Chapter Seven-Questions Answered and Possibilites Arisen

Chapter Seven
Questions Answered and Possibilities Arisen

Spencer watched Melly as she danced with her future husband. The party was over, and people were cleaning up what had been used for the dance floor. She was joking and they were dancing like children, doing what he had called 'the Polka from that one play'. They looked childish, hopping like that. He stopped, and took her face in his hands. He leaned down, and she took her face away, and his lips landed on her cheek.

     The man stared at his young bride with hurt displayed in his eyes. She looked away.

"Hey! Are we late? Phil, ya little shit, you told us the wrong time!"

Melanie's fiance looked up at the band of misfits that came in the door. He changed his expression, the way Melly could do it, on a dime.

"I did that on purpose, Tom-cat!" he yelled.

Melly turned. "Tommy-cat? Are you serious? You told them?!" Melly slapped Phillip.

"C'mon, Miss Mel," the boy called 'Tommy-cat' touched her face,"You're still just as stubborn, aren't ya?"

"I'M STILL CARRYING MACE!" she screamed, another boy from the gang laughed. "So," Melly sighed, sitting on some platform Melanie's mother had carted in here for a stage,"You're still a buncha JD's?"
"When were we ever JD's?" asked a tan boy, with pointed spikes for hair.
"Zayn, when weren't you JD's?"
"Cut it. Both of ya," cried Tom cat, proceeded by a belch."Mel, you're the fuzz now, right?"
"The highest form of fuzz," shouted a boy from the back, with curly bright, blonde hair.
Melly clicked her tongue. "So?"
"So, we can't be seen with ya!" cried Tom cat, swishing his honey hair. "One more question, Mell-a-roo. Are you like them otha cops?"
"Naw," Melly said, stretching. "Cuz those cops, the believe everything they read in the papers about you cruddy JD's. But that's what you give em, right? Something to believe in?"
"You better believe it, Mel, babe! 'Course, we learned from the best..."
"I wasn't any JD!"
"Naw, but ya friend were. Have you noticed how since we started talkin', you've been talkin' like me?"
"...Oh....You can't rub off on me Tommy Djalas! I'm a lady."
"Yeah, yeah."
Zayn locked arms with the blonde-haired boy. They and Tom cat mimed together,"'Remember Mr. So-and-So, remember I'm a lady.'"
Tom cat said,"Mel, that's all that ever came outta ya mouth! When you was young, anyways...now ya really are a workin' class woman. How many guys have ya got on your sleeve since little lovestruck, Philly?"
"Oh, no, Phillip and I always have been together. A few weeks ago, July 25th, I caught up with him again down in Quantico-his father was here-and we reconnected. I really missed him."
Phillip looked at his bride,"I missed you," he kissed her neck, then spun her around."I LOVE MELANIE RENE WILKES!! I LOVE HER! I LOVE HER! I LOVE HER!"
"Phillip! Stop that! Put me down!"
"I love you, Melanie Wilkes." He tried and failed to kiss her again.

"Do you see that, Reid?" Prentiss asked, the team returning from training still lurked at the corner, with a bar the caterers set up for guests. Prentiss and Reid were chugging them. "Reid? He keeps trying to kiss her, but she won't let him. Reid?"
     Reid wasn't listening, he was stuck in his head. "July 25th, I caught up with him again down in Quantico..." "July 25th we were working the Texas case..."
"What, Reid?"
"Nothing." She lying, but to who?

"Phil, it's late, I need to go home."
"I'll go with you, Mel-"
"No. You know how I feel about that. Charlie will need me home anyway."
"He told me he was moving out of the place you two shared."
"Oh...well...I still need to go home."
"I'll check on you tomorrow?"
"No, no, I'm working. I'll call you when I have free time, I promise."
Phillip looked at the ground. "'Kay."
"Smell ya later, Mel-babe!"
"Call me that again, and I'll taze ya!" and she left.
*****************************************************************************************************************
Melanie brushed out her hair, she watched as it curled around the brush, and sighed at all the hair that was coming out.
"It's not just breakage, that's falling out."
She walked down to the kitchen, humming a tune she wasn't sure she had heard before. She let the never before made music flow out. "My father bought it secondhand, from a silent movie star. It was out of tune, but still I learned to play. And with each note we each would smile, forgetting who we are, and all the pain would simply fly away-HEY!" Melanie screamed and clutched at her chest. Seeing the uninvited guest sitting in her living room. She fumbled for her inhaler, and took several puffs, then fumbled for a paper sack, to calm the hyperventilation.
"I wanted to make sure you were okay, so I was coming over, but I saw you hide the key. Anyone could be sitting here, just letting you know."
"Reid! I-I-I...This isn't something you would do!"
He chuckled. "I know! Isn't weird? I've been doing a lot of things out of character lately."
"Huh," Melly breathed labored,"Dynamic character."
"Why don't you sit?"
"Don't invite me to sit in my own house!" she sighed, and flopped next to him, letting her curly hair, which she had wrapped into a bun, fall into his hands. He gingerly touched it, letting the softness linger on his hands.
"Speaking of, is Charlie home?"
"Nope. He did move out. Haven't you notice? The whole marriage and leaving me? There getting rid of me, Reid. When I'm married, I'll have to move to France."
     Reid went pale. "What?" his hands shook. "They can't take you, Melly, what reason is-"
"Phillip Dufour is the son of a French Viscount. He moved here to learn things not offered over there, and he moved back later in life. His father also works with the Ambassadors of America. His father is getting old, and Phillip is an only child. He is going to take his father's job...he needed a wife.  My family wanted me out. My father was involved with politics. It just made sense. Are you putting it together now? Why I was so caught off guard? Spencer, this marriage was arranged, and I didn't find out about it until tonight."
    Reid stared. "But..."
"But, I knew him. We did several camps together, theatre, music, drama, everything. He always had a crush on me. I was good friends with him. He told me once he loved me, he'd do anything for me. He was 16, I was only 13. Even though I should have been thrilled, I didn't love him back. I just...I couldn't. I was...grieving at the time, something not to be discussed now, I've had enough stress."
"I guess I contributed to that, sorry for scaring you, Melly."
"It's okay." she layed her head on his chest, and cuddled next to him. He only now noticed her thin night grown, which was a light lavender, with lace around the cleavage. It came to just above the knees.
"I normally don't wear this, what with Charlie around, and I obviously wasn't expecting visitors, but it makes me feel pretty." She blushed, and Spencer did the same with being caught at looking.
"I don't want you to leave here," Spencer whispered after a few moments of them listening to each other's breathing.
"The wedding is more than a year or so away. I won't leave for a while, not till Phillip absolutely has to go. I promise...Spencer, can I tell you something?"
"Anything, Melly."
"...I think you're my best friend." 

Chapter Six-The Past and Forced Future of Melanie Wilkes

Chapter 6

The Past and Forced Future of Melanie Wilkes

     "My what?!" Melanie yelped. Her mother grasped her forearm tightly and Melanie flinched, but recovered quickly. Something she had learned to do.

"Dear, Dear, Dear! Everything just slips your mind, doesn't it?" her mother hissed.

Melly's eyes were wide, and full of warity. "Oh...yes...I just...I was ready to tell everyone yet. I so thought it was next week! With all the planning going on-"

"Yes, I know, I know." Her mother kissed her forehead.

"Where..." Melanie looked down and afraid. "Where is...he?"

Her mother looked her in the eyes. "He's waiting for you in Strauss's office."

"...O-Okay...I'll-"
"Hurry, Melanie," growled her mother in a sickeningly loving tone, giving her daughter a shove.

     Melanie half ran and half stumbled to her aunt's office. Her mother gave her a good push if she was going to slow.

The team watched in shock. Reid was green and Emily had gone pale. Morgan looked like he could punch something.

Emily looked at her team. "What just happened?"

*****************************************************************

Mrs. Wilkes lead her daughter into to Strauss's room, and Melanie had been looking down the whole time. She didn't want to see him, this man. What was happening? Her world was crashing around her. And the kiss she had shared with Reid, could never happen again.

"...Melanie?"

     Her head snapped up. She gasped and whispered God's name in vain. She took in the familiar face. His shoulders were still thin and sweet, the way they had been when they were young. His gold hair was tucked behind his ears because it as a pinch too long. His bright blue eyes were still kind, regardless of the hardships he had faced with her. He was the past she thought she would never see.

"Phillip?"

He smiled, and her heart melted. It's Phil...my Phil, he's alive... He chuckled. "Yeah, it's me." He laughed again, a little harder.

"What?" she asked.

"You."

"Well, that was rude."

"No, just...you...your expression." he sighed. "Melanie...you're all grown up."

     She stepped closer to him, and let him take her little pale hand.

"Phil, it's just, I haven't seen you since-"

"Yes, I know. Since the summer before," he looked at her eyes and she nodded knowingly.

"Alright, Master Phillip, I'll leave you to explain the situation to her. Make it swift, you have 10 minutes." Mrs. Wilkes left with that.

     Melanie was lead to a chair by her new...fiance.

"Phillip...what's happening...what's going on?"

He avoided her eyes, but glanced once and found he couldn't turn away.

"I, uh, came back to town next week. After I took you...there...I had to leave. I went back to France. I thought you'd have come home by then. But, you weren't."

"I skipped a grade."

"So, I'd heard."

Melanie sighed. "She doesn't know you helped me escape?...Phillip?"

"No, Melanie! I didn't tell anyone! I could go to jail for that, did you know? We both could."

"But everyone knows..."

"And you have the pass! Mel, I just..."

"...Continue, Phil."

"...I showed up at your house. Aggie answered the door. Of course, he didn't know who I was. He was too young to remember me. He got your mother. I spoke to her for a while. Charlie was there too. They had been...giving each other...odd looks. Your mother asked me if she could speak to my father. After a series of phone calls-which I tried and failed to listen to-she told me my father was interested with an arranged marriage. I'm coming into my manhood in France. I'm going to take office soon. I need a wife to come with me. Your mother is worried too, Melanie. She's worried your not going to find anyone. You know you have trust problems, Melanie! And you don't talk to anyone!"

"You haven't seen me in six years!"

"And has anything changed? I know you must be stronger. I got your letters, and I know what happened. I wanted to come-I really did. But Father was sent back to France....I had to stay. I don't know what else to say but we don't have a choice in this. It's not the end of the world. I'm not that bad." he teased her.

     Melanie chuckled darkly. "I just...she should have warned me. I just...It still hurts. The thought of it...anything can remind me of what happened. I'm almost always caught off guard by the nostalgia of it all. It scares me...Phillip, I still have the dreams. You here...it makes...hard. I really missed you, Phillip...I wasn't sure if you had lived after you left me there. They weren't kind to strangers...."

      He looked at her strangely. "C'mon," he said, taking her hand," your mother wants you dressed and down there. She has a dress waiting for you in your office. She's waiting to do your hair and make-up. But I still think you're beautiful without it."

"Did you ever forget about me?" she whispered.

"I never gave up on you, Melanie. Ever."

*****************************************************************

     Melanie returned to the fray a few minutes later. A bridal shower in the middle of the Quantico office was not ideal, especially for Melanie, who did things excruciatingly traditional. She emerged secretly from her office wearing a beautiful white dress, coated in black lace. Her hair was up intricate swirls and the ponytail was done in spiral curls. Her eyeliner seemed to dark, but faded throughout the night. She danced with everyone, mainly her future husband, whom she whispered to through tout the night.

     Reid just stared. He  couldn't believe what was happening. She kissed me...and it was a lie....Reid looked like he could cry. The song stopped and Melanie's fiance excused himself. Melly looked around, looking lost and scared to be alone. She turned down a hand to dance, then another, then another. Then she saw Reid.
     Reid pretended he didn't see her, and her wiped his eyes with his back to her.
"...Reid?" he heard her little meek voice, the same one that had nervously apologized for her brother the first day they had came. They same voice that cried when she admitted to him she wasn't strong enough for this job. This little girl...who had  been strong enough to lie and to break his heart. "Reid, please talk to me. I don't...." she sighed. "I need to talk to you about what happened." He didn't respond.
    She sat down next to him, and began to speak. "I didn't want to talk about what happened. I was going to pretend it didn't happen. It...Reid...that broke my heart. I felt it breaking. There was too much...whatever was in...it. It was too strong for me. I could succumb to it, Reid. I had to...go...I'm sorry..."
"That you lied?"
"...Lied?" she whispered. "Oh...Oh, God...there really is no way I can explain this with out getting in trouble....I can't tell you what is going on in my life, Reid. I can only tell you that it isn't fair to me or you or anyone. I can tell you I didn't plan it and I don't want it."
"...What does that mean?"
"Well-"
"Sissy!!" Melanie's baby brother-who was no more than 6-came up and asked to dance, no doubt a deed requested by his mother. Melanie and Aggie danced for a good 5 minutes, before her mother took the stage and asked the two stars to take the center floor.
"Melanie, Darling, I do believe Mast Dufour has something to ask you!!"
"Dufour?" Morgan whispered to Reid.
     Melanie watched soberly as Phillip got to his knees and pulled out a golden ring with the biggest rock ever seen.
"Melanie Wilkes, since the day I met you, I thought...well, I thought you were different, that's for sure. I learned to love you...you learned to tolerate me. Somewhere down this road, we both learned to love each other. God, has sent me a gift, Melanie. It is everyday with you. I want everyday to be a gift Melanie. I'm letting down my guard and the future is in your answer. Melanie Wilkes, will you marry me?"
     Melanie looked at him. There was hardly an expression. Then a weak smile appeared, and her little bright red lips began to quiver. "Yes," she whispered, then began to sob. He picked her up and spun her around. They held each other so tight, and Melly was worried that she may break in half.
"Did you notice something?" Emily asked Reid. "He never kissed her, she never kissed him. Not once."

SPENCER REID PICTURES

Only for the fans. KEEP READING CRIMINAL CRANIUM ( spencerreidmindreaders.blogspot.com )



-MEG GIRY

Chapter Five-Life That Is Planned Is Not What Is Intended

Chapter Five

Life That Is Planned Is Not What Is Intended

     Morgan and Reid watched from the hood of Morgan's mercury tracer, Melly Wilkes, gold hair flying as she fell over the finish line. She landed on her elbow in an odd, sickening way, and grasped at her inhaler, which hung around her neck. After an unhealthy number of puffs, she flopped down on her back.

     Reid ran over, and Morgan trailed at a fast stride. Handing her a bottle of water, Reid tried to help her up, but she refused him.

"I...can...get...up. I'm not...incapable...of...that....Just gimme a minute." Her breathing was heavy and ragged and she looked thin to the bone. In the uniform all other trainees wore, you saw the most of Melly. In her normal clothes (which resembled a school uniform, and almost always matched her brothers) she was a girl. Yes, she had breasts. Yes, she had a waist, but all of this went unnoticed. In her uniform, her chest was high, and easily a C cup, and her hips were heart shaped, and legs weren't scrawny as once thought, but perfectly rounded.

     Though of late she was growing thinner and paler. Regardless, she was stronger. Louder. Sweeter.

"How much did you just run?" Spencer asked.

"Two miles,"Melly breathed as Reid tipped the water bottle back down her throat.

"You shouldn't be breathing that hard, Mel." Morgan reprimanded.

"No,"Spencer corrected,"she worked her self too hard. She's untrained and has asthma. She shouldn't be pushed this hard."

      Melanie swatted the bottle away from her mouth at this point. "No, Morgan's right. If I keep this up I won't be able to go back in the field. I'm fine,"she whispered, trying to rise. She wobbled and fell, but Reid supported her. She straightened her self and looked at the both of them. "Really, truly. Let me run one more lap and-"

"No, get in the car. They want us back at the Academy."

"Is that why you picked me up and not Charlie?" she asked them. The boys tried to avoid that.

"He hasn't shown up in the past two weeks, Mel. Ya gotta understand since you chewed him out-"

"I know,"Melly interrupted Morgan. "I'm sure he went back home and talked to mother. My fate will be decided by that, gentlemen. But until then, I wish to remain where I am needed. If I am needed at all."
Reid smiled and placed his hand on her elbow, a gentle gesture of his emotion,"I'll always want you, Melly. Er-need." He smiled awkwardly and looked away. Melly laughed.

"I got it, Reid. Don't be embarrassed around me. You're like my best friend." With that, she tried to skip away from the track, but failed, and simply stumbled toward the car.
***********************************************************************************
"Will you just leave it be?"
"No."
"But it's making me upset."
"I don't MEAN to make you upset, but I just wanna know."
"And I don't want to talk about it!" Melanie turned up her nose to Derek Morgan.
"What?" JJ asked.
"She won't tell me about her first relationship."
"You don't deserve to know!"
"Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me!"
"Stop-squeeeeeeee!!" Derek had began to assault Melanie with tickles. "Okay! Okay! I swear I'll tell you! Stop it! Stop it NOW!"
     Derek stopped and let Melanie regain her breathe, then looked toward Derek sheepishly.
"You promised." he reminded.
"I know....Promises are just lies with pretty ribbons tied around them."
"Tell me."
She sighed. "I've never... had a boyfriend."
Derek went wide-eyed. "Never?"
"Never."
"You've never been kissed?"
"That is my own doing," she answered. "I've had a few boys try to kiss me. Okay, like, three. But, I just...I want my first kiss to be with my-nonexistent- fiance. I want there to be a promise. I don't want a man to just take it from me. I never...I just...I'm not that kind of girl."
"Promises are just-"
"Shut up, Derek."
"She does have a point." Reid said. He had been quite though most of the conversation. "I think her thinking is good. If most girls thought like she did-"
"No man would get love in America."
Melly patted his back. "You'll survive."
"What does that mean?!"
"I guess you'll-" Melly stopped, and her big blue eyes got big and scared. Her lip trembled. "Ch-charlie?"
"Yeah. How ya been sis?"
Melanie stopped and remembered her reaction to the last time he had asked her that question.
"Why are you here?" she asked.
"Why, I work here, same as you. I'm only in town a day or two though."
"We should get to the office," JJ suggested. Melly nodded.
*****************************************************************
Strauss greeted them, which was a shock. She gave a great hug to Charlie, and nodded at Melanie, who returned the stiff nod.
"Of late events, It has come to my attention that a few of you need better training." Melanie looked at her Mary Janes. "The field agents, Morgan, Reid, Prentiss, and both Agent Wilkes shall go. You will be dropped off to a secluded training center where you will survive a week in the woods. Bring only a back pack full of things. Any questions? If anyone asks to stay, they may with the permission of Agent C. Wilkes." She left the room.
"Well I'm not going." Charles Wilkes yelled the second his commander left.
"Why not?" Melly asked, half outraged, half curious.
"I have matters to attend to. Morgan is in charge. Tootles, Melanie dear." and he too left. Melly looked so scared.
"Are you okay?" Reid whispered to her.
"I don't know..."
"Well? Are we ready?" Morgan asked.
"Yes," Melly replied, wiping her eyes, trying to clean up the evidence she had not yet created.
*****************************************************************
     The four agents were to spend a week in the woods, with no communication to the world ( this excluded an old, worn down radio brought by Reid). They had to hunt with only what they took into the field. This was survival of the fittest in the roughest form.
"This can't be legal!" Emily yelled when Morgan had shot and killed a deer, then suggested they eat it.
"What other food do you see around her, Em?"
"I'm going to be sick..." Melanie whispered.
"We can't just...it's not cooked!"
"Then make a fire, Emily!" Derek yelled.
     Melanie got up and wobbled into the woods. Reid followed. He found the little girl under a tree, laying back with her eyes closed. Her hair was back in a braid, and several hairs on both sides of her face were falling onto her face. She had on an army green tank top, with khaki cargos. Her favorite blanket/shawl that she never left was tied around her waist. Her make was still done, and it looked queer with the rest of her laid back outfit.

She looks so strong, he thought.

     He walked up to her, and laid next to her underneath the tree.
"Are you alright?" he asked timidly.
"Huh? Oh...yes...I'm...." she looked him in the eyes. "Why do I always pretend with you, Reid?"
"What do you mean?" he screeched, taken aback.
She giggled lightly. "I mean...I try to be so strong. For everyone. I act strong, because I have to be. I don't have a choice anymore. If I cry and cry like I used to...I'd never stop. I act strong around you too...do I have to? Reid, can I be honest with you?"
"Always."
"...I don't like it here. At the BAU. I would've quit after my fight with Charlie but...when I thought of it, I didn't think I could leave you-the team, that is. I didn't want to come here in the first place. I can't stand this. Fighting...I didn't even like the government growing up. They restricted too much."
"...What do you want to do then?"
"...I want to go to NYC. Live there. Be something. Some one. I wanna be a singer. Or a dancer. An artist, an actor, a teacher, a writer. Anything. Reid...I don't belond here. I can't stand this!"
"What?"
"Death."
*****************************************************************
It was the 5th night of the expidition and Reid and Melly were laying out in a clearing. There were a few logs (Morgan had found a dead tree) set up around a camp fire. The grass was cool and wet from the dew and it made the softest bed. It would be around 3 in the morning now. Morgan had gone to hunt and Emily had gone for water. The two wouldn't be back for hours. Reid had turned on his little "charming" (as Melly had put it) radio.
     It was a news station and no news had come out of it since Reid had turned it on 3 days ago. All it was was static. Since it was cold, Melly had her shawl out and was laying close to Reid for warm. He didn't mind it like he had the first night. It helped him sleep, someone next to him. She stirred alot, and whimpered a few times in her sleep, but stayed asleep. Reid liked the noses, they were calm and sweet sounding.
     Melly wasn't asleep yet, she was staring at the sky. Reid just looked down at her blue eyes, in which you could see the stars clearly. Or maybe it was just her eyes, Reid thought.
Melanie sighed and moved over to the radio.
"What are you doing?" Reid asked.
"No news is coming out of this Reid. I need some music or I'm going to die. It's too quiet."
"Mel, if we want to pass this-" but she had changed it and went back to him. It was a slow country song.
"I thought you hated this genre."
"Music is music." was her only reply.
     She cuddled closer to him than she ever had, and let her head rest on his chest. He looked down at her. Their eyes stayed locked, and Reid listened to the music.
     It was a band he had heard before. The chorus was "Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight..." and it kept playing. Melanie's heart seemed to have kicked into the music because the pulse was sincronized to it. She slid up closer to him and pressed her forehead against his. She began to hum, and Reid noticed how pretty her eyelashes were.
"Just a touch in the fire burning so bright..."
Before he could think, Reid did what felt natural without thinking.

He kissed Melanie Wilkes.

The kiss was slow, and her lips were cold. Reid closed his eyes, and he and Melanie both had the same fantasy.

They were in high school. And little Spencer Reid had little Melanie Wilkes and they were different. Different together. She could protect him, and he could make her feel special, and not alone. She wouldn't be outcasted. He wouldn't be teased. They could love each other.

Then the song stopped, and the radio once again produced static. They slowly backed away, staring at each others eyes. The fantasy was too much for Melanie, and she burst into tears. Reid tried to kiss her again, but she turned away. She went over across the camp and held her shawl tight to her chest. Morgan returned shortly later, and she let him hold her that night for warmth, and Emily and Reid layed next to each other, which Reid found exceedingly awkward.

But all night, the two were stuck on the fantasy, and what could have been and what never was.
*****************************************************************
"We are never doing that again." Emily sighed. "I never thought I'd be so happy to be back at the BAU."
"Right?" Morgan said. Then looked at Reid.
"Oh, yeah..." it was the first thing he'd said since they'd come home. Melanie still hadn't spoken.
"Well-"
"Hey, Melanie!" some woman across the hall yelled as the four stepped in the elveator. "Congrats!"
"...Thanks?" Melanie said as the door closed.
"What was that about?" Prentiss asked.
"I don't know..."
The doors to the elevator opened and the four were mobbed with sayings to Melanie, most of which she couldn't make out, but when she stepped into the office and all yelled "SURPRISE!" Melly was...so overwellmed. 
"Mom?!" Melanie yelled, walking up to her mother.
"Why, Melanie! Darling, you must've forgoten!"
"Forgotten what? Mother,whats going on?"
"Darling!" she yelled so all could here,"you silly dear, you.

It's your wedding shower!" 

Chapter Four-What Is Supposed To Come In Life (PART II)

Chapter Four

What Is Supposed To Come In Life

(PART II)

     Melly began clawing at the hand clamped down on her wrist. She fought as much as she could but she was weak. She didn't know the pain was Charlie's other hand digging into her side as hard as he could. It was so excruciating.

"Charlie,"she whispered,"Charlie, let go. Please, please, Charlie..."

"What are you doing here, Melly?"

"Charlie...please...it hurts..."

"Answer me!"

"Charlie!! Let go!! It hurts, Charlie, it hurts!! Stop!! Stop!"

Charlie sighed,"Get up," he growled. "GET UP!!" He dug his hand into her side and she screamed.

"We are going home, understand?" she didn't say anything but dragged her out. Reid wanted to yell to Charlie, to tell him to give her to the team so that she could make it to work the next morning. In his mind, he pretended he did. But he didn't. And Charlie dragged out Melanie Wilkes.

*****************************************************************

It had been a few more weeks they were in the Texas town. Melanie came and went on the videos when she was with the gang. She would disappear for periods of time. She did an amazing job, but little information was coming back to the BAU.

One day, Spencer decided to talk to her, to check up.

"How are you felling, Melly?"

"I...I'm alright. It's taxing, I'll admit that. It isn't great. I-I-I...I don't know much longer I can do this, Spencer!" she began to sob,"It's almost been longer than a month!"

"I know, I know, it's hard. But you are strong. I-I-I need to ask you something. Are-are you sleeping with him?"

"WHO??" she screamed.

"...Riff." Riff was the gang leader, and he and Melanie would disappear for long lengths of time.

"No! No! Of course not! Not a boy has laid a hand on me!"

"Are you sure? It was just...you weren't...on the surveillance...really? No kisses? No one touched you? At all? Not ever? Not once? No one even-"

"NO! Okay? No one touched me! No one wants to touch me, okay? I think we've established this."

"Melanie..."

"I just..."she sobbed, but wouldn't let Spencer see her tears. He tried to take her up in his arms, but the door flung open.

"Melanie,"the opener greated her.

"Hotchner,"she nodded.

"I don't think this gang this is working."

She gave a half-hearted laugh,"What was your first clue? 5 more boys are dead, non relating to the gang."

"We've gotten other leads."

"Good,"she sniffed,"good. Like?"

"Like-"

"I GOT IT!" Morgan ran in the room, some file in hand. "I got a name from the girl we just interviewed. Garce already looked up so I gotta address too. And with that boy that's missing...Hotch, we gotta hurry."

"Prentiss, Reid, Melanie one car. Rossi, Morgan, in my car."

"What about Charlie?" Melly asked.

Hotchner sighed,"he didn't show up to work today."

"Oh..."

*****************************************************************

Melly flew out of the car after the man. This is him, she whispered, he is the cause of all this pain. He was the man who killed the boy in the gang, forcing me to join it, so I would have to help Riff hurt those kids...he was a bully nothing more. But this man was a murderer and he was going-

"Wah!" Melanie fell, into a thicket some 15 feet from the road. The thorns picked at her skin and when tried to move, she screamed. Looking down at her ankle, she gagged upon seeing the angle it was bent at. It was so broken. She layed her head down and looked for her walkie talkie, but then heard it buzzing in the road.

"Where's Melanie?" Morgan's voice sounded on it,"Mel?"

She groaned, she saw the blood seeping from the back of her head, clinging onto the hair around her face. She slowly realized she was hyperventilating. Where was her inhaler? (for she had asthma) it wasn't where was it, but who had it. Charlie Wilkes.

Upon having the attack, she slipped into the darkness the pain had created.

*****************************************************************

White. Bright. Everything was clean and bright and hurt her eyes.

"She's awake!" she cracked her eyes just to see Spencer's unruly hair flying.

"Spenc-BLEH!" she was choking! What was in her throat.

"No! No! Mel, it's just a breathing tube, it's-ew." Melanie had extracted the object from her mouth upon learning what the obstruction was.

"It wasn't down your throat."

"...Why didn't you tell us you had asthma?"

"I thought Charlie had told you."

Spencer looked at her. "Liar."

"Okay! I thought you wouldn't let me work in the field! Happy?"

"You know you need to pass tests for that, right?"

"No one ever told me."

"Well, now you know." He sat down on the edge of her bed and took her hand.
"Who found me?" she asked.
He smiled,"I did." she twined her fingers through his. And the whole time the doctors fussed over her she never let go of him and he never he never let go of her.
*****************************************************************
"Look whose back!" Em cried as Reid led Melly back into the BAU.
"Hey, little sis," Charlie cried, stealing his sister from Spencer. But Melly did the unthinkable, she pulled away.
"How are you doing?" he asked.
"How am I doing? How am I doing? How do you think I'm doing! I broke my ankle, got a concussion, and had the worst asthma attack of my life."
"...How are you doing?"

Charlie snorted,"Yeah, whatever. You can't-"
"I can do anything and everything! I am stronger than you, Charlie! I'm sick of your undermining me all the time! Of course I can't blame it on you, you're just like mom." This caused Charlie's face to go from pale to red to purple.
"How dare you! You only say that because she loved me best!"
"Yes, she did. But I didn't need her love, I didn't want it! I had Papa-"
"When he was around. You're right, he loved you best, maybe if he loved you enough he would have stayed-"
"Shut up! You are just as bad as Mother! She was so ignorant and egotistic and masochistic and conceited! She cared more about how her hair looked than her own children! And our names! Melanie and Charlie Wilkes! Charlie from Gone With The Wind last name was never Wilkes! It was Hamilton! And Melanie's last name was only Wilkes because she married Ashely, but our mother wouldn't know that because she never read the book, she only saw the movie once! And P.S., I die in the end!"
"I'm not having this conversation. You can apologize and I won't tell mother."
"Oh, I'm frightened. I'm a woman now, Charlie, that doesn't work anymore."
"I'm leaving."
"Go ahead and-"
"Don't even Melly,"
"GO TO HALIFAX!"

Chapter Three-What Is Supposed to Come In Life (PART I)

Chapter  Three
What Is Supposed to Come In Life
(PART I)

     "So, what you're saying that I have a small brain?"

"I never said that, Melly!"

"Uh, huh..."

"You're just like a woman, always twisting words around!"

"So now I'm a cliched woman?"

"No-I-Uh...WOMEN!" Melanie threw her head back at Reid's comment. The only ones in the conference room before dawn were the two. Reid rammed his shoulder teasingly into hers. She pretended to be jarred and fell dramatically back onto his shoulder. She closed her eyes and layed there for a minute.

     She allowed herself this one indulgence, taking in Reid's smell and touch. He was her best friend. He cared about her. This was the best.

"Tired?" he asked.

She inhaled,"Yeah...too early..."

"Does he know you're here?"

"I left a note telling him I was working late and would probably just stay overnight at the Academy."

"Why would you tell him that?" Reid asked, shaking her off his shoulder so he could look at her. When there was silence, he asked, a little frantically. "Melly, he did come home, didn't he?...Melly!"

"...He stayed out all night again."

"Melly, he's supposed to watch you. Where did he go?"

"Clubbing...drinking....I do so worry about him, Spencer! I get so afraid...." she tucked her head in his chest.

"Shhhhhhh...It's okay, Melly. I'm here...I've got you, Melly. I've always got you. I'll always have you, Mels."

"Ehm. Interrupting something?"

At the voice, Reid extracted Melanie from his shoulder.

"Hey, Em,"Melanie said, not at all flustered,"No, nothing was going on."

"You look tired,"she said and began braiding Melanie's hair,"long night?"

"Don't wanna re-cap, Em, sorry," cried Melanie, throwing her head in her hands.
"Bad night,"Reid mouthed, making a face.
"Mmm,"said Emily.
"What's the case, Prentiss?" Reid asked and Melanie took her head from her hands.
"A boy, kidnapped from his home in the night. The mother was killed and the father is on life support. He stabbed the crap out of all of them."
"Stabbed the crap?" Reid asked.
"A boy? A child? How old? How old, Emily!" Melanie yelled, gripping Emily's lapels.
"Calm down, Melanie!"
"Melly, sweetheart, stop," Reid said, grabbing her wrists. She snatched them away from him and pull her sleeves down to cover them.
"I'm getting on the plane,"she growled.
"No one's on yet, honey," Prentiss said.
"Then I'll sit for hours by myself! It's not like I haven't done it before!"
**************************************************************
     With it still being early, most of the team napped on the plane. Melly, taking this one silent moment, stared out the window of the plane, watching the clouds. Reid came and sat beside her and cautiously took her hand.
"It's what I used to do in the car,"she whispered,"when we would travel places in the summer. I would stare out the window after momma had yelled at me for something I did. I grew accustomed to doing that, year after year. It filled the silence. Watching my surroundings fade and fly by. Nothing wanted to stay by me. Not even nature. Spencer, do you think it is good or bad when rain drops go and fall off the window sill?"
"...I-"
"I used to ask myself that. When I was young, I would get so upset when they flew away. But now, I think that's what they are supposed to do. It's like their heaven. Ya know?...Am I right?"
    Reid touched her arm."I'm not the one who can tell you that Melly." She weakly smiled to him. Reid rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, and she leaned on his shoulder.
**************************************************************
"His name was William Hoffman. 16."
"Grades?"
"Not good,"Garcia sighed over the speaker phone,"D's, C's. It's a wonder he ever passed."
"Let me guess,"Melanie said pitifully,"drug use? Gang activity?"
"Bingo. Nothing on drugs though."
"Gang name?"
"Los gobernantes blancos, it's Spanish for-"
"The White Rulers,"Emily and Melly whispered simultaneously."And I don't think they're talking about the measuring stick,"Melly sighed.
"Gang still in action, Garce?" Morgan asked.
"Yes,"said an officer of the unit at which the BAU was inhabiting."I have to threaten to bring 'em down to the station house every two minutes. They solicit and smoke all up the sidewalk."
"That's all?" Melanie growled. Her little pleading eyes were squinted in disbelief. "Soliciting and smoking and you hound them like the most cliched cop? Really?"
"Miss Wilkes!" Hotchner hissed.
"What are they? 15? Oldest 21? Younger?"
"So?" The cop got in the little girl's face.
"So, how stupid can you really be to-"
"Melanie!" Reid yelled and Morgan elbowed him in the ribs to muffle his voice so that Miss Wilkes' older brother could not hear.
"That a girl, Mel!" Charlie yelled. He smiled at her for the first time in weeks. She beamed back.
"Then what do you suggest, bitch?" the cop yelled.
"Excuse me, sir?!"Melanie cried."I am a woman and refused to be talked to in that sort of manner and-Sir! I have never met a man with such an ill disposition toward women! Surely your mother didn't raise you that way!" he threw her the bird and walked away. 
     Melanie flopped down on a chair and pouted. Charlie drunkenly threw his arm around his sister.
"Good job,"he said, slapping her should way too rough for a love pat.
"Thanks,"she sighed. It was clear she was holding back tears. When Charlie left, Reid tried to occupy the seat, but was cut short.
"So what are we going to do about this gang?"
"Isn't clear?" Charlie spat,"One of us is going undercover."
"Who here is young enough to-"but before Rossi could finish his sentence, everyone knew who.
     Melly, who eyes were now puffy, looked up from behind the tears. The blue pools flicked from person to person, begging them to say something. No one would. Because Charlie still ruled.
"O-okay. I-I-I"she burst into tears again.
"Charlie, she cant' do this,"Reid said.
"What?!" Charlie yelled and drunkenly charged toward Reid. Morgan stepped in front of him and stopped Charlie. Morgan was ran into the ground, but kept Charlie restrained. After a few minutes of flailing, Charlie passed out.
"Hotchner!" Reid cried. Hotchner threw up his hands, showing Reid there was nothing he could do and he and Rossi left the room. JJ also left, closing the phone which held there connection to Garcia. Morgan dragged Charlie's drunken body out of the room, leaving Prentiss and Reid alone with the bawling girl.
   Reid took a seat on the arm of her chair and threw his arms around her.
"I don't know how I can do this, Spencer,"she whispered with her head in his neck. He stroked  her blond hair.
"I know, I know, shhh. Melly, you don't have to do this-"
"I do, Spencer! You know I do! What choice have I? Spencer...I can't disobey him...I can't. It would be the end of me."
"So you're doing this?" Prentiss asked, kneeling at her feet.
"...Yes. I am strong enough for this. It will only make me stronger. It can't hurt me right?"
**************************************************************
"You look so pretty!" Garcia cried over the computer screen.
"I look like a street walker,"Melanie grumbled.
"Unfortunately,"Morgan growled, hiking up her skirt,"that's the point."
"What am I supposed to do?" she asked.
"You're a new young racist to the neighborhood. You like grass, but are trying to quit the habit. You will smoke, will drink, will sleep with the men if it is necessary. The men wanna take off your skirt, you let them. You love it."
"Rossi, if I wasn't a Catholic School girl, I would slap the living crap out of you." Rossi laughed at this.
"Reid, Morgan, Hotchner, and possibly your brother, and I will be stationed in a car outside...wherever you are."
"That makes me feel so safe,"Melanie said. She snorted,"Heh, sarcasm."  They mic-ed her and almost made her don a bullet proof vest. If a boy was undressing her though, this might be bad.
"No one is getting near me. They'll get a good whoopping from me. Trust me."
"...You can't do that, Melly. You-"
"I'll do what I want, Hotchner. Besides,"she winked,"I'm still higher command than you."
"Alright,"Penelope said,"chest out, stomach in, ass up, hair down, heels high, eyebrows raised, pupils dialated, smirk in place-are you menstruating?"
"What did you just ask me, Penny?!"
"Are you on your period, miss proper?"
"No! N-no! Why would ask that?!"
"Women are at there most beautiful-"
"Ten days before there periods. It has been shown, men dislike women who use birth control because they display pregnant like syntoms. Men don't like pale women because they look sick. Men like dilated pupils. Yes, Penny, I know. Men suck. They are wired only to do one thing, find a mate and reproduce. I'm aware of the brain's intentions, Penelope Garcia. Thank you." Melanie fluffed her hair, and upon taking up Garcia's instructions, she looked very...sexy. Older. Experienced. Hooker.
    Before she got in the car, Reid called out to her.
"Melly!"
She stopped, the door halfway open,"Yes?" all honesty in her eyes.
Reid smirked,"Always say 'no',"he teased. She laughed and got in the car and drove off.
     The BAU followed close behind.
**************************************************************
"You're going to be fine,"Morgan said. He was disguised as a drug dealer, as he lead Melanie down the road, holding on to her arm. Her nails drug fast into his bicep.
"I'm going to be fine..."she mumbled.
"Here they are. Be good."
"...'Kay...I feel light headed, Derek..."
"Shh...Hey, guys."
"What do you want?" A boy stood up amongst the group. He was tall, with honey hair and tan skin. His arms were strong, but gangly compared to Morgan's. The gang was small but scary. Maybe 12 of them haunted the alley.
"Just wanted to know if you need any-"
"We got it,"the boy growled. There was an older boy on the steps. He leaned and whispered something to the boy next to him. That boy told the strong tan boy who was speaking.
"Whose the chick?" Melly tried hard not to flinch, so she tossed her hair and threw the boy a look.
"My sister."
"Hah!" snorted the boy,"Not likely-" Morgan grabbed the boy by his collar.
"You wanna bet?"
"C'mon, Jeff,"Melanie cut in,"he ain't worth it."
"Jess, I just-"
"Girl!" one of the boys yelled. Melanie/Jess looked at him. "Get ov'a here!"
"What?" she growled, picking her way through the crowd.
"What's ya name?"
She straightened her jacket,"Jessica Thorton. Call me JJ." Reid stiffened over the radio to which he was listening. She didn't even realize what she said.
"What'da ya want, JJ?"
She smirked,"I wanna join this here gang."
"Ain't happenin'!" yelled a boy from the crowd. A riot went up. Melly noticed there was not a girl in sight.
Through all the screaming, a voice, strong and true, blared out. "ENOUGH! I decide." It was the man at the top. The leader. He stepped down slowly through the speechless boys. He got right in Mel's face.
"What do ya wanna be here for?"
"Same as you. I hate those damn PR's."
He smirked,"heh. You ain't bad kid. Come back tomorrow,"a glance at Morgan,"lose the muscle."
*****************************************************************
"Ugh,I. Am. Tired.I am dead. Shoot me. Just shoot me. Just shoot me and get it over with."
"No. Suck it up. Be a man."
"I'm a woman and I resent that phrase." Emily smiled over at Melanie and took her hand. Garcia rolled her eyes.
"Expression!" Morgan said.
"I think we hooked em today, Mel, good job,"said Rossi.
"Morgan really sealed it. Who knows what would've happened had I entered alone!"
"You would have been fine, Mel,"Morgan said, picking her up and hugging her. She giggled but asked to be let down.
"Well,"Morgan said. "Nothing to do but wait now....wanna go out?"
"Sure! I'll get my purse!" Garcia ran out of the room.
"Bar?" Em asked.
"Yep," said JJ. They linked arms to go back to the hotel and get dressed.
"I'll work tonight,"Hotchner excused himself. Rossi joined him.
Melly sat, unsure what to do. No one had really-
"Are you coming, Melly?" She hadn't notice Reid was still in the room.
"...A-A bar, Spence? I'm not even old enough to drink. And even if I could, I wouldn't. It's not good to do, Spence-"
"You don't have to drink. They will let you in. Go with Penelope, quick. C'mon, Mel. It'll be fun."
Melanie wiggled her Mary Janes in the dirt on the floor.
"I-I don't know..."
"Afraid of pier-pressure?" Reid knew this would hit a button.
"No!" she yelled.
"Then come. Prove it."
"...This is pier pressure now...dang it, Spencer!"
He laughed,"Just come."
She paused, but a smile leaked onto her face,"...okay."
*****************************************************************
Morgan lifted the beer bottle to his lips and Garcia tickled him. He did a spit take across the bar and the group laughed.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"Fun,"Penelope teased.
"Ugh, you little-"
"Uh, uh, uh. Not yet and-Oh my God!"
"What?" Garcia jumped from her seat and ran to the door.
"Why are you-" you couldn't hear the rest of the sentence because she had already ushered the meek Melanie Wilkes into the women's bathroom, the only thing on her visible was the heels of her feet, and the swish of the violet skirts.
*****************************************************************
"You can undo it later, Melly, I only tacked it."
"People will laugh, Pen."
"No they won't!" she cried, fluffing Melanie's hair. It had been undone from a huge bun into a style flipped out from the 70's. Her dress, which was violet and Victorian, had been tacked up to give it a poofy look. It stopped just above her knees, which made Melly uncomfortable. Penelope had tacked in the sleeves and lowered the collar. She made her eye liner darker, and gave her dark purple lipstick, the color of her violet gown.
"Besides,"Garcia said,"when have you ever worried about what others thought?" That made Melly's stomach drop.
     Slowly, the group exited from the rest room and into the bar. It was small, with the bar itself directly across from the door, which was one the left hand side of the small room. There were tables set, maybe 40 in all, which were set in front of a pathetic wooden stage, which was used for karaoke nights.
     The group was laughing at a joke Morgan had just made about Reid, who was pouting. But, slowly, one by one fell silent at the sight of Melanie Wilkes.
Morgan gave a low whistle and Reid's jaw fell farther than he thought it ever could. She's beautiful,he thought.
"Whose next?" cried the DJ/bar tender from his 'desk'.
"She is!" Penelope screamed, shoving Melanie forward. Melly turned back to her showing her petrified expression.
"I've heard you sing,"Garcia whispered. The DJ threw the mic and upon noticing that Garcia wasn't going to catch it, Melly had no choice but to stretch for it. Slowly, in the stiletto's Garcia lent her, she clicked her way to the stage. The music started and her small eyes darted from person to person. She closed them tight and began to sway, using not her legs, but her hips.
"It's been a long time since I came around,
been a long time but I'm back in town,
this time I'm not leaving with out you." she ran a hand through her now seductively full hair.
"It tastes like whiskey when you piss me off
I'll give anything again to be your baby doll,
this time I'm not leaving without you.'' she plopped down on the couch in the corner.
"Ya said sit back down where you belong, in the corner of mah bar with your high heels on!" she threw her legs in the air only to bring them back down in the lady-like position of crossing them. 
     She continued the song, stroking the faces of men in the audience. They appeared not seduced, but proud of this girl, as if they were her fathers. Two burly men from the bar helped her up to the top to dance on it. She shook out her long hair and danced around. She was beautiful. Strong.
     When the song ended, everyone began to rush to her, to embrace her. One man clamped his hand down on Melly's wrist way to hard. He brought her tight to his chest and she thought this odd. She tried to break away, but the grip was so tight she began crippling toward the ground. She finally looked up to the face. And the pain turned to fear.
     She wanted to look around for help. Anyone, anything, help her! She stared.But no one could help her. Not a soul.
So she stared back at the man who could say a word and her fate would be sealed.

She stared back at Charlie Wilkes.  

Chapter Two-Charlie, Melly, and the BAU; A Recipe for Disaster

Chapter Two

Charlie, Melly, and the BAU;

A Recipe for Disaster

"Well, I just don't see why they had to come. We were fine and-"

"Shh! They're coming!" Emily hissed at JJ.

It had been this way for two weeks now, when everyday the Wilkes stepped into the Quantico office. Charlie, sauntering with a sneer and Melly, meek and intimidated.

   Charlie had made it clear to both Melly and the team that he wanted her to stay away from them. She belonged under his wing, and that was that. And every day, Melly got a little closer to the line-closer than she needed to. A conversation with Reid about string theory, letting Emily braid her hair, letting Hotchner make a decision she was meant to make. She wasn't a leader. She was an organizer, but then watched it play out.

   Reid was scared to spend time with Melly, no matter how much pleasure he got from breaking her out of her shell. Emily took great pleasure in the presence of Melanie Wilkes. She liked the fact that she could over power Charles, and the girl herself was great. Quirky and pure and kind.

"Melly!"yelled her brother.

"Yes, Charlie?" Melanie asked.

"Go to town, the bookstore manager called me to say that he has something for you. He wanted to give it to you before we left for Washington State. Come back fast."

"May I have the car?" she asked.

"No. You'll ruin it." At this remark, the girl didn't pout, or look sad in the least. She collected the black cloak she left by the door. With her black satchel that bounced on her hip, she left.

"Pst! Dr. Reid! Morgan!"

"Yes, sir?"Morgan asked, Reid at his side.

"...Follow her. I don't know what she gets into. Give me a play-by-play when you get back. Got it?"

"Actually, a play-by-play would be us contacting you while we were following her-"

"Yeah, we got it,"Morgan interrupted Reid.


     Melly wasn't all that exciting to follow. She dillied and dallied as she walked, swaying and humming all the way down. She twirled and Reid and Morgan felt safe as they followed a good 50 yards away. When she wandered into the little village called Clancie. It was a little town, with all of three roads. She didn't mind the dust from the road that blew up into her face with every breath of wind, she merely turned her head and admired the fields or the clouds above (it was not a very pretty day, or perhaps it was because the dawn had not come?).
     Melly Wilkes was a very peaceful girl. Once along the way she broke out in a little folk song about a creek and two children who would meet there after dark to share their love. She bent over every once in a while to collect flowers from the edge of the road and stick them in her wooden, wicker basket.
     Reid watched long and hard the little girl. He tried to no avail to make out the title of the book in the basket, to identify the white flowers, to see the little pink circles on her cheeks. She sung again with a little voice (that clichely reminded him of a Nighten-gail):

"There were bells on the hill, but I never heard them ringing, n o, I never heard them at all,t ill there was you.

There were birds in the sky, but I never saw them winging. No, I never saw them at all, till there was you." and the song continued. Reid felt a little sick in his stomach. He didn't want to tell Charlie about this!  The poor girl...-why, she was singing her heart out!

     But, Reid also felt a little funny. Who was this man? Did Charlie know about him? No, he couldn't. But if he did....Should Reid tell?
     Once in the little village, Melanie stumbled on a little group of kids and they greeted her with smiles and screams.
"Melly!" they cried with pleasure, all trying to climb upon her at once. She kissed all of their foreheads and calmed them all down and soon they were all playing their games again. All except one...
     She seemed Hawaiian in nature. Her hair was curly and in two pigtails, the puffed up and surrounded her head. She had on a little yellow night gown and she seemed so happy to see Melly.
     Melanie took up the girl on her hip and the girl asked her loudly,"HOW CAN YOU STAND TO BE HERE?" It wasn't cruel or mean, just an outside voice.
Melly cocked her head and gave the girl a weak smile,"It's a little town, yes, it's a quiet village. Every day, like the one before. Little town, full of little people who have nothing better to do than greet you in French!" she exclaimed and the little girl threw her head back and laughed.
      And, as if on cue, the residents came out and started greeting each other with the dawn.
"Bonjur!"
"Bonjur."
"BONJUR!"
"Bonjur-"
"Bonjur..."
Melanie began,"There's the baker, honey, do you want anything?"
"No,I-"
The baker interrupted,"Ah, Melanie! Where are you off to?"
"The bookshop,"she said,"I just finished the most wonderful story! About a misfit boy who falls-"
"That's nice. Now, Marie! The bread! Hurry up!"
     Melly rolled her eyes and the little girl laughed.
"Their must be more than this provincial life!" exclaimed the girl.
"I'll find it for you,"Melly whispered,"and I'll take you their."
     Melanie put down the girl and entered the book shoppe. Reid and Morgan waited outside.
"We can't hear anything out here, Reid,"Morgan sighed, resigned,"These people seemed to know an awful lot about her. Why don't we talk to some people?"


BIG MISTAKE.

"Melanie? Melanie Wilkes? Ha! How can anyone learn a thing when she's got her nose stuck in a book all the time?"

"Yeah, she's pretty and all, but behind that fair facade, I'm afraid she's rather... odd. She's different from the rest of us. Ya know?"

"It's a pity and a sin, she doesn't quite fit in. She never has, never will."

"That whore!" cried some of the teenage girls-the head of the clique,"Every man looks at her! Even-"she looks both ways, as if to see who hears-"Gaston!" All the girls squeaked at this.
"Gaston?" Morgan asked.
"My future husband! Duh! She-he-!-BOYFRIEND STEALER!! AND SHE ACTS AS IF HE DOESN'T EVEN EXIST!" She tossed her blonde hair angrily and the rest of the clique consoled her.

"So we have misfit, nerd, bookworm, and whore. Nice."
"We should start heading back, Melly already left,"Morgan said.
"Wait,"Reid urged him,"I want to find more about this Gaston." Turning back to the girl that had clearly wrongly accused Melanie he asked,"Where is he?"
"He just returned from hunting,"she sniffed,"He's at the bar."

     Once in the bar, Reid wished he hadn't come. Gaston was big. WAAAAAYYYY big. His biceps were easily the size of his head. His chin was chiseled and no one had even seen such a thick neck. His long black hair was pulled back by a black ribbon. He had on a white oxford, with the sleeves rolled up. Over that, he had a silk, red, button up vest. His brown corduroys were up to his knees in mud. Over his pants, came black leather boots, just below the knee.
     "So, there I was, and there was that stupid buck. What else was there to do? I shot it once and the big beast fell dead!" Everyone in the bar roared with laughter at the muscled man's joke. "And-ah, Bedfried." he said and a little man walked forward."Any word?" he asked him.
The little man kneeled,"Melanie Wilkes went to the bookstore today. She's leaving this afternoon."
"Shit!" he cried,"I missed her again! We may have to skip hunting this Saturday...the population can have time to regenerate. Melly..."he crooned, as if she was in the room,"my beautiful Melly. The most beautiful girl in town! She will be my bride...I swear it! My sweet...sweet, Melly! Oh!"

And with that, Reid and Morgan left, there tails between their legs.
***
"So?" Charlie asked Reid, shaking him the very moment Melanie had shut her eyes to sleep.
"Talk to me, Charles,"Morgan said, taking Charlie's arms off Reid. Once out of his grasp, Reid felt like Jell-0.
"Fine, muscle-boy, what happened?"
Morgan sighed, then looked at Reid. Reid nodded."She went to the store and got the book. Nothing else. She said hi to the baker and that was all."
"Whose the baker?"
"A thousand year old man,"Morgan said.
"...Alright boys...good job,"Charlie slipped by the two men and headed right for the bar.
***
"Nice hotel picking, Hotchner. Now I know why I'm in charge."
"Charlie! You mustn't say such things! It's rude..."
"Quiet, Melly! Just look at this place!"
It was true, the hotel was small, and in the middle of no where. They probably wouldn't be able to reach Penelope, so they brought her along.
"Five rooms,"the owner said.
"What?" Morgan cried.
"I get a room to myself!" Charlie said, setting up the stairs,"the nicest, too please." the owner handed him the keys, and once he was gone, she said.
"Gave him the one where the toilet doesn't work."
Melly shot a nervous look at Emily, and Emily smiled back at her.
"Well, like last time, I'm not sharing with Reid,"Morgan said.
The team exchanged nervous glances.
"What!" Reid said. Nothing was wrong with him! Or...
"I'll share with him."
"...Nuh-uh, darlin', your brother would-"
"I don't care!" Melly shot at Morgan. "My brother doesn't own me! I'm a woman of the United States and I can do as I please!"
"Like bed up with Reid?"
Melanie swallowed.
***
"You want the bed?" Melanie asked as she sat her suitcase on the floor.
"Uh...naw...I-I-I'm fine, Mel, I'll take the floor."
"Naw, Reid take it. While we're awake we can share it-sitting on it, I mean-but when we sleep you can have it, 'kay?"
"I'd feel bad-"
"Take it, Reid,"she growled.
"...O-Okay...."
     She took her little hand and wiped her brow with it. He should have helped her with her bags. Hers easily weighed thirty more pounds than his. The make-up and hair products...that had to be it.
"So, do you think it's...male? White...middle-aged?" she asked.
"Nail on the head,"Reid said, slapping her arm as he went by into the bathroom to unload his toothbrush,"Your getting better at this, Melanie."
"Melly,"she said,"when he's not in the room, Reid, it's Melly."
"...huh..."he looked nervous. She was right in front of him, in his face. He broke from her gaze and walked around her.
"Can't I call you, Spencer?" she asked out of the blue. He looked at her incredulously."I'm sorry..."she said, looking away,"I just feel weird calling everyone by their last names. I call Garcia "Penny", and Emily "Em", why can't I call you "Spencer" or "Spence-""
"Spencer, only please,"he couldn't bear it if she called him Spence...that was only for JJ's use...even if she hadn't said in so long....
"I'm sorry,"she said sitting next to him on the bed. She grabbed his hand, which had been perched on his knee. He shook her away and she flinched and gave a little yelp. When Spencer tried to apologize, she took to the bathroom and shut the door.
*****
     Melly let out a little yawn and fluffed the sheets around her."Aren't you cold?" she asked Reid.
"Aren't you tired?" he teased her. She sat up a straighter and raised her eyebrows (not to mention puffing out her chest...).
"Not in the least!"
Reid sighed,"Hand me the file, Melly. Go to sleep. Take the bed too, I probably won't even nap."
"No! I won't have anyone say the worked harder than me. I've got to earn this place on this team, Spencer. I will earn it." She loved saying Spencer's name. It practically came out in every sentence she spoke.
     Reid placed his hand under her chin and studied her face. Why he made such a bold move, he'll never know....."You're not like your brother," he said.
She jerked away,"Who said I was? I love Charlie, but he and I are nothing alike. 'Always address her as Miss Wilkes and I as Master Wilkes. Ugh, he's as bad as my mother." she said with an eye roll.
"Melly, go to bed before you say something you'll regret."
"No. Just hand me my bag, Spencer." He did so. She pulled out a little black shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"I hope you don't think I'm queer, still having a safety blanket and all."
"Not at all, it reminds people of happier times."
She smiled,"A happier time, indeed," she sniffed a little and wiped her eyes,"I just wished it hadn't taken me 13 years to be happy. I wished it would have lasted..." she wiped her eyes again. He could see she was about to sob.
"Go to bed, Melly," Reid whispered, taking her hand and leading her out of bed and onto the floor. Once on the cool carpet, she fell right to sleep.
*****
"You made her take the floor?"
"AHH!" Reid fell out of bed with a scream. He landed right next to Melanie, who didn't even stir."What time is it?" he whispered, so not to wake her.
"Time to get up, kid,"Morgan said.
"Haha, thanks for being vague." Reid gathered himself off the floor. "She offered to take it,"Reid said sheepishly.
"YOU DON'T LET HER TAKE IT, MAN!"
"Whaa?" Melanie hummed, stretching and rising to her feet. "What's all the yelling? Oh, hey Morgan."
"Hey, girly,"he said.
"You know you should have knocked, Spencer and I could've been naked." and with that, she left for the bathroom and turned on the shower.
Morgan turned to Reid,"Did I miss something?"
*****
"Melanie?MELANIE! YOU'RE ASLEEP-AGAIN!"
Melanie stirred in the chair in the station office and her face flushed when she saw all eyes are on her.
"Sorry, Charlie." she apologized and straightened up. She went to stand by him.
"It's from the lack of sleep, Sir,"Morgan said.
"Well who did she room with? It's her fault. That woman should have seen Melanie to bed....Well, who was it? Jareau? Prentiss? Surely not the tech-girl....Well!"
"It was Dr. Reid, Sir,"Rossi said.
"...A boy? Melanie, you roomed with a boy!"
"He didn't hurt me, Charlie! Don't make such a fuss!"
"I don't care, it won't happen again tonight, understand? Room with Jareau. She likes you least."
"...No,"Melanie whispered.
Charles slowly turned and faced his sister,"What?" he spat.
"...N-no...no! No, Charlie. I don't wanna."
"You listen to me and you listen good! I tell you-"he stopped and looked at the team. He grabbed her arm-a bit too hard-and dragged her out of the room. He stepped into the room across and closed the blinds. You could barely see through the cracks, but see you could. He shook her good and hard and you could hear him yell, but couldn't make out the words. When he left, the blinds slipped open and you could see Melly sitting on the officer's desk. She stared forward, so you only saw the perfect profile of her face. Reid stepped closer to the window. She turned to face him, and the bright red mark on the right side of her face matched with Charlie's 5 big fingers.
     Her tears fell, brave and strong.

She didn't even wipe it away.
**************************************************************
       Reid was packing his things in the suitcase, returning home. The man was caught. He was just as Melanie had guessed. They had one more night here, before the plane came. So, you could imagine his shock when Melly walked in.
     "Melly, get out. Now. Before he comes."
"No."
"Look, it won't be your ass on the line this time, it'll be mine," he growled in her face grabbing her arm. She stared at his hand which was gribbing her too hard.
"Just-just hand me my blanket...NOW!"
He slowly released her arm and looked away. He turned and reached for the blanket, the soft, black shawl she had worn the night before. He could hear her snuffling behind him. He tried to pretend he didn't notice when he handed it to her. Yet, she didn't turn to go.
"Did you just let me room with you to be nice? Have you been pretending this whole time?"
"Wha-why would I do that?"
"And now that you see that my own brother hates me, you realize what the citizens of Chauncie say is true? That I'm an outcast, and a nerd, and a sinful little whore? Huh?"
"Melly-"
"Don't! Don't Spencer-"she stopped and looked down and her red eyes dropped tears,"...don't Reid. Just...just don't." And she lefted the room.

And didn't look back.

**************************************************************
"Man, you screwed up."
"What do you mean, we!" Reid yelled. Morgan used his chopsticks to steal a noodle from Reid's carton. They were again sharing a room, and the two sat on the bed with the take-out they had ordered.
"Well, you should've told her to come back."
"I don't make the rules, Morgan, Charles does. There's nothing I can say to change them."
"Then why don't you stop with words and start DOING things to change them."
...
"Like...?" Reid asked.
"Like-" Morgan's phone buzzed and the conversation was ended. He looked at the caller I.D. and smiled.
"Hey, baby girl, you're on speaker. And, you know your just down the hall right? All of 30 steps from the door?"
"Yes, Mr. Sarcasim. Is Melanie with you?"
"No..."Morgan drew out the word.
"Garcia, where is she?" Reid asked.
"I don't know, she never came to the room! That's why I called you!"
"Damn, I was the last to see her."
"Where are you going?" Morgan asked as Reid put on a jacket.
"To find her."
**************************************************************
Reid had looked every where. He had been trying for hours. He had no choice. He had to tell Charles Wilkes. He sighed and tried Melly's phone once more. Once again it went to voice male but as he walked by the terrace, he heard a overture from some musical.
"Dang..."whispered a little voice.
"Melly?"
"I have a gun!"
"Melly, it's me! And I already know you have glock."
A hoarse chuckle arouse from the shadow stuck in the dark of the city,"And pepper spray and a switch blade and a tazer..."
"Remind me not to hurt you,"Spencer said.
"...too late..."
Reid sat behind her and her blonde hair was undone and blowing every which way which she tried (and failed) to contain. The blonde waves tickled his face and he scooted just a bit closer to her.
"I didn't mean to Melly. I swear. I worried, about you. I didn't want him to hurt you again."
"You don't know me, Reid. You don't know anything about me. So don't act like you care."
"But, I do care, Melly. I can't help but care. The whole team-minus your brother-is looking for you,"Reid smiled,"he doesn't know your missing."
"You can't care if you don't know..."
"Then help me to. I don't like seeing you hurt and I hurt you and-"
"You don't know hurt, Reid. What you did to me, wasn't hurt. What Charlie didn't wasn't hurt. Not compared to what I've been through. You have no idea whats happened to me. You have no idea what I've went through, what I had to deal with. What I've done...."
"Don't I?" Reid whispered,"My mother was a parinoid skitzophrenic. My father left us. My mother didn't notice when I was late home from school because she would have her episodes. She didn't know when I was stripped naked and tied to a flagpole for people's amusement. No one helped me."
"And you think I was helped?" she screamed,"You think people HELPED ME? HELPED ME WHEN-" she stopped there. "I-I could go on and on. But this isn't the place." she whispered and let Reid wipe her tear.
"Then come back,"he said, extending a hand.
"...No,"she said, smiling.
"What?" Reid growled.
"On one condition."
"What?"
"...You let me room with you."
"You play a hard game, Melly Wilkes."
"...Thank you...I think..."
He smiled,"I mean your strong."
She looked at her feet with an odd look at her face,"...I've never been told that..."
He took her hand,"There's a first time for everything," he said.


She smiled at him.