(AN: This story is loosely based on what happens in the Criminal Minds episode '3rd Life' from Season 3. I do not own Criminal Minds.)
FLASHBACK
I should have known that when Bruce Owens asked to talk to Jack Vaughan in private about the death of his daughter, Katie, that it wouldn't end well. I was stood with JJ, watching the door subtly, when Jack came bolting out and out of the main room, towards the exit.
"JJ," I whispered, and when she raised an ayebrow in question, I pointed towards the door.
Seconds later, the U.S Marshall Pat Mannan came stumbling through the door, cradling his broken nose from where Jack had punched him to get his car.
"He's going after Ryan Phillips," I muttered, grabbing my gun and heading out the same way, JJ and Morgan in hot pursuit.
"Where's Spencer?" I asked Morgan in hushed tones, worried about my boyfriend, and our hearts all dropped when we realised that he had gone to find Ryan Phillips alone, and would probably be met by Jack at some point.
That only spurred me on as I jumped in the driver's seat on the car and sped off, Morgan and JJ only just managing to clamber into the back as I did so. I sped down the roads as I followed Garcia's directions to the high school our killer was at, having connected my phone to my sat nav.
All I could think about was Spencer and how he was walking into such danger on his own. I was muttering his name under my breath repeatedly, and from the back, I absently felt JJ's hand on my shoulder.
With the high school in sight, I pushed down even harder on the acceleration, before swinging into the car park and slamming my foot down on the brake so the car screeched to a halt. I dove out of the car, gun in hand as I sprinted for the main entrance, kicking the door open and jogging inside, checking all the doors lining the corridor. With Morgan behind me, I stopped as I heard panting coming from one of the doors to my right. I shared a worried glance with Morgan before starting towards it, only to have Jack Vaughan hurdle out, holding his daughter tightly to his side.
I looked after them as they stumbled away towards the waiting ambulance that had recently pulled up, sirens screaming. Morgan, JJ, and I though, continued into the room they had appeared from. Inside, I could see it was a bathroom, and around the corner, I caught a glimpse of a few locks of wavy, light-brown hair. I rounded the corner, where Spencer stood stock still, looking at the ground before him, and there lay Ryan Phillips, his head blown off by what I could only assume was Jack's rifle. Then Spencer started blubbering about how he had tried, and I pulled him to me, hushing him as he cried into my shoulder.
END OF FLASHBACK
That case was only a few months ago, and so it was only natural that Spencer's recurring nightmares were about them. I had been sleeping soundly, only to have Spencer kick me in his sleep. I turned around, intending to yell at him, only to find him tossing and turning as he murmured what I had learned he had said to Jack to try and prevent him from killing Ryan Phillips.
I was quickly into action, leaning over him on my side, as I gently shook him, repeating his name.
"Spencer. Spencer. Spencer, honey wake up."
Suddenly he jerked into a sitting position, screaming, startling me, but I got over it quickly.
"Spence, it's only me, okay. You're fine- it's only me," I said, rubbing his arm comfortingly.
His breathing started to steady again, and he sighed, agitated, before looking me dead in the eye.
"I couldn't stop him," he whispered, tears brimming in his eyes, "I tried to but he wouldn't listen and he blew the guy's head off."
My face fell from its once comforting smile. This was really and occupational hazard- working in the BAU had some disadvantages- one being the nightmares that came with many cases. For Spencer, this case had hit him hard and everyone knew it.
"I know, Spencer," I whispered, then suddenly, he just collapsed in my arms in tears.
This had become a regular thing with his nightmares so I knew what to do. I rubbed his back soothingly and whispered supportive things in his ear, my head on his shoulder as he cried.
"Honey, you could have done nothing more," I promised him, "To be honest, you did more than what some people would have done, but Jack was too far in, and Lindsey was provoking him. It's not your fault," I promised him, still rubbing his back.
He seemed to calm down then, and I gently pushed him back onto the bed, before reaching out my hand to cup his cheek. He leant into my touch and I smiled. I stoked his face as I hummed a lullaby tune absent-mindedly, and now it was his turn to smile.
"You know what?" he asked, still looking at me as I looked at the clock which read the unearthly time of two o'clock in the morning.
"What?" I wondered, turning back to face him.
"I swear you're the only thing that keeps me sane," he replied.
I chuckled, smiling genuinely for the first time in a while.
"Well, I'm glad," I stated, "But you, mister, need to get back to sleep," you declared, waving your finger at Spencer.
His face fell at the idea of sleep leading to another nightmare, but you knew just what to say.
"Don't you worry though, because I'll always be here, right by your side," I promised.
With that, I leant down and kissed him gently, pulling away to smile at him before laying down, my head finding a place on his chest as I wrapped my arms around him, and he nestled his face in my hair. We fell asleep like that and, waking up, Spencer promised me that it was the best night sleep he'd had in a while.
