Note: I really shouldn't. I shouldn't be starting or publishing a story when I have so much on my plate, but, well... here we are. I'm going to publish this to sort of test the waters. I'm imagining that this takes place sometime early on during season 3, so kind of in between Gideon and Rossi.

I'd originally intended for this to take place during an AU timeline, which is why in the earlier version of this chapter, it mentioned that only a month had passed between current time and the events between Lila and Spencer. However, I don't think I will be doing that and so I've changed it. If this has caused any confusion, I sincerely apologize.

I would also like to extend my thanks to Dextolan, who was very encouraging when I mentioned this idea to her a while back. Go check her out after this! She's got awesome stories!

Warnings: This story will be dealing with themes of sexual harassment. While there will be nothing explicit, if that is something that you find triggering, please be warned.

Summary: Reid's world is turned just about upside down when he receives a call from someone from his past. Someone he thought he'd left far behind.

His phone rang.

Cursing under his breath, Reid groped blindly for it, knocking a stack of incomplete case files likely left there by both Morgan and Prentiss off his desk in the process.

It seemed that the piles were steadily growing larger by the week- and with Prentiss taking some time off to spend with her mother… he'd probably end up with the majority of her share anyways.

He sighed.

"Better keep better track of your phone, Pretty Boy!" Morgan teased from his desk. "Maybe it won't run away from you then."

"Shut up," Reid muttered. "Maybe if you actually kept my desk clear of all your work, I'd actually be able to find it."
He grabbed the phone, bringing it to his ear and running one hand through his hair, effectively standing it on end.

"Hello?" he said. Feeling more than a little irritated with the way the day was going, he couldn't help it if he sounded a little snappish.

"Spencer?"

The voice had him sitting up even straighter. He was most definitely alert now.

He'd heard that voice only a month ago.

It was the voice he'd wondered if he'd ever hear it again.

And he cringed as he realized how he'd sounded upon answering the phone.

"Lila?"

Lila.

Lila Archer.

The first girl who'd ever kissed him.

The first girl he'd ever kissed.

Suddenly flustered, he was acutely aware of his heart beating in his chest.

His tongue felt dry, cleaving to the roof of his mouth.

Reid struggled to find something to say, even though a quick glance at his clock told him it was… close to two.

"L-lila, it's been…! I mean… h-hi."

He stopped, vaguely aware of the fact that he sounded like a scratched CD stuck on repeat.

"You said I could call you about anything, right?" Lila asked. "I'm sorry. I know this is… sudden. If you're too busy, I can..."

"No!" Reid said quickly. A little too quickly, he thought with a blush. Slower now, he repeated, "No, there's no need to apologize. I… We can talk now," Reid answered, tripping over his words, before he realized that she had hesitated.

He leaned down, collecting the stack of files off the floor and setting them back on his desk. He'd have time to organize them later.

If there was one thing he had learned in the short time he had spent with Lila Archer, it was that she didn't hesitate.

Ever.

Something was wrong.

And, while it hurt a little to think that she was only calling him now because something was wrong, that feeling was quickly blocked out by concern.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "Has something happened?" He ran his tongue over his lips. "Are you okay?"

"It's not for me," Lila answered. Her voice sounded thick, as if she were trying to speak through her nose.

Or crying.

"Lila, whatever's happened, you can talk to me…" He kept his voice gentle.

"I know. It's what you said when… It's what you said before," Lila answered. She swallowed audibly before continuing. "It's my friend. She's… she acts too."

"Oh."
Immediately, he felt as though it were the wrong thing to say and he cringed.

He swallowed, however, sensing there was a hidden gravity to what she was about to tell him.

Lila hadn't just called to tell him that she had a friend who acted.

"You have to understand…" Lila paused. "She doesn't want to go to the police. She's so scared."

"Lila." He blushed, acutely aware that he had Morgan's full attention now. "Lila, you need to slow down. I… Tell me what happened."

She took a deep breath. "I know. I know. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Reid assured her quietly. "Just tell me what you can."

"Have you ever heard of Robert Merton?" Her voice had suddenly taken on a very flat tone, as if she were working hard to shut out whatever emotions she had associated with that name.

Reid blinked, wondering where this was going. Sure… Lila was an actor, but… would she really call him and tell him she needed his help, only to ask him this? "He's a director," he answered.

He couldn't keep himself from mentally listing the man's projects in his head. He had seen one or two of his movies. They weren't the greatest. He suspected Morgan might be more of a fan.

Lila's bitter laugh brought him back to the present.

"That's not all he is," she said.

Unconsciously, Reid gripped the edge of his desk.

"What happened, Lila?" he asked quietly with a sideways glance at Morgan.

He could hear her deep breath on the other end of the line as she steadied herself. "Spencer," she said. There was a plea in that one word. "There isn't a lot I can tell you, but…" She hesitated. "My friend…" There was another shaky breath on the other end of the phone, like she was trying hard to keep it together. Reid's heart clenched tightly in his chest and his stomach rolled.

"Something happened. He made a move." She was speaking quickly. Like she wanted to get them out and over with as quickly as possible. And, as he processed them, Reid couldn't blame her.

Lila sniffed again, taking a moment to collect her wits. "It didn't… nothing happened beyond that. That's what she said, but… but she left. The project. She doesn't feel safe. Not anymore. And… and, Spencer, this might not even be the first time…"

"Lila…" Reid interrupted her gently. "Tell me what I can do."

"I know it's stupid. You're busy and you..."

"No." Reid shook his head vehemently, even though he knew the gesture would be lost on Lila. "No, it's anything but stupid. Just… tell me what you need. Anything."
There was a pause. Then Lila spoke again. "I know it's not… it's not really case the FBI can take, but I… I don't know who else he's done this too. And... I didn't know who else to call."

"It's okay, Lila." Reid ran his tongue over his lips and glanced around the bullpen. No one was paying him any attention and even Morgan had gone back to his paperwork, much to his relief. "I'm going to do what I can. I promise you."

Even as he said the words, his hand formed a fist by his side. He'd keep his promise to Lila. He'd make sure of it.

"Hotch, um, could I have a moment?"

Hotch took a moment to eye the young man fidgeting in his office.

It took him another moment to make his decision.

Setting aside his papers for the moment, he straightened. "What is it, Reid?"

Reid swallowed, squeezing his eyes shut for a brief second, before refocusing them on Hotch. "It's..." he seemed to force himself to stand a little taller, "...it's Lila."

That certainly had Hotch's attention.

"Lila," he repeated. A sudden understanding awoke in him. He squinted at Reid, surprised. "The girl from Los Angeles."

She had been a lot more than just "the girl from Los Angeles.

Of that, they were all certain.

"Lila called me asking for help," Reid said quickly. "I… if it was anything else, I wouldn't have bothered you with it." A faint red tinge colored his cheeks, but he didn't drop his gaze.

Hotch folded his hands, his mouth dipping downward. "Reid," he spoke slowly, "I can't give you leave…"

Reid raised his chin a little higher. "I'm not asking you to give me leave," he said. "I have my vacation days. I can use those. But she asked for my help, Hotch. I can't… I can't ignore her. I won't ignore her."

"I'm not asking you too."

Hotch's words had Reid's head snapping up.

"What?"

He wasn't sure what he had been expecting but it wasn't… this.

Whatever this was.

"Reid, I don't pretend to understand what's between you and Lila Archer, but I do know this. I would never do something to prevent you from aiding someone you care about."

Reid nodded, a little dumbly, feeling weak with relief. "I know, sir, but I'm just… I'm asking your leave to see this through."

Hotch closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opened them again, he was completely serious.

"We might need you. With Prentiss gone, it would be hard being down two agents."

"I'll come back," Reid said quickly. "I'll come back if you need me. If Strauss..."

"If Strauss says anything, you can leave that to me to handle," Hotch said firmly.

When Reid glanced at him in surprise… and gratitude, Hotch sighed lowering his eyes. "I can't give one of my agents leave on such a short notice," he told him. "It's not impossible," he continued, speaking before Reid could voice a protest, "but it is unusual. However, I think I can make it an exception this one time."

Reid lowered his eyes, understanding the full extent of what his unit chief was doing for him. "I understand, Hotch. Thank you," he said.

"I trust you, Reid," Hotch said. "I wouldn't be granting you this otherwise."