Innocent Son

Chapter Five

I woke up to the hotel door room opening. The click of the lock jolted me awake. The room was completely dark except for the light sneaking through the bottom of the bathroom door.

"Y/N?" Reid's voice was quiet and hushed.

"I'm here." I reached up and turned on the lamp in between the beds. I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the light. Reid was taking his shoes off and the door, showcasing his brightly coloured, mix-match socks. His messenger bag slung across his shoulder and a few files under his arm.

"Are you alright? Aaron said you weren't feeling well." My eyes felt heavy as I sat up, leaning my back against the headboard. He gave a sad look to my shit that had been thrown all over the bed. I looked away, embarrassed. He threw my clothes back into my bad before sitting on the edge of the bed. Spencer placed the files next to him. He struggled for a moment to sit his long, lanky legs in criss-cross, placing his bag in his lap.

"I'm feeling better now. Did he talk to you about me when he got back?" I asked. I didn't want to have the same breakdown I had after Hotch left. I was so emotionally exhausted.

"He did. I'm really sorry about your friend, Y/N." I just nodded. Why'd I have to use that example? I was a sophomore in college when I was attacked. I could still feel their hands on me. The pain that surged through my body. The things they said. I very well could've died that night but I didn't. Now I'm trying to catch a guy who has actually gone through with it. I felt a stab to my temple and winced. I knew it was just the aftermath of my migraine and sleeping in a weird position for a few hours. Reid was looking through his bag and hadn't noticed.

"Any leads for the case?" I try to distance myself away from the memory. I wanted to focus on the case and catch this unsub that seemed to be doing a great job of unraveling my life.

"We figured out that Jane Callahan wasn't intentionally the first victim."

"The sex was consensual. My guess is that the unsub found out Jane was trans after they had sex and killed her for it."

"That's what we thought too. He might've felt emasculated by the idea that she used to be a man."

"Don't say that." I mutter.

"Say what?" He asks. He wasn't upset, he didn't know what he said.

"That she used to be a man. That trans people used to be their assigned gender at birth." I tried not to look too offended. He's a smart man and I knew he wouldn't mean anything by it.

"Sorry." He replied quietly, but quickly moving back to the case. "We also ID'd the newest body. Twenty-two year old Tyler Forester." He opened the file up to a picture of a young man's face. He had rich, dark skin and braids that reached his shoulders. I focused on the photo of his face. I was afraid of looking at the crime scene photos. I could at least in my mind pretend he was still alive. Still giving a big toothy smile.

"Anything different about the newest victim?" I ask, looking away from the file he placed on the bed.

"The stab wounds were excessive this time. Most of them were post-mortem as he bled out from the first few. Definitely overkill. He left the knife at the crime scene as well."

"So he's spiralling. Making mistakes." The room was silent for a moment after. I figured I looked a mess to Spencer. I could feel the weight of my under eye bags sinking into my cheeks. They were probably a deep purple. I was still in the housecoat. It was crooked and falling off one shoulder. "I should go to bed." I huff.

"Me too." He reaches over the file and plants a small kiss on my forehead. I wondered why Hotch had decided to room with Rossi and Morgan instead of Reid. Usually they roomed together anyway and even though their relationship wasn't a secret to the team, no one was uncomfortable with it. I was usually with Morgan or Rossi. I'd be honest though, being with Reid was going to be better. Rossi snores like a bear and Morgan gets up hours before we're supposed to to work out. I found solace knowing Reid would be quiet and respectful of my sleep. The thought made me smile.