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"There's no way they're gonna execute me next week, not after I Kill 2 FBI agents. You saved my life by coming here" Spencer felt his blood run cold. Fear pooling in his gut as he backed away. Brain overworking trying to figure a wat out.
They were trapped in this cell at least for the next 13 minutes with a homicidal cold-blooded serial killer Chester Hardwick. The man was right it took him 5 minutes to kill those girls. 13 minutes was plenty of time, even with Hotch.
"But Unfortunately For You, I'm Not A 5-Foot-Tall, 100-Pound Girl." Spencer's eyes darted nervously back at his boss as the dark-haired man took his jacket and tie off.
"All your life you've gone after victims who couldn't fight back. And the rest of the time you spent looking over your shoulder, worried about the knock on the door, scared that somebody like me would be on the other side waiting to put you away. At your core, you're a coward." Chester had now turned to face Hotch both prepared to fight.
Spencer pushed his fear down. He has to break this up and distract Chester Hardwick.
"Chester, Do you want to know why you killed those women?" Spencer asks effectively getting the killer's attention but not yet turning to face him. Instead, his eyes were still glued on his boss.
"What?"
Spencer swallows but pushes on.
"Earlier you said you wish that you were different. I can tell you why you killed them, Why you are... What you are."
Chester has now turned to look at him. Intrigued and agitated. Slowly creeping closer while Hotch keeps his eyes on him.
"You can tell me why I did the things I did?"
" I think so. I Do."
Suddenly their inmate's stance turns mocking. A cruel smile coloring his face stopping Spencer from his plan.
"Well then, Doctor Reid. Tell me why I do this" With that he bounces. Hotch who had been waiting for it still couldn't completely stop it when Chester jumped on him. His head colliding with the wall leaving him dazed.
"HOTCH!" Spencer cries out. This was bad. If Chester wins Spencer would never stand a chance.
Quickly Spencer ran up to them tackling Chester off Hotch. It was pretty impressive from a geeky skinny kid. They crashed to the ground Spencer on top of the older man. There was still about 9 and a half minutes left. If he gave Hotch time to recover he could probably take their killer down.
A blow to the face makes Spencer see stars as they struggle on the ground. Suddenly he was thrown to the ground. His head hitting the cold concrete cell floor.
Before he had time to recover cold steel legs of the chair connected with his chest. Air rushed out if his lungs and the sick crack of his ribs resonated in the room.
It came down again. Then on his right knee.
Crack
Spencer howled in pain. He couldn't help it. It was hard to breathe. His chest and head hurt and so did his knee.
A sudden pressure on his chest as Chester sat in it. Chuckling at his cries and his tears. His fingers wrapped around his throat and squeezed. Spencer struggled against him. Trying to pry his fingers and buck him off but his small frame was no match.
Chester slammed his head down again and slowly his grip became weaker. Darkness edging his vision.
Just when his eyes closed the pressure got off. There were yelling, something warm sprayed on his face and something heavy landed on top of him.
Suddenly he could breathe. Well, no he could try to gasp for breath. It hurt like hell everything was blurry and painful. Darkness calling him under and finally he gave in.
Distantly he heard someone call his name. Hand on his face before he passed out.
-ω-
He woke up to steady beeping and the smell of strong antiseptic. Pain hit next, mildly dulled out.
He was at a hospital. Great.
He didn't want to wake up to this. He wanted to go back to the darkness where there was no pain.
The feeling of a needle in his arm and the scratchy material of the bed and the stupid hospital gowns. He was always very sensitive and picked the materia- wait. A needle?
Spencer's eyes snapped open quickly scrambling to take the needle off.
Nononono he didn't want it. Tobias please no
I'm not a sinner stop stop stop, please-
"Spencer stop!" A firm voice commands taking his wrist. It doesn't help only panics him more.
"No Please Tobias I don't want it"
"Spencer! You're safe! You not there. Tobias can't hurt you anymore!"
Spencers finally looks up but instead of a dark cabin in Georgia, he is in a white hospital room. No burning dead fish or Tobias. Instead, the team is here all eyes full of sympathy except Rossi who looks more confused than anything.
Spencer looks desperately at Hotch who was keeping a firm grip on his hand.
"Please please I don't want it- I don't-" he keens in frustration and panic. Hotch looks at him softly running his other hand through Spencer's hair.
"It's okay buddy. I told the staff immediately. No narcotics just non-narcotic painkillers. Calm down. Your safe."
Spencer visibly deflates. Now exhausted as Hotch helps him back down. Pain that had been dull was now in full force making him hiss.
"I'll go get the doctor" JJ volunteers giving him a sad smile before quickly leaving.
"Hey there, pretty boy. You gave us quite a scare, man." Morgan sais softy as he sits next to his little brother in all but blood.
"Sorry Morgan," Reid mumbles.
"How ya feeling Reid?" Rossi asks still puzzled but understanding now was not the time.
"I'm fine"
Hotch glares at him but before he could say anything the Doctor walks in with JJ in tow
"Ah Mr. Reid"
Chorus of "Doctor" fills the room making the brunet male doctor pause before he coughs.
"Right. Excuse me Dr.Reid, glad to see you are awake, are you in pain?"
Hotch glares down the lie Spencer was about to give and instead he tells honestly.
"Yes. But it was dull at first but it kinda hurts now," he explains and the doctor nods.
"It's expected. Agent Hotchner demanded that we do not give you morphine or any other narcotic pain killer but if you want to-"
"No"
"...Alright. Well, Your teammates have been updated on your condition due to Agent Hotchner's agreement as your medical proxy," the man waits for him to nod in understanding, " and I'm sure you would like to know it too"
"That would be preferable yes."
"Well, starting with your chest you have 3 broken ribs as well as the cracked sternum and a collarbone. No heavy lifting or other straining activity for a long time for you. You were lucky none of the ribs punctured a lung"
"Your knee was also broken but we managed to take care of it. With proper rest and physiotherapy, you should be able to function normally. You hit your head hard so you have a concussion. Your brain is a little swollen so we don't know for sure if there is anything permanent so we'll keep an eye on that"
Spencer nods again. Internally he groans. He was gonna be on medical leave for a long time.
"We would like to keep you for the rest of the week. Now, do you have anywhere to stay? With your chest and your leg, you're going to need someone to help you at all times."
"He'll stay with me," Hotch says sternly before Spencer could say anything. They stare at each other intently before Spencer gives in and nods.
"Very well, I'll leave you to rest Dr.Reid. I suggest the rest of you should do the same..." Before he leaves he turns to look at Hotch who still holds Spencer's hand, "But I suppose at least one of you can stay the night, have a good day. If you need anything press the button."
"Thank you, Doctor."
-ω-
After the visiting hours were over the others leave Hotch and Spencer alone. Despite Spencer's insistence, the older man would not leave his side.
The young genius was tired but the pain made it hard to sleep. Despite it, he would not let anyone give him anything. Stopping the pain was not worth the withdrawal.
So instead he laid in somewhere between sleep and awake. Eyeing the stuffed animal and balloons Garcia had brought in. When they got boring he turns to look at Hotch.
"Are you okay?" He asks silently. The older man looks up from his paperwork and smiles. It was a sad smile.
"I'm not the one in the hospital" he murmurs.
"Hotch..."
"I'm fine. A concussion and some bruises that's all"
"That's good" Spencer mumbles and yawns.
"I'm sorry" Hotch suddenly says, eyes filled with guilt.
"For what?"
" I antagonized the situation. Maybe you wouldn't have gotten hurt..."
" No, You didn't and this is not your fault"
" Well, I certainly didn't help. "
"Ah... I guess you really didn't help." Reid agrees easily. Hotch sighs.
" So Haley wants me to sign the divorce papers uncontested so nobody wastes money on lawyers." Hotch admits. Feeling a need to explain his behavior.
"You don't want to?"
" What I want I'm not gonna get."
They lapse into silence. Spencer yawn again, maybe he could try to sleep again but he didn't want to leave Hotch.
"You should get some sleep buddy" Hotch sais softly seeing his subordinate struggling to keep awake. It reminded him of a lot of how Jack does when his baby boy tries to keep awake.
"C'mon it's okay," carefully he starts to pet his hair again slowly soothing Spencer to sleep.
The recovery would be hard, but the team will help Spencer through it this time. This time they won't let him down.