Decisions (4th Book in the Boss's Niece Series)

Saving Mel

*Flashback*

"Come here, Haley. Come to daddy." Spencer said as he knelt on the floor. Little 1 year old Haley was taking her first steps.

She held onto my fingers and smiled proudly as she took her first few steps towards Spencer. Both Spencer and I were excited when Haley managed to stand up on her own and tried to walk to him.

When we were only a few steps away from Spencer, I let go of Haley and she took the last few steps on her own. She fell into Spencer's arms and laughed.

"Yay! Good job, baby." I said and clapped. "She's growing up too fast."

"Mel, she's only one." Spencer chuckled.

"I know, but she's learning to walk! Next it'll be her first word, her first day of school, her first boyfriend-"

"Let's not focus on the whole boyfriend thing just yet." Spencer said, sitting Haley on his lap. I laughed.

"Someones a protective dad." I said. "Listen, when Haley does start dating, promise me you won't get Garcia to look into the guy's past."

"I can't promise you anything." he said. "What am I supposed to do? This is our first child. Our first daughter, to be correct. Aren't all fathers protective over their daughters."

"They are." I agreed. "But you don't have to go all psycho, FBI on him and scare him away. She's gonna want to have a life, too, you know."

"But what if he's no good?"

I smiled and sat down next to Spencer. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him close to give him a quick kiss on the lips.

"We'll hit that mildstone when we come to it." I said. "And it won't be for a while yet, right baby?"

Haley cooed in reply, which caused Spencer and I to laugh. She was perfect. The perfect little girl.

*End of Flashback*

"Wake up!"

My eyes snapped open to see John standing over me, shaking me awake. He stopped as soon as I opened my eyes, causing me to get dizzy.

"Quick. Get up." he snapped, grabbing my now freed arm and yanking me out of the chair. He pulled me out the door of the shack and into the cold night.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Your little FBI friends hacked into my video and found out where I am. I'm not sure how long ago it was, but I know he's on the way. Looks like our days together are cut short, just like your life."

I felt my blood run cold. John was about to kill me.

•

*Reid's POV*

As I raced through the streets with the sirens on, my phone began to ring. I patted the passengers seat, looking for my phone while keeping my eyes on the road. Once I found it, I slid the bar to answer it and put it on speaker.

"Hello?" I said.

"Reid, it's Jessica. Garcia had sickness and went to the bathroom." Jessica said. "I found something Garcia missed. You see, John had an alarm on his video to let him know if anyone hacked into it."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It means he knows your on the way. Meaning he knows his plans are cut short and he's probably gonna kill Mel!"

I felt my heart race a lot faster and I stepped on the gas peddle.

"I'm almost there. He's not killing my wife on my watch."

I hung up and threw the phone back on the passenger seat. I pulled down a dirt road to where John was holding Mel. Everything began to come back to me. I remembered this place. This is where Tobias held me.

I jumped out of the SUV when there was no more road to drive. I ran as fast as I could through the woods. I prayed he hadn't killed her. If he did, I'd never be able to live with myself.

•

*Mel's POV*

John led me to a hole he had dug in the back of the shack. I guessed it was meant to by my grave since Spencer told me Tobias made him dig his own grave.

"Stand there." John said and pushed me to the edge of hole. "Face me with your hands behind your head."

"Why?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Because I want to be the last thing you see before I kill you."

I felt the icy cold bite at my cheeks as tears began to fall. I did as he told me. John lifted his gun and aimed it right at my heart.

I closed my eyes and silently said my goodbyes. Goodbye to my dad, to Uncle Aaron, to the team.

The tears fell a bit faster as I silently said goodbye to Spencer and Haley.

I waited. I waited for the shot to ring out, the bullet to pierce my heart, killing me in an instant. I waited for the bright light to invite me into heaven, where I'd be with Molly and Aunt Haley and Mary.

However, when I heard the shot, I didn't feel any pain. Or a bullet through my heart. Or the white light.

I opened my eyes to see someone had tackled John to the ground and was now procceding to beat John.

Blood fell to the ground along with John's gun at arms length away from him. It took me a minute to register what was going on.

"Reiders." I said. "Reiders! Spencer, stop! Stop!"

I quickly raced up to pull Spencer off of John. He struggled for a moment, but when he realized it was me, he obeyed and pulled me into that long awaited hug I've been needing for the past day or so.

"I'm so glad you're okay." he whispered into my hair. "I thought I lost you."

"I'm never gonna leave you, Reiders. Never." I said back. Once we pulled away, I turned to look at John. "Is he dead?"

"I think he is." Spencer replied. "Better him than you."

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"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves." -Confucius