Strange Love// Spencer Reid// Criminal Minds

12

The next time I awoke, I was lying in a hospital bed, the florescent lights way too bright, and the heart monitor's beep's filling the room. I looked over the room, seeing Spencer asleep in the chair beside my bed, a book laid across his lap. 

I smiled softly, trying to sit up as the pain spread through my body, making me woozy. "Woah."

I reached over, my fingers pressing against Spencer's thigh. He nearly jumped awake, his book falling to the floor. He wiped his eyes, looking around the room before falling on me.

"Madeline, you're awake," he smiled, his voice rough with sleep. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore," I pouted as he habitability reached for my hand. "How long have I been out?"

He glanced down at his watch before turning to me. "18 hours and 35 minutes."

"What? Why was I out for so long?"

"Robert Johnson didn't just uh..cut you, he uh-he also stabbed you a few times," Spencer said, looking down at his hands. "They had to perform an emergency surgery to see if any of your organs were-uh damaged."

"You've been sleep deprived and dehydrated," he said. "Wanna tell me what that's about?"

I shrugged, pulling my hand from his. "Can't sleep."

"That is about as vague as you could put it, Maddy," he chuckled. "What's the matter?"

I sighed, meeting his brown eyes. "I keep seeing those kids in those cages, I just keep feeling like I should be doing more. Helping other people in that situation, you know?"

He nodded, smiling softly. "83% of people who joined law enforcement thought the same exact thing."

"What? Law enforcement?"

"Imagine you as an FBI agent, you would be amazing at it." He grinned, taking my hand again, his hand large against my small one.

"Spencer, I'm a journalist," I shook my head. "That's what I've always done, what I've always been good at."

Reid opened his mouth to say something when the door opened and Morgan came in, his eyes meeting mine.

"You're up!" he grinned. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," I nodded. "Thank you."

"What is it?" Reid as, meeting his eyes.

Morgan sighed. "I hate to be here for this, but we need you for a case, your phone was off."

"Where this time?" Reid sighed, getting up.

"Arizona." Morgan answered.

Spencer sat back down, meeting my eyes. "I heard they're releasing you later today, do you think you can get home yourself?"

"Um.." Morgan interrupted. "Garcia volunteered for that, if you get lonely, you can assist her in her lair."

"What? Really?"

"She insists." Morgan grinned.

"You guys are way too good to me." I smiled, turning to Spencer.

His eyes were soft, staring at me like he was trying to memorize everything about my face. 

"What is it, Spence?"

He reached out, brushing a piece of hair from my face, his thumb swiping across my cheekbone. "I really hate leaving you."

"Reid," I said firmly. "I'll be fine."

The two of us held eye contact for a couple of seconds before he stood up, dropping my hand. "Okay, if you say so."