DAMAGED // spencer reid

14

The team gathered in the hotel lobby the next morning, ready to head to Kent Garvis's house, the man we believed would be our unsub's next victim. I entered the lobby, still slightly drowsy from my lack of coffee, and immediately spotted Spencer across the room talking to JJ. We locked eyes and smiled at each other, causing me to walk towards his way to thank him for the locket, which was still secured around my neck. Hotch rushed into the lobby before I could reach him.

"SUVs, now. Garcia just picked up on a 911 call from Kent Garvis," he demands urgently. I shot Reid a sympathetic look before climbing into Hotch's SUV with JJ. It didn't take long for us to reach the scene, but my heart started beating really fast. I felt uneasy for some reason, but I couldn't figure out why. Hotch cursed as we hit morning traffic, turning on the sirens and trying to maneuver around it. When we reached the Garvis residence, the door to the house was wide open and the SUV that Morgan and Reid had driven in was parked outside. We immediately hopped out, quickly strapping on our FBI vests. Suddenly a gunshot rang through the air, piercing the quiet residential street. I whipped my gun out and ran towards the door, adrenaline pumping.

"Stand down, Grant! Wait for backup!" Hotch called after me.

"It's Derek and Spencer, we are the backup! SWAT will be too late!" I argued desperately. Hotch finally huffed and nodded, walking in front of me into the house. JJ snuck around the house and into the backyard. Hotch and I part ways once we're in the foyer, each of us sweeping a different section of the main floor.

"Clear!" I whisper-shout.

"Clear!" Hotch whisper-shouts back. We nod at each other before climbing the staircase to upstairs. I'm not afraid to admit it: I'm scared. If Derek and Spencer had shot the unsub, they would have come down by now to call us off. What if the unsub shot one of them? What if Spencer was dead? I shake the negative thoughts out of my head and nod towards the only closed door upstairs. I can hear faint footsteps coming from that room, so I maneuver behind the door. Hotch gives me the signal and I whip open the door, Hotch barging into the room with his gun raised. I follow close behind, my gun level and steady. Kent Garvis is tied up in the corner of the room, gasping for air through the cloth around his mouth. Our unsub, identified as Walter Hall, holds two guns, one to Derek's head and one to Spencer's. It looks like they put up a fight, but were ultimately forced to surrender and be tied up. I lock eyes with Spencer and he gives a small shake of his head.

"FBI, drop your weapons!" Hotch demands.

"Come any closer and they die!" Walter shouts hysterically.

"Don't do this, Walter! You're better than this!" I urge the man.

"What, you think I'm not strong enough!? I'm sick of everyone always telling me I'm weak! I'll show you who's weak!" Walter screams

"No, don't!" I cry out, everything suddenly happening in slow motion. His finger squeezes down on the trigger, sending a bullet exploding out of the barrel and directly into Spencer's abdomen. Morgan is yelling and fighting against his restraints as Hotch delivers a bullet into Walter's heart milliseconds later. Our unsub drops to the ground, dead. I barely notice, though, because I'm lunging forwards and dropping to my knees in front of Spencer. I can faintly hear Hotch calling for the medics and rushing over to untie Morgan, but I can't focus on anything except him. I use my knife to cut his ties before ripping off my jacket and applying pressure to his wound.

"Spencer? Spence, can you hear me? You're going to be fine, just hold on," I assure him. But honestly, I'm terrified that I won't be able to keep that promise.

"Ads..." he groans, wincing as I apply more pressure. There's just so much blood.

"The medics are coming, don't worry. Just please stay with me," my eyes start to water. Hotch comes over and takes my place, making sure that Spencer doesn't bleed out.