TW for this chapter. Proceed with a small amount of caution.

"Let your boys test their wings. They may not be eagles, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't soar free." -C.J. Milbrandt

'~-Spencer-~'

October 8th, 2020

I groaned as my phone rang, waking me up. I slowly picked it up and pressed the green button.

"Good morning, Doctor of the Dark Ages." Penelope chirped, causing another sound of disapproval to escape my mouth.

"Garcia, what time is it?" I asked, turning on my bedside lamp. Amelia groaned beside me.

"It's five A-M. Unfortunately, we have a case. It's pretty ugly." She tried to sympathize with me. I wouldn't have minded if it were any other day, but today was Crystal and Derek's birthday.

"Alright," I sighed, sitting up on the right side of the bed. "I'll be there soon."

Penelope wished me farewell as she hung up. Amelia, however, glared at me from her side.

"This early? Today?" She complained. Remorse filled my hazel eyes.

"Serial killers don't always take breaks when you want them to." I mused, putting on my work attire.

"When will you be home?" Amelia asked, sitting up.

I shrugged, styling my hair in the mirror. "I'll say goodbye to Crystal."

I kissed her swiftly, then exited our room. I made my way downstairs and towards my older daughter's room. 

I opened the door, but to my surprise, I spotted Crystal lying wide-awake in her bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Hey, Sweetie." My daughter looked up at me.

"Hi, Dad." She responded, a sigh escaping her lips.

"How'd you sleep?"

"I didn't." Crystal mumbled as I sat on the edge of her silver bed. Insomnia.

"Well, I have a serial killer to catch. Happy twentieth birthday, Crystal." I whispered in her ear, kissing her soft nose.

"Be safe." She whispered back as I left her room. 

I left for work almost immediately- only staying to conjure a cup of coffee. As I approached a stoplight, I quickly pulled out my phone.

"Happy Birthday, my wonderful nineteen-year-old. Have fun today. No drinking." I texted, not expecting to get a response at this time of day.

I arrived at BAU headquarters, parking in their underground garage. The elevator doors opened a few seconds after I pressed the button, and I entered the enclosed space. Eventually, the sixth floor popped up, and I exited the elevator. 

"Hello, crime fighters!" Penelope greeted as everyone arrived at the round table, a remote in her hand. "Today, we are traveling to Rome- just not the one you initially think of when you hear that name. Three- now four- bodies have been discovered in Rome, Georgia over the past two weeks." Three faces appeared on the screen. They were young boys with dark hair and dark eyes. "They're all young adults approximately eighteen years old. The fourth victim, who was found this morning, has yet to be identified."

"Nineteen stab wounds- that seems like overkill." Luke Alvez commented, scrolling through his tablet while I studied the paper file.

"Or, it's a ritual. Look at how the fatal wound is always through the neck." David Rossi stated.

"Why is the fourth victim not able to be identified?" Tara Lewis asked out of curiosity.

"His fingerprints aren't in the system. When we land, I want JJ and Reid to go to the M.E.'s office. See what you can find out about the new victim. Luke and David, I want you two to go to the disposal site. Tara, Matt, and I will set up at the station. Wheels up now."

As we grabbed our go-bags, I glanced back at the screen. Something about the victims seemed eerily familiar.

I texted Derek once again.

"Hey, there's been some murders in your area. Stay safe."

Worry worked its way into my stomach as I received no response. Though, some of that anxiety was alleviated when I realized that it was barely six in the morning. He probably wasn't awake yet.

The jet ride was filled with discussions about possible motives. We had decided on revenge, but all of us knew that any new information could change that conclusion in an instant. After an hour and twenty minutes, the plane began to land. I noticed a familiar building as we soared over the airport: Berry College.

My team was chatting up a storm about the case, as they were now interested in why the unsub stabbed his victims nineteen times. They were also curious about his endgame.

The BAU split up while Jennifer Jareau and I left for the M.E.'s office. The car ride started silently as I looked out the window at the crows flying close to our vehicle. It was as if the vile creatures had followed me here.

"Is something wrong?" My best friend asked after a long moment of silence.

"No," I sighed, looking at her. "I just have a bad feeling: that's all." 

Jennifer rested her hand on my arm for a moment, then placed it back on the steering wheel.

Eventually, the building was in sight, and we stepped out of the car after we parked. A looming feeling of dread filled my stomach as we entered the door to the place.

"You must be the FBI." A solemn man walked up to us. "My name is Doctor Minera. The victim is this way." The doctor led us down the hall and into a room where the fourth victim laid, covered by a white cloth.

"His time of death was around midnight. The wounds look cauterized, by the way. Also, there was nothing on his person that could identify him." He told us.

I slowly walked up to the body, and the doctor removed the cloth so that the victim's face was showing.

It was a boy with hair dark as the crows that haunted my drive up to there. He looked peaceful- like he was sleeping, and I could just wake him up if I called his name. I imagined it- his tired face looked at me, clearly annoyed that I had disrupted his sleep.

But, the fantasy crumbled as my soul began to crush into a billion pieces. I had failed. I had failed my own son. 

Derek laid there, his pale body still and without breath. Shock overwhelmed my senses- quickly replaced by painstaking grief of an unmanageable magnitude. Tears began to form in my eyes as my hand found its way to his face, which was cold to the touch. 

"Spence?" Jennifer asked behind me, but her voice sounded muted beneath the ringing that reverberated through my ears.

I gasped quietly for air as tears poured down my face. Jennifer and Doctor Minera talked to each other briefly. The doctor exited the room without another word.

A scream built its way up my throat, but I shoved it down as my body began to tremble. I felt a hand on my back- Jennifer's. She was trying her best to comfort me, though she was not aware of my connection to the victim. 

I cried loudly at the thought. My own son had become a victim. He was dead.

"Th-th-th-this was done by a M-Magi." I choked out. "Derek is- was- a Magi." I struggled to collect myself.

"Did you know him well?" She asked, rubbing my back soothingly.

I nodded, another sob escaping my lips. God, how was I going to tell Amelia?

"Text me when you need me, okay?" Jennifer let me grieve, leaving the room. As the door closed, I pulled my phone out of my pocket.

"Sugar?" The question came from the other end of the phone. I could barely form words.

"I-" I took a deep breath.

"What happened? Aren't you at work?" She asked, clearly anxious. "Spencer, you can't just-"

"I don't know how to tell you," I whispered so softly that she barely caught it.

"Is someone hurt?" I made a noise of confirmation.

Suddenly, the call hung up. Amelia appeared before me, sympathy in her chocolate eyes.

Her face quickly morphed into shock as she recognized the boy on the table. 

My wife ran to her son's side, tears spilling over her cheeks as she felt his cold body. I wrapped my arms around her, fresh drops beginning to form in my own eyes. 

"No!" Amelia shouted into my chest. I was thankful for the thick walls.

"No...." She repeated shakily, her voice barely above a whisper.

We stayed there for a little while longer, crying in each others' arms as our hearts simultaneously broke. Finally, I heard a knock on the door. Amelia looked at Derek hesitantly, then disappeared. Jennifer opened the door, and I looked sorrowfully at her. 

"I told Emily what happened. She's coming to pick you up and bring you to the station." I glanced back at Derek, not willing to leave him behind. However, Jennifer led me out of the room and into the parking lot where Emily was waiting for me.

"We need to ask you some questions once you're ready, okay?" I nodded as I ducked into the car. I closed my eyes, soon falling asleep to the sound of the car's engine.

October 10th, 2020

I dressed up in my black suit and ran a hand through my hair. Today was Derek's funeral.

As I arrived downstairs, I noticed the condition my family was in. Sunbright looked tired and distressed. Jason mirrored his mother's expression. JJ seemed almost oblivious to it all- though she was so young that I couldn't blame her. Crystal wore a numb facial expression.

Sunbright's eyes met mine for a split-second. I could see anger crackling softly in those gorgeous eyes, but it was quickly put out as we arrived at the service. My brothers and sisters-in-law were all there, dressed in black. Not surprisingly, the only relative of mine that had come was my mother. We had recently discovered that she was no ordinary Magi- she had fought alongside Irene in her youth, even considering the Matron to be her best friend. Though now, age showed on her face. My team wasn't there, obviously. They had no idea about my family.

The service passed by in a blur. Time only resumed normally when it was time to lower my son's coffin into the ground. I had refrained from crying until now, wanting to be strong for my family. However, when the coffin lowered, and we tossed black roses into the pit, I broke. Tears slipped quietly from my eyes and onto my cheeks.

Jason wrapped his arm around me, leaning on my body for his comfort as I tossed the rose in my hand down the hole.

"May Irene guide his spirit through the afterlife," Matt called out, and the crowd repeated his words.

I looked over at my wife, whose comfort I needed most at that moment. I was met with a tired glare that blamed me for the death of our son. A sigh escaped my lips as the funeral ended, and we arrived back home. I trudged up the stairs, exhausted with grief.

Sunbright didn't follow me.

"Life is for the living.
Death is for the dead.
Let life be like music.
And death a note unsaid."
-Langston Hughes

What did you guys think? I'd love to hear your thoughts about this chapter!

Also, massive trigger warning for the next chapter. I will remind you at the beginning of that one, too.

:)