Atlas: A Dr. Spencer Reid Love Story

The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot (Brand New)

-End of Season 5: 2010-

"Where is he?!" Veronica shrieked, bolting through the hospital hallway before smacking directly into the arms of Derek Morgan.

"Veronica, Veronica!" Derek shouted, holding Veronica back as tears profusely streamed down her face, clinging to her chin. She banged her clenched fists against his chest, her entire body shaking.

"Derek, do not hold me back – do not! You tell me where he is, now!" She continued to scream in a petrifying manner as David and Emily walked over, watching the young woman crumble.

"Hey, hey, hey," David rapidly uttered, resting his hands gently against Veronica's shoulders as Derek continued to hold her, her energy lowering as she slowly wore herself out. Her head rested against Derek's chest as David spoke, "He's just down the hall, but he's still unconscious. The doctor said he's recovering, it's just not going to be as fast as we want."

David reassuringly squeezed her shoulder as Veronica shared a gaze with him. She lifted her head from Derek's chest, his arms loosening from her while David let go of her shoulders. Veronica turned her body to face Emily, who solemnly opened her arms for a friendly invitation. Veronica warmly accepted as Emily gave her a tight squeeze.

"Emily...If I had told him to stay - if I didn't let him walk out the door..." She hastily began sobbing again, her body feeling an inner collapse as she rested her face on Emily's shoulder. Derek walked up behind her, rubbing her shoulders as David helplessly watched from the sidelines.

"Veronica, nothing could have stopped this attack. None of us even knew this woman was after Reid – but she's in custody now and we will get all the answers you want...Reid will be okay," Emily comforted.

Veronica took some slow breaths to gain her composure as Emily slowly released her. Veronica closed her eyes for a few seconds before opening them once more, staring at David and Emily, feeling the presence of Derek behind her as his hands rested against her shoulders. "Take me to him. I want to be there when he wakes up," She demanded, her fierceness exuding.

"Come on, Curly-Q, let's go check on lover boy," Derek playfully added, his arm wrapping around her shoulders as he escorted her to Spencer's room.

Emily and David watched them walk off.

"She looks so broken..." Emily agonizingly looked on.

"She loves him," David simply spoke, giving a slight shrug.

Veronica slugged into the room, Derek glued to her side. She barely noticed Hotch and JJ standing over Spencer as she ran to his empty side, clutching his hand and getting on her knees. Her eyes filled with tears once more as she watched his chest slowly rise and fall.

"Oh, Spence', baby" She incoherently whispered, pressing her lips to his hand as her own shook.

"You've got to be fine. You have to be..." She instantly broke, her head resting against the bed as she sobbed, Spencer's hand tightly wound with both of hers.

JJ walked over and rested a hand on her shoulder. "We'll give you some time alone...If you need anything, you know you can call any of us," She kindly spoke, glancing towards Hotch and Derek as the three walked out, each one looking back at her before returning to the hallway.

Veronica shut her eyes tight, spots beginning to form in her vision. She slowly rocked back and forth as her knees dug into the cold tile floor, her fingers turning white from the pressure they applied as they grasped Spencer's clammy hand.

It was in that moment of pure desperation that Veronica bowed her hand and quietly began to pray.