Enjoying Your Company //

chapter eleven

Spencer's POV:

I hate hospitals. The smell, the lighting, the chaos, the waiting. It's like being trapped in a time stopped dimension. The clocks move, but nothing changes. We sat for hours, waiting for any update on Vanessa. I start feeling that sickly feeling again, oblivious, until Garcia took a seat beside me.

"Hey," She said in her soft key. "She's gonna be okay." I kept my eyes on the tile. "The EMT's said you got there just in time."

"I should have been there sooner, I should have seen the signs."

"For a genius, you can be so dense sometimes." I lifted my head with an offended look. "There aren't any signs for this, not that you could see. There's no way you could have known she was being stalked. You two had just met. There's no telling than. But...you figured it out. And you got there."

"I just feel like I got there too late..." She opened her mouth to speak but a doctor approached.

"Quinn."

"Yes that's us," Hotch spoke up for my absent voice. "How is she?" My heart stopped beating in wait of his response. 

"She was in bad shape, but she's going to make it." A breath filled the room, the team dropped their shoulders in ease. "She's going to have some pretty bad scaring on her legs due to the size of the wounds. She'll need to undergo some physical rehab. And we'll need her to stay here to determine her mental status." The room stiffened again.

"Doctor, are you suggesting she needs to be under surveillance?" Morgan questioned with a puzzled look.

"When an addict falls off the rails it's better to send them to rehab than send them home. With an addict who's been through a traumatic experience as she has, I'd suggest waiting to see what her mental state will be like when she's awake before letting her walk out of here. She'd been clean for quite some time, he injected her with about six and a half grams of Demerol. She's lucky you found her when you did."

"May we see her now?" Emily asked pushing to get back on a positive track.

"Sure, right this way." I couldn't move, I didn't have the strength.

"Reid?" Morgan stoped walking back for me. "You comin?"

"I-I." I couldn't speak, my mind was simply static. "I can't." Morgan approached me, putting his hand on my back, pushing.

"She needs to know you're there. You need to be the first thing she sees when she wakes up. Kid, you saved her life. She's going to want to thank you."

"What if..." The sick feeling intensified as I noticed we were walking through the halls.

"No, no. Stop worrying about the what if's, kiddo. You live in the now. And right now, your girl needs you." We stopped at the door to her room. She was unconscious, hooked up to an IV, oxygen mask resting on her still face. "Go ahead, pretty boy." I turn to Morgan, pushing down my unveiled insecurity. He propped open the door, allowing me to walk through. I took a seat next to her bed, frozen in a downward spiral, unable to do anything but stare.

"Uhm, why don't we give Spence some space?" JJ nodded, widening her eyes. She touched my back, and Hotch did the same as the team left the room, leaving me alone with Vanessa.

For the first time since Maeve, I fell into a deep silence. I sat by her bedside for hours, just looking at her, waiting for her cerulean eyes to open, waiting for her to be the first to speak, one more time. I touch her hand, warmer than the last time I'd felt her. I slowly moved my eyes to her face, still smudged with dirt, her hair gently fallen over her shoulders. I noticed the necklace she was wearing was gone. I closed my eyes and took a breath, she still smelt like hazelnut, warm, and sweet. Just like I remembered. I must have fallen asleep in waiting, when I woke up there was a blanket over my lap, and Derek sleeping in the other chair in the room. A few hours passed and JJ came by bringing us coffee and breakfast.

"How is she?"

"The same." I mutter, blowing on my coffee, taking a sip. It reminded me of Lukas, I set the cup down. I have to change my coffee algorithm...

"Reid." Derek cautioned, looking passed me. I turn to Vanessa, watching her fingers twitch. "JJ, get a doctor." She swiftly left the room. Vanessa's eyes squinted, blinking a few times.

"S-Spence." She choked, her voice jagged. "Spencer?"

"Hey, I'm here, I'm right here." I spoke, desperate for her to hear me. Her eyes finally opened, landing on mine, kickstarting my heart. I let out a tight breath of relief, roving her ivory face. She looking around frantically as her breathing picked up.

"Where am I?" She tried to sit up, reaching for the oxygen mask, releasing a pained cry.

"Don't, don't move. It's okay." She winced as I set my hand on the back of her head, easing her back onto the bed. "You're at the Langley General Hospital." I tread delicately, as not to further damage her psyche. Adjusting the mask back on her. "You're safe now." She fought me, pulling off the oxygen again.

"L-Lukas."

"Is gone, he's gone. He won't ever hurt you again." I assured. Her eyes ran over me, as her breathing regulated. Finally accepting the oxygen and easing back into the cushion. Her hand resting atop mine over the mask. She slipped her fingers into place, holding tightly as I set our hands on the bed. "You're okay." I say again, sniffling, running my hand down her closest arm. Her eyes closed just as the waterworks began. "You're okay, Vanessa." I sooth, wiping a tear from her tepid cheek.

Derek watched remorsefully as we were rejoined by JJ and a doctor.

"Let's give the kid some space." He advised, escorting JJ out of the room, allowing the doctor to round the bed. Vanessa took in a wheezing breath.

"Thank you." She exhaled, squeezing my hand. Her hazy eyes flickered open to see me. "I knew you'd figure it out." I gave her my kindest smile, as the swirling in my brain, finally drained. Squeezing her back.

"Loud and clear."