Copycat//Criminal Minds FanFic

Memories

"Reid?"

"Reid!"

"REID?!"

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He couldn't walk anymore.

Reid curled up in the crook of the tree, cradling his broken arm. He was shivering violently. Don't go to sleep. He thought to himself again. He knew that if he did, he probably wouldn't wake up.

His vision blurred. He blinked furiously and shook his head. Bad idea. His head spun with the motion. Reid let out a groan as he let his head rest back against the tree.

His eyes drifted shut without him realising it.

A million images flashed through his mind's eye. His mother reading poems to him. His father leaving. Ending his mother away. Being bullied at school. Joining the BAU. Meeting Morgan, Hotch, Elle, and JJ. And Gideon. Being kidnapped by Tobias...

Reid jerked awake. No. I can't sleep.

He forced himself to start reciting the Iliad by Homer. He could only hope it would keep him awake.

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"Any sign of him?"

"No."

"He's gotta be here somewhere..."

"Morgan, if we don't find him soon, we're going to have to assume-"

"Stop. We're going to find him, Hotch. He's still alive. Reid doesn't give up that easy."

"You have to remember, this hasn't been easy."

____________________________________

Reid stood in the doorway, his hands raised.

"She does exist Mr. Gardner and we're here to help her."

Gardner turned around in his chair, revealing a bomb attached to him.

Reid told Hotch and Morgan to wait downstairs.

"We aren't going anywhere," Morgan responded.

"Just ask the question, sir knight," Mr. Gardner said.

"I can't."

"Heal me!"

"A fisher king wound cannot be healed by somebody else. It's not a wound to the body it's a wound to the memory, to the mind."

"Just ask the question."

"There's only one real question. Can you forgive yourself?"

Reid gasped as he woke back up. He was breathing heavily. Can you forgive yourself?

____________________________________

"I shouldn't have left him at the station," Hotch said bitterly.

"You thought that would be the safest place for him," Prentiss attempted to comfort him.

"You did the right thing. Reid left on his own accord," Rossi said.

____________________________________

"Yeah, yeah, you know Gideon stood toe to toe with some of the... the sickest people on the planet. I mean it took a lot of courage, right?

"Yeah."

"So why'd he do this? It's addressed to me, but I'm not... I'm not the only one that he abandoned.

"Why is it addressed to you? I think you need to read that letter again."

"I have an eidetic memory, Emily."

"Yeah, I know, and an IQ of 187. But what do you remember about your father?

"What do you mean?"

"He gave you 10 years before he left and yet you've erased all those memories. And it's too painful, I get it. But then Gideon leaves. I think you need to read that letter again and ask yourself why, of all the people, he walked away from... did he only explain himself to one person... you."

Prentiss paused in her search. She tilted her head back and looked at the sky. The sun was setting. Who is Reid leaving behind?

____________________________________

"Hey, Reid."

"'Reid' wow, uh, no witty Garcia greeting for me?"

"I can't be my sparkly self when you are where you are."

"Uh, Garcia, do you think you could do something for me?"

"Anything."

"I, uh, I know I can't call my mom without uh alerting everyone at her hospital."

"What do you need?"

"I need you to record a message for her in case anything happens to me."

"Oh, nothings going to happen to you. You're going to brilliantly find who did this and we're going to treat this strain."

"I hope you're right but if your not I just really want to make sure she hears my voice."

"Okay, just, give me a second."

"You ready?"

"Ready."

"Hi Mom, this is Spencer. I just really wanted you to know that I love you, and I need you to know that I spend every day of my life proud to be your son."

Garcia searched for the file. She hadn't deleted it. She stared at it once it was located. Tears leaked down her face.

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"If anything happens to us, it's up to you and Garcia to make sure that this boy gets into Yale."

"Ooh Yale. Yale. Do you wanna go to Yale, Henry? That was your godfather's safety school. Don't worry, I can get you into Cal-tech with one phone call."

JJ suppressed another sob as she looked at herself in the mirror. She took out her phone and dialed Will's number.

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"A popular theory among leading astrophysicists estimates that the hyper-matter reactor would need about ten to the thirty-second Joules if energy to destroy a planet the size of Earth. Now, Lucas said it took 19 years to build the first Death Star, right? If you look at the universal chronology, there's a tested prototype for Superlaser- where're you going?"

"Take back the last five minutes of my life."

Morgan kicked a log in frustration. What he wouldn't give to be listening to the kid now. If only he could have Reid back for five minutes more. It wouldn't be a waste.

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"Well, Roadside motels definitely go on my list."

Reid looked at Emily funny.

"Of things to never do again."

"You have a list?"

"You don't?" Rossi asked, shocked.

Rossi called for Reid again. If anyone should have a list, it should be this kid.

____________________________________

Reid looked up at the appearing stars as he shivered in the dimming twilight. Please... please... Reid didn't know who he was pleading to or what for.

____________________________________

"Reid!"

"Reid?"

"Reid, where are you?"

"RE- Reid? Hotch! HOTCH!!! I found him! Hang on Reid. You're going to be okay. Just hang on, hang on..."

*Sniff* Only one more chapter... *Sniff*

I hope you liked it!