Authors Note: So you know how I promised to update more/sooner...yeeea...
Sorry about that guys... *Rubbing back of head and looking down at antidepressants...aka beer.*
Anyway, thank you so so so so much to everyone who alerted, favorited, and/or is still following this story. My muse is a fickle busty long legged lady who likes to make me wait...
Le sigh!
TAOT Ch 11
The corridors flashed before his eyes as Morgan ran. Doors seemed to open on their own, guiding him, and he barely noticed the stairs as he took them two then four then a flight at a time.
The smell of blood and wildflowers was strong in his nose, leading him on the most direct path to the surgical wing.
Finally he caught a glimpse of wild auburn curls being wheeled speedily away down the hall.
Then, as the doctors stepped out of view, he saw him. Mouth and beard smeared red, his shirt and hands stained crimson.
Morgan's eyes went immediately black as he ran at Ethan.
oooooooooo
Lenora and Zhin were on Morgan's heels but Hotch and the rest of the team lost the three in seconds.
"Hotch," JJ called. "This way."
She ushered her team down a hall and in to a staff elevator. "This'll take us to the surgical wing."
"I just hope we make it there before Derek," Hotch rubbed at his eyes.
"Unlikely," Gideon smiled humorlessly. "Lenora's been giving him small doses of vampire blood, so the best thing to do is to stand back and let her and Zhin handle the situation," he said, calmly pulling a syringe full of green liquid out of his bag as his team looked on stunned.
"She's been giving him what," Ell and Garcia yelled in unison.
"Gideon we need to talk," Hotch looked around and stepped closer to the former CIA consultant. "In private and soon."
Gideon nodded and Ell and JJ shared a concerned look.
They began running as soon as the doors opened, Garcia stepping out of her heals, and when they burst through the doors of the surgery the all stopped and stared.
Lenora had a tight hold on Morgan, twisting his arm behind his back and pressing him hard against the wall. The position mirrored the grip Zhin had on Ethan, with an added hand on the back of his neck. There was an indentation in the wall in front of Ethan where Zhin had slammed him, and the young vampire struggled and cursed in a strange version of what sounded like Latin.
"Be still," Zhin growled in Ethan's ear. "Gideon..."
Gideon stepped forward and uncapped the syringe, angeling it in to Ethan's jugular.
The vampire went immediately limp and Zhin hoisted him over her shoulder. "I'll bind him," she beckoned to Lenora who slowly released Morgan and turned him.
She took him by the throat, "be calm...breath", she said quietly looking in to wide black eyes. Two blinks and a deep breath and Derek felt his knees wobble. He swayed and Garcia took him by the shoulder, giving him a concerned look.
Lenora was at Zhin's side in an instant.
Their foreheads touched and with a graze of lips Zhin turned, carrying Ethan out of the hospital.
"She'll take him back to the council. Come, lets check on Spencer."
The small group ignored the stares of the nurses and conscious patients to wonder down the hall in search of Reid's room.
When they stood before the white double doors everyone sat quietly on the moderately comfortable couches. No one wanted to be the first to betray the tense silence with the unavoidable inquisition.
"Can you help Reid?" Derrek asked, eyes fixed on Lenora sitting at his side as he leaned forward, his chin resting on his hands.
Lenora sighed, "Healing is Zhin's specialty, and I don't have enough herbs to even try to heal a wound like that."
"Your blood makes people stronger right? I mean look what happened to Morgan...and you said you only gave him a few drops," Ell piped in.
"No," Lenora shook her head vehemently.
"Why," JJ questioned.
"With that much blood loss one of two things would happen...," Lenora took a deep breath. "He would either turn...or die."
"If he turned..."
"Derek...," Lenora stopped him.
"If he turned he would still have to die," Gideon spoke up. "That's what it means to become a vampire. His body would die...and if, if, he woke up he diffidently wouldn't be able to stay with the BAU. Or the FBI, CIA, NSA, Interpol or any other human government origination. Vampires keep close tabs on their people and there are very strict rules for human interactions. He'd probably be gone close to fifty years before he was allowed back out in to the human world unattended."
"You're just going to have to rely on human science...and prayer," Lenora winked at Morgan. He frowned at her jest. "Trust me, your feelings about religion mirror my own. But take it from someone who knows, praying can't hurt." She put a hand on his shoulder.
oooooooooo
The wind whipped around his head, tussling golden brown curls. Sand mountains rose and fell in the distance like tan waves and the hot sun beat down on dry lips half hidden by a dusky brown hood.
"Where are we?" The words were whispered but they formed an echo that bounced off the burning dunes.
The tall brown man in front of him smiled sadly. His rust red hood shifted as he raised his pointer finger, slowly tapping the thin man on the temple.
"You're inside here." Again the whisper flung itself around the sand, riding the wind.
Clear brown eyes looked around at the barren landscape. "It's Las Vegas..."
The older man nodded.
"Are you here with me...like before," a blush rose to his cheeks.
The smile faded and the agent shook his head in the negative. "I'm there," he pointed across the ocean of sand. "I'm waiting for you Spence."
"Morgan..."
He took a gentle hold of Reid's neck and looked him in the eye. "Be strong." Reid gasped as Derek's lips stole his breath away. "Come to me..."
oooooooooooooooooooo
Three and a half hours later the double doors opened to reveal a visibly exhausted surgeon, eyes hard and metal clip board in hand.
"Are you the group here for the young man brought in with the neck wound?"
"Yes," Hotch stood up up first, shaking the surgeons hand. "SSA Hotchner. We believe the young man brought in is doctor Spencer Reid, a member of my team."
"Yes, well I'll be frank," the doctor sighed. "He's in bad shape. It looks like he was attacked by some kind of animal. The lacerations did a great deal of damaged to the muscles and tendons in his neck and shoulder, and there may be some damage to the trachea and even the spine." The doctor rubbed a hand across his far head, "The main problem was the blood loss. The jugular was pierced and torn." He shook his head, "It wasn't looking good there for a while, but we were able to stop the bleeding and repair some of the damage. He's going to need a bit more patching up but he's out of the woods for now. We're waiting for him to regain consciousness so we can see if there's any nerve or cognitive damage."
"Can we see him," Garcia JJ and Ell asked in unison.
The doctor smiled, "Of course, when he wakes up. For now I suggest you all go home and try and get some rest. He'll be observed throughout the night."
Morgan sat down and Lenora looked over to Gideon. With a nod she sat down next to Morgan.
Hotch and JJ shared a glance, the two sat with their eyes closed, arms crossed, head resting against the wall, and their right ankle crossed over their left knee.
"Lenora and Morgan will stay here, they'll contact us when Reid wakes up. The rest of us need to get some sleep." Gideon shuffled his team away, all of them protesting. As they reached the cars outside Hotch took one car with Gideon, leaving the ladies to themselves.
"You don't actually think we're going to sleep tonight do you?"
"I wouldn't dream of it," Gideon smiled.
oooooooooo
Tired red rimmed eyes watched the sun rise from the top floor window of Saint Benedict's Hospital. They turned to stare down at a pale but peaceful face framed with wildly tangled curls.
Morgan took another sip of his coffee, no longer effective at keeping him awake, and slid his chair closer to the bed.
He hesitated before reaching out and taking Reid's limp hand. It was cold, and Morgan sat his coffee down to better warm the long digits. He ghosted warm breath over the chilled skin and touched the fingers to his lips.
"Please," he began in a small voice, eyes squeezed shut.
"I'm not good at this... But if theres anyone, anywhere, out there." Morgan shook his head. "He's a good kid. He deserves better than this..." Tears were stinging his eyes now. "He's scrawny and awkward and brilliant and kind! He could have done anything...anything with his life..." Morgan touched Reid's warming hand to his cheek. "But he made the choice to help people. He's a hero, and one of the most decent men I know...and I lo..."
Morgan opened his eyes in shock at the words that almost escaped his mouth.
"Say it Derek," Lenora stood at the door. "If you mean it, if you feel it...say it." She looked over to Reid. "This may be the only chance you get to tell him." She looked out at the sunrise. "We never know when'll be the last time we get to say those words to the people we want to here them."
Morgan knew she spoke from experience. The day they'd flown to England she'd shown him her life in vivid crystal clear detail.
He turned back to Reid's still form to find his lashes fluttering. He stood, his chair almost falling over. Looking up for Lenora she was already gone, alerting the nurses and doctors.
"Reid, Reid look at me. Can you here me?"
Reid's lips formed Morgan's name silently, his voice failing him.
"I'm here, I'm here kid."
"I found you..."
oooooooooo
Authors Note: Well well well! Look at that touching reunion. I hope Morgan and Reid enjoy this moment of peace...because the real danger is heading straight for them and not even Zhin and Lenora will see this coming.
Maniacal Laugh! Maniacal Laugh! Maniacal Laugh!