Best Thing on the Internet

Spencer Reid

I was exhausted when we were on the plane ride home. Hotch called me at midnight and told me there was another body and we were able to catch the killer by clues he left at the newest crime scene. By the time it was all said and done, it was three in the morning, but my body is still on Virginia time. As soon as we got on the plane, I laid down on the couch and fell right asleep, not waking up until we got back to Virginia. We all went straight home, ready to start our weekend. As soon as I got home, I pulled out my phone and texted Elizabeth. I told her I had my doctorates in three different subjects.

Me: That is a story for another time.

Elizabeth Tucker: I fully understand.

I know I said I wouldn't look at the casefile, but I just feel like I have to. I tried my best to remember on my own the entire case, but I feel like I need to look at it. I also feel like I want to meet her in person and pick her brain about what happened with him and how that affected her.

Me: So, now that I am home, I am feeling kind of tired. I am going to take a quick nap, but I wanted to ask you something first.

Elizabeth Tucker: What's up?

Me: Would you want to go to dinner with me tonight?

I pull the casefile out of my bag and sit on my couch, waiting for her to text me back. I am staring at the messages when I see the three dots pop up, then disappear. I asked JJ what the three dots meant, and she just told me that it means they are typing out a message. It does that a couple of more times before she responds.

Elizabeth Tucker: I would love to!

Me: Great! How about I meet you at The Shores at 7?

Elizabeth Tucker: Sounds great :) see you then. Have a good nap Spencer

Me: See you then.

I turn off my phone and open up the casefile to see everything Josh Demonte has done. I read through the notes and flip through the pictures. It was a horrific crime spree spanning over the course of 9 months. In total, there were 18 prostitutes and sex workers. He would take them and torture them, eventually killing them and dumping their bodies in water. It was happening every other week until he slipped up, leaving a hair on one of the victims. That's how we found him and his engagement announcement.

"Poor girl. It looks like she has no idea," I remember Garcia said as she pulled it up. She had the photo of the two of them across her screen. We let Hotch know he was engaged and told us to bring her in. It was early in the morning, about 8 or 9. They pulled her from work and brought her in. If she was working at the coffee shop, they would have pulled her in mid shift. Hotch had the job of getting her to let us into the apartment they shared. Morgan and I sat outside of their apartment, waiting for the call that she let us in.

I had to look up from the folder. I see this kind of stuff everyday, but now that I have a personal relationship with a person who the killer was close to, I feel a different kind of way. I just slam the folder shut and throw it onto my coffee table. Maybe Morgan was right, I shouldn't be talking to her. She is an ex of a prolific killer. I pick up my phone to text her to cancel, but I can't bring myself to do it. Even if I don't pick her brain about her ex fiancé, I still want to see her. She seems like a real sweet girl who just so happens to love the wrong person. I close my messages with Elizabeth and open my messages with Garcia.

Me: Can I call you really quick?

Almost immediately, Garcia called me. I pick up the phone. Before I could say a word, she started talking.

"Are you okay? What happened? Where are you?" She sounded a little frantic.

"Garcia. I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to you about this girl. You're the only one that really knows about her that I can talk to," I explain.

"What about Morgan? He knows more about this kind of stuff than I do, plus he already knows about the girl," she sounded confused, but relieved that I am okay.

"He can't know what I am about to tell you," I say, my voice sounding serious.

"Why does everybody tell me their secrets?" Garcia asks after I hear a little groan in her voice.

"So you don't want to know about my date tonight with a girl I met three days ago?" I only hear silence on the other line. "Hello?"

"I'm still here, just processing what you just said to me. I'm glad you are coming to me for help, but why do you not want to go to Derek with this?"

"He told me that it wasn't a good idea to even talk to her, but he hasn't talked to her. He doesn't know."

"Does the girl know you know about her?"

"I don't see why she wouldn't know. It was a pretty traumatic experience for her. Hotch showed her the pictures that you printed out for me."

"I know she knows who the FBI is, but does she know you worked on the case?"

"I don't...I don't know."

"Well why did you ask her out?"

"I asked because I wanted to pick her brain about what happened and how it affected her."

"Spencer.."

"I decided that I am not going to put her through that again, not right now. But then I am second guessing myself, thinking Derek is right."

"Derek is just looking out for you, but he doesn't know this girl-"

"That is exactly what I thought."

"You're a smart guy Reid. You can use your best judgment and see if this is a girl is a good fit for you, but I have to go, love you. Let me know how it goes," she reassures, then hangs up after I thank her. I always feel like she knows the right things to say. I look at the time and realize I still have a few hours before I have to leave, so I go to lay down for an actual nap before going on the date.