When Words Become Superfluous

Nobler Endurance

"Endurance is nobler than strength, and patience than beauty."

~John Ruskin

Evie's throat was sore from screaming. She couldn't help it, the sound of Spencer being beaten like that was torture. Not only that, but before the unsub started the 'first session', or so he called it, he had dragged an old TV screen out of a closet on the far wall. He set it at the end of hallway for everyone in the cells to see and then plugged it into the crumbling wall. As soon as he walked out, the screen turned on to reveal Spencer in the middle of a cement room. Evie had gasped and pressed herself against the bars, as if willing herself to just magically melt through to run to her Spencer. It didn't work.

Within a couple of minutes, the unsub had punched Spencer in the stomach, making him hunch over in pain. Evie couldn't help but cry out, watching him hurt. The mindless beating continuted for what seemed like forever. If not for the rest of the team, Evie wondered if she might have screamed herself to the point of unconsciousness.

"Evie... Evie, please calm down. Please..." JJ had begged her. Evie had pressed herself up against the hard wall no matter how cold it was and pulled in choking sobs. Everyone else tried to calm her as well, but for the longest time it was no use. She couldn't ever remember freaking out that much. She had felt like she couldn't breathe, like an elephant was sitting on her chest.

"Evelyn! Listen to me!" Rossi's voice eventually boomed over everyone elses. "Come here." he had beckoned by waved her over with his arm that he stretched out of his cell. Evie had gulped down another sob rising from her throat and edged towards the bars. She took Rossi's outstretched hand and for the rest of the time Spencer was being tortured in there, he calmed her with soothing words and squeezing her hand. Evie wasn't quite as hysterical after that, but she still quietly cried to herself against the cold wall. From a few cells down, she could hear Garcia doing the same. The only thing she could seem to do was watch Spencer being thrown around and cry helplessly for his pain. Every kick, every punch, every hit sent paint shooting through her chest. This can't be happening... she had kept thinking. This can't be happening...

Finally, the unsub had stopped his brutality against her Spencer. She took in a shuttering breath of air, feeling it fully fill her lungs for the first time like resurfacing from nearly drowning under water. She tried to make out if Spencer was concious or not, but it wasn't easy in the poor quality of the TV screen. From the unmoving mass she could see on the screen, it didn't look good.

"Oh my god, what if he's dead." she wimpered. Rossi patted her hand and Morgan spoke up. Even he sounded solemn, all of the anger left from his voice and was replace with a pained tone for his friend. The entire room had gotten even more sad and gloomy, if it was even possible.

"If there's one thing I've learned, it's that the kid is a whole lot stronger than he is made to look." Morgan said, his voice rumbling off the echoing walls. Evie took a stuttering breath and nodded. He'll be okay, my Spencer's strong... She told herself. She would drive herself insane if she thought differently.

With a loud boom, the door swung open. Evie gasped and threw herself against the jail bars to see through the slots. The unsub came walking in backwards, struggling to drag a limp Spencer into the room.

"Spence?" she called out, tears running down her face. He didn't respond. He didn't even move. The man kept staggering backwards, his arms wrapped tightly around Spencer's torso. As he got further and further down the hallway, Evie could make out more and more of his features. His shirt was torn and bloodied, his hair a mess, some matted on his forehead from sweat. His head was lolled to roll to the other side, facing away from Evie. His legs dragged behind him on the floor, his pants torn and bloodied as well. There was an open wound on his forehead that emanated blood, as well as his lip. Mostly, there were bruises... so many bruises damaging his gorgeous smooth skin she loved to kiss. Suddenly Evie felt like she couldn't breathe again. She made small gasps as the unsub dragged Spence past her cell and kept carrying on.