Untouchable

The Boogeyman (S2E6)

Lydia had been right about one thing: after Strauss cleared her to take Hotch's job offer, she didn't end up going on a case for months. She went through what was, essentially, the FBI Academy, making sure she was prepared for any sort of field work that fell upon her while she was on a case.

Upon graduation, she made Hotch promise that she'd never have to go through anything like that again. It was brutal. But on the bright side, by her 23rd birthday, if she so chose, she could become an agent. That was quite the accomplishment for her.

The summer was finishing up and Lydia was preparing for her 3rd semester of her graduate program, with Spencer's help, of course. He'd been an angel for the past three months. And somehow, no one seemed to have caught on to their secret relationship.

It was so nice. What she felt with Spencer was unlike anything she'd been a part of before. He was sweet and made her laugh and kept her engaged. And he understood her. He allowed her to speak openly about her mother and father, though she hardly did. When she explained to him that her and her sister ended up in a foster care system, he didn't pressure her to talk about why her father had lost custody. Instead, he asked her about Beck, a topic she was far more comfortable with.

He was her support system. And her best friend.

Which was why he was the first to greet her upon her entrance to the BAU.

"Hey, do we have a case?" he asked bluntly, meeting her halfway to her desk and following her there.

"I wouldn't be here if we didn't," she admitted, setting her go bag down, finally having one to keep in the office. "Gideon?"

"Round table room," he replied, shortly. Then he leaned in, almost secretively. "Welcome back."

She opened her mouth to tease him, but was cut off by Morgan.

"Lydia! Bring it in, kiddo!" He entered the bullpen, arms extended for a hug, which she graciously accepted.

"Derek! I've missed you guys. How have things been without me?"

"Eh..." he squeeked. "Tense?"

She knew what he was referring to. Apparently, on their last case, Elle had shot an unsub outside of his house with no witnesses around. She was claiming it was self defense, but the circumstances were fishy and Hotch didn't believe her. Or at least, Spencer thought Hotch didn't believe her.

"Morgan, Reid, Ambers," JJ called, sternly. "Let's go."

The three of them sheepishly made their way to the conference room, where JJ and Gideon were waiting for them.

"Nicholas Faye, of Ozona, Texas, was beaten to death roughly 13 hours ago" JJ began, a picture of a young kid with a bloody head wound appearing on screen. "Blunt force trauma to the head. He's the second young boy in Ozona to die the same death in the last 2 months. Local hunters found his body in the woods. The first victim's name, Robbie Davis."

Lydia picked up one of the case files and sat down with the team, looking over the crime scene photos. She didn't want to, but couldn't help herself from glancing at Nicholas's file. He was eight. Who took out their psychotic desires on such small children?

"Are these boys connected somehow?" Morgan asked.

"Ozona's population's roughly 2,500," JJ explained. "Everyone has some kind of connection."

"Well, if they weren't linked before, they most certainly are now," he murmured.

~ ~ ~

Lydia didn't fail to notice the lack of Hotch and Elle as they boarded the jet. No wonder Gideon asked her to come along, they were severely understaffed.