"This is done," Spencer said, as he turned around to face the man with the gun in his hand and JJ holding onto his arm as she stood behind him.
The man had started standing up weakly, "no, it can't end like this."
"Please, I don't want it to end with you dying. I understand how angry and hurt you are. I can't deny that I was angry with John myself for not protecting me, but this isn't the answer. You've been murdering innocent people, becoming the monster that you wanted John to protect us from."
Tears had begun to run down the man's face, and he fell to his knees with his face in his hands.
"I was only trying to do what's right. I just wanted John to understand, I never wanted to kill anybody, but I couldn't resist the desire to and I thought it was okay if it was proving a point. I've killed so many people," he sobbed and JJ looked at Spencer with surprise as Spencer kept his gun trained on the sobbing murderer in front of them, "I'm sorry, I never wanted to hurt you..."
"Get the handcuffs from the table," Spencer told JJ and she obeyed, passing the man as she did so.
"There's no way out of this, is there Dr. Reid? I'm going to prison for the rest of my life..."
"Yes, you are."
"They won't really make a deal with me, will they?"
"No, probably not. You've killed too many people, but they may not give you the death penalty."
"I'd prefer the death penalty, will you kill me Agent Reid?"
"No, I don't believe you deserve to die. You'll go to prison for your crimes the way you should. Listen, I really do understand why you did this. I'm trained to understand, and I understand why you're angry at John, but this wasn't right. Now, you need to pay for y-"
"For twenty seven years I've been doing this. I swore I'd never fail, that no one would ever get away and I wouldn't end up in prison for the rest of my life. I'm a coward Agent Reid, I'd rather die and if you won't kill me then I have no choice, but to make you."
JJ had been cautiously walking past the man with the handcuffs in her hands when the man stood up quickly and pulled out the knife that had been forgotten during the struggle for the gun.
The man grabbed her and raised the knife, and without thinking, Spencer pulled the trigger.
The shot rang out and JJ screamed as the knife fell from the man's hand and he fell to the ground, dead.
"JJ!" Spencer dropped the gun and ran over to her, wrapping his arms around her.
"Spence," she returned the embrace and buried her face in his neck.
He noticed that her face was wet with tears and he held her tighter for several moments.
"Let me see you," Spencer said when he finally pulled away and gently held her face, looking at it.
She was bruised and beaten, but otherwise unharmed as he had pulled the trigger so fast that the man hadn't had the time to actually stab her.
"I'm okay, it's you that I'm worried about," she reassured him.
He smiled, "I'll be just fine, now that I'm here and you're safe."
"I'm safe because of you Spence. You saved me, I thought he was going to kill me."
She started sobbing despite her best efforts to keep it together and he pulled her back into his arms.
"I wouldn't have let him kill you JJ, that's why I came here. I left because I thought that would be safest for all of you, but I came back when I realized that I needed you. When I went to the apartment and found out what had happened to you, I was so scared. I thought that I was going to lose you and I-"
His voice broke, and he knew couldn't keep talking or else he would fall apart. The entire experience had been traumatizing, as if either of them needed anything else to torment their dreams. Despite this, Spencer knew that everything truly would be okay. They were both safe and alive, and that's all that mattered. They'd get through this, and they'd get through it together. If she could forgive him.
"I'm so sorry," Spencer's voice shook and she looked up at him with a perplexed look.
"Why are you sorry? You saved me, and you did it all alone. I'm alive because of you, we both are so-"
"I left you, because I thought you'd be safer, but I was so wrong. Please, believe me JJ, I never thought-"
"Spence, I already know that you were trying to protect me," she said firmly, "you came back and that's all that matters. It's not your fault, none of this is your fault."
He smiled, but it was a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes and he pulled away from her.
This small little action was a stab in JJ's heart. She knew that he believe it was his fault, and would continue to believe that, but she promised herself that she'd make sure he knew the truth. She wasn't going to make the same mistake that she did after Hankel, where she almost expected him to okay and didn't realize how much he was still hurting. She would notice this time, and she would comfort him the way he had always comforted her.
Spencer had walked over to the table and had picked up his phone. He put the battery back in and waited for it to turn back on. It only took a few moments and once everything loaded he noticed that it had been Derek that had called him when he arrived at the warehouse. He knew that the team were at Headquarters worrying about them. They had been calling him while he was on the way to the warehouse too, and he knew that they knew that the worst had happened. They would have gone to check on them hours ago, and found JJ's apartment in disarray.
He sighed, knowing how they were worried sick for their safest and also knowing how upset they'd be at him for not following protocol. However, he knew they'd understand why he hadn't returned to them and would just be happy that they were alive and safe.
Derek had spent the last couple hours pacing around the conference room angrily. Emily, Hotch and Rossi sat at the conference table, while Penelope was in her office. She had spent the last couple hours trying to trace Spencer's phone whenever Derek called it, but he had never answered and just a couple minutes before midnight they had realized that he had shut it off. This only heightened their anxiety.
Hotch had finally gotten John to send the files over, after demanding to talk to the CIA director directly. The team had found out that Spencer had gone to see John before returning, and John seemed to already have known that he had been attacked the other day. However, he hadn't known what had happened after Spencer had left the CIA building. He had apologized for the entire situation and had asked to be notified of what happened, no matter the outcome. He had also said that he'd see if he had extra agents to send over to help them, but that hadn't been necessary.
Once they had those files in hand and with JJ and Spencer's lives on the line, they had quickly discovered who the man was. Despite having a name, they had still been unable to find out where he had taken JJ. His name was Michael Johnson, and they quickly put together his profile and had his bank accounts and phone numbers traced. However, Michael hadn't used his real name to rent the storage unit and had paid in cash. It was well past midnight, and the team hadn't been able to find any connections to help them find JJ and Spencer. They felt useless as they worked, as if all they could do was hope.
They were filled with relief and fear when Derek's phone suddenly rang, and he pulled his phone out of his pocket quickly. Informing the others that it was Spencer, they all held their breath hoping that it was him and not Michael making his signature call. Though they knew, that Michael would most likely call Hotch since he was the leader of the team.
"Hello," Derek tried to keep the fear out of his voice.
"Morgan, it's alright," Spencer replied gently, "I'm fine, and so is JJ."
Derek sighed, and the team knew by the smile on his face that it was Spencer, who sounded a bit breathless.
"We're at 100 Potamac Avenue, it's a warehouse by the river. He's dead and we're safe, but my gun shot wound got reopened and I'm losing a lot of blood. JJ's got several minor injuries, but I-"
"Pretty boy, slow down! We're on our way and an ambulance is on it's way. Just calm down, and try to keep pressure on it if you can. Can I speak to JJ? If you're losing blood you need to sit down and rest."
Emily had already left the conference room to tell Penelope and the three men were already heading down to leave the office and get to the warehouse.
Spencer and JJ were outside of the warehouse, sitting against the warehouse wall. She had her hand pressed against his side and she took the phone from him, knowing that she was in a better state to talk.
"Morgan, I'm fine and despite what Spence thinks I don't think anything's broken. Just get an ambulance out here for him. He's losing a lot of blood-"
"The ambulance has already been called JJ, and we're already on our way."
She smiled and turned to Spencer who had gotten quiet in the last few seconds, "Spence?"
Blood had soaked through the bullet proof vest and had covered her hand. During the attack and immediately after, they hadn't noticed how much blood he had lost and Spencer hadn't felt the effects because he had been so full of adrenaline. However now, Spencer looked tired and sick and had started sweating profusely despite the fact that his skin felt cold from what JJ had thought had been the cold air. However, his skin was clammy and even in the darkness she could tell by the glow from the streetlights that he was getting pale. She knew what was happening immediately, and she was fearful.
"He's lost too much blood!" She told him frantically, pushing harder onto his side to stop the bleeding, "I think he's going into hypovolemic shock!"
"He'll be fine," Derek tried calming her as they raced down the road, "just keep pressure and try to keep him conscious. Speak to him and if he doesn't have a head or neck injury, get him to lay down."
She put the phone down and did as she was told. Derek and Emily drove in one van while Hotch and Rossi had gone in another. Within only a few minutes JJ could hear the ambulance and FBI sirens.
Spencer felt himself drifting again, and JJ leaned over him with her face full of concern and love.
"I love you," he said and she laughed, tears rolling down her face.
"I love you too, you're going to be okay. The ambulance is almost hear, can you hear it?"
He couldn't, and as he drifted into unconsciousness all he could think was how even if he didn't wake up, at least she was alive and safe. And at least, he had gotten to tell her that he loved her, and had heard those words in return.
So, what do you guys think? I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter, and if you want go ahead and review! One more chapter and then an epilogue! Next chapter will be out in a few days!