Criminal Minds © CBS.

Part 19 of Shadows Within – direct follow up to All That We're Living For, bit of an overlap with the ending of the last one, SPN at the end.

Last Train Home

The doctors don't let Hotch and Reid share a room. Hotch isn't sure if that annoys or scares Reid. They keep the young agent to treat him for shock and his broken leg. Hotch they just want to make sure he didn't break anything that shouldn't be broken. Hotch knows he's fine, but he lets the doctors fuss over him anyway. The last thing he wants to do is give them any reason to suspect.

They're only kept for a few days. Still, every morning Hotch wakes to the almost overwhelming feel of Reid inside his mind. One night Hotch just reaches out and stays with Reid the entire night. That night he sees Reid's nightmares of what might have happened, sees himself lying dead with no hope of coming back, and he understands. He stays as close to Reid as he can.

When the doctors finally release them from care, Reid becomes Hotch's shadow. He stays close as Hotch clears out his hotel room, and Hotch sticks around as Reid does the same. Some part of Hotch realizes he really should be annoyed by this, but he just can't be. He knows exactly why Reid is doing this, what he's afraid of. However, the kid can't keep this up at DC. Whatever he needs to finally relax, Hotch has to give it to him on the plane.

So he waits until the others have fallen asleep. It doesn't take long. The aftermath of the case has wiped them all out. He really wants to sleep himself, but right now his team has priority. The others are dealing with what almost happened. Reid is not. He's forcing himself to stay awake the same way Hotch is.

Once everyone is safely asleep, Hotch gets up and approaches Reid. The youngest agent sits with one knee pulled up to his chest. His hurt leg is kept stretched out. Hotch makes sure not to touch it as he sits down beside his youngest. Are you okay?

Reid nods. I'm fine.

Hotch rolls his eyes. Okay, wrong question – what's wrong?

Reid wraps his arms around himself, refusing to look at Hotch. You died.

I'm here.

I felt you leave.

Ah. Now this is the problem, and this is something Hotch can easily answer. He gently touches Reid's arm. The younger agent doesn't flinch away. Reid. Look at me. When Reid's eyes are finally on him, he smiles. Listen to me. I left, but not far. I – I remember some of what happened, after the fall. I couldn't leave, Reid. The team kept me here.

Slowly, Reid nods. I know – in my head, I know that. But that doesn't stop the fear.

I know.

Reid twists in his seat to face Hotch. You told me I'm your son. Well, you're my dad. You always have been, you're the only dad I've ever had. You were gone, and all I could think was that I'd lost that – that we'd lost that. He shakes his head. I can't handle that.

I know. Hotch shakes his head. Do you think we'd take your loss any easier? Or Rossi, or Prentiss, for that matter? Any of us? None of us are expendable, Reid, I don't give a damn what Strauss says. He pulls Reid forward as far as he can and hugs him.

I'm right here, Reid. I'm not going anywhere. You have my word.

Reid nods into his shoulder. Thank you. He pulls back a little and smiles. You're going to have to think of a good reason for being sore when we get home. Jack and Henry will worry.

Hotch groans. Oh hell. I forgot about that.

They talk a little longer, but it doesn't take much for Reid to finally fall asleep. Hotch smiles and leans back in his seat. Rossi's voice invades his peace.

You two are so cute.

Hotch doesn't even flinch. I want you to know that I am flicking you off in my mind. I don't have the energy to do it physically.

Rossi just laughs at him.

/-/

In retrospect, Bobby really should not have taken this phone call. His personal cell starts ringing, and that usually only means Dean or Sam. Very few hunters actually use that particular cell. So he picks up, fully expecting his boys in way over their heads. Instead, he hears from a hunter he figured would be dead by now.

"Alan?"

He can almost hear the smile in the other man's voice. "Hey, Bobby. You got Dean's new number? I have a case he may like."

Bobby gives Alan the number, a sick feeling in his gut. As soon as he hangs up the phone, he calls Castiel. The angel appears quickly. Bobby rarely calls. "What's wrong?"

"I think some hunters have caught your FBI friend's scent." Bobby says grimly. "I just got a call from Alan, and he wanted Dean's number. Didn't say why."

Castiel freezes. It's no mystery to Bobby why the angel's taken a shine to the FBI toothpick – they're both freaks alone in the world and in desperate need of family. Spencer Reid found his. Castiel can, too, if certain hunters will just stop being so damn stubborn.

"I'll check on Spencer."

"Warn them." Bobby says. "Warn Sam and Dean, too. I really don't like the idea of those two going up against the FBI."

Something painful crosses Castiel's face, but it's gone before Bobby can properly identify it. He simply nods and vanishes. Bobby leans back against the wall and sighs.

All hell is gonna break loose. He just knows it.