Coming Home

#5: Relief

Part 5

Sophie~

The moment that Spencer looked at me with his Hazel eyes clouded, I knew exactly why he didn't want them to tell me where he had been shot. It wasn't just because he didn't want me to worry, it was because he knew that I understood how terrifying it was. He was shot three times from what I could see, though I had a feeling that there were probably more wounds under the bandages on his side. One in his shoulder looked bad, probably shattered his bone, but the rest of his arm looked pink and healthy so at least his blood flow was intact. One right on his side just barely above his hip, could have hit countless abdominal organs, but he didn't have an NG tube so at least his stomach was intact. And the last I could see was just at the edge of where his vest must have been, so close to his heart that it made mine stop for a second when I saw it.

"Oh, my god" I let out the first coherent words that I had in probably three or four hours. He didn't speak, not that I think he should or could right now, but he squeezed his eyes closed for a second and when he opened them again I saw a tear fall down his cheek.

"JJ, could you hand me a tissue?" I laughed a little, feeling strange at requesting something so small, but I felt like if I even attempted to stand I would pass out. She handed it to me and I lightly dabbed his face before bringing his hand up to my mouth to place a kiss on it. That took longer than I would have liked because of the very persistent shake of my hand.

"Thank you for not telling me" I looked back at Derek and Emily who both gave me sad smiles and nodded.

"Of course. Plus we knew Reid would kill us if we did." I laughed for what felt like the first time in my life. Seeing him didn't make the worries go away, not even close. But being in a setting that I understood, one that I worked in and saw all the time comforted me greatly. I knew exactly what would happen now, everything that could go wrong, but also everything that could go right.

Spencer~

When I first heard her speak I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment. The pain of not being able to apologize to her, to my team, to everyone that I could, made my wounds hurt even more. She dabbed a tissue at my face and attempted to kiss my cold hand even though the one holding it was shaking uncontrollably. The way she looked at my friends, my family, even though she had never met them before was like she had known them as long as I had. They had that effect on people, a way of making just about anyone comfortable, and so did she.

As I layed there silently drifting in and out of sleep I never once felt her hand move from mine. Whenever I was even slightly conscious I would think of what I wanted to say to her first. Hi. no, lame. I love you. True, but not grand enough. But when I finally really came too, and could even move my head to look over at her, I could only muster,

"How long has it been since you've eaten?"

"Are you joking! Spencer Reid! You asshole! You almost fucking die and you're asking me if i've eaten!" I started to laugh but the action hurt much more than I was expecting so I decided I would stick to words for now.

"Well, it's a valid question. You're shaking like you're on the verge of a diabetic coma" I heard a loud laugh from the corner where I looked over to find Derek laughing hysterically and trying to cover it with his hand.

"Pretty boys back" he said into his phone and hung it up before walking to the end of my hospital bed.

"And he's also right, i'll go get you something to eat, let you two catch up."

I looked back at the beautiful woman sitting beside me and attempted to sit up before being scolded.

"Don't. Even. Think about it. You move a single muscle and I will fill that IV with Propofol myself"

"Alright, alright. No moving I get it." Her lips started to tremble and the angry facade she wore quickly fell away.

"Spence-" She started to cry and stopped talking to squeeze her eyes shut and place her one free hand over her mouth.

"Oh, baby, i'm so sorry" what hurt me more than seeing her cry, was not being able to move to her.

"Will you come to me, so I don't get in trouble?" she nodded and scooted her chair a few inches closer to me.

"Baby, a little closer? I have one arm to work with here" finally she opened her eyes again and put the guardrail down on my bed before resting her head gently on my chest.

"I can hear your heart. I didn't know if I would even be able to-" she stopped herself and cried again as I brought my working hand to her head and ran in through her hair.

"I'm here okay? I promise"

Sophie~

Even with me laying my head on his chest and him running his hand through my hair it took me hours before I could breathe normally again. Derek walked back in a few minutes after I first put my head on his chest and placed some food on a table next to me before apologizing to us both for having to leave. Now they didn't just have the first unsub to deal with, they had everyone who shot Spencer to add to their list. He left along with everyone else after Spencer promised that I would be okay.

"You need to eat, before you pass out, Soph" I ran a hand through my hair and sighed.

"I'll eat when you eat"

"Please, Sophie, just a little bit. Or at least a juice, just something" I gave in and made a big show of me opening a bottle of orange juice in front of him before sitting up in my chair and grabbing a few crackers from a tray.

"Happy?"

"Very much so" I laughed and placed a gentle kiss on his head before a bright bubbly blonde walked into the room.

"Oh, my god. I'm interrupting, I'm so sorry. I'm Penelope, it's really nice to meet you!" I laughed

"Of course, Spence has told me so much about you!" from what Spencer had told me she was the light of the team and was always dispatched to the hospital when the team got hurt so they could keep sane.

"Well i'm here so you,-" she pointed to me with a smile, "my sweet girl wonder, can take a nap and a shower, and for you-" she pointed over to Spencer who looked back expectantly, "I bought Jell-o, and lots of it, let's settle in, people!"

I let a sleepy smile fall onto my face as I was forcibly removed from my chair and brought to a cot across the room. I guess sleep would be nice.

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* I do not own any Criminal Minds characters