 

"Just go right on through Hotchy, he's expecting you." Nodding in thanks I clicked across the marble flooring to the fancy office and knocked three times before pushing my way inside.