24. god is a woman

𝑌𝐸𝑆, 𝐼 𝑈𝑆𝐸𝐷 𝐴 𝑅𝐸𝑀𝐼𝑋. 𝐼𝑇'𝑆 𝐴 𝐵𝑂𝑃, 𝐽𝑈𝑆𝑇 𝐿𝐼𝑆𝑇𝐸𝑁 𝑇𝑂 𝐼𝑇.

𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐶𝐴𝑆𝐸 𝑀𝐸𝑁𝑇𝐼𝑂𝑁𝐸𝐷 𝐼𝑁 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝑊𝐼𝐿𝐿 𝐵𝐸 𝐸𝐿𝐴𝐵𝑂𝑅𝐴𝑇𝐸𝐷 𝑂𝑁 𝐼𝑁 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑁𝐸𝑋𝑇 𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅. 𝑆𝑂 𝐼𝐹 𝑌𝑂𝑈'𝑅𝐸 𝐶𝑂𝑁𝐹𝑈𝑆𝐸𝐷, 𝐷𝑂𝑁'𝑇 𝑊𝑂𝑅𝑅𝑌. 𝐴𝐿𝐿 𝑌𝑂𝑈𝑅 𝑄𝑈𝐸𝑆𝑇𝐼𝑂𝑁𝑆 𝑊𝐼𝐿𝐿 𝐵𝐸 𝐴𝑁𝑆𝑊𝐸𝑅𝐸𝐷. :)

𝑊𝐴𝑅𝑁𝐼𝑁𝐺.• violent/dangerous situations

The brilliant lights from the cameras flashed at you as you made your way across the platform. Hotch's voice roared at you from the distance, yelling at you that this wasn't going to help anything— it was only going to make matters worse. You ignored him as you stood at the podium, drumming your nails on the hard wood of the stand as you waited for the reporters to quit shouting, demanding to know why you had called such a hasty, widespread meeting.

"Good afternoon," you said, gripping the microphone in your hand as you heard Hotch call out one last, "(Y/L/N), stop! This isn't going to solve anything!"

"My name is (Y/N) (Y/L/N)." The screaming audience began to simmer down as you held your head high, speaking valiantly into the microphone, "And this is a message for the woman who kidnapped Spencer Reid."

~~~

Three Hours Earlier.

The first thing that registered in your mind when you woke on the gravelly textile of the pavement was pain. Searing fucking pain. It felt like your heartbeat was inside your head, throbbing uncontrollably from where you'd been struck. You groaned as you sat up, placing one hand over the back of your head, spreading the blood that had percolated your hair.

"Shit," you grunted as you pulled your hand away, looking down at the blood that had coated your fingers. What the fuck happened?

"(Y/N)!"

JJ dropped to her knees beside you, placing her hand on your back as she said, "Try not to stand too quickly."

She held onto you as she helped you stand to your feet. You moaned, cradling your head in your hands as you asked, "Wh- What the hell happened? Where's Spencer?"

"I was hoping you could tell me that," she replied.

You looked down, your eyes immediately widening as soon as you recognized the revolver and cell phone that were on the ground. "No, no, no," you gasped as you fell to your knees, picking the objects up with your hands, trying to ignore the incessant pounding inside your head as your heart started to race. "No!"

"What is it? What's wrong?" JJ quickly asked.

"Spencer," you replied as you stood to your feet, looking at JJ as you desperately clung to the items in your hands. "The unsub has him. She has Spencer."

~~~

"This is all my fault."

"(Y/L/N), stop. Don't say that. You know that's not true."

"I let my guard down for one second," you mumbled under your breath as you paced the conference room, shaking your head as you wrapped your arms around yourself. "For one fucking second. Now, we don't know where Spencer is, who the fuck has him, and how we're gonna get him back, and I-"

"-(Y/N)," Morgan quickly interrupted you. "We're gonna get him back. Don't worry. Garcia's going through the security footage from outside the hospital to see who kidnapped him as we speak."

"The unsub used black paint at the crime scene and she told Diana that she was hired to paint a mural for the hospital," JJ noted. "(Y/N)'s right. Maybe the unsub is a painter."

"And poor Diana walked right into her trap," Rossi added. "She wanted information on Reid and William, sought out the one person who wouldn't know any better, preyed on her vulnerabilities, and lured her in."

"Let's talk about the word 'thief' that was left on the car for a second," Hotch said. "What does it mean?"

"Isn't it obvious? The bitch thinks I stole Spencer away from her! It's not my fault that she missed her chance she never really had in the first place," you spat, crossing your arms. "Maybe if she wanted him so fucking bad, she shouldn't have been such a coward and-"

"-(Y/L/N)," Hotch interrupted you, flashing you a warning look.

"Okay, let's talk about this. First, (Y/N) got the picture of her and Spencer on her desk with 'I know about you,'" JJ said.

"There was also that message that was left in William's apartment with the photos of Spencer," Rossi added. "This girl's obviously gotta have money if she was able to fly back and forth from Quantico to Vegas in less than a week."

"'Mine' and 'thief.' I mean, yeah, she clearly thinks that (Y/N) stole Reid away from her. She's claiming him as her own." Hotch looked over at you. "Did Reid ever mention a jealous ex? Or maybe a woman he took out once?"

"It's Spencer Reid we're talking about," you replied. "That man is like Fort fucking Knox. He's a vault just teeming with secrets. No, he's never mentioned a jealous ex or a woman he took out."

"You're sure?" Morgan asked.

"I know there was a girl named Julia at one point but they were nothing to each other. They just hooked up a couple times," you replied, shrugging your shoulders and knowing full well that you just told the team about one of Spencer's ex-subs, but, at that point, you didn't care.

You were prepared to do anything to get Spencer back.

"Still, we shouldn't rule it out," Hotch noted. His phone started ringing and he pulled it out, putting it on speaker as he said, "You're on speaker, Garcia."

"Sir, I just went over the security footage from outside the sanitarium and I- I can't make anything out about the girl," Garcia explained. "From behind, she just looks tall and I can see blonde hair but... that's about it."

"What about Spencer, Penny? Is he okay? Does he look okay?" You frantically asked.

"She has a gun on him but... he just dropped his gun and cell phone on the ground and got in the car with her," Garcia replied. "I- I think he was trying to protect you, kitten."

Your heart lurched at her words, holding your hands close to your chest as you gulped, biting on your lip as you held back tears that desperately wanted to escape. "(Y/N)?" Rossi called to you.

You shook your head, crossing your arms over your chest as you scoffed, "So, great. Basically, we have nothing."

"No, not nothing. Baby girl," Morgan called, leaning over the table, "go back a year or two ago. We need to figure out what Reid was doing that could've attracted this girl's attention."

"Well, I mean, you guys were on that case involving the stolen paintings, but I-"

"-Wait, Garcia," JJ quickly interrupted her. "Stolen paintings?"

"Wait, I remember that," Rossi said. "It was in Cleveland. It was (Y/L/N)'s first case."

"And it involved paintings," Morgan added. "The unsub is a painter— she was probably involved in the case somehow."

"Garcia," Hotch called to her, "unseal that case file. We need to know everything. Every suspect, every witness, every officer that was involved in the case and get back to us as soon as possible."

You uncrossed your arms as you scoffed. "So, wait. We're just gonna sit here while we wait for Garcia to unseal that case file while Spencer is god knows where, probably being tortured by this fucking psychotic woman, and you expect us to do nothing?"

"(Y/L/N)," Hotch said, crossing his arms as he looked at you. "I understand that you and Reid have developed some sort of relationship over the course of the past six months, but you need to calm down."

"You want me to calm down?"

You placed your hands on the table as you leaned forward, tilting your head back as you shot him a challenging look. "How about I show you what's it like to be a goddamn fucking woman instead who does whatever she needs to in order to get someone she loves back?"

You stormed out of the room, ignoring the surprised looks that you received from the team as you walked outside, pulling your phone out from your back pocket. You dialed a number, brining the phone up to your ear as you listened to it ring. "(Y/N)?"

"Hey, Brad," you replied, smiling. "I need a favor."

"What is it?"

"I need a press conference here, stat. And it better be the biggest fucking press conference you've ever called."

~~~

"I understand that you think you fell in love with him during a case that happened over a year ago and that you're angry with him for choosing not to love you back and that's why you took him," you said, gripping the microphone in your hand as you stared out at the crowd of inquisitive reporters, their cameras flashing at you as you spoke. "But... the man that you are holding hostage did nothing to deserve this."

You lowered your head, feeling tears start to prick your eyes as you sighed before looking back up at the crowd. "Spencer Reid is the kindest, most charitable man I've ever met. He's... He's everything to me. That's why I'm asking you... No. I'm begging you— let him go," you pleaded. "Because he's not the one you're actually mad at. You're mad at me. Right? You're mad because I took him away. Because he chose to fall in love with me. So... take me. Set Spencer free. You can do whatever you want with me, just... please don't take this out on Spencer anymore."

"(Y/N), what are you doing?" Hotch asked you.

"I would like to propose an exchange." You stared directly into the camera that was in front of you as you spoke, clearing your throat as you pushed all your fears to the side, letting Spencer become the only thing that mattered. "Me for Spencer Reid. Please, set him free. That's all I ask. I..."

Your voice trailed off as you noticed a woman standing in the back, dressed in black jeans and a black hoodie, the sleeves of her jacket speckled with red paint. Your heart started to race as the word 'thief' drawn on in red paint screamed at you. Cameras flashed at you, reporters shouting as you made your way off the stage, pushing past the team. "(Y/L/N), where are you going?" Hotch called after you.

You watched as the woman disappeared down the alley, balling your hands into fists as you ran after her, yelling, "Hey!" You grabbed her by the shoulder, whipping her around as you pulled her hood off, exposing her short, blonde hair. She looked down at you as your eyes widened, furrowing your brows as you gripped the collar of her hoodie, screaming, "Where is he!?"

"What— your little boyfriend? He's with me now," the woman smirked at you.

You let out a yell as you swung your arm back, punching the woman square in the nose. She stumbled back as you shook out your hand, glaring at her. "Tell me where he is now," you growled, preparing to land another punch in her face until she swung her leg up, kicking you in the stomach.

You groaned as you doubled over, glaring up at her before you jolted upright, socking her in the jaw. She cried out as she wiped at the trail of blood running down her cheek, shooting daggers at you with her eyes. "Oh, you're gonna pay for that, bitch," she said to you.

"Yeah? Then come and get it, sweetheart."

She lunged at you, landing a punch in your face and you cried out, grabbing her other wrist before twisting it around her back and slamming her body up against the wall, pulling her arm up to her shoulders. She screeched as you pressed all your body weight to hers, pinning her against the wall. "Who's paying for it now, huh? Tell me where the hell Spencer is right now," you growled at her.

"Somewhere where you can't hurt him," she spat at you.

"Hurt him? Oh, baby— you've got it backwards. You're the one who's a fucking murderer who stalks men because she can't ever seem to get one herself."

"(Y/N)!"

You noticed Morgan was standing at the end of the alley, watching you with wide eyes. "Your cuffs!" You cried, holding your free hand out to him. Morgan reached into his back pocket, pulling out his cuffs and tossing them to you. You cuffed the woman's wrists, pulling her back by the hoodie of her jacket, smirking at her as she cried out. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did that hurt? Yeah, imagine how Spencer probably feels right now."

"I'm not telling you anything," the woman growled, glaring up at you as you released her hoodie, grabbing her by the back of the neck and slamming her face into the wall, ravishing in the way that she cried out as you smirked.

"We'll see about that."

~~~

"Her name is Norah Fleming," Garcia explained over the phone. "Twenty-nine year old resident of Cleveland, Ohio. (Y/N) was right. She's a painter. Daughter of Pauline and-"

"-Xander Fleming. Yeah, I remember him. He was the unsub from that case in Cleveland that involved the stolen paintings," Rossi said.

"Wasn't Spence the one who interviewed Norah and consoled her when she found out Xander was the one who murdered all those people?" JJ asked.

"Wait a second, you guys," Morgan said. "'Thief.' She wrote 'thief' on the car. What if she wasn't talking about (Y/N)? What if she was trying to hint to who she was the entire time?"

"She wants to be just like her father. She's just as delusional as he is. But, in her case, the photographs of Reid are her masterpiece, and she will do anything in her power to make him hers just as Xander did with the paintings," Rossi noted.

"Okay. So, we know all that. Now, how do we find Spencer?" You asked.

JJ's eyes flicked to you as she narrowed her eyelids. "(Y/L/N), maybe you should sit down. Norah hit your head pretty hard earlier and she got you in the stomach just outside."

You looked over at JJ, crossing your arms as you said, "I'll sit when we get Spencer back, thank you very much."

One of the police officers walked in, clearing his throat, and you all looked over at him. "She's not budging," he said. "She says she'll only talk to your media liaison and your media liaison only."

"Looks like I'm up," you said.

"(Y/L/N), wait. I'm sending Morgan in with you to make sure that you don't kill her," Hotch told you, crossing his arms.

You shrugged at him, saying, "Fine. I'm going, though. Come on, Derek." You and Morgan walked into the interrogation room where Norah was, holding an ice pack to her nose as she glared at you. "Aw, did I make you mad?" You asked, sitting in the seat across from her as you smirked. "I'm sorry. Well, guess what? You pissed me off when you kidnapped Spencer. Now, tell me where the hell he is and maybe I won't have to make your life a living hell."

"I hope you rot in hell," Norah spat at you.

"Yeah, maybe I'll see you there one day, too," you replied, shrugging at her. "Now, tell me where Spencer is before I punch you again."

"Maybe fix your fucking girlfriend complex first and then I'll think about it."

You slammed your hands down on the table, lurching at the woman as Morgan cried, "(Y/N)!" You groaned, sitting back in your chair, crossing your arms as Morgan sat on the edge of the table. "Listen, Norah," he said, folding his hands in his lap. "We know you just want what's best for Spencer. Okay? We do, too. You love him, right?"

"More than this mangy little bitch ever will," Norah replied, motioning to you. She looked over at you, pulling at the restraints keeping her cuffed to table as she spat, "I can't believe Spencer chose you over me. I saw the way he looked at you when we first met. It was fucking disgusting."

"When you first met? Please. Spencer hardly even knew me," you scoffed, rolling your eyes. "You just drummed up some false reality in your head where Spencer was in love with you and played fairytale for the past year. Well, listen, honey— I'm sorry. I really am. But I've given up on trying to be reasonable. I just wanna know where he is before you fucking kill him."

"It's true. I know he's liked you from the start. I could see it in those big, gorgeous, hazel eyes. And he still chose you over me! We belong together!" Norah shouted at you. "It took you a whole fucking year just to say that you loved him back. I would've loved him from the moment that we met! You don't deserve him!"

"I don't deserve him!?" You cried. "You're the one who murdered his father and kidnapped him!"

"Maybe I wouldn't have had to do that if he'd just chosen to love me!"

"I'm done with this," you scoffed, slamming your hands down on the table as you stood from your seat, glaring at Norah. "She's not going to tell us where he is."

You turned around and started to leave the room until you heard her say, "I doubt you'd even get to him in time."

You whirled around, looking at her as you asked, "What?"

"What do you think these stains are?" Norah asked, motioning to her hoodie as she smirked at you. "I mean, they're not all just paint."

You scanned her hoodie, your eyes widening as you noticed the faint marks that had to be blood, your eyes flicking to hers as your heart started to race. "I had to teach him a lesson," Norah replied, shrugging at you. "I love him, but he needed to be taught a lesson about cheating on me."

"Where the hell is he!?" You screeched, balling your hands into fists.

"You're the media liaison. You presented the case. Figure it out."

She was right. You had presented the case. It was your first case but you still remembered it. You had to memorize the entire thing just to present it. You spun around, closing your eyes as you racked your brain, going over every single little detail in your head. Come on, (Y/N), think. What was someplace mentioned in the file that was important to the case?

"(Y/N)?" Morgan called.

Your eyes opened, holding your head high as you replied, "I don't know what she's talking about." Your eyes flicked to the gun strapped to your hip in its holster, swallowing the lump in your throat as you said, "I'm gonna call Garcia and have her look at the case file."

That was the last thing you said before you left the interrogation room, peeking around the corner to make sure no one was watching before you ran outside. You ran over to one of the SUVs, pulling the trunk open and reaching in, grabbing one of the bulletproof vests inside. You strapped it on, glancing around to make sure that no one was still watching before you reached into your pocket, pulling out the keys to the SUV and climbing into the driver's seat, starting the car.

You swung the steering wheel around, pulling out of the parking lot before flicking the sirens on, speeding down the highway. You focused keenly on the road in front of you until you heard your phone ringing, grabbing it and answering it with, "Hello?"

"(Y/L/N), where are you going?" Hotch asked.

"I have to save him, Aaron," you said, gripping the steering wheel in your hands as you raced down the street, feeling tears start to prick your eyes.

"(Y/N)..."

"He's everything to me, Hotch. I have to do this. I have to save him."

"At least tell us where you're going."

You pressed your lips into a thin line, thinking for a moment before you sighed and finally said, "Upon arresting him, it was discovered that Xander Fleming owned a storage locker out here in Vegas and I think that's where Norah took him. That's where she took Spencer. She wants to be just like her father and wants Spencer to be hers— her masterpiece. I just know that's where she took him."

"You'll wait for us until we get there?" Hotch asked.

"Hotch, are you crazy? She said we don't have a lot of time. No, I'm not waiting."

"(Y/N)-"

You hung up on him, turning into the parking lot of the storage cache before swinging your door open, pulling your gun out of its holster before you kicked the door open, walking inside. You walked down the halls of the storage area, holding your gun out in front of you as you peeked down the various hallways, turning your head around the corner, searching for anyone in sight.

Eventually, you came to the storage locker that you remembered— locker 324B. The lock had already been removed. Gulping, you reached down, grabbing the handle and pulling it open, calling out, "FBI," before you gasped, noticing the body laying on the ground, bleeding out onto the floor.

~~~

𝐴𝑈𝑇𝐻𝑂𝑅'𝑆 𝑁𝑂𝑇𝐸.SORRY THIS CHAPTER IS SO LATE! i feel like it's not the best but i wanted to get it done so you guys wouldn't have to wait anymore. i hope you guys like it :)) next chapter will hopefully be out soon so don't SCREAM AT ME.