Okay, so this is my VERY first fanfic. I would say "be nice!" but realistically I'd love to hear your criticism... good or bad. Its an absolute privilege to have my work up on any forum, let alone having it read by someone other than my Mum so Thank you in advance! Btw (just so you don't jump to conclusions) I am british and therefore there may be some spelling differences or even phrases that people from other parts of the world may not recognise. AT THE MOMENT this is not a slash, HOWEVER I do love a good slash so it may come with time. Anyways please enjoy love you all xxxxx
Reid saw her face in the glistening ripples of the swimming pool. He imagined her wonderful skin emerging dripping from the water and plunging again into its depths. He thought she might be there, ignoring that it was actually some fractured memory that had escaped from the dark box at the back of his mind. Bringing her to life again brought him so much joy. The pool was now unkempt, strewn with leaves and tinged with green. It looked more like a sad swamp than a swimming pool and that thought brought a little nudge of guilt into his conscience. He sat back against the lawn chair, tapping nonsense into the armrest with his fingers and closed his eyes. The sun beat down on his expansive back yard like a wall of heat and light leaving no shadows or places of refuge. Sprinklers ticked away in neighbouring yards and in the distance children squealed with delight. If he had listened closely enough he probably could have heard the skin on the fat pink backs of his Neighbours crackle under the unforgiving sun.
For Dr. Spencer Reid, Las Vegas had been 'home' for most of his life, a great big part of him largely forgotten by choice. He sat quietly in the yard he did not remember, breathing slowly, deeply on his own. That was it. He was on his own now. It had only been a few days since his Mother's passing and until that very moment he had still been in a state of wordless denial. A glistening tear escaped down his cheek and he imagined it reflecting the sad and lonely world around him. Spencer's skin prickled on his chin as the tear slowed its momentum and he wiped it quickly away with the back of his hand. Opening his eyes he imagined her gliding through the water again, self medicating her troubles and confusion away. Swimming was so primal to her, so therapeutic, it almost killed him to have to deny her from it. Somehow it had made her better, it had made everything better, for a little while. For hours on end he used to sit at the pools edge with his books and papers overflowing with creativity and happiness just from being near her. Her laughter recharged him, her smiles revived him and her love relieved him, for those few hours he could breathe again without a care in the world. Her rock hard walls of paranoia and confusion melted away with every splash of the cool water and after a while her crippling schizophrenia became a faint memory. Right now, It was too much to take.
Reid found himself crossing the yard with long strides. He threw the gate open with such a force that it wailed on its hinges threatening to fly off the fence and into the Neighbour's garden. Stomping the last few meters of lawn, diving into the passenger side door of a large black SUV and throwing on his seatbelt were about the only things he could do before totally losing it. Agent Morgan, both shocked and confused at the same time silently pulled the SUV out of the driveway, his hysterical partner in the seat next to him. The drive back to the hotel was long - peak hour traffic heaved - car roofs shimmered in the heat. Despite the relentless comforting from Morgan between traffic lights and bad drivers, Reid spent the journey curled up in a hiccuping sobbing mess.
"Spence….Spencer?" whispered Morgan "Spencer, we're here."
Reid knew they had stopped, he had just wanted to dream for a little longer. Forcing open his tired eyes, crusty and sore from tears, he searched out of the car windows for familiar surroundings. They sat in a dark corner of an underground car park, it was significantly cooler than the bustling streets above. It was quiet, calm and comforting. Spencer considered these feelings may have come from primitive defence mechanisms deeply buried in his brain. The car park had briefly become his own personal subterranean sanctuary.
"Spencer?" repeated Morgan a little more concerned.
"Yes..." he croaked and turned to face his dearest friend "Sorry, Sorry… We can go now." Reid made a move to unbuckle his seatbelt but before his shaking fingers could push the red clip down far enough a warm pair of hands grabbed his own. Morgan steadied his gaze finding Spencer's eyes through the floppy mop of brown hair currently concealing his face.
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to." Morgan insisted "If you want, we can get in that elevator and go straight to your room" He pointed to a large sign in one corner of the car park indicating a set of elevators. Reid considered his offer and an urge to agree began working its way to his mouth. He almost formed the word 'yes' before Morgan continued.
"Or… If you're up for it, the rest of the team is waiting in a bar across the street. We can get you a well earned drink and leave whenever you want to. What do you need to do?." Reid stared at the kind and caring face of his friend. There was no judgement in his smile and Spencer could almost touch the understanding radiating from his strong dark body.
"W-Well…" Spencer was battling with his tears again forcing them back despite the growing knot in his throat "I really do need a drink…a-and…" He looked away a moment composing himself and taking a deep breath before continuing. "I also really need my friends right now. I need you guys. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't….." It was the first time in many years that Agent Morgan had witnessed such an open cry for help from Reid, usually he was the "silent suffering" type but he guessed that all previous emotional barriers Spencer had put up to defend himself had crumbled to non existence today. The dark man watched his young friend begin to collapse into his own sadness again. Morgan couldn't bear watching the new tears fall so he threw his arms around Spencer so lovingly he hoped it might shock him into stopping. It worked so well that Spencer even let out a small huff of amusement into the older man's warm shoulder, not quite laughter but it was progress. Spencer relaxed a little and began breathing evenly again. Having let out a large portion of his heartache already that day, he now truly felt able to face the loving words and gentle touches of his teammates.
Ten more minutes went by in the cool darkness of the car park before Reid and Morgan finally got out of the SUV. Tightly holding hands the two men crossed the concrete floor, headed up the ramp and out into the sunlight. Their black suits silhouetted by the beating rays as they emerged onto the roadside. Traffic roared past and people filled the sidewalks reminding Reid that this world had not stopped. Only his own world had ceased turning. Silently frozen on its axis.
AAHHH Can't believe it! Please review and comment :) love you xxxx