lowkey

𝖇𝖎𝖑𝖑'𝖘 𝖇𝖔𝖔𝖐𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖊

'Let's go to the hotel.' Hotch said from the head of the table. We were all exhausted and Hotch new we weren't going to uncover anything new. I almost fell asleep twice on the short car ride back to the hotel and I stumbled lazily into my room falling onto my bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was fast asleep.

My dreams were a tangled haze of blue and hazel eyes, hands reaching out for me and a non-coherent muttering. I sprung awake, sitting up in my bed, knotted in my sheets. I could still hear the muttering and I realised it was coming from the room next door, Reid's room. I crept our into the hallway and knocked quietly. There was dead silence then footsteps and a tousled Reid opened the door. 'Audrey? What are you doing awake?' He let me into his room, and I saw the folders and maps scattered across his room. 'I could hear you talking in here. Cracked the case?' I sat down on the edge of the unused bed and Reid sat at the minuscule table. 'Not yet.' He smiled weakly. 'Go to sleep.' I suggested. 'You'll feel much better.' 

Reid sat back in his chair. 'I can't.' He said quietly.

'Why?' I asked.

'It's my mum. She-' Reid turned away from me, his body language was deflated.

'She's having a rough patch with her schizophrenia.'

'I'm so sorry.' I said quietly. He looked up at me, tears welling in his eyes. 'C'mere.' I stood up giving him a hug as he collapsed into sobs in my arms. I stroked the hair at the nape of his neck and he relaxed at the touch. He reluctantly pulled away. 'I-I'm so sorry.' He hiccuped, wiping away tears. 'It's okay.' I said. 'You need to sleep.' I insisted. He was so exhausted he let me take off his vest and tuck him gently into bed. 'This is embarrassing.' He whispered with a smile.

'Aw shut up.' I said smiling at how adorable he looked all wrapped up in bed. A long arm reached out and grabbed my wrist. 'Thanks Audrey.' He said sleepily.

I silently left a smile plastered on my face before falling back into a fit-full sleep. 

I put on my usual jeans and white button up shirt, a dark jumper on top. I laced up my sneakers and grabbed my bag rushing outside after the third text from Prentiss telling me to hurry up. I fumbled with the lock and eventually gave up. Surely no one would break in. I rushed downstairs into the underground carpark and leapt into the closest black SUV. 

I slid in beside Prentiss, Morgan and Reid in the front. Prentiss tapped her watch as we drove off, a smirk on her face. 'Sleep well?' She asked. 

I glanced at Reid, as his eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. 'Yeah. Fine.' I replied non-chalant, turning to look out the window for the rest of the ride.

'Audrey you and Reid can visit the bookshop that all the vics had in common.' Hotch said straitening some loose papers on his desk. Reid and I walked out of the police station into the warm Miami sun, Reid pulling on some sunglasses. We walked the short distance to the bookstore and slipped inside, the building a cool retreat from the outside. Reid strode towards the cashier, but I touched his chest lightly and he drew to a halt. 'Let's have a look around before we make our presence known.' We wandered in between two bookshelves and pretended to browse, my eyes on the elderly man at the cashier. Could he really be tied to these crimes? Before I could contemplate any further Reid had dragged me to the ground. 'What the-' I hissed, Reid grabbing my mouth as the glass window behind us shattered, the sound of bullets like rain erupting around us. We sheltered behind the bookshelf and I squeezed my eyes shut as shards of glass and plaster fluttered through the air, Reid's grip tightening around me. After what felt like an eternity it was silent, and I felt Reid fumble for his phone in his pocket. 'Hotch? Yeah, we need you guys here now.'

Reid pushed himself up, glancing around before deciding it was safe. He helped me up, smoothing his ruffled hair. 'Are you okay?' He asked, his eyes staring concernedly into mine. 

'Yeah, thanks to you.' I said shakily, quickly making my way to the cashier. I crouched down behind it, my eyes widening as I saw the old man's body, peppered with bullets. 'Reid.' I beckoned him over. 'I'm sorry Aud.' Reid said shaking his head. 'He's gone.' He removed his fingers from his neck where he was checking his pulse. 'The question is who would want to do a drive by on a bookstore that happens to have a connection to all our vics.'

'Whoever is behind this knows we're here at the very least. Maybe they're trying to get rid of some loose ends.' Reid replied as the sound of sirens came closer, JJ, Morgan, Prentiss and Hotch bursting inside guns drawn. 'Are you all okay?' Hotch asked, herding us outside as JJ and Morgan went to inspect the body. 'A little shaken up, but we weren't hurt.' Reid said just as Morgan came back out, holding a piece. 'I found this on the book that was on the desk in there. I think you'll want to read it.' Morgan handed it to me.

Audrey Monroe,

We know who you are. We know who you work with. We know where you live. We want revenge, however, we are willing to compromise. You know what we want. You have a week.

The letter was unsigned but just as the letter prophesied, I knew exactly who it was from. I shivered despite the heat, and I felt my hand ball into a fist, crumpling the note so that Reid had to open my hand just to get it out. 'What does this mean?' He asked raising his eyebrows at me. 

'I-' I didn't know what to say. 'I don't know.' I lied.

'Are you sure?' He frowned giving me a second chance. 

'I really have no idea.' I hated myself for lying straight to his innocent face but I couldn't make myself tell them everything I had done in my past. Why I hadn't slept properly for the past 5 years. Why I was here right now. It was too much to bear.