Stripped - Complete

Chapter Eight - Christina

It felt weird getting off the jet and breathing in the LA air for the first time in 7 years. Now I'm in a hotel I used to walk past everyday when I was younger. I left Los Angeles when I was 16 and looked back once when Lucia was born but my parents never wanted me to come and help, so I never did. Lucia doesn't know who I am, unless Avery told her about me. Avery is the only one out of my family that talks to me, she understands me because in a sense we are outsiders. She being gay and my being a "genius". Spencer always told me to drop the air quotes when I call myself that. He would say "It's who you are, not a mockery", but I still can't say it without air quotes I just doesn't seem like me. A Genius? No chance.

We got set up in the hotel as soon as we landed and then made our way to the station. Emily had told us about the case before we got it, her friend in the LAPD had told her in confidence and once the second call came in they called us straight away. The 1st victim had Cheater written on his forehead, the 2nd had Adulterer. Both had their wedding bands taken off. Spencer and I were to go to the crime scene to see if I noticed anything from living here. I didn't know what Emily meant but I went anyway.

The walk was short, especially since I was with Spencer. He kept my mind as ease, maybe a "genius" thing. I remember walking past this place before I left. It wasn't as expensive looking then as it is now but I remember it. I wasn't sure how Spencer would do in this place but we had to go in. Oh how I wish him luck.

"You must be Agent Reid and Agent McIntyre, Thank you for coming" A man approached.

"It's Doctor" Spencer and I both said at the same time and looked at each other.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't told you were doctors, I'm Sean the one who called in about the body" I said shaking my hand and sitting.

"Did you find the body then call it in?" Spencer asked.

"Umm, yes. I did. I was putting out some garbage when I found it" he didn't seem convinced that he found the body, he seemed fidgety and uneasy.

"You can relax, did you know the man that you found?" I asked

"No, I don't recall his face" he said, his eyes were very unfocused and small.

"Well, thank you Sean for answering our questions" I said standing with Spencer and leaving.

"Spence, he never saw the body, the body wasn't visible to anybody other than the ME, us and the LAPD. I was in a bag when he supposedly found it" I say as we walk to the station

"It's strange why he would lie. Maybe he's trying to protect the person that actually saw it" he said fixing his tie.

"I'd like to meet whoever he's protecting" I say observing my old town.

"Isn't your family's house not far from here?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, but you don't want to meet them. They'll probably ask a million questions on whether or not we're dating. I don't want you to go through that" I said trying to change our current direction so we didn't reach my street.

"Come on, you're sister Avery would love to see you" he said, and for the second time ever he touched my arm to lead me to my street.

"I keep forgetting that I shouldn't tell you things about my life, you will forever remember" I said grabbing his tie and shaking it in my fist. He laughed and didn't seem phased by my being in his personal space. I look at his face and slightly rested my head on his collarbone when he began to talk again.

"Why don't we got to your parents house and take them our for lunch?" he asked looking down at me.

"I'd rather not, they don't know how to be thankful for anything, what makes you think they'll be thankful for this" I said talking my head off his shoulder.

"Come on, let me meet them" he said smiling this gorgeous smile I had only ever seen when he spoke good things of his mom.

"Fine but I don't know how successful you'll be" I said

We make it to the outside of my old home and I feel strange. I feel like I could fix this place up really nicely and have somewhere nice for them to stay but at the same time they would except me to pay them back for all they had done for me. I wasn't about to give them more than they deserved.

"How could you let her call the police? And where did you get that phone from? Have you been stealing from your school again?" a male voice shouts so the whole town could hear.

"I didn't know she had done it and it must have been that little boyfriend of hers that gave her that phone. We can't even afford water because of you!" a woman's voice echoed.

"I can see nothing has changed" I said standing in the doorway of my pathetic old house.

"Christina, you've come back to help us, how lovely. Could you please get our water turned back on? The girls will smell if you don't" My mother Celeste said.

"She's only come back for money Celeste, she's not here to help" the man across the living room said. My ignorant father Russell.

"You're right Russell, I'm not here to help you but I'm not here from money. I'm here helping a wife find out who killed her husband and a man find out who killed his brother. Did I mention I get paid to do that because it's my job" I said not moving from the doorway. My so called parents didn't know that on the other side of the wall they couldn't see Spencer standing waiting to meet my family.

"So, James from the bank was murdered, I knew it. I told you that he wouldn't kill himself" Celeste said facing Russell.

"That's not the problem right now Celeste, the problem is that you let our daughter steal a phone from some boy and letting her mess around, Shaw needs to know that calling the police on her father will have consequences" he said getting too close for comfort to Celeste.

"I sent it to her. I gave her the phone, I pay for it. Shaw would never steal and she didn't call the cops on you" I said stepping in to stand up to my father.

"Oh, she may not have stolen the phone but she certainly called the cops my darling girl" he said looking up to my eyes.

"I guess you must have done something pretty bad. Stealing money again I assume. Or maybe a woman at the strip club finally got tired of seeing your face" I said giving my father a death glare.

"How dare you speak to your father like that. You need to learn..." Russell was cut off when Spencer walked round the corner and in to the house to stand next to me.

"You were about to say there sir?" Spencer said looking unimpressed with my father.

"Are you one of her Agent friends then? You look too skinny to be an agent" Russell said snarly.

"Celeste, Russell. I would love for you to meet my good friend DR. Spencer Reid" I said using my hands to show him off.

"And Sir, madam. I would love for you to meet DR. Christina McIntyre" Spencer said making sure they heard the doctor part and my new last name.

"McIntyre eh, I guess you really don't want anything to do with us then" My mother said sitting on the most disgusting green couch I had ever seen.

"Why would I? You may have brought me into this world but you certainly didn't want me in yours. And this world is a bad place where we have a killer to catch so we will be leaving. And if you try and hit my mother I will get Avery to call the cops on you next. But I'll be the one to arrest you" I said turning on my heel, grabbing Spencer's hand and leaving.