Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: This is in response to LoraLee2's challenge to write a story with Reid on crutches.
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The SUV screeched to a halt in front of the old home that was in such a shabby state it looked abandoned. The team knew that it wasn't. Inside the house was Graham Levy, their unsub and his fourth victim Marcy Ryder. They pulled their weapons from their holsters and the six agents approached the dwelling. A very dim light could barely be seen from the basement window. The navy blue van with the first four characters of the license plate the witness had seen when Marcy had been taken was sitting in the driveway. "Hotch," Emily whispered, shining her flashlight on the plate, "I'm sure we're in the right place."
Hotch nodded in the moonlight as they neared the rickety wooden steps of the front porch. Hotch motioned Reid and JJ with his fingers to go around the back of the house. A few seconds later he asked, "Are you in position."
"Yeah Hotch," Reid replied.
"On my count," Hotch said into his wrist. "Hotch and Emily flanked one side of the front door while Morgan and Rossi took the other.
JJ and Reid flanked the back door, their weapons poised. They heard Hotch's voice in their earpieces, "One, two, three."
The loud banging of the doors bursting open and the team yelling "FBI" drowned out Reid's cry of pain as he hit the ground. JJ advanced into the kitchen gun drawn unaware of her fallen partner. Hotch, Rossi, Emily and Morgan were clearing the other upstairs rooms.
The door to the basement opened silently and Graham Levy emerged with his arm around Marcy Ryder's neck, his gun to her head. JJ whirled around, her flashlight shining in their faces. "Don't even try it," he said, "or she's a dead woman." He backed out of the room as he spoke. The others appeared brandishing their weapons. Levy cocked his gun. "You try to shoot me, you're going to kill her, now back off." The five agents still had their guns trained on Levy as he pulled the woman back towards the back door. She let out a strangled cry. They could see the tears on her face as well as the cuts and bruises that marred much of her body. Her designer clothing was ripped. "I mean it, put the guns down now!"
"We're not letting you out of here Levy," Hotch said coldly.
"We'll see about that. Would you risk killing the mayor's daughter?" He took another step backward dragging his captive with him. "How would that look for the great BAU?" He took another step backwards and suddenly he seemed to trip on something and was falling. His attempt to keep his balance pushed Marcy into the room towards the agents. Another cry of pain and a gunshot rang out.
The team rushed to the back door to see Reid sitting on the cement steps his weapon and flashlight trained on Levy who had fallen down the stairs and was now on the ground with a gunshot in his leg.
Morgan ran to the unsub while Hotch radioed for an ambulance. Emily and JJ were tending to Marcy. "What happened to you?" Rossi asked Reid.
"I don't know, I either broke or dislocated something when I kicked the door in. It always looks so easy when Morgan does it."
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The elevator opened on the sixth floor and Reid hobbled out on crutches. "What are you doing here?" Morgan asked as Reid approached his desk and sat down.
"I just thought I'd come to see what you guys were doing." He responded. "I thought it might take my mind off the fact that this thing itches like crazy." He pointed to the cast on his right leg that had been applied to set a compound fracture of his right tibia.
Garcia walked into the BAU, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming sweet cheeks?"
"Hi Garcia," Reid replied.
"Well now, let's get a look at that cast," Garcia raised Reid's pant leg. "Just like I thought." She said as she stood and left the room. "I'll be right back."
"Where are you going Garcia?" Reid asked.
"I just have to get my colored markers."