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Millimeter
Spencer Reid understood physical pain. As a child, he'd suffered beatings from bullies that took out their frustrations on him. As an adult, he'd chosen a profession that routinely meted out physical harm and mental anguish.
After he said goodbye to Alex, he shuffled into his bedroom and carefully removed his clothing. His neck wound throbbed with the beat of his heart. He threw his clothes into the hamper and tried to put on a tee-shirt without brushing against his neck.
When this comes off, I'm going to look just like Boris Karloff.
Yeah, a little green paint and you'll have the best Halloween costume ever.
Reid sighed and pulled on his pajama pants, then went to the bathroom. He studied his face and then reached up to carefully touch the bandage at his neck.
Two millimeters.
He'd come close to death before. He was on intimate terms with the Grim Reaper. The Specter of Death must consider him a valuable prize that continuously dodged his scythe.
He tried to laugh at such ridiculous thoughts, but Alex's face kept popping up in his mind. Spencer had been shocked to hear her tell him that he reminded her of her son. Why hadn't he seen it in her behavior before she told him? He was a profiler.
Spencer went to his bed after his usual nightly ritual and lay down. He tried to sleep, but despite the exhaustion that penetrated down to his bones, sleep wouldn't come.
Two millimeters.
How many times could he expect to cheat death? How many times would he lose someone he cared about and live to tell the tale?
Spencer flipped to his back and reached up to touch the dressing on his neck. The cotton felt soft and scratchy at the same time.
You're alive to find the texture pleasing and annoying.
Yes, he was alive, but Alex was gone.
His shooting was the last straw for her. How could he live with the fact that she'd walked away because a bullet came within two millimeters of snuffing out his life?
Spencer didn't know, and hours later, he dropped into an uneasy sleep that let him escape the endless speculation over cheating death and losing a friend.