Chapter Nine

26/09/2019. 10:02 hours. St Mary's Hospital, California.

David twitched, a small snore leaving his throat. He dozed off minutes after Spencer fell asleep. He moaned softly at the sound of rapid beeping. The beeping continued, breaking through the haze, followed swiftly by a choked cry. David sat up with a start from his slouched position in the chair, dark eyes wide and alert. Spencer was writhing in the bed, blankets twisted around him. His face was contorted in a tortured grimace of agony.

"Please... No... Don't..." A small whimper left Spencer's quivering lips. David reached for the fingers tightly clasping the blankets.

"Spencer? It's okay. You're safe." Spencer's head wrenched to the side, veins protruding in his neck. His face scrunched in anguish, eyes squeezed tight shut and brow furrowed.

"Please... Stop... I don't want it..." David gently brushed the hair away from Spencer's sweat-beaded forehead.

"It's okay, kiddo. I'm right here. You're safe." Spencer let out a broken sob. A tear crept out of the corner of his eye, trickling over his nose, and dripping onto the pillow. His breath shuddered as he peeled his eyes open to find himself in the hospital. David ran the pad of his thumb back and forth across Spencer's cheekbone to soothe him. Spencer reached a hand over to David's, pressing his palm down to his face to ground himself, remind himself that David was real.

"Dave?"

"Yeah, kid. I'm here."

"Thank you... Thank you."

"It's okay. You want to talk about it?" Spencer shook his head and gripped David's hand tighter.

"No. I can't."

"You're going to have to soon. You know you're going to have to give a statement. If we want justice for what happened in there, we need it from you. Trust me, there's nothing we want more than to bring those sons of bitches to justice."

"I know. Just, it's too raw right now. It's too real."

"But that's when it's best to talk about it. When it's fresh in your mind." Spencer gave an uncertain nod.

"C-can you be the one to take it? I feel safe talking to you." David gave a proud smile.

"Of course, Spence. Why don't I record it and then you don't have to repeat it?" Spencer offered David a small smile and shuffled himself up into a seated position on the bed. He took in a deep, shaking breath as David began the voice recorder on his cell phone, and began his story.

The minutes felt like hours before Spencer finished describing every horrific instance that occurred whilst he was in the prison. He discussed in graphic detail being handcuffed and gagged, his legs being bound, the three rapes, the seizure. He recounted the blur between the seizure and waking up in a cell. The brief sweet release from the leg straps and the cloth gag, only for his ankles to be shackled and tape to be pasted over his mouth to silence him once again. The bag put over his head to blind him to his surroundings. Being strapped down to the gurney in the execution chamber. He recalled the team seeing him through the window to the chamber. He had no memory of the moments after he was dosed. It made David's stomach lurch and his heart shatter. It was unfair. Spencer was one of the sweetest, most innocent men David had ever met, and he had been through more than any man should ever go through.

Spencer's eyes were ringed with red, eyelids heavy. His eyes were still glazed with unshed tears. A trembling hand came up and wiped away the mucus and tears from his nostrils, wincing as he knocked the fracture. He turned his gaze to David and offered him a taut smile of gratitude. The rawness of his throat and his talking had all but zapped his voice, leaving him able only mouth the words 'thank you'. David patted Spencer gently on the leg.

"I'll be right back. I'm just going outside to call Emily." David turned, cell phone in his hand, to leave the room.

Just as a nurse was about to berate him for using the device in the ICU, he was startled by a groan from behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Spencer's head twisted to the side and tilted back. He turned back, pocketing his phone. Spencer's arms contorted painfully, fingers curled into claws. His eyes rolled back into his head and small huffs escaped his lips, face twitching. David gently pushed the young man down into his pillows by his shoulders, ensuring that he was laid flush against the mattress. Using the button on the control for the bed, Spencer was laid flat, the mechanics of the bed whirring beneath him. David was then able to easily roll the genius onto his side. Spencer's muscles and joints locked, his entire frame frozen as the contractions took hold, followed closely by the convulsions, his body bucking against the bed. Saliva dribbled out of the corner of his bruised mouth and down his chin. The EKG alarmed, indicating that Spencer's heart rate had reached dangerous levels. A female doctor ran into the room, clutching at her stethoscope to prevent it sliding away from around her neck, flanked by two nurses. Blood trickled out of Spencer's mouth.

"Dr Reid? Can you hear me?" The doctor gently patted Spencer's shoulder but there was no response as it jerked away from her touch with the convulsions. "I need four milligrams IV Ativan stat!" She turned to David. "Does Dr Reid have a history of seizures?"

"Yeah. He suffered a traumatic brain injury last year. He takes medication for them but given his recent situation, I suspect he hasn't taken them for a couple of days." The doctor nodded and glanced over at the nurse clicking a syringe into the cannula in Spencer's right hand and slowly pushing the medication through. Spencer's jerking soon began to slow and his eyes slipped shut as his breathing evened out. One of the nurses adjusted the oxygen cannula so that it was seated back under Spencer's nose. The other nurse pressed an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth to offer him additional oxygen.

"I need fifteen minute observations on Dr Reid, please. Pay close attention to his oxygen levels and respiration rate," directed the doctor. David was frozen in place, terrified by what he had witnessed. The doctor offered him a reassuring smile and squeeze to his forearm.

"We have to closely observe your friend for a few hours to make sure he doesn't go into respiratory arrest again. It's always a risk with Ativan, but given that the sodium thiopental is still leaving his system, it's very possible. We'll re-establish his anti-seizure regime. Do you know when he last had a seizure?"

"He told me that he had one a couple of days ago after his sexual assault. I think he's been relatively seizure-free. At least, he hasn't had one at work, that I've seen." The doctor nodded.

"You're welcome to sit with him and talk to him. We'll be in and out keeping an eye on him."

"Thanks, doc." The doctor nodded and exited the room with her head bowed. The nurses had finished adjusting the equipment and pulling the blankets up, then they too left the room. David edged around to the opposite site of the bed where Spencer lay on his side, his right hand tucked under his bruised cheek and the other palm up on his pillow. His breaths lightly misted the plastic of the mask. His face was free of worry lines, finally looking peaceful. The hospital gown had slipped again, leaving Spencer's upper torso bare. The blanket was not long enough to cover Spencer's six foot one frame. David shrugged off his blazer and draped it over Spencer's shoulders and chest to offer him a shred of dignity.

26/06/2019. 15:35 hours. St Mary's Hospital, California.

Spencer stirred. His head felt foggy and he was unable to work out why. The oxygen cannula brushed lightly against his septum. Spencer's nose twitched. He could feel a plastic mask sitting over his face, the elastic holding it in place entwined in his hair. He was laid on his side facing the window. He blinked several times to clear his fuzzy vision. Pain rippled throughout his body. With a groan, he rolled stiffly over onto his back. The bed was flat, forcing the muscles in his spine to stretch out. He rolled his head to the side to see David eyeing him like a hawk. Spencer grasped the mask and pulled it away.

"It's rude to stare," commented Spencer, an exhausted smile dancing on his lips. David sat forward in the chair, his elbows propped up on his knees and his hands clasped together.

"Welcome back, caro." Spencer traced the tip of his tongue over his parched lips.

"What happened?" Spencer's tongue felt like brisket in his mouth.

"You had a seizure after you gave your statement. You've been out for the past five and half hours. The staff gave you some medication to stop the seizure but they had to keep close tabs on you to make sure you didn't go into respiratory arrest again." Spencer swallowed thickly.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. Most of my seizures happen in private." David shrugged.

"I've seen plenty in my day. The doctor stopped by to say they're keeping you overnight for observation and then planning to discharge you tomorrow. She says that the sodium thiopental should be fully out of your system by then."

"Good. I can't wait to get out of this state." David chuckled.

"I bet. Are you going to be okay on your own when we get back? My spare room is always there if you need it." Spencer winced as he shifted position slightly so he could see David better.

"Thank you, but I'll be okay. Just a few bumps and bruises but nothing I can't handle."

"I'm talking about up here," said David, jabbing the tip of a finger at Spencer's forehead. Spencer gave a huff of exasperation and rolled his eyes.

"I have my therapist on speed dial. Trust me. I'll be fine."

"And the nightmares?"

"Dave, it's not like I haven't had nightmares before. I've had them for years, and even more so since I got out of prison."

"Okay, kid. Just promise you'll call one of us if you're struggling."

"I will." Spencer placed the mask back over his face and sighed, his eyes drooping slightly. David sat back in the chair and crossed his legs. He watched as Spencer's shoulders gently rose and fell with each breath, a small smile on his face beneath the mask. David frowned. Something felt off. Spencer was far too blasé about the situation. He had no idea how their young genius would cope alone in his apartment with the terrifying nightmares and flashbacks.