𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭 ➵ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

Chapter 21: It's Okay To Not Be Okay

{tw - mentions of blood}

YOU SAUNTER INTO the BAU for the first time in two weeks, hand wrapped around the strap of your bag tightly.

You are constantly running your tongue over your teeth as you struggle through the crowd, eventually losing your patience and pushing past their shoulders.

As you push through the glass doors, Spencer joins you at your side as you walk to your desk.

"Dr Reid," you smile, placing your bag down, "It's been a while."

"Unfortunately." He admits, leaning against the desk, "Are you doing okay?"

You stop pulling papers out of your bag for a moment before resuming, quickly nodding and placing yourself down in your chair, "Of course."

He looks at you wearily before pursing his lips and replacing his unbelieving face with a smile. He eyes one of the papers on your desk and hastily swipes it, reading it within a few seconds and as he places it back down, you roll your eyes.

"You wrote a paper on the history of Ancient Egypt?" He inquires curiously.

You shrug and lean back in your seat, "I got bored, especially with all the time I had."

"It's good, really good."

"Don't flatter me, Doctor," you smirk, seeing Garcia with a file in her hand as you begin to follow her with Spencer by your side.

As you enter the room where the rest of the team are gathering, Spencer sits next to you and looks at you like you had said something crazy and completely unbelievable, "I'm telling the truth."

You ignore the heat rising to your cheeks at his compliment and clear your throat, turning your attention to the new case at hand.

"Hotness!" Garcia exclaims and hugs you tightly, a feeling you have missed, "You're back."

You smile, "I'm glad to be."

"It's good to see you." Hotch smiles, causing you to raise your brows at the sight.

The rest of the team all send smiles and hugs your way, all happy to see you back. But of course, with the job that you have, happiness can't last forever.

Garcia proceeds to explain a series of three murders, each with markings carved into their backs that no one could decipher.

"Do you have photos of the markings?" Spencer asks.

Garcia shakes her head, "Local PD said you guys can see that for yourself, pack for a long trip you guys...you're headed to Graysville, Ohio."

You freeze and look up from your lap, "Graysville?"

Spencer watches you cautiously as Garcia nods.

"Is there a problem, Y/n?" Hotch asks.

You shake your head, "No, not at all...I was born there."

He nods in acknowledgement as Spencer begins one of his factual ramblings, "Graysville has a population of 76 as of 2010 and 38 housing units at an average density of 37.6 per square mile...you grew up there?" He turns his head to you as he asks the question.

You nod and ruffle a hand through his hair, "My personal genius, everyone."

There are a few small chuckles in the room and many smirks, but they all quickly fade away as photos of the crime scene with anything but the markings on the victims are shown.

"As Spencer said, Graysville doesn't have the biggest population, this is going to be hitting them hard," you say, looking up from the file in front of you, "Most of the town probably knew the victims."