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Edge of Insanity	By : hatochiisai Category: 1 through F > Criminal Minds Views: 4649 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, nor do I make any financial profit off of writing this story.

Chapter List
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CHAPTER 2

Down in the bullpen, Reid sat at his desk reading a book. He didn’t notice the glass doors opening.

“Agent Reid.” He looked up at Strauss’ call. Then he froze. The woman was standing there, flanked by four men wearing navy blue scrub pants and white shirts, wearing latex gloves.

“… Ma’am?” He asked, slowly standing.

“I need for you to go with these gentlemen.” Strauss said.

“Why?” Reid demanded. “Where?”

“Willow Ridge.” Strauss told him. She watched the young man go white as a sheet, his eyes widening and pupils dilating dramatically. His entire body began to tremble, and he slowly took a step back. The men from Willow Ridge tensed and began to fan out, moving to block his escape routes. Reid’s heart pounded… he knew that they would be armed with sedatives.

“Reid…” He turned when he heard his supervisor call his name. The team had exited the conference room and were standing in a line on the walkway. JJ and Garcia were clinging to one another, tears in their eyes. Emily and Rossi were standing side by side in front of them, both wearing grim looks of concern. Morgan stood right behind Hotch, fury and disbelief burning in his eyes.

“Hotch?” Reid whimpered, staring at his team, eyes begging them to tell him that it was all a mistake. Hotch moved down into the bullpen and walked over to Reid, fighting hard to keep a straight face as he took in the youth’s terrified appearance. “Hotch?” Reid asked again when the man reached him. Hotch sighed, and held out the letter. Reid took it, and read it through several times. Finally, he looked up at Hotch. “… this is a mistake…”

“… I know.” Hotch assured him. “But they don’t. And until we can prove it, you need to go with them… Okay?” He took the letter back, staring at Reid.

“… I’m gonna be sick.” Reid blurted, his knees buckling. Hotch dropped to his own knees and managed to shove the trash can from under Reid’s desk into Reid’s hands just in time for the boy to expel the contents of his stomach.

The rest of the team moved. JJ hurried to Reid’s side and brushed his hair back while Hotch ran a hand up and down the boy’s back. Garcia appeared with a wet hand towel, laying it over the back of Reid’s neck.

“Shhhh… it’s okay, angelfish…” She crooned. Reid just shook his head before he heaved into the wastebasket again. The team stood by him until he calmed down, and then Hotch guided Reid to sit back on the floor, leaning against the desk. Rossi knelt, lifting a glass of water up to Reid’s lips and helped him sip it slowly while Garcia took the cloth from Reid’s neck and began to gently run it over his face.

“… Dr. Reid.” Strauss called after a few moments. Reid’s eyes snapped up to her, and he struggled to his feet. “You need to go, now.”

“No.” Reid said quickly, backing away. “No… this is a mistake… I’m not going… I’m not…”

“Agent Reid, you—“

“I’M NOT CRAZY!!!” Reid screamed, and Strauss froze, eyes wide in shock. “I… am not… crazy…” Reid hissed, but then shifted his eyes, nervously. He looked at his team. “… Am I?” He breathed, more terror in his eyes than they had ever seen before.

“Agent Reid…” Strauss tried again, glaring at Hotch. The man wasn’t doing anything.

“I’m not going…”

“Agent Reid, you—“

“I’M NOT!!!” Reid shouted, and then bolted.

“Reid, don’t!” Hotch cried. Reid had dashed up the stairs and was on the walkway between Hotch and Rossi’s offices. Two of the men were making their way up the stairs on either side of Reid. Reid looked back and forth, eyes wide, then leapt over the railing and landed on a desk. He scrambled over Emily’s desk, jumped across the walkway to Mogan’s, knocking Strauss to the floor in the process, and then leapt towards the glass doors of the BAU. He darted through them and across the area outside of the elevators, disappearing into the stairwell.

Strauss stood and was immediately on Morgan’s phone.

“This is Section Chief Erin Strauss, I need the building locked down. Dr. Spencer Reid is to be apprehended immediately.” She ordered as the officers ran out of the bull pen in pursuit of the panicked young man. Strauss hung up the phone and glared at the team. “This is what you were supposed to prevent.”

“We can’t.” Morgan snapped. “We can’t betray our teammate like this!”

“Well right now, I am ordering you to help bring him in quietly.” Strauss snapped, and stormed out.

“… She’s right.” Hotch said, and Morgan stared at the man.

“What?!”

“The longer this goes on, the harder it will be for Reid. Morgan… I’m not asking you to help me. But I have to go do what I can to get Reid to surrender himself.” And Hotch walked away, heading for the stairs. Slowly, one by one, the others followed him, equipping themselves with radios and ear pieces. Garcia headed to her office and began to check security cameras.

“Okay…” She said, her voice quavering. “He… went down stairs… to the first floor. He… ran into the men’s locker rooms… he saw security at the front doors… okay… He… he’s running into the gym. It’s empty. He’s… pacing… its pretty random. I think it’s panic… He… oh, my poor baby… don’t cry…”

“Garcia!” Hotch called sternly.

“I-I’m sorry… He’s on his knees… And… he’s looking up and running and… he’s under the bleachers!” Garcia called. “He’s hiding in the bleachers!”

“Let’s go.” Hotch said. They made their way down the stairs and into the gym. Hotch caught the attention of security, and Strauss came in a moment later with the officers from Willow Ridge. Hotch held up a hand to everyone, then turned and faced the bleachers.

“… Spencer?” He called gently. “We know you’re in there... please come out?” There was no response. “Spencer, I’m coming over. No one is with me. Okay?” He waited a moment, then slowly approached. He walked around to the side of the bleachers and peered under them. But it was dark. He waved at Morgan and pantomimed holding up a flashlight. Morgan nodded and took one from one of the security guards, rolling it across the floor. Hotch knelt and caught it, then flicked it on and shone the beam into the shadows under the bleachers. He spotted Reid quickly.

The boy was curled up, trembling violently, hiding his face in his knees and rocking himself, hugging his legs to his chest. He flinched when the light fell upon him.

“Spencer… please baby…” Hotch murmured softly, just loud enough for Reid to hear. “I love you… you know that, right?” No response from the boy. “Spencer. I swear to you… I am going to fight this. I am not going to let you stay there. I know the diagnosis is bullshit. But we have no choice. You have to go. I promise you, it’s not for long. Getting you out is my first priority.”

Slowly, Reid lifted his head and peered out at the man. Hotch winced at the sight of the boy’s red rimmed eyes.

“… please…” Reid whispered. “Please don’t let them take me…” Hotch winced, setting down the flashlight and holding out his hands, palm up. Reid hid his face again.

“I’m going to go with you.” Hotch told him, slowly beginning to creep closer. “I can’t stop them from taking you… but I’m not going to let you go alone.”

“Aaron, please…”

“Spencer. I’m trying to make this as easy on you as possible. But you have make an effort here, too.”

“I’m not going.” Reid hissed.

“Spencer… you don’t have a choice about whether or not you go. The only thing you can choose is how easy to let this play out. You’re only making this harder on everyone.”

Reid looked up and started when he saw Hotch was so close. He was only a few feet away.

“Please baby…” Hotch murmured. “Don’t make this any harder on yourself… I’m going to get you out. I promise.” Reid stared at him for a long time, then threw himself forward into the man’s arms. Hotch caught him and held him close, closing his eyes at the heartbreaking sobs and fearful tremors that ran through the youth’s form. “Shhhh… shhhh… I’ve got you… come on, baby. It’s all going to be okay… come on.” And he guided Reid out from under the bleachers.

Reid took one glance at all the people around and hid his face in Hotch’s shirt, clinging tightly for the man. “I can’t!” He whimpered, shaking his head. “I can’t… I can’t…”

One of the men from Willow Ridge walked over and reached out. But the moment he laid a hand on Reid, the young agent jumped and shouted, whirling and lashing out at the man before trying to bolt again. But Hotch wrapped his arms around the boy.

“Stop!” Hotch ordered, and the pair toppled to he ground. “REID! STOP!!!” He howled, then yelped as he got an elbow to the ribs. “Morgan!”

Morgan ran over and knelt, trying to help his Unit Chief contain the frantic youth. A moment later one of the men from Willow Ridge knelt, straddling Reid’s knees and pinning the young agent down with his weight. He seized Reid’s pants and jerked them down just enough to bare a bit of his buttock, and plunged a needle into the soft flesh. Reid cried out, thrashing, but the man had emptied the contents of the syringe and within moments, Reid’s struggles began to weaken and his cries faded to pathetic whimpers.

Slowly, Morgan, Hotch and the Willow Ridge man, whose nametag said ‘Barry’, all backed off. They watched, the team with pained looks, as Reid began to drag himself away, gasping and crying. But he only got two feet away before he no longer had the strength. Then he just lay there, pathetic little mewls escaping his lips every now and then. Barry went to talk to his associates and they left the room.

Hotch slowly knelt and rolled Reid over onto his back, sliding an arm under his shoulders and lifting him up to lean against the elder’s chest. Strauss watched silently as Rossi knelt down on Reid’s left side, Morgan on the right.

“Hotch… please don’t do this to me…” Reid whimpered, tears falling from his unfocused eyes.

“… I’m so sorry…” Hotch gasped.

“We’re gonna get you out of there, kid.” Morgan murmured.

Reid closed his eyes, more tears rolling down his face. Emily slowly knelt, laying her hand on Reid’s knee, gently squeezing it.

A moment later the door opened and the men from Willow Ridge came in wheeling a gurney. JJ and Garcia came behind them, JJ bravely holding Garcia’s hand while the poor woman blotted at her eyes with a hot pink hanky.

When Reid saw the men from Willow Ridge, his eyes widened and his breathing picked up again.

“Shhh…” Hotch soothed. He waved Rossi back and moved to Reid’s side, sliding his arms under the boy’s knees and shoulders, lifting him up off of the floor and turning, laying him down on the gurney. Reid just stared at him, eyes rolling in fright as the men wrapped padded restraints around his wrists. Hotch took Reid’s hand and walked beside him as he was wheeled out of the room and down the corridor.

Many agents watched, either in silence or whispering to one another, as Reid was brought past them. He was wheeled out the front door, and he closed his eyes at the glaring sun, tightening his grip on his lover’s fingers. Hotch laid his free hand on the boy’s shoulder. Then he stared at the truck, the back doors open and waiting.

Reid opened his eyes for a moment, and when they landed on the truck, he panicked.

“No!” He cried, beginning to hyperventilate and struggle against his restraints.

“Shhh…” Hotch murmured to him, laying a hand on the youth’s forehead. “Shhhh… Don’t… it’s okay… calm down…” He murmured. Reid whimpered as the gurney was loaded into the back of the vehicle, and he stared up at Hotch as the man knelt beside him, gently running his fingers through the young man’s hair in a soothing manor. Reid stared out of the back of the truck, tears flooding down his face at the sight of his team…

Garcia stood between Kevin and Morgan, clinging to their hands and crying. JJ’s eyes were full of tears and Rossi had awkwardly put an arm around her. Emily stood stiff, her face betraying her grief and fury. Even Strauss looked upset…

Then the doors closed and latched, and Reid closed his eyes… he was so tired.

“… Spencer?” He heard his elder lover call. “Are you okay?”

“… No…” Reid whispered. “I’m not crazy…”

“I know…”

“… But I will be.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t think that…” He trailed off for a moment, then ran his tongue over his lips and opened his eyes, staring up at Hotch. “I don’t think I’ll be able to keep my sanity in there…” Hotch frowned, worried. “We all have a breaking point, Hotch…” Reid continued. “And I can already feel that… that mine is too close…” His voice broke on the last word and he shook in suppressed sobs.

“Shhh… just stay calm.” Hotch said gently. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise. Just stay strong for me. I’m going to get to the bottom of this. Do you trust me to do this?”

“… Yes.” Reid whispered.

“Okay then. I just need for you to rest. You can’t stress yourself out like this, you’ll make yourself sick.” Hotch told him. Reid just stared at him. “I know you’re fighting the sedative. Don’t.” The elder continued. “Rest. I’m not leaving your side. I swear it.” And he gently forced Reid’s eyes to close with his fingertips. Reid let out a deep sigh and turned his head towards the man, allowing him to soothe him to sleep.

When they arrived at Willow Ridge, Reid was taken straight to the hospital ward. A doctor was already waiting.

“You must be Agent Hotchner. I’m Dr. Devereux.” She said, holding out her hand. Hotch wanted to refuse to shake it, but he knew that this wasn’t her fault, and it wouldn’t be fair to immaturely take his anger out on her, so he accepted her gesture and they shook hands.

“They sedated him.” He said.

“I know. They called me on their way in.” She said, pulling out a penlight and peeling up the boy’s eyelids, shining the light into his glassy orbs. She then took his temperature, pulse and respiration rate, followed by his blood pressure. “You can go now, Agent Hotchner. I’m going to have to undress him to do a full physical.”

“No.” Hotch said. “I swore to him that I would NOT leave his side.” Hotch said. She looked at him. “If he wakes up and I’m not here…”

“Agent Hotchner, I know what I’m doing. This isn’t my first ball game.”

“This is your first with HIM.” Hotch said sternly. “You have to understand… his mother is paranoid schizophrenic. He had her institutionalized the day he turned eighteen.”

“I am aware of his history.” Dr. Devereux said.

“What you are NOT aware of is that Reid spent his entire young life watching her deteriorate, and knowing that he could be watching his own future. He hardly ever visits her for the same reason… The guilt that he had put her there against her will, and the fear that he would one day be in her place… that’s the thing that scares him more than anything in this world. This is literally his worst nightmare turned real… And he’s NOT going to take this well.”

Dr. Devereux sighed. “Alright. Stay. But if your presence isn’t helping, I will have you removed, forcibly if I must.”

“Understood. But I assure you, he will be much calmer in my presence.” Hotch told her.

“… Alright.”

When Reid began to wake, the first thing he registered was the hand holding his own, and the fingers running through his hair. Then he became aware of the fuzziness in his mind… he had been drugged… sedated… was he in the hospital?

Wait… a firm pressure around his wrists… he had been restrained. Then, he remembered…

“… Hotch?”

“Hey…” The man’s voice soothed his nerves. When Reid opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the man’s loving smile. “Hey, baby…” Reid looked around. “Do you remember what happened?”

“… I’m in the Willow Ridge Hospital Ward.” Reid whispered, an odd look overcoming him.

“How do you feel?”

“… How do you think I feel?”

“I’m sorry, Spencer.”

“It’s not your fault, Hotch.”

“Dr. Reid.” They both turned. “I’m Dr. Devereux.” The woman walked over, giving Reid a gentle smile. She reached out and laid a hand on the boy’s arm. “Do you know what’s going on?”

“I know I’ve been sent here on a bogus diagnosis.” Reid growled, trying to pull his arm away from her touch. She respectfully took her hand off of him.

“Well… I will be the judge of that.” She said. “Your Unit Chief is adamant that you are of sound mind. So for now, I will not be checking you in as a paranoid schizophrenic… I will be checking you in as undiagnosed. I will come to my own conclusions.”

Reid stared at her for a long time, then slowly nodded.

“… okay.”   He whispered, and Hotch closed his eyes, relief flooding through him.

“Hotch!” The team all rushed the man the moment he walked into the Bull Pen.

“He’s fine.” Hotch said immediately. “He wants to see you. All of you.”

“What happened?” JJ gasped.

“He’s been placed under the care of Doctor Devereux. She and I had a long talk. She’s checking him in as undiagnosed. She’s going to work with him for a while and decide for herself what his mental condition is.”

“Oh thank God…” Prentiss gasped.

“Can we go now?” Garcia demanded to know.

“No.” Hotch said. “Right now, we need to let him settle in and calm down.   We can visit in the morning.”

Reid followed Dr. Devereux through the doorway.

“This will be your room as long as you’re here, Dr. Reid.” She said, smiling up at the lanky young man. Reid stared around. The walls were a pale blue, the carpet was a plain off white. A faded print of a water color painting featuring a beach was on the wall above the bed, that had a worn comforter featuring a pale blue floral print. The wood was a light colored birch, as were the bedside tables, the desk and the dresser.

The room attempted to be warm and inviting, but Reid felt none of that. It was his prison.

“Dinner is at six.” Dr. Devereux told him. “In the dining room. Are there any dietary issues I should know about? Allergies?”

“… Lactose Intolerant. Mild. Usually I just take some Tums or something…” Reid mumbled. “… And I won’t eat spinach.”

“You allergic?”

“No. I just won’t eat it.” Reid said.

“… Well, at least you’re honest.” The woman grinned, scribbling in his brand new chart. “Mild… lac… tose… intolerance…” She mumbled as she wrote. “No… spinach.” Reid simply nodded, walking across the room and peering out the window. The grounds were beautiful. The large building stood on a hill top, which was surrounded by trees. Patients were ambling over the lawn, some accompanied by orderlies. Reid winced and turned away from the sight of the patients, and closed the blinds.

“Do you not like the view?”

“… I’d rather see a blinking motel sign.” Reid mumbled, and at her confused look, he explained, “feels more normal… I’ve had that view a lot when we were out on a case… At least then I can pretend that this is a crappy motel instead of…” He trailed off, trying to shove his hands into his pockets, only to find that the pale blue pajamas didn’t have any. Instead, he slipped a finger underneath the plastic ID band around his wrist and tugged at it, anxiously.

“I’ll leave you to settle in.” Dr. Devereux said, and slipped out of the room. The door closed softly and Reid found himself alone. He stood there for a long time, then slowly reached out and slipped a finger between the blinds, pressing down just enough to make a gap he could peek through. He stared down at the grounds, and the patients. The next thing he knew, tears were flooding down his face and he fell to his knees, sobbing. He dragged himself into the corner and curled up, hugging his knees to his chest and rocking himself.

And that’s where Dr. Devereux found him at ten after six when he failed to appear for dinner. She peered into the room after knocking softly and getting no answer.

“Dr. Reid?” She called, hurrying over and kneeling, placing a hand on Reid’s shoulder. The boy jumped and gasped, lifting his head and blinking sleepily. He focused on her and averted his eyes once he recognized her, reaching up and rubbing his eyes.

“I… fell asleep.” He mumbled, and allowed her to help him to his feet.

“Crying?” She asked, giving him a look.

“… I’ve been incarcerated for no reason.” Reid said blandly.

“You’re not incarcerated.”

“Am I free to go?” Reid asked. Dr. Devereux just stared at him, and he snorted. “… Exactly.”

“Come have something to eat.”

“No.”

“Dr. Reid…”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Try.” Dr. Devereux said, and tugged him out of the room. Reid shuffled behind her in his God awful house slippers, leaning reluctantly against her hold on his wrist. When they entered the dining room, Reid’s eyes widened and he tensed. Almost all the eyes looked up to see the reluctant new guy. Dr. Devereux looked around, then spotted an empty seat and guided her new patient over to it, pushing him into the chair.

“Wait here, I’ll bring you your dinner.” She told him, then turned and walked away. Reid sat frozen, staring hard at the table top, feeling the eyes of the three other people at the table on him.

“… Hi.”   A male voice said and Reid flinched, violently. “… Wow. Definitely something up with THIS one.” Snickers. Reid closed his eyes and clenched his fists in his lap, fighting back more tears.

“You guys stop it!” A female voice scolded. “He’s shaking! I seem to remember that YOU weren’t too calm your first day here!” Then a hand reached out and Reid jerked away. The hand froze, then moved away again. “It’s okay…” The female voice said. “I’m Tammy. What’s your name?”

“Tammy, Mark, Andrew.” Dr. Devereux said, setting a plate down before Reid. “This is Spencer.”

“… Hi Spencer.” Tammy said gently. Reid didn’t answer.

“Give him time to open up.” Dr. Devereux told them, placing her hands on Reid’s shoulders and giving them a little squeeze before walking away. Reid stared down at the plate before him… Chicken parmesan with spaghetti and garlic bread with a salad on the side. And he just… stared.

Patients began to leave as they finished their meals. The room slowly emptied. Andrew and Mark got up and left.

“… Spencer? Your food is getting cold.” Tammy said. Still, Reid didn’t look up at her. “Just… eat something. See you at breakfast…” And she left. Reid closed his eyes and drew in a breath, then quickly stood and turned, leaving the dining area. Most of the patients could be heard in the lounge, but Reid returned to his room. He slammed the door and collapsed onto the bed, curling up tightly. Ten minutes later there was a knock on the door, and a moment later it opened.

“Dr. Reid…” Dr. Devereux called.

“… Yes?”

“You didn’t eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You need to eat something.”

“I’m not hungry.” Reid repeated.

“Dr. Reid, you—“

“If I’m not hungry, I’m not eating!” Reid shouted.

“Alright. Take a shower and get some rest. Tomorrow, you WILL eat something.”

“… Right.” Reid mumbled, and watched the rectangle of light on the wall disappear as the door was closed. He sighed softly and stared at the ring on his finger before closing his eyes, sadly.
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Edge of Insanity