Something to Fight For Chapter 7: We're Even, a criminal minds fanfic

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Something to Fight For

Chapter Seven: We're Even

By Ann Parker

Reid froze. Oh god, they were too late. He had heard her conversation when she turned on her phone.

"Reid?" asked Gideon, watching him. Everyone was watching him.

He placed his hand over his mouthpiece so he didn't give away that her phone was on. "He's got her," he whispered, his eyes full of panic and fear.

"How do you know?" asked Hotch, gently pushing him into the car. If it was true then they needed to move now.

Reid flinched, hearing her cry in pain again. He was forcing her into the elevator. "Because I can hear them. He's taking her somewhere." He hoped that she was simply playing up, acting, those cries. If she really is in great pain…he didn't know if he could handle this. He was still incredibly fragile. They began to drive off, lights flashing, towards the firm. Gideon placed a hand on Reid's shoulders, sensing what Reid was feeling. This just might break him if she didn't make it out of this. Morgan flipped open his phone.

"Go," Garcia greeted, far more serious due to Reid's last phone call.

"Hey mama, I need to you to track Stratford's GPS in her phone. Stein's got her and we need to know where they are going," Morgan replied.

"On it," replied Garcia. "They're leaving the firm, fast, probably in his car. Just turned onto Second Street."

"Second Street," Morgan told Hotch who nodded. Gideon kept watching Reid. The young man looked to be thinking very intently as he listened to the conversation.

"Where exactly are we going?" asked Michelle. God, she hoped whoever was on the other end was getting all of this. Right now, she really hoped it was Reid. She knew that if anyone could figure out her clues, he could. He was the genius on that team.

"I want my files back," Stein ordered as he drove, rather crazily, weaving in and out of traffic.

"Whoa, okay calm down. No need to drive like a Duke," she stated, which thankfully Stein ignored.

Gideon watched as Reid grinned suddenly, shaking his head. "Morgan, you said Second Street, right?" Reid asked. Morgan nodded. "He's taking her to her apartment to get her files."

"You sure?" asked Hotch, looking at him through the rear view mirror.

"Positive," Reid replied. "If you pull up to the side of the building there's easy access to the fire escapes. I can get in before they do."

"You?" asked Gideon. Was Reid really ready for this? The young man met his eyes, daring him to say no. "Okay. Let's do it. But you're taking Morgan with you." Reid nodded and Morgan informed them that Stein and Michelle were almost there. Even though it was only a minute before they pulled up to the side of the building, it felt like an eternity to Reid. He wasn't going to lose her. He was going to fight.

They were hardly stopped before he jumped out of the car and ran over to the fire escape. Morgan barely caught up with him as he ran up the three flights of stairs. Garcia told them that Stein and Michelle were entering the building when Reid broke her bedroom window, climbing inside. Almost immediately the coonhound was at them, starting to bark and growl at the intruders. Reid bent down slightly, almost to the dog's level, which would normally be dangerous. He placed his hand on Cooter's head, rubbing it and looked the dog in the eyes. The gesture seemed to work and the dog stopped. He turned to Morgan and gestured for him to follow, not noticing the look of amusement on Morgan's face at his interaction with the dog. They made it through her bedroom and down the hall. Morgan gestured that he was going to stay out of sight of the door, Cooter staying next to him. Reid nodded, keeping his gun pointed at her front door as they heard the voices approach.

Her keys jingled. The door swung open. He noticed in her eyes that she was immediately relieved when she saw him even though Stein wrapped an arm around her neck and pointed his gun at her head.

"We've got you, Stein. You might as well let her go," Reid stated, his voice steady as he pointed the gun at the man.

"We?" questioned Stein with a laugh.

"The other agents are swarming the place as we speak. You're not getting out of here. Now let her go," Reid edged forward. He could tell the man was starting to panic. He quickly glanced at Michelle, who slightly nodded. She knew what he was trying to do and was ready. He continued to move towards them.

"Don't come any closer!" Stein exclaimed, point his gun at him, away from her. She took that exact moment to grab his arm and pull it down, banging his forearm over her knee. The gun dropped out of his hand and landed on the floor in a loud thud. She quickly twisted Stein's arm behind him before whistling slightly. Cooter came running, jumping on Stein's back, knocking him down. She released her grip to grab the gun, which was still technically in Stein's reach, as Cooter stood growling and barking over the man, his teeth showing. Any drastic move and the dog would have sunk them into the man. Morgan came out and grabbed his cuffs.

"Man, am I glad that dog likes me," commented Reid, earning a smile from Michelle although she wasn't looking at him.

"Mind calling him off?" Morgan asked, not wanting the dog to attack him in the process of the arrest. Michelle whistled and snapped her fingers, gesturing to her side. Cooter was soon standing between her and Reid, still on guard. Stein appeared to be lightly dizzy, probably from hitting his head on the floor when he was knocked down. Reid glanced at Michelle as they kept their guns pointed at him while Morgan cuffed him. He could feel his breathing finally beginning to slow down now that he knew she was safe. This has been quite possibly the craziest few days of his life, and she was to blame and thank for that. "Reid, want to call the others and tell them the news?"

He nodded, calling Hotch. He noticed that once Morgan had Stein secure, Michelle lowered her gun and bent down to her dog. "Good boy," she praised, petting and hugging the dog. As he hung up, she grabbed the leash that was sitting on the table behind her and put it on the dog.

"What are you doing?" he asked, amused.

"I think Wilson and Thompson need to see who the biggest asset of our team is," she replied, grinning. They started down the hallway, walking behind Morgan who had a hold of Stein. "I think we're even now, by the way."

Reid looked at her as she tucked Stein's gun into the small of her back. "What do you mean?"

She looked up at him with a smile full of gratitude. "I saved you, you saved me. I think that's a pretty fair trade-off." Reid smiled in return and nodded. Hotch and Wilson reached them then and helped Morgan deal with Stein. As they walked through the front entrance of the building and watched them shove Stein into the back of a police car he heard her sigh.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I can't believe he fooled me," she muttered in frustration. "I was looking at the wrong guy for three months."

"He had us all fooled," stated Gideon, walking up to the pair. "Agent Stratford, I just wanted to say thank you," he stuck out his hand, which she shook even though she was confused. He glanced at Reid for a second and then she nodded, understanding what he meant. Reid smiled at the gesture. "Reid, we're going to have to head off in a few minutes." Their job was done now; the locals could take it from here. With that he left them alone.

"So, now that your assignment is about done here, where will you go?" he asked as he turned to look into her eyes.

"If the bureau doesn't send me on another undercover mission, which they better not for awhile, I'll go back to my permanent station," she replied.

"Which is?" he asked, wishing and hoping it was at least somewhat close to Quantico.

"DC," she answered, grinning. He felt a smile creep across his face as well.

He nodded, "so if I were, to say…" She pulled him into a kiss, stopping him mid-sentence. He wrapped his arms around her and she rested her hands on his shoulders. The loud bark from her overprotective dog next to them broke them apart after a few minutes.

"Cooter!" she yelled, chastising the dog that only moaned in response. They begin to laugh slightly, and she buried her head in his chest. He ran a hand through her hair as she looked up at him a few seconds later. She kissed him once more, this time much more gentler and shorter. "Call me," she whispered against his lips when she pulled back. "You have my number now."

He grinned, placing a quick kiss on her forehead. "I promise. Or rather, I guarantee it." They exchanged smiles as he released his grip on her. He patted Cooter on his head before walking over to his team that was waiting by their SUV. He immediately noticed the smiles on all of their faces, particularly Morgan's.

"I don't want to hear it, Morgan," he ordered as they climbed in to the SUV.

"Aw, come on man! You can't suck all the fun out of this. I could just tell Garcia and she'll bother you. Which would you prefer?" Morgan teased. Reid shook his head as he glanced out the window. He watched as Thompson and Wilson walked over her and she handed them the gun. Cooter appeared to be barking at them and he couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped from his lips. That dog really does bark at every man he meets. Except for him of course.

"So Reid, I've got to know. How did you figure out that he was taking her to her apartment?" asked Emily.

"Dukes of Hazzard," he replied, laughing at all of their confused faces. "Don't ask." The team chuckled.

"Stratford is one interesting woman," commented Hotch.

Reid smiled, looking out the window at her again as they finally pulled away. He noticed her look in his direction and wave. Waving back, he commented, "yes she is." He felt Gideon place a hand on his shoulder briefly and they exchanged smiles. Leaning back in his chair, Reid closed his eyes. Michelle was definitely an interesting woman. Someone he had every intention getting to know better. After all, she had given him something to fight for.

The End

Don't kill me for ending it there! I envisioned this story as actually being able to take place in an hour for the show, which is why it's so short. I do have an idea for a sequel, however. It'll be added to my growing list of ideas for the summer. "Reid's Miracle" opened a floodgate that can't be closed now… I have to finish the Bones crossover and start the Numb3rs one first, but a sequel to this will get done. As will probably part three in the Sarah series because I have no summer classes to worry about!

Thanks to everyone that reviewed!! I really appreciate your feedback; it makes it worthwhile to write the ideas that keep invading my brain. –Ann Parker