Honesty - Criminal Minds || Spencer Reid Fanfiction

14. Life Support

I'd been checked over by doctors and told to stay in bed, but that didn't work out very well. I'd discharged myself within five minutes and ripped the hospital gown they'd tried to put me in. 

I was then given clothes from Morgan's go-bag until JJ could return with my own. Prentiss was also admitted to the hospital and was currently in surgery to remove the bullet from her arm. 

Basso and the SWAT members who had apparently wound up lost when we were in the steel box, had turned up at the back of the building, shot execution-style.

But none of this bothered me. What did bother me was the fact that Melanie was unconscious and I wasn't. 

Hotch was blaming me for what happened and I couldn't say I disagreed, but he was allowing me by her bedside at least, mostly because not even Morgan could move me.

Now however I was in my own clothes while JJ and Rossi were with Prentiss, explaining to her everything that happened. While Morgan and Garcia and looked after Jack as Jessica had driven him over as soon as Hotch had called her to explain everything that had happened.

Hotch's phone began vibrating, interrupting me from reliving those final moments spent with Melanie in that steel tomb we'd been trapped in.

He never said a word, simply got to his feet and rushed from the room.

I staggered a shaky breath and pressed my lips to Mel's hand before gasping at the familiar Melanie smell at the crease of her wrist. I felt weak all over again and pressed her hand to my forehead.

I was vaguely aware of Morgan, Jack and Garcia in the doorway but all I cared about was Melanie.

Here she was; hooked up to ridiculous amounts of machinery; beeps going off in intervals; her skin almost blue and papery-looking. She was dressed in the hospital's white and blue dotted gown, tucked under the itchy sheets.

"Melly..." I mumbled with my hands holding her limp left. My breath staggered again and I pressed a kiss to her palm. "I'm so sorry," I apologised softly.

"It should be me lying in there," I admitted hurtfully.

I sat there, holding her hand and watching her peaceful face for what felt like a lifetime.

"Please wake up, Melanie." I whispered, pressing her palm against my right cheek as though she were caressing my face herself.

Her skin was still pale grey and papery, but suddenly her mouth opened and her hand twitched against my cheek, a moan escaping her lips.

"Melanie!" I gasped, leaping to my feet, the three people in the doorway gasping.

She whimpered again and her brow fluttered in a frown, her head moving to the side. She started coughing and moving her jaw.

"Here!" I gushed, pouring some water into a cup from her nightstand with shaking hands and pressing the cup to her lips. Gently I helped her sip from it before replacing the cup on the stand.

"I'm so sorry, Melly, I'm so sorry." I apologised, sweeping her hair from her face with shaking fingers before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead, just between and above her eyebrows.

She whimpered and sunk even deeper into the pillows but her eyes did not open.

Moments later she was asleep again.

The Leader

"Hi Beth." The cold air bit at my skin, at my unshaven face.
"Oh Aaron, how is she?!" Her panicked voice travelled down the phone to me.