Consume Me Like a Fire

"Jealousy is nothing more than a fear of abandonment" -Arab Proverb

Almost an hour into her class, there was a knock on the classroom door. Mr. Fritz sighed and went to answer it. On the other side stood Spencer and JJ. To say Shiloh was happy was an understatement. She was ecstatic that they were here. Being around Spencer and anyone else in the BAU made her feel safe and happy.

“I’m Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid and this is Special Agent Jennifer Jareau. We’re from the FBI and here to talk to your students about a few important matters. Can we come in?”

Mr. Fritz slowly moved out of the way and let the two agents in.

“Hello everyone, I’m sure most of you have heard about what’s been happening and we’re here to talk to you about your safety,” JJ started.

“If you have mace or pepper spray, we are recommending that you carry it everywhere. Boys and girls alike should have some,” Spencer added. A few of the guys gulped, but Shiloh ignored them. Her eyes followed Spencer everywhere. It was almost as much fun to watch him as it is to watch Mr. Fritz. He has that nerdy charm that Shiloh likes.

“Make sure you are back by the dorm curfew or earlier. We know that the killer likes to strike when their victim is alone at night.”

“Lock your door and windows just in case. The victims were found in their rooms, so the killer either broke in or managed to take them back to their rooms to kill them,” Spencer said. Everyone cringed and wanted to go home now. No one seemed to be safe anymore.

“And most importantly, keep to a buddy system. All the victims were alone and none of their friends knew where they were before they were…killed,” JJ finished. The guy next to Shiloh nudged her.

"You should be my buddy," he winked at her. Shiloh raised an eyebrow before looking away from him.

"Only in your dreams, hot shot." He grumbled something under his breath and looked back at Spencer and JJ.

“Are there any questions?” Spencer asked after a moment.

“I have one. What exactly are you guys doing to protect the students? Dean Rivers just told all the professors that there won’t be an evacuation yet,” Mr. Fritz said leaning against his desk, arms crossed with the end of his pencil between his teeth.

“We are going to each class telling them how to stay safe. And if we evacuate now, the killer could get away and leave with the students and then come back and start killing again when the school opened up again,” Spencer replied looking Mr. Fritz over. There was more silence as Spencer studied Shiloh’s teacher.

“I’m still not convinced that your team is legit. Even I can go around saying that people do certain things because of the way they are behaving. I was a clinical psychologist before I came here,” Mr. Fritz retorted putting his pencil down on his desk. Spencer raised an eyebrow and glanced at JJ with a small smirk. Let the fun begin…

“Okay, allow me to demonstrate for you. You’re single; probably recently divorced. You still have a tan mark where your wedding band should be which also means you lived somewhere sunny. I’m betting Florida because of the letter from your parents on your desk with a return address located in Miami. You’re physically fit so you worked out at least 3 or 4 times a week back in Miami. You and your wife separated because you buried your life in work and the gym.

“Not to mention, you’re still peeved about the divorced because even now you’re glaring at me because I’m hitting the nail on the head. You’re ex-wife is trying to take all your money and you resorted to teaching here because the hours at the hospital were taking a toll on you along with the constant meetings with your lawyer. You have bags under your eyes because of the lack of sleep you're getting.

“I think I’ve said enough, do you agree?” Spencer asked. JJ was smiling behind him and a few of the students were snickering. Shiloh had to make sure her jaw wasn’t on the ground. Spencer could tell all of that just from looking at him and a few things in the room?

“There are also these things called background checks that I’m sure you’ve done on all the teachers here,” Mr. Fritz glowered at Spencer.

“True, but my boss has them and I haven’t had a chance to look over them. I’ll make sure to check yours to make sure I'm right,” Spencer didn’t know where the sudden confidence came from, but he didn’t feel like backing down. Maybe it was because someone thought he lacked the basic skills needed to do his job. Dr. Spencer Reid did NOT lack any of those skills.

A small bell chimed signaling the end of class. Students began to walk past the FBI agents and out the classroom door. Shiloh jumped up and jogged over to Spencer and JJ.

“That was amazing. If I wasn’t so into nursing, your demonstration would have made me want to study criminology,” the girl said grinning. Spencer’s confidence slowly began to leave and he turned a light pink shade.

“Uh thanks. My job is the best thing I do,” he said shyly running a hand through his hair. It was like he changed into a different person around Shiloh.

“I’ll catch up with you later, Spence,” JJ said patting him on the shoulder and leaving. It was just Shiloh and Spencer by the door and Mr. Fritz still next to his desk.

“Can we go somewhere and talk again?” she asked softly. Spencer swallowed and nodded slowly. As they walked out the door together, Shiloh glanced back at Mr. Fritz and said goodbye. He told her to stay safe, but glared at Spencer as he left the room.

“So what did you want to talk about?” Spencer asked as they walked.

“What should I be looking for? I know you said anything out of the ordinary, but everything looks strange now… Is there anything specific?” she asked and sat down on the edge of a large stone water fountain. Spencer sat down next to her and nodded.

“Right now, we’re thinking the unsub is a girl. Look for someone who is having a hard time displaying emotions because she might be a sociopath. Think about a girl in particular that Melissa scorned the worst and try to picture if they could get mad enough to hurt people. That’s what we’re trying to find out right now.”

“And what about Brandon? Why was a boy killed when the first 3 victims were girls?” she asked quietly. No one else was around, but it just felt wrong to be talking about someone else’s death in such an easy going way.

“We’re not sure yet…” Shiloh let out a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“How do you deal with seeing those pictures every day?” she asked remembering seeing Brandon and Melissa both dead. Her sleep last night wasn’t as nice as she would have liked it to be.

“I don’t… That’s the worst part about my job. I’m plagued with nightmares filled with the deceased’s pictures. You just need to come to terms with their death,” he replied just as quietly. Shiloh looked at him sadly and placed her hand on top of his.

“I don’t think that I can… I know that I pester you a lot, but I can please call you tonight if I can't sleep?” she asked. Spencer swallowed heavily and nodded. He didn’t know what it was, but something about Shiloh just pulled him in. NO! He can't go down that road, not after what happened with Lila…

“Shiloh, listen to me,” he said sternly squeezing her hand a little. Shiloh looked at him wearily.

“What?” she asked softly.

“I’ve been thinking, which I do a little too much sometimes, but I picked up on a small pattern. You have known all the victims on a more personal level. That could just be a coincidence, but don’t try to take any chances. Do you understand?” he asked. Shiloh felt like crying, but she sucked it up and put on a brave face.

“You’re saying that I could be in more danger than others, right? I understand,” she whispered.

“Shiloh, it could just be me over thinking things, but please stay safe, okay?” he asked. Shiloh pulled her hand away from his and wiped her eyes, put on a smile and nodded.

“Yeah, I promise I will. I gotta go. Thanks for talking to me,” she said standing up to leave. She gave him one more smile before walking away wiping her eyes. Spencer sighed and rubbed his temples. This was not the time to get wrapped up in a girl that could turn into another victim.

Shiloh hurried to her dorm room and locked the door behind her. Katie looked up from her laptop and gave her a funny look.

“Why are you in such a rush?” she asked taking a sip of her water bottle.

“No reason. I’m feeling a little antsy like everyone else,” she mumbled and dropped her shoulder bag on the floor next to her bed. Katie closed her laptop and sat up to face Shiloh.

“Guess what?” she said with a light smile.

“Hmm?” Shiloh asked taking her homework out of her binder.

“Some of the frat guys from Gamma Phi are throwing a party tonight.”

“A party?! Are they crazy? There’s a killer on the loose,” Shiloh grumbled shaking her head.

“You don’t want to go?” Katie asked with a pouty face. Shiloh looked at her strangely. Katie never wanted to go to Frat parties. She always called them lousy and giant orgies.

“You want to?” she asked. Her roommate shrugged her shoulders and laid down on her back with her hands behind her head.

“I thought it might take our minds off of what’s been going on,” Katie said looking at the ceiling.

“Yeah, or we might witness a murder… Katie, you can go, but I don’t want to leave our room tonight, or any night… I want the FBI to catch this creep and then everything can go back to normal,” she mumbled. Katie looked at her with somewhat sad eyes and nodded.

“Well, I think I’ll go out for a little bit and then come back later tonight.”

“Before the curfew, right?” Shiloh asked looking at her friend.

“I don’t know, maybe.”

“Katie! There’s a killer out there. Please be back by curfew so I don’t have to worry about you,” she pleaded. Katie sighed and nodded.

“Okay, I’ll be back by curfew… Don’t worry so much. There’s thousands of students here. What’re the chances of the killer targeting little ole me?” she joked and walked to her closet to pick out an outfit. Shiloh didn’t find it funny. She kept thinking about what Spencer said at the fountain. Was she really in danger? And if she was, then wouldn’t Katie be too?

Shiloh pushed the thoughts away and started on her homework. Before she knew it, the sun was setting and Katie was grabbing her dorm keys.

“I’ll be back soon, I promise,” Katie said as she left. Shiloh was alone… and it was dark outside. She tapped her pen against her paper before tossing her work aside. It hadn’t even been 30 minutes and she was already bored. Shiloh grabbed her phone that was sitting next to her and ran her fingers over the key pad. Spencer shouldn’t be busy, right? He should be resting. She quickly found his name in her contacts and called him.

“Hello, this is Dr. Reid.”

“Spencer? It’s Shiloh,” she said biting her lip. For reasons she didn’t know, butterflies swarmed her stomach when she heard him speak.

“Is everything okay?” he asked going into agent mode.

“Yeah, I’m just alone now and it’s dark. Katie, my roommate, went to a frat party that Gamma Phi is throwing,” she said.

“There’s a party tonight?” he asked and called someone over. Shiloh heard him telling someone to get over to the party to check things out.

“Yeah, the frat guys wanted to loosen everyone up a bit because of the murders and everything.”

“Shiloh, whatever happens tonight, don’t leave your room,” Spencer demanded. Shiloh tensed up with fear.

“Spencer…what’s going on?” she whispered into the phone. Spencer sighed heavily.

“We just got a frantic call from a student and they were saying someone was hurt. We’re not jumping to conclusions, but just don’t leave your room—“

“But Katie is out there somewhere! She could be hurt!” Shiloh panicked already grabbing her jacket and shoes. She needed to find Katie and bring her back before anything else happened.

“Shiloh! Listen to me! It’s not safe right now! The injured student was stabbed and that’s all we know right now. The paramedics took him and we won’t know anything else for a few hours. Please, stay inside!” Spencer pleaded. Shiloh hesitated by the door, but made up her mind.

“I’m sorry, Spencer, but she’s my friend,” Shiloh whispered sadly before hanging up on him. She could hear him yelling as she ended the call and put her phone away. Shiloh ran out into the hall and then outside. Gamma Phi’s dormitory was to the right of hers so she ran in its direction.

When she entered it, she heard pounding music and there were red cups littered everywhere. She pushed her way through the crowds of people until she reached another hall way. She jogged down it and tried calling Katie, but it went straight to her voicemail.

“Dammit, answer your phone!” she snapped and shoved her phone back into her pocket.

“Katie!” she called opening doors to different rooms. She was beginning to panic and entered another hall. It was quieter and the pounding music barely reached her now.

“Katie! Where are you?!” she yelled and opened more doors. She was about to turn around and check the rooms again and head back the way she came, but she heard footsteps behind her. Thinking it might be Katie, she spun on her heels.

“K—Holy shit… Katie! Are you okay?!”