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He could hear the voices shouting around him, but couldn't make any of the words out. Everything was blurry and muted. But the pain was sharp and clear. He cried out when hands found his body, poking and prodding, and touching him. A voice broke through his muddled thoughts.
"Reid! Kid! Please answer me! Can you hear me? You're okay kid. You're safe. It's me, it's Morgan."
He groaned. "Morgan. It hurts. It hurts so much."
Morgan's heart twisted in his chest. "I know kid. You just gotta stay with me."
Reid cried out again when more hands came, and his eyes fluttered shut.
"No kid don't do that. Hey, keep your eyes on me ok, on me."
Reid struggled to open his eyes back up and found himself looking at Morgan's, full of pain and sorrow. When Reid cried out again Morgan just barely managed to choke back a sob. "I'm so sorry kid. I should've been here, I-I should have protected you." Tears were streaming down his face now, but he did nothing to stop it.
Reid gave him a weak smile. He struggled to lift up his arm and then grabbed onto Morgan's arm. "Not your fault."
Morgan was about to respond when Reid's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he started seizing.
"Reid!" He shouted, but the doctors and nurses pulled him away, and whisked Reid away, shouting things that Morgan didn't understand, but knew were not good. He pulled himself off a nurse, struggling to get to Reid, but another doctor blocked his path.
"There's nothing you can do for him agent. Let us do our job."
Morgan knew they were right, but it didn't make it any easier. So he sat down and stared at his hands, which he just then realized we're covered in Reid's blood.
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Hotch rushed into the hospital, Rossi and Garcia hot on his heels. The first thing he saw was Morgan, slumped down in a chair, staring at his hands.
"Morgan." He looked up from his hands, his eyes full of pain and anger.
"Reid was attacked. They somehow managed to let in a fucking rapist into his room and didn't even know what had happened. I was the one who found him Hotch. There was so much blood, and they-" he choked on a sob. Heels clicked over to him and Garcia sat beside him, pulling him into her arms. "It's my fault. I should've stayed with him, I shouldn't have trusted this goddamn hospital to keep him safe."
Garcia shushed him.
"You can't blame yourself Morgan. This would've happened no matter what. We got a picture and a message, and it was clear that if they hadn't done it now, they would've done it later."
Morgan said nothing, just looked back to his hands again. Garcia tilted his chin up so that he was looking at her. "Reid wouldn't want you to blame yourself, sugar. Now c'mon, you need to go wash your hands. And I need to spread my wrath on all the doctors and nurses in this hospital." She smiled when she managed to get a small smile out of him. They left, leaving Hotch and Rossi alone.
"Don't tell me you're blaming yourself too, Aaron."
Hotch sighed. "I'm the leader of this team. I should've had someone with Reid at all times. I was so blinded by a possible lead in the case that I didn't even think to leave protection with my most vulnerable agent. The blame rests with me."
"Oh c'mon Hotch. You just told Morgan they would've gotten to Reid anyway. And you're right. They would've. So get your head out of your ass. You say you're the leader of this team? Then start acting like it."
Hotch sighed. "I know, I just- why do bad things keep happening to him Dave? What the hell did he do to deserve this."
"Nothing. He didn't do anything wrong. This is their fault. The men who did this to him."
"I should have left someone with him. After this, there'll be 24 hour guard outside Reid's room. And one of us will stay with him at all times."
Rossi nodded. "I'll go tell them to put a guard outside of Reid's room."
Hotch looked at the room and sat down on the nearest chair, just as Emily and JJ rushed in.
"Hotch, I got your voicemail. What happened? Is Reid OK?" Prentiss asked, concern evident in her voice.
Hotch pressed his lips together and sighed. "Reid was attacked. He was alone, and our unsubs took advantage of it. They must've been watching us and the hospital. He's with doctors now, I don't know what they're doing or how he's doing."
"Oh god," said JJ, putting her hand over her mouth.
"I don't know when there'll be any news, so you might want to rest, go home. I'll let you know if I hear anything.
"No," said JJ firmly. "I'm not leaving Spence. I'm staying here."
"Me too Hotch," said Emily. "I can't go home and rest, not after this."
She half expected Botch to say no, but surprisingly, he just nodded and looked away.
JJ sat down heavily, struggling to hold back tears. Emily sat down next to her, and grabbed her hand, the only comfort she could give to her friend at that point.
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"Ok…Yes. Thanks for calling." Rossi hung up the phone and walked quickly back to the waiting area, where the whole team, minus Reid, was. Hotch looked up.
"What is it?"
"The lab just called. They found DNA on the car keys we found in Reid's apartment. Earl Garrison."
"You're kidding. What took them so long?"
"Said they were backed up, even though I put a rush on it."
Morgan stood up. "It doesn't matter. We just got one of them. We can get all the others if we get this guy to talk. Can you get us an address baby girl?"
"Already on it, I got my laptop in my bag, honey." She paused. "Hmm ok, Earl Garrison, 38, works at a department store in Washington…." She paused, fingers quickly tapping on the keyboard, searching for information. " Oh, woah."
"What is it, mama?"
"He's got a record. Breaking and entering, aaand get ready for this my doves, he was dishonorably discharged from the marines because of not one, not two, but three accusations of sexual assault."
"Garcia, an address," said Hotch impatiently.
"Right, right, sorry…..34 Fillmore Avenue!
"Morgan, Rossi, Prentiss, let's go. JJ and Garcia, let us know the second you hear anything. And send that address to me, Garcia."
"Already sent. Go get this SOB, crime fighters."
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"FBI!" Morgan kicked in the door, Hotch following in behind him.
Shouts of "Clear!" rang throughout the house as Morgan slowly went up the stirs, covered by Prentiss. When he made it to the top of the stairs, he could see a man trying to escape through the bathroom window.
"Hey!" he shouted. "Earl Garrison! Don't move! FBI!"
The man crawled back into the house, slowly raising his hands up. He turned around, smirking.
"Hello there. Derek, right? How's Spencer doing? He talked about you a lot. Well, not really talking, more like…screaming. He screamed a lot. Always, 'Derek, Derek! Help me!'" He paused watching Morgan's reaction.
Morgan growled and roughly grabbed Earl, slamming him into the wall and putting his cuffs on him as tight as he could.
Earl leaned next to his ear and whispered, "He was so tight, Derek." Earl didn't realize his mistake until Morgan's fist was flying into his face. He smiled, blood seeping from his mouth and staining his teeth. "I see you still have that temper."
"Morgan," Prentiss called, a hint of warning in her voice.
Morgan turned around, anger flashing in his eyes. Then he looked back at Garrison's face, a bruise already starting to form. "He resisted arrest," he growled. Prentiss just nodded.
"Let's go, scumbag," Morgan said, pulling him by his shirt.
"Is Spencer okay? I would hate to think something…happened to him."
"Shut up," snarled Morgan, pushing him ahead.
Morgan dragged him down the stairs and out the front door, Hotch and Prentiss on other side of him, and Rossi behind him. Morgan shoved Earl into the awaiting cop car, not even bothering to put his head down. "Go to hell you bastard," Morgan muttered under his breath. Hotch gave him a disapproving look but said nothing.
He pulled the cop aside and said, "You're taking him to the Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico. This man is part of a federal case- he's in our jurisdiction, got it?"
The police officer nodded, stepping into the front seat and driving away, Earl smirking at the agents as he left.
Morgan glared back at him. "I wanna wipe that smirk off that pig's face. Preferably with a few good punches."
"Get in line," said Rossi.
Prentiss nodded in agreement. "What a sleaze bag."
They filed into the car, Hotch driving. Morgan sat rigid and tense, anger practically coming off him in waves. Prentiss sat next to him, trying to shove all the painful memories that had been created into a box, trying to remain level-headed.
Hotch looked back at his team members. "When we get back, we'll get him to talk. I don't care if we have to beat it out of him, we're gonna get those names."
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About halfway into the car ride back, Prentiss' phone started ringing.
"This is Agent Prentiss…Yeah, we got him. We're driving back now….. He did?...Ok, good. See you soon JJ."
Morgan looked to her. "Was that about Reid?"
"Yeah. He's gonna be alright. They moved him into a new room with 24 hour surveillance. JJ and Garcia are going to his room right now.
Morgan breathed a sigh of relief, some of his anger and concern leaving his body, deflating like a balloon, and leaned back into his chair.
Rossi smiled. "Thank God. That kid needs a day of rest without getting injured somehow."
Prentiss smirked. "Tell me about it."
Hotch spoke up. "We're all going back to the hospital to see Reid. We'll leave Garrison alone, make him nervous, stress him out. And we do not leave Reid alone again. Someone needs to stay with him at all times, security or no security. This will not happen again."
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JJ looked up as the door to Reid's room opened. She smiled softly at the group of four that filed in.
Morgan swallowed, his eyes full of pain as he saw Reid lying unconscious in a hospital bed, yet again.
"He hasn't woken up yet. He's been sleeping for hours. The doctor says the sedative should wear off, and he should be waking up soon."
Morgan pulled up a chair next to Reid, watching over him. Prentiss and Rossi took chairs at sat at the sides of the room, and Hotch sat down in a chair in the corner.
Morgan took Reid's pale hand, trying to warm it up and offer him some comfort. He whispered under his breath, "I'm so sorry kid. I should have protected you. I'm not leaving you. I'll be by your side the whole time." He closed his eyes and a stray tear trailed down his face.
Hotch looked over his team. Reid was lying in a hospital bed, looking impossibly small and pale. Morgan's eyes were glued to Reid, not letting him out of sight. From the outside he looked calm and collected, but as a trained profiler, Hotch could see the pain reflected in his eyes. Prentiss sat against the wall, staring off into space. She was biting her nails, a sign she was stressed and anxious. Rossi sat against the wall next to her, watching over the team, like him, making sure everyone was okay. He made eye contact with Hotch and nodded. He looked over at JJ, who was striking Reid's hair and whispering softly to him. Hotch knew this was hitting her hard, as Reid was her best friend. He could see the sadness etched into her face, but he could also tell she was angry, angry at the group of people who had hurt Reid. Garcia had Reid's hand clutched in her's, as if she let go, he would drift away. She had tears openly streaming down her face, and she didn't care. Hotch could tell she'd have freshly baked muffins and balloons in here by tomorrow morning.
His team was bent, a chink in their armor. They weren't trying hard to hide their emotions- their guards were down, but that was the last thing they were worried about. Reid was the priority- he was all their priorities. When it came to himself though-well, he wasn't sure how he was doing. He felt incredibly guilty. He knew what Rossi said, but the blame lied with him. He'd bore the pain, the guilt, so his team wouldn't have to. Because that was his job. Because they were his family.
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