*Third Person*
When the team arrived at the hospital, joining Spencer who was riding in the ambulance with her and was waiting for the rest of the team, they had a mutual understanding it may take a while for her to be okay if she was going to be okay. They took a seat and relaxed slightly.
"She did it. The Kid did it." Rossi said reflecting and smiling.
"She did. I'm proud of her. I never knew how much she had in her." Hotch said thinking along the same lines as Rossi did.
"...she died. She was dead in my arms." Derek said out loud although seemingly to himself.
"But she's back. She's beat death. She's going to be okay now." Spencer said hopefully.
"I just can't get out of my head how much blood there was." Derek said astonished at the memory.
"Okay one, spare me the details, and two...she died?" Garcia asked surprised.
"For about a minute's time. But we brought her back." Spencer said touching Derek's shoulder.
"That's gotta be a huge burden to bear." Prentiss said shaking her head. The team looked up at her in confusion.
"What do you mean?" JJ asked taking a seat across from her.
"Well I mean she died, not to mention it was an excruciating way to go, but she came back. She went through all the pain of dying and has to live knowing she's going to go through it at least one more time in her life. That can't be easy." she explained.
"Drowning is one the worst ways to die. The victim feels their lungs filling with water while their body craves oxygen and there's nothing they can do by try and fight until their muscles can't function due to the lack of oxygen and then suffer." Spencer said looking at the medical side of things. The team sat in silence for the next moments.
"I hope it's not too long. I don't know how long we can all last out here together." JJ said with a small chuckle. Hotch rubbed her back.
"You all need to get some rest. Take it easy. She's going to be fine." Hotch assured seeing his team so worn down and stressed.
"He's right. We need to sleep. We've been up almost the entire time she was...gone." Derek said clearing his throat at the last word. He took a seat and relaxed. The rest of the team followed his lead. Hotch watched as they all seemed to be out of it in seconds. They were much too exhausted. Hotch took one last glance at his sleeping team, and closed his eyes as well.
Hotch was the first to open his eyes at 7:45 AM the next morning. Again he glanced around to observe the sleeping team. They truly were a family. He turned his gaze to look at Derek Morgan. He looked peaceful, yet still so on guard. Young Doctor Reid was similar as well. He looked innocent and calm, but he was obviously not at rest.
"Umm, Sir? Are you all here for the young agent who was brought in the other day?" Hotch looked up wondering how long she had been trying to get his attention before he acknowledged her.
"I'm sorry, yes. Is she alright? Can we see her?" The nurse smiled as Hotch stood and shook her hand.
"She is stable now and she began to wake a few moments ago. At the end of the hallway, take a left, she's the first door on the right." she smiled and headed back to her duties. Hotch walked to each member of the team and shook them gently.
"She's okay. We can see her now." Hotch smiled as each of the member's once sleepy faces lit up.
They walked down the hallway slowly, only because Hotch made them. Once they entered the room, the paused. The team stopped staring at the bruised and beaten teammate, all except for Derek who rushed to her side. Slowly she opened her eyes as she felt his hand in hers. She smiled, gaining a smile from him in return.
"Hey" she said her voice slightly rough and sleepy.
"Awwh, Baby Girl!" Derek cried, wrapping her in a hug. She couldn't say she didn't enjoy it, but all she could express was her physical pain.
"I-I'm sorry. Two cracked ribs, concussion, bruises everywhere, stab wound..." she trailed off chuckling at how unreal it all sounded.
"Oh I'm sorry..." he traced her bruised cheek with his thumb.
"Trust me. When I'm better and I mean not just out of here - I mean all better, you're all getting insanely big hugs that last for awkward lengths of time and seem to go on forever, I promise." she laughed again and so did everyone else. "It's no negotiable."
"That's my girl." Derek laughed
"How are you feeling?" Hotch asked in a friendly, soothing voice. That was quite unexpected.
"I'm okay, especially now that you guys are here. My head kind of hurts, and so does my face, and...okay a lot hurts, but it's okay. I'm just glad you guys are here." she smiled and it was genuine. She leaned towards Derek casually.
"Don't let go...okay?" she whispered, glancing down to his hand in hers. He nodded sympathetically and kissed her head, holding it to his chest. There was a long silence and then they heard the sound. The young agent who had stayed strong the entire time began to sob into her protector. Everyone looked on sullenly.
"I-I'm so sorry. I-I just thought I'd never see you guys again..." she cried. "I'm so sorry." she whispered, her voice breaking.
"It's okay. I needed to make sure you knew something, though" Hotch spoke. Derek stared at him cautiously, trying to urge him it wasn't the right time.
"I-I need to tell you...You said you didn't think I liked you, but that's not true at all. I just want you to know I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that way. I'm sorry. And I didn't mind you calling me 'Aaron' either. I'm sorry." he stood by her side opposite Derek and touched her shoulder. She motioned for him to come closer and kissed his cheek.
"I'm sorry." she whispered. He looked in her understanding eyes and nodded, then stepped back to allow another to say what they needed to. Rossi stepped forward next and took the space where Hotch stood seconds before. He took the agents other hand and smiled brightly.
"I'm proud of you, Kid. More proud of you than I've ever been of anyone else. That's something to be proud of. You're something special. Don't lose that sparkle in your eyes." he touched her cheek and kissed her hand before moving away.
"For the record, I couldn't do your job either. You deserve as much credit as me - more even." JJ chimed in from the other side of the room.
"Okay before I start up the waterworks you need a hug from your favorite tech analyst!" Garcia said bouncing over.
"Uh, Pen she's kind of injured right now..." Derek warned trying to let her down easy. She leaned over and hugged her gently and sweetly.
"I'm not trying to squeeze the life out of her at the current moment like someone else in this room I know..." The room laughed and Derek held a hand up in friendly surrender.
"Nicole...don't be afraid to cry. You are a much braver girl than I ever knew. I have eternal respect for you - the way you handled everything. It's you who's brave." Emily smiled.
She looked towards the back of the group to see the young Spencer Reid simply staring with a look of internal battle and sadness on his face. The team followed her gaze and went silent.
"I think we'll head out now, give you some space." Hotch said leading the team out, both Spencer and Derek left behind.
"Derek...do you mind if I talk to Spence for a little bit. I promise he'll keep my hand warm for you for when you get back." That made Derek smile and he nodded, kissing her forehead and patting Spencer's shoulder before walking out. There was silence and eye contact between the two for a moment.
She outstretched her arms and they both cried in a gentle hug.
"You have no idea how much I wish I could hug you tighter - even if it meant cracking the rest of my ribs. It'd be worth it." she said still holding him. He chuckled slightly.
"You will be able to soon, hopefully with the lack of cracking any ribs." they both chuckled at this.
"Do you promise?" he cocked his head
"What exactly am I promising?"
"That you'll have the biggest, tightest, longest-lasting hug waiting for me?" This cracked the young genius up.
"I promise." The smiles and laughter soon faded and there was an eerie silence between the two. Spencer took the liberty of taking Derek's seat and took her hand, just as she promised Derek he would.
"About what I said...you know before, I-I'm sorry. I really am. I didn't have the intention of embarrassing you like that, but I really thought I was going to die and it wouldn't matter. I'm so sorry, Spencer." she was so genuinely sorry and began to cry again. Spencer, like Derek, held her face to his chest and kissed her head and face.
"Shh, shh...no. Don't be sorry. I needed to hear that because...well I-I um. Garcia would be so much better at this." he laughed to himself.
"W-what is it?" she chuckled lightly.
"I...I like you too. A lot. More than a lot actually. I...I love you too." Spencer immediately broke eye contact due to his lack of confidence in the women department.
"I-Is this some kind of joke? I swear if Derek's putting you up to this I will kill that man." she was joking, but she was actually afraid he was just trying to comfort her.
"No, no I'm not joking at all." he said quickly in defense. She laughed at that. She stared at him for a while without saying a word.
"What is it?" he asked lightly.
"Is he going to fire me?" she asked seriously. He stared into her watery eyes.
"No, he wouldn't, of course-"
"Reid." She said seriously not wanting him to lie to her face.
"I-I'm sorry. I don't know. I-..." he stammered.
"It's okay. I understand. I knew the consequences. It's okay." she said calmly, although it was evident she wasn't. He looked at her, but looked away. He was never good with women, regardless of who they were.
"Spencer?" his look immediately turned back towards her.
"Can I have another hug?" she asked so innocently. A smile grew on his face and he nodded, squeezing the young agent as tightly as possible without hurting or damaging her any further.
"Thank you" she whispered thoughtfully still being held in his grasp, squeezing out a few more tears. While in the position she was in, she pecked his cheek, squeezed him one last time, and pulled back.
He smiled and took her hand.
"If you're ready, I think we can invite the team back in if they do want to come back. I know Derek's probably dying." she laughed along with him.
"He was a mess. I mean we all were, but he got the 'Hotch treatment' and hardly slept a wink." Spencer laughed, trying not to remember the pain and fear and regret they all felt before she was okay. She faked a smile and nodded. Spencer squeezed her hand and headed out to gather the team again.
Derek was the first to rush in.
"Can I try hugging you again?" she smiled and knew he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. He wasn't as gentle as she needed, but she didn't care. She wished she could hug everyone tighter too. Everyone came to her side to take their turns with the hugging and said small things. No surprise, the rest of the team had no trouble being gentle - just the overgrown Derek Morgan.
"I'm proud of you. It's good to have you back, Agent." Hotch said standing beside her. She looked him in the eyes and wrapped him in her arms.
"Not as proud as I am of each of you every single day."
The team 'aww-ed' and a few shed tears.
The only thing Spencer Reid could think of at this point was:
If he has to fire her, I'd rather not work here either.
Sorry it's been a day since I updated, but I had to figure a lot of dialouge in this chapter! Hope you enjoy! Please review, for I need all the suggestions and critiques and compliments to help me grow! Thanks! Love you guys!
Nicole, xoxo
