24 Hours (A Spencer Reid Story)

23:00-My house is a coffee shop?

The drive down was long, nerve rackingly long. Spencer and my dad tried to involve me as best they could in the conversation but something always pulled me away. 

Maybe it was the sense of impending doom I felt about following the unsub's instruction, maybe it was the thought of coming face to face, once again, with the man who turned my life upside down or maybe it was the feeling of having to be in the very same house I was taken from and my parents were murdered either way I was just glad I had my dad and Spencer by my side. 

"Everything ok baby?" Spencer asked. I nodded silently and kept my eyes on the passing world.

"Nervous?" My dad asked.

"Yeah." I told them, nearly over a whisper.

"Don't worry babe, you're safe with us. Nothing is gonna happen to you." Spencer reassured me.

We drove a few blocks more until we pulled up outside of the coffee shop.

"So..where are we going?" I asked.

"223...so right, here." My dad told me.

I looked up at the coffee shop and grinned.

"My house is a coffee shop." I turned to Spencer.

"that's a strange coincidence." My dad chuckled.

"The coffee fanatic and her old home is a coffee shop." Spencer laughed.

"A 24 hour coffee shop." 

"My house is a 24 hrs coffee house?..MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!!!!!" I yelled as I ran towards the door. My face broke out in a bigger smile as I heard the bell above the door ring as I opened the door and headed for a table. 

"You have an addiction, you know that right?" Spencer asked as he sat across from me, my dad sitting by my side.

"What, no I don't, I just live, breath and sleep coffee." I shrugged as I took a look at the menu.

I stood up and walked over to the counter and ordered 3 coffees two black and one with cream.

As the barista made the coffees I looked around, at the photos hung up on the  back wall.

There were so many photos, some of kids soccer teams, groups of men, women and teens all smiling at the camera in the coffee shop. One photo stuck out a little though, it was of a three adults, two men and a woman, and three children, once again, two boys, around 7-8 and a young girl around 3-4 and They all smiled happily at the camera. The photo seemed a little older then the rest but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Once the coffees were done I walked back to my dad and boyfriend and sat down.

"So, is anything sticking out to you?" My dad asked. I thought about the photo for a second but decided it was nothing and shook my head.

"The coffee is amazing." I smiled once I took a sip of the rich tasting caffeinated drink.

"It is good." Spencer agreed.

"So do you remember anything about before the unsub?" Spencer asked.

"I remember my mum used to sing 'I can't help falling in love with you' as I fell asleep." I began as I smiled.

"I remember that, you used to sing it to yourself a bed time, but you got all the words mixed up and I could never figure out what you were singing." My dad chuckled. "It wasn't until a year later when we heard it on the radio in the car that we knew what it was and I sang it to you everytime you were sad."

"I'm sorry my 6 year old brain couldn't remember the words to an entire song." I huffed making my dad and Spencer laugh.

"I also remember my dad used to teach me soccer. Which I used to play with the two twin who's dad was friends with my dad." I told them both .

"I can't imagine you being very good at sports." Spencer told me.

"I probably wasn't." I shrugged.

"So why do you think the unsub wanted you to come here?" My dad asked.

"I think maybe he was messing with my mind." I told him, "Trying to get in my head, you know."

"He said it would tell you who he is?" Spencer reminded me.

"I don't know Spence, I think maybe it was all a plot to get me out of town, we were getting close and this was his way of throwing us off his scent." I explained.

"Maybe your right babe, I don't see anything here that could point to who the unsub is." Spencer sighed.

"Sorry kids, looks like this place is a dead end." My dad added.

"Well atleast we got good coffee out is is." I grinned as I finished my coffee off and stood up.

"Come on, I'll go pay for the coffee and we'll head back." My dad insisted as we made our way over to the counter.

I looked at the photo that had caught my attention before, behind the counter as my dad paid for the coffee.

"OH MY GOD!" I yelled as I was about to look away I noticed something big.

"What?" Spencer asked concerned.

"That picture, behind the counter," I asked the barista, pointing. "Where did you get that?" 

"It was here when they bought the place, it's the family who were killed here." She shrugged.

"Can I see it?" My dad asked. The girl nodded, grabbing the photo and handing it to me. 

"Wow, that's your family?" Spencer asked as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. 

"Yeah, My mum, dad and me and that's the twins Tommy and Toby and that... " I told him pointing at each member then stopped as my eyes landed on the other person. 

"Oh my god!" I screeched again.

"What?" My dad answered this time.

"Look, there, next to my mum and dad." I asked as I pointed at the guy.

"Is that..?"

"It can't be..."

"It is...it's.."

"Officer Grey."