surrender, criminal minds [ 2 ]

084. nelson's sparrow

Madelyn watches with teary eyes as the medic covers Gideon's body. She turns at footsteps, her heart breaking as Spencer walks in.

"Hey." She whispers, rubbing his arm as he tries not to cry yet. He doesn't react to her, staring at the covered body.

Penelope and Derek walk in.

"Are you sure?" Penelope asks.

"It's Gideon." Hotch confirms.

Spencer turns and quickly walks out.

"Spe--" Madelyn tries to stop him, but he's already outside. A few tears fall down her face both grieving a the older man and her heart aching knowing how much he meant to her boyfriend.

+++

Madelyn hugs Spencer's arm as they watch the medics carry Gideon's covered body by. They load him up into the back of the truck.

Derek, Madelyn, and Spencer go to the SUV, following the truck off.

+++

"Out of respect, I kept him covered." The M.E. says.

"Thank you." Madelyn quietly says.

"Appreciate that." Derek says.

"Cause of death was hypovolemic shock due to ballistic trauma." She says. "3 points of entry -- left shoulder, right abdominal wall, and right temporal." Madelyn's eyes stay glued on Spencer, the man only staring at the sheet covered body, not seeming to react to anything being said.

"Did he suffer?" Derek asks.

"Not for long, no. His brain stopped working before he was able to process his last breath. After the final shot, he was gone within a fraction of a second."

"Would you excuse us, please?" Derek asks.

"Of course." The M.E. leaves.

"Did you hear any of that?" Derek asks Spencer. "He didn't suffer." A tear runs down Spencer's cheek and he sniffles, quickly wiping the tear away with a tissue. Derek holds onto Spencer's shoulder and Madelyn holds his free hand.

"Listen to me." Derek says. "Sometimes you put up these walls and you block us out, and you can't do that, not right now. We need you, kid. Gideon needs you. I'm going to step right out there, and when you're ready... let's go get this son of a bitch."

Spencer nods. Derek pats him on the shoulder and pats Madelyn's back as he walks out.

"Baby..." Madelyn quietly calls, trying to form what she says. Though she's not sure what to say. "I--" Her voice cracks making her stop.

Spencer turns and leans down, wrapping his arms around her waist. He digs his face into her shoulder and she feels his body shake as he lets one sob escape, though tries to hold the rest back. Madelyn frowns, tightly hugging him and she strokes his hair.

Madelyn's eyes drift to Gideon's body and she feels her own tears build back up before they start to fall. She swallows the lump rising in her throat, hiding part of her face in his shoulder, making sure she hides her pain to comfort him.

+++

"Go ahead, Dave." Hotch says, putting his phone down. 

"Hotch, I think this is it, but I need to fill everyone else in." Rossi says. "The last thing Gideon did was to shoot a bird painting. I think he was trying to tell us that his killer is the same one from a case we worked on in 1978."

"So it was someone he locked up." Kate says.

"No, those murders went unsolved." Rossi says.

"So if this wasn't revenge on Gideon if he didn't lock the guy up, then what was this?" Derek asks.