CHAPTER 10
In the previous chapter . . .
"No! This is not fair ! He couldn't die ! Not like this . . ." Rossi began to yell
Suddenly, the familiar voice came from the door.
"You're right . . ."
They turned to the sound. There he was. Injured, with crutches and with many
scares ,which bandage didn't cover very good.
He smiled gently.
". . . I said I'll come back, didn't I ?"
Presence
He looked so real, so alive. But something inside of them was still yelling 'It's impossible'.
Spencer smiled again, but didn't move.
He was waiting for their reaction. Ready to hug them. Ready to walk away if they'll want.
They just stand there, without any word.
Looking at him, watching his face. Trying to understand. But it didn't work.
Reid was still wearing army clothes. Camouflage trousers, big brown belt with 2 guns, knife,transmitter and faded green t-shirt.
He had a bandage on his right arm and leg. 2 large scars. First, on his neck. Second, on his cheek, which was near the eye. Many deep scoring and bruises on the rest of his body.
He was shaking a little, cause of pain. But he didn't sit.
Only few hours ago he came from Iraq. And ago 26 minutes his third surgery was done. In his veins was still running narcosis, so if he didn't have his crutches he would certainly fall from fatigue.
He should be in a hospital few weeks, but he wanted to be here.
Spencer tried to breath, but he was too tired. His knees buckled, but suddenly somebody ran to him and catch him to hug.
It was Aaron. He helped him to stand back, and settled him to nearest chair.
When Reid looked around he saw the familiar faces.
They were watching him with incredible fear.
Their friend survived, but he suffered right in front of them.
"Spence . . ." Jj whispered with eyes full of tears. She knelled next to him and grabbed his hurt hand.
Penelope came closer, and gave him cup of water, without any word.
"Thank you." he said quietly and took a glass
They all sat next to him, grabbing his shoulder or arm.
He looked at them with painful eyes.
"I didn't know they told you I'm dead. When I find out I went here. It was difficult."
"Yeah, we heard last mission record." sighed Alex
"How . . ." Morgan began ". . . how you got out of there ?" His voice was so hurt, so sad that it was killing him.
"First bomb was too far from the team, so we got a time to escape, but . . ." he stopped and cleared his throat.
". . . we didn't know about the second attack, which was very near."
He looked down and sighed from pain.
"I protected team Alpha 01, 9 members. Colonel with the rest went on the other side of the hill, when the bomb fell. We hid in the old village, but I, as a leader, was the last. Members had few broken ribs, and bones but nothing serious. Alpha 02 didn't have so much luck. Concussions, contusions , massive bleeding. One ends up on the wheel-chair, but survived."
"You ?" asked Derek, still with broken voice.
"I'm . . . I'm fine, that's not relevant . . ."
"Spencer, please" said Penelope and searched his bandages
"Look, I was the leader, it's normal I ends up, as I did."
"The details, please ?" said Alex with 'mother-cares' voice.
He sighed, cause he knew it will hurt them. But he didn't have a choice.
"16 broken ribs, concussion, internal bleeding, damaged heart, shrapnel in the lungs, broken radius and cause of my old injury my thigh-bone was destroyed."
They looked at each other. How much pain it has to be.
"Spence, I'm sor. . ." Jj started, but Penelope stopped her.
"Wait, wait . . . It means you don't have to come back ?"
Spencer looked down, sighed,licked his lips nervously.
Rossi looked at him and raised his eyebrows.
"Reid ?"
"No, I don't have to."
He still looked too sad.
"Sorry, I didn't get something ?" asked Alex with confused tone in voice.
"Reid, what you're not telling us?" Hotch joined her
Spencer just looked at them with the most saddest eyes, touched his leg.
Then he rolled a piece of pants up.
On the place where has to be a leg, was now only big iron rod.
Prosthesis a replacement.
Morgan looked at him with confused face, trying to understood.
"Is . . . Is it what I think it is ?"
He nodded, without any sound.
"It hurts, isn't it ?"
He nodded again.
"Can we do something. To help ?" Jj disturbed him.
"Don't talk about pain would be nice."
They smiled gently.
Penelope grabbed his hand.
"Do you want to go home ? To sleep ?"
"Yeah, thanks. I didn't
sleep in normal bad probably 14 months."
The others turned and went for their jackets.
"Come on." said Morgan, walked to him and helped him to stand up.
But when he did first step, his knee buckled.
"Whou! Slowly, Pretty Boy."
Reid didn't respond.
He just stood there, without any sound or move.
"Reid, are you okay ?"
He came closer to him and touched his shoulder.
"Reid ?" he whispered.
"I . . . I am fine." he said with broken voice.
"Kid, I'm not idiot. I can see, when something's wrong."
"That pain is too much . . . too long."
He leaned against the table, and closed his eyes.
From that unbelievable pain he clench his fists.
Morgan shored him and grabbed his shoulder.
"Reid, I know you don't want it, but I have to drive you back to hospital . . ."
"No, no . . . I'm fine, I just . . . " he didn't continued it, when his knees buckled and he fell to unconsciousness.
"Kid ! Stay with me !" he yelled, but it was too late.
On Reid's t-shirt was large, and eventually increasing bloody spot.
Suddenly the others came to the room.
"What happened ?!" screamed Garcia, when she saw her boys on the floor.
"His sticks burst. Call 911 !"
Alex jumped to the phone, while the others ran to them.
"Please, open your eyes. Please. . . ." whispered Penelope, while she was squeezing his hand.
In the hospital
23:34 – Resuscitation (38 min. long)
00:03 – Surgery begins, without any problems
01:28 – Heart stops, when damaged artery ruptures
01:48 – Still, without any sighs of life
02:01 – Patient responds. Extreme damage of heart endangers the operation.
02:16 – Irregular pulse
02:40 – Surgery was finished (No-complete)
. . . 2 hours later
"Can we see him ?" asked Jj a nurse, coming from his room
"He woke up minute ago, so be slowly with him." she smiled and the others nodded.
They opened the white door. It was a big clear room with one bed. Many beeping machines around, large glass window, LCD television on the wall, couch and 4 chairs next to the wooden table.
More than average patient conditions. But Spencer was now a War Veteran. Weird, when we realize, usual veterans are twice as old as he.
Reid was lying there, covered by white blankets in the same white clothes.
His eyes were open, looking out of the window. Without any move. Without any sound.
'What has changed ?' they thought
'Few hours ago he was ready to come back to life, and now he looks so empty.'
"Spence ?" Jj whispered to him carefully.
They walked closer to bed, but he still didn't move.
He has to hear them, so why ?
Alex took the courage and grabbed his hand. In that second when she touched him, he sharply turned and pulled away from her.
"Whou, calm. It's me, look. It's me Alex."
She directly looked to his eyes.
"All right ?" she asked, still didn't know if he recognized her.
He looked at her. Then on the others. They had the same lovely eyes.
"Yeah . . . yeah, sorry." he said too quietly. Too confused.
Penelope sat next to him on the chair and caressed his newest bandage.
"Everything's good ?"
"I'm fine." he said. But he didn't look at her.
They looked at each other. Everyone knows what it means, when Reid says that.
"We were waiting all the time. Doctor told us about risks . . ."
Morgan began, but when he saw Spencer's absence eyes he decided to stop.
". . . I think you need some rest. We'll come later."
"I this so." Jj sighed, kissed his forehead.
Aaron nodded to the others and everyone left the room.
. . . And Spence was just lying there. Without any word.
He has to think about what happened there, with her.
. . . when he was dead.
Back in time / 01:28 Operating Room
3 surgeons, 7 sisters in the room.
Nurses were fulfilling Doctor's commands,
and suddenly . . .
"Exhausting! Internal bleeding! . . ."
Beep – beep
Beeeeep – Beeeep
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep
From the darkness came the light.
Spencer find himself in the elevator.
Cink
The doors opened, and in front of him appeared coroner to the FBI office.
He walked through the glass doors.
It looked normal. Many desks, chairs, computers . . . So real, so believable.
But without any human soul. Empty, silence.
"Spence ?" the familiar voice said gently
He didn't have to think. He knew who was there with him.
He turned and . . . there she was.
Soft brown hair lay on her shoulders.
Lovely blue eyes followed his every move.
Green dress covered her beautiful skin.
"Hello." she whispered and smiled gently
Spencer was so confused.
It wasn't dream. He would know that. But he couldn't remember what happened before.
He was just watching her. It wasn't real life. But she was there. And that was only one important thing.
She looked confused too, but quietly.
They started to walk to each other.
Slowly
Carefully
He stretched out his hand and she did it too.
They touched.
That moment . . . They were waiting for it very long time.
She was looking to his eyes, and tear ran down her face.
'It has to be real." he thought for himself
He raised his arm to her and touched her cheek, her hair . . .
She closed eyes and smiled a little.
"Maeve. . ." he said painfully and pulled her closer.
She hugged him back with all love.
"I love you, I love you, I love you . . ." he was whispering to her ear again, and again.
"I know, I love you too."
Suddenly she made a step back, but still grabbing his hand.
"Promise me something."
Spencer nodded.
"Promise me you won't forgot my voice.' she said and thousands tears fell from her eyes.
"No, no. I promise. I'll never . . ."
He didn't finish. She disappeared and big, bloody spot revealed on the place where she stood.
Suddenly the darkness appear around him, he heard another voice.
"Charge! We're losing him!. . ."
"One . . .Two . .. Three!"
"One . . .Two . .. Three!"
"One . . .Two . . ." he stopped.
And the world went black.
3 weeks later
10:02 – Last medical examination
10:23 – Leaving from the hospital
11:18 – Friends drove him home
He waited few minutes. Then he re wore and left the apartment.
23 minutes later
Spencer stands on the grass. Sun is shining and the clouds disappears.
Beautiful day.
He lays the rose on the grieve.
Maeve Donovan
He kneels and smiled a little.
"It was long since, I heard your voice last time. But I remember every tone . . . I love you. Every part of you. Your eyes, your laugh, your cheeks . . ." he sighed.
"I promise you one day I'll meet you again. We'll repeat our first date and I'll give you a rose to your hand. We'll drink coffee every Sunday morning, read newspapers and have an unbelievable unhealthy English breakfast, as you always wanted . . .
. . . One day I'll come to you, wherever you are, and never ever let you go. But not now . . .
Not Today."