A FRACTURE IN THE CONSCIOUSNESS ✓

TYLER

Tyler went for his gun, but remembered rashly that both his gun and badge were still at the BAU and would stay there until he returned to work in three months. He looked around, but there was no one around. Not where he was, not in the kitchen, not near the front door. He tried his best to scramble to his feet, but his legs shook too much to let him get farther than his living room.

"Wh- who's there?" He demanded, pulling himself up slowly with the arm of the couch.

"What, you don't recognize me?"

"No, no, no, no, no," Tyler whispered, falling back onto the floor. His hands started to shake as he pressed them against his ears. "I killed you. You died. This is all in my head. I'm going crazy."

"That's assuming you weren't crazy to begin with."

The voice behind him sounded so clear that Tyler entertained the thought that it was him. But, upon turning around, there was nothing, just the closed door leading to his bedroom and bathroom.

Tyler leaned his head back against the couch, taking a deep breath. "My name is Tyler Robert Joseph. My birthday is December 1st, 1995. My boyfriend's name is Joshua William Dun. His birthday is June 16th, 1991. We've been together for two years. Our anniversary is November 1st."

He recited small facts that he knew to be true, an exercise given to him by his therapist in case he began having a harder time discerning what was real from what wasn't. It worked, because Tyler listened for a moment, and he heard nothing.

"Jesus Christ," he mumbled under his breath, dragging himself back onto the couch. Ned, his cat, meowed from somewhere to his left and hopped on one of the pillows, rubbing head against Tyler's ankle before plopping down right on his chest. "At least I'm not alone. Let's watch some NCIS."

Josh called him twenty minutes after his minor breakdown. "We're leaving for Washington in five. Serial rapist, nothing earth shattering."

"Every case we do is earth shattering," Tyler said, already halfway through The Brothers Karamazov.

"Yeah, yeah. How are you feeling?"

"Better now that I'm hearing your voice."

He laughed, making Tyler instinctively smile. "You are cheesy, but I love it. Don't burn Quantico down while I'm gone."

"No promises. Love you, bye."

Tyler hung up first, setting his phone between the pages of his book to keep his place. He knew Josh would be too worried to work if he told him about what he kept hearing. Now that it escalated to a full on voice, Tyler knew something was wrong just beyond the trauma, but he didn't think any more of it- he'd lose his mind if he did.

Somehow, he managed to get to his feet and reached for his temporarily necessary cane, slowly making his way to the bathroom. A long meow from between his feet made Tyler roll his eyes as he closed the bathroom door to pee.

"I thought we talked about this, Neddy. No meowing for food when I'm using the bathroom." The light grey cat tilted his head to the side, his dark blue eyes staring at him. "Pussy."

Tyler snorted at his mediocre joke and set his cane down to wash his hands, seeing something flash in his peripheral. He turned the faucet on, yet the rushing water didn't make any sound.

"We haven't finished our experiments yet, Dr. Joseph," a familiar voice said from behind him in a smooth, cooing sound.

A ripple of terror ran through Tyler as he looked into the mirror, staring helplessly at Brendon standing behind him, cattle prod in hand. Blood poured from his chin and chest, and he smiled, revealing bits of bloody gore and flesh between his teeth.

"No!" Tyler screamed, spinning around. He swung his cane and knocked a towel off its rack. Ned startled from his spot between Tyler's feet, mewing defiantly and walking back to the closed door.

He sunk to the ground, his breathing quickly turning to hyperventilating. Tears forced themselves from his eyes, and he cried silently as the voice cane back again.

"Crying won't make it any better, Tyler."

"Leave me alone," Tyler sobbed, squeezing his eyes shut. "You're dead."

"Am I?"

Probably sensing something was wrong, Ned rubbing his cheek against Tyler's elbow, letting him pick him up, which he normally never allowed.

"I'm okay, Ned. I'm okay." After a while, Tyler stood, and when he looked in the mirror, only his reflection looked back. "What the hell is happening to me?"

To get his mind off of what he'd seen, Tyler left to visit a Japanese restaurant down the street of his apartment building, using his cane in case his legs give out again. He used to go regularly as he was friends with the family who owned it, but he wasn't sure how they would react with him being gone for so long without warning.

"Nice to see you, stranger-" Hayley Kiyoko, the owner's daughter froze when Tyler walked up to the counter, not meeting her eyes. "Holy shit, what the hell happened to you?"

"Life," Tyler said sardonically. Seeing the look of confusion and hurt on her face, he added, "sorry, Hayl. It's been a rough couple of months."

"Where have you been? Josh wouldn't tell me."

"Uh... I was working a case by myself that took longer I thought and got hurt in the process. I'm taking 90 days off the recover." He couldn't stomach telling her what really happened. She was only nineteen, sometimes keeping things from kids was the only way to preserve what was left of their innocence.

Tyler could tell she didn't believe him, but she didn't push the issue. "Well, you look awful. You want the usual?" She asked, already ringing him up.

"You remember my order?" Tyler asked, genuinely surprised.

"Of course," she rolled her eyes. "You've been eating here for as long as I can remember. My dad still talks about how much he misses seeing you and your mom come in. How is she, by the way?"

He smiled softly, his eyes unconsciously moving to the photo of him and his mother with Hayley and her father on the wall behind her. "She's going well. I don't visit her as much as I should, but I'll go and see her once I can walk without a cane."

"You better."

Hayley held her hand out, and Tyler slipped her a twenty. "Keep the change, Hayley."

"Aww, you're still as sweet as ever. I'll have Papa bring your food out when it's out," she said, leaning forward and kissing Tyler's cheek. "See ya, Ty."

Tyler walked to the back and played on his phone while waiting. Mr. Kiyoko knocked on the wall beside him with a paper bag and plastic coke bottle in hand, smiling warmly at him. He didn't seem at all perturbed by Tyler's new brutal appearance.

"Inayaka beef steak with a coke?" He asked, holding the bag up.

"Thanks, Mr. Kiyoko," Tyler said, taking the food and drink. "How's your wife?"

"Recovering. Breast cancer's a bitch."

"That's a nickel in the swear jar!" Hayley shouted.

Mr. Kiyoko chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't be a stranger, Tyler. You're practically family here."

"I'll try."

On the walk back, Tyler got a texting from Dallon, asking if he and his family could go and visit him while he was 'bed ridden.' He smiled to himself and responded with sure!

Maybe bed ridden wouldn't be so bad, as long as he could get in control of his hallucinations.