Eidetic - A Criminal Minds/Spencer Reid Story

Chapter Eighteen - Sticks and Stones

"Sticks and stones will break our bones, but words will break our hearts." - Robert Fulghum

*Spencer Reid*

This had to be some terrible nightmare, right? Viv wasn't in any danger of being pursued by a psychopath. She was safe, we were all safe. This couldn't be happening. Josh and Cecilia weren't really dead, and those photos weren't real. Everything is just a big joke.

I could not have been more wrong.

Flashbacks of Maeve started racing through my mind and I clenched my fists and my jaw. I couldn't let the same thing that happened to Maeve, happen to Viv. I would never forgive myself if she got hurt, or killed.

I started to feel lightheaded, so I ran outside of the building to get some fresh air. Once I was outside, I took some deep breaths, doubled over a little bit, and put my hands on my knees. Hearing footsteps behind me, I turned my head to see Hotch walking up behind me. "Reid," he said in his usual serious tone. "Are you okay?" I stood up and turned to face him.

"Yeah...I'm fine, Hotch," I replied. I tried to walk past him, but he put a hand on my chest and held me back.

"Reid." I stopped walking, but kept my gaze towards the ground. "We all know what is happening right now, and our priority is protecting Viv. But, I need to know that you can remain focused enough on the task at hand."

"Hotch, we both know what happened the last time I tried to save someone I loved. I'm not going to make the same mistakes again, I can guarantee that," I replied.

"Spence..." Hotch and I both turned to see Viv standing there with the envelope still in her hand.

"Keep your head clear, Reid," Hotch said to me before turning, taking the envelope from Viv, and walking back into the warehouse to re-join the rest of the team. Viv walked up to me and looked me straight in the eyes. She didn't seem the slightest bit worried about herself.

"Spence, what's on your mind?" she asked.

"Viv," I said as I ran my hands through my hair, "how can you not be worried right now? Our number one suspect is dead and you have a stalker on your hands."

"Spencer, just stop for a minute." She grabbed my hand. "Spence, what happened with Maeve?" I looked down at the ground. I guess she would have to know at some point.

"Maeve was kidnapped by her stalker which turned out to be a woman named Diane Turner. Diane had become obsessed with becoming romantically involved with me, so I tried to get her to trade Maeve for me, but she figured out my plan." I felt the tears start to form, but I held them back. "As I was just about to get Diane to come around, Maeve said something that set her off and she killed herself and Maeve with a bullet to the head."

I  felt her hand on my cheek and I looked back into her eyes. "Spencer, listen to me. Nothing is going to happen to me."

"If you got hurt by whoever this is..."

"Spencer, just stop." She put both of her hands on my shoulders. "This guy is no different than any other psychopath we've hunted down. We're going to find him and then make him pay for killing Cecilia." Viv was right, I can't let what happened with Maeve haunt me forever. I needed to refocus, and just think of this freak as just another psychopath.

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." She said, giving me a small smile. I hugged her and I felt her arms wrap around my neck.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she replied.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------