Spirit of Optimism

Chapter 4: You live in a...

It had been almost six weeks since Doctor Spencer Reid took up his position as team leader in Los Angeles. And it could be said that Spencer was very satisfied with the course so far in his new phase of life.

Sure, it was a new experience for Spencer. For years, he had been assigned his task by a team leader and now he was in the position of assigning tasks to his subordinates. Surprisingly, Spencer found himself very well in this new role. He was amazed by himself how well he could handle it and, after a clear conscience and experience, could also act and command.

There was always a to do for BAU LA. They were not as flooded as in Quantico, but there was still enough work there. As you know, Unsubs never rest.

What happened more often in Los Angeles than in his former location were digital consultations and video chats. Every now and then there were also operations where only two of you support the police in investigations. And of course, there were always cases where they were present for their actual task, namely to create a profile.

On the west coast, there was definitely enough to do for the team. Sure, as a team leader, Spencer had more to do than usual anyway, especially because of the paperwork. But Spencer got along quite well with that and was even grateful for it. It distracted him from his own personal grief and softened everyday life a little, as he sometimes missed his old team after all. But even more his mother.

Since Spencer started in LA, Alex Blake had become an important person for him. For him, she was a friend, a kind of good soul, as David Rossi had been for the team in Quantico. She took care that a good communication and connection was established between the team members - also with Debbie.

As far as Hotch was concerned, Spencer could not really assess where they really stood at the moment. They hadn't seen each other for a few years. Of course, Spencer trusted him as a boss, and certainly also as a good friend. But still, so much had happened to each of them in recent years that they had to touch each other again.

However, Spencer wanted to maintain restraint on one thing: a meeting outside the branch office with Hotch. Especially when you considered what had happened between them many years ago. Even if her affair had only lasted a few months, she had been profound. In the relationship, each of them had shown something of themselves that you would otherwise never show to a teammate.

And now Spencer wanted even less that someone from his work came closer to him than he liked. Especially not according to the experiences in recent years.

From the involuntary stay in prison to the kidnapping by a sect whose sect head Benjamin Merva Spencer had regarded as the main prize. Or the near-death experience and finally the grief and grief over the loss of his mother.

Spencer feared that if Hotch pressed the right buttons on him, he would talk about things that kept him quite busy right now. And that wasn't exactly what Spencer really wanted or needed.

Not now and not tomorrow. He just didn't feel ready for that yet.

Of course, Hotch knew that Spencer's mother had died and he, as well as Alex, made him understand that they were there for him when Spencer needed them. No matter what time.

But for Spencer, it was not only about his mother, but also about what he had experienced in recent years. It was just something that Spencer still had to deal with.

But how did you say so beautifully? Time heals all wounds.

And Spencer hoped that it would be the same with him and that he could also talk to someone about it.

At that moment, it was clear to FBI agents Spencer Reid and Donald Murdock that this was not the act of a serial killer, but of a jealous fiancé who imitated a serial killer to set the wrong track. This double murder and the subsequent accidental suicide had taken place a few hours ago in one of the numerous Hollywood studios in Los Angeles.