Criminal Minds Fanfic

Chapter 3

After the meeting is disbanded, the team breaks away and Lauren is left with only Spencer, who is shoving files into his satchel.

"About the elevator--" she starts.

"It's fine. I'm just... not used to girls looking at me," he interrupts, keeping his gaze down.

"Look," Lauren says, picking up her bag. "It didn't mean anything."

He looks at her, hurt creeping into his eyes. He turns around and heads for the door. She opens her mouth to speak but no words escape her lips. 'Great,' she thinks to herself.

***

"I brought us some snacks!" Penelope says in a sing-song voice as she enters her den. The room is only lit by a small, dim desk lamp and the gleam of computer screens.

"Thanks," Lauren responds, snapping out of a daze.

"Am I interrupting you?" she giggles, sitting in her chair and slapping the snacks on the desk.

"No," Lauren replies, flipping her tablet open. "I was just... thinking."

" 'Bout what?" Penelope asks, giggling again.

"The case," Lauren says, keeping her head down.

"Is that all?" Penelope asks playfully. She lays a hand on Lauren's shoulder, "I'm only teasing."

Lauren's mouth twitches into a small smile. The phone rings as if on queue. Penelope sits up from her slouched position and pushes her chair over to the phone.

"Please tell me you have something good for me," Penelope says to whoever is on the other end.

"Hey Baby Girl, I need you," Morgan remarks, playfully on the other end.

"Ready when you are," Penelope says, fingers resting on the keyboard.

***

After hanging up, Penelope swings her chair around. "Baby Girl?" Lauren asks, crossing her arms and sitting back in her chair. "Are you and him..." Lauren asks trailing off.

"Oh, no... no!" Penelope exclaims defensively. "Just REALLY close friends."

Lauren laughs to herself before returning to the file she was given. "Isn't that what they all say?" she asks playfully after a small silence.

Penelope hits Lauren's arm mischievously. "Our relationship is different than most. It's all fun and games," Penelope pauses. "but really he's like my best friend," she adds quickly.

"Okay," Lauren says, dismissing it. Penelope smiles and returns to her computers.

***

"So, I really need to tinkle," Penelope exclaims

"Uh... okay," Lauren responds, looking up from her game of online solitaire.

"It's been awhile since they've called. Just watch the screens and if it's really urgent... uhh--" Penelope stops, looking up as if she is searching for what to say. "stall."

Penelope runs towards the door. Lauren sits up, "Umm... I--" but before she can respond Penelope is long gone. "Okay," Lauren mumbles to herself, sliding the chair in front of the phone and main monitor.

A few minutes go by and Penelope doesn't return. Lauren sits upright hoping that something important doesn't happen, but her hopes are short-lived when the phone rings.

On the second ring, Lauren presses the 'answer call' button. "Hello?" she asks quietly.

"Garcia? I need you to run something for me," a familiar voice says on the other end. "Garcia?"

"Penelope's not actually here," Lauren chimes.

"Elevator girl," Spencer remarks, the sound of a smile in his voice. "Where's Garcia?" he asks, changing the subject.

"Bathroom."

"It can wait, I suppose." Spencer says, leaving an awkward silence. "So, how's it going?"

"Fine, I guess," she answers. "You have any leads yet?"

"Not much. I was hoping Garcia could get me the working shifts of the cabs in the city. It's not much but we've got another victim."

"What makes you think it's a cab driver?"

"They were taken in the middle of the day," he retorts. "in plain site."

"Maybe I'm just crazy but what if this unsub is a woman," Lauren suggests, looking at the crime scene photo of the most recent victim.

"How do you suppose it's--"

"The brutality seems so violent that it wouldn't be a woman but... I think that's why it would be a woman."

"I don't follow," Spencer retorts, confusion present in his voice.

"She obviously has had a problem with handsome, buff, brunettes. Maybe a husband, boyfriend or even a father."

"Huh," a long silence follows on the other end. "I never thought of that."

"It would also explain how these guys are being lured in plain sight. They see this attractive young woman and she seems harmless, but get him alone, slip something in his drink or an injection."

"They didn't find any drugs in the toxicology reports," Spencer says, the sound of paper crinkling in the background.

"She keeps them for 48 hours. There's plenty of drugs that can be flushed out of your system within 48 hours."

"Hotch!" Spencer calls. "Thanks, Lauren, you've been a great counsel," he remarks, jokingly.

"Didn't you need Penelope?" Lauren asks, looking over her shoulder.

"Not anymore," Spencer says. "Thanks again," he hangs up.

"No... problem," Lauren mumbles, hitting the button on the phone. She leans back in her chair. A few seconds later Penelope comes back.

"Did I miss anything?" she asks, her breaths slightly uneven.

"Were you running?" Lauren laughs.

"Possibly," Penelope responds, plopping down in her chair.

"Reid called," Lauren says, replying to Penelope's question.

"What did he need?" Penelope asks.

"Nothing anymore," Lauren says, returning to her game of solitaire.