S I X T E E N

SPENCER THREW HIS jacket on the musty old hotel bed.

Sleeping in places he didn't know was always the worst part of the job. Actually, no. There were a lot of parts that he didn't like of his job.

He didn't like the whole death part. Nor, the psychological torture he endured in each case. And he certainly didn't like the way he acted whenever Scout Wiley was around.

Spencer sighed, pushing his hair back and away from his face. He placed his face in his hands until he heard a knock at the door.

"It's me, kid." A smile tug at his left lip reminded him of Morgan.

Spencer opened the door to revel his friend, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," The tall man shrug his shoulders before inviting himself into the room.

"Yes please, come in." Spencer closed the door behind him.

"Reid, don't tell me I didn't see what I saw on the flight over here." Morgan said, a teasing tone in his voice.

"What's that?"

The man's smile faltered, "C'mon man, you know what I mean."

Spencer shrugged again and shook his head.

"You and Wiley, genius."

"What about her?" Spencer stick his hands in his pockets, pursing his lips out in confusion.

"Wow, you really can't tell."

"Morgan, I have how many phDs? I'm sure I'm smart enough to understand what's going on."

Morgan crosses his arms and raised one of his eyebrows, "Oh really?"

Spencer nodded, "Uh huh."

"Then tell me."

"Tell you what?"

Morgan gave him a look.

"Oh Wiley, well she's just curious about the case. That's all." Spencer guessed, trying to keep his voice in the same tone so that he couldn't ell he was lying.

The tall man chuckled, "Yeah, you may be a genius but you have no clue when it comes to the ladies. Wiley was definitely checking you out on the plane."

"No. She wasn't." Spencer shook his head.

"Yes, she was. How could you have not noticed?"

"Maybe because I was a bit determined on doing my job. Something that you should've done during that briefing, not staring at Wiley."

"I'm just saying, Kid. I know when a girl gives you the look, I've seen that look many times. I know know that she gave you that look."

"She's our teammate."

"Doesn't mean that she can't be hot." Morgan shrugged.

Spencer's chest puffed out, "So you think she's hot?"

Morgan's eyes widened, "Oh no! Don't you put this on me. I mean, yeah-she's hot. But I can't look at her that way. She's not my type."

"Oh, but she's mine."

Morgan paused.

"Well, yeah. I can see it."

Spencer felt his chest tighten, he didn't like where this was going. It felt too familiar, too fresh. Like the wounds that had just begun healing were being clawed at again.

He pulled out a book from his bag and flipped through it absent minded, he knew every single word in the book by heart. He could never forget it.

"Reid, it been two years. Do you think it's time?" Morgan put his hand in the doctor's shoulder.

The Narrative of John Smith, he traced the lettering with his finger.

"I think that's for me to decide. Besides, we've already talked about this. I can't do it again, Morgan." Spencer said, almost as if he was in pain.

Morgan raised his hands in defeat, "I know, I just wanted to tell you. But you know what that means?"

"What?"

"You've gotta let her down slowly."

"What?!" Spencer's eyes widened, his heart started to pound again. And for some out reason, his hands started to sweat like they never have before.

"You've got to tell her your not interested. I'll save you a lot of trouble, believe me."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

Morgan smiled and cracked his shoulders, "Get ready to take notes cause the master is gonna show you how it's done."

***

Scout yawned, loudly and taking up as much space as she could when she stretched her arms out. The team were already inside the room that the deputy let them work inside of to complete the case. Hotch, JJ, and Blake left a little bit ago to question the first suspect, telling Scout to stay behind. She didn't mind, she preferred working with victims rather than the actual suspects.

Rossi, Reid, Morgan, and her sat in the room, going through old case files until they got back.

"Tired?" Morgan chuckled, glancing at the girl.

Scout shook her head, "Jet lag, I didn't know how real it was until now."

Rossi sat down with two mugs in hand and placed it next to Scout, "Here, this will do the trick."

"Sorry, I don't drink coffee."

"My grandmother would be screaming if you told her that." Rossi chuckled and handed the mug to Reid, who happily took it without saying a word and keeping his eyes on the cases in front of him.

Her eyes lingered on the doctor for a second, "Am I supposed to believe he's actually reading that fast?"

"Yeah, the kid's got his talent." Morgan smiled.

Scout nodded but didn't say anything else and continued to read through her pile.

"So Wiley," Rossi caught her attention. "Where are your parents from?"

"Argentina, why?"

"You don't strike me a small town girl, even with that little twang. You've ever been there before?"

Scout froze.

Argentina was where she did her training early on with Xander, she spoke some of the language but other than that Scout had not other connection besides her blood line.

"Once, when I was a kid...before my dad died." She looked away and bit at her lip.

'Play the pity card. The dad dying of cancer thing always works.' She thought to herself.

Rossi nodded a small sympathy before drinking more from his coffee. Scout took that as a sign that the conversation was over and was silently grateful for that.

Then Hotch walked in with some extra files in his hand, Blake and JJ walking in behind him. His face as stern as ever when he walked towards the board and took off the picture of the first suspect.

"Myers is innocent." His voice boomed.

Scout closed her file, "He confessed?"

"No, but he checks out. Security cameras place him in the next town over at a hotel."

Rossi spoke, "So he was cheating."

"He didn't want to say because his wife was in the next room over." JJ nodded.

"Well, that's takes us back to square one." Scout sighed.

"Not entirely. Reid, Wiley, I want the both of you to go and visit the victim's house. His wife should be there so ask her a few questions to see if we missed something. Morgan, Rossi, and Blake; we just got a call about a new body so I want you at the site to check it out to see if we have any connections. JJ and I will stay here and interview the next suspect."

Reid felt the hairs on his neck stand to a point when he made eye contact with Morgan. Their conversation from last night started to flood his memory. He couldn't figure out the short girl. She was loud and vocal about her opinions and concerns. Wiley called the attention of the room when she wanted it on her, a staggering opposite characteristic compared to himself. She even dressed like she was out of place with black jeans, various band shirts, and a dark navy blazer. The only thing they had in common was their choice of footwear.

The doctor nodded and gathered up his files, stuffing them in his bag and waiting until Wiley smiled at him that she was ready.

"So are you driving or am I?" She teased as they walked together.

Reid opened his mouth, not noticing her tone, "I mean, do you want to or-"

"You can drive, Spence." She chuckled and got into the passenger side of the car. "Do you mind if I?"

He glanced at the radio that she was pointing at and then back at her, she sent him a lopsided smile.

"N-No, go ahead."

"Cool." Her smile widened.

The sudden static of the device cause him to jump until a fast paced tune, heavy with guitar, drums, and rhythm. Wiley crossed her legs up on the dashboard and bounced her head to the beat.

She glanced him, "Do you know this song, Doc?"

Reid shook his head.

"Really?" She furled her eyebrows, "Its the Stones!"

"Stones?"

"The Rolling Stones, Symphony for the Devil. It's a classic."

Reid shook his head as he drove, starting to pay more attention to the song rather than the road. It wasn't the kind of music he listened to. In fact, he didn't listen to much music. It was always a distraction to whatever he was reading. Instead, he preferred to listen to Beethoven but Reid doubted that Wiley would want to listen to that.

"Hey, you okay?" Scout looked at him.

The car suddenly stopped outside the victim's house but Reid didn't let go of the steering wheel.

"I-I don't like you." He blurted out.

Scout raised her brow, "I'm sorry?"

"No-no. I don't mean that I don't like you! I mean I don't like you like that. I mean that I don't know what kind of signal I was sending, I can't tell. But you're great and I can't like you like-"

"Reid."

"What I mean, what I'm trying to say. Shit, I like you but no-no, I don't like you. I just mean that I like you as a friend but not as a, you know-"

"Reid."

"-Yes?" He paused trying to catch his breath, his heart pounding and his ear burning red.

She sent him another lopsided smile, "I don't like you, either."

"You don't?"

"No, but I think you're a great guy who's insanely smart and lack a greater appreciation for good ass music. But  I don't have to like you any more than a teammate to know that." She shrugged, "I'm sorry if you thought that."

Reid chuckled, "Oh, I'm gonna kill Morgan."

"Maybe later, but we've got a job to do now." Scout nodded towards the house and got out of the car.

"You coming?"

Spencer's small smile fell for a second, "Yeah, right behind you."

Reminder, comments are love and motivation.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
a special thanks to readers who comment:
@cyn161

2 updates in less than 24 hours?? Who am I??

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