Lockdown

Chapter Eleven

TW: suicide attempt.

Chapter Eleven

 

30/06/2019. 13:24 hours. FBI Offices, Quantico, Virginia.

 

“Son of a bitch!”

David was instantly startled by the uncharacteristic yell that sounded from somewhere to his right. He had been lost in the swirling vortex of his thoughts as he mindlessly took apart his Glock to clean the parts so the noise jerked him back to reality. He quickly and efficiently pieced his firearm back together and slipped it into the holster at his hip. He slowly came to his feet, his palm resting against the handle of his gun, and made his way to Emily’s office. As he approached Emily’s office door, he noticed a pile of folders lay scattered across the floor. Emily was seated behind her desk, her head in her hands. Her black locks hid her hands and her face.

“Emily? What’s going on?” asked David cautiously, his aged eyes watching the unit chief imploringly. Emily sat back in her swivel chair with a sigh, her eyes watering with unshed tears as they stared unblinking at the desk.

“It’s Reid. Matt and Luke went over there and he had been cutting himself. Like, bad. When they said he had to go to hospital, he flipped. He completely lost it. Luke ended up having to threaten to put him in custody to take him but Reid ended up trying to punch him. He had to detain him and put him in handcuffs to try and control him. He never said a word until they got to the hospital and then started smashing his head into the window. He’s being held at Bethesda General Hospital under a seventy-two hour psych hold. They had to sedate him and put him in restraints.” David glanced away, a lump swelling in his throat.

“Shit. This will kill him. His biggest fear is ending up like his mother.” Emily averted her gaze to the senior profiler.

“I know. And I fear that this past year has unlocked something in Reid that there’s no coming back from. Everyone has their limits and I think Spence might have finally reached his.” Emily swallowed hard, the tears escaping the corners of her eyes. She sniffed and quickly brushed the tears away.

“He’s in the right place.”

“Dave, being in restraints will destroy him. I know they’re necessary to keep him and others safe, but they will send his PTSD spiralling.” David nodded in understanding. Releasing Spencer when he was so volatile and unpredictable would place so many people at risk. But detaining him against his will and strapping him down would also destroy what was left of his already fragile psyche.

“We need to go and see the kid.” Emily nodded.

“I need to see him and yet, I’m scared.”

“Of what? Seeing Reid in restraints or of Reid himself.” Emily’s face scrunched in thought.

“Both. He’ll be out of it for a while with the sedative. I’m afraid that we’re going to lose him for good this time.” David perched on the desk beside Emily, his hands clasped together between his knees.

“Whatever happens, we’ll always be here for Spencer.” David reached across and firmly grasped Emily’s hand, offering a squeeze of reassurance.

30/06/2019. 18:44 hours. Bethesda General Hospital, Virginia.

 

Spencer slowly peeled his eyes open, the bright light above him searing his retinas and forcing him to squint. His head throbbed incessantly as though he had done ten rounds with a boxer. His left arm stung. He let out a groan at the pain assaulting him in all directions. His back was aching from lying flat. Spencer attempted to shift his position, alarmed to find himself unable to move. It was as though he was trapped in a sense of Deja Vu. He lifted his pounding head slightly to find padded cuffs had been wrapped around his wrists. He pulled against the cuff with his right arm. The Velcro loosened slightly, having not been secured adequately. The genius was then able to slip his hand through the opening. Spencer smirked and contorted his body painfully to slide his shoulder out of the straps. Once his right side was free, he was then easily able to loosen his left arm which had been bandaged from his elbow to his wrist. The room spun as he sat up on the gurney. Spencer pressed a palm to his forehead, the dizziness increasing the steady thrum in his skull.