Title: Blood
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Reid and Morgan
Warnings: Mentions of Death
Summary: A girl is shot in front of Reid and he is unable to save her. How will it affect him? Will Morgan be able to save him?
Disclaimer: The only part of Criminal Minds that I own is the first four seasons on DVD.
A/N: Reviews are always nice to receive. Enjoy the story.
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Reid could still feel the blood on his hands. He could still smell it. No matter how hard he scrubbed, it wouldn't come off.
The water had ceased to turn red over 20 minutes ago. The same water that had scalded his flesh to a bright pink had started to turn lukewarm.
Reid collapsed in his shower his legs unable to support his weight any longer. He heard the vague ring of his phone from the bedroom but he couldn't stand let alone walk to the room to get it.
The water had turned freezing and rained down on his skin in icy pelts. He was curled into the fetal position, forehead resting on his knees arms drown tight around himself. He didn't know how long he'd been in the shower. He was shivering intensely when the door to his apartment burst open and Morgan ran inside calling his name.
Reid raised his head a little at the sound of Morgan's voice, but couldn't bring himself to call back; he just didn't have the energy.
Morgan heard the running water and saw a pile of clothes on the floor parts of them soaked and caked with dried and drying blood. He panicked.
"Reid!" Morgan shouted and ran into the bathroom where he saw Reid sitting on the floor shivering with cold, his lips an almost blue color. He lurched forward and shut off the water.
Reid's teeth were chattering when Morgan leaned forward and gathered him into his arms.
"The b-blood. It won't- won't come off." Reid practically sobbed into Morgan's chest.
Morgan looked at Reid and couldn't see any blood. "What blood Reid?"
"It won't come off." He repeated clinging to Morgan like a lifeline.
"Reid there is no blood. We need to get you warm." All Morgan could feel was coldness in the skin beneath his fingers and he knew that wasn't a good sign. "I'm going to carry you okay?"
Reid nodded and Morgan lifted him, bridal style, and carried to the bed where he set Reid down and proceeded to grab a pair of boxers out of Reid's dresser and hand them to him figuring Reid would prefer not to be exposed to Morgan anymore than he already had been. Once Reid had pulled on his boxers Morgan covered him with blankets and sat next to him on the bed noting that Reid was still shivering.
"I- I tired to save her." Reid said in after a long silence broken only by his shivers and still slightly chattering teeth.
"Save who? Hannah? Reid that wasn't your fault. You tried to talk Marks down but he shot her anyway. You did everything you could," Morgan paused and sighed. "The paramedics just didn't get there fast enough." Morgan once again pulled Reid into his arms and against his chest so they were both lying down, Reid under the blankets, Morgan on top of them.
"Will you stay with me?" Reid asked. Even to himself he sounded like a pathetic kid. "I don't want to be alone when the nightmares come." Because he knew they would come. No matter how powerful his intellect and how hard he tried to stop them, the nightmares always came. He just hoped that if Morgan were with him they wouldn't be quite so bad.
"I'll stay as long as you need me." Morgan said squeezing Reid a little tighter. "All you ever have to do is ask."