Fight for each other (daryl Dixon x Spencer Reid)

Chapter 3

"My brain can't really shut off. It replays information over, and over and over, to the point where any outside stimuli kind of just feels like swimming in burning, loud light. It happens a lot during cases... But right now? Its the worst its ever been. I just want it to stop." Spencer explained, ducking his head down once again as he willed away a few stray tears. "I've never been so scared before... and every time I close my eyes all I can see is rotting faces and blood... my brain wont stop playing the images back till I find out why and I'm terrified that Ill never know." Spencer explains, hes not sure why hes telling Daryl all of this, but for some reason it just feels like he'd understand.

Daryl climbed onto the hood with him, and didn't say anything for a long while, just sat by his side and watched the stars drift through the sky in a comfortable silence. "Your people are a lot quieter than they where at the station." Daryl observed suddenly. Spencer looked at him and nodded solemnly. "They're worried, Hotch went back with Emily and JJ so he could get back to his little guy Jack. JJ could be giving birth any second, and Emily is strong but every hour that goes by is an hour that our hope strains. None of us really had a good home life, so for us this team is a family." Spencer explains, willing his eyes not to tear up again as he thought of his lost people.

Daryl hummed slightly in thought before grabbing the blanket and playfully pulling it over Spencer's head. Spencer smiled slightly and gave Daryl a mirthful yet tired glare from under the blankets makeshift hood. "That was kinda rude, why'd you do that?" He asked Daryl gently as he pushed the blanket off his head. The older man scoffed slightly. "I ain't exactly known for my manners." He replied, looking into spencer's eyes. Somehow he just knew the younger man needed a distraction, and well, maybe he needed one too.

For a moment strong blue met honey brown, and everything else seemed drift away slowly. The soft light of the fire accentuating the sudden tenderness between them. "What are they like?" Daryl asked suddenly as he leaned in. The both of them finding comfort in the gentle heat the other provided.

Spencer thought about it for a moment his eyes sad and gentle as he describes his friends. "They're amazing... Hotch is like an older brother to me, same as Morgan. Emily and JJ are like my sisters, JJ's so sweet and is going to be the best mom to her little boy, she thinks she's going to name him Henry, and Emily can be super serious during cases but once she opens up to you its like she a whole other person..." Spencer explained. Talking on and on about the people he loves most. It eased some of the ache in Daryls chest. He didn't know these people... but a part of him wanted too.

They spent a long time sitting together like this, like they where the only two people in the world.

And if they where sitting closer together then was strictly considered normal, who cared?

----

They had been there for nearly two weeks by this point, and managed to set up a pretty decent operation. The adults scrounged together some tents and blankets, as well as general cooking and cleaning supplies. They did laundry every other day. Carol and Lori helped cook. Daryl and some of the other men went out hunting while Spencer and Dale acted as the groups informants.

It wasn't exactly smooth sailing, but it was better than nothing. The only problem was they where constantly running low on food for everyone. Glenn (their go to scavenger) could only bring back so much, and as appreciated as he was it just wasn't enough a lot of the time.

So, the group made a decision to send more people out. Five more people to be exact. Spencer wanted to argue against this but he was outvoted, These folks where desperate and where thinking about quantity instead of any basic stealth advantage. To top it all off, they sent probably the least coordinated people to go with Glenn.