Strawberry Kisses

Chapter 20

tw//guns, violence, kidnapping

I stand frozen in the round table room, the receiver clutched in my sweaty palms. My heart is racing in my chest, but my breathing is too slow. My vision blurs and I feel my head start to spin. I fall backwards into Hotch's strong arms.

"Y/l/n, are you okay?", he asks, concerned. He gently sets me on the floor and takes the equipment from my hands. I hear him talking into the microphone, but I can't focus on his words.

Spencer is going to die. They're going to kill him. Spencer is going to die before I get to tell him how much he means to me.

My grave throughs are interrupted by Hotch's words from earlier.

I won't hesitate to take you off this case if you become a liability.

I slowly regain my consciousness, enough to the point I am able to stand with feeling too dizzy. JJ brings me a glass of water, which I finish in just a few sips.

"Y/n", Emily says, walking up to me. "We're going to the building Reid is being held in. Hotch says he doesn't want you going into the field, but you can stay here. He wants you to keep open communication with Reid. Check in with him often and try to get as much information as possible. Garcia is just a phone call away."

I nod absentmindedly.

"Hey", Emily says, more firmly this time. I refocus and meet her eyes. "We're going to get him home safe."

"Thank you", I say as I wrap her in a hug. She is stiff at first, but then relaxes against me. After a moment, she lets go.

"I'm going to meet up with the rest of the team. I'll keep you posted." I nod, grateful for her kindness and help.

About ten minutes later, I received a call from Garcia.

"Hey, mamma", her voice filled the room. "How're you holding up?"

"Considering that I just yelled at Hotch, then proceeded to almost faint into his arms, I'd say about as well as you'd expect."

"He'll be back before you know it, babycakes. I located him through his earpiece, he's on the sixth floor and mostly everyone has been evacuated. Have you tried contacting him again?"

"N-not yet. I can try now if you write down the code."

I hold up the microphone to my mouth and move the speaker close to the phone.

"Spencer?"

No answer.

"Spencer?", I try again.

Again, nothing.

My heart starts racing. What if they killed him? What if I'm too late?

"Doc?", my voice breaks. After seconds of holding my breath... tap. I sigh in relief.

"You scared me", I chuckle. "Are there still people around?"

Tap.

"How many?"

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

"Six?"

Tap.

"Garcia, did you get that?", I ask.

"Got it."

I turn my attention back to Spencer.

"They're coming to get you, everything will be okay", I say, more for my own sake than his.

There is silence from his side, so I decide to keep talking.

"I never told you this before, but... I fell in love with you the day I met you. I wasn't a believer in love at first sight, but when I ran into that day, I changed my mind. We went to lunch and I couldn't help but be drawn to you, like it was magnetic. I have never felt like that before you, Spencer", I say. My eyes well up with tears, but somehow I manage to hold myself together.

Dash-dash-dot dash-dash-dash dash-dash-dash-

His message was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot, but it did not resume.

"Spencer?", I asked frantically. "Spencer!? Talk to me, Spencer. Anything, just let me know you're okay."

Silence.

A sob ripped from my throat and I fell to my knees, the rough carpet scraping but skin, but I was numb. I continue to call Spencer's name to no avail.

They killed him. They killed Spencer.