How Dare You [ReidxReader] - 2nd Edition

(25) Lenity

It's been three days since the last case. Turning in your bed, you try to shake off your nightmares and go back to sleep. You turn your pillow to the other side and flatten your blanket. You breathe out slowly and press your eyes shut, willing yourself to calm down. But your heartbeat is still way too fast.

The unsub trying to stab Reid and you knocking him out was a close call. Too close for comfort. Scenarios of it going wrong replay in your head. You feel the stinging of the cut on the site of your arm, and it reinforces the thoughts of Spencer getting hurt.

It's agonizing to not see him outside of work. To not sit with him on the couch, to talk to him, to read with him...Your eyes open and you turn on the lights. With a groan, you sit up in bed and blink until your pupils adjusted to the brightness. You pull your knees to your chest and rest your chin on them. Tilting your head to the side, you look at the bedside table with the damned file in it.

On the one side, you don't want to let your past ruin your relationship with Spencer, on the other side, him looking at the file was a very real unsolicited intrusion. It is absolutely valid that you are hurt and angry.

You give up on trying to sleep and trudge to the kitchen. It's not even 1 a.m. There still is a chance that you get at least some rest. For now, however, you just get something to drink and lean against the kitchen counter, staring at the floor. You chuckle at the fact that you are proud that you didn't choose alcohol but water.

The restlessness does not subside, though. You simply cannot shake the feeling that Spencer is in danger. You being mad at him does not change that you worry. At least something that never changed.

After a few more seconds of staring at the ticking clock over the kitchen door, you go to grab your phone.

Your thumb hovers over the call button. Taking a deep breath, you press it and listen to the ringing tone. Hopefully, you don't wake him up. He told you that he usually stays up past midnight to...

"Emily?" Spencer's voice is high pitched, as if he were likewise panicked and surprised.

You clear your throat: "Are you alright?"

"I-" You can hear him put down a book and stand up. "Yeah, I'm okay."

You let out a relieved sigh. Audibly, Spencer is pacing around his apartment.

"What makes you ask?"

Hesitantly, you tell him: "I, ehm, I had a recurring nightmare."

"Oh." He stops walking. "What about?" His voice is so quiet, like he is afraid you will hang up if he talks too much.

"You. Being stabbed." You whisper.

"By the unsub you took down?"

"Yes." You rub your face with one hand. "Sorry, I called this late. I didn't know how else to convince myself that you're okay."

"No, don't apologize." Spencer tells you.

After that it's quiet. Neither of you say something. Neither of you hang up.

Eventually, Spencer whispers: "I miss you."

You close your eyes to keep yourself from crying.

"Good night." You tell him and hang up.

ɤɤɤɤ ɤɤɤɤ ɤɤɤɤ

Slowly, you feel that the anger inside shift. It's more and more directed at your abductors. They destroyed something precious. Again. You don't want to get them get away with it. Again.