Honesty - Criminal Minds || Spencer Reid Fanfiction

30. Reach Out Your Hand

"A fine glass vase goes from treasure to trash, the moment it is broken. Fortunately, something else happens to you and me. Pick up your pieces. Then, help me gather mine." ~ Vera Nazarian,

The Doctor

It was like a dream. A dream I didn't know how to wake out of. A dream I didn't know how to change. A dream I wanted to wake from so badly.

"JJ uh," I licked my lips and cleared my throat, glancing back at the window as though JJ was going to magically appear with a marker board and tell me what to say as I hovered by Melanie's bedside without a clue of what to say or do.

"JJ told me that I shouldn't overwhelm you with proclamations," I repeated and sighed, shaking my head and running my fingers across my forehead.

"But I uh... I don't really know what else to do apart from apologise...

"I should've been there to protect you and I wasn't. That's probably going to be one of the biggest regrets of my life," My voice broke and I paused, forcing the lump from my throat by clearing it and blinking the tears from my eyes desperately.

"I love you with all of my heart, Melanie, and the thought of you hurting in any way, especially at the hands of another man... that... that breaks my heart,"

My voice broke again and I looked down at my hands as I furiously picked at my nails. I watched as tears fell onto my fingertips and I gulped.

"But I am here now, Melly," I promised, licking my lips and sniffing, stepping forward to put both of my hands on the mattress.

"I am here and I am not going anywhere ever again. That is the last time I leave you alone and soon you're going to get sick of seeing me,"

I smirked and watched as her eyes sparkled, a smile hinting at the edge of her mouth.

I told myself that I was doing well, she was improving.

"I love you Melanie Hotchner. You are strong. We are strong. It takes a lot more than this to get between us. And nothing like this is ever going to happen to you again, okay?" I rhetorically asked.

"I promise."

The Leader

"So of course you sent Spencer in there before me?!" I shouted at JJ, trying to leave the staff room.

"Whoa Hotch man, hear her out!" Morgan cried, pushing me back before I could leave.

Rage consumed me and for a moment I thought I was going to attack one of the men I respected the most.

But then I remembered Melanie lying in a hospital bed at the end of an adjoining corridor and my rage fizzled into desperation.

"Hotch I'm sorry but," JJ sighed and shook her head. "It's important that Spencer is there with her right now. That's what she needs."

"What she needs is to have her father there to protect her." I stated matter-of-factly.

"From what? It's already happened," She said in a monotone.

In that moment it was as though nobody so much as breathed or blinked as my rage completely consumed me all over again.

"I understand that this is a horrible situation, but it's happened. You can't protect her now. You can support her, and that's what she needs the most.

"She needs to know that we're all here supporting and loving her, but right this moment she needs time alone with her boyfriend to come to terms with what's just happened.