Anthropophagist

Floyd Flanders Franks once thought: - I can see I need to take this to the next step. I have never experienced such a resistance as this. This is exciting!

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

A/N: sort of maybe a continuation some time later after recovery, cos this is Criminal Minds and not ER so don't much wanna do hospital drama.

There was a slightly uneasy peace when the members of the BAU got back to work.

Although finally Reid had been given the all clear to return to work, he wouldn't be a field agent. At least not until further surgery had been done on his knee. Until that time he was still in a small brace and walking with a limp.

Rossi had joined as a new member and at last they seemed to be meshing back together.

Today was his first day back and he stood in the bathroom looking at his pale face in the mirror watching it slowly fade in the steam.

"What's wrong? I thought you were looking forward to today." He turned and looked at the smiling face behind him.

"I am. I think I am – just you know. I'm a bit nervous I suppose."

"Are you sure you don't want a lift in?" Fingers pushing his hair behind his ears for him.

"You lost your drivers permit remember? Please try to remember." A frown.

Smirk. "How can I forget with you on my back about it all the time?" Looking down at Spencer's thin bare arms. One of them had a nasty scar down the inside from elbow to wrist. "You should keep that covered." Reid ran his finger along the purplish coloured dent in his arm.

"I'm not ashamed of it."

"No? Your therapist tell you that did she?" A finger joined Reid's in its journey down the scar.

A nod "But I agree with her. It's only a mark on my skin. Not a scar on my mind."

"Bullshit." He turned and walked away with a tight expression. "I'm going back to bed then. Have a good day at the office my dear." He left the bathroom slamming the door behind him.

Spencer frowned at the door then turned back to the mirror and drew a smiley face in the steam.

"And stop drawing on the mirror you big kid!" A muffled shout from the direction of the kitchen.

………………….

As the elevator pinged on the floor he needed his stomach tied in a knot of worry and he wanted to just be sucked back down to the basement. Two steps took him out of the elevator and into visual range of the team. He stood holding his messenger bag tightly in front of him. A barrier against everything.

"Hey." From next to him – Aaron. "Coffee? We should start off as we mean to go on, don't you think?"

Spencer smiled at his boss and nodded. "Wonderful way to start back. Thank you."

Hotch took the lead and Reid followed. He could feel eyes boring into his back and looking at his leg as he limped slowly behind Hotch. He could feel tears of frustration prickling behind his eyes. They had either been told to keep back from him, or they didn't want to talk to him. Either way it felt bad. He stood next to Aaron at the counter and fiddled with the coffee machine until it hissed at him and made him jump. A hand rested on his shoulder.

"It's going to be OK. New dynamics in the team. Rossi is good. You will like him. It's all a change so you don't need to worry."

Chewing on his bottom lip "Do I look worried?"

"Petrified. No need to be. Grab the coffee and come to my office. You need to sign papers again and read through contracts etcetera."

Spencer looked down at the coffee mug now sitting in front of him and picked up the sugar container and poured it into his mug. A hand now on his hand.

"You are shaking. It's only us Spencer. We are your family. You don't need to worry about what people are thinking because they are all thinking how great it is to have you back at work." A pause as Spencer stirred his sugar. "Is Floyd OK with this?"

Reid looked up and met Hotch's eyes for the first time. "Floyd is fine with this. He is sticking to the rules. He is taking his meds and he is seeing the therapist each day. She comes to the house. I think he was glad to see the back of me this morning."

He put is spoon in the sink and tucked his hair behind his ears.

The walk to Aaron's office felt like he was running the gauntlet only in some kind of Halloween reverse. No body looked at him. No body said good morning, yet as he past he could hear whisperings and rustlings. If he could have made a black hole appear under him right there and then he would have. By the time he had reached Aaron's office and his leg was throbbing and his eyes watering in pain he just felt like giving up and going home.

Hotch closed and locked the office door and asked Reid to sit. Once he was sitting and the coffee had been blown on and sipped he asked Spencer what was wrong.

"What is it with them? Not even Morgan has said 'goodmorning' I cant do this Aaron. This is a mistake."

"I told them to leave you be this morning. I know they all – well some – have a lot of questions and I didn't think you would want that the minute you stepped out of the elevator. To be totally honest I am amazed that Morgan took any notice of me. He has been worried about you Spencer. We all have. We so nearly lost you again. You are going to be an invaluable resource to us Reid. You can do your job just as well here as out in the field. As I said the dynamics have changed."

"You don't need a walking encyclopdia." Fiddle, fiddle.

"I didn't say that. That's not what I meant. That's not what you were. For now read this over and sign where you need." He looked up into Spencer's eyes. "Spencer, don't look so worried. You will be doing the same job – virtually the same job, but you will have the Quantico resources to leech from. A better arrangement."

"I was a field agent Hotch. This feels like a demotion."

"Garcia works from here."

"She has her own office."

Raised eyebrow. "She has a bunker full of computers."

"I am requesting a bunker full of maps and felt tip pens then." A grin.

…………………….

Eleven in the morning and Floyd was pacing the loft apartment he shared with Reid. He hated taking these damned meds. They made his head feel wrong. They stopped him from thinking straight but he promised. He had promised Spence he would take them. So why are they still in his hand two hours late? Damn you Spence, damn you Aaron. He opened his palm and looked at the mixture of pills getting sweaty. Some to calm him down, some to stop the twitching which the first ones caused, some to stop him seeing things, some to stop him thinking things he shouldn't. So many pills, it wasn't him anymore. He was finding living with Spencer irritating in the extreme. Annoying habits like reading in bed and having to wash his mug up as soon as he had drained it. Putting clean clothes out for them both to wear in the morning. Insisting he showered. That was probably the most annoying. The washing – constant nagging about his hair and the – yes the insistence that he take off his day clothes when he goes to bed.

Why?! Explain why Spence. What is the point? You only have to get up in a few hours and put them back on again. Explain the reasoning.

He looked down at the pill cocktail in his fist and walked to the kitchen area.

"I will take them. Not for you Spence and not for you Aaron, but because you will know if I don't and I wont end up in some hole because I have killed my therapist." He looked up at the kitchen clock. "Shit, the therapist." He poured some cold water from the fridge dispenser and chugged back the pills. The effect was almost immediate. He slid down the kitchen wall and sat on the floor hugging his legs and resting his head on his knees. He was still sitting there when the buzzer went on the intercom.

He dragged himself to his feet and walked to the big service elevator and punched the intercom button. "What?"

"Its Cindy, can I come up please?"

"No – fuck off and leave me alone. I am done talking to you."

"Please Floyd. You sound a bit distressed. Maybe I can help."

"Well that's doubtful – but if you insist."

He smacked the elevator button and sent it down to her. "Hope it crushes you." He muttered as he walked off to put the kettle on.

……………………

A/N: - carry on? Stop here? Any opinions? Please R&R