Guarded Hearts and Broken Wings || S.R.

9 - Red and Blue

The BAU team had landed not long ago, exhausted from the stressful case. Garcia welcomed them home as they had shuffled back into the bullpen. Hotch excused them from the mountain of paperwork that awaited them and encouraged them to rest this weekend. Everyone had gladly accepted that but decided to take about 30 minutes to organize their paperwork so that it would be easy to start on Monday morning.

Reid had finished his organization much faster than everyone else and was shrugging his coat onto his shoulders. As he did, he felt a short buzz in his pockets. He hurriedly pulled it out, hoping it was a text from Mel. He felt terrible for missing such a big event in her life, and he had decided on the plane that he would make it up to her. If the auction was close to finishing when they landed, he would invite her out for a take-out dinner, and if she was too tired, he would extend the offer to Saturday night. He could not help but smile at the thought of opening the door to seeing her for more than one day a week.

The text that lit up his screen brought his plans to a halt and caused his soft smile to fall. He froze and his mouth dropped open as he considered all its different potential meanings. None of them were good.

HELP

Without much more thought, he dashed to Aron Hotchner's office. When he burst through Hotchner's office door, Hotch raised his eyebrows and cocked his head as a silent demand for an explanation. The papers he held slowly lowered to the desk. Reid adjusted his collar as he suddenly realized his lack of physical evidence for what he was about to say, but his intense eye contact with Hotchner did not falter.

"A friend of mine is in danger, and I'm asking for the team's help."

"Reid, you know we only work cases when we are invi--"

"I know," Reid said with his eyebrows dropped seriously low, "but what is the point of any of this if we can't help the people closest to us."

Hotch's expression remained stoic. He gave no indication of what he was considering as he looked over Reid. "What do you know?" He finally spoke.

"She's currently at an art auction not far from here. She just texted 'help' in all capital letters." He held out his phone to show Hotch.

Hotch sighed. "Reid. This--"

"It's not much, but something is wrong. She never texts. Given that she is also extremely passionate about becoming a full-time artist, she has no reason to be texting me at that art auction either. If it was a medical emergency or anything related, she would text her roommate, who she is much closer to and who she knows for certain is actually in town. The only reason she would text me something like this is if this 'help' is in the area of work that she knows I do." His jaw clenched. The dread became more real as thoughts became concrete words.

"Are you certain?"

"Completely."

Again, Hotch considered Reid's words except this time with greater speed. He met Spencer's determined gaze and gave him a firm nod. "Go talk to Garcia and see if she can find any other information. I'll inform the team."

Spencer barely gave a hurried 'thank you' as he shot towards Garcia's office. She was packing up everything into her purse for the night when Spencer shocked her with his explosive entrance. She jumped, and he did not wait for her to ask any questions. "I need you to find a friend's phone."

Garcia was quick to nod and sit back down at her computer. She reached over to turn everything back on and as she did she asked, "Do I get to know why I'm doing this?"