Swallows and Ravens • spencer reid

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ϝιʋҽ

𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 stared impassively at the remains of one of the young women. Four bodies, four women, all (from the pathologist's estimates) under just twenty five years old, reduced to hollow shells under white cloths. And Spencer couldn't shake the melancholy feeling that there was something so familiar about them. 

"Have you had any luck identifying any of these women yet, Agents?" Laura, the pathologist, asked sadly. She was used to death, but not this violent. Spencer could recall on one hand the number of cases they'd had that showed this level of grotesque violence.

"Not yet." Spencer said quietly. 

Spencer couldn't stop staring at what was left of this young woman's face, it was harrowing. He could tell Morgan felt the same.

"We always check dental records if there is no viable means of identifying a victim, which of course, there isn't for these women. The dental records didn't show anything, for any of them."

"Damn." Morgan muttered. Without identification the chances of building a decent, feasible profile diminished drastically. 

"Actually-" For the first time since the white cloth had been removed, both Agents turned their eyes away from her and looked intently at Laura, "The lack of a match might actually help us in this case. I did some research, alongside the years of personal experience I have in this job - it's growing more and more uncommon that we can't find any match through dental records. The type of individuals that a complete no-match is most common in is migrants, especially those who are undocumented. Most horrifyingly, over recent years, and particularly amongst young women, those who have been trafficked over to the States."

"Well dental hygiene wouldn't be high on a pimp's list of concerns." Morgan muttered sarcastically.

Spencer thought for a moment, trying to piece together all the information she'd just relayed to them, and then tried to figure out what to do next. 

"Laura, given their body composition, could you take a guess at where these women are from?"

"Well..." Laura looked around at all the women, and checked the chart of their most recent victim. "There's no saying for definite that they're even from the same country, certainly no telling if they're from the same city."

"We can figure out if they knew each other, it would just be really great if you could tell us where you think they're from." Spencer pressed urgently.

"They're all average height, one or two seem slightly skinnier than the others, I'd say bordering on malnourished; they're all similar heights, judging by their roots I'd guess that they were all natural blondes, but that's not an educated guess, just a woman's. Facial features would be most helpful but...at a guess...Europe. More specifically, Scandinavia? Russia maybe?"

Spencer and Morgan nodded gratefully. Four possibilities were better than one hundred-ninety five.

The three exchanged pleasant farewells, all sharing how they wished they wouldn't have to cross paths again any time soon.

"You okay, Reid?" Morgan asked as they entered the elevator back at the BAU.

"Hm?" Spencer mumbled. "Oh. Yeah, yeah I'm okay."

Morgan put his hand on Spencer's shoulder, halting him. "Don't make me profile you." 

"That photo of me, on the board I mean. It was from this morning..." Spencer trailed off, hoping Morgan would fulfil his threat and profile him so he didn't have to utter his uncomfortable thoughts aloud.

Morgan thought for a few moments, not having Spencer's advantage of an eidetic memory, the images took a little a longer to resurface. "Ah." He whispered as he finally remembered. "So...that's her, huh? Your mystery woman. Thought you were lying for a second there, Kid...She's pretty."

"Morgan." Spencer breathed half-heartedly. 

"Not the point, right sorry." Morgan's face contorted in confusion. "What is the point?" 

Spencer huffed again. He wasn't frustrated with Morgan, just with everything else. "Hotch - Haley, you know? I don't - I mean - I just met her but - I don't - but you know?

"No, I don't know! Do you even know?!"

Spencer inhaled deeply, as though his thoughts could be clustered together with the inhale. "Haley...died and the only person to blame is Foyet, I know that but this job...it's not just ours, Morgan. Everyone we love, everyone involved in our lives - anyone who could have any meaning in our lives; it's theirs too. We bring it home, it can never be something we just leave at the door and lock behind us, you know? I don't want to subject someone to that world, but if I don't...I don't think I'd ever be able to let anyone into any part of my life."

"Oh, Reid." Morgan exhaled sadly. 

"And I know, I know I just met her but these kind of chance encounters don't happen to me, Morgan. They happen to people like you, people like her and when you asked me what she was like and I said 'She's nice', I wasn't just being cryptic, that's really just the most important thing to me. I - I don't to be in that world alone anymore. When that door closes and locks behind me...I want someone to be waiting on the other side."

"Call her." 

"What?"

"Call her, Reid." Morgan cut him off before he could interrupt. "Look, you know I'm a very simple man when it comes to women but I have never met someone who I've actually been scared to let in. So, call her. Or I will." 

Spencer laughed lightly, nodding. Morgan reached out his arm and lurched towards Spencer slightly, reaching for his phone. 

"Okay, okay, I'll call her!" 

"And I'll call Garcia, see if she can find anything that can help us narrow down where these women could be from. I'll start with any known trafficking rings."

Spencer nodded again, pushing down the feelings of guilt at the reminder of what his job was. 

"What's her name?"

Spencer bit his tongue, saying her name aloud to Morgan would make her real. But he was tired of being alone; he was tired of being scared of being alone.

"Achlys. Her name is Achlys Amor."

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