Rossi Finds Out

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal minds.

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'Brave actions never want a trumpet' ~ Thomas Fuller.

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Rossi gathered up Reid's damp dirty clothes and threw them in the wash. It was very quiet in his house right now and that worried him. He had ran a bath for Reid and practicly ordered him to get in. Reid relunctantly did as he was told but made David promise to stay out of the bathroom. David almost laughed at the young man's modesty but felt he could afford him this bit of dignity. He looked at the crumpled napkin he took out of the pocket of Reid's Jacket and frowned. There was a phone number on it, a woman's he assumed but Reid did not look anything like a guy that had just scored a woman's phone number. He was tempted to call it, but he did still want to respect his co worker's privacy.

What an evening this had turned out to be. He had been having a very pleasant dinner at a swank eatery with an editor friend of his and the man's wife. The evening had been winding down. Rossi had stepped out into the brisk night air when out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw a familiar figure staggering down the street and then slip into an alleyway. Rossi quickly bade goodnight to his friends and hurried over to the spot where he thought he had seen Spencer Reid.

At first Rossi could have sworn he was seeing things. In retrospect he almost wished he had, sitting in a dirty puddle crouched over as if in pain sat Reid. It was almost surreal. He gently put his hand on Reid's shoulder and said his name.

Reid looked up and a horror stricken look appeared on his face "Oh no, David " he had gasped out.

Rossi knelt down, alarmed to see Reid in this state. his eyes were wide with fear, his pupils were dialated like he was stoned or drunk. He couldn't smell any booze and found it hard to believe Reid would be high on something. He put his hands on the young man's shoulders and looked into his eyes.

"Reid, what's wrong, what are you doing here?"

Spencer averted his gaze and tried to stand. Rossi helped him to his feet.

"Nothing... I mean, I feel sick, I was ... out tonight and I started to feel sick:?

Rossi knew he was lying, there was something else going on, but right now he needed to take care of Reid, not interogate him.

"Rossi, my car is not far from here would you help me get to it. I need to get home." Reid said.

"Sure, but no way in hell are you driving. I am."

Reid was too much in pain to argue. He directed Rossi to where his car was and let himself be poured into the passenger seat.

"What about your car? he asked David.

"Lucky for you, I took a cab tonight," He replied. He didn't tell Reid he had no intention of driving him home; he was taking him to his house where he could keep an eye on him.

Reid didn't realize this change in plans until the car pulled onto Rossi's street. His eyes had been closed as he tried to relax and not worry about what dosage he had taken from a perfect stranger. He was none too happy when Rossi pulled the little Volvo into the long well kept driveway.

"Danmit! why did you bring me to your house?"

"Relax Reid, you look like shit, I'm not leaving you alone. You come with me or I drop you at the nearest ER,"

David's tone told him he wasn't kidding. He decided he could fake this for one night if he had to.

Reid wasn't any more agreeable once he got into the house. In the brightly lit living room Rossi got a better look at the young man in front of him. Reid didn't just look bad, he looked haunted. He still had that spacey glazed look in his eyes. He was twitchy and nervous like he might jump out of his skin any moment. Rossi could see him shivering, yet at the same time he was sweating.

That was sign of fever. Rossi laid a hand on the young man's forehead. Reid jerked away as if his touch had burned him. Rossi recalled when he had tried to bully Spencer into confiding in him and knew how well that turned out. So he tried another approach.

"Look Reid, you said you were sick, I want to help, can I get you something?" he offered.

"Coffee," He answered.

David studied the twitchy shaking man in front of him with his arms wrapped around himself as if he feared flying apart at any moment.

"Ahh, maybe coffee might not be the best thing right now,"

"Then I don't want anything." Reid replied in an almost petulant manner..

"Ok ok, I'll make you a deal. I'll run you a bath, you look frozen by the way and I'll make you a cup of the richest most delicious coffee you ever tasted." Rossi smiled at him, hoping reason, bribery and a friendly manner might work.

"Umm, yeah ok, that sounds good,"

David inwardly sighed with relief. "Take off your damp clothes, I'll wash em and leave you a pair of my sweats ok?"

Reid nodded. He still felt like hell but the promise of a warm bath and hot coffee was too tempting to turn down. He let David lead him to the bathroom and watched him run the water in the oversized jacuzzi tub. When the water finished running Rossi turned and faced him.

Reid stared back. "What?"

"Your clothes,"

Reid gaped at him. "I'm not changing in front of you!"

Rossi held his hands up on the air. "No no. I'll go, do you really think I want to see your skinny ass?. Just leave your stuff outside." He said as he hastily left the bathroom.

Reid peeled of his cold and damp clothes and set them outside the door. He sank into the hot bath and practicaly moaned with pleasure. It felt amazing. Suddenly his cramps were gone and he felt a flush of warmth throughout his body. Reid smiled, whatever the guy had given him was now working. There was no pain, nor was there feeling of any kind. He sank lower into the bath and closed his eyes. He was enjoying the rush he felt.

He didn't know how long he had been there when he heard a gentle knock on the door.

"Hey Reid, you fall asleep in there?"

Reid opened his eyes and frowned. He didn't want to get out, but he reckoned he should show Rossi he was still alive.

"I'll be right out" he called to the door.

Spencer stepped out of the tub, dripping wet and found himself facing a full lengh mirror. He smirked for he was not one who enjoyed being nude. but this time he thought he looked alright. He smiled serenely at his reflection, then turned away to dry himself off. His did not see the hollow cheeks, the sunken desperate eyes and a near emaciated physique.

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If Rossi hadn't known better he would have sworn Reid had switched places with a doppleganger. He had sauntered into Rossi's living room looking rather ridiculous in the too short sweatpants of David. but it wasn't the ill fitting clothes that made Rossi take notice, it was th 180 degree change in behavior.

Reid was relaxed, calm and a little dopey. Rossi handed him the coffee he promised, Spencer smiled at him and moved to the living room

Rossi joined him and sat opposite him.

"You look like you're feeling better " Rossi remarked.

Reid smiled and nodded at him."Yes, I think after this coffee I may just go home,"

Rossi sighed."Look, do an old man a favour, stay here tonight. If you go home I''ll worry all night." Rossi said. No way was Spencer going home. He had been studying the young man. Reid was on something but the idea Reid would voluntarily take drugs was impossible for Rossi to accept. He surmised he had been in a club and been slipped something. That's why he was sick and now it was wearing off.

Reid lowered his gaze. Rossi had been staring far too intently at him since he came downstairs. If he protested staying, Rossi would be even more suspicious

" Ok, if it makes you happy I'll stay"

"If you're sick or something Reid, I can talk to Hotch about taking some..."

"NO! no, don't call Hotch." Reid snapped. Spencer sat up so quickly he spilled coffee on his lap. Rossi was startled too. Reid had changed from subdued and relaxed to wild eyed and panicked in the blink of an eye.

"Hey kid, all I was suggesting was that if you needed time off I could talk to Hotch for you,"

Reid stood up and glowered at Rossi, "Dammit David, what did I just say? I don't want you talking to Hotch, I can still do my job," He screeched, The sudden movements made him dizzy and he started to sway on his feet.

Rossi jumped up and grabbed hold of Spencer so he wouldn't fall. He looked into his glassy panicked eyes and saw only fear there. Now was not the time to be talking to him about any of this. He was definitely on something. He wanted him calm first and sober, tomorrow was soon enough for questions.

"Hey c'mon, nobody said you cant' do your job. I wont talk to Hotch. Do you feel like watching a movie. I've got enough bluerays to sink a ship."

Reid nodded and sank back down on the sofa. Rossi got him another coffee and put on a movie. It was some science fiction thing he thought Reid might enjoy. He watched him watch the movie. Reid was very quiet and almost childlike in his compliance to anything Rossi said or suggested. David thought there would be a million interuptions from Reid pointing out science errors, there wasn't. He just stared at the screen barely blinking until the movie was over. Then he got up and Rossi showed him the spare bedroom. The two men said goodnight.

"Tomorrow I'm going to find out what the hell is going on, one way or the other" Rossi thought.

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Spencer climbed into the guest bed. The sheets felt cool and soft and expensive. He curled up into his usual sleeping position to get comfortable. He tried to put the image of Rossi sleeping just a few doors away out of his mind. Rossi was too good at his job. He saw the way the old profiler had been looking at him. Reid promised himself he would wake up early and slip out before David even got up.

Spencer yawned, he was tired, he absently scratched at the inside of his elbows as he formulated his plans for tomorrow. He was starting to drift off. The bed was amazingly soft and comfortable.

His barely awake self scratched the underside of his chin "Yess, I'll get up early." He said out loud to no one.

Reid fell asleep and he did not to get up early, in fact,14 hours passed before he was awake again.

TBC

AN: Things are beginning to come to a head. Please read and review.