The Chase (Criminal Minds)

Virtue & Sin

The ambulance rattled back and forth as it sped down winding, gravel back roads.

"Reid," Emily began to whisper as she gently rubbed his arm.

"If you can hear me, I just want you to know that I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you and I'm sorry that I let Prescott hurt you."

She moved her arm away from Reid's bed and sat back in her seat. She stared at the van's grey ceiling as she watched an old memory play out in front of her.

"What's the matter with you?"

He furrowed his eyebrows as he shook his head.

"W-W-What do you mean, 'What's the matter with me?'"

"I've never seen you act like this."

"Oh really, Oh, in the months you've known me, you've never seen me act this way?" He replied offensively.

"Hey, no offense, Emily, but you really don't know what you're talking about, do ya?"

He walked away, making his way down the hot, crowded alley.

Emily looked down at Reid's still body and then at the medic who was writing something down on her clipboard.

"He's not on any narcotics, is he?" She asked nervously.

The nurse checked the machine behind her.

"Nope."

"Good," Emily sighed as she took a deep breath.

She couldn't let Reid fall back into his addiction again. He had worked too long and too hard to lose himself now. He had been through so much and even though it had been over five years ago, she still felt the guilt of watching Tobias Hankle hurt him and not being able to stop him. She would never let that happen again, not even if her life depended on it.

...

"Why were you at Jeffrey Dallas' house?" Derek asked Prescott as they sat in the dimly-lit interrogation room.

"I told you, I was just visiting an old friend!" Prescott answered, slamming his fist against the wooden table.

While Morgan was interviewing Prescott; JJ, Hotch, and Rossi watched from behind the one-way Plexiglas window. After hearing what happened, they all flew down to work on the case.

"Something's making him angry," JJ stated as they continued to watch.

"No offense, JJ, but if I were a narcissistic murderer who just got caught, I would be mad too."

JJ made a face at him.

"No, I mean look at the way he's fidgeting with his hands. Something's bothering him."

"He keeps looking at the clock," Hotch chimed in.

Rossi grabbed the case file laying next to him and fanned through it.

"Maybe he's late."

"Late for what, though?" Hotch persisted.

"I guess we'll have to find out."

...

Emily turned the corner and walked into Reid's room. The doctors taking care of him had said he would wake up soon, but she still worried as she saw an unconscious Spencer Reid laying flat on his hospital bed. She grabbed a plastic chair from against the wall and dragged it next to his bedside. Pulling out a book, she sat back and tried to relax. Reid was safe and that was all that mattered.

After an hour of waiting, she went down to the hospital cafeteria to get some coffee. Her body surely needed it. When she returned, she smiled as she saw Reid looking around the room.

"Hey!" She cheered happily.

"Romance?" Reid questioned as he held the book she had been reading before she left.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, ignoring his comment.

"I've had better days," He replied with that goofy grin she always loved.

She walked over to the end of his bed and sat down.

"Should I tell you why you're in the hospital, or do you want to figure it out on your own?" She said playfully.

He looked down at his body as he began to carefully test his limbs.

"Guessing by the major pain in my abdomen and leg, I'm going to say that I have a broken rib and ankle?"

"Close!" Prentiss couldn't help but laugh.

"You actually have two broken ribs and a mild concussion..."

"Oh, great." He smirked.

He watched as Emily's expression changed. He could tell she was trying to hide it, but he could definitely tell that something was on her mind.

"What's wrong?"

Emily shook her head slightly, clearing her head, as she stared at him. There was no point in lying.

"I just want you to know that I'm sorry," She responded.

Reid furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Sorry for what?"

"For not checking on you back at the Dallas house. If I just would have looked to see if you were alright-"

He grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Emily, what happened back there was one-hundred percent my fault. I barely even stepped foot into that house. I was looking around outside when I saw something move in my peripheral vision. I'm the one who made the mistake of chasing Prescott into the woods without backup. You have nothing to be sorry for. If anything, I should be thanking you for saving my life!"

Emily's eyes were filled with shock.

"You deliberately went after the unsub by yourself?! I thought he took you by force! What were you thinking?!"

He let go of her hand and combed his fingers through his matted hair.

"That's the thing. I wasn't thinking and I'm sorry." He confessed and bowed his head.

"You know I can't be mad at you," She said after a minute and walked over and put her arms around him.

"Just don't ever do that to me again."

Reid smiled into her shoulder as they hugged. He was glad he had someone in his life as wonderful as Prentiss. He always felt safe when she was around him. Especially when he was wrapped in her warm, comforting embrace.

Not wanting to, he pulled away as she sat down in the plastic chair beside him.

"Thank you...for everything."

She smiled as she stared into his light-brown eyes.

"That's what family's for, right?

Hello!

So here's some more Reid/Prentiss action!

I'm still deciding which direction I want this story to go in, but I think I've got most of it down :)

I know I'm not the best of writers(or even close!), So if you see something I need to improve on, let me down below! :D

Thank you guys for reading and I will see ya soon!

-Sammie