The Unfortunate Ride

Chapter 25

31/10/2017. St Sebastian's Hospital, Washington DC. 11:00 hours.

Spencer's eyes rolled sluggishly at his surroundings as the gurney he occupied crashed through a set of double doors. Wad upon wad of gauze had been pressed to his bare shoulder to stem the bleeding but it was not showing any signs of relenting. Blood soaked through the gauze with each pulse. Spencer's slow and ragged breaths misted the mask over his nose and mouth. An angry red stripe had formed around his mouth where the duct tape had been. He was unable to focus on anything around him.

"Patient is Spencer Reid. GSW to upper thoracic cavity. Entry wound behind right clavicle. No exit wound. Hypoxic. Probable pneumothorax. Pulse is weak and thready. Massive blood loss."

"Get the OR prepped and get the trauma surgeon on standby. We're also going to need some blood." The gurney came to an abrupt stop. A middle aged Asian male peeled Spencer's eyelids back and shone the light from his pen torch into his eyes, "Mr Reid? My name's Dr Lee. We need to get you stabilised before we take you up to the operating room." Spencer reached up and pulled the mask away from his face.

"J...J..." gasped Spencer, "W-where's... J... J?" JJ barged past the doctor and grasped Spencer's hand with both of hers. His fingers were icy cold. "I'm... s-sorryy... J-Jen-n... ifer..." JJ gently placed the mask back over his face.

"Please. Don't talk. Just focus on your breathing." Spencer's brow crinkled, his hazel orbs clouded with fear.

"I-I'm... S-scared..." mumbled Spencer behind the mask. JJ softly stroked his hair, her eyes watering with unshed tears.

"Don't be. You're going to be fine." The doctor looked at JJ as he rapidly scribbled Spencer's observations onto his clipboard.

"What blood type is Mr Reid?"

"Doctor."

"Sorry?"

"His name's Dr Spencer Reid. He's AB positive." Dr Lee nodded and added to his notes, "Is he going to be okay?"

"It's too early to tell. Judging by the blood loss, I suspect that the bullet has nicked the subclavian artery and entered the upper lobe of his lung. I won't know for sure until I stop the bleeding and get him for a scan." Dr Lee turned to a nurse, "Could you get me two units of O neg stat?" Spencer tugged the mask away again. He audibly wheezed. His skin had taken on a grey, almost blue tinge, his jaw splattered with blood from the shot.

"J... ayje... I'm... S-s-sorry... I-I w-was... an ass... P-please... My... M-mom... " Spencer's eyes widened, his lungs and throat tightening, "H-help... I c-can't... B-breathe... " Dr Lee dropped the clipboard at the foot of the gurney, pulled a lever to lie the backrest down so that Spencer was in a supine position, and placed the mask firmly on his face. Tears fell from JJ's eyes as she pressed a hand to her mouth.

"What's happening?" she choked out.

"Dr Reid's breathing is deteriorating. If he's got any chance of survival, I need to intubate so I can pump as much oxygen into him as possible." A nurse inserted a cannula into the back of Spencer's right hand and taped it down. Another nurse handed over a syringe containing a clear fluid, "Dr Reid? I need to put you under so I can take control of your breathing. Signal to me that you understand." Spencer weakly raised a thumb in understanding.

"C-can I speak to him quickly before you do?" asked JJ, her arms curled around herself.

"Be quick, Agent. He doesn't have much time." JJ cautiously approached the gurney and leaned down. She rested her forehead against Spencer's, her fingers entwined in his curls and her other palm on his chest.

"Spence. I don't hate you for how you've been lately. I understand. More than you know. I'm scared that you aren't going to come back to me. I love you, Spencer. You're like my brother. Siblings fight but they always love each other no matter what. What you did was reckless, but lots of people are safe for it. I'll take care of your mom." Spencer choked back a sob, hot tears rolling down his cheeks into his hair. Dr Lee pried JJ away from Spencer.