Disclaimer: I wish I did but I do NOT own Criminal Minds or it's characters
Gripping the white basin's counter top, he kept his eyes focused on the mirror in front of him, watching the man's reflection as he entered one of the stalls behind him. Licking his bottom lip nervously, he rehearsed a few words in his head and waited anxiously for the stranger to reappear. Feeling a sense of dehydration come over him and a wave of pain run through his body, Reid turned the water back on and held his hand under it, cupping the liquid in his palm and bringing it to his mouth. After a few sips, the pain slightly subsided and he shut the faucet back off. Wrinkling his features he tried to pinpoint what it was exactly that was happening to him. He barely had time to conjure up an explanation as he heard the stall door opening up behind him and he saw the man exit.
He waited for the elder male to approach the sinks before he made his move. Turning his body toward the graying man, Reid's gaze immediately went to the clip on the man's belt, securely holding the silver device, before his eyes trailed back up to meet the man's face. "Hi. Is there any chance that I could uh use your phone?", giving his best pleading look, Reid waited hopefully for the answer. Studying the man's features looking for both a hint of approval or rejection before it could come.
He figured his odds were pretty good. The man was older, obviously a no-nonsense kind of guy if the way he carried himself was anything to go by, and he would have taken that as a point against him if it wasn't for his guess that the man had held a military position at some point, judging by his body language and demeanor, and that countered the former. With a job dedicated to aiding, he thought his chances weren't bad. He looked a bit in distress but not intimidatingly so. The stranger was wearing a red cap with the words 'World's greatest Grandpa' clumsily stitched into it in blue. So he had grand kids.. that was another factor that worked in his favor. He was young, looked even younger, that mixed with his pathetic puppy dog look would pull on the elder's heartstrings. Or so he hoped.
Lifting both eyebrows pathetically in expectation, he swallowed and waited.
"Make sure it's local", the aged man said, as he pulled the portable phone out of it's holster and handed it gently over to him.
Reid smiled and nodded his understanding. Quickly dialing the seven digits in his head, he put the phone to his ear and listened to the ringing that emanated from the other side. Worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, he impatiently tapped his fingers on his thigh.
"Yeah? Who's this?".
Instantly identifying the tone of the other man as one of frustration, he found himself wincing before he spoke, "I-It's me.".
"Where the hell are you?", Josh hissed.
"I-Im at.. I'm at the hospital, I told you. I need you to come get me.", tossing the elder in front of him a quick look, Reid noted the peculiar look he was getting. He turned slightly and held his other hand up to cover his ear, "I'll meet you out front, hurry.". He heard a small laugh on the other line before Josh spoke.
"What about your friends? They gonna cause anymore issues? They gonna want to come along? Should I make room in my fucking car for them?".
Narrowing his eyes, Reid scowled, "It's not my fault that they showed up.".
"No? Whose fault is it then? Cause I sure as hell didn't invite them.".
"Neither did I.", Reid hissed back. Shooting another look toward the man beside him, he took a deep breath and sighed, before fully turning his attention back to the conversation at hand.
"I don't want to see them again, do you hear me? ".
Frustratedly clenching his hand into a fist, Reid nodded, "Yeah.".
The dial tone that followed was deafening and he swore he could hear it echoing in the small room, bouncing off the walls. Ending the line on his end, he handed the phone back with a grateful smile, "Thank you.".
"No problem, son.", sticking the phone back into it's holder, the man nodded, forced a smile and exited the men's room.
A couple of minutes later, Reid did the same.
Concentrating on the floor as he walked through the hallway, attempting to clear his mind, Reid's upper lip curled in disgust as he felt what his mind had been blocking out. As the squishy feeling between his legs became more apparent, the urge to empty his stomach contents washed over him in full force. Without delay, he turned on his heel and speedily made his way back into the men's room.
Rushing into a stall, he knelt down and threw up all he had and more. With tears forming in the corners of his eyes, he reached out and flushed the waste down. A stinging sensation hit his throat and he whimpered in response.
"Reid?".
A look of confusion appeared, replacing the pained features on his face, at the sound of his friend's voice. How could he have not heard the door? How long had Morgan been there? Pushing himself up, he wiped away the potential tears and opened the stall door.
"You alright?", Morgan gave him a concerned once over and took a few steps forward, closing the space between them.
"Yeah, fine.", running his tongue over his bottom lip he frowned at the lingering taste. "I just need to uh..", cutting himself off, he made his way over to the sink and started the water up. Bending down, he tilted his head and drank some up before gurgling some in his mouth and spitting it out.
"What the hell?".
Reid spun around at the exclamation and found himself face to face with his well-built colleague. Frowning he took a step back, "What?".
He felt Morgan's hand grip his arm before he actually had time to process the quick movement coming from the older man and found himself harshly being harshly spun around. "Morgan what the -".
"You're bleeding.".
Wrinkling his brow, it took Reid about a full minute before he realized what the man meant. Eyes going wide, he pulled himself out of Morgan's grasp and threw his head over his shoulder to look at the back of his slacks. Sure enough, there was a patch of blood. He felt the tears coming back, bringing a stinging sensation with them and quickly dropped his gaze to the floor. Shutting his eyes tightly he stumbled back until he hit the door of the stall and slowly slid down. Yanking his knees up to his chest, he threw his arms around them and lowered his head.
He felt a presence lower in front of him but refused to look up. He couldn't look at Morgan. Not now. Probably not ever. Sniffling, he became upset as the tears started flowing and tried to control the volume of his sobs. Which was getting harder to do with each passing minute. He didn't want Morgan to say anything, he didn't want him to acknowledge the situation because that would make it real, but he found that the knowing silence wasn't any better.
"Kid..".
Reid flinched at the term of endearment and buried his head further into his arms. Please don't. Please don't Please don't.
"Reid, talk to me.".
He heard the barely controlled anger in the man's voice, just bubbling there, right under the sympathy.. or was it pity? Shaking his head he tightened his hold on his knees. Go away, please. Just go away.
"You need to tell me who did this to you.", Morgan's voice came out calm as he gently prodded the younger male, "Did Josh do this to you?".
He hadn't expected to answer, but he found himself shaking his head at the question. Josh didn't do this to him. Josh would never do this to him.
"Reid.. you were with him. I know you don't want to -".
Reid's head shot up and he shook it more ferociously. "Morgan, he didn't. He didn't ..do anything.". He didn't know why it mattered to him whether Morgan believed him or not or why he was becoming defensive but he suddenly felt like it needed to be said. "I.. he.. he didn't touch me. He didn't.. do it.".
He could tell Morgan didn't believe him and the thought hurt a lot more than he'd expect it to. He trusted Morgan with his life and it pained him that the man couldn't even trust in his words. Though could he really blame him? He, himself, couldn't keep track of all the lies his mouth spouted tonight. Sighing in shame and defeat he locked eyes with his friend and readied himself.
"Morgan, I need to tell you something..", he saw the look of shock play over Morgan's features and swallowed, "I need you not to judge me though, okay?". Biting his lower lip to keep it from shaking, Reid sniffled and waited for the man's agreement.
"Pretty boy, I could never judge you.", Morgan softened his face and shifted his weight on his heel, making his crouched position more comfortable.
With his whole body shaking in fear, Reid nodded. He had the sudden urge to throw up again but swallowed it down. "Morgan, my m-mom is really sick.", he started off, tears trailing down his cheeks. "She.. I.. I can't afford..", taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself before continuing.
"It's okay, kid. Take your time. I'm not going anywhere.", Morgan reached out and laid a hand gently on the thin arm in front of him.
Reid stiffened for a moment before he told himself it was only Morgan, he knew the touch, and to relax. Nodding he continued, "I can't afford to keep her where she's at on my salary alone.", lowering his head again, he stared at the ground between them. "Josh is..", biting his lower lip he struggled to find the right words, "Josh is helping me.", he nodded. Satisfied with that explanation for the time being.
"Helping you how, Reid?", Morgan furrowed his brows and leaned forward in interest.
"He's given me a.. job.", Reid swallowed and looked away.
Morgan reached out and tilted his chin back up to look at him, "That job entail getting hurt?".
Reid watched as Morgan's eyes fell to his lower half. "He didn't do it, Morgan.", he said confidently, willing the older agent to believe him.
Morgan nodded, "Who did then?".
Reid opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it and shot Morgan a pleading look.
"No, come on, kid.", he carefully let go of the boy's chin and shook his head before looking into his eyes.
"It was..", looking away he forced the words out, "It was a customer.", he looked up in time to see the confusion briefly pass before understanding dawned on Morgan's face. A lump was starting to form in his throat and he gulped as he waited for the man to speak. To react.
He held his breath as Morgan slowly stood up and watched the older man as he took in what had been said. The silence that hung between them was both scary and comforting to Reid. On one hand, the silence built up his fear of what Morgan was really thinking, the more time that passed, the more he was sure that the man was going to explode, reject him, tell him how disgusting he was. On the other.. the silence was safe. With nothing being said, he was safe from the potential blow up. Sure Reid had told him, and they both knew that he told him, but if Morgan didn't acknowledge it.. if Morgan didn't say anything.. it wasn't truly real was it?
There was a reason the phrase "Ignorance is bliss" existed. Reid could tell anyone exactly why that phrase existed, hell, he could inform everyone of the date it was first recorded to have appeared, Thomas Gray ..1742.. 'Ode on a distant-.
"We're gonna have to tell Hotch.".
What?