A day later, Hotch, Rossi, Morgan and Prentiss were wrapping up at the station, taking down their board and packing up the last of the files. Hotch was talking to Detective Skinner and the police chief, getting the last of the details sorted out.
The front door of the station opened, and JJ pushed a wheelchair confined Reid through. Within seconds, once everyone realized who he was, the building broke out into applause for him. Reid looked slightly embarrassed, giving a sheepish wave.
As soon as JJ had him wheeled into the back room, he turned and asked, "Why are they clapping for me? I didn't do anything but get attacked."
"Yes you did," she answered. "You survived."
"Reid," Prentiss said, walking over. "How are you out of the hospital already?"
"I'm actually not. I've only been let out for the day, so we can get back home. They decided that I was well enough that I didn't have to take an ambulance. I just have to check in with a hospital once we get there. I might have to stay overnight again just to make sure I'll be alright. But then I can go home."
"Alright! Pretty Boy is on the mend," Morgan said, ruffling Reid's hair.
"Glad you're doing well," Rossi said.
"Thanks," Reid replied. "So you caught the guy? How'd that go?"
"Well, I wouldn't quite say we caught him," Morgan said. "We got there and got in and the guy freaked. He found himself a knife," he said, pulling back his sleeve to show the bandage on his arm where Pazel's knife had caught him.
"Ah," Reid said.
"Yeah. But that was the only damage he did. He killed himself not long after that."
Reid nodded. "If he was that crazy and you hadn't stopped him, he would have just kept on killing."
"True. And we did get Nikolas, after all," JJ said. "The infamous Gentleman."
"The guy who attacked me," Reid said. "Is he still here?"
"We were going to drop him at the prison on our way back," Rossi said.
"Can I talk to him?" Reid asked, looking around at them all.
"Are… are you sure you want to do that?" Morgan asked. "You're still weak. It might be overwhelming."
"I'm sure. I'll be fine. I want to do this," Reid said firmly, looking determined.
They all sat silently for a moment, debating. But eventually Morgan stood up and said, "Alright. But I'm staying with you this time. You aren't facing him alone again."
"Deal," Reid said, and Morgan directed his wheelchair in the direction of the holding cell.
"Nikolas!" Morgan barked as soon as he came into view. "You have a visitor." He parked Reid in front of the cell and leaned against the wall, staring Nikolas down.
"Agent Reid," Nikolas said softly, sitting up and taking in Reid's frail appearance.
"Doctor Reid," Morgan corrected.
"Ah, of course. Doctor Reid. I hope I find you well?"
"Just peachy," Reid said scathingly. "I have a few questions you're going to answer. First, why did you start killing?"
"Because I'm intelligent sociopath. I figured that out by the time I was twelve. Why challenge it? I'd already killed several neighborhood pets. And… it was fun."
Reid shook his head disbelievingly. "Why did Pazel pick the victims he did?"
"That, I can't answer. I really don't know. He spent all day long reading those newspapers of his. He must have seen something in you he liked. Or, should I say, hated."
"Last question. Why did you choose to attack me the way you did?" Reid asked. Morgan shifted uncomfortably, but Reid remained determined and calm. "You didn't attack anyone else like that before. So why me?"
"Actually, I had stabbed someone before. That researcher lady. I stabbed her so she couldn't escape the blast."
"But that was for a purpose. That wasn't the main way you killed her, you just used that as a means of making sure she didn't get away. You attacked me with a knife only. Why?"
"Well. What can I say? I'd had fun with that researcher. Stabbing her was…" he paused, sighing. "It was a rush I hadn't felt before. And plus, I thought it would be excellent to shed the blood of an FBI Agent in a police station. Poetic, in a way. And it was."
"You're a sick guy, you know that?" Morgan said angrily.
"Well, I meant no offense to you personally, Doctor Reid. I was given a job to do. And I decided I'd try to have fun with it."
"Get me out of here," Reid said, sounding disgusted. He ignored the farewell that was called after him.
"Did you get what you wanted from that creep?" Prentiss asked as they reappeared in the back room, which was now stripped down to what it looked like when they'd first arrived.
"More or less," Reid shrugged. "Are we ready to leave yet?"
"Almost. We just need to wait for Hotch to finish talking to the police chief."
Reid nodded. They spent a few more minutes talking about the case, filling him in on a few details he didn't know, before a knock on the door drew their attention. "Excuse me. I just… I heard you closed your case?"
"Ernie!" JJ said. "Hi. Yes, we did."
"You caught the man that killed my wife?"
"Yeah, we got them."
"Them? There was more than one man involved?" Ernie asked, taking a step inside. JJ motioned for him to sit down.
"Yeah. There was the guy who went around killing everyone, and the guy who picked out who he killed and arranged it all," Morgan said.
"So, my wife was killed by a hit man? Why?" Ernie asked, looking upset.
"The man who picked the victims was a paranoid schizophrenic. He picked out people he saw in the paper," Rossi said. "And your wife's article caught his eye."
"And these men are both in jail now?" Ernie asked.
"Well, one of them will be," Morgan said.
"One? Why only one?" Ernie said, looking upset.
"The man who engineered it all, the schizophrenic. He killed himself when we went to arrest him," Prentiss answered.
"Oh," Ernie said, not quite looking happy, but not angry anymore. "And the other?"
"He's sitting here in lockup. We'll be taking him by the prison on our way back to D.C."
"He's still here?" Ernie asked.
"Not for long," JJ said. "He'll be out of here in no time. We're planning to leave in a few minutes. You won't have to worry about him for much longer. He'll be going away for a long time."
"Good," Ernie said grimly. He stood up then, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Thank you, all of you. For catching him."
"It's what we do," JJ said kindly, standing up as well. He turned to leave, but before he walked out his eyes landed on Reid, seated in the wheelchair and still frail.
"I was an intended target as well," Reid said, before Ernie could ask. "I had a run in with him. But I'll be fine."
Ernie smiled at him. "I'm glad to hear that. Thanks again."
He walked out, leaving them alone again. "And that's why I do this job," Morgan said. "To get some justice for people like him."
Hotch walked back into the room then, asking, "Are we about ready to go?"
"Yeah. We're all packed if you are," Morgan answered.
"Reid?" Hotch asked curiously, noticing JJ stand up to push him.
"I'm well enough to come back with you. I'll go to a hospital in D. C. when we get there," Reid answered.
"Good to see you're doing so well," Hotch said, sending him a rare smile. "Alright, let's get going."
They stepped out of the room they'd occupied for the past several long and stressful days, closing the door behind them. Morgan walked down the hall towards the holding cell to collect Nikolas, but he'd barely taken two steps when a loud gunshot hit their ears. They scrambled towards the holding cell, where the noise had come from, pulling their guns.
Ernie stood there, backed against the opposite wall, his hands in the air and a blank expression on his face. There was a gun lying at his feet. Inside the cell, Nikolas was splayed on the ground, his eyes wide open and a pool of blood creeping across the ground around his head.
What did you think of my ending? Good? Well, if you didn't like it, one of my friends (the one who gave me the inspiration for this story, actually) wrote an alternate ending, so if you'd like to see that leave me a review and tell me so! Either way, this is the ending of my story, and I really do hope you've enjoyed it! Thanks guys!
