Tangled Up in You (The Story of Us Book 2)

Chapter 26- Daddy Issues

The team was back in Las Vegas. They had just finished working on a case of child abduction and killings by a mentally unstable woman who had gone off her meds to give birth and then had her child taken away by child services. During the case, Spencer kept having a dream of a dead child behind a dryer and Amanda recognized it instantly. While she slept, she had nightmares of the terrors of her past while Spencer dreamt of a dead kid. He was always in the same place, behind his dryer, but there were different aspects of the murder.

She pointed this out to Reid who mentioned it to Morgan who came up with a name. Riley Jenkins. Spencer took the name and tried to make a connection while Amanda investigated enough to know that he was on the same little league team as Spencer only to get distracted by the thought of Spencer at any age trying to play baseball. Once the team finished the case, Spencer asked Hotch if they could stay an extra night so he could spend time with his mom and he was more than willing to grant it, telling everyone to meet in the lobby at 7 am.

Everyone, minus Spencer, ate a team dinner before hitting the casinos. Hotch tapped out first, Emily was more about getting drunk, Rossi was just having fun, JJ had gone straight to the hotel, and Morgan was too focused on how Amanda seemed to win everything she touched. He knew that she could count cards, she was a genius so of course she could but she didn't just stick with texas hold 'em or blackjack. She played a slot and won a million dollars. "She has to be cheating," he tells Rossi who had joined him at the bar to watch the blonde place a bet on the roulette table.

"I don't think you cheat at slots, Derek," he points out but Morgan shakes his head right as the ball lands on the exact number Amanda had placed her bet on. She quickly collected her winnings before heading to the bar.

"God I love Vegas," she exclaims, making Rossi chuckle as Derek glares.

"Yeah so would I if I won every game I touched. How much are you up?"

"About 3 mil. I'm actually going to cash out now. That's how casinos get you, they get you on a winning streak and you think your luck won't quit and you play until you lose it all. See you guys in the morning." With that, she walks away, heading to the teller to cash in her chips.

"How?" Is all Morgan can ask as Rossi chuckles.

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The next morning, everyone but Hotch is waiting for Reid as JJ runs to grab something from her room. Morgan is playing the slot machine by the door until Emily complains only for JJ to come and try to play the rest of the credits before Emily threatened her so Rossi mimes to the blonde that she was hungover. Spencer comes in and tells them that he's staying a few days to spend time with his mother so they all tell him goodbye but the moment they are out the door, Morgan turns to the lucky blonde. 

"You know, I think that I could go for a vacation."

"Funny, I was thinking that I should stay here and press my luck a little more," she tells him with a smile, making their three companions frown.

"What are you two talking about?" Dave asks.

"Spencer isn't here to spend time with Diana, he's here to investigate a murder that happened when he was four. He's been dreaming about it since we were kids and now he found out that it was an actual case. Morgan and I are going to stay and help," Amanda answers.

"You guys all rallied around me when it was my case, it only feels right that I stay too," Rossi says, and Amanda and Morgan grin.

"You two head to the airstrip, I'll call Aaron and tell him." The two women nod as the three agents head back into the hotel.

"I'm assuming that you'll be paying miss three mil?" Derek jokes.

"Nope," she answers, heading to get three rooms and putting it on the FBI's tab. This makes Morgan chuckle before they head to Spencer's room. Amanda gets the door open easily and the three head in. Amanda sprawls on the bed while the two men turn on The Young and the Restless. It doesn't take Reid long to get back and agree to let them help.