Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

Tribulations	By : hatochiisai Category: 1 through F > Criminal Minds Views: 19381 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: No profit is made from writing this. I don't own "Criminal Minds" or any of the characters.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
TRIBULATIONS
By hatochiisai
Disclaimer: I do not own “Criminal Minds” or any of the characters of the show.
Reidcentric
WARNING: This work includes nonconsensual homosexual intercourse.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 11
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The team sat around Reid, who was sleeping again. Morgan sighed. “Reid’s been in this hospital for over a week.” He said. “And he’s been great. He’s been sleeping well, eating well, recovering well. He’s been in good spirits. And now, suddenly, he’s scared and having nightmares. Why now? Why all of a sudden?”
“He distanced himself from what happened.” Gideon said, slowly. “When they had him, it was all like a bad dream. And when he woke up, he was here. He convinced himself that it was two different worlds. When he was with them, he would be hurt. When he was with us, he would be safe. But then, the two worlds collided. He was with us, but Graham came in and hurt him anyway. It brought him back to reality.”
Hotchner sighed and continued. “Now he realizes that just because he’s with us, it doesn’t mean he’s safe. And they’re still coming for him. He separated them because he couldn’t deal with it. But Graham’s attack slammed everything back together for him. He can’t protect himself by separating us and them anymore. We’re all in the same world and we’re going to clash. Reid has accepted it as an inevitability, and he’s terrified because of it.”
“He’s afraid we’re going to be killed because of him.” Morgan said. “That’s what he keeps dreaming about. We’re going to die protecting him, and that he’ll end up right back in that place with those men, with, as he sees it, us dead because of him.”
“Wait…” Garcia said slowly. “So… he mentally put a wall between his captivity and his life as… two different realities?” Rossi nodded.
“It happens. It’s a mechanism of mental self defense. It’s rarely forever, it just kind of buys him time to slowly process something painful. Graham’s attack tore down that wall before Reid was ready for it to come down.” Rossi explained. “Now that everything has come together, it’s hurting and scaring him. This is what we had been expecting from the beginning, as soon as we got him back. But his mind, resilient as it is, spared him the brunt of the pain for a while longer so he could prepare to deal with it.”
“Oh…” Garcia said.
“… No…” Reid mumbled suddenly. Morgan sighed, reaching out and shaking Reid.
“Wake up, kid.” He said, firmly, and Reid jerked awake.
“… Whoa… hi…” He said, looking around at everyone and blinking at the way they were looking at him. “… What’s wrong?” He asked.
“Reid.” Hotch said, firmly. “I want you to listen to me very closely. Don’t distance yourself from what happened to you. You know perfectly well that pretending it didn’t happen is just asking for trouble. It’s a wound you have to take care of for it to heal. Ignore it and it will fester.” Reid looked down, curling in on himself. “Reid, look at me.” Reid swallowed and obeyed.
“You’re scared. There’s nothing wrong with that. We are ALL here. We’re not going to let them hurt you again. And we are NOT going to die protecting you. And even if we do, know this… Reid. LOOK at me.” Reid obeyed, eyes bloodshot as he fought back tears. “Even if someone DOES die, it is NOT your fault. We are all willing to put our lives on the line for you. Just as you would for us.” Hotchner said, firmly. Reid slowly nodded.
“You WOULD do that for us, right?” Morgan teased. Reid smiled slightly.
“You know I would.” He said, quietly. “For any of you. You guys are…” He trailed off, turning away in embarrassment.
“Family.” Garcia said with a smile. Reid looked up at her.
“… Yeah. Family.” Reid agreed, slowly smiling.
“There ya go…” Garcia crooned. “There’s that shy awkward Dr. Reid smile.” And she pinched his cheek. “And here’s a kiss from your Aunt Penelope.” And she kissed his forehead. Reid’s smile broadened.
“And a noogie from Big Brother Derek.” Morgan said, grabbing Reid in a headlock and rubbing the top of his head with his fist. Reid howled in protest.
“Next, you’ll get a cup of cocoa from Daddy Aaron.” Elle laughed.
“Hey hey hey...” Hotch called out when the group laughed at that. “There is only ONE person on his earth allowed to call me ‘Daddy’ and no one in this room is that person.” This just made them laugh harder. Even Reid was chuckling slightly. Hotch gave him a look, and Reid cleared his throat and stopped, trying not to smile… and failing. Gideon gave Hotchner an amused look.
“Did I ever tell you about the time Elle called me dad?” He asked. Hotch raised an eyebrow and Elle grinned.
“He told me never to call him that again.” She said, and looked at Gideon. “Didn’t you, Mom?” Gideon made a double take at her, and Reid choked, eyes wide.
“Hey! You promised you would warn me before you called him that!” He blurted as Gideon glared at Elle.
“Why, so you could have a camera ready?” JJ asked, grinning.
“No… So I could run!” Reid snorted, and the others laughed.
“Sorry Reid.” Elle said, patting his hand. Reid just nodded, mutely. Rossi and Hotchner met silent glances at one another. Reid’s recovery had just begun…
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“No—stop it – I don’t WANT you to read to me, I don’t WANT you to brush my hair or massage my feet or ANY thing! I want to go HOME!!!” Reid bitched loudly, batting Garcia’s hands away. “I am going CRAZY. I just want to go home…”
“Not until the doctor okays it.” Morgan said. “And I’ll be staying with you until you get your locks changed and an alarm system installed.”
“What?!” Reid cried.
“Listen to me, baby cakes.” Garcia said, shaking Reid’s shoulder. “Don’t bother arguing with him. It’s futile.” Reid sat back in a huff. A moment later, a hospital volunteer walked in.
“Lunch, Dr. Reid.” She said with a smile. Reid sighed, glancing at the tray… he looked queasy. Morgan frowned and watched him. She set the tray before Reid and uncovered it. Green beans, macaroni and cheese and chicken strips. Reid swallowed thickly, reaching out and picking up the little carton of milk. He opened it and sipped it, slowly. Once he finished the milk, he picked up the orange Jell-O.
“Hey Reid. Lunch first, THEN dessert.” Morgan said, firmly.
“… I uh… I’m not going to eat it.” Reid said.
“No lunch, no Jell-O.” Morgan said, smiling.
“… Fine then, I won’t eat anything at all.” Reid said defiantly, staring at Morgan in a challenging manner. Morgan stared back, then sighed and looked away. Reid unwrapped the Jell-O and began to eat it. Morgan watched him.
“Reid.” He said suddenly. “Why aren’t you eating?”
“… YOU eat it.”
“No thanks.” Morgan said.
“Garcia, you want it?” Reid asked.
“Nah. I’ve had more hospital food than I ever would have wanted. Nasty stuff.”
“Exactly.” Reid said with a nod, slurping another piece of Jell-O. Garcia blinked, then slowly smiled. She looked at Morgan.
“The macaroni is LOUSY.” She told him, and he raised an eyebrow.
“Reid, you need to eat.” He said.
“I will. Just not that crap.” Reid told Morgan.
Morgan sighed and shook his head. “Please Reid? For me?”
“… No!” Reid insisted, finishing his Jell-O and pushing the rest of the meal away.
“Reid, you have to eat to get better.”
“I’m better!” Reid insisted.
“Reid.” Morgan said. “You’re pale, thin, weak and scared. You are gonna be healing for a LONG time.”
“… I want to go home.” Reid said.
“When the doctor gives the okay.” Morgan said for what felt like the fiftieth time.
“I just talked to the doctor.” Gideon said, walking into the room. He smiled. “You can go home tomorrow, Spencer.” Reid gave Gideon a small smile. Gideon looked at the table by Reid’s bed. “Letter to your mother…” He mused, picking up the envelope. “Do you want me to mail it for you?”
“Uh… yeah. Thanks.” Reid said. “It’s kind of hard to explain why she didn’t get a letter from me for two weeks.”
“… She did get letters.” Gideon said, smiling. “We’ve been writing to her.” Reid blinked.
“… We?” He asked.
“Gideon and me.” Garcia said. “We told your mom you were out in the field and couldn’t write her.”
“Oh…” Reid said, not quite sure what to make of this.
“Gideon. Reid won’t eat.” Morgan tattled, suddenly.
“Hey!” Reid cried.
“He’ll eat when he’s ready.” Gideon said with a shrug. “Besides. Hospital food is lousy.”
“Toldja.” Reid snorted, and Gideon smiled, shaking his head and pulling Morgan aside.
“It’s something he’s going to have to get over.” Gideon told Morgan. “Refusing to eat is just one phase he’s going to go through. We will step in if his health is threatened, but missing a few meals is not enough for concern.” Morgan sighed, nodding.
“Alright, alright. I get it… give the kid a break.” He said.
“Yeah.” Gideon said with a smile. “Give the kid a break.”
And the next morning, Reid found himself dressing in his own clothes that Garcia had brought him from his apartment; jeans, sneakers and an FBI hoodie. Walking was uncomfortable, Morgan helped Reid outside to Hotch’s car. Hotchner smiled.
“Ready to go home, Reid?” He asked from the driver’s seat.
“Totally.” Reid said enthusiastically, sliding into the passenger seat. Morgan moved into the back seat, reaching over the seat and flipping some of Reid’s hair into his face. Reid smiled in amused annoyance, glancing back and Morgan and smoothing his hair back behind his ear.
“Take care of yourself, kiddo.” Garcia said, leaning in through the window and kissing Reid’s cheek. “I’ll be over tonight.”
“What?”
“I’m gonna bring you some home made cookies.”
“… What?”
“Say goodbye, Reid.” Hotchner said, smirking slightly.
“Goodbye, Reid.” Reid grumbled as Hotch pulled away from the curb. Morgan just laughed. The drive to Reid’s apartment was uneventful, other than Reid’s near tantrum when Hotchner didn’t want to pull over for fast food. Between Reid’s whining and Morgan telling Hotch that Reid had hardly eaten a thing in the past two days, Hotch gave in and bought Reid a super sized meal including burger, fries and milk shake (after Reid glared at Morgan when the man offered to buy him a Happy Meal).
Finally, they got to Reid’s apartment. Climbing the stairs was slow going; Reid was still stiff and achy. Morgan went up behind him, if only to catch him if he fell. They reached the second floor and went to the door. Morgan unlocked it and the three men walked in. Reid turned on the light and sighed. He looked around, a look of relief on his face. But a moment later, it disappeared. There was a look of confusion on his face, then a sad realization followed by depression.
“Reid?” Morgan asked, frowning.
“I… I thought I would feel better once I was home.” He said, softly. He looked at Morgan and Hotch. “But… I don’t. This place doesn’t feel like… home.”
“Your safety was violated.” Hotchner said, placing a hand on Reid’s shoulder. “You were abducted from your own home. You have to reclaim it before you can feel safe here again.”
“Until you do, I’ll stay with you.” Morgan said. Reid nodded, slowly.
“I’m uh… I’m gonna grab a shower. Help yourself to anything.” He said, waving a hand at the kitchen as he passed. Hotch looked at Morgan, who just sighed and shook his head, going into the kitchen and rummaging through the fridge, pantry and cabinets… Hotchner looked over the bookcase.
“Hey Hotch?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m gonna look around. They got into his apartment before, they may have done it again.”
“Okay.” Hotch said, watching Morgan go down the hall and into Reid’s bedroom. He could hear him poking around.
“HOTCH!” Hotch turned at the shout, walking into the bedroom. Morgan was lying on the floor by the bed, looking under it. “We need to evacuate this building and get the bomb squad…” Hotch stared at Morgan.
“Are you serious? Dammit…” He sighed, shaking his head. “I’ll evacuate the building, you call the bomb squad. And be calm. Don’t scare Reid.” And he ran from the room. Morgan stood up and moved out into the living room, dialing on his phone.
“… This is SSA Derrek Morgan with the FBI. I need a bomb squad at the apartment of one of our Agents.” He gave the address, absently listening to Hotch banging on doors, shouting “FBI!” and telling people to grab their kids and pets and get out, that there was a bomb in the building. Finally, he came back in.
“Reid still in the shower?” He asked.
“Yeah. It looks like one of those… lever bomb things. Like the ones that kid put in the cars in that serial bomber case.” Morgan said. “Reid would have gone to bed and been blown up the moment he went to get OUT of bed.” Hotch sighed and looked up. The shower stopped and the door opened. Reid walked out in a towel.
“Reid, Morgan and I were talking, and I think it would be best for you to stay with one of us until you get an alarm and new locks.” Hotchner said, calmly. Reid blinked and nodded, wiping water from his face.
“Uh. Yeah. Sure.” He said. “I uh… I’ll go get dressed.”
“Reid.” Morgan said. “… Stay away from the bed.” Reid blinked and slowly looked at his door, then back at Morgan, eyes wide and scared. He nodded, then slowly walked to the door of his bedroom. He froze and stared in, eyes wide. His body tensed.
“… Hello Dr. Reid. Please come in.” Came a voice. Morgan and Hotchner glanced at each other, then ran to the room, pulling their guns. They looked in, flanking Reid. A young man was smiling at them, sitting on the bed…
He was pointing a gun at Reid. “Well? Are you just going to stand there? Or shall I stand and come to you?” He was balanced precariously on the edge of the bed. It was taking conscious effort to stay there… if they shot him, he would fall… and the bomb would go off. Slowly, Reid stepped into the room.
“Get dressed.” The young man said.
“You’re Neil.” Reid said, softly.
“… And you killed my brother.” Neil said, narrowing his eyes.
“Yes…” Reid confirmed. “I did.” He opened his dresser and pulled out a pair of sweat pants and… you guessed it, another FBI t shirt. He dropped the towel and pulled them on, followed by a pair of socks. He took his sneakers out of the closet.
“Do you think you’re going somewhere, Dr. Reid?” Neil asked, cocking his head.
“… To stay with a friend.” Reid said, calmly.
“I don’t think so. Come. Sit with me. Let’s talk.”
“… No.” Reid said. “You don’t have to do this, Neil.”
“Just wait.” Morgan said. “We have a bomb squad on the way, they can take care of this bomb. No one has to get hurt.”
“… You killed Graham.” Neil hissed, eyes flashing. Reid’s eyes widened and he backed away. “I’ll kill you.” And he raised the gun.
“RUN!!!” Reid shouted, bolting for the door. He crashed into Morgan and Hotchner, and all three tumbled to the floor of the hall as gun shots cracked through the air. They scrambled towards the door. But moments later, an explosion ripped through the apartment. All three flew across the living room, courtesy of the shock wave. Then it was all heat and noise…
- 10
- 11
- 12
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Tribulations