The Dancer: A Spencer Reid Love Story

Chapter 12

"No-I don't know what's going on," I replied with an absent mind. Then I saw a text message from Eliza:

I had to take Bianca to the ER at Potomac Hospital. Please get here when you can. I'm scared, Dr. Reid.
_______________________

The second our jet touched the ground at Quantico, I made a bee-line towards my car.

"Spencer, wait," JJ called after me.

I spun around on my heels, "What?"

"Let me go with you."

"JJ, you don't have to-"

"I want to."

Morgan ran up behind JJ, "Me too. I mean, I want to come too. I kind of feel like this is our fault. We forced her out of your place when we came over the other day. It was cold and she had a fever."

I put my head into my hands, trying to hold in angry tears that were threatening to spill out. "Fine. Let's go," I said.  JJ and Morgan shared a glance, but I didn't have time to care.

We drove to the hospital. Eliza saw us come in, and ran over to me. She threw her arms around me and sobbed into my shirt. My mind was anxiously racing.

"Dr. Reid," Eliza choked, "I am so sorry."

I returned her hug. "This isn't your fault."

She backed away from me, biting her fingernails. "I didn't know it had gotten that bad. I think Bianca was hiding it from me," she shuddered.

"Was there blood?"

"Yeah. All over the sink. I thought that she had cut herself, but-"

"I know," I said putting my hand on her shoulder.
"She didn't tell you. How were you to know?"

"Did you know?"

"Yeah."

"I thought we were close enough that she could tell me these things."

I gazed at Eliza, sympathetically. In the months that I'd known her, she had somewhat of a rough exterior. But it appeared that this had put her over the edge. "Eliza, I think this has nothing to do with you." I scratched the back of my neck. "Bruce resurfacing after-"

"Dr. Reid, I don't think it's Bruce," Eliza interrupted me.

"You don't?"

She sat in one of the metal hospital chairs, running her hands up and down the front of her legs, nervously. JJ came over to us. "Eliza, you've been here for a long time. Why don't I take you back to your place for a breather?"

"I can't. I can't leave her like that," Eliza whispered.

I took her hand, and she glanced up at me. "I'll be here and I'll let you know when the doctor gives us an update. Does, George know that Bianca is here?"

Eliza's expression hardened at my question. "What has Bianca told you about George?"

"Actually very little," I explained. "I've crossed paths with the guy a few times, and he seems-"

"Like a misogynistic ass?" Eliza chuckled.

JJ cast a worried glance in my direction, before asking, "Eliza, has George done anything to you?"

"No. No," Eliza pressed her lips together. "He just has a way of seeing the world, and women, and- I don't want Bianca to think that I'm on his side. I'm not. Do you understand?"

JJ and I nodded in agreement.

"He's saving the club, you know. On the business side, he's quite good. I think our partnership is giving Bianca some doubts about trusting me. But we're like sisters. I would never hurt her."

"So he doesn't know that Bianca's here?"

"No. I told him that I didn't have the set ready that he wanted." JJ helped Eliza up, and guided her out of the hospital wing.

I walked up to the nurses station.

"Bianca Flores. Um. Can she take visitors?" One of the nurses looked up at me, sympathetically. Let's go check. Come with me." The nurse motioned for me to follow and we walked down the hallway, turning into a room at the end of the hall. The nurse went in first to check on Bianca, and clear my presence with her.
After a few minutes the nurse called me in. Relief washed over me, once I saw Bianca's face. I rushed to her, and she gave me a weak smile. I glanced at her vitals, studying her condition.

"Spencer?"

"Hmm?" I turned back to her.

"What happened to your eye?"

"The unsub punched me in the face."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. They checked it over. Nothing is broken and-" I stopped rambling when the wave dipped on her heart monitor. "And you shouldn't be worrying about me, Bianca. What happened that put you in here?"

Bianca momentarily closed her eyes. "I was just spending time with Eliza. One of my coughing fits started. I didn't think anything of it. It was cold out, and I was wandering around for a few hours."

"You shouldn't have done that."

"I know," she said. "I just hated the feeling that I was a burden on you, Spencer."

I sat down on the chair next to her bed. "Bianca, listen to me," taking her hand as I began. "You will never be a burden on me. You make me a better person, and I am so thankful that you are in my life."

"You make me a better person too," she said, as I gently kissed her forehead.