first criminal minds fic! Enjoy!
REID'S POV
I stood tall against the large windows, they stretched floor to ceiling, the view was a dim, grimy street, and yet to me the windows felt like they gazed into the world's soul. The windows themselves were beautiful, with red, ornate wood framing a gray morning. Thick clouds hung low in the sky, a thin fog rolling across the street like heat. It was a cold morning, mid-November.
In the course of a year, individuals in the United States will suffer 1-billion colds.
I pulled myself away from the window, a warm coffee mug, wet against the cold air and sticking to my fingers. My sweater was wool, the rough kind, brown with tan, small squares littering it. If you looked close at the fabric reds, greens, yellows, and blue threads stuck randomly in the weave. At least it was warm, I didn't want to be a statistic.
They were tucked into light, tan kakis cuffed mid ankle over one red sock and one striped with orange, they were tied into a pair of worn converse.
I'll be honest…my hair was a mess, cropped short over my sharp, thin features. I looked younger than I was, 31 years was a long time to be a child. And yet the BAU saw me as theirs. I didn't fight it, but I didn't like it. I swung my bag over my shoulder and flipped open my phone, the dim room glowed with the screen. My thumb pressed '3' and held until I heard the dial soft against my ear. There was a click and a breath on the other line
"Hotchner" I closed my apartment behind me and fumbled for my keys, holding the cell between my shoulder and cheek. Why was I so clumsy? Was it genetic? Nature VS. Nurture?
"Hey Hotch, It's Spencer…I was just calling to tell you I'm on my way, but am running late" there was a pause between us, finally I found my keys and locked my door taking my phone back into my hand. I began down the hall towards the stairs
"Late? You?" sarcasm hinted in Hotch's voice, there was a small chuckle from the older man "we'll fill you in when you get here…is everything ok?" I took the stairs, descending quickly surprisingly silently and finally reached the street.
"Yes, fine…why?" I pushed my way out the door into the brisk morning, the neighbor was private, hardly any traffic this time of the morning. In fact it was eerie this morning, silence echoed in the fog.
"It's just not like you to be late" I twirled the keys around my finger, walking towards my car.
"I slept through my alarm, sorry…and judging by the variables I should only be 6 minutes and 24 seconds late" a beep disconnected us. And I shook my head. He had hung up on me.
I should try and be more conversational.
As I reached to put my phone in my satchel a noise pulled painfully at my ears. I felt them twitch in protest. My head snapped up harshly. It was the squeal of tires on wet pavement. Then silence. My skin prickled and my fingers fumbled for my gun, keeping it hidden in my bag, my fingers wrapping the metal tightly. Something was wrong, something felt…off. My mind flew over statistics.
I stood in the middle of the street, the fog tampering my vision, I spun my head. The screech came again and bobbing headlights split the fog. I spun to face the sound, hand deep in my bag holding the gun.
It was a van, dark blue. The rest came in a blur as the van careened past. And a gunshot shattered the morning.
It erupted my side in a spray of blood, bursting through my left ribcage. I heard the bullet before I felt it, I saw the blood before I felt the pain. I let out a pitiful scream falling to the road. I drew the gun clumsily from my bag and fired blindly with my back pressed into the ground.
The bullet exploded into the tail light and the vehicle stopped with a lurch. My fingers pressed against the wound, eyes half closed against the white pain. I tried to push myself up on my elbow, gun still trained on the idling car.
A masked man leaned out, firing once more. His bullet like a hammer to my skull. Blood sprayed in a line behind me and I was shoved deep into oblivion. Like I was drowning in a black ocean.
FREDRICK'S POV
The van screeched again as it drove off. I watched the doctor bleed out in the rear view mirror my mouth in a grim line. The little fucker deserved it.
Spencer lay limp, the gun still held like a life line in his thin fingers, blood soaking the new day.
I watched his form grow smaller and smaller as I drove off. Finally disappearing completely. I hope he lives, so he can suffer. So I can make him suffer.
HOTCH'S POV
I pushed my way into the conference room, the round table was already fully seated minus two. Myself and Reid. They were engrossed in a conversation about the James Bond movies, soft laughter embraced the room. I smiled lightly and took my seat tapping a stack of papers on the table to neaten them. The team looked at me and my thin eyes peered back.
"Let's begin…Garcia?" Garcia looked at the empty seat startled for a moment and looked at the other's
"No Reid?" I shook my head, my eyes emotionless. I ruffled the papers for a moment, I hope he's all right. I shrugged and began to speak
"He's late-" Morgan interrupted me with a harsh laugh and I glared at him.
"-Reid…late?" I busied myself handing out the papers, Rossi, Prentiss, Morgan and JJ took them with a questioning look. Garcia shrugged and then stood, her loud, floral dress pooling at her calves. She clicked a remote and the screen came to life behind her. A severed head was tucked in a dumpster, duct tape over his mouth, eyes open, unseeing…we'd seen worse, but as the photos always do, it tumbled my stomach.
A phone buzzed loudly, I felt in in my ribs. Garcia politely clasped her hands in front of her waist and waited. I scribbled down a note and then fumbled for my vibrating device. I flipped it open dramatically.
"Agent Aaron Hotchner speaking"
"Hello, this is Saint Mary's General Hospital…I'm calling because it says here that you are listed as Spencer Reid's emergency contact" my eyes widened slightly and I stood from my seat, pushing it back so quickly it nearly tipped. My stomach fluttered dangerously.
"Yes…that's correct…is he all right?" I eyed the others who were by this time standing as well, slowly rising. I let out a shaky breath. Dread settling in the pit of my stomach like a rock.
"Unfortunately sir…" the rock settled deeper yet and I closed my eyes. I rubbed a hand over my face. "He was involved in a drive by shooting about a half an hour ago, he's in pre-op"
"Where?" Morgan was inching closer, dragging Penelope who was gripping his hand her face white.
"Um…on 34th street, in front of his apartment" there was a deadly pause
"Who is it?" David asked, a thick eyebrow arched. I waved him away and covered my spare ear with a cupped hand.
"Extent of his injuries?" I saw my team flinch as my voice came in a worried, gruff heave…exposing my fear.
"Two bullets sir, both hit. One in the side…one in the head" Tears stung in the corners of my eyes, I blinked madly
"The head?" my voice was thick with dread. He was going to die. Oh god, Spence.
"Yes sir, I'm sorry…you should probably bring your team down here…the doctors are doing everything they can…but they say he doesn't have long left" her voice dropped off and I nodded, my throat too dry and too closed up to speak. Finally the tear that threatened to fall earlier broke free over my lashes and ran like acid down my face. I hung up.
And fell heavily into my seat, there was a beat as I stared at the phone in my hands. And then in one burst of rage I three it violently across the room. It exploded on the wall.
Garcia screeched and hid behind Moran. They stared at it shocked, plastic bots littered the floor. I gathered up my papers hurriedly and shoved them messily in my brief case. Another tear falling. I had just talked to him on the phone…how could he be…?
"Who was that, Hotch?" JJ's voice was hushed in concern, the team stood idling. I looked up to see them staring, my eyes fell on Prentiss, she was biting her nails again.
"We've got to go…now" I forced myself to stand and rushed towards the door, Morgan blocked me
"Not until you explain" I stopped and eyed him. Derek's eyebrows were folded in fear, brown eyes pools of confusion. A loud, painful sigh burst past my lips.
"It's Reid, there was a drive by shooting…someone tried to kill him" a painful gasp erupted from the team. Several hands were thrown to their mouths.
"Oh my god! Is he all right?" Emily said through her fingers. I swallowed thick saliva.
"Hotch! Is. Reid. Ok?" my eyes fell to David, then to the floor and said the hardest thing I ever had to admit
"They want us at the hospital immediately…they say he doesn't have long left" the wail that rose from the group was agonizing, tears fell almost immediately. Morgan turned and put a fist through the door the sound of wood breaking was lost in the sound of pain.
Don't go, Spencer. It's not your time. I…we…can Not lose you.
MORGAN'S POV
We followed Aaron as he burst into the hospital he ran to the receptionist desk, the ER was bustling with activity.
"We are here to see, Doctor Spencer Reid? He's being treated for multiple gunshot wounds" I felt my stomach drop, come on kid. Be ok, be ok, be ok…the woman beckoned to a passing doctor, his mint green scrubs were spotted with blood, he came over. That better not be your blood, Reid.
"You're here for Spencer?" we nodded, I swallowed hardly recognizing my voice
"Doc. Be honest…how is he?" the doctor took off his mask, it hung around his neck. His eyes were sad.
"He's about to start the major surgery…he's awake" my hopes flared like a fire burning my mind, Dave put a hand on Penelope's shoulder and she placed her fingers on it, softly managing a smile. "You should see him now. I'm going to be honest here…there a very good chance Spencer won't make it off the table…I'm so very sorry" the smiles vanished, a dry sob sounded. My eye's felt like they were about to explode and my breath became rough. Damn you, Spencer. I promise kid, I'll get this bastard.
JJ took Prentiss' hand as I scrubbed my fists over my head painful and walked in a circle heatedly, who does this doctor think he is? This is the kid genius we're talking about! He can Not die.
"That's not gonna happen! You're going to fix this, doctor! DO YOU HEAR ME?" I spun grabbing the man's scrubs violently, Hotch pried me off and stepped forward head dipping lightly, I squeezed my eyes shut until dots swam across my vision.
"Take us to him"
"Ok…I'm warning you it's not a pretty sight-"
"Doctor…just take us to him"
Nothing prepared me for that sight. My best friend, my brother laying on a gurney. A thick tube taped to his mouth, a smaller tube full of blood sticking from his left ribcage…pumping blood from his lung. Bandages packed heavily around his neck.
The bullet had hit him just below the ear, in the soft notch behind the jaw, behind the ear lobe.
More bandages were coving a gaping hole in his side, right by the second tube. Nurses and doctors scurrying around, his ragged breath and the slow 'beeping' of the heart monitor bore into my ears. I let a tear fall, my fingers throbbing from where I had punched the door. His eye lids were moving rapidly as the kid looked around dazed.
Several IV's poked from his skin and hung over him like angels.
"I'm going to kill this son of a bitch" I growled, I took his hand. Garcia took his other. Silent tears poured down her puckered face. She looked lost. Hell, we ALL looked lost.
"Spencer? Spence…? Can you hear me?" JJ leaned in close to his ear brushing her fingers through his hair. There was blood everywhere. I tried to ignore it, I felt Dave touch my shoulder. His hand lingered. Aaron took Prentiss' distressed form in his arms.
"Mmhmm. Heyyy JayyyyJayyyyyy" his voice was so quiet we had to strain to hear it, he drew out his words, like he couldn't breathe. And then I remembered…he couldn't.
I don't know why…probably relief…but we all laughed.
"How are you feeling, boo?" Garcia's voice trembled and she held his hand in both of hers.
"Okayyyy. It hurttttts. Don'tt know whooo sho-shottt meeee" there was silence, he looked at me eyes drooping.
"Well good news, man! Doc said you're going to be all right" my voice betrayed me, it broke
"Heee alreadyyy told meeee, Morgann. I'mmm prob'ly goin' tooo diee" Spencer took a deep, gargling breath. No one dared to cry, although we all wanted to. How dare that bastard tell him that?
"We don't know that, Reid" I didn't look at Dave, I could tell he too was withholding tears. Hell…how couldn't you?
"It's time to go" a nurse in surgical gear had come over, she looked apologetic "you ready, Spencer?"
"Yessss, 'm reaadyy" I found myself unable to let his hand go "Morgann you've gotta lettt goo nowww…everythin' will beee Okayyyy" I patted his shoulder softly and back away, bending to kiss his hair, the other's followed. And we finally surrendered him to the nurses.
"I'll catch this bastard, Reid...You're my hero, kid"
"Anddd youuu guysss...areee mineee." It was only when the operation room doors closed, that we finally let out the tears.
He will wake up. He has too.
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Yours truly,
EACT
Stay thirsty (for Reid) my friends