FREAKING OUT ² ➢ spencer reid

V

I sat at the table silently, wrapping my arms across my stomach as I listened to Reid and Hotch argue outside the door. I felt the nervousness in my stomach rise as I anxiously chewed my lips and looked around the room. It was strange, given the circumstances, how much I missed rooms like these; rooms where Reid and I used to sit for hours and talk.

I turned towards one of the information boards across the room, eyeing the photos of the victims they'd gathered. I scanned their names and faces curiously, suddenly feeling sick. My stomach bubbled violently, causing the contents inside to rise up to my throat. Without a second thought, I covered my mouth and searched the room for a trash can. When I spotted one I ran over, dropping to my knees as I released whatever I had left. As I gagged I felt tears stream down my face. I clutched the garbage can tightly against my chest, hearing the door open and close a couple of feet away.

I kept my head down, closing my eyes in embarrassment. Even though I couldn't see them I knew they were looking down at me, their eyes burning holes into my skin as Reid let out a frustrated sigh and walked away.

"Isla," Hotch walked to my side, resting his hand on my shoulder.

"Please don't," I groaned. I spat into the garbage can one last time before sniffing loudly and wiping my eyes. I swallowed hard, feeling my throat burn as I looked up at him with tired eyes.

"What happened?"

I closed my eyes again, letting out a heavy sigh. I heard footsteps again; assuming they belonged to Reid as I closed my mouth too. I hoped, maybe, that if I just shut down Hotch would understand and send him away. I didn't want to see him right now. Not like this.

"Isla, please," Hotch's grip on my shoulder tightened, "I know this is highly unorthodox, but we think you may be able to help us."

All I wanted to do was help. Helping was the only thing I was good at, so, reluctantly I opened my eyes and looked at Hotch. I could see Reid holding a glass of water next to him, but I ignored it. "Okay."

Hotch helped me stand up. I felt my legs wobble the second I got fully upright. He wrapped his arm around the small of my back and helped me into the chair I was previously sitting in. Afterwards he turned to Reid and grabbed the glass out of his hand, setting it in front of me. "Tell me what happened."

I took a sip, feeling instant relief as it trailed down my burning throat. I let out a sigh, placing it back down before adjusting myself in my seat and leaning back. "I found that girl," I started calmly, "I, uh, was out with my brother and his girlfriend. We went to some club and I, uh, I don't know the name." I took a deep breath. "I lost them in the crowd and then some guy came and started grabbing me."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Reid's fist tighten at his side. For a split second I looked up at him, our eyes making contact almost instantly. He looked rough. His hair had grown a lot, curling wildly around his head, while is face looked tired. His eyelids drooped ever so slightly, while the bags underneath looked almost like bruises now. Across the lower half of his face grew some slight stubble, which threw me off the most. The entire time that I knew him he always shaved his face, so the sight was foreign.

I breathed in, watching his eyes dart away quickly. Hotch cleared his throat, pulling me back. I blinked a couple of times, shaking Reid's appearance out of my thoughts. "Sorry, uh, when the guy grabbed me I started to panic so I waved over a security guard, which scared him off."

"Can you tell us what the man who grabbed you looked like?" Reid asked.

The sound of his voice thew me off. I looked up at him again, watching as his eyebrows furrowed curiously. I nodded my head, closing my eyes as I tried to remember the details. Now that I was sobering up recalling memories came a whole lot easier. "He was tall. Probably six-two. Blonde hair, very military looking," I squinted behind my closed eyelids, trying to pick apart the details of his face, "he looked young, like barely legal young. White, uh... his smile was," I shuddered at the thought, "it was creepy. He wouldn't stop smiling even when he ran out of the alley way."