F O U R T Y S I X

SCOUT STOOD IN the kitchen, yelling back at her mother who was too engulfed in her program.

"Are you even listening to me?" The brunette exclaimed, wiping her hands on her apron and gathering the dirty pans.

"Uh huh, yeah, Sweetie."

Scout sighed, giving up on explaining a past case the BAU worked on to Harper. She glanced down at the burnt chocolate chip cookies she tried to make before her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"He did, however, get hit by a bullet. Just mentioning it."

"He was shot?" Harper's head popped up from behind the screen of the television.

"No. Someone threw a bullet at him."

Her mother rolled her eyes, "I swear, that mouth of yours is going to get us both into trouble some day."

Scout chuckled, shaking her head. She knew that it wasn't her mouth that was the biggest problem at the moment. Her hand rested on her belly, the small roundness wasn't completely noticeable yet. As long as she didn't wear skin tight clothing, then no one would connect the dots.

Her cellphone, which was tucked in her pocket, gave a quick ring and Spencer's name stared back at her. Quickly, she ducked out from the kitchen and flipped the phone open as she walked outside.

"Hello?"

"Hey, love. What are you up to?"

"Nothing much," Scout said with a shrug. "Just made some cookies for my mom and I. We're planning on having a night in, maybe watch some Star Wars movies. Don't really know yet."

"So, from what I'm understanding, you can't come over?"

"Nope. I already told you, Doc. I'm spending the night here. Tomorrow, I promise that tomorrow I'll see you."

A small pouting sound came from the other side of her phone and she chuckled.

"Why don't you go and hang out with Morgan? It's been a while since you've pretended to enjoy sports for his sake. Maybe you guys can order a pizza and do guy things?"

"Guy things?"

"Right, I forgot. You can be a sissy, sometimes."

"Oh," Spencer laughed, "You are so going to regret that later."

"Ha, try me, Pretty Boy."

"Besides, I can't hang out with Morgan today. He said he's got plans."

"And you didn't ask what they were?"

Scout could practically hear her boyfriend's shoulders shrug, "Didn't feel like I had to."

"Well, you've going to have to get used to some nights by yourself, Spence. I'm not always going to be able to spend every night with you."

There was a pause from Spencer's end that made her do a double take, making sure that the line didn't randomly cut itself.

"Well, why not?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Why can't you spend every night with me?"

"Spen-"

"No, I'm serious, Scout. Why don't you just move in? Why not?"

Her heart pounded in her ear, "I've - I've got my mom. I have to look out for her. I have to take care of her."

This can't be happening, Scout thought as she glanced back into her house.

He serious can't be asking me this now. Not when he doesn't even know that I'm pregnant.

"And how often are you home to actually do that, Scout? Your mom practically takes care of herself. 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability and 26 percent, one in four adults, live by themselves."

"Don't you dare recite statistics and numbers to me, Spencer."

"Look, I'm just saying. We - the both of us - we work well together. We rarely fight, we're always together because of our jobs. I care about you and I know you care about me. You could move in, there's move than enough space."

"But - but what about - Sumo?"

"My building allows dogs and we could hire someone to look after him while we're away."

"I - I don't know, Spencer."

"Scout, it's not like I'm asking you to marry me." He said with a chuckle.

Her blood ran cold and her fingertips went numb, "What - Marriage? I think it's too soon to even mention that word."

"And why's that?"

"Because," Scout's mouth went dry. "Because we haven't even been dating for a year, Spencer. It hasn't even been 6 months!"

"I'm not dating you just for the heck of it. I'm not dating you just because it's fun or to help pass time. Getting married? That's the whole point of dating someone; to get to the finish line, to tie the knot."

"You," Her voice went to a whisper, "don't even know everything about me."

"I'd like to."

There was another pause. The pair both stayed in silence, waiting for the other to break it and continue the conversation.

"Look, I'm not asking you to get married now. I just - think about it, okay? Moving in, I mean. Not the marriage part. I mean - I'd like to. Uh -" Spencer cleared just throat.

"I'm just saying - I know we could make it work. I know that I could take care of you for the rest of our lives."

Scout bit on her bottom lip and nodded, not realizing that he couldn't see her, "Okay, I'll think about it."

"Good," His voice spoke in such gentles tones, coming out like velvet and smoothing our every goosebump on her legs. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, tomorrow."

Scout stood outside for a second to let her adrenaline calm down after the phone call ended. It certainly wasn't the conversation she thought she was going to have and it didn't help all of the other things already on her mind.

Feeling a chilly gust fly by her, she trudged back into her house. Harper, whose eyes hadn't left the screen, didn't even notice that her daughter had walked out. That was fine with her, she didn't need any more bothersome questions to swirl around her head.

A text alert interrupted Scout's thought process, and she swiped her screen to bring it up. The glowing name of Xander illuminated back at her, forcing a scowl on her lips.

Got a job for you.

Scout's pulse jumped. No! Not again!

Still, knowing that not responding would not make Xander go away, she texted back reluctantly.

What is it?

You'll find out when you need to.

Third and Broome in one hour.

She sighed. Third and Broome was at least a 25 block-walk, and easily forty five minutes.

Damn it! If she was going to get there in time, she would have to leave – now!

She threw the apron aside and stood. "Mom, I've got to go. Just got a text from Xander."

Harper looked at her with great concern, the wrinkles between her eyes deepening.

"Shit." She followed Scout from the living room, her chair occasionally squeaking every few seconds. "You will be careful, won't you?"

Scout gave the older woman a brief look. "Well, I'm not going to be reckless, that's for sure."

At the woman's hurt face, she gently smiled and rest a hand on her mother's shoulder. "I'll be fine, Mom. I'm careful. Really."

Her mother watched anxiously as the brunette changed into all black clothing. "Don't forget your jacket."

Scout shook her head. "Not this time. Last time, I was freezing the whole night." She made certain that her window was shut and locked, and that the curtains were drawn.

Before walking out of her room, she pulled out the gun from beneath the floorboards, a secret place she had made in case anyone searched the home, and put everything for it in a backpack. In her jacket pockets, she put the stun gun, the handgun that was a gift from her 21st birthday, and a flashlight. She put a small pocket knife into the top of her boot, and she donned the ski mask, wearing it like a cap.

When she was ready, she squeezed Harper's shoulders once more and then leaned down, giving her a hug. "Don't wait up."

"How can I sleep?" Worry was etched on her face.

"At least go sit and watch TV. I'll be fine." She said again, and gave her mother a kiss.

The older woman nodded, and Scout wheeled her back to the living room, sliding on gloves as she walked. Once she had seen her settled with the television, she let herself out of the house, and, with a quick look down the street, was gone into the night.

Scout ran the last seven blocks, and by the time she arrived at the intersection, she was winded. As she reached the corner of Third and Broome, a text came in.

Marty Life Building. Roof. Key card in discarded drink cup in alley. Keep face covered.

That meant that they had gotten access to the building, but not to the security cameras.

Guards? She typed.

Temporarily incapacitated.

She shook her head. Well, at least they weren't dead. She found the building with no problem, and, as she ran into the alley, she pulled the ski mask down.

She saw the drink cup immediately – one discarded from a fast food restaurant.

With fingers clumsy from nerves and bulky from the gloves, she fumbled for the key, but, finally, with it in her hand, she swiped it at the utility access door into the building. All of the lights on the keypad turned green, and she pulled the door open.

Up the stairs to the roof.

With a groan, Scout darted towards the heavy, metal door. Why couldn't she ever use the elevator?

Thirty seven flights later, and she emerged out onto the roof, so winded that she could barely push open the other weighted door.

Another text came in.

Southern corner. Virginia Financial Building.

The Virginia Financial Building was two buildings over. She went to the edge of the roof, and could see the sidewalk in front of the building.

Set up your equipment.

Equipment being the gun, she was certain. She did as she was ordered, and fixed the gun sight on the sidewalk at the corner.

"Shit." She said it aloud this time. How could she do this? How could she do this again? Spencer would never forgive her if he found out!

She made a slow sweep of the area, expecting a teammate to come into view, and hoping that it would not be her boyfriend again.

A minute or two passed, and she thought she saw movement at the end of the block. She swiveled the gun towards it.

Behind her, Scout heard the crunch of a boot on gravel too late, and felt the intense pain of something striking her on the side of her head. She fell forward, and the gun slid away from her. She shook her head as she felt herself hauled by her arm to her feet.

Fight! Her mind screamed at her.

Fight!

"You know you really aren't going to be able to fight for a couple of minutes until your head clears." She knew that voice! She turned dazed eyes to her attacker.

Derek Morgan stared back at her, an almost amused look on his face.

"You've caused me and my friends a lot of problems."

Her head spinning, she knew a moment of stupefaction, and she swung out with her free arm, but it was caught easily, and he shoved her away. She stumbled back a step and sank to her knees.

"You shot my teammates. From what they told me, it hurt like hell."

Scout's head cleared.

He put his hand up to touch the communicator in his ear, and she stretched out a hand for the rifle. Grabbing it by the barrel, she swung it desperately towards him, and he had to jump back to avoid being hit by the butt of the gun.

"Enough." He said. "You almost killed three people I love, and it's not going to be including me!"

Morgan jerked the gun out of her hand, and in one smooth movement, he spun her around and had her back against his chest, his forearm across her throat.

In a state of complete panic, Scout started clawing at his arm, feeling blackness at the edge of her vision. His hand grazed her breast, and his grip eased momentarily before tightening again.

Think, Scout, think! You have ten seconds or – so. You – can – do – this.

Her thought processes were slowing, and she knew that she had very little time left.

You – still – have – your – mask – on. He – hasn't – seen – your – face.

With her last coherent thought, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the stun gun. With a speed she didn't think possible in her weakened state, she reached over her shoulder and discharged it against him.

She felt him jerk several times as the electricity passed into him, and he slumped backwards, nearly bringing her down on top of him. She dropped the weapon and held onto his arm, and, turning, lowered his body to the ground.

She bent over him, breathing raggedly. "Shit."

He was unconscious, but alive.

Thank God. Wow. She didn't realize that a stun gun could be that powerful. She touched his cheek briefly, and noticed two angry red wounds directly beneath his chin.

"Damn it." A pit of self-disgust formed inside her.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

What should she do? She looked around her. If he was able to find her with such speed, then it was only a matter of time. The FBI might be here any second, looking for the unconscious agent. She hated leaving him here, but she had to disappear. Despite that, though, she took time to settle his limbs comfortably. She wasn't going to leave him all twisted.

Her hands strayed for a moment to her mask, but, despite the fact that part of her wanted to remove it from her eyes, she had already betrayed the BAU too much, and she left it intact.

There really was no going back after this.

Scout quickly gathered up all her equipment and shoved it into the backpack, and, in under a minute, she was headed down the stairs.
She wanted to pray for his safety and her own safe passage home, but she wondered if she had a right to ask for either of those.

Let him be okay, she finally decided upon, even though she didn't believe in a higher power. Please, God, just let him be okay.

"Morgan, Morgan, wake up!"

The words from Aaron Hotchner came into Derek's brain little by little. Images followed. A gun, a masked assailant. Then, pain. An excruciating pain that was almost indescribable in its intensity.

The assassin!

Derek came back to consciousness all at once, and he was on his feet, lurching around, fumbling for his gun.

"The assassin!" He mumbled, his words slurred. His eyes searched desperately for his attacker. He had to protect his team – his family.

Strong hands took hold of him.

"Derek." Hotch's voice, strong and calm, penetrated the fog.

Derek looked at him, still stuck in a dazed mind.

"The assassin is gone. What happened?" He lowered Derek to a sitting position.

Morgan looked up at his leader, and then at Rossi, who, on his knees next to his teammate, was filled with concern. His normally pugnacious face twisted in anxiety.

Derek grabbed Rossi's shoulder clumsily. "You're okay."

"We're all fine." He heard Hotch's voice from far away, and Derek swung towards him. "What happened?"

Derek shook his head in confusion. It ached like hell. Everything ached like hell.

"I – I don't know. I – I found the sniper – with the gun." He reached up to grab at Hotch's arm. "It was a woman."

Hotch frowned. "Did you see her face?"

Derek shook his head. "No. She tried to hit me with the butt of the gun, and I grabbed her, and when I tried to subdue her – she had breasts."

"What happened then? Was there someone else?"

"I – I don't know. I don't think so. She had a – stun gun." He touched the underside of his chin, where two painful burns were. "A damn powerful stun gun."

"It was probably a nano-second electrical pulse, like the ones we use. The government makes them for the military."

"Another indication, Hotch, that this assassin is well-funded or connected." Rossi deduced.

Derek rotated one of his arms, trying to stretch out the seized muscles. "Well, tell them that they work."

"Tell them yourself. You'll be back on your feet in no time." Hotch pulled himself away from the conversation, letting the dark skinned man rest as medical professionals looked him over.

"Hotch!" Rossi called his attention and tried to catch up with him.

"What is it, Dave?"

"You know what this means, right?"

The suit clad man stilled, his stoic face remaining as blank as he could make it, "Yes, I do."

"Our tip was right. Whoever called it in, they knew that the sniper was going to be out tonight and they knew where she was going. Which only begs the question -"

"Why did they tell us in the first place?"

"- And how do they know the sniper?"

Scout had never been so desperate to get home. She ran the entire way, even though, at times, she wanted to collapse on the ground – her chest was cramping and her head hurt like hell. She remembered the story of Pheidippides, who ran all the way from Marathon to Athens to announce that the Greeks had won the Battle of Marathon before dying of exhaustion.

She did not intend on dying tonight, though.

Scout thought she heard the text alert on her phone go off, but she ignored it. She had to concentrate on getting home. Her head and neck continued to throb. Morgan was really strong! In spite of the pain, and the fact that she had been on the receiving end of his blow, she had to feel just a little bit proud of his strength and abilities. In fact, had she not had the stun gun, she would have lost to him – without a doubt.

He was very well trained.

She almost wished that she could compliment him on his prowess in battle. Oh, well, she would just have to compliment him on his other talents.

Like his sharp, idiotic, and annoying wit.

She turned the corner to her own street, and a rush of relief flooded her. Once inside her home, the first thing she did was hide all of her weapons away under the floorboards of her room, and then, taking clean clothes with her, she dragged herself to the bathroom to shower.

Harper came to the door. "Everything all right?"

"Yeah, Mom. Peachy."

Scout closed the door on her mother, and slowly stripped her shirt and bra off and lifted her hair to peer at her neck. The skin on her neck was red from Morgan's tight grip and there was sure to be a bruise there tomorrow. How would she explain that to Spencer?

She sighed. The bruise could easily be covered up with heavy makeup but at least she wouldn't have to deal with it tonight.

She pulled off the rest of her clothes, and gave a sigh of relief as she looked at her underwear. There was no blood, meaning that nothing outwardly hurt the baby. But she should still try and go to the hospital to get check out.

It was all too close. These kind of missions, she knew she couldn't do them anymore. At least, not without risking the fetus.

She stepped into the shower and allowed the warm water to run over her until it started to turn cold. Once out, she looked in the mirror again.

Yep, there was a bruise forming.

She dressed in pajamas and crawled into bed, intending to pass out. As she was attaching her phone to its charger, she noticed the texts she had missed.

They were all from Xander.

What the hell is going on?

Good girl. I didn't know you had it in you.

Now finish him off. Kill him.

What the hell? Look at your damn texts!

Where are you going? I didn't tell you to GO!

You need to go back. You're not finished.

I'm not happy with you.

We WILL talk soon.

Scout sighed and erased them all. That was it. She couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't put the baby at risk because of her stupid choices.

Tomorrow.

She was going to tell Spencer she is pregnant, tomorrow.

Please consider voting/commenting if you like this story and want show your support for more content.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I mean, technically it's the next day so...

ALSO, if anyone knows how to make really good book cover or wants to make any fan edit: let me know and I'll give you a shout out! Not sure how I'm feeling about NUMB's current cover tbh.

Big thanks to all those who voted and commented last chapter! I'm seriously just trying to finish this book as fast as I can get on with the sequel. Next chapter will be up tomorrow, if the number of votes and comments allow it!

a special thanks to readers who comment:
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