Lose Her If You Love Her (Spencer Reid/Criminal Minds/AU)

Chapter 2 - Chain Links

*Poppy’s POV*

This plane journey is torture. All I can think of is Emily’s corpse, forced into the position of someone praying. She was such a sweet girl, who would do such a thing? But of course I knew who, a psychopath that’s who. I just sat by the window, my stone cold coffee was sitting rejected on the fold out table in front of me. Every now and again, I could sense someone looking at me. Finally, it became too much for me, I needed to know who was watching me. I spun and I caught sight of Spencer in the corner, staring at me. When he realised he had been seen, he focused on the papers in front of him again.

“He likes you.” A voice appeared from beside me; I looked up and watched as Morgan sat down in the seat beside me. “But then again, everyone here likes you. So if you need someone to talk to, we’re all here for you. Pretty Boy is just worried about you; you haven’t said a word since we took off.”

I shrugged and looked pointedly at him. “How would you like it if you found out that an old friend of yours, one of the only people still talking to you, has died. And even worse, was murdered and left looking like a bloody prayer person. When I find this psycho, he’s gonna wish he was never born. Also, I really hate planes.” I threatened as I gripped the armrests.

Morgan laughed. “I’m sure he will. I’m sorry about your friend, I really am. But being angry won’t help your case. We will find this guy, I promise you.” He stood and returned to his seat, with me gazing after him in surprise.

Maybe Morgan was right, maybe it wouldn’t be good if I stayed angry, it could affect us finding the killer. Oh heck, who was I kidding? When I find this guy, I’m gonna pummel the guys face in until he’s fecking blind.

Several Hours Later

We’ve landed! I practically ran out of the plane, sank to my knees and kissed the concrete in front of me. I sat up and smiled at the sky. “I hate flying.” I stated simply at the others, who were giving me weird looks.

Hotch just smiled and helped me onto my feet. “I’m surprised you weren’t running around the plane, screaming your head off.”

I pouted and laughed. “You’re lucky, I was close to it.” I let go of him and walked over to the car waiting to take us to the station. “Hurry up; I want to speak to chiefy as soon as possible.”

“Chiefy?” Spencer called after me as they followed, “Who’s chiefy?” I slid into the passenger seated and waited for them all to get into the car, impatiently mind you.

“Yeah, chiefy, as in Chief Patrick Quentin, he’s an old friend.” I answered as, finally, Hotch started the car and we drove off.

“I haven’t been here in years.” He mused as we looked at our surroundings, while he drove.

“Same, as soon as I was eighteen, I was gone, remember? I’m surprised Josh hasn’t left to be honest.” I replied, I never did enjoy my childhood and it couldn't end well returning.

Before Hotch could talk back, we pulled up to a group of police cars and yellow tape that was blocking the road. I was the first out, I had caught sight of Patrick and I wanted to find out what was going on.

“Chiefy! What’s happened?” I called out, I tried to duck under the tape, but a couple of police officers stopped me. I scowled as I recognised Smith and Frederickson, two of the high school bullies. They smirked at me.

“Sorry Miss San Gareno, no civilians allowed past here.” Smith boasted.

I laughed and pulled out my FBI badge. “FBI you bastard, let me through.” The smirks were wiped off their faces completely, but I was struggling to contain my laughter. They knew I had gotten further in life and they were just small town cops, and from the looks on their faces, they hated it.

“Pops, be polite.” Hotch scolded and flashed his badge at them as well. I scoffed and ducked under the tape and headed towards Patrick.

“Polite? The jerks made my entire school life hell; they don’t deserve someone being polite to them, especially me.” I reasoned and poked Patrick in the shoulder.

He turned and smiled a toothy grin at me. He was taller than me – like most people – tanned and had thin, grey hair. “Hello Poppet.  Didn’t know you were with the FBI BAU?”

I shrugged. “Hotchy gave me a job there, what’s going on?”

Patrick’s smile vanished. “Another one Poppet.” I groaned.

“Who?” A bit of exasperation there.

“Remember Carl Zellney?” He said it slowly.

“What? The Zellney kid?” I did remember him, how could I? He was the leader of the bullies that had mocked me and hurt me.

Patrick nodded, watching me cautiously. "Yeah, same position as well. Hotch, you wanna go look?" He gestured towards the bridge up ahead. I was still frozen in place. "Poppet, I understand the trauma you must be going  through coming back...but I have to know, have you been back to the town recently?"

My head shot up and I glared at him furiously. "You think that I killed them? You think that I am capable of magically moving from one end of the country to the other and back again without anyone noticing? I may have hated those kids in the past, heck it probably would make me a suspect, but I did not kill them, okay? For gods sake Quentin, I thought you actually knew me, you sick bastard." I stormed off in the direction that Hotch and the rest of the team had left in.

"Pops, you okay?" Hotch asked as they examined the body, I nodded and bent down beside him.

"I'm fine, just been asked if I killed them, but other than that, I'm okay." I grumped as my eyes ran across the corpse.

They all stopped what they were doing and stared at me. "You were asked if you were the killer?" Spencer asked quietly, surprise lacing his soft voice.

I looked up and noticed them all looking shocked, only Hotch was grimacing, he had some idea of why I would've been asked.

*Spencer's POV*

She got asked if she'd killed them? What? Why? She frowned as she watched us stare at her. 

"I didn't kill them, don't worry. I might've hated most of them, but I wouldn't do this." She sniffed and looked back down. "Looks like the guy was put in this position after death... COD was a shot to the back of the head...maybe the sicko made him kneel but then when he fell...moved him into position." She fell back onto her haunches and mused as her eyes roamed the guy.

"I believe you Pops. Your temper may be unprecedented and you are fully capable of taking a guy out, but murder on this scale? No way Pops." Hotch patted her on the shoulder.

Poppy smiled at him but then the smile wiped off her face as she noticed something. "Wait, there's something we're missing. Something blatantly obvious..." As she sat there, her face paled.

"Oh my god." She freaked out, big time. Her eyes widened as she stared at the body. "Chainlinks...There's a link... a bloody link..."

"A link?" Hotch knelt down beside her and shook her shoulders slightly.

Poppy nodded "me. The bloody link is me." What?