Keep Holding On

chapter 44

Molly's heart raced as she received the call from Garcia, her hands trembling as she hastily gathered her things and rushed out of work. The drive to the hospital felt like an eternity, her mind plagued with worry and fear.

When she arrived, the scene was chaotic. Spencer was being wheeled away for tests, surrounded by medical staff and machines. JJ and Garcia were there, their expressions mirroring Molly's own anxiety.

"What happened?" Molly asked breathlessly as she approached them, her voice trembling with emotion.

JJ shook her head, her eyes filled with concern. "We don't know," she admitted, her voice tight with worry. "We came back from the case late last night, and Spencer went home. There was... an explosion when we went in to arrest the unsub. Spencer fell and hit his head, but the paramedics said he was fine."

Molly's heart sank at the news, her mind racing with fear.

As they stood there, a nurse approached, her expression grave as she addressed them. "Are you family?" she inquired, her voice gentle but firm.

JJ hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, we're family," she replied, her voice strained with worry.

Molly shot her a sharp look before stepping forward. "I'm his wife," she interjected, her tone firm as she asserted her place.

The nurse nodded, her expression softening with sympathy. "Please wait here," she instructed, gesturing towards a row of chairs in the waiting area.

Molly sank into one of the chairs, her mind whirling with fear and uncertainty. "We need to call Diana," she murmured, her voice trembling with panic. "What am I supposed to tell her? What if she's having a bad day?"

Garcia reached out, placing a reassuring hand on Molly's shoulder. "I'll call her," she promised, her voice steady despite the concern etched on her face. "We'll make sure she gets here, and everything is going to be okay."

Molly sat in the hospital hallway, her nerves frayed and her mind racing with a whirlwind of questions and guilt. She fidgeted with her fingers, her leg bouncing up and down anxiously as she wrestled with her thoughts.

Why hadn't she stayed with Spencer yesterday? Why hadn't she insisted he stay with her? Why weren't they living together yet, sharing their lives like they were supposed to? If she had been there, maybe he wouldn't be lying unconscious in a hospital bed right now. Maybe he'd be okay.

JJ's voice broke through Molly's spiraling thoughts, pulling her back to the present.

"Molly... I know it's not the best time but... I'm sorry," JJ said, her voice heavy with regret.

Molly's anger bubbled to the surface, fueled by the stress of the situation.

"I appreciate your apology, JJ, but right now, I just... I can't deal with this. Not now."

Her voice trembled with emotion as she turned away, needing to distance herself from the conversation and focus on Spencer.

JJ's words spilled out with a raw honesty, her voice laced with regret and remorse. "Molly, I can't keep pretending like everything's okay when it's not. I should have been honest with you from the beginning.

I'm sorry, I was stupid to think I could keep something like this from Spencer, from you. You two... you belong together.

I see it every time you're together, the way you look at each other, the love you share. I should never have let my feelings complicate things. I'm sorry, Molly. I'll never come between you and Spencer again.

And thank you... thank you for not telling Will. You and them deserve better than this mess."

Molly's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, the words heavy with the ache of betrayal and disappointment.

"You're right, JJ. You never deserved Spencer and his love. You can't truly appreciate him like I do. Neither can the team..." Her gaze flickered briefly to the hospital room they took Spencer to, a pang of worry tightening her chest. "But right now, he needs us. And I need to focus on him."

As JJ's phone rang, breaking the tension of the moment, Molly took a deep breath to steady herself. She felt a surge of gratitude for the distraction, even as her mind raced with worries about Spencer's condition. "It's Emily," JJ murmured, glancing at the caller ID.

"Go.," Molly urged, her voice softer now, tinged with resignation. "The team needs you. Thank you for the apology. I'll keep you guys in the loop."

JJ gave Molly a solemn nod, a silent acknowledgment of their shared understanding amidst the turmoil. With a last glance over her shoulder, JJ walked away, leaving Molly to her thoughts.

The weight of the situation settled heavily on her shoulders. She took a moment to collect herself, her mind swirling with a whirlwind of emotions.

Concern for Spencer's well-being battled with frustration over JJ's delayed honesty, creating a tumultuous storm within her.

Alone now, she leaned against the cool wall of the hospital corridor, her thoughts consumed by worry and regret. She couldn't shake the feeling that she should have been there for Spencer, that somehow her absence had contributed to his current condition. But dwelling on what-ifs would only drive her further into despair.

As she waited for Garcia and Diana to arrive, Molly found solace in the quiet hum of the hospital, her thoughts drifting back to Spencer.

.................................

Molly, Diana, and Garcia sat by Spencer's bedside, their presence a comforting balm in the sterile hospital room. Molly's fingers intertwined with his, her grip firm yet gentle as she held onto him with.

She refused to tear her gaze away from his tired but peaceful face, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"I saw some cumuliform heaps today," Diana remarked, her voice soft with tenderness. "His favorite clouds. I plucked that for him. Everything is up there. And we pluck what we want when we want and we let go of what we don't."

Molly managed a small smile through her tears.

"That sounds very good... Okay, I am plucking a memory about... Spencer's eyes, and they are brown with gold on the outside," Garcia chimed in, her voice tinged with affection.

"I think they're gold on the inside," Molly added softly, her gaze lingering on Spencer's face as he laid still.

Just then, Spencer began to stir, his eyelids fluttering open. Molly's heart skipped a beat as she leaned in closer, her breath catching in her throat. She held her breath, waiting for him to speak.

"Hey, we were just plucking eye memories of you," Garcia said with a gentle smile, her eyes warm with affection.

"I heard you. Forgot how much I loved those clouds, Mom... You helped me remember," Spencer murmured, his voice weak but filled with gratitude.

"I did, huh? Well, maybe I can come back tomorrow and we can watch clouds together," Diana offered, her voice laced with tenderness.

"Am I alive, or is this heaven?" Spencer joked weakly, his attempt at humor tugging at Molly's heartstrings.

"Sweetie, you are very much alive," Diana reassured him, her hand reaching out to gently stroke his forehead.

Molly couldn't hold back her tears any longer. They spilled over, tracing silent paths down her cheeks as she leaned in to hug Spencer lightly, careful not to hurt him. She buried her face in his shoulder, her heart overflowing with love and relief.