How Dare You [ReidxReader]

(29) Punchline

Spencer wants to stay at the hospital with you the whole night. After some back and forth, however, you talk him into going home and returning in the morning with some fresh clothes for you. You give him the key to your apartment and ask him to send a unit to where you dropped your phone to hopefully have it recovered.

When the nurse comes in to give you another dose of painkillers, you refuse. You want to be properly awake in the morning, not as dazed as you are now. She eventually agrees on it, maybe because she heard in your tone that you will otherwise rip out the vein catheter.

The small lamp on the bedside table is the only source of light. They closed the curtains to the hallway so that only a small amount of light shines into the room. You carefully palpate your bandaged hand. There is some swelling around where the nail penetrated it, but the wound is already closing. Nevertheless, it will leave a scar. You exhale loudly and sink back into the pillow.

Your head hurts, more than your hand actually. The doctor told you that you don't have a concussion, only nasty bruises and swelling around your cheek. You also have to be careful with what you drink since you bit your tongue really hard.

Now that the morphine starts to wear off, your thoughts start to race again. He knew about your case. He knew about Doyle. How are these two things connected? Did Doyle send him or did somebody else?

Trying to get comfortable in the hospital bed, you try to figure out the answer until you slip into a light sleep.

- - - - - - - - - -

The doctor checked you out about half an hour before Spencer comes in. She told you to rest at home for at least a week before going to work again. She also gave you a bottle of painkillers and antibiotics.

"Hey, Em." Spencer enters the room smiling, a duffle bag in his hand.

You swing your legs over the edge of the bed and get up to take it from him.

"Shouldn't you stay in bed?" He asks worried.

"I can leave." You inform him and open the bag. "Did you find my phone?"

"Oh, yeah." Spencer hands it to you.

"Thanks." You give him a smile and unpack the clothes.

"I got here with your car so that I can drive you home."

You turn to him while pulling the sweater over your head: "We need to go to work."

Spencer steps closer and tries to help you when you put your jeans on.

"I got it. Let's just go to work."

He pulls his hands back and quietly observes you. When you try to squeeze past him, he grabs you shoulders and waits until you look at him.

"Emily. You need to rest."

"Look, I appreciate you worrying about me, but we need to go to work."

He shakes his head: "Why?"

You clench your jaw and stare at him, but he doesn't let go. Finally, you give up and sit back down. Spencer pushes the chair closer to the bed so that he can sit down while holding your hands.

"What's going on?"

"He knew." You whisper. "He knew about my case. That's why I tried to question him after Morgan shot him."

Spencer's eyes widen and you see the wheels turning in his head: "Do you think Doyle had something to do with your abduction?"

"I think Doyle knows who is responsible."