Disclaimer; I do not own Criminal Minds and no profit is made in any way from this story. It is written for fun and to practice the craft of writing only.
Some dialog taken from S3; E014. Where this dialog appears it will be bracketed by *asterisks*. Dialog denoted by asterisks is not written by me but by the CM writers.
Chapter Twenty One
The Consultant
When Emily awoke she couldn't be sure what had disturbed her but she knew she hadn't been asleep for long. The red glow of her alarm clock showed close to one am and the apartment was silent except for Spencer's deep, rhythmic breathing.
Leaning up on one arm she looked at him. He was laid on his back, as usual, one arm thrown wide, the other bent across his bare stomach. He looked more relaxed in sleep than she had ever seen him before. Laying her palm flat on his chest she counted his heart beats beneath her hand and smiled. The warmth of his skin contrasted with the coolness of the air around them and she shivered. Wriggling a little she pulled the sheet higher to cover her chest and suppressed a groan as she felt a dull ache in her thigh muscles and a slight burn between her legs.
She blushed as the memory of what they had been doing only a couple of hours earlier came flooding back to her and she couldn't help the sudden swell of arousal that she felt as she remembered how she had looked reflected darkly in the window as Spencer guided her to ride him. She also remembered how commanding he had been and at that moment she instinctively leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his slightly parted lips.
She half hoped that he would wake but instead he barely roused his nose wrinkling slightly as her hair tickled his face. Kissing him again she ran her hand gently through his hair and down the side of his face. She traced his jaw, his neck and finally let her fingers come to rest on his shoulder. She hadn't thought about it before but as she tracked the contours of his muscles she realised how defined his upper body was, that this was where his strength lay, where he found the ability to manipulate her body on to his, to hold her exactly where he wanted to.
Moving to cup his face again she leaned in for a third kiss as the knowledge that she truly was in love with him threatened to overwhelm her. Brushing his lips she felt his warm breath ghost across her face.
'I know I didn't say it, but Spencer Reid you are the best man I have ever known, the only man I've ever known whose made me to feel like this, whose made me fall... fall in love.' She whispered as she threaded her hand through his hair and nuzzled her face into his neck her sudden tears snaking wet rivulets onto his skin.
Hotch stared at his ceiling. It was better than staring at his clock which was in turn better than staring at his answer machine as it blinked furiously at him in the darkness of his bedroom.
Haley had left dozens of messages on his land line and his cell, each one angrier than the previous. He'd listened to a half dozen and then switched off, briefly wondering what Jack was doing while his mother spewed vitriol down the line.
He hadn't seen his son in over a week and that, along with Dave's stupid stunt with Reid, wasn't helping his overwhelming feeling of tension. He turned over and beat his pillow into submission for the third time since he'd retired. He'd had cases that had lasted longer than a week before that had taken him away from his son for longer than a week before, so why was this period of separation worse? He'd asked himself this question over and over during the course of the evening and had grown to hate the little voice that kept responding to his question with a terrifying answer of "because this separation might be permanent".
Rolling once more onto his back Hotch screwed his eyes shut and tried not to wonder if Haley's new lover had been the one to tuck Jack in tonight. Angrily swiping a stray tear from his face he worked to steady his breathing and focus on the repetitive swish of the cars in the street below. Counting each one as it passed his apartment block he willed the tug of sleep to take him away. He had nearly got his wish when his cell phone rang.
His teeth clenched automatically. It was almost one am; would Haley really be calling him now? He snatched at the cell phone and flicked it open.
'Hotchner.' He said.
'Agent Hotchner?' A man's voice sounded at the other end.
'Who is this?' Hotch replied.
'Look I'm really sorry about calling at this time of night; it's Paul Cafferrey from the Federal Prisons Board. Chester Hardwick's demanding that he see someone at 8am tomorrow morning. Any later and he refuses to talk. I think he's just trying to go out with a bang, you know, make some noise to remind people he's still here even if it isn't for much longer. I'd like to tell him to no deal but Montez said I should run it by your department first.' Cafferrey said tiredly.
Hotch pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
'Don't give him an answer tonight but a colleague and I will be there before 8am.' Hotch said shortly.
'You sure? I mean do we really want this scumbag calling the shots? I can't see why we would need to know what he thinks about late at night.' Cafferrey said.
'And if you had a daughter who had been missing for the past fifteen years and was last seen in the area Hardwick operated in, would you feel the same then Mr Cafferrey? Or would you want to know what had happened to her?' Hotch said. 'Tomorrow, 8am. We'll be there.'
Spencer felt something warm tickle the skin of his neck and almost immediately he recognised the sensation as warm and wet. Blinking away the blanket of sleep he recognised the sound of Emily's breathing as she tried to bring it under control. Looking down he was confronted with the top of her head, her face still being buried in his neck.
'Emily? What's wrong?' He asked quietly as he shrugged her away from his body in an attempt to see her face.
She pulled back and hid behind a swathe of black hair. 'Nothing, go back to sleep.' She said.
'It's not nothing, you're crying, what's wrong?' He asked.
Moving back she wiped her face dry and smiled. 'I'm not really crying I'm good, honestly.'
'I can't see how this is good; I sleep with a woman and the next thing I know she's crying.' He smiled tentatively. 'Is that it, did I hurt you? I was too rough wasn't I, Emily I am so...'
'Shush.' Emily pressed a hand to his mouth. 'You weren't too anything and I am most definitely not crying because I just had the most amazing sex of my life. I might be a little grief stricken that I've missed having said amazing sex all these years, but not because I just had it.' She joked weakly.
Spencer grasped her hand and kissed her fingers. 'But you were crying.' He said.
Emily looked away. She found that she couldn't look into his eyes and speak. 'Will you leave it alone if I say they were tears of happiness?'
'No.' He replied.
'I just... I realised that...' Emily rolled her eyes and rolled onto her back.
'What is it?' Spencer asked.
'I'm just not good at this.' Emily waved her hand between the two of them. 'I'm not good at saying these things; I've never had to or wanted to say them before.'
'What things?' Spencer said.
'You know.' Emily said.
'No, I don't.' He countered.
Emily sighed and stared at the ceiling. After a moment she took a deep breath. 'You're the best man I know Spencer Reid.
Spencer carefully turned his body and gazed at her. 'You really didn't have to say it.' He said gently.
'Hold on there's something else, and I might be going out on a limb here and I'm scared to say it but...'
She was interrupted by the shrill ring of a cell phone.
'Dammit.' Emily cursed. 'That's yours.'
'Sorry, I'm sorry I should get it. It could be a case or my mom...I.. .' Spencer reached carefully for his cell phone on the nightstand.
'If it's a case mine will be ringing in the next three minutes anyway.' She groaned as she sat up and grabbed at her discarded sweats as Spencer answered the call. Hauling herself out of the warm bed she padded into the bathroom. Staring in the mirror she willed her heart beat to slow to a manageable pace as she thought about what she wanted to say to Spencer.
'Just tell him that you're in love with him, stop worrying and stop thinking there will always be a better time, just say it Emily Elizabeth Prentiss, just say it.' She told herself.
Leaning over the basin she wet her hands and scrubbed them over her face before heading back to the bedroom.
Spencer was sitting on the side of the bed trying to secure his back brace when she returned. Silently she climbed onto the bed and knelt behind him, her hands finding the straps and gently brushing his away.
'Tell me when it's tight enough.' She said as she pulled the strapping and he straightened his spine.
'A little more.' He said.
'Does your back hurt?' She asked.
'Why?' He replied.
'You pull this tighter when it hurts. I assume to give more support. In case you didn't realise I am a profiler.' She said as she worked on the last of the fastenings.
'Thank you.' He reached back and grabbed her hand. 'It's not a case so you can go back to bed.'
'What was it?' She asked.
'Hotch. Chester Hardwick is demanding that we see him at 8am tomorrow. We have to drive to Connecticut.' He said.
Emily groaned. 'You've had no sleep.'
'I won't be driving.' He said as he started to dress. 'Hotch is picking me up in twenty.'
'You can't go in the morning?' Emily asked.
Spencer shook his head. 'I guess not. It's Hotch's call.'
'Twenty minutes gives me time to make you a flask of coffee.' She said as she jumped off the bed and headed out of the room.
'You don't have to.' He called after her as he continued to dress.
'No I don't but I want to. I'll make one for Hotch too. I have a vested interest in him being awake enough to keep his eyes on the road.' She called back.
She'd only just finished the coffee when Spencer received a curt text telling him that Hotch was outside waiting in the SUV. She quickly shoved both travel flasks into Spencer's messenger bag, looped it over his head and kissed him.
'Call me when you get there,' she said, 'and don't spend too long talking to Hardwick. I want you back tomorrow night.'
'And if I don't make it?' He asked, smiling at the threatening tone of her voice.
'Then I'll kick your skinny ass and Hotch's too.' She joked as she kissed him toward the door.
He was about to leave when he stopped sharply and turned back to look at her. 'No you won't, you wouldn't risk not getting any more of, what did you call it, the most amazing sex of your life!'
Laughing she shook her head as she pulled the door open. 'I never said that.'
'Eidetic memory Emily. Once it's in here you can't get it back.' He said, gesturing to his forehead with one the top of one of his canes while simultaneously flashing the most staggeringly wide and blinding smile as he left.
It was only when she had crept back into bed and was inhaling his scent from his pillow that she remembered. She had forgotten to tell him that she loved him.
Reid leaned his canes against the interior of the passenger door and tried to get comfortable. His back was screaming in protest at having such a short time to rest and his head was halfway between swimming and pounding at being woken from the first hour of a deep sleep. Silently he drew one of the Hardwick files from his messenger bag as Hotch pulled the SUV into the night.
A brief glance showed Reid that Hotch was staring intently at the road ahead. His hands gripped the steering wheel and his shoulders were tight.
'Did you get any sleep?' Reid asked eventually.
'No.' Hotch replied.
Reid cleared his throat and returned to the file.
Hotch drove onward as Reid flipped through the files.
'Have you spoken with Hardwick before?' Reid asked.
'No.' Hotch replied.
Reid pushed on despite Hotch's monosyllabic answers. 'He was certainly prolific.' He said.
Hotch didn't reply.
'What approach should we take when we get in there?' Reid asked.
'We interview him and then we leave.' Hotch said as he pressed his foot to the accelerator.
Reid closed the file and flattened his palm against the top of it. 'Hotch, about Montana, I'm sorry about what happened.' He said.
Hotch was silent.
'I know I shouldn't have gone out with Rossi. I know why I did it but my having a reason doesn't validate my actions and, well, I'm sorry, for placing you in a difficult position with Strauss and making things awkward between you and Rossi.' Reid cleared his throat nervously and fiddled with the folder on his lap as he watched Hotch flex his fingers around the steering wheel from the corner of his eye.
'Reid, David Rossi has been a friend of mine for a long time and I can categorically vouch that he is a good man and a great profiler but he has never held much stock in rules and regulations.' Hotch said eventually. 'His arrogance could get you fired or worse, injured, maybe killed.' The car was silent for a moment before he continued. 'My anger was fuelled by fear and that fear was rooted in your physical limitations but not in the way you think. You're not field trained Reid and while taking you to look around a trailer park may sound danger free, as an agent you can never underestimate what might happen. Rossi knows that and he should have acted accordingly and you know the terms of your engagement and you should have acted accordingly also.'
'I truly am sorry Hotch especially with Strauss and whatever...' Reid turned to look at Hotch when he cut him off.
'I don't give a damn about Strauss Reid, but I do give a damn about the members of my team; All of them. It's my job to keep them safe especially the ones not trained to protect themselves, and I'll do everything I can to achieve that, even if it means being a drill sergeant sometimes.'
Hotch's cell began to buzz on the centre console, the name HALEY flashed across the screen in the darkness of the SUV's interior. Hotch glanced at the phone his mouth set in a hard line.
'Do you want me to...?' Reid started to reach for the cell.
'No.' Hotch interrupted as he grabbed the phone, switched it off and dumped it back between the seats. 'You should read through the files again. We have a couple more hours before we reach the hotel and then we'll only get a couple of hours sleep before we have to go to the facility. I need you to be prepared. This is what you excel at Reid, don't let Rossi make you feel that you're lacking because you can't do more.'
Reid turned back to the file on his lap and resisted the urge to point out that he didn't have to read a file more than once to be prepared. Instead he kept his mouth shut for the rest of the journey.
Emily rolled over in her bed and sighed. Since when did she, Emily Prentiss, need someone in her bed to help her sleep? Irritated with herself she flung the sheets back and got up.
"Apparently since I turned into a sap and fell in love" She murmured to herself as she padded into the kitchen and set to fixing a pot of coffee.
She stopped suddenly with the carafe in her hand.
"Since I fell in love." She repeated a little louder. Rinsing the pot slowly she breathed through the lurch of emotion that swelled her stomach as she realised that she had never said those words in relation to herself before.
A small smile began to tug at her lips as she made the coffee. By the time she has fixed a mug and grabbed her laptop it had grown into a modest smile. By the time she was back in her bed, wrapped in the sheets that smelled of Spencer and watching The Return of the Jedi she was besieged by a huge grin and a rollercoaster in her stomach.
Emily was definitely going to kick his ass Reid thought as he studied the snow globe he had picked up from Abner Merrimen's desk.
He and Hotch had spent most of the day waiting for Chester Hardwick to decide that he was going to talk. It was clear that he was irritated that he hadn't had an answer the previous night as to if anyone would be speaking to him today and he was trying to claw back some of the power by refusing to speak at his requested time, saying he felt too unwell but that he might be well enough if he slept and so on and so on.
His machinations had kept both he and Hotch waiting around nearly all day. Finally, after Hotch's temperament had soured beyond repair Hardwick had announced that he was ready.
Reid gave the snow globe one last shake and set it back down on the desk. Hotch was pacing and snapping his cell phone closed.
*'Is everything alright?' Reid asked tentatively.
'Yeah, fine.' Hotch said.
'We can do this interview another time.' Reid offered.
'Well he's scheduled to be executed next week.' Hotch sighed.
'I can take the lead if you'd...' Reid started.
Hotch held up his hand, his expression irritated. 'Reid!' He snapped.
'Sorry.' Reid picked the snow globe back up and turned it in his hands.
The door to the office opened and a slight, bearded man entered.
'Agent Hotchner?' He said. 'And you must be Doctor Reid. Abner Merrimen, Assistant Warden. You're here to see our infamous inmate Hardwick!'
'Yeah, he agreed to meet with us as part of our criminal personality research project prior to his execution.' Reid said.
'I've read some of your studies in policing journals. Serial killers are a kind of hobby of mine. Chester's the only one I've ever met in person though. I bet you've met quite a few!' Abner said enthusiastically.
'Sir we'd very much like to get started as soon as we can.' Hotch said, cutting the older man off.
'Oh of course, of course forgive me. We don't really have any interrogation facilities but I do have a small room that you can use. You're not armed?'
'We secured our weapons when we arrived. It's not our first time in a prison.' Hotch said.
'No, no I suppose that's true.' Abner smiled, oblivious to Hotch's irritation. 'I have to say; when I heard that he'd contacted you I was surprised.'
'Why?' Reid asked.
'Chester Hardwick? He doesn't really talk much, to anyone.' Abner said as he unlocked the door and pushed it open.
'Well that usually changes when someone's about to die.'* Hotch said as he shouldered his way out of the room.
'So, you and Reid kiss and make up last night?' Morgan said as he leaned against Emily's desk.
'No.' Emily deadpanned. 'He refused to agree that I was right about Montana so I had no choice but to shoot him. Will you help me with the body?'
Morgan laughed. 'Oh, do you have it bad girl!'
'What? I just told you that I shot Reid.' Emily laughed.
'Yes. Avoidance tactic using a joke to take my eye off all the blushing and the way you just fingered your hair when I mentioned his name.' Morgan said. 'Tell me and I'll give you this glorious cup of take out Macchiato that has your name on it.' He wiggled the cup temptingly in front of her.
'You're correct. We made up and my gun still has all of its bullets, so give me the coffee Agent Morgan.' Emily said.
Morgan smirked and set the cup down. 'The question is does Reid's gun still have all of his bullets?'
'Ew! You are disgusting. Get to your own desk and take some of my files as an apology.'
'No way. I'm gonna be slipping some of my files on to Reid's desk as it is. I am swamped today. Speaking of Reid, where is he?' Morgan gestured to Reid's empty desk and the take out coffee cup he'd put on it.
'He's in Connecticut with Hotch. They drove down last night so they could interview Chester Hardwick.' Emily said.
Morgan pulled a face. 'I do not envy them that. I guess I'll have to find someone else to drink this coffee then.' He said.
Emily looked up. 'Cappuccino with double caramel and a chocolate swirl?' She said.
Morgan nodded.
'Good luck with that.' Emily laughed as she pulled the topmost file on to her desk.
Morgan laughed. 'You have a point. No one else would drink this.' He grabbed the cup and tossed it in to the bin.
'You were right, you know.' Emily said.
'About what?' Morgan asked.
'About not getting all into Reid's business. About not treating him like he's helpless.' Emily said.
Morgan settled back on the edge of Emily's desk. 'So you're not going to tell him to go to this reunion gig then?'
'If he carried I'd tell him to shoot the son of a bitch but no, under my new rule of treating him like a man and allowing him to make his own decisions I'm not gonna press it one way or the other and that goes for anything else that comes up.' Emily said.
'Well that's certainly very gracious of you Emily.' Morgan laughed.
'I thought so.' She replied smiling. 'I do however reserve the right to interfere with his clothes shopping.'
'Yeah, right, you just keep telling yourself you're not hot for all those knitted sweater vests.' Morgan laughed.
Emily laughed and took a long drink of Macchiato. When she finally set the cup down her expression was serious. 'Derek,' she said, catching his attention, 'what they did to him, in high school, it was inexcusably cruel, and if he ever tells you about it you'll understand.' She said.
'I know princess, I know.' He replied.
Reid gave an involuntary shiver as he stepped into the interrogation room. It was cool and the grey brick walls sucked most of the natural brightness out of the space leaving the geriatric strip light above the table as the main source of light. He leaned one of his canes against the metal table and lowered himself into the chair. He clenched his teeth as his backside met the worn wooden seat. He could have sworn he felt his spine compress in complaint.
Flipping his bag open he removed the small stack of files on Hardwick and set them on the table.
*'The door of course will be locked from the outside but this button here, it sounds automatically as well as triggers a flashing light to signal the guards when you're finished.' Abner said as he gestured to a small alarm button.
'Thank you.' Reid smiled as he spread out his files.
'Are those the crime scene photos?'* Abner asked as he started to reach for a file.
Hotch took the file from his hands before he could open it. 'We really need to get started. I take it Hardwick is on his way?' Hotch said sharply.
Abner Merrimen's smile faded a little and he nodded. 'Yes, yes of course um...the guards are bringing him down now. I can check if you...'
'Please do.' Hotch said.
Abner turned to leave the room.
'Wait.' Hotch said. 'You need to take those.' He gestured to Reid's canes.
'Oh, yes right. Well spotted Agent.' Abner said, his smile returning a little.
'As I said, it's not our first time in a prison.' Hotch said tersely.
Abner flushed and took hold of the canes as he gave Reid an apologetic look. 'You'll be alright without these Dr Reid?' He asked.
'If it's a choice between him standing and us providing Hardwick with a handy weapon he can stay seated until we've finished.' Hotch said before Reid could say anything.
Abner retreated from the room, canes in one hand, and gently pulled the door closed.
Reid busied himself with the files and kept his gaze firmly off his boss. Right now he would have given anything to have one of his canes in his hand just so he could throw it at him.
Emily shoved the door to JJ's office open with her toe and staggered in under the weight of take out bags and coffee cups. Without speaking she dumped the paper bags and cup holder onto a small stack of files and dropped into the chair opposite the desk where she found JJ staring at her.
'Emily I am really, really busy right now.' JJ said.
'Clearly. It's four in the afternoon and you haven't had lunch yet, hence the take out. Sandwiches from Angelo's and Vanilla Latte to wash it down.' Emily said.
'I'm really not hungry.' JJ said as she signed another report.
'So your hands are shaking and you have a headache because you had a huge lunch earlier?' Emily said.
'I don't have a headache.' JJ argued.
'JJ, you've rubbed your forehead twice since I came in here and you have a pack of Tylenol on your desk. Granted it's unopened but it's still a big clue for a profiler.' Emily said. 'And in any case I've spent all day doing reports just like you and I have decided that The Man definitely owes us our forty five minutes of lunch break.' She said as she pulled a sandwich out of the bag.
'Emily...' JJ sighed.
'Eat.' Emily pushed a tuna sandwich toward her friend.
'I can't... I'
'Don't tell me you have too much work.' Emily argued before taking a bite of her BLT.
'I...'
'You'll pass out if you don't have something.' Emily mumbled.
'I'm pregnant.' JJ said.
Emily stopped chewing and stared at her friend.
Reid was glad to be sitting down when Chester Hardwick entered to interrogation room. He wasn't a young man, nor was he particularly big in his build but he was imposing and his presence filled the space oppressively.
Reid cleared his throat and busied himself with spreading out the crime scene photographs until the table top looked like a Jackson Pollock in blood red. His palms were sweating and nervously fiddling with his pen wasn't helping.
*'Chains left on right?' The guard said.
Reid started to agree but Hotch cut him off.
'That won't be necessary, we're just gonna talk, right Chester?' Hotch levelled his gaze at the man in front of him. The silence lasted for a moment as both men tried to stare each other down.
The guard released the chains, gathered them up and left the room, locking the door behind him.
Hotch circled the table and gestured to one of the chairs.
'Sit down.' He said.
'I'd like this window open, I'll answer any question you have but only if this window is open.' Hardwick demanded.
'Go ahead.' Hotch said before nodding to Reid to commence.
'You were born April 4th 1950.' Reid said.
'Does my birthday really matter?' Hardwick asked.
'It's customary for us to start at the beginning. We want to try to know as much as we can about your childhood.' Reid replied.
'There's nothing to know, it as average. I lived in a nice house on a quiet street. I ate cereal, I went to school, I watched cartoons.' Hardwick said as he stared out of the window.
Hotch's glare deepened. 'I don't have time for this. You didn't live in a nice house on a quiet street you grew up in a series of projects in East Bridgeport, each one worse than the last. You spent your teenage years peeping into your female neighbours windows and burglarising their underwear drawers when you got the chance and you set a hundred small fires for which you spent two years in juvenile detention.' Hotch snapped.
'We've done extensive research Mr Hardwick; at this point lying to us isn't really possible or helpful.' Reid said.
Hardwick folded his arms and continued to stare out of the window.
'Why did you ask us here?' Hotch asked.
Hardwick turned around and smiled. 'I wanted to smell the air.'
'What?' Hotch asked.
'They have me death watch, 24 hour a day isolation and I will be until they take me to the death chamber so I wanted to smell the air one last time before I die. Thank you for giving me that.' Hardwick smiled.
'Let's pack it up.' Hotch said to Reid.
'Shouldn't we at least...'Reid started but was cut off.
'No! Now.' Hotch said as he walked to the door and pressed the buzzer. 'Have a nice trip Chester. You're going where you belong.' He said as he pressed the buzzer again.
'It's five seventeen. Evening hours started at five O'clock. Guard staff's outside with population. There won't be anyone to open that door for at least thirteen minutes and it took me less than five to do this.' Hardwick said as he picked up a particularly bloody crime scene photo. 'While you were doing your research maybe a question or two about security tones would have been a good idea.' Hardwick smiled at Hotch. 'There's no way there gonna execute me next week, not after I kill two FBI Agents.'*
Hotch stepped forward and Hardwick lunged.
The resounding slam that Hotch's body made as Hardwick shoved him into the metal cabinet was startling, as was the sound of the air leaving Hotch's lungs. He quickly recovered from the surprise of Hardwick's assault, braced himself against the metal door and shoved forward. Hardwick instinctively grabbed the front of Hotch's shirt and dragged him into his chest only to be met by Hotch's fist as it connected with his jaw and sent his heavy black glasses flying across the room.
With Hardwick momentarily off balance Hotch surged forward again and landed another blow, this time to Hardwick's temple. The older man creased forward and for a moment Reid thought that Hotch had the upper hand but in an instant Hardwick was on him with an almost animalistic energy, shoving him forward and sending Hotch tumbling backwards, half landing on one of the ancient chairs. The furniture broke under Hotch's falling weight and Hardwick leapt, his body straddling Hotch's, his hands in Hotch's hair as he grabbed his head and slammed in once into the concrete floor.
The ensuing stillness shook Reid from his terror. He grabbed for his bag and desperately felt for his cell, not taking his eyes from Hardwick who was staring at Hotch's unconscious body. His hand had just closed around the phone when Hardwick rose and turned to look at him.
Reid tried to dial but Hardwick slapped the cell from his hand and sent it skittering to the floor.
'You gonna meet your death sitting down son?' Hardwick asked as he eyed Reid, still sitting in the chair.
Reid swallowed. Carefully he pushed himself up, his hands gripping the edge of the table. Hardwick grinned.
'If you're good I'll make this quick, in fact I probably only have under ten minutes left.' He laughed as he quickly stepped forward.
*'Chester, do you want to know why you killed those women?'* Reid gasped.
Chester stopped for a moment and narrowed his eyes. 'You know what, I really don't.' He said as he grabbed the edge of the table and pulled it sharply, sending Reid and the crime scene photos to the floor.
Reid gasped as his knees hit the ground and the shock travelled up his legs and into his back. He cried out before he could stop himself. He felt Hardwick's hand twist into his hair and yank his head back so he could stare at him. Hardwick's gaze was piercing. Suddenly he let go of Reid's hair and took a step back.
'Get up.' He said.
Reid swallowed, his eyes darting back and forth to find the closest thing he could pull himself up with. There wasn't anything. He re-focused on Hardwick.
'I can't.' He said.
Hardwick's eyes narrowed and he ground his teeth. 'I said get up!' He repeated.
'You don't want to do this Chester. You won't feel the gratification you're seeking, your preference is not in this room, I'm not female, I'm not what you need Chester.' Reid gabbled frantically.
'I said get up and I meant it!' Hardwick said again as he stepped closer to Reid.
Reid took a deep breath as he tried and failed to steady his voice. 'I can't. I left my canes outside. I can't stand without them.
Hardwick's face broke into a wide smile. 'You're a cripple?' He laughed loudly. 'Well now if I was a better man I'd feel at least a little bad now, but I'm not.'
The unexpected kick to his face landed Reid flat on his back and a good two feet from where he had originally fallen. The hot blood that rushed down the back of his throat as his nose broke made him gag and choke. He was trying to wipe his watering eyes and roll onto his side when firm hands grabbed his wrists and pinned them above his head and Hardwick's face hovered above his own.
'I have some information for your study son. I thought you'd be right, about preferences and all, because well, it was always about the sex for me, but we have an interesting situation here because you're not my type and you're the farthest thing away from anything I'd ever want to fuck, but the damndest thing is I'm enjoying this anyway. I'm enjoying it just for the act of killing.' Hardwick said as he pushed Reid's hair out of his face and wiped away the blood from under his nose, making Reid gasp as the weight of his hand pressed into his broken nose.
Reid tried to turn his body away but Hardwick quickly straddled him, keeping him in place. Grasping Reid's wrists in one hand he used his other to grab one of the broken chair legs from the mess of wrecked furniture that littered the floor. Turning the makeshift tool in his hand Hardwick smiled as he viewed the jagged, splintered end.
Reid felt his eyes water with the weight of the man sitting on him. His left leg was starting to go numb and the pain in his back was screaming over the throbbing hot pain in his nose and face. He blinked to clear his vision and desperately tried to yank his hands free when he saw the fractured wooden chair leg in Hardwick's hand.
He had no chance to move before Hardwick lunged and drove the weapon into Reid's stomach. The blow left Reid feeling more winded than agonised. The air was shoved brutally out of Reid's lungs, leaving his throat achingly raw as he heaved great gasps through his mouth.
Hardwick let Reid's wrists go as he yanked at his sweater vest and shirt, pulling both garments up to reveal the stiff material of the back brace. When Chester swore Reid realised what had happened. Instead of driving the chair leg into his body the brace had blocked the blow.
'What the hell is this?' Hardwick growled as he dragged at the brace, the Velcro strapping resisting his pulling. Frustrated Hardwick pulled at the front of the brace where it covered Reid's stomach and managed to expose a fraction more skin. 'This'll have to do. Don't blame me if I break a couple of ribs now will ya.' He grinned as he pulled his arm back once more and this time drove the splintered chair leg straight through Reid's skin.
Screaming, Reid grasped at Hardwick's arms and tugged weakly but it was no good. Drained of all energy he felt his hands slither uselessly to his side, slick with his own blood. He felt the floor shift beneath him and his stomach roll as black spots danced in front of his eyes. He'd started to have the disconcerting feeling of drifting away from his own body when he was slapped, hard across the face.
'Hey, don't go to sleep on me now son. This is the best part.' Hardwick smiled and pulled the chair leg out of Reid's stomach.
That's when the true pain came and Reid couldn't help but shriek. Hardwick leaned back and threw the chair leg away from him. Wiping his brow he surveyed his handy work.
'This is the part where I use my bare hands.' He said.
'Please...' Reid gasped.
Hardwick laughed. 'You really don't have to ask so nicely.' Hardwick pushed the sleeves of his yellow jumpsuit further up his arms and was about to lean over Reid when he was stopped by a loud groan and the sound of Hotch trying to get to his feet.
Reid gasped as Hardwick rolled off him.
'Don't go away. I just have some unfinished business to attend to.' Hardwick grinned in his face and then he was gone.
Reid lay flat on his back, his hands limp by his sides his shirt rapidly soaking in blood as is streamed down his sides. He could hear Hardwick moving about in the room but he couldn't seem to get his brain to tell his head to move so that he could see where he was. His eyelids felt heavy and he let them fall shut. He could sleep, he thought, let go and drift into oblivion and away from Hardwick. His muscles had just started to relax when he heard Hotch groan again.
Hotch! Hotch was out of it and Hardwick was going to kill him.
With every last ounce of strength Reid dragged his eyes open and turned his head. Hardwick was close to him, crouched next to Hotch who was trying to push himself up from the floor. He was clearly concussed, his coordination shot, and he stood no chance against the prolific serial killer.
Taking a deep breath Reid flattened the palm of his right hand against the floor and pushed himself onto his side. He almost passed put when he felt a fresh rush of blood coat his stomach and his spine seize up but he gritted his teeth and kept his focus on Hardwick's back.
Hardwick was talking to Hotch as he tried and failed to get his legs under him to stand. Reid heard Hardwick laugh and watched as he gave Hotch a light shove that sent him sprawling back to the floor. He watched as he shoved his sleeves up again and reached for the piece of broken chair that he had stabbed Reid with.
Reid scanned the area around him and his eyes fell on the metal back of one of the chairs. Rolling again he pushed himself closer to Hardwick and the piece of metal. Hardwick never even turned when he groaned loudly as he pushed himself up into a half sitting position. "Good," Reid thought, "underestimate me, like everyone else does, keep on underestimating me. Please!"
Gritting his teeth as another flood of blood streamed from his nose Reid reached out and grabbed the broken chair back. He swayed dizzily as he grasped it with both hands. He had to make his move before he passed out.
'Chester.' He said loudly.
Hardwick jumped slightly at the voice coming from too close behind him. He shifted his body and turned his head to look behind him. The last thing he saw was a flat piece of metal as it drove its way home, straight into his face.
Everything was swimming before his eyes but the most annoying part was the heavy weight on his chest, the heavy weight of another person. Hotch shoved at the body pinning him to the floor and finally found himself free.
His head was pounding and his stomach was doing horrible flip flops over the metallic tang of blood in the air. Gritting his teeth he blinked to clear his vision and brace his hand on the wall to help him stand up.
Hardwick was lying on his back, his face a bloody mess, and Reid was laying half on top of him.
Hotch swayed and felt his back connect with the wall behind him. He could no longer hear the tone of the alarm and lunged at it to press it again and again.
He staggered forward and fell to his knees next to Reid. Gently he pulled him away from Hardwick, falling onto his backside under Reid's weight leaving him cradling his colleague in his arms.
Reid's head flopped back onto his shoulder as Hotch frantically tugged at the wet sticky shirt so he could find the source of all the blood. He found the jagged hole immediately and pressed his hand over it.
'I need help in here!' He yelled. 'Somebody, I need some help.'
He pulled Reid closer to him and pressed more firmly on the bleeding wound, his eyes never leaving Hardwick's body.
'They're coming Reid, they're coming, just...help is coming.' He whispered into Reid's ear.
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