(Disclaimer: I do not own Crimianl Minds or it's characters)
Sorry for no chapter yesterday, like I said I was bridesmaid at a wedding.
This is the second form last chapter. Yep there's only one more chapter to go. I may consider writing an epilogue, but I'll end it with the next chapter for now so I can start a new story.
I hope you guys have enjoyed the story, don't worry it's not over yet, there's so so so much more to come, hand on heart, I promise. I'm super stoked for what's to come, I hope you guys will be too.
So here it is, chapter 11, please enjoy and review!
Thank you!
"Spencer!" Gasped JJ, lunging for Reid as his knees buckled. She grasped her arms around his thin frame, keeping him semi-standing. "You're alive?" She panted, holding him in her arms as tightly as she could. Luckily, the two teams had gathered around and Morgan was helping Spencer down to the floor.
Matthew offered his hoodie as a pillow, but Spencer frowned trying to get up, but a forceful hand pushed him back down.
"Easy Pretty Boy", soothed Morgan, who was checking over Reid's injuries.
"I can sit up", Reid insisted in a painful voice, which had been assaulted by river water.
"Spence, we thought you were dead", gasped JJ as Spencer tried pulling himself into a sitting position. Spencer gasped adjusting his leg. The adrenaline had finally worn off and now the pain was hitting him head on.
"Dead? I haven't been gone that long", he croaked, frowning at the blond through a swollen eye.
"It's been 6 hours since the shootout and the SUV was at the bottom of the river. So yes: we thought you were long dead", chided Emily, although she was supremely thankful to see her young genius.
"You look a wreck. What happened? Wait I'll get you some water", added JJ, Spencer's eyes went wide and he shook his head vigorously.
"I've had enough water thanks", he laughed, grimacing from the pain in his face, that sparked up as he smiled. They all exchanged a look of worry. JJ was sat next to Spencer with an arm around him, she could feel him trembleinv uncontrollably and he was ice cold to the touch. Morgan was knelt on his other side and Garcia was kneeling right in front of him, taking his face in her hands and examining it thoroughly.
"You need a hospital", she concluded, taking his hand in hers. Tara's voice rose up from the doorway.
"I've already called an ambulance", she sang and Spencer groaned.
"Do not argue, you're going to a hospital. I mean Jesus, look at your leg", frowned Micheal, pointing to Reid's left leg. The pant leg was completely torn and a deep wound scuttled down to his knee cap where the bone was partially exposed. Reid could feel the extent of his wound now, and it was not fun.
"How in the hell did you get here on that leg", Stanley gasped, gaping at Spencer's leg.
"Uh I ignored it", shrugged Spencer, "that and adrenaline".
"And your stubbornness", added Emily.
"How did you get out your car?" Bleated JJ, her blue eyes looking softly into his tawny brown ones.
"I uh..I was pinned. The water was rising and my leg", he motioned to his leg with disdain, "wouldn't budge. I had to pry it out and the metal kind of ripped into my skin." He grimaced, remembering the agony of pulling his leg from where it was pinned. "Then I had to wait for the SUV to fill up so the pressure was equal and I could open the door."
Garcia stroked his face absentmindedly, wishing her fingers could magic away the big red and purple botchs and small sharp lacerations.
"But why didn't the rescue services see you? Didn't you call out to them or swim to the nearest bank, they've been searching for your body since they arrived on the scene", Morgan asked, his eyebrows furrowed in thoughtful confusion.
"Current", is all he said, closing his eyes on the traumatic memory.
"Hotch! How are they, Hotch and Alex, I would've stayed, but Hotch ordered me to go after wolf. Did Rossi go to the hospital with them? Why didn't you guys go? Is it because of me? Has..." Spencer was practically hyperventilating at this point, his big brown eyes flicking from each team member.
"Reid, calm down", Morgan put his hand on Spencer's shoulder and he flinched away, pain flaring up from his touch. Morgan looked a little worried, but decided to brush it off.
"Spence, there...there's something you need to know", Spencer's eyes stopped flicking and held onto JJ's. His heart sunk at the look of sadness in her blue eyes.
"Are they okay? We're there complications? We have to go see them", he rambled feebly, trying to lift himself onto his feet, but his arm refused to hold his weight. Morgan made sure he didn't try and get back up.
"No, Spence listen", JJ's voice cracked, and she sniffed back a sob. "Alex...she didn't make it to the hospital. Spencer, she died not long after you left. Ther...there was too much blood." A tear rolled down her cheek, which she quickly swept away. She looked at Spencer, who was staring straight ahead of him, his breath coming out in short, sharp rasps.
"Reid, are you alright?" Garcia cooed, fingering one of his curls. Spencer didn't answer, continuing to look ahead, his breath was harsher and more ragged now. A single tear fell.
"No..."he whispered. JJ rubbed his back, but he continued to hyperventilate.
"Calm down Reid", Morgan fretted, worried about Spencer's breathing. Reid gasped out his next breath and put a hand over his chest as he struggled to breath.
"Reid!" Cried Morgan. "Breath man", he begged. Spencer continued to pant and rasp. His eyes rolled as blackness swirled around his vision.
"Spence, it's okay, it's okay", stuttered JJ.
Spencer's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he went limp, falling from JJ's grasp. If Morgan hadn't been quick to grab Reid's shoulder, he would've crashed into the floor.
"SPENCE!" JJ wailed.
"Reid!" Emily and Garcia cried, Emily stumbling forward.
"Reid? Reid, wake up man", Morgan ordered, taping Spencer's cheek lightly. He didn't stir, but his breathing remained frantic and rough.
"What's wrong with him?" Whimpered Amelia, a hand over her mouth.
"He's probably lost a good deal of blood", Micheal pointed out, his eyebrows motioning to Reid's leg and also the fact that Spencer was exceptionally pale.
"Oh Spence, wake up please", sobbed JJ, who couldn't hold in her emotions any longer.
The squel of an ambulance siren could be heard out of the windows. Morgan laid Spencer's head gently on Matthews hoodie. He then fumbled with his belt and quickly buckled it tightly over Reid's leg; he hoped this could stop the blood still blossoming from his leg.
"JJ, try and get him to respond. I'm going to see how bad his knee is." His leg was partly covered in the bloody rags of his pant leg. Morgan scrambled up and pulled a pair of scissors from a pot on the desk. He knelt back down beside Spencer, who JJ was trying to coax awake, her words attacked by continuous tears and sobs.
"Don't do this to us Spence!"
Morgan took part of the torn pant and pried it from the skin, the drying blood was acting like glue. He cut the fabric and gently uncovered the wound. More bone was revealed now the pant leg was out of the way. The gash ran raggedly down his thigh to the bottom of his knee cap. The skin of his knee cap flapped over the bone, which was on view.
Garcia reeled away, distress etched in her features.
Spencer's breathing was still off. His face was contorted in pain, his mind screaming one thing at him; your fault, your fault.
Jason strutted around his temporary office. His presence made the young man at the computer shiver.
"I want everything on their boss, uh I think his second name is Hotch, or something like that". The young tech boy didn't argue, his fingers dancing across the keyboard.
"The unit chief is called Aaron Hotchner..."
"That's him!" Shouted Jason enthusiastically, rushing to the computer. "Now I want everything", he stared sternly at the boy, who swallowed thickly and pressed a few buttons. Jason's eyes lit up with delight.
"Well isn't that interesting", mused Wolf.
"The guy who did it was Peter Lewis, otherwise known as the infamous Mr Scratch", whispered tech boy.
"I think you found Agent Aaron Hotchner's biggest fear", Jason smiled at the boy and he sighed in relief.
My fault, Hotch thought, clutching his head and steadying his breath which he'd lost with grief.
Hotch had sent Rossi out of the room so he could think. He was starting to regret his choice. I sent him out there and now he's dead. It's my fault.
He didn't know how long he was sat there in silence, delving into dark thoughts. But at some point Morgan burst in, breathless as he fell through the door.
"H..hot..Hotch. It's Spencer, he's alive!" He announced, panting. Hotch's thoughts lifted like a cloud and his mouth hung open.
"Rossi..he said..."
"I know, we all thought he was gone, but he turned up at the office and he's hurt...but Hotch, he's alive", Morgan almost jumped for joy, his eyes full of gratitude.
"He's alive", Hotch whispered to himself. He looked up suddenly, locking eyes with Derek. "I need to see him", I need to confirm, he thought to himself.
"He's in surgery, his leg was all kinds of messed up. But he's going to be all right". Hotch nodded, a big weight lifted from his shoulders.
"Are you all family of Spencer Reid?" A tall male nurse asked doubtfully, looking at the team, all of whom looked nothing alike.
"Aaron Hotchner, a patient here, is his emergency contact and we are his team. There is no one else here for him", Rossi concluded sharply, not in the mood for an argument, he just wanted to make sure Spencer was okay. The nurse glanced around and noticed that there was no one else there for his patient. He sighed and glanced at the clipboard.
"Okay, but this isn't a form of special privilege." He kissed his teeth and glanced up. "Spencer had a build up of water in his lungs, which can be very dangerous, so we had to put a chest tube in to make sure the lungs are free of liquid. His leg was our second concern, he lost a good amount of blood, the water didn't help the blood loss. There was a serious amount of muscle and tissue damage, he may struggle to walk on that leg for a considerable amount of time. His shoulder was dislocated, it's been set and put in a sling for now. His nose is broken along with his orbital socket and a hairline fracture on his cheek bone. There isn't much we can do for those injuries, except ice for the bruises and tape for the nose".
"Is he awake?" JJ asked quietly.
"He was, but he was extremely distressed so we had to sedate him for the time being. He should be awake in a few hours. He's in room 86 when you want to see him." They all nodded and the nurse left to finish his shift.
One day 7 hours later
10.36am
"I'm fine! Let me see him already!" Demanded Hotch, trying to get out of bed for the hundredth time that day.
"My god, you and him are too much alike. He asked to see you, tried to persuade the nurse that he could walk. You can see him later, when your doctor lets you get out of bed, but you will not jeopardise your health", warned Rossi with a smirk. Hotch opened his mouth, but knew not to argue with the older agent.
"He's okay though?" Hotch asked yet again and Rossi and Garcia rolled their eyes and groaned "yes!".
Emily, Morgan and JJ tripped into the room, one behind the other, like something from a sketch.
"There's been another murder, the team wants us there now", Emily grimaced, heading back out the room. Rossi pinched the bridge of his nose.
"You," he pointed an accusing finger in Hotch's direction. "Are to do what you're told, I'm serious", he grinned and Hotch's glower and jogged after the team. Garcia stayed, but Morgan's head peeked around the door a second later.
"You too baby girl. We need those fingers of yours".
"Oh I will show you exactly what these fingers do", Garcia teased playfully, chasing after her stud muffin.
Hotch sighed after they left, a sense of loneliness creeping over him.
It couldn't have been anymore than 5 minutes later that the door creaked open. Hotch's mind jumped to conclusions; Spencer?
It wasn't Spencer.
The team had been gone about an hour or less. Spencer was getting a bit restless.
His chest tube had been removed the night before and his leg was wrapped in thick bandages. He wanted to sneak a look behind the clean, white bandages, his curiosity trying to get the better of him.
His door opened silently, and his eyes whipped up. He couldn't suppress his smile at the friendly face.
Hotch stood in the doorway. Adorned in the same fetching hospital gown as he was, his face straight and serious.
"Hotch. They told me that neither of us were allowed to leave our beds yet. Did you sneak out?" Spencer asked, raising an eyebrow. Hotch didn't reply. "Are we meant to be quiet?" Spencer whispered, looking around behind Hotch at the empty hallway. Still Hotch didn't reply and his unmoving features were beginning to scare Reid. Hotch let the door shut behind him, he continued to stare at Spencer menacingly.
"Hot..." Spencer cut himself off when a gun was aimed at him from the hand of his own boss.
"A..Aaron? W...what are you...what are you doing?" Stuttered Spencer, as calmly as he could. Hotch's eyes never left Spencer, neither did the gun. Spencer gently removed his IV, slowly so that Hotch wouldn't react badly.
"Hotch? Please, stop this." Reid slipped his legs gingerly over the side of the bed, wincing at the movement on his bad leg. Maybe I can't walk yet, he thought to himself.
Hotch stepped closer, he walked as if he hadn't been shot in the leg; possessed. The gun trembled in his hand, but his face remained serious.
"Agent Reid." Reid's eyes snapped to the door and he bolted up right in his bed. He'd seen that face countless times over the last few weeks.
"Recognise me, agent?" Grinned Jason Wolf as he skirted around the walls. Hotch took another step, the gun still levelled at Spencer. Hotch's eyes flitted fearfully to the man who entered just behind him.
Spencer took the hesitation and lunged for the gun. He was weaker than Hotch, but he didn't let go of the gun, trying to pull it from Hotch's sweaty palms, twisting the barrel so it faced away from him. Hotch's fingers were on the trigger and the attack and struggle caused his finger to slam down over the plastic, unleashing a bullet.
The struggle halted abruptly, Reid's eyes wide and scared, staring into Hotch's fearless and dead ones. Spencer felt the warmth of blood oozing over his hands and his breath caught in his throat. Aaron's eyebrows furrowed as he looked down; his eyes finally revealed some of his old humanity when he looked up shamefully. The gun clattered to the floor in Hotch's moment of clarity and he stumbled away from Spencer. His eyes gazing at the blood staining his white hospital gown.
Hotch backed into the wall and touched his wound, looking back at Spencer, his faced twitched slightly and his eyes showed a hint of pride. Spencer gaped at Hotch's blood and stepped forward to help his friend. But Hotch's eyes switched between a dead gaze and a sad one and Reid wasn't risking anymore chances. He swiped the gun off the floor and pointed it at Wolf.
Hotch's mind became less clouded and he could feel his limbs again, he could feel control; he could feel pain. He felt his side, lifting the gown. The bullet had grazed the flesh, leaving a deep wound, but nothing serious, though it would need stitches. Hotch tried to take complete control of his body, but he caved in once more, leaving the real Hotch watching from behind a dark stare of the drug induced Aaron Hotchner.
Wolf was scowling at Hotch and his mouth quivered slightly.
"You shot your own boss", gasped Jason and Reid's hand shook more violently.
"I..I never meant to hurt him. A..and he would never of meant to hurt me", Spencer spluttered. "Jason Wolf, you're under..."
"You're pathetic. You know that, right? Look at you! You can barely hold a gun", snorted Wolf, crossing his arms.
"I'd shoot you, right here, right now, but I'm not like you. But I will do what I have to if you try anything".
"No, you're right, what does keep Dr Spencer Reid ticking? I've done a good bit of research on you and your team an..." Wolf started to explain calmly.
"DON'T!" Yelled Spencer. He gritted his teeth, calming himself. "Don't speak of my team. You took Alex away from us and Mara from CSI. You don't get to speak of us." Wolf raised his eyes, chuckling in mock surrender.
"Touched a nerve, Dr?"
"Put your hands behind your head and shut up!" Demanded Spencer, steadying his fingers over the trigger and flicking the gun up to Jason's head. Jason followed without hesitation, smiling the whole time.
"And what are you going to do now, Dr Reid", Wolf asked curiously.
"I'm taking you in", Spencer snarled, stepping closer, the gun still trained on Wolf.
"Oh, I don't think so", Jason grinned maliciously. "Do it." He said in a dull, monotone voice. Spencer had a split second of confusion before he felt something smack hard into the back of his head. His vision went black, erasing the laughing murderer from his line of sight, making him blind. He collapsed to the floor. And everything went quiet and numb.
Hotch dropped the vase, water and glass scattering over the floor and an unconscious Spencer. Wolf gave him instructions, nodding back thickly, Hotch began dragging Spencer's limp form to a wheelchair. Wolf instructed him again and Hotch cleaned the blood and changed into some new clothes. Wolf checked the hallway and beckoned Hotch out. The three of them left the hospital without confrontation.
Two chapter left, the next on is a small chapter on what Jason Wolf did to Hotch and then it's the finale!
Also you may be wondering why I left out Reid waking up and his grief over Alex, that was on purpose. The final chapter will explore that.
Thank you for the reviews, keep them coming.
Be back tomorrow, I'll be in the air for 10 hours tomorrow before I get to America, but I promise you an update tomorrow!