𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗠𝗘 | 𝘼. 𝙃𝙊𝙏𝘾𝙃𝙉𝙀𝙍

twenty seven

Facing the brim of your half empty glass, Spencer stood without direction.

'How much of that did you hear?' you probed him. Keeping this a secret was not going well.

'Enough,' said Reid, searching in his pockets for something to distract him, 'Where is it?'

'Norway.'

'Do you want it?' sitting in the armchair before you, he asked.

A nod sufficed.

He didn't understand, 'Then what's stopping you?'

'The team, Spence, all of you. I'm leaving my family to find a new career-'

'Because of Hotch.'

'God, none of you understand do you?' you stood, making a break for the hotel doors, Spencer on your heels.

'Then help me to understand!' he called out, not as mindful of the hotel guests.

'Imagine, Spencer, that you were in love with JJ for two years and when you finally go on a date she goes missing- oh, but when you do find her- she has no idea who you are! Tell me why you wouldn't want to get away?'

He sighed; no, he couldn't understand. No one could.

'And there you go,' you paused, 'I told you no one understands' you said in a short breath, frowning & leaving the hotel, pulling your cardigan closer into you.

Poor Spencer was left alone as per usual.

                   Not only did you have trouble sleeping that night, but you found the hardships of showing up for the day more excruciating than ever. So perfectly timed, there was a night opening of a local museum- of course, you had to venture in. Gain a new perspective. Sat opposing a large woman, hung gently on the wall, she stared you down; distorted eyes broke through barrier after barrier and you swear you could have felt her hands drag those nails through your hair.

It clicked.

               'Where's Beck?' tolled JJ.

'I don't-'

'Tyler will not understand who he is, we're going to have to adapt to his other versions,' you walked through a pair of glass doors, shocking the team, 'I don't think this is just dissociation, it's more,' you sounded scared to say the least- you feared his lack of self-security had now developed into a new form. Multiple personalities.

'So now we need to go back and ask anyone he knew if he never acted like Tyler- if he differed- changed as it were. Hotch we've gotta move fast,' Morgan warned.

'Agents,' said the chief of police, 'Tyler has just been spotted near a school.'

                Vesting up, Aaron, Spencer, Derek and you were going to be the agents sent to deal with the many personas of Tyler, whereas Dave, Emily and JJ surveyed the outdoors. Earpieces in, Hotch led the three of you into the now evacuated premises; directly behind him, you visualised the last time you were in a school with SSA Hotchner- that didn't end well. Hearing a scrape like nails on a chalkboard- quite literally- you found the room which the killer was in. Guns aimed at him, he showed you.

'Look what happens,' exclaimed he, no emotion in his voice.

He took one of the many faces tacked to the board. It rested on his face. Feeling at home in its holster, your gun was away.

'Hi, I'm Gene- and you are?'

'Brinner!' said the child cheerily.

'It's nice to meet you, Brinner- this is Aaron, Derek & Spencer.'

'That man,' he pointed toward Reid, 'He looks nice. They look scary,' he then gestured to Morgan and Hotch.

'We're not scary,' Hotch now had his gun away too, 'Why don't you show us who else you can be?'

Brinner flipped onto another person. He now shook violently.

'Cold turkey man- it's a load a' shit,' he sniffed, leaning towards the bin, and throwing up the contents of his stomach into it. You looked away, lifting your arm to your nose. Derek squinted in disgust. What was going on? The unknown man resurfaced.

'Chuck,' he offered a greasy hand, not one of you took it. He withdrew. Chuck was no more.

'Simon, nice to meet ya!' yelled an Australian man. But then, it all became clear. Tyler was probably the most innocent one of them all. So far you'd counted four- number five was the one.

'Leonard,' barked a cynical man, the body he was in had eyes that had receded into his head.

You leaned into Hotch, 'Hotch, this is the one.'

'What are you wittering about, bitch?' he growled. Morgan tensed up at his comment.

'I'm telling my boss how you're the mastermind, he doesn't believe me you see, Leonard,' you quoted; the male agents agreed

'You got that right,' laughed he, 'Tyler's too much of a wimp to pull any of this off but the trick is, whenever I take another mask,' he licked his lips feverishly, 'I always go back to autopilot.'

'Autopilot?' said Derek, confused.

'Tyler!' giggled Leonard. Tyler's mind was framing his physical body as a killer. Charging him would be difficult.

A chance came to light.

'Turn & place your hands on the board' ordered Morgan, gun pointed at the man.

'What?' squealed Brinner, 'No! No! I don't wanna go! Please don't take me back there no, no, no!' he cried, kicked & screamed aloud.

Derek handcuffed him showing little mercy and dragged the boy inside a man away with Aaron by his side.

Spencer put his gun away and swept his hair back with a flick, 'Are you okay? You did well.'

'I'm fine,' you lied as he walked away, staring at the wall the boy was arrested on. Punching it so hard your knuckles bled, you shook your right hand and moved away from the building.

                 In the most nonchalant approach possible, you sat with JJ in the back of the SUV as you felt as though she was the only person who would not pry, but accept your decision about moving. Actually, she was also the best at bandages and your hand had begun to smart. Earphones in, you let her rest on your side for the car journey and woke her when you arrived at the jet.

'Can you help?' you ushered her via a nudge on the arm. Blearily, she scanned over your hand, pursing, and then nodding. Once in the air, she tenderly wrapped a bandage over your bruised and continuously swelling hand and looked you dead in the eyes.

'We arrested a child,' you sympathised.

'A child at mind, a killer at heart. Usually the other way around but- not every story gets a happy ending, Beck,' JJ brusquely spoke.

You sighed deeply, 'I know.'

A figure met your partner's eyes; she got up and left her seat. Widening, your eyes averted to the window- even though it was closed.

'Taking it out on the wall?' he pointed.

'Yeah, I guess,' you huffed at your hand, flexing out your fingers.

'You wanted to talk?' Aaron dropped the question.

'Yeah- um,' hesitating, he intently awaited an explanation, 'I just wanted to let you know that-'

'Hotch, we've got another case. Children,' Emily rushed over.

He was flustered, 'Oh, I- does everyone have enough clothes to last them? We may have to go back if not,' he pressed a hand to his mouth.

'I think everyone's set to be honest,' she acknowledged.

'Turn the jet around. Now,' he pushed- child cases were the hardest for him to deal with for obvious reasons, 'Beck, I'm so sorry. We will sit down and have a proper meeting, you'll have my full attention,' he lazily promised. You shrugged him off and he walked away, setting up a call with Garcia.

Maybe I should just pack up and leave. Would he even notice?