Rock Bottem
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal minds
Reid sat shivering in the backseat of Rossi's car. Emily noticed and sat closer , she rubbed his shoulder, trying to comfort and warm him at the same time. Reid shrugged her off and leaned his head against the cold window pane and tried not to think.
They had been driving for several hours and the three of them barely said one word to one another. Rossi must have been exhausted but when Prentiss called him, he wasted no time in getting to Reid's apartment.
Spencer had been surprised to see him but when he realized why Rossi had come and what they were going to do, he was furious. He ordered the two of them out of his apartment. Prentiss merely went into his bedroom and began to pack a bag.
Rossi calmly sat down and suggested Spencer do the same. Reid sat and faced the older man; his entire body was shaking. He was unsure whether it was with rage, fear, or a combination of both.
Prentiss returned to the living room holding a small duffle bag containing Reid's clothes. Reid glared at her, he felt betrayed and hurt.
"Why are you doing this?" he said to the both of them.
Rossi sighed. "Spencer, I..." Reid did not let him finish. He turned and looked directly at Emily.
"Emily, I trusted you, I let you in my home, I confide in you and the two of you had this planned" He practically spat at her.
Prentiss kept her composure, she had to. Rossi warned her this wasn't going to be easy. What she really longed to do was take Reid in her arms and hold him. She wanted to tell him everything was going to be ok, but that would be a lie.
Over the past week she and Rossi had discussed that perhaps Reid needed more help than they could give him and when she said 'they, she mean't the entire team. Rossi had suggested a rehab clinic. He knew of a very good private one. He was willing to pay for it and it was also very discreet. He didn't tell her that Strauss had gone there with great success. They had only discussed the possibility of it , there was no plan in place.
Emily shook her head "No Spencer, we did not have this planned, at least not the way you think" she said.
She had come to his apartment tonight just to check up on him. She had a gut feeling something was wrong. She thought back to earlier in the evening when Reid had become almost hysterical. She had never seen him like that, He was so scared and filled with pain it frightened her. Maybe Spencer was not strong enough to do this on his own this time. They all expected too much of him. She said as much to Rossi on the phone and they both agreed that Reid should go into rehab now.
"Spencer, she's telling the truth" Rossi added.
"What if I refuse to go?" Reid said.
"Then I will advise Hotch that having you on the team would be a liability" Rossi replied coolly.
Spencer stared wild eyed at the two of them. He leaned back and wrapped his arms around his waist. He reminded Prentiss of cornered animal.
"No please, Rossi, I can do this on my own. I don't want to leave my home, please don't make me go" He pleaded.
In his head Spencer could hear the voice of his mother almost saying the exact same thing many years ago. It hurt his heart.
Prentiss started toward him but Rossi put up his hand to make her stay put.
"Spencer, you don't have to do this on your own," Rossi's voice was gentle now. "Now come. It's a long drive, over three hours I think." Rossi stood and held out his hand.
Reluctantly Spencer rose to his feet and let his fellow agents lead him outside. He was terrified.
"I don't want to go "he whispered.
"I know," said Rossi
XXXXXX
Rossi drove into the dark night. The silence was nearly deafening; nobody spoke. He kept checking his mirror only to see that Reid had barely moved a muscle the entire ride. He just sat with his forehead against the window staring out into the darkness.
"We should be there soon" Rossi said,
"I need to use the bathroom." Reid said
Rossi nodded, "Sure, there's a rest centre a little ways up ahead, we'll stop there." His eyes met Prentiss's in the mirror. They were both thinking the same thing. Reid might try to run.
Minutes later Rossi pulled into the deserted rest stop. He got out of the car and opened the car door for Spencer. Reid barely noticed Rossi was behind him until the door to the bathroom closed and David was still there.
Reid scowled at him. "You aren't seriously going to stand there and watch me urinate are you? he said to the older man.
"Look Reid, the last time you went into a bathroom by yourself you disappeared." So do your business and lets go," he stated matter of factly.
"I don't think I can go with you standing there watching me."
"Sorry, but I'm not leaving," Rossi replied.
"Well, can you at least turn around, I'm not going to slide down the drain." Reid asked in an exasperated tone.
"Fine I'll look the other way,"
Reid unzipped and quickly relieved himself" Once he was finished he held up his hands.
"Need to wash ok?"
Rossi merely nodded. He expected anger. He also was aware how humiliating this must be for such a private man like Reid. but the fact was right now Spencer was a flight risk. He wasn't going to let him out of his sight until he had him safely ensconced at the clinic.
Reid took his time washing his hands, glancing up at Rossi every now and then.
"What are are you going to tell Hotch and the team?" he asked quietly.
"The truth, that you are in rehab, you're safe and if all goes well you will be back in 45 days"
"45 days!" he exclaimed. He was wearing the wild eyed expression again.
Rossi recognized panic when he saw it and for a brief moment thought Spencer might push past him and run out the door.
He needn't have worried. Spencer was able to size up his situation pretty quickly. Rossi might be a good deal older than him, but he was also 30 pounds heavier and in pretty good shape. He gave up the idea of trying to run, in fact he felt like just giving up on everything. He was tired, tired of fighting, of feeling bad and tired of living this way. He threw the paper towels in the garbage can and followed Rossi back to the car.
Prentiss noticed the change in him almost immediately. He had been sullen and angry most of the drive, now there was just this air of defeat about him.
"Everything ok?" she asked.
Rossi nodded and started the car. "Yup," he said.
She looked over at Reid, he was back to leaning against the car window, but this time his eyes were closed.
XXX
It was less than a hour that Rossi pulled off the main highway and turned down a remote country road lit only by the high beams of Rossi's car. It remained dark until they reached the gates of a large rather gothic looking residence.
"This is it " said Rossi He slowed down and drove up a long meandering drive until he reached the front entrance.
For the first time since getting in the car Reid looked at something with interest. The building was a large brick Victorian. It was three stories tall with a widows peak at the very top. It had obviously been someone's home at one time.
This place was donated by the kempt family 25 years ago" Rossi said, almost as if he were reading Spencer's mind. He got out and opened the door for Spencer.
"Looks haunted," joked Prentiss as she retrieved Reid's duffle bag from the trunk.
Spencer stood there speechless. He was in the middle of nowhere. He couldn't detect the lights of another building even remotely close to this place.
"C'mon handsome let's go," Prentiss whispered in his ear.
It was her warm sweet breath in his ear that brought him back to reality. She linked her arm with his and walked him up the front steps. Rossi held the frosted glass double doors open and the three of them walked into the brightly lit foyer.
It was much more modern on the inside, there was a reception desk where a middle aged woman sat with a coffee and a crossword puzzle in her hands. Rossi approached her.
"Hi I'm David Rossi, we spoke on the phone."
The woman smiled and stood up "Ah yes Mr Rossi, I'm Annie Welk. Is this the young man we spoke about?" she asked while eyeing Spencer up and down.
"Yes it is."
She walked around to the other side of her desk and held out her hand. "Hello Spencer" Reid limply shook her hand and looked down at the floor.
Anna turned her attention back to Rossi, "Thank you, we'll take it from here"
Rossi frowned at the woman. "What, you mean we just go, don't we need to register him or something, or take him to his room?"
The woman shook her head "Not necessary. It's always better for the families to leave immediately,"
Prentiss put his bag on the floor "I'll call tomorrow" she said.
"I'm sorry, no phone calls for the first two weeks and only outgoing, no visitors for the first month" Annie Welk told them.
Rossi started to move toward Reid to say goodbye when Spencer abruptly turned his back on him. Rossi tried to hide the hurt he felt.
"I'll wait for you outside," he said to Prentiss as he left the foyer.
Emily looked at the young man before her.
"Spencer," she said softly.
He looked up. She had never seen such sadness He cast his eyes downward again as if he couldn't bear to look in her eyes.
"Screw it " she thought. She quickly closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.
"You're going to be alright Spencer," she said using his first name. "You have to be, because we need you too much… I need you," she kissed the side of his neck.
Reid choked back a sob as he returned the embrace. Right then he never wanted to let her go.
"Ahem, I'm sorry but I'm afraid you'll have to go now," said Ms Welk
"Just one more minute," said Emily.
She drew back and wiped the tears from his face.
"I know you're going to succeed and when you do I'll be waiting for you, ok?"
Reid nodded, he was too filled with emotion to dare speak.
"Goodbye Spencer," she said to him as she moved away.
"Goodbye Emily," he whispered hoarsely.
He stood and watched as she walked out the double doors. Forty five days seemed like an eternity. He felt a pair of stoney eyes watching him.
Annie Welk handed him his duffle bag.
"Let's go," she said brusquely.
"Go where?" he asked.
"To your first meeting, it starts in fifteen minutes."
Xxxxx
Rossi and Prentiss drove for about 45 minutes before they stopped at a truck stop for coffee.
"I hope we did the right thing," she said.
Rossi reached over and squeezed her hand.
"We did something that should have been done back when Gideon was still here." He replied.
Prentiss stared into her coffee cup. "Rossi, Reid is more than just a co worker to me, I mean he… I..." She suddenly felt at a loss for words.
Rossi smiled. "I know Emily, I'm a very good profiler you know."
xxxxx
TBC.
AN: Ooh I know it's been a long time so I hope some of you are still around. So many things have taken up my time these past several months, including having to get a new PC but I hope to get back on track. Please read and review.
Thank you.
