Enjoying Your Company //

chapter twenty nine

Spencer's POV:

Nessa and I approached the Ryan house, Montana PD on our heels. All the lights were off, and windows covered. The darkness blanketed the house in an ominous dread.

"Hotch, we're clear over here." I heard Morgan through the earpiece.

"Clear here too."

"Reid, what about you?" Hotch questioned.

"Spence." Nessa's voice caught my attention, she motioned for the door, slightly ajar.

"Yeah, Hotch, I think we got something at the Ryan's." I signaled for half the men to take the back as Nessa stepped after me. I peer over my shoulder at her before pushing on the door, letting it creak open. I move swiftly, holding my weapon still, scanning the entirety of the first floor. This time was different, I had Nessa with me. This time, I'm the protector. 

There was a shattering of glass, and a shrill female scream. I carefully stepped up the stairs observing the perimeter, we reached the top of the stairs and I spun, checking both sides of the hall.

"Please! Please let him go!" A woman begged.

"Shut up, shut up! I'm trying to help!" It was Lock. I turned to Nessa, concern in her eyes. I motion for her to stay close as I enter the room.

"Ellis Lock." I say calmly. He turned to me, holding Gabriel Ryan's head in his hands. I move in front of Mrs. Ryan, allowing Nessa to step in and escort the weeping mother out of the room.

"Stay back!" Lock shouted.

"It's okay, it's okay, I just wanna talk. About Timothy." That caught his attention. "First, I need you let the boy go."

"I'm trying to help him!!" He yelled, slamming his eyes tight, twisting the boys head. I motioned for the police to fall back.

"I know you are, you wanna help Timothy right?" Lock didn't move. "You can, you can help him, but you have to let him go."

"No! That's not how it works!" He yelled adjusting his grip again. There was a moment where he seemed confused by his own logic. "I'm trying to save him!"

"Of course you are." Nessa stepped in front of me, her hands at her shoulders. I snap my weapon to my side. Lock recoiled, stepping back in detest. "Timmy needs your help, doesn't he?" He shifted uncomfortably, watching her. She peered over her shoulder, blocking my shot. I felt a loss of control, adjusting my hands around my revolver. My heart in my throat. "Timmy needs you to save him, because of what your dads doing. That's why I'm here." Lock's eyes fell to Gabriel, setting his cheek on the top of the boys head. "I'm from Child Protective Services," His panicked eyes stared at her with a sliver of hope. "I'm here to make sure he never hurts Timmy again." Lock's face twisted, sniffling.

"He's just a boy."

"I know that," she took a step forward. "All you want to do is stop your father from what he's doing. That's why you have to save him. So Timmy won't kill himself." Lock nodded, struggling to find the way out of the mental fog. She motioned to me, but I kept my weapon ready. "We're here to help Timmy get somewhere safe." Lock glanced down to Gabriel, crying, scared, seeing him for what he was. A scared, stranger. "You want that for Timmy don't you?" Lock nodded, beginning to cry as he dropped his hands. Allowing Gabriel to escape into Nessa's arms. I holstered my gun and got to Lock, followed by the local police.

"Ellis Lock, you're under arrest for the torture and murder of four women and three young boys." I cuffed him, walking him out of the room. I walked by Nessa hugging Gabriel, his arms constricted around her neck. He saw his mom and ran to her, Nessa rose from her knees and joined me. The mother glanced at us, mouthing a gentle "thank you" before turning back to her son, cradling him.

We walked Lock out the door into the squad car, just as the team pulled up. I grab Nessa by the shoulders, pulling her into me, my face in her neck, just taking a moment. Before I could stop myself, I pressed my lips to hers, pulling her against me, taking her in. She kissed back a shaking hand laid against my chest, clutching my tie. I exhaled, my forehead to hers. My hands held her head.

"Don't ever do that again." I say through breaths, deflating the fear still fuming inside me. She smiled, exhaling a laugh, peering into me. Making me melt. Unable to keep myself from kissing her, my palm clasped her cheek, her hair between my fingers. I felt her hips buckle forward, and I press myself into her. The closing car doors shook my nerves as I caught my breath, breaking our kiss.

"Are you guys okay?" JJ asked running up.

"Yeah, we're fine J'j." *   Nessa moved some hair behind her ear as she was roped into a hug. Hotch and the rest of the team approached as the squad car with Ellis Lock pulled away, we all turned to watch it fade into the dim horizon.

"Everyone alright?" Emily queried seeing the indifferent looks. I nodded, exhaling through my nose and looked to Nessa. She beamed up at me, this righteous, pure look dripping from her face. I know that look. It's the look of a success.

"Nessa talked Ellis into letting Gabriel go."

"She did?" Hotch looked at me before turning to her. "Quinn, you're an essential member of this team. You're duty on this job was to help Reid with the mother not endanger yourself or the kid in the take down." Everyone froze.

"Aaron-" Rossi started but Hotch stopped him, raising a hand.

"That being said...You took down an unstable, target with a child hostage without harm, and you did it without real field training, or a weapon." I held my breath, I think we all were. "Excellent work."

"Thank you, sir." She exhaled.

"Try something like that again and next time you won't have a team to be proud of you." His stern voice settled my nerves.

"Yes sir." She said lower, in understanding.

"Let's head home." Hotch finished, heading toward the SUV, flashing a look at me before turning around.

"It is better to lose your pride with someone you love rather than to lose that someone you love with your useless pride." ― John Ruskin

* J'j : a vocal inflection of JJ (Ja-ge)