1 | TREPIDATION. [SPENCER REID]

TEN.

before i start this chapter, i just wanted to give a quick shoutout to wendigos for creating the ship name squinn and making me laugh a shit ton last night

also, i want to thank everyone who's been supporting me and this story recently. you guys don't know how much i appreciate it. i love you tons. ok continue.

TEN ; GATSBY.

There was a haunting feeling that hung above the Behavioral Analysis Unit's floor.

It's as if it has finally hit all of the members. How deranged Joseph Lawrence is, what Quinn had been forced into. There were hardly any words spoken after his outburst, his song stuck in the back of the team's mind. There is no shaking the uneasiness they feel. It is hard to imagine how Quinn Carson is feeling.

They placed the girl in a waiting room Aaron Hotchner had closed off. She was left with Alex Blake to cope and talk through things. Spencer Reid refused to leave the room, claiming he wanted to listen in on the conversation.

Jennifer Jareau knew that it was so much more.

Perhaps that's why Hotch pulled JJ to the side. He knew she saw his true reasoning. With his arms crossed over his chest he asked, "Why do you keep watching Reid so carefully?"

A sigh escaped her lips. "He likes Quinn," she explained, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "He's made some suggestions for how she should end up."

"Like what?"

"Her joining the team, which is crazy," she laughed, the laugh slowly dying out as she saw Hotch's expression remain stoic. "It is crazy, right?" The leader did not speak, having realized he's had the same thoughts. "I mean, she's really talented at what she does, but is she cut out for this kind of stuff? Is she going to be okay when we rush her into the mind of a serial killer again?"

Hotch shrugged, observing JJ carefully. "She's been extensively trained. We interviewed Nelson who went over his training techniques and as insane as they are, they give impressive results," he replied. "I believe she's stronger than she looks." His eyes flashed to the lobby beyond his office. "The more I talk about this, the more crazy it does sound," he admitted, a hint of smile flashing across his face. "But crazy could ultimately work."

"But a past criminal working for us? I don't mean to sound awful here, but-"

"Garcia has a criminal background," Hotch reminded her. "She was a convict at one time. But she was the best I'd ever seen at hacking, and Carson's the best I've ever seen at catching lies." It was almost as if Hotch was formulating this in his head as he talked to JJ. "And if we're being honest, we could use someone like her. Our team needs someone like her."

JJ nodded, evaluating the points he brought up. He was right about everything he said, but in a way, JJ felt like she was the only voice of reason in the building. She believed Quinn was great at what she did and she liked her, but how would it look for the government if they had a rumored murderer working with them?