Speechless | Spencer Reid FanFiction ✔️

Chapter 44: Mean Mugging*

Spencer began to slowly feel better after slowing down. Part of me wonders if the headaches got so bad from the stress and exhaustion from his job in addition to planning the very intricate proposal. He said he had been having them for a while and I feel awful for having not noticed them. I noticed he had been acting different lately but I attributed it all to the proposal. Maybe some of it was due to the headaches and he didn't want to worry me.
        I had to go back to work on Tuesday. I'm sure I probably could've taken more time off of work to help Spencer, but I was afraid to upset anybody at work by taking so much time off. I checked in with Spencer regularly throughout each day and brought home little happies for him. On Tuesday I brought home some of his favorite ice cream. On Wednesday I got him some peppermint oil that's supposed to help with headaches. On Thursday I brought home dinner from his favorite fast food place. On Friday, today, I am bringing home a plush and warm blanket and a couple pairs of fuzzy socks that he can mix and match because he thinks matching socks will give you bad luck.
        Every day his face has just lit up with joy. I felt selfish for taking pride in making him so happy. Today I had found him working at his desk when I came in from work. He was in pajama pants and his mismatched socks and a t shirt. His hair wasn't as disheveled as normal so I deduced he's been on video conference calls for work. He looks up when I walk in and smiles brightly initially before noticing the gift bag in my hand and giving me a playfully disapproving look. Spencer looks back down at his laptop and says "hey, Hotch, Annie just walked in from work. Call me if you need anything else, have a safe flight back." I hear Hotch's voice but can't hear what he says and then I hear the call end. Spencer shuts his laptop and stands up, walking over to me.
      He smiles "hey how was work?" He punctuates his statement with a kiss. I smile and tell him it was good, handing him the gift bag. The disapproving look is back and he says "Annie you don't have to spoil me with gifts when I'm sick." I giggle and shrug "It softens the blow that I couldn't stay home and take care of you all week." Spencer gives me a playful glare "Annie I am a grown man. I don't need somebody to take care of me when I'm sick." I give him a half smile and run my fingers through his hair and say "in the beginning you really had me worried, Spence. If something had happened when I was gone I would've never forgiven myself."
Spencer gives me a soft look and gently cradles my face with his right hand. He says "Annie nothing is going to happen to me. I'm fine. It's just some stress headaches. I'm feeling much better already." I give him a half smile, nod, and say "open the present! I'm really excited to see your face." Spencer chuckles and nods. Setting it down on the table by the couch and taking the tissue paper out. He pulls the blanket out and his eyes light up with happiness. He hugs it to himself and touches it to his face. He says "it's so soft! Thank you so much baby." He moves to hug or kiss me and I stop him "uh uh there's more." He gives me a shocked look and then digs further into the bag. He pulls out the different pairs of socks and starts laughing.
I told him "I know you don't like matching socks so I had to give you options." He grins at me and moves towards me. He stops and asks "now can I kiss you?" I smile and nod before he moves in to gently peck me on the lips. I ask him "it's Friday night, what do you want to do tonight?" Spencer hums and says "I would really love to get out of here because I've been cooped up all week." I smile and nod "how about we go get a casual dinner somewhere and maybe walk around after that?" Spencer smiles and nods "that sounds like a good plan. We don't even have to drive, let's go somewhere within walking distance from here." I smile and nod "sounds great." Spencer smiles and we both head to change clothes before going out.
I ask Spencer to take Ryder out but he tells me he had taken Ryder out recently and he should be fine. I take Spencer's word for it and we head out to find a nice dinner in our casual clothes. We settle on an Indian place we've only been to a few times, we mainly get takeout from here. Spencer tells me different facts about Indian culture and history while we wait for our food. It was very enlightening and I enjoyed every second of it. I enjoy learning, so loving Spencer is really good for that. He orders the chicken tikka Marsala and I order butter chicken. We end up splitting the food half and half since it's brought out in different bowls and served family style.
Spencer eats all of his food and I eat most of mine, being sure to finish off the chicken and leaving rice behind because I was full. I'm sure Spencer forgot to eat today which is why he's famished now. He asks me when he notices I've finished eating "are you sure you're full or are you trying to avoid carbs?" I look down and say "no Spence, I'm just full. I had a big lunch with the girls at lunch today. Ask Killian if you don't believe me." Spencer's facial expression softens. He says in a less demanding tone "I'm sorry, I just don't want you eliminating food groups to try to lose weight. It's not healthy or sustainable. Your body is perfect just like it is."
I give him a tight lipped smile before saying "I know, Spence, I just opted to finish the chicken instead of the rice. Also they give quite a bit of rice here. I can't usually eat it all." Spencer nods, signing the bill and leaving a tip, then asks me "are you ready to go?" I smile and nod, standing up and grabbing his hand as we walk out the door. We wave and say goodbye to the restaurant owner on the way out who smiles and waves back, bidding us a good evening. We walk slowly back to my apartment, hand in hand. I ask Spencer while we are walking "so what is the plan to make sure the stress and lack of sleep doesn't build up like this again?"
Spencer searches for the right words, speechless. He eventually settles on "maybe I can convince Hotch to let me work remotely every now and then if I feel overwhelmed." I nod, knowing I shouldn't have expected more. He loves his job too much. I tell him "I think we can try that at first and if we need to dial it back more for the sake of your health then we can find another solution later. Together." Spencer smiles and nods; I think he was expecting me to push him to back off of work more. I know asking him to work less will only end in a fight. I don't want to stand between him and the job he loves so much.
Spencer asks me about what I did at work today when suddenly a man in a mask comes around the corner pointing a knife at us. He yells "give me your stuff! Now!" I'm frozen in fear, but Spencer is calm and cool. We both have our hands raised and Spencer starts to slowly walk forward and lightly pushes me further behind him, trying to protect me. The man says "I'm not going to say it again! Give me your purse!" I take my purse and throw it on the ground to the side of him. He keeps the knife pointed at us but looks away briefly to pick my purse up off the ground.
In the split second that he looked away, Spencer managed to pull his gun out of the holster that was hidden under his jacket. He pulls it out, cocking the gun and says "FBI, drop the knife." In the process Spencer lightly pushed me all the way behind him, effectively shielding my body with his. In this position I pull my phone out of my jacket pocket and dial 911 quietly. I don't say anything into the phone, just decide to let them hear the conversation and hope they'll send units to this location. The man looks scared but decides to call what he thinks is a bluff on Spencer's part. He scoffs and says "you ain't no FBI agent, man. I could throw you like a football." Spencer pulls his credentials out of his pocket, flashing them.
Spencer calmly says "I'm an agent with the behavioral analysis unit of the FBI. Put the knife down and I'll tell the DA you cooperated." The man looks between Spencer and me and asks "is that your girl?" Spencer says "yes, she is my fiancée. Put the knife down." The man looks me up and down, and visibly licks his lips, creeping me out. I hear the sirens before I see the flashing lights of a squad car pulling up to the scene. The man's eyes widen in panic before he lunges at Spencer. Spencer takes the shot, shooting the man in the chest, before he could harm either of us. The man falls down clutching his chest, finally dropping the knife.
I'm shaking and frozen in fear. Somebody is talking on the other end of the phone and Spencer turns around picking it up out of my hands, realizing it's a 911 dispatcher he puts it to his ear and says "this is Dr. Spencer Reid with the behavioral analysis unit of the FBI. My fiancée and I were just attacked on Park Street. He tried to attack my fiancée and me so I shot him in self defense. Units are here now. We need an ambulance stat." I hear garbled speech from the other side. Spencer says something else I don't catch and then hangs up the phone. He turns to the officers trying to talk to him and tells them the same story.
The officer checks out Spencer's badge and radios in the badge number to ensure it's real. Spencer is trying to calm me down but I'm still shaking and feel frozen in one spot. The officers tell us that we will have to come down to the station and give our statements. Spencer nods and turns to me "Annie, I know you're scared, it's all gonna be okay. We just have to go to the station and give a formal statement on what happened. Can you do that for me?" I nod slowly and he gives me a soft smile, helping me into the back of the squad car.
I don't know when the ambulance pulled up, but they are loading the mugger into the ambulance. I have a moment of clarity after seeing that and turn to Spencer and say "my purse! I need my purse back!" Spencer tells me they have to take photographs of the crime scene before they can give me my purse back, but I will get it back. I nod and then try to snuggle into Spencer's side. He gently holds me against him, rubbing my arm and back in the process. I have silent tears streaming down my face the entire drive to the station.
Once we get to the station Spencer quietly guides me out. We are led inside to sit in a detective's office. There are two cushioned chairs and the detective gestures for us to sit down. A nice police woman brings in a blanket for me, wrapping it around me, and hands both Spencer and I styrofoam cups of what I assume is hot chocolate. Spencer gives me a reassuring look before talking to the detective. The detective leans back and says "okay so I need you both to tell me what happened." Spencer nods and relays his side of the story. The detective nods, looking rather unimpressed. He turns to me and says "okay, sweetheart, I know you're a little shaken up, but can you tell me what happened?"
I nod and tell him through a shaky voice, and some leftover tears, my account of what happened. The detective gives me reassuring expressions as I tell the story. He asks me "you are the one who called 911 right?" I nod and tell him "I figured we had a better chance of getting out alive if the police were called, but especially if the man didn't know it." The detective nods "good thinking. Dr. Reid here must have taught you a lot." He sighs and removes his glasses, rubbing his eyes and forehead before continuing "Now, I hate to say this but I do have some conflicting stories from the officers who arrived on the scene just before the shot was fired." Spencer asks the detective "what? We were getting mugged, should I have not taken the shot?"
The detective begins to speak when there's a knock on the office door. The detective says "I'll be with you in a moment." The door swings open and there stands Hotch. He says "detective, I am supervisory special agent Aaron Hotchner, unit chief of the behavioral analysis unit of the FBI. I have been informed of the events that took place and the reports of the officers. Dr. Reid was well within his rights as a citizen as well as an FBI agent to take that shot in self defense." The detective stammers briefly before saying "we have conflicting perspectives from the officers on the scene who claim that Dr. Reid lunged forward and shot the perpetrator unprovoked."
Hotch says "I'm well aware of what your officers think they saw but our technical analyst pulled security camera footage from outside of the bodega and jewelry store where the mugging took place effectively clearing Dr. Reid as shooting in self defense. I'm assuming you have already taken their statements?" The detective nods and goes to speak before Hotch cuts him off "good, then you have all the information you need." He turns to us and says "let's go." Spencer and I follow Hotch out of the room and I turn to Spencer and say "my purse." Hotch overhears and asks "they still have your purse in evidence?" I nod and don't say anything. Hotch turns to a deputy and politely but sternly requests for my purse back.
The deputy quickly returns with it and hands it to Hotch who hands it to me. He tells me "make sure nothing is missing." I nod and do as he asks. Seeing all the menial things I keep in the bag like my lipstick, some tampons, my wallet that still has everything in it, my keys, my travel dry shampoo, my badge for the hospital. Everything seems to be in place. I look at Hotch and nod. He nods to me and continues to walk us out. He unlocks his car and says "I'm driving you two home." We all get in the car and Spencer and Hotch begin discussing what just happened. Spencer asks "they thought I just pulled my gun out and shot him unprovoked? He had a knife and threatened us!" Hotch nods, I can tell he's seething.
He grips the steering wheel and says "Garcia called me. She has alerts on all of us plus our significant others for 911 calls or if somebody gets listed in some kind of accident. The recording of the call was immediately sent to her with the transcript. The reports from the police officers were also sent directly to her. She knew that you never would have fired without reason so she immediately went looking for proof. Luckily that area is well covered with cameras and she was able to find multiple angles proving your innocence. She called me and told me everything and I rushed up to the precinct immediately."
I tell him "thank you, Hotch." He gives me a soft look in the rear view mirror and nods. He tells me "Killian wanted to come but I couldn't leave Jack at home alone and I definitely wasn't bringing him up here with me in case there was more pushback from the detective." I give him a soft smile and a nod. Spencer turns back and says "Annie are you okay? You've hardly said anything since it happened." I nod and say quietly "just...um...just um still processing I guess." The two men nod but I can see them giving me wary glances from the front of the car, like I'm a ticking time bomb that can explode at any given moment.
Hotch pulls up to our apartment complex and drops us at the front door. He offered to walk us up but Spencer politely declined. We walk into the complex and into the elevator. Spencer is trying to talk to me, but I know I will erupt in tears if I start talking so I just shake my head. We get into the apartment and he says "Annie I know that was very traumatic so I need you to talk to me." I turn and look at him and nod, lip trembling. I just say his name and crumble into his arms in tears. Finally fully letting my guard down for the first time since the attempted mugging. He shushes me and tells me it's going to be okay.
He leads me to sit on the couch and says "let's unpack it." I just say deadpan "you shot him." Spencer nods. He says "I did shoot him, but only to protect you, Annie." I nod, fully understanding that. I say in a hushed voice "did you see the way he was looking at me? Up and down? Like I was his next meal or something." Spencer sets his jaw and nods before saying "it's amazing I didn't shoot him when he did that honestly. I only shot him because I saw the panicked look in his eyes and knew that he was going to try to take me or both of us down and get away while he thought he still could. It was a desperate attempt to regain his freedom and he thought that I probably wouldn't pull the trigger."
I nod silently. After a beat I ask "do you have to shoot people often? In the field?" Spencer shrugs and says "only when I absolutely have to. When I'm protecting others especially. I was protecting you in that moment and knew I had to stop him from hurting you." I nod. I know that Spencer would never hurt anybody without reason. It's just different seeing him shoot a real person as opposed to a target. Spencer tells me "you couldn't have handled it better. I'm so proud of you. You stayed behind me and followed my lead. You even called 911 and I had no idea. I thought your phone had been in your purse. I thought we were just lucky and a bystander called it in even though I didn't see one."
I give him a tight shy smile and nod "I just wanted to help and get out of there as fast as possible." I look down and Spencer gently rubs my hand that's in his. I then ask "do you think the mugger is going to make it?" Spencer says "based on the amount of blood he lost, I doubt it." I nod, feeling guilty for being relieved at that. Spencer tells me "I seriously want you to start training with Morgan. I need to know you can protect yourself from threats like that when I'm not there. I also want you to get a license to carry and a gun." I'm a bit in shock at the gun part but nod, not arguing. I can't imagine what would've happened tonight had it just been me walking Ryder.
I look at Spencer and say "we have to move soon. I didn't realize how unsafe it is here." Spencer gives me a soft smile and just says "any metropolitan area like this is going to have muggers, especially at night on a weekend. We just will drive next time or get takeout. Everything is okay. We are okay." I nod, fighting tears. Spencer tells me "it's okay to cry, let it out. That was scary for both of us." I nod and let myself cry, essentially crawling into his lap. He welcomes me in the embrace, holding me tightly. He kisses my head and continually repeats that everything is okay. Eventually I nod off briefly in his arms and wake with a start. He calms me down "hey hey it's okay, we are safe."
I just say "Spencer what if he has an accomplice that tries to finish the job?" Spencer rubs my arm and says "that's highly unlikely and they have no way of getting our address. Even if they knew this was our complex it would take them forever to find this apartment. We also have a a ring doorbell camera on the door. We are safe." I nod but don't say anything. Spencer nods "why don't we get ready for bed. Hopefully some rest will do us both some good. I nod and get up, going to get ready for bed. Spencer tells me he's right behind me he just wanted to make a phone call.
I nod and make my way back to see Ryder and get ready for bed. Spencer doesn't take long and follows me back after just a minute or two. As he's changing into pajamas he tells me "so I called Morgan. He already knew about what had happened and is going to come stay with us and sleep in the living room. If anything happens tonight, which it won't, Morgan will be in the living room as one of our lines of defense." I sigh a bit in relief and go to hug Spencer tight. Spencer chuckles "I had no idea you have such little faith in me." I shake my head and say "no, I just feel better knowing we won't be here alone after being mugged tonight." Spencer chuckles and nods "I know baby, I'll sleep better knowing there's somebody else here with a gun."
       I give him a smile and nod before continuing to get ready for bed. I ask Spencer "can you take Ryder out? Just take him to the pet relief area, don't leave the complex." Spencer nods and gets Ryder ready to go out. I wash my face and brush my teeth before putting on my pajamas. I put on my warm fleece pajama pants with a sweatshirt. I'm really just very cold, but I'm sure Spencer will appreciate the modest look since Morgan is spending the night. I go to the kitchen to get a couple glasses of water and Spencer and Ryder walk back in while I'm getting them. He tells me "Morgan is walking up now." I give him a half smile and nod. I tell Spencer "I feel bad that he's going to be sleeping on the couch when there's a perfectly good guest room he can stay in."
       Spencer chuckles "he wouldn't be guarding the door very well if he were in the guest room. Also we have slept on that couch twice now even though there are two perfectly good beds in this apartment that we could've used." I giggle and tell him "Spencer you know that's different. Also I deep cleaned the couch the other day so it should be fine for him to sleep on tonight." Spencer nods and thanks me for doing that. Just then there's a knock at the door. I still check the ring camera and see that it's Morgan like we expected. Morgan comes in and gives Spencer a quick hug and says "hey kid, you two okay?" He looks between the two of us. I give him a half smile and nod. Spencer tells him "just a little shaken up."
        Morgan nods "Garcia filled me in on what happened. I'm so glad you are both safe." Spencer tells him "us too." I go into hostess mode as a coping mechanism. I hand Morgan one of the glasses of water and tell him "here is this in case you get thirsty tonight. We have all the blankets and pillows ready for you to make yourself as comfortable as possible. You can watch whatever you want on tv and if you get hungry you're welcome to anything in the kitchen." Morgan gives me a sweet smile and says "thanks, Annie, but you didn't have to do all of this. I'm happy to help out. I'm sure having an extra set of eyes and ears in the apartment tonight will be calming." I nod and respond "especially one with a gun and good combat skills." Morgan chuckles and Spencer says "thanks Morgan. You know where to find us if you need us."
        Morgan nods and we all bid each other good night.  Spencer finishes getting ready for bed as Ryder and I curl up in bed. I can tell that Ryder is picking up on my anxiety and I feel guilty for that. He curls into me, trying to calm me down like he's done for years. Spencer comes out of the bathroom and cocks his head to the side at the sight. He tells Ryder jokingly "I know you were here first, but can I please comfort my fiancée now?" I giggle at his silly antics and Ryder just snuggles further into me. Spencer shakes his head and gets into bed "I guess I'll allow it." I giggle and tell him "he always knows when I'm upset or scared. He's picked up on it for years. He was especially good at it when I was stressed about school or if there was a death in the family. He's a good little snuggle bug."
        Spencer's face softens and he nods "he knows you in ways I never will. A dog's intuition can be much better than a human's. Especially in regards to the owner or owners." I smile and nod, snuggling in, nearly falling asleep immediately. I keep trying to pry my eyes open and stay awake, but I can't. Spencer shushes me quietly and says "hey it's safe to sleep. We are both safe. Morgan is guarding the front door tonight and I'm here to guard you." I nod and say through half lidded eyes "don't forget about Ryder. He's guarding me, too." Spencer chuckles and nods "that's right. You are heavily guarded and protected. Now get some rest. I love you." I smile dreamily and say "I love you too, Spence. Sweet dreams." I finally give in and drift off to sleep, protected by three of the best guys in my life.