DAMAGED // spencer reid

2

The rest of the drive to the airport is quick and we board the private jet and take our seats so that we can leave as soon as possible. Garcia slides into the seat exactly across from me and next to Spencer.

"Penelope Garcia, although I'm sure you already know that. Tell me about yourself, growing up, boyfriends, all the juicy deets," she says interestedly.

"All the 'juicy deets'?"

"Honey, I'm a brilliant computer analyst, I'm giving you a chance to tell me about yourself before I seriously cyber-stalk you." I laugh at this.

"There's not much to know about me except I'm pretty much a genius with no social life. Definitely no boyfriends," I laugh.

"Well that's why I'll find you one sometime, silly! You should see the guy I'm dating right now, not too bright but definitely pleasant on the eyes. Maybe I'll set you up, there are plenty of eligible agents back at Quantico!"

"Woah, I'm gonna have to stop you there. Relationships and work don't mix, especially in this line of work."

"Please don't tell me you're a cynic like Spencer," Garcia sighs.

"I'm not cynical, I'm realistic," Spencer says from next to her, never taking his eyes off the papers in his hands.

"Exactly. 'True realism consists in revealing the surprising things which habit keeps covered and prevents us from seeing'," I quote.

"You've read Le Mystère Laïc?" Spencer asks, finally looking up.

"How'd you know?"

"Eidetic memory. I can literally recite all of his works on the spot, Cocteau was one of my mother's favorites."

"Oh, right. Can I just say, that is possibly the coolest thing ever," I grin and he smiles back.

"Oh my lord, it's like you two are speaking some kind of foreign language. I thought having one doctor on the team was exhausting but having two is insane for me and my regular-sized brain," Garcia chimes in.

"We're about to land," Hotch announces, Derek and JJ following on his heels as they come to sit near us. "Garcia, JJ and I will go to the police department and set up. JJ, I want you handling the media coverage immediately and I'll go over the files again with the detective. Garcia, send out an APB to surrounding departments to alert them of suspicious behavior until we can put together a profile. Reid, Grant and Morgan will go straight to the house of the last victim, Ashley Shaw, to talk to the parents again and search the crime scene for more details. Grant, you specialize in psychological disorders, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"That's what I want you focused on. Talk to the family, learn all you can about Ashley and what about her was enthralling to our unsub. Morgan will survey the scene and I want Reid gathering possible DNA. Got it?" Hotch asks. We all nod.

The jet lands moments later and we all grab our bags and head to our separate vehicles. I brush out my pants and shirt while strapping on my holster. I sit in the back while Morgan drives and Reid sits up front with him.

"Is this your first crime scene visit?" Morgan asks me.

"No, not my first. The Intelligence Branch sent me out several times for interviews with families or even the unsubs. I've seen a lot of it by now."

"I didn't think that it was common for the Intelligence Branch to do that," Spencer says.

"It isn't, I guess they sent me out anyways. Preparing for the BAU, I suppose." The car stayed silent for the rest of the drive until we reached the Shaw house. It was a simple gray split-level with a swing on the front porch. It would've been really cute, if the yellow crime scene tape around the front yard wasn't drawing your attention away. There were a few police cars surrounding the area and officers were trying to contain the growing crowd of concerned community members. We parked in front of the house and exited the car. Morgan flashed his badge at one of the officers, who's eyes widened and let us crouch under the yellow tape to the house. We stepped inside and were immediately greeted by Ashley's parents. They looked tired, exhausted. Their clothes were slightly rumpled and there were bags under their eyes from crying.