her fathers daughter - criminal minds

Chapter 24: sick day

"Jessica what's going on why aren't you ready to go? We have to leave in 4 minutes" Spencer said slightly irritated as he stood in the door away of her bedroom looking at her still curled up in bed reading a book. it had been a week since Elliott had showed up and the BAU and Jess hadn't gone back since, she told spencer everyday that she wasn't going in because she was 'ill' or 'under the weather'.While they both knew she was lying, Spencer just let it slide and went along with it for now because this was just one of those times when he didn't know how to help.

"Im not going, I'm sick" she followed up with an obviously fake pathetic cough. She didn't even bother to look at Spencer, just focused on the book, flicking the page, not even bothering to look up at Spencer and until he walked up and plucked the book from her grasp. "Umm, Can I help you?" Finally looking up at him, he didn't seem too happy today

"If you've actually been feeling sick for this long then you need to go see a doctor." He didn't sound so sympathetic as he had on other days, he sounded a little cold.

"Dad it's the 21st century people don't die from paper cuts anymore I'll be fine"

"so your not sick then, your 'fine' so you can go to work" she reached for her book back but he just held it higher.

"No as in I'm not gonna die, I don't need a doctor I'll will be fine, it's just like a bug or something. Can I have my book back please?" She started getting impatient with him but he was just being stubborn.

"No technically it's my book you're just reading it and no you can't"

"Why not?"

"Because besides going to the bathroom you haven't left your room in a week! This isn't healthy Jessica"

"That's not true!"

"Oh really It's not?" He looks at her waiting for her to explain how he is apparently wrong.

"No it's not I've been down to the kitchen to eat!"

"No you haven't I have brought food up to you every day!" He pinched the bridge of his nose letting out a sigh "Get up your going to work"

"No I'm not dad!"

He sighed and softened his tone "Look i know your scared right now, your allowed to be but locking yourself in the house isn't going to help"

"Im not scared dad"

"Oh really? Then why haven't you been to work since Elliott showed up?" She fell silent picking her skin, avoiding his gaze so he sat down on the edge of her bed in front of her "look, addie... i understand-"

"No you don't dad, not this time." They both fell silent and neither one knew what to say.

"Please just come to work" he pleaded with her, he was really getting worried now.

"No" her voice soft and weak. Then in an attempt to end the conversation she adjusted herself by turning to face away from him. They both sat in the silence for a moment before Spencer finally got up and retreated out the room. Jess listened to him walking down each step and eventually out the door.

Spencers pov:

Spencer felt so guilty the entire way to work, trying to think of a way to help jessica or make her feel okay. He knew there wasn't much he could do and by the time he made it to work he had come to the conclusion that there was probably only one thing that could make her feel safe again, finding elliot. Walking inside the building he decided he was going to just focus on putting his head down and getting through the day then hopefully he could figure out at least a temporary solution that might cheer jess up a little. However that plan was proving to be quite difficult considering he was barely able to take one step into the bullpen before hotch was calling him into his office, Spencer knew what it was going to be about already and reluctantly went into his office.