the great war, spencer reid [ 2 ]

041. green light

Bedelia took Theodora on a little girls weekend, figuring they both needed some time away. Diana's had a few more bad days than she has good days which takes a toll on both the Reid females -- scaring Theodora and stressing Bedelia out more.

Bedelia promised she'd text or call both Emily and Penelope once a day to assure she and her daughter are still alive.

Bedelia is currently asleep, but woken up by a tiny finger poking her arm.

"Mama." Theodora whispers. She shakes the woman. "Mama."

"What, Theo?" Bedelia groggily asks.

"I miss daddy." Theodora whines.

Bedelia sighs, her heart clenching.

"I know, baby. I miss him, too." Bedelia says. "C'mere." She pulls the girl down and into her chest, wrapping her arms around her.

"When he back?" Theodora asks.

"I don't know, baby. There... there's a lot of work he's doing in Houston." Bedelia says.

"JJ and Gwandma say he's at beach." Theodora frowns.

Bedelia quietly groans, wincing at the lies being thrown towards her daughter.

"He's at a beach in Houston. There's a beach near where he's working." Bedelia quickly comes up with.

"Oh." Theodora mumbles. "Call?"

"No, baby. He-- he doesn't have any service." Bedelia says. Theodora huffs, cuddling into her mom's chest.

"I want daddy." Theodora grumbles.

"I know, baby. I want him, too." Bedelia says, kissing her on the head.

Lulling her daughter to sleep, Bedelia's stomach swirls with guilt for lying to her daughter. Even though she probably wouldn't understand prison, or the concept of being framed, she still feels terrible for not telling the truth. The two parents always tell their daughter to tell the truth and yet, here she is, lying straight through her teeth every single day.

+++

Bedelia had been packing up to go back home when Emily called her, telling her that Diana's nurse wasn't picking up and according to Spencer a Lindsey Vaughn was pretending to be the nurse.

"Wait, Lindsey Vaughn? Why does that sound familiar?" Bedelia frowns.

"She was from a case 10 years ago. A case where her father killed the unsub in front of you and Reid." Emily says.

"Fuck." Bedelia whispers. "Wait, you think she's involved with Scratch?"

"We don't know what to think right now." Emily says. "JJ and Walker are going to your apartment to see if Cassie and/or Diana are there."

"God, that was such a stupid move." Bedelia scolds herself. "Who the fuck leaves their ill mother-in-law with a nurse for a little getaway."

"A single mother stressed beyond belief. Don't blame yourself, Bedelia. I know Reid won't." Emily says.

"Yeah, maybe." She mumbles, quickly packing. "I'm packing up, I'll be there in a couple of hours."

"Be careful." Emily tells her, hanging up.

+++

"Hey." Bedelia runs into the round table room. "Catch me up. What's happening?"

"Nobody was at your place. No signs of forced entry, no signs of struggle. But we found Cassie's car, nothing in it." Emily informs. "JJ and Walker just found Cassie's body in an apartment in your building complex. She was shot execution style and Diana's been abducted."