The world is silent

By Lady Lunastar

Notes-Set in season one, after Somebody's Watching. All research and info about being Deaf and

Schools for the Deaf come from the Internet. If the information is incorrect please let me know. I do not own Criminal Minds, if I did I would be filthy rich and we could have skipped the whole 'Emily is dead and JJ is gone' series.

Prelude

"Just put the gun and let the girl go!" shouted Morgan. The Un-Sub pushed the gun harder into Catherine's temple. Reid locked eyes with Catherine and tried to reassure her.

"It's going to be alright." Catherine shook her head no, her eyes went back to the gun and than back to him.

"He's going to kill me."

"Stop acting like I'm not here!" snapped the Un-Sub.

"We know you're here man...let the girl go and we'll talk," said Morgan. Reid put his gun down and started walking towards the Un-sub and Catherine.

"Reid!" called Morgan.

"You...you get back...stay back. I'll do it!" ordered the Un-sub.

"Let's just talk about this. It's not her you want to hurt. You're angry, I know that, but it's not with her. It's what she represents," said Reid.

"You tell me what she represents?"

"Belonging. She fits into a world that you can't be apart of anymore. You don't belong in her world, you don't belong in our world. You're stuck, alone, no one with you anymore. You're jealous of her, the school and students. They belong and you don't," said Reid and signed to Catherine so she could understand him.

"I don't care about her!" spat the Un-sub. His grip on Catherine tighten and his hand started to shake.

"You miss the silence. This world isn't what you thought it was going to be," said/signed Reid.

"They promised...they would still be my friends."

"They lied to you, she didn't. Just let her go now," said Reid.

"I can't do that." The Un-sub moved to the pull the trigger when Morgan took the shot. It missed Catherine by two inches and took out the Un-Sub's ear. He screamed, dropped the gun and held his ear. Reid quickly moved and got the gun away from the Un-Sub.

"Catherine...Catherine, look at me," signed Reid. She was pale and shaking.

"He...he killed Sandy...he shot a kid...oh god is she ok?" asked Catherine.

"She's fine, we got her out in time." Morgan was getting the medics for the Un-Sub and he looked over at Reid.

"She going to be ok?" Catherine slumped down to the ground.

"She's going into shock," said Reid sitting down next to her. "Catherine, look at me...take deep breaths. It's ok now."

Morgan looked over at Reid, he was huddled close to her. One hand was holding hers and the other resting on her back. Oh pretty boy has it bad for her, not that I blame him, she's kind of cute in a nerdy way.

The medics came over to Reid and Catherine.

"She needs to come with us sir." Catherine looked at Reid and he signed to her.

"You need to go with them." Morgan watched her sign something to him. "I'll meet you there, ok." Catherine shook her head and followed the medics. Reid stood up and went over to Morgan.

"So when are you going to tell me the full story about you and her?" asked Morgan.

"Later," said Reid walking towards the car.

"Can't wait to hear it."

…...

Gideon was already waiting at the hospital when Reid finally got there.

"How long have you been here?" asked Reid.

"Awhile. I was meeting with the parents of Brittany Wayne. She came out of surgery ok. We were lucky."

"Yeah," said Reid.

"I also spoke to your friend, Catherine. She's very nice."

"You 'spoke' with her?" asked Reid.

"The interpreter here is very good." Reid nodded.

"What did you talk about?"

"You."

"Of course." Gideon looked at the young agent and shook his head.

"If not for her actions that little girl would have died."

"I know," said Reid.

"She trusted in you and because of that it saved a lot of lives," said Gideon. Reid fiddled with his watch. "I think you miss her." Reid looked at him. "You haven't spoken to her in almost three years and yet she still came looking for you and she trusted you enough to save those children."

"She was always a better friend than me," said Reid.

"I think she needs a friend now." Gideon looked down the hall, Catherine was filling out her release papers and she looked at Reid than back to her release forms.

"Has she been interviewed yet?" asked Reid.

"We only talked about you," said Gideon. Reid shouldered his bag and walked towards her.

"Catherine, I...um...we have to ask you some questions about what happened at the school," signed Reid.

"I'm really tired Spencer. I just really wanna go home now, please." She pulled at a strand of her dark brown hair. Reid took her hand.

"Maybe, I just wanna talk to you."