Spencer's Worst Best Friend.

Travelling Afar.

Case after case and yet things were always moving. At times it felt like the movement was backwards but in a line of work as challenging as the FBI, the agent seemed to have no choice but to change and become a better person for what they did. A new side seemed to emerge with each waking day but some habits die hard.

*Buzz* *Buzz* five times the phone rang but there was never an answer. Hotch was nearly red with rage, the rest of the team had been briefed and prepared for the case but Astrid had decided not to turn up. The hot days that had begun seemed to liven her mood but she was sleeping through the calls.

"Look, Hotch. I can try her again but I don't think she will answer me. Her house is on the way to the jet so we can swing by. Come on man." Derek sauntered on over and sat on the edge of the empty desk. Her desk was well organised and well labelled. Quite unlike the one that was beside it as Spencer had a hectic space with everything everywhere.

"Fine. Don't think this saves her though." It was a warning and a threat. His voice was huskier and as he walked off to the door the rest followed. Looks of disbelief and rolling eyes followed his back but they got into the cars all the same.

Garcia was required for the case and so she travelled with them, her electronics had moved with her and taken up most of the space. Despite expectations of Hotch turning off, towards the jet, he didn't and so followed the other car. It appeared that they would all be visiting Astrid's house and Derek felt his chest constrict at the thought.

A beep was sounded and Garcia started shouting about how they needed to stop and so they did. Not too late as the house number was spotted. 142 was seen and two engines stopped. The clock was read and 1:03 was seen. The team had been working hard for a long time but it felt like they would be getting no time to get over the countless cases.

A two-storey building was spotted and it was what most young kids wanted. Definitely smaller than the ideal but it seemed perfect for a one-person family. The exterior was white and a fence that matched in colour was seen. Five windows were also spotted but no light was detected. Curtains or blinds were all pulled and shut. She was either asleep, avoiding them or out of town.

Two knocks sounded but nothing was heard or seen. She was clearly not going to respond and so Hotch began to look at the house. His foot kicked a plant pot and then with a heaving sigh he picked the key up and unlocked the front door. The dark house was well decorated. No pictures were hung but paintings were. 'AA' was signed at the bottom right and Spencer made the mental note. It was her who had done them but they all looked a little sinister, dark paintings with monsters hidden behind corners, it only seemed to add to the dark house that was barely lived in and the only thing seen on the fridge was a simple list of groceries. Most crossed off.

Steps creaked as the white walls and plants were seen. Her house was a simple plan that could be easily navigated. Any one of the doors up the steps could have been her bedroom so Derek, Rossi and Spencer searched them all. Slowly opening them as they hoped to find her.

Spencer looked through one door and saw a bed with disturbed covers on it. As he focused his eyes a thigh was seen to be hooked over the duvet and the tattoo was seen in full. The sun and moon covered the top of her thigh but as the light was switched on Spencer stopped his looking and he stated her name loudly.

"What?" Tired eyes opened and she came to her knees on the bed. The heat had pushed her into wearing a top and shorts to bed. The top read 'Hakuna your own matatas' and a sun was seen shining behind it. Her eyes had adjusted and as soon as she saw that Spencer was at the door she covered up.

"We tried calling you." By this point, the two others had gathered at the door and watched as Astrid got to the edge of her bed and stood up. The duvet in her hands to cover up her lower body a little.

"My phone was shot in the case remember? My new one is due in a few days." Hands rubbed her eyes but sleep was still settled over her groggy mind as she spoke.

"Of course. Um, we have a case." Astrid nodded and she moved to get dressed. As her arms moved for her to stretch, a mark was noticed on the back of her right hip. Eyes glued to it for a second before they all left the door frame. Spencer closing the door behind him. A bite mark had taken residence on her hip. It was so light though that it looked faded but no bruising was seen. Spencer couldn't get that out of his head.

"There was no bruising, " Spencer had grumbled to himself.

Astrid dressed and brushed herself up in seconds. Her makeup was packed and quickly she ran down the steps. A brown corduroy dress was seen. Below it was a loose shirt. The top was an off white with greenish stripes all over. It looked a little like a farmer's top from the 60s and her brown shoes covered over white sport socks. By the time Astrid had stood up her face met a small, black phone.

"Use it until your new one comes. I will have Garcia put your old number onto this one." Her vivid hair was tough to miss as she looked over the house and then settled on a smile. White shining through the pink lipstick and the large glasses that matched all of the weird and wonderful colours. Astrid just wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.

"Thanks." The cars were climbed into quietly after the house was locked and lights turned off. Astrid subconsciously watched the house until it fell from her view.

By the time they were on the jet, the case was actually looked into and no bubbling anger looked to blow at any moment. Hotch had lost his anger at Astrid as the reasoning became known so he sent Spencer off to talk over the case with her. He would be the most likely one to tell her exactly what had been said.

"A man was caught digging a grave and trying to bury a body. A few other complaints about graves being destroyed in the same graveyard brought up a few questions. A few days later and eight other bodies have been found." Pictures of all of the bodies were then placed on the table and each one was lifted before examining and trying to piece some data together.

"I know these two people. Drew and Tony. They were married to two of my friends. We met at a group and got along really well. Both of these men were done for domestic abuse and I think that they both served time. A couple years at most but no access to the kids and there was an indefinite restraining order against them both." Eyes searched over them and a little panic bubbled over. A sensitive subject such as abuse caused the team a lot of stress about the way they worked the case.

"How did you meet them?" Astrid shrugged and then looked closely. None of the other faces matched any of her other friend's husbands but she wanted to make sure.

"They had to of gotten out a couple months ago. Not long since they were put behind bars. We can get the girls, girl, in for questioning and I am sure we can find another link." The distraction wasn't taken and there was a determination in the rest of the team to know something.

"Astrid, you mentioned a group. We need names and information. You could be at risk of harm. You may not have married anyone but you may know about something. Someone." Astrid sighed and looked at the paper.

"Names were anonymous. That was the whole point. I was Golden Direction. No reason, they just click random on a name generator and that is what you get. I only knew the women. I met Alice and Talis through it but only because we thought that we could be stronger together. A few months in Talis died because I didn't open my mouth. That is how Tony was found out. He quickly turned on Drew as well. Because Talis died Alice got to live. To be a part of the group you had to meet certain criteria. When Talis died I no longer met the criteria so we could only keep in contact over text. She was a good friend and the person I needed at the time. I can't tell you any more. The whole point of the group is to be hidden. That way, we couldn't be found out by someone else. I mean, if I was Drew or Tony I wouldn't want my wife in a secret group with women. Talis and Alice were the two I knew." Astrid then let her lips button together and even when prodded she refused to speak. Too much had been said.

"You wanna talk about your tattoos Bunny?" Not even a glance or glare had been given in response. Spencer, however, sat away from her but his eyes glued to her. The mark never left his mind and the image remained stuck like glue as he thought about how it was possible, a woman, alone, with a bite mark that had no bruising around it.