Note: A special thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! Especially to MissScorp! I've appreciated every word and if I haven't had the time to respond to a review yet, it's something that I'll try to get to in the near future. Thank you, all of you!

There's also a poll up on my profile now so you can let me know what story you'd like me to work on once my current projects are complete. (A few of them are in the works already.)

Lila studied her fingers. She was seated comfortably on the couch back at her home, her knees pulled to her chest.

Her throat was still sore. That and the ring of bruises would serve as a reminder of how close she had come to death.

Spencer was sitting next to him. Though she kept her eyes averted, she could still sense when he shifted uncomfortably.

They had hardly spoken since they arrived here. It shouldn't be this way, she thought. Everything that had happened seemed to have pushed them further apart.

We're still in shock, she thought, sacrificing the study of her nails to wrap her arms around her legs.

It made her feel eleven years old again, but right now she needed the sense of security.

Spencer shifted again, except this time, he spoke. "Lila, what were you thinking?" he asked, voice soft.

I wasn't, she thought. Out loud, she whispered, "Spencer…"

"You could have died."

"I know." Angry tears formed in her eyes and she swiped at them only half successfully. "I know that."

Without a word, Spencer scooted closer to her. His arm looped around her shoulders. She leaned against his chest and the point of his chin came to rest in her hair.

"We had a case." His words were so soft. "There was a man killing those who he believed had sinned against God. One of his personalities… believed he was the archangel Raphael."

Lila closed her eyes, an attempt to shut out the images that formed in her mind.

Spencer kept talking.

"Hotch sent JJ and I to interview the witness. His name was Tobias Hankel."

His fingers tightened their grip on her shoulder, likely an unconscious reaction as he relived the memories in his head.

"He was the unsub."

Lila's heart skipped a beat. Her hand sought out his. Her fingers wove through his limp ones.

"I didn't want to wait for backup. I was afraid he would get away, that he would find another victim while we scrambled to catch up. My bad decision nearly cost us both our lives."

Lila's throat constricted. "Spencer…"
"You made a mistake, Lila." A pause. "The same one I made. And you didn't have the benefit of training that I had."

"Spencer…"

He pressed a soft kiss to her temple.

"I'm glad you're safe."