Honesty - Criminal Minds || Spencer Reid Fanfiction

31. This Time It's Personal

"The worse thing you can do in a fight is stop moving. When someone attacks, they create force, movement, momentum, but you'll be okay as long as you can see and feel the direction of that force and travel with it." ― Victoria Schwab

The Technical Analyst

"I'll call Spencer." I said, whirling on my heel and hurrying for my office in my heels. 

"No Penelope wait!" Melanie called. "I don't want to take him away from his mum, he needs to spend time with her." She insisted and I spun, looking to Hotch for instructions.

"Melanie he could help us." He said matter-of-factly.

"Dad please." She pleaded, turning to look at Hotch with wide eyes. He sent me a look that told me to contact him as soon as Melanie was busy, but for the time being, we had to figure out what had happened.

"JJ could you get some dry clothes or a blanket please?" Hotch asked as we all made our way into the conference room with Mel.

"Sure, I have my go-bag right here." She said, pointing to her desk.

"Okay, Mel, tell us what happened first." Hotch said calmly, sitting her down at the table as she began shivering.

I hurried to the coffee table and poured her a cup of steaming coffee, adding a couple of sugars and some milk, forgetting how many sugars she actually took. I thrust it into her hand as she gathered herself. 

Morgan wrapped his jacket around her shoulders as she stared into her coffee, beginning to speak.

"Caitlyn was supposed to be bringing Daisy and Ben over this afternoon to cheer me up," She explained quietly; everybody hanging on her every word. 

"But she didn't show up at the time we'd arranged. I knew something was wrong; Caitlyn's never ever late she thrives in punctuality," She explained emphatically. 

"So I called her a few times and left messages but it just kept going straight to voicemail. She was forty minutes late when she showed up at the flat saying they were gone. She was hysterical and said everyone was out looking for them."

"Had she called the police?" Morgan asked. 

"No," Melanie shook her head. "She just came straight to me."

Hotch straightened from his crouch in front of Melanie and nodded at me. 

Time to call Spencer.

The Blonde Bomb

"Where're you going?!" Melanie demanded, rising to her feet as Hotch hurriedly left the room.

"C'mon Mel," I said, stepping forward around Morgan. "Let's get you into some dry clothes before you catch a cold."

"No," She yanked her hand out of my arm and ran after Hotch. "Dad stop a minute!" She called as Hotch hurried out the doors of the unit.

"Melanie, we have to get on top of this," Rossi said in a calm voice, hurrying after Hotch.

"The sooner we act, the better." Morgan nodded.

"You know the statistics, Mel." Prentiss said softly.

"That doesn't make me feel better Em, thanks." Melanie snapped defensively before sighing and pinching the bridge of her nose.

"We need to get them back." She said matter-of-factly.

"We will." I nodded, rubbing her back soothingly. 

"No, you don't understand. They're like family to me. We need to get them back."