Perfectly Flawed - Chapter 18

Perfectly Flawed - Chapter 18

word count - 2.5k warnings - none. Summary: Lina and Spencer hang out, take 2…

After 2 blissfully boring workdays, I awaken to a bright, cool morning on Saturday. As I go about my morning routine, I put some music on and sing along. After a shower, getting dressed, doing my hair, and a little bit of makeup, I grab something for breakfast.

Checking the time, I let out a happy hum, seeing it was only about 8:45. I finished eating breakfast and quickly brushed my teeth after, making sure not to drop anything on myself all the while. Then I head out and grab my shoes, looking over my outfit in the mirror.

Satisfied with how I look, I grab my purse and coat and start heading out. As I slowly walk down to the sidewalk outside, I pull my phone out to give Spencer a quick text.

Hey, Doc. I'm going to start heading out. Venti black coffee, right?

I had just gotten past the door of my apartment when I got a text back.

Yeah, but just in case I get there before you, a grande mocha is what you usually get, correct?

Eyebrows raising, I type out a reply and start heading to where we're going to meet.

Yeah. How close are you, Doc?

I start walking a little faster, just in case he's already waiting. As I start striding to Starbucks, I get another text.

I'm still on the Metro, so probably not as close as you are.

Grinning, I slow down a little, trying to think of what to text him, when I get another text.

Sorry, I guess I'm just really excited about going book shopping. Especially with a friend. :-)

Smiling down at my phone, I have to quickly side-step walking into a pole. I then send him a reply.

That is absolutely ok with me, Doc, no need to be sorry. :-)

Still grinning, I jog the rest of the way. As I see the door to the coffee shop, I hear a, "Hey, Lina." from behind me. Turning around, I see Spencer walking towards me, a tight smile on his face and hand up in a small wave.

Grinning, I say, "Hey, Doc. Guess you were closer than you thought, huh?"

Breaking into a genuine smile, Spencer chuckles lightly and says, "Yeah, I suppose so. After you." gesturing with his hand to go ahead of him.

Heading into the Starbucks, we get in line to place our orders. Looking at the students that are there studying, I sigh and say, "Oh, thank multiple deities that after next week, I don't have to do that anymore..."

Spencer hums and looks around, then back at me and asks, "Hmm, what, study?"

I nod and say, "Yeah. Well, unless I wanted to, at least." I stop and think, then continue, "And unless I needed to update my license, I suppose..."

Spencer is quiet for a moment, then says, "W-well, I could always help you with that. I-if you want..."

I giggle and say, "Y'know, I may take you up on that offer when the time comes, Doc,"

He smiles at me shily, then steps to the counter and orders. When he steps aside, I tell the cashier my order, and as I go to pay, Spencer says, "Wait a minute, you don't have to-"

"I got this, Spence, don't worry about it," I say with a grin, swiping my card.

The barista behind the counter says, "Man, I wish my girlfriend would do that every once in a while!"

Momentarily stunned, I look over at Spencer, who is also left speechless, then back at the cashier and quickly say, "Oh, no, no, we're just friends."

Spencer nods and says, "Y-yeah, we're friends, we're no-not together. Well, I guess we are together, as in our order, but not, um, not as in, like, romantically."

The barista, whose nametag says 'Jim', says, "Oh, really? Sorry, dude and dudette..."

When we walk over to wait for our drinks, I look over at Spencer and let out a giggle. "What?" he says, eyebrows furrowed.

I take a breath and say, "It's just...I can't recall the last time I've ever been called 'dudette',"

Forehead smoothing over, he lets out a chuckle and says, "Oh, yeah, that's...I can't say I've really ever been called 'dude' before, either."

We're still laughing a little as our names are called. We get our drinks and I wait while Spencer puts sugar in his coffee. "So, did we want to start, or should we sit down?" I ask as he puts a fifth packet in and stirs.

"Oh, uh, we-we can start, I'm ok with that," he says with a small smile.

As we walk out, Spencer and I stroll side by side, and I ask, "So, um, where are we going first?"

"Um, the first one we're going to is really close, it's called 'Storybound'. It's right down the street." he says.

"Oh, cool! Have you visited it before?" I ask, sipping my coffee.

He nods and says, "Yeah, I've checked it out once or twice. Can't say I've been able to get to it very often, but it's a nice shop."

"Here we are," he says while opening the door, and we head in. We see a display of books, and on the other side of the building, a little restaurant is bustling with people.

Looking over the book selection, I murmur, "I have a feeling the books we're looking for won't be here, these look more contemporary..."

Spencer hums and nods, eyes scanning the book covers. I look over the shelves, letting out a quiet, "Huh," when I see that Stephen King is releasing a new book soon. 

"You find anything you like, Lina?" Spencer asks, walking over to me.

"Um, not so much, just noticing that King is releasing another novel soon," I say, getting a slightly confused look. "Stephen King," I say, and he nods.

"Oh, right! That makes sense," he says, gesturing at the poster, and giving me a tight smile.

I giggle, and we start walking out. "W-what?" he asks hesitantly.

I shake my head and say, "Nothing bad. I guess I tend to forget that most of what you read, there's no way the authors would be coming out with anything new."

As we head to our second stop, he says, "Hey, I read some contemporary books. Besides, there's a chance some of them might write something new, Bradbury and Vonnegut are still alive."

I chuckle and say, "My apologies, I stand corrected."

After a few moments, I ask, "So, this next place?"

He breaks out into a wide smile, saying, "Ah, now here, we'll probably find something. We're going to Second Story Books. It's a second-hand bookstore, so there's more of a chance we might find some of the books you're looking for."

I squeal excitedly, then say, "Sorry, I love old bookstores. I always feel a bit like an archeologist, like I might dig up some lost treasure of a book..."

He smiles and drinks his coffee, then says, "I know exactly what you mean. I-uh, I didn't really think I'd meet someone who felt the same way. About books, I mean."

I giggle and sip at my coffee, following Spencer to our next destination. Right before we cross the street to get there, we throw away our empty coffee cups. Then we head into the store, and there are books everywhere. 

Feeling like a kid in a candy store, I dart from one bookshelf to another, just looking at what there is. After a few minutes, Spencer walks over, biting his lip to keep from chuckling, but failing. "I can show you where the genres you're looking for would be," he softly says with a smile.

"Yeah, OK! Lead on!" I whisper loudly, following closely behind him.

As we scour the shelves, I manage to find a paperback version of 'Picture of Dorian Gray'. I quickly show Spencer, and he smiles and says, "See? I knew you'd find something here."

I continue to search the shelves, running my fingers down the spines as I silently read the titles. I go through several shelves, and bump into Spencer again, who's carefully holding a book as he reads it.

"Oh, sorry. I, uh, I found something. Well, technically, I found two somethings, one for you and one for me. Uh, here, this was one of the ones you were searching for, I believe." he says, closing the book he was reading, keeping a finger in between the pages he was on as a bookmark.

He hands me a book entitled 'The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories', and I grin and thank him. As I put it with the other book I found, I asked him, "What'd you find, Doc?"

"Oh, um, a rare printing of War and Peace in the original Russian," he says, showing me the book's cover.

"Wait, you know Russian?" I say, then stop and continue. "I mean, I don't know why that would surprise me, it shouldn't..."

He gives me a small smile, then asks, "Oh, uh, are you ready to check out?"

I chew on my lip and tilt my head, thinking before I say anything. "I-I am, but I'm having a lot of fun, and I kinda don't want to head home just yet..."

He gives me a bigger smile, one that reaches his eyes, and says, "Well, it doesn't have to end just yet if you don't want it to. There's always more bookstores we can check out."

He flushes, looks away, and rubs the back of his neck while saying, "Or-or some other stores. Maybe grab lunch or something?"

Grinning back at him, I reply, "I'd like that a lot, Doc. Do you know of any other nearby bookstores we could go to?"

"I, uh, I believe so, unless stores have changed since the last time I looked at a map of D.C...." he says as we head to the register.

"Oh, uh, I'm afraid I can't help with that. But, we could still check, if you wanted?" I say timidly.

"I'm ok with a little exploring," he says as he pays for his book.

"I'm cool with that, I can't say I've explored the city a whole lot, so it should be an experience," I say, handing over my books to the cashier and paying for them.

Thanking them as they hand me the bag with my books, Spencer says, "I'm pretty sure there was one just a few places down..."

Following him, we walk a block down and find a place called 'Fantom Books', and head inside. As we look over the shelves, we find a bunch of different newer books and a lot of graphic novels.

I walk over to a display sign that says, "The Classics: Updated!" and start looking through the graphic novels there. I turn and say, "Spence, come check this out!"

He strolls over, looks at the sign, then starts looking through the books. Eyebrows scrunched together, he says, "I'm...not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, anything that gets people to read is amazing. But on the other..."

"It kinda wrecks it for you, huh?" I say, looking over at a few there.

"I wouldn't say wrecks it, but it's...not as straightforward a process as I'm used to," he says, then turns and gives me a small smile. "But like I said, if it gets people into reading, how could I complain?" he finishes.

I snort, and then a novel catches my eye. "Oh, no way, I didn't even know this was a thing!" I say excitedly, grabbing the book. "What is it?" Spencer asks, turning to look.

"It's Franz Kafka's 'Metamorphosis'. It, uh, when I was younger, my dad would have me do book reports when I got bored during the summer. I hated the writing part, but I loved the chance to read new books I normally wouldn't have. The last one I wrote before I went off to college was this one..." I say, trailing off, looking at the book and smiling.

I look up, and Spencer smiles, and I say, "It...holds a special place in my heart. It was kinda...the last 'kid' book report I had, I guess." I chuckle, then tuck it under my arm, and look through the other books there.

"Edgar Allen Poe...The Odyssey...The Illiad and The Odyssey...Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...huh, Murder on the Orient Express." I mumble, holding the last one up to show Spencer, which causes him to grin, and I set it back down.

As I head up to buy the book, Spencer asks, "Hey, it's about lunchtime. Are you getting a little hungry?"

I chuckle and say, "Yeah, a little bit. What'd you have in mind?"

"I'm not really sure, but I know there are a few places close to here, did you want to continue exploring?" he asks with a small grin.

"Sound good, Doc. Lead the way!" I say, following him out.

We pass a few pizza places, a Thai place, and we come to a Chinese place, and I suggest, "Hey, what about there?"

He nods and says, "Sure, let's go."

We head in and order lunch, talking and laughing like we usually do when we have lunch. After we finish eating, we start walking, heading vaguely in the direction of where we started. About halfway there, Spencer asks, "You live close by that Starbucks, right?"

I nod, and he continues, saying, "Well, why don't I just walk you home then? Unless there was somewhere else you were going to go..."

I shake my head. "Nope, just going to do laundry. Luckily, I don't have to leave my building for that!" I say with a giggle. "So, yeah, I'm ok with heading home instead," I say.

Spencer smiles and softly says, "OK, then."

Grinning, I walk along with him. Making our way to my apartment, we continue talking, joking, and laughing. When we reach the front of the building, Spencer smiles and says, "I'm really glad we did this, I think I like just hanging out with you. Um, see you next week?"

I nod and say, "Yeah, I'm sure I'll see you at some point next week. Sorry again about missing out on this interview in Florida. But like I told Penny, after this week, and, well, I guess graduation day, I'm completely done. So, there's that to look forward to."

"Yeah. Good luck on your exams! If you need any help with studying..." he starts, and I laugh.

"I should be good. I'm usually good with tests, so it won't be a problem. See you next week, Doc," I say, bumping my shoulder into his with a grin.

He grins back, saying, "I'll see you next week, Lina,"

I wave as he starts walking away, then turn around and head up to my apartment.

Previous chapter

Next chapter

Story masterlist

Perfectly Flawed - Chapter 13

word count - 3.4k

warnings - alcohol, some innuendo (light, typical between Morgan and Garcia)

Summary: Lina's co-workers get to know her.

Penny and I exit the car, quickly making our way to the doors. As we walk inside, we can see JJ waving us over to a table, where she, Elle, and Gideon are sitting. As we sit down, Penny says to me, "You stay here, I'll go get us some drinks." 

After Penny walks off, Elle asks me, "So, Lina, what made you decide on this for an internship?" 

"Oh, um, well, I've always been good with computers, so I knew I'd probably want to do something with them as a job since I was a kid," I said, putting my purse down on the floor.

"You're almost done getting your BA in psychology, right? You graduate this year?" Gideon asks, a hand on his drink. 

I nod and say, "Yes, sir." 

He gives me a kind smile and says, "You don't have to call me 'sir', Jason is fine." I just nod again.

"What made you interested in psychology?" JJ asks, taking a sip of her drink. 

I flash a nervous smile and say, "Well, I've known from a young age how much someone's mental health can impact things, and I've always wanted to help others and be a psychologist."  

Penelope came back then with two glasses, setting one down and handing me one with a reddish liquid in it. "Don't worry, it's just cranberry juice." 

I smile, looking at her briefly before she walks away and I say, "Thanks, Penny." I clear my throat and continue. 

"I've also really been enamored with technology. It's taken me...a lot of research, but I've found a way to be able to use what I know to make a difference around me. It's...still in its infancy, but I plan on eventually treating patients over the computer, helping those that, for whatever reason, can't leave their home to see a psychologist." I finish while taking a drink.

Penelope slides into her seat next to me, giant binder in hand. "So, I know they aren't always super up-to-date on things, but they still have a decent selection of songs," she says, pushing the book towards me. I give her a grin and start looking through.

Elle leans back in her seat and says, "Oh no, don't tell me you're going to try and have us all do a song tonight, Garcia. I don't think there's enough alcohol in the place for me to do that again..."

Feigning a hurt look, Penelope looks at her and says, "No, Lina will be my partner-in-crime tonight, you're all off the hook this time." JJ breathes a sigh of relief, and she and Elle exchange a look and break into laughter. Gideon gives a slight smile, looking around and taking a drink from his bottle of beer.

"Looks like you've managed to convince Spencer to come out for once, Garcia..." he says, nodding in the direction of Derek and Spencer, who were standing near the door. 

"Nooo, that would be thanks to our newest addition. That's all Lina." Penny said, giving my shoulders a small hug.

Elle snickers and says, "You might not be the only one with a crush there, Lina." 

I wave to the two men, and say quietly, "That would be nice, but I don't have that kind of luck, Elle." As Penny and I look over the songbook and fill out a few slips, Derek and Spencer make their way over.

I look up with a smile and say, "Hey, Doc. Glad you made it." Spencer flushes and gives me a small smile. 

Derek claps him on the shoulder and says, "I'm gonna get us something to drink, you go get settled, ok?" as he sets his coat on the chair next to Gideon.

"Oh, uh, Sprite, please," Spencer tells him quickly.

He's met with a hand wave and Derek saying, "Yeah, yeah, I got it, man." Pulling up the only unoccupied chair left, Spencer sits down next to me, looking a little uncomfortable. 

As Derek comes back with drinks for him and Spencer, I turn to Spencer. He looks over at me nervously, and I hold up my glass in a toast and say, "Hey, Stone-cold Sober Squad?" He clinks his glass with me and nods, seeming to relax slightly.

"Now that we're all here, let's get to know our new colleague a little better, hmm?" Penny says with a smile, looking around the table. 

Spencer smirks and leans over to quietly tell me, "Told you." 

I snort and reply, "Yup, you called it, Doc."

"How old are you, Lina? Safe to assume since we're here, you're at least 21, but you don't look much older than that." Derek says, swirling the liquid in his drink. 

I give a nervous smile and say, "Uh, yeah, I'm 22."

"You already have a degree, if I'm not mistaken. A Bachelor's of Computer Science, correct?" Gideon asks. I nod, and he continues. "Were you able to pursue that while you were still in high school?" 

I flush and say, "Um, not exactly. I managed to graduate early, so I was able to devote my full attention and get my BA."

"How early did you graduate, Lina?" Penny asks, taking a sip from her straw. 

"Oh, uh, I was 14," I say quietly, fidgeting with the straw in my drink. I don't miss the look she gives Spencer, though I'm not entirely sure what it's supposed to mean.

"What do you do for fun?" Elle asks, after taking a drink from her glass. 

"Um, well, I like to do the usual stuff, I guess. Read, watch movies and TV, listen to music. Probably not surprising, since I'm working with Penelope here, but I'm also into computers, both playing and making games on them."

"Where are you from?" JJ asks. 

I turn to her and say, "Oh, uh, a small town somewhat near Pittsburgh." 

Her eyes light up and she says, "I'm from East Allegheny! How close to Pittsburgh were you?" 

I grin and lean forward, saying, "No way?! Greensburg, so like, 30, 35 miles?" She nods and leans back, taking a sip from her drink.

"Were there any others you wanted to write out, my lovely?" Penny asks me, grabbing the filled-out slips of paper to go drop them off at the musician's booth. 

"Ah, not at the moment. Maybe we can go over the book again later for duets?" I say, sipping from my straw. 

She flashes me a dazzling smile and says, "You bet!"

"Oh, she roped you into that, huh?" Derek says with a smirk, taking a drink from his glass. 

"Nah, I willingly volunteered. Just hope I don't wreck your ears too much while I'm up there." I joke.

"So, no one else is gonna sing?" I ask, taking a sip and swirling my straw in my glass. 

Elle looks over at Gideon and asks, "Are you going up tonight?" 

He gives a jovial smile and says, "Eh, I don't know, maybe."

I turn to look at him and ask, "Oh, you sing?" 

Still smiling, he says, "Sometimes. I don't usually, haven't in a while." 

He stands up, finishing his beer and saying, "I'll be back. Anyone need anything?" After receiving a smattering of 'No's and head shakes in reply, he heads off in the direction of the bartender.

Penelope comes back and sits down, taking a sip of her drink and looking mischievous. "Anyone been having any luck in the dating department? Been a while since I've heard anyone's exploits." 

Elle and JJ shake their heads and chuckle, with Elle telling her, "No, I think it's been a while since any of us has had the time for a date. This past week was nice, calm, and boring, but I don't expect next week to be the same."

Penny turns to Derek and says, "C'mon, you gotta have something for me, Hot Chocolate." 

With a twinkle in his eye, Derek replies, "Oh, I have something for you, Little Mama..." and they both break out in laughter, with Elle and JJ laughing and shaking their heads.

"Well then, what about you two? Reid? Any romantic escapades to share?" Penelope says, a devious look on her face. 

Spencer splutters, "N-n-no, Garcia. I-I don't have anything I could tell you..." he says, taking a large drink of his Sprite. 

Smirk on her face, Penny sighs and says, "Lina? Do you have a boyfriend? Or dating anyone?"

I flush and shake my head, looking down at my drink. Thankfully, at that moment, two things happen. Gideon comes back with another drink, and over the loud-speaker, we hear, "Alright folks, let's welcome Lina to the stage. She's feeling a little Criminal..."

I get up and make my way on stage, faintly hearing Penny squeal. I take a few deep breaths to shake the embarrassment from whatever the hell Penny was trying to do with those questions and grab the microphone in preparation. 

I let the first few notes of the song wash over me, and get ready. I close my eyes and start singing, glad that I'm managing to hit the notes. After the first line, I open my eyes and search for the table everyone's at.

I find it and focus on Penny to keep from getting too nervous. By the second verse, I'm more relaxed and getting into it, really having fun with the song. I hear a few random whoops and whistles, and I smile and continue.

When I finish with the bridge, Penelope is clapping and whooping with the others I can hear. By the end of the song, I leave the stage to applause, mostly from the table filled with my new coworkers.

As I sit back down, Penny's gushing, "Oh my God, Lina, you nailed it!" I just grin while blushing. 

Elle and JJ smile at me, and Elle says, "That was pretty good." 

JJ says with a laugh, "Now I see why you agreed to karaoke with Garcia."

Gideon gives me an affable smile and says, "Seems we've got a little songbird with us now." 

I blush and grin, and Derek says, "Oh, you like 'Songbird', huh? That's a nickname you'd want?" I laugh and nod. 

I look over at Spencer, who looks slightly flustered, and stammers out, "T-that didn't sound bad. At all. You said you sounded like an asthmatic pterodactyl..." 

I snort and say, "No, I said I might sound like an asthmatic pterodactyl." Everyone else at the table starts laughing at that.

"That's...quite a description. I'm almost afraid to ask what that could sound like..." Elle says, taking another drink from her glass. 

I grin and say, "Spencer imagined it possibly sounding like a wheezing screech, and I've gotta agree, that sounds the most likely."

Spencer grins as he takes a drink, flushing and looking at me, then back down. I finish my drink and go to stand up to get another, when Derek says, "Relax, I can get you another. What is it?" 

I tell him, "Oh, um, it's cranberry juice. Thanks, Derek." 

He smiles and takes my glass, and as he walks away he says, "No problem, Songbird..." I giggle at that, my nose scrunching up. 

Spencer gives a slight smile and leans over, saying, "I think he's a bit too happy to find a nickname you like."

I laugh lightly and shrug, saying, "It's definitely one of the nicer nicknames I've been given." 

Just then, we hear the DJ saying, "Please put your hands together for Penelope. She Just Wants To Have Fun..." 

I whoop and cheer her on, saying, "Go, Penny!"

Flashing me a quick smile, she bounds up onto the stage and starts her song. Grinning, I cheer Penny on like she did for me. Derek comes back with fresh drinks, handing me the one with red liquid. He waves a hand and says, "Just cranberry juice. I got you, Songbird." I give him a half-smile, raising my glass and thanking him again. 

As we watch Penny belt out Cyndi Lauper, Spencer leans over a little, clearing his throat and nervously saying, "S-so, um, I didn't get a chance to say it before but, um, you look r-really nice, Lina." 

I turn and smile softly at him and say, "Thank you, Spencer. So do you." He gives me a small grin and looks away again, playing with the straw in his drink.

I tilt my head and ask Spencer, "So, Doc, do you ever go up there? Sing something every once in a while?" and sip my drink through the straw. 

He chuckles and grimaces, saying, "Oh, absolutely not! The only way I let them drag me up there is if it's a group song, and it's been a while since the last time we did that..."

I giggle around my straw and say, "Aw, it's not that bad doing karaoke, is it, Spence?" He flushes and takes another drink. We clap as Penny finishes her song, and she strides back over to the table and sits down.

The others at the table compliment her, then walk off, whether to get more to drink or talk to someone they see. As Penny starts sipping her drink, I say to her, "That was awesome, Pen!" 

She smiles and leans on her arm while saying, "Thank you. So, what have you two been talking about?" 

Spencer looks from me to Penny and back, but says nothing and shrugs, so I say, "Oh, I was just asking Spencer if he ever went up there, and he said only when you guys have a group song..." 

With a gasp and a smile, Penny cuts in with, "OhmiGod! Yes, that's a great idea! We should have a group song tonight..." 

As Penny continues, I notice Spencer cringing and shrinking in his seat, and I quickly interrupt her train of thought with a, "Hey, what about those duets we were gonna do? Did you wanna go get the book to go through and see what you and I could sing, Pen? Let the others have the night off and see how it's done?"

Stopping momentarily, Penny starts back up, saying, "I...yeah! Duets! Yes! Let me go get the book, I'll be right back!" 

As she rushes off for the songbook and slips of paper, Spencer breathes a sigh of relief and quietly says, "Thank you for that, Lina. I don't think I could've come up with a decent excuse."

I grimace and say, "Ah, well, it's the least I could do. I'm just sorry I mentioned it in the first place, I didn't mean to suggest a group song in any way..." 

Spencer shakes his head with a small grin, saying, "I know you didn't, but it was impressive to see you think so quickly on your feet, so to speak. I can't wait to see more of that."

He starts sipping his drink, then sees that I'm blushing from what he said, then starts coughing and spluttering, choking out with, "At work! In the field, I mean! I'm sorry, I wasn't insinuating anything..." 

I start to giggle and hand him a napkin, saying, "It's ok, Doc. I figured as much. I'm just not used to positive feedback from anyone other than teachers. You ok?" Still coughing a bit, he nods. 

Penny pops up and sits down, gesturing towards Spencer with her chin and asking, "Hey, is Boy Wonder ok?"

"Ah, yeah, just, uh, went down the wrong pipe?" I say questioningly, gently patting Spencer on the back. Spencer nods again as he manages to get his breathing back under control, and Penny taps me on the arm for my attention.

"OK, so, what kind of song were you thinking of for us to sing, Lina?" she asks, a large smile on her face. 

I bite my lip and ask, "Uh, how do you feel about singing something Spice Girls?" 

"I can do Spice Girls. You wanna just...alternate lines?" Penny says, sipping her drink. 

I nod and say, "Yeah, sounds good. Um, any song in particular, or..." I start.

"Nah, you go ahead and choose. Even if I don't know the song, that's the beauty of karaoke! They give you the words!" Penny says, waving her hands and giggling. I laugh and look through the book, finding a song for us to sing.

Writing it down on a slip of paper, I ask, "How many did you want to do? Would 2 be ok?" Penny nods emphatically, sipping her drink. "OK, lemme find another one, then..." I say quietly. "How does Pat Benatar sound?" I ask, turning to her for her reaction. 

"Yeah! Ooh, can we do 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot'?" she says gleefully.

I chuckle and nod as I start writing it down on a slip of paper, handing it and the book to her when I'm done. Drink in hand, she says, "I'll be right back!" then takes off. I raise my glass and take a sip through the straw, then wave when I see Elle and JJ walking back to the table.

"Hey! Where'd you guys go?" I ask them, taking another sip. 

"Oh, we went to get more to drink, but the wait was so long because the poor bartender kept getting hit on. I swear by the end of it, I think they were more focused on trying to one-up each other than they were trying to get with her." Elle says with a smirk.

"Honestly, it was getting kind of embarrassing," JJ says with a chuckle, sliding back into her seat. 

Elle nods and sits down as well. "Yeah, 'I can power-lift 250 pounds' 'Oh, yeah? Well, I can bench press 300 pounds!' Just..." she says with a chuckle, throwing her hands up in disbelief.

Before anything else is said, though, the DJ says, "Let's welcome Penelope and Lina to the stage, they want you to Say You'll Be There..."

I get up from my seat and start walking up, searching for Penny. I manage to catch her on my right as she starts speeding towards the stage. I step up and grab a microphone, handing it to her as she gets on with me, then grin and grab one for myself.

Over the next 4 minutes, we have fun singing back and forth, even throwing in a few dance moves, which garners us a few whistles and a fair bit of clapping. After we finish, she grabs my arm and raises our hands together, then pulls me to run off stage together, causing me to laugh as we make our way back to the table.

Sitting back down, Penny takes a long sip of her drink, then says to everyone else at the table, "Consider the rest of you off the hook for karaoke until further notice!" 

I laugh as JJ says, "Well, on that note, I think we owe you another drink, Lina."

Elle gets up and says, "Cranberry juice, right?" I nod and she continues, "And I think it might be time for some water for Garcia here." 

Penny lightly boos and says, "Aw, you guys are no fun, I've only had 3...or was it 4?" 

We all exchange looks, and JJ says, "Yeah, I think it's time to cut you off, Garcia." Gideon and Derek walk back to the table, talking as they sit back down at the table. 

"Hey! Hey, Hot Stuff, didja hear us?" Penny says, loudly tapping her hand on the table to get Derek's attention.

He smiles and says, "Yes I did, Baby Girl, you two were fantastic." He then turns to JJ and Spencer and asks softly, "She's getting water from here on out, right?" Both nod and he turns back to her and says, "Hey, sweetheart, how about I give you a ride home? We can come back in the morning to get your car, ok?"

He then looks at me and says, "I can give you a lift home too, Songbird." He then turns to Spencer and lightly claps him on the shoulder and says, "Reid, you won't mind having company on the ride home, will you?"

"Uh, n-no, that's fine," Spencer says, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt and looking down. 

"Great! In that case, we should probably get going soon, right?" Derek says with a grin.

Previous chapter

Next chapter

Story masterlist

Perfectly Flawed - Chapter 15

word count - 1.8k

warnings - Canon-typical violence, some Google translate. The only word not translated is cariño, which is Spanish for sweetie. Again, as far as Google says!

Summary: Lina gets coffee and then to work on her first case.

I wake up to my alarm, stretching as I quickly turn it off. I shuffle into the bathroom and get ready for the day. As I prepare, I can't help but feel both excited and nervous. It's not a date or anything, just chill, girl... I think as I try to calm myself. After doing my hair and makeup, I finish by putting on a mostly casual outfit.

As I go to put on my shoes, I check the time, and see that it's quarter after 9. Chewing my lip, I debate with myself about whether I should give Spencer a text or not, when my phone chimes.

Hey Lina, I know it's earlier than the time we talked about, but I figured I'd head out now to get to where we said we'd meet. I hope I didn't disturb you.

Half-smile on my face, I text Spencer back.

Nah, you're ok, Doc. I was debating on texting you, as a matter of fact. I try to err on the side of 'early' rather than 'late'. So, I guess I'll see you as soon as the Metro gets there? Oh, also, did you want me to order you some coffee so it's there as soon as you get there?

Sliding my phone back in my pocket, I grab my coat and purse and head out the door, making sure it's locked. I start walking down the stairs to the sidewalk outside when I feel my phone go off again. Trying to suppress a smile, I check it.

Yeah, that sounds great, actually. See you soon, Lina. :-)

Grinning at seeing he's gotten into the emoticons, I text him back once more.

Did you want the same thing as last time, a venti black coffee?

Strolling down the sidewalk to my destination, I'm pleased to see that it's not as busy as I thought it'd be for a Saturday. Stepping into line, I feel my phone go off once more and check it.

Yes, that would be wonderful, thank you.

Putting the phone back into my pocket, I hitch up my purse higher onto my shoulder and wait. As I look around at the shop, I see a bunch of college students loading up on caffeine, probably in preparation to study. Sighing, I feel glad that in 2 weeks I won't have to worry about any more exams.

Slowly, the line winds down and it's my turn to order. I step up to the register and say, "Hi, could I please get a grande mocha and a venti black coffee? Name's Lina, L-I-N-A." The cashier nods and starts marking the cups, and I swipe my card to pay. After my order is in, I walk over and grab a handful of sugar packets and a stirrer, as well as some napkins.

I walk back and wait for my name to be called, and after a few minutes, I hear a call of, "Lina?" and see 2 drinks being slid forward. 

Grabbing them, I say, "Thank you!" and try to find an available table. Finding one close to the door, I settle in and set Spencer's coffee in front of the seat next to me and place a few napkins down, with the stirrer on top, and the pile of sugar packets next to it.

Pulling my book out of my purse, I start reading to pass the time as I wait. After about half a page, I hear my name being called. "Hey, Lina. Hope you weren't waiting too long." Spencer says as he walks up to the table. 

Grinning, I tell him, "Nope, only been sitting for a few minutes. Your coffee's right here, Doc," motioning next to me. 

He sits down, a small smile on his face as he starts putting sugar into his cup. "So, uh, how was-how was your morning?" he asks me, carefully stirring his coffee and taking a sip. 

I stir my coffee and say, "Oh, it's been ok. Quieter than during the week. I'm guessing I should relish that?"

He laughs and says, "Yeah, quiet can be pretty nice. Sometimes, it feels like those times are few and far between..." Taking a sip of my coffee, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. Eyebrows furrowing, I pull it out and see it's Penelope. Looking over, I see Spencer take his buzzing phone out as well, looking at it with a sigh.

"Like I was saying..." he says, before answering his phone with a "Yeah, Hotch?" 

I answer my phone, tentatively saying, "Hello?" 

"Hey there, my young Padawan. Work calls, and therefore, so do I. We've got a case." Penelope tells me. 

"O-oh, ok, um, I guess I'll be in as soon as I can, then," I say.

"Sorry for cutting your Saturday short, see you when you get in." Penelope apologizes, then hangs up. 

I look over at Spencer as I put my phone back in my pocket, and as he does the same, he says, "Well, duty calls, right?" I nod, and we walk out to the Metro, waiting for the next one into work.

As we sit on the bench, he looks a little melancholic, and says, "I'm sorry, Lina. I was afraid this would happen." 

I look at him a little quizzically, and ask, "Why are you sorry? We were called into work, it's not like you blew me off or something. I'm guessing this is the price you pay when you save lives."

"I, yeah, when you put it that way..." he says thoughtfully. 

"Besides," I say with a small laugh, "You did say we could hang out when we get back," 

"Well...yeah, yeah, I did. Sounds good..." he says, mood seeming to lift slightly. We sit there, making small talk as we wait for the vehicle.

When the Metro gets there, we board and sit together, still talking. When we get to the office, we're greeted by Elle and Derek, who give each other looks, raising their eyebrows, then turning to us.

"Reid, does any blood run through your veins, or is it all coffee by now?" Derek teases, pressing the button for the elevator. 

As we wait, Spencer thinks about it for a second, then turns to Derek with a creased brow and slight grimace, and says, "Morgan, you know very well that's a physical impossibility."

Raising his hand fruitlessly, then gesturing for us to board the elevator when it opens, Derek sighs and says, "It...it's a joke, Reid...never mind...anyway, how're your mornings' going?" 

I take a sip of my coffee, waiting for someone to respond, and when no one does, I remark, "Not bad. Far more active than usual for me, though."

"Yeah, that's for sure," Elle says with a nod. "Hopefully, you'll get used to it quickly enough, it's nice to have more mujer on the team." she continues, smiling at me. I bite my lip and nod, and I must have a confused look on my face, because she then says with a slight chuckle, "Women, cariño, it's nice to have more women on the team."

"Oh, ok. Sorry, I took Italian in high school, I, uh, I thought it would come in handy far more than it actually has..." I say, awkwardly shuffling my feet and looking down. 

"Hey, Songbird's multilingual. How about hittin' us with a little of that Romance language?" Derek says, grinning and wiggling his eyebrows a little.

I laugh and then stop for a moment to think, then say, "Ricordo solo un po' di italiano." After a moment, I say it again in English. "I can only remember a little Italian." 

With a chuckle, Derek says, "Hey, that's more than I know. Do you know any others?" 

"I, um, I know a few words of German," I say, shifting from one foot to another.

With a ding, the elevator opens, and as we walk out, Spencer softly asks me, "Wie viel Deutsch kannst du?" (How much German do you know?) 

His breath tickling my ear and sending shivers through me from the closeness, I manage a stuttery, "Ein bisschen." (A little bit.) 

He nods his head in acknowledgment, then smiles and says, "Danke für den Kaffee," (Thank you for the coffee.) before starting to walk off. 

Grinning, I call out, "Gern geschehen, Doktor!" (You're welcome, Doc!) and slowly walk in behind everyone, looking for Penny.

After everyone has walked into the room, I poke my head in, seeing Penny already at the table. Quickly making my way over, I sit in the empty seat next to her, turning to the screen. After we watch, Hotch pauses and says, "This happened in Beechwood, New Jersey. Mr. Fisher had ingested LSD one afternoon and didn't come down until 18 hours later."

JJ jumps in, "The hospital reported 6 other patients who ingested LSD in the last 24 hours. The hospital called the CDC, the CDC called us." 

Derek asks, "So, a bunch of people got spiked. What makes it a BAU case?" 

Hotch answers, "They each received 10 to 20 times the normal dose."

"It's enough to kill a small child." Spencer muses. 

Elle adds, "Or cause a grown man to kill him with a tire iron." 

JJ continues, "Of the seven victims, there was one death and one coma. This is from the hospital's security footage the same night Fisher lost it." She then changes files and unpauses the recording, showing a waiting room in chaos.

After a few seconds, Gideon says, "These people didn't get spiked. These people were poisoned." 

As that sinks in, Hotch looks around the table at us and says, "Wheels up in 20." 

We all get up from the table, and Penny says, "Here we go, your first case. I'll fill you in on what to do as we go, ok?"

As I follow her, Spencer jogs up to me with a duffle bag in his hand and says, "I'll, um, see you when I get back? Raincheck for, uh, hanging out?" 

Smiling at him, I nod and tell him, "Yeah, absolutely. Hope Jersey's good to you all, Doc." He jogs off, giving me a shy smile and a small wave. 

I turn to Penny, and she's looking at me with her eyebrows raised, open mouth turning into a devilish smile. When we get to the room she tells me she's dubbed the 'Command Center', she sits in her chair and puts her headset on. As I do the same, she tells me, "You know I'm gonna ask about it later, right?"

Previous chapter

Next chapter

Story masterlist

Perfectly Flawed - Chapter 22

word count - 1.8k warnings - cursing, talk of sex and attempted sexual assault, threats of bodily harm Summary: Gideon, Elle, and Lina get a bit of background on one of the victims…

After a call to fill in the rest of the agents back at headquarters, the three of us don't have to wait long before Mr. Davies and who we assume to be Ms. Sadler walk over to us after leaving Ms. Naldi's room.

"Excuse me, Lucas told me you guys are trying to find the bastard that did this to Ash and Jenny?" the woman said as soon as she got close to us.

"Yes, we are, Ms..." Gideon starts.

"Sadler. I'm Sabrina Sadler," she says.

"Yes, Ms. Sadler, we are. I'm Agent Gideon, this is Agent Greenaway, and this is Ms. Aschebrooke, one of our tech analysts who's assisting us." Gideon says, introducing us all while the three of us stand up.

"We don't know much of what happened to Ashley and Jennifer, the hospital staff wouldn't give us any details other than what they're being treated for. They said they 'didn't have the authority to divulge that'." Lucas says, breathing out a sigh of frustration.

"Well, I'm not sure how much we can tell you while we're here, but if we can find a quiet enough spot, we can give you some details, and maybe you two could answer a few questions for us, if possible?" Elle asks, looking around for a more secluded area for our conversation.

"I, um, I remember seeing a spot pretty tucked away when we first came in, I think it could fit us..." I say quietly, fidgeting with my pen.

"In that case, please lead the way, " Gideon says gently, gesturing for me to go forward.

I dart over to where I saw the area, empty and waiting, with a few chairs that could be pulled to a table. As the others make their way over, I bring four chairs over and arrange them around the table, then place one near the others, close enough to hear the others talk so I can take notes.

Once everyone is seated, Gideon softly starts explaining how Ashley and Jennifer were found; the items around them, their injuries, and what was scrawled on the walls by them. Lucas and Sabrina look horrified, confused, and saddened as they listen to what happened to their friends.

"But, what does all of that mean?!" Lucas asks.

"That's where Ms. Aschebrooke comes in. She determined that the items, wounds, and words at the scenes correlate with two different songs. Ms. Aschebrooke, I believe you have some questions to ask Mr. Davies and Ms. Sadler." Elle says, gesturing for me to make my inquiries.

I clear my throat and ask them, "Have either of you ever heard of the songs 'My Lover's Box' by Garbage or 'Reptile' by Nine Inch Nails?" 

Sabrina shakes her head, but Lucas says, "I don't think I've heard those songs, but I remember hearing about those bands. They were starting to become pretty popular when we were in high school. Why, what do these songs have to do with the attacks on our friends?"

I say, "Well, I've, um, I believe that I've identified some items and actions within the songs that these...attacks...appear to be based on. I can play the songs, see if anything jogs your memories or helps you remember if there was anyone who was particularly into those bands?"

"I mean, this is already some bizarre shit, this might help them find the asshole faster, Luc..." Sabrina says, turning to Lucas, who nods in agreement. She turns back to me and says, "Go ahead, play them."

I nod and say, "The first song is from...Ms. Naldi's...crime scene, by the band Garbage, 'My Lover's Box'." I play it for them, both of them mostly blank-faced, but wincing whenever they hear the references to the injuries Ashley incurred.

When it's done, they look at each other, then back at us, and sadly shake their heads. "That's ok, there's still the one from Ms. Wilcox's crime scene. Um, this is 'Reptile' by Nine Inch Nails." I say, making sure to repeat the title of both the songs and the bands in the hopes of stirring any recollections.

I start the song, and when it gets to the chorus, Lucas goes wide-eyed and a pained look comes over his face. "I remember this one," he says quietly. Sabrina looks at him, waiting for him to continue. He takes a breath and continues, "You remember when Roxy started that rumor about Jenny? This is what some of my...teammates...would quote when they talked about her," and on the word 'teammates' you could practically feel the venom and disgust dripping from it.

Sabrina clenches her jaw and her face goes red, as she hisses out, "Those motherfuckers, which ones, I'll find them and-" Lucas quickly and quietly says, "Bria, no. You know you can't do that, we aren't minors anymore..."

She starts taking deep breaths, and slowly her color returns to normal, but she still holds herself rigidly, obviously still enraged. 

Turning to us, Lucas asks, "Did they-was there any sign of..." his voice breaking in the middle of his question.

"There was no evidence of any other assault other than the cuts to her limbs and the bruising on her neck." Elle offers gently, garnering a sigh of relief from Lucas and a slight softening in Sabrina's demeanor. Lucas nods, and Elle asks, "What is the significance of the song in relation to Ms. Wilcox?"

With a tired sigh, Lucas says, "That's...about something we're not really able to tell you, but we can go see Jenny, and see if she's ok with talking about it." Both he and Sabrina stand up, motioning for us to follow them to Ms. Wilcox's room.

"Two of our agents asked Ms. Wilcox questions earlier today, do you think she'd be willing to talk more?" Gideon asks as the three of us follow after them.

Sabrina quickly says, "To catch this bastard and prevent him from attacking anyone else? Absolutely."  

As we head to Ms Wilcox's room, Lucas and Sabrina enter first to talk to her and see if she's amenable to any more questions. After a few minutes, Lucas pokes his head out and motions for us to come into the room. As we enter, we see Jennifer looking far better than in her picture from before.

After the agents and I are introduced to her, Jennifer gives us a weak smile as she says, "So, it seems I need to tell you a bit about my high school years."

"Ms. Wilcox, I know you've already talked with some of our agents earlier, but anything you can add will be greatly appreciated," Gideon says gently.

She nods and takes a deep breath to steel herself, then starts explaining. "As I'm sure you know by now, the three of us, along with Ashley Naldi and Roxanne Waters, were a tight-knit group throughout high school. The four of us girls had been best friends since grade school, and when Lucas started dating Roxy in middle school, he became sort of like a brother to the rest of us."

"Roxy had always had a bit of...let's just say a disagreeable demeanor at times, but it wasn't til 10th grade that it really started to get bad. She'd always been a bit of an elitist, making a few snide comments to some of the girls she deemed 'unworthy' of going to our school for one reason or another. Whether she didn't think you were pretty enough, or rich enough, or just not 'cool' enough in her eyes, you practically had a target painted on your back for her criticism."

"But in 10th grade, it was like a switch was flipped. Any kindness or pleasantness about her faded away unless she wanted something from you, then she'd be sugar-sweet until she got what she sought after, and then she'd go right back to her cruel self."

"My mistake was confiding in her about the time my boyfriend and I hadn't been, um, careful, and I was afraid I was pregnant. Luckily, I wasn't, but she had started a rumor that I was 'easy'. After my boyfriend and I broke up, she'd encourage me to go on dates with guys in our class. They always expected me to jump into bed with them because of the rumor, but I refused, and I used to cry on her shoulder about how all the guys wanted from me was sex."

"After a few dates like this, I started to get a little wary of meeting up with these guys, but she convinced me to go on one more. Unfortunately, that last date would not take 'no' for an answer. I remember fighting him and running over to Sabrina's, crying and telling her what he tried to do. I'll never forget how you said you were willing to 'go Lorena Bobbit on his ass' if he ever came near me again, Bria." Jennifer smiled and patted Sabrina's hand at that memory.

"Well, after that, no one asked me on any more dates, and I was fine with that, but that rumor persisted. It wasn't til Senior year that they stopped spreading that lie, but the damage to my friendship with Roxy had been done, and I'd always avoid her when I could, and not draw any attention to myself when I had to be around her. I was so glad when after prom, we kicked her out of our group. I haven't talked to her since then."

"Is there a possibility that Ms. Waters could have done this to you and Ms. Naldi?" Elle asks.

"Directly? No. Could she have gotten someone else to do this? I could totally see it." Jennifer states.

"Is she a suspect?" Lucas asks, turning to us.

"Not yet, but once we get a bit more information on her recent whereabouts, that could change," Gideon says. "Unless there's anything else that might uncover another possible offender?"

The three of them shake their heads, and Gideon then says, "Well, we thank you very much for your time. If any of you think of anything else, please don't hesitate to call us."

After bidding the three of them goodbye, Gideon, Elle, and I head back to the car, and we're silent until we start on our way back to the office.

I take a breath and ask, "Did you two get the feeling that there was way more that happened between them as well?"

Gideon nods and Elle says, "Yup. You up for a bit more digging with Garcia?"

I smile and say, "You bet."

Previous chapter

Next chapter - coming soon!

Story masterlist

Perfectly Flawed - Chapter 16

word count - 1.5k

warnings - none

Summary: Lina gets grilled by Penelope.

"That was insane, Penny! Just how many of the cases are like this?!" I ask, taking off my headset and setting it down.

Penny just grins and says, "A few too many, I'm afraid. Thankfully, we got it taken care of before a lot of people got hurt..." Taking off her headset, she stands up and collects her purse, saying, "C'mon, I'll drive you home..."

"Shouldn't we get started on the paperwork?" I ask, an unsure look on my face.

"Nah, we can come in tomorrow to get started on that. The agents will be doing most of that, anyway, since they were the ones going out and tracking the unsubs down," she says, digging her keys out as she hands me my purse.

"Oh, ok," I say, taking my purse and standing up.

As Penny and I walk towards the elevators, she says, "Now that the case has been dealt with..." and then smiles devilishly at me.

My head pulling back a little, I apprehensively ask, "What...what's that look for, Pen?"

"Told you I was gonna ask about it later...so how'd your little...coffee meet-up with Reid go?" she asks, ushering me into the elevator when it dings open.

"Oh, uh, ok, I guess? We didn't really get to hang out a whole lot, maybe, like, 5 minutes before we got the calls..." I say, leaning against the elevator walls. Penelope hums, and I ask, "What? What's that 'Hmm' for?" 

"Oh, nothing..." she says with a sweet smile.

"Pen, I know I'm still new, and I don't know everyone's 'tells'," I start, walking out of the elevator after the doors open again. "But yours might as well be on a billboard. Now tell me, what are your thoughts?" I ask, trying to catch up to her as she walks to the parking garage.

"Just...what do you think you and Boy Genius will do as a 'make-up hang out'?" she says, still smirking.

Flushing, I say, "I-I don't know, I guess I'm gonna have to ask him when I see him next..."

Unlocking her car doors, Penny asks, "Ah, ok, so, tomorrow, then?" I give her a questioning look, and she continues. "They're on the jet coming home now, they'll be back in for tomorrow morning." 

I nod, giving an, "Oh." in understanding. I climb in and secure my seat belt as Penny starts the car, lowering the volume on the radio before it can blast out whatever station she had on this morning.

I lean my head back and sigh as Penny drives, softly saying, "I am exhausted, and I was here in a chair. I can only imagine how tired the rest of them must be..." Penny nods in agreement. I look out the window, watching the city lights flicker on as we pass. We're almost to my apartment when I get a text message.

Probably Val, asking if I'm gonna have another late night at work, better let her know I'm on my way...

As I read the message, I quickly realized it was not my roommate who texted me, but Spencer. 

Hey, Lina. Hope I'm not interrupting you, but I wanted to ask if we're good for that raincheck on hanging out? Maybe we can try Saturday again?

I try to hide the goofy grin that crosses my face, but Penny notices. "Must be an awfully funny text there, chica..." she says with a smirk.

Flushing, I squeak out, "It-it isn't funny, Pen. Just...unexpected."

Nodding slightly, she hums out an, "Uh-huh...so what's the Mighty Professor gotta say?"

I whip my head to face her, and say, "How-how do you know it's Spencer, huh? Why couldn't it be, I dunno, someone sending me a cat picture or something?"

She snorts and laughs, saying, "My tells may be as big as a billboard, but yours might as well be in skywriting..." The light turns green, letting us continue on our way.

My lips bunched to one side, I sighed as I said, "Yeah, ok, it's Spencer. I have got to work on keeping my facial expressions to myself..."

At a stoplight, she turns to me and says, "Well? What did he say? Are you gonna answer him?"

"Oh!" I exclaim, typing out on my phone a reply. "Ye-yeah, I'm gonna answer him, gimmie a moment..."

Yeah, that'd be awesome, Doc. Did you want to try to do the same thing, or something else on Saturday? Are you home already?

After sending the text, I feel the car stop. I look up and see I'm home. I look over to Penny, and she says, "Well, hon, you're home. I'll see you tomorrow. Have fun texting tonight..." 

I snort, letting myself out and waving to her as I head up the steps to my apartment. As I make my way upstairs and unlock my apartment door, I feel my phone buzz again. Heading inside, I call out, "Val? I'm home, the case was resolved." I pull out my phone again as I close the door and take off my shoes and coat.

"Be right there!" she yells back from her room.

As I put down my purse and hung up my coat, I read the text Spencer sent.

No, I'm just getting off the jet, I should be home in a bit. I mean, we can get coffee again, but I was thinking we could maybe check out a bookstore or two? If that's ok, I know you mentioned that as a suggestion before?

Grinning, I answer him as I sit down on the couch.

That sounds amazing, Spence. Yes, absolutely! I've been meaning to get a few more books, too. 

Val pads into the living room, eyebrow raised. "Glad you're home at a more decent hour, there's some leftovers in the fridge." She sits down next to me and asks, "So, who ya texting?"

Clutching the phone to my chest, I look her up and down quickly, then say, "...Spencer."

She looks at me and says, "Mmm-hmm. Isn't he in Jersey right now?"

I smile and slide the phone back into my pocket, getting up to check the fridge. "Yeah, well, he said he just got back in Virginia, so he'll be home pretty soon." I look through the shelves, trying to find something. I pick up something in aluminum foil and turn to look at Val, raising my eyebrows as if to ask 'What even is this?' She just gives me a shrug, and I put it back in, figuring I'll deal with it later.

Val stretches out on the couch as I continue my search. She then asks, "So, uh, what's he asking you?"

"Oh, um, he...wanted to see if we wanted to try to hang out again this Saturday, since the first time we got called into a case," I say, finally deciding on some leftover pasta dish.

She hums in acknowledgment as I dump the food onto a plate and put it in the microwave. After setting the time, I turn to her and ask, "What?"

She shrugs and shakes her head, then says, "Nothing. I'm gonna head to bed early, g'night."

"Night, Vallie," I say, getting my food after the machine beeps. As I sit down on the couch again to eat, my phone chimes again.

Smiling, I check it and read the message.

Oh, really? Any in particular you were looking for?

Thinking for a moment, I quickly type out a reply and send it, a grin on my face as I finish eating dinner.

Kind of, I was hoping maybe you could help me look for some of the ones you suggested? If you don't mind, of course.

I take my empty dishes over to the sink, humming as I wash them. Drying off my hands, my phone goes off once more.

I don't mind at all! I look forward to Saturday.

Heading to my room, I sit on my bed and type out one more message.

It's been a while since I've gone on a good bookstore search, and I don't think I've ever been on one with someone. I can't wait!

  I change into some pjs and start getting ready for bed. As I brush my teeth, I get another text.

You know, I don't think I've ever done that either? Definitely something I eagerly await. Well, I better let you get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow, Lina. Goodnight. :-)

I grin and set my toothbrush down, sending one last text.

You should try to sleep, too. Goodnight, Spence. :-)

I finish brushing my teeth and head back into my room, slipping into bed, and drifting off to sleep.

Previous chapter

Next chapter

Story masterlist

Perfectly Flawed - Chapter 20

word count - 1.6k warnings - a bit of vulgarity and some typical Criminal Minds-like violence Summary: It's an interesting start to a case for Lina and the rest of the BAU.

Once all three of us are back at work, we head to the briefing room and sit down. Pictures of two crime scenes are already up on the screen, the victims' pictures underneath. 

One is a blonde woman in a business suit and heels, leaning against a grimy wall. Her hands have been burned, and cuts intersect over her face. The skin and areas around her eyes are red, as if from a severe sunburn. There is bruising on her neck as well.

A music box is in her hands, opened, with char marks. Strewn around her are little trinkets like ticket stubs, pictures, a necklace and ring, a cassette tape, and a few other things that are indistinguishable. Scrawled onto the wall behind her in various places are the words 'Piece by piece'.

The other is a brunette in a designer dress, splayed on the ground, arms and legs wrapped in a strange white and translucent material, the skin underneath slashed. A strange liquid is seeping out from underneath her, trailing off a few feet until it stops. 

There are several pictures of young men, as if they were cut out of a yearbook, all around her. Some of them in the liquid, some under the strange material over her limbs. Scribbled above her head are the phrases 'You beautiful liar' and 'You precious whore'.

JJ stands by the screen and says, "This is Ashley Naldi and Jennifer Wilcox, respectively. Ms. Naldi was found in a nearby alleyway of the Rosewood Hotel, and Ms. Wilcox in the alleyway of the Four Seasons Hotel. They are both currently recovering in the George Washington University hospital."

"They're alive after all that?!" Derek asks incredulously.

"It seems this unsub intends to maim and not kill his victims. I haven't figured out if that makes it better or worse yet." Gideon says, nodding at JJ to continue.

"So far, all we know is that both of these women are from out of town, and were checked into those hotels. Ms. Naldi is still undergoing surgeries, but we've been told we can talk with Ms. Wilcox."

"Do we know if there's any connection between the two victims?" Spencer asks.

"Not as of yet, but hopefully, Ms. Wilcox can shed some light when we talk with her," JJ says.

"What's that liquid under the second victim?" Hotch asks.

JJ looks over at the screen, then down at her notes, and says, "Uh, they're running some tests on it, but the police at the scene said it had a sweet smell."

Looking over the images, I get the nagging sense that the words left at the crime scenes are familiar somehow. Breaking into my thoughts is Gideon's voice. "Derek and JJ, you two go interview Ms. Wilcox and see what you can find out. Everyone else, let's comb over the evidence more, see if we can find anything else out."

As everyone stands up, I close my folder and stand up as well. As Penny and I head to our computers, she asks, "Hey, you ok? It looked like something was bugging you in there."

I sigh as we sit down and put our headsets on, saying, "Not so much...bugging me, but...those words...I know them somehow, but I can't put my finger on how I know them. With any luck, it'll come to me."

There's a knock on the door, and Hotch steps in. "I'm here to go over the crime scene photos, and see if we can figure out anything more in these pictures."

I pull them up on my computer because I know Penny can't stand to look at the gruesomeness if she doesn't have to. Hotch walks closer, and I can hear Penny shudder and say, "Hopefully, she won't have too many scars on her face. Poor woman."

After a bit of enhancement, we figure out the few items that are scattered around her. In addition to the ticket stubs, jewelry, and cassette tape, we find that there are a few different photos, one being from a yearbook. 

There's another that's been crumpled and tossed aside, but from the bit we can see it's a photo of the victim in a cheerleader's outfit. Another one has the victim and a male figure, dressed in angel costumes, as if for a play.

Gideon knocks and pokes his head in, saying, "Hey, there's been an update on the first victim. She's had a bit of cornea damage, and she's temporarily blind. The doctors are treating the injury and are hoping she'll fully recover her sight in a few days."

I inspect the photo, starting to make a connection between the victim's injuries and the items around her. "Is it-no, it can't be..." I murmur to myself.

"Aschebrooke? Do you have something?" Hotch asks, turning to look at me.

"I'm...I'm not sure, sir, but I think...I think...all these different parts are from a song. Can I-let me remember the lyrics..." I say, trailing off.

Hotch and Gideon give each other a look, then Gideon says, "Go for it, Songbird."

I give him a small smile and take a breath, then start singing the lyrics and circling everything it references. "My lover's charms..." I start, pointing at all of the items around the victim.

"Are in a box..." I continue, pointing to the music box. "Beneath my bed. And piece by piece..." I point to the words. "I'll cherish them until the end. Send me an angel to love..." pointing to the picture of the two people in angel garb. "I need to feel a little piece of heaven. Send me an angel to love, I'm afraid I'll never get to heaven."

I hurriedly say, "Hang on, there's more." I clear my throat and continue.

"They burn my hands..." I softly sing, pointing at her burned and blistered hands. "Scar my face..." indicating at her face. "And blind my eyes." circling the damage done to and around her eyes.

"I'll steal your breath..." pointing to her neck, then finishing with, "And throw away what I despise." pointing to the crumpled cheerleading picture.

"Maybe she was choked til she passed out, and that's how this was all done? 'Steal her breath' enough until she's unconscious, then do...all this...to her..." I suggest, furrowing my brows.

"OK, I can see how all that can correlate to this song. What about the other victim?" Hotch says, eyes going over the first photo before switching to the next.

"Um, ok, give me a moment to think, please..." I say, pacing in a circle as I frantically try to think of what the second victim's scene could be referencing.

"Let's see, the first one was leaning against a wall, but this one is all askew on the ground..." I start, wracking my brain.

"Her arms and legs are open, but it doesn't look like there's been any sexual assault," Hotch says, looking over the screen.

As it suddenly hits me, I ask, "Were-were there insects of any kind around her when they found her?"

Gideon nods, saying, "Yeah, she was found in a back alley, garbage bags around her. There were bound to be flies and other insects hanging around there."

I swallow and take a shaky breath, then start. "She spreads herself wide open..." I gesture to how her body is set. "To let the insects in..." I point out the few garbage bags I see, to indicate that line.

"She leaves a trail of honey to show me where she's been." I circle the weird, sticky-looking liquid under her, tracing the trail it left.

"She has the blood of reptile, just underneath her skin." pointing to the cuts and the strange material enshrouded over her skin.

"The next line is: Seeds from a thousand others drip down from within, but I'm not entirely sure what-oh, the pictures..." I say, suddenly hit with a realization.

"I think that ties into the next part, the words. But the lyrics are slightly different. Instead of what's been written, it's Oh MY beautiful liar, oh MY precious- um, you-you get the picture." I say quietly.

"That...makes a little too much sense. So, the unsub listened to these songs, and it resonated with him. Is there a connection between these songs? The artist, the subject?" Gideon asks, rubbing his chin as he thinks.

"Um, n-not that I can really think of. While both of the songs sound like they're about past romantic partners, the first sounds kind of...positive? While the second absolutely does not. They aren't on the same album, they aren't even by the same band..."

I sigh and think, then say, "Um, the albums they're on both came out in the mid-90s? Could that be some kind of connection?"

Penny's eyes widen as she says, "Oh! A lot of those pictures look like they were taken when the people in them were teenagers, and their hairstyles are very '90s. Maybe they're from a high school yearbook? There are a few in the D.C. area, I can start the search on which ones, and see if any of the pictures match."

After one last look between Hotch and Gideon, Hotch gives Penny and me a rare smile while saying, "Aschebrooke, Garcia. Good job. Let's see what we can find with this line of thought."

As Hotch and Gideon leave, Penny and I start searching. Penny says, "Amazing job there, Lina."

I grin and say, "I guess being a music nerd can pay off sometimes." making Penny smile as well.

Previous chapter

Next chapter

Story masterlist