safe inside, criminal minds [ 1 ]

003. fisher king

Danielle gets to the hospital where her mom is at and soon finds Spencer.

"Hey." She greets.

"Hm?" He turns at the voice. "Oh. Hey." He weakly smiles at her. Danielle hugs him, Spencer gently hugging her back.

"What's that?" Danielle nods to the wrapped package in his hands.

"Oh, uh..."

"I heard a rumor you were here." A nurse walks up, smiling at the siblings.

"How's she doing?" He asks.

"Schizophrenia is a lifetime illness. The meds stabilize the worst of her symptoms, but she still has her bad days." The nurse says. "What makes her most happy are her journals and... visits from Danielle and your daily letters. She is exceptionally proud of you."

"She is?"

"Talks about you all the time. To anyone who will listen. Both of you."

"Really?" Danielle asks and the nurse nods.

"Staff, other patients. Her journals are filled with the cases you write her about. Calls them your adventures."

"Mom's of the belief that you can find adventure all around you if you just look." Spencer says. "That's what happens when you're a professor of 15th century literature."

"Well, she's gonna be so excited that you were finally able to get here in person." The nurse says.

"Maybe it's better if I just let her rest today." Spencer says.

"Wha-- no." Danielle frowns.

"Rest?" The nurse asks.

"Yeah, I'll, uh, come back tomorrow." Spencer says.

"Wha-- Spence--"

"Just gi-give that to her." He hands his sister the gift. "It's Margery Kempe. Her favorite."

"It would be really good for her if you just--" The nurse tries.

"Please? Thank you so much." Spencer says. "Call me if you wanna get dinner or something."

"Spencer." Danielle hisses as he walks out. "Wha-- sorry." She gives the gift to the nurse before chasing her brother out. "Spencer."

"Dani, I don't wanna--"

"Oh, come on. If I can come and see her all the damn time, you can visit her once in a blue moon." Danielle groans.

"Tomorrow." Spencer promises, walking off. Danielle rolls her eyes.

+++

"You're not gonna wimp out this time, are you?" Danielle asks her brother as they walk through the hospital.

"I didn't wimp out." Spencer frowns.

"Then what exactly did you do?" Danielle raises an eyebrow.

"I... I postponed." Spencer says.

"Right." Danielle rolls her eyes.

"Oh, Doctor Reid." They both turn to the nurse sitting at the desk. "Someone delivered this to the desk last night for you." She holds out a package.

"What?" Spencer questions.

"Who knows you're here?" Danielle questions.

"Nobody." He mutters, taking the package.

Danielle watches him open the package and take a smaller envelope out with 'Dr. Reid' on it. He opens it and shakes it, a key falling into his hand. He takes a piece of paper out and unfolds it.