It’s a tranquil evening in Virginia. The crickets are chirping, and the cicadas are ringing. Downtown Arlington is bustling with night life activity.

You and Spencer decided to go to a bar. It wasn’t your usual scene, but life at the BAU had been so hellish recently that you both needed to unwind and cut loose a bit.

And the evening was wonderful. Truly wonderful. Until you caught the eye of someone across the bar.

The sight of them alone was enough to send an icy chill through your veins.

Your high school bully. Sitting there, drinking whiskey, in a random bar in Arlington. Acting as casual as if they never gave you the negative inner voice you live with today.

“Hey, sweetheart. I got—“ Spencer started, before he noticed your far off look. He set the plate of nachos beside you and hopped onto a bar stool.

“Are you alright?” he murmured. “You seem…pale.”