𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐧 |~𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚎𝚒𝚍~|

Chapter Forty-Three

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." -Lao Tzu

It was a couple months later. I had just been called in for a case; Spencer was worried about his cousin Maeve. 

Reid was not doing well. He was distraught. 

Hotch spoke up to the team. "We don't know if we have a case, so we'll be working on personal time. Does anybody want to leave?" Nobody spoke up. "Good. Lets get to work." 

We went to the round table and started looking through the evidence. Garcia found Maeve. Morgan and JJ went to what we thought would be her most recent address. 

I stayed at the BAU to support Reid. He didn't have a clear head. 

I went with Reid to watch Hotch interview Maeve's parents. 

We found out that Maeve had a fiance, Bobby. 

As we left the interview room, Reid was not in good shape. 

"Fiance?" 

"Reid, slow down." 

"She had a fiance, Hotch. She didn't even tell me. I thought we were friends." 

We went to her fiance's apartment. A woman answered the door. She was his girlfriend. 

The man saw Reid. "I know you." 

Hotch forced Reid out. When he came back inside, he looked at me. "Can you make sure he's ok?" he asked. 

I nodded and followed Reid down the hallway. "Reid? You ok?" 

He nodded. "Can I just be alone right now?" 

"Yeah, yeah, sure." 

I walked back inside when I got a phone call from my dad. 

"Dad?" 

"Help, fell, shaky." 

He sounded awful. "Dad? What happened?" 

"Help," he was obviously having trouble speaking. 

"Hey, I'm gonna be right there, ok?"

I saw Hotch leaving the apartment and ran up to him. 

"Hotch! I'm so sorry, my dad's in trouble. I think he might be having a stroke." 

"Go, Leroy," he nodded, understanding. 

I ran down to the car and got in, starting to drive towards my house. I called 911 on the way, telling them my address and that my dad wasn't okay. 

When I finally got to my house, the ambulance wasn't there yet. I ran inside to find my dad laying on the kitchen floor. 

I put my fingers on his neck. He still had a pulse. I heard the ambulance come and ran to open my door, waving them inside. I watched with my fingers pressed to my mouth as they loaded him into an ambulance. 

I had no idea if this was connected to Huntington's or not. I thought that I still had a few years before it would actually start affecting my dad's life. 

I rode in the ambulance with my dad, holding his hand the whole way. 

When we got to the hospital, I pressed my fingers to my lips as my dad was wheeled down the hallway. 

I sat down in the waiting room and called Hotch. "What's happening?" I asked. 

"Our unsub is the fiance's girlfriend. She has Maeve hostage. She's killed Bobby." 

"Oh God." I said, massaging my forehead. "I'm sorry, Hotch. I can't. My dad had a stroke. I'm not sure if he'll even survive. I think I have to tap out. I'm really sorry." 

"Leroy, stop. It's ok. I understand." 

"Tell Reid I'm sorry." 

"He'll understand." 

I nodded and ended the call, putting my head in my hands. Reid was emotionally distressed, and I wasn't even there for him. I couldn't be. 

I hoped that I would have years and years left with Spencer. I didn't have that with my dad. I had no idea if I would ever see my dad alive again. 

I needed to be there for my dad right now. 

I don't know how long I sat there in the waiting room before my dad finally came out of surgery. They wouldn't let me visit him yet; he was still under anesthesia. 

Finally, after a few more hours, I was allowed to go in his room. 

"Hey, Dad." 

"Hi," he croaked. He did not sound or look good at all. 

I looked up at the doctor. "What happened?" I asked. 

"He had a stroke. As far as we can tell, it wasn't related to his Huntington's Disease." 

I nodded. My dad was one unlucky man. 

"He'll be ok?" 

"Yes, he should be alright. This might speed up the progression of his HD, though." 

"What?" 

"I'm very sorry, there's really no way to tell right now." 

I nodded and the doctor left the room. I took my dad's hand and looked at him, worried. 

"How do you feel?" 

"Like I have the best daughter in the world." 

I smiled sadly. "Thanks, Dad." 

My cell phone rang and I looked at it. It was Hotch. 

I stood up and answered it. "Hello? What happened?" 

"Maeve and her stalker are dead." 

"What?" 

"Reid's in awful condition; he won't talk to anyone. He's devastated."

I covered my mouth. "Oh god."