Stepping into the Unknown
Chapter 1: One of Those Days

Author's Note: This takes place after Daily Morning Routine. Since this is part of my first Criminal Minds story, I don't think I am going to go into cases in detail. This will mainly be focus on what Dr. Reid's life outside of work might be like.

I do not own Criminal Minds or Dr. Spencer Reid. I do own Michelle the barista, though.

Everyone has them, those mornings when, somehow, one can just tell the day isn't going to go their way. For the young Dr. Reid, it's the morning after the team's first case with Agent Rossi. Tuesdays are normally slow at the Java Tree Café and it has become a day that he started looking forward to because they get to talk.

As Reid walks in, he's racking his brain for possible conversation starters, he always gets tongue tied by the time he arrives at the front of the line. He doesn't even look up until he hears a male's voice asking him what he wants. For a second he wonders if he walked into the wrong shop by mistake, he stares blankly at the acne-ridden youth on the other side of the counter.

"Hey, buddy, what do you want? I've got other people waiting."

"Oh, err, yes. Sorry. Large black coffee and a raspberry scone, please. Also, would you happen to know where the girl who normally works this shift is? Her name's Michelle? Short black hair? Wears glasses and..."

"I know who she is. No idea where she is, all I know is I have to cover this stupid shift for her. Next!"

Spencer pays, takes his order and walks out heading for the subway station, trying to figure out what just happened. Surely Michelle would have mentioned it if she was leaving her job, they are friendly acquaintances after all and she wouldn't just leave her favorite customer as she calls him. For a moment, he worries about what might have happened, he knows that his line of work often leads him to expect the worst, but he's probably wrong; after all, the chances of being victim of a violent crime in DC are 1 in 75. This thought process follows him all the way into the train; he takes a bite of his scone only to realize that it is not a raspberry pastry but apricot. It is definitely not his morning.