The Dancer: A Spencer Reid Love Story

Chapter 20

"She's my best friend," Bianca explained.

"Did she have to go back to the Sax?"

"We have new people in the ensemble. Eliza is the manager. She has to be there, but-"

"Reid," Morgan yelled. "What is going on?"

I held up my hand to silence him.

"Are they mad?" Bianca began shaking. "I told them all I could. I-"

"It's okay. We understand and we are not mad at you."

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. "Dr. Reid, I get my results on my lungs in twenty minutes. I don't think I can do it. I can't be alone."

"I'll be there."

"I can't ask that of you."

"You didn't. Let's get back to your room, okay?"

I could tell that Bianca was weak and struggling to walk, so I asked her to put all of her weight on me.
I got her into her room before she fell.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Reid. I thought I was better."

I helped her back into bed. "I'm going to chat with my team, but I promise to come back."

She nodded.

I walked out, bombarded with questions from my coworkers.

"She's getting results in ten minutes from the pulmonologist on call. She's afraid."

"Go with her," JJ said.

I did as I was told, and went back into her room. She was by the window, dragging her finger across the frozen glass. "You don't have to, you know."

"What?" I asked.

"You don't really know me. I can't expect you to be with me, when I get my results."

"I want to."

"Why?"

I suddenly divulged my brief history to Bianca, "My mom is institutionalized. She has schizophrenia."

"Dr. Reid, I am so sorry."

"Thank you. Uh, about a year ago, I was tested for Paranoid Schizophrenia. It came back negative, but it was scary to go in alone. I told Agent Morgan about it. He was there for me, and it meant a lot."

"That makes a lot of sense," she responded.

"So that is why I cannot let you be alone in this, Bianca."

She was silent for a moment. "I'm so scared."

"I know."

The Pulmonologist came in a few minutes later. She gave Bianca a diagnosis of Pulmonary Edema from the drugs that she was exposed to, during the abduction. Bianca was prescribed diuretics,antianginals, and an inhaler to start off with.

"Can I go back to work? Will I still be able to dance?"

The pulmonologist slowly looked up from her monitor, "I am sending over a referral to an outpatient Pulmonologist. We need to continuously monitor your condition, as it could worsen and/or change into something else."

"That didn't really answer her question," I expressed.

"I'm sorry, sir-what is your relationship to the patient."

"Um-"

"He's my friend," Bianca cut in, "and he's right. You didn't tell me if I still could still... you know?"

The Pulmonologist looked up at us, once again. "Yes Ms. Flores, after the physical therapy, you should be able to return. But you need to be very careful to not expose your lungs further damage."

After the doctor left the room, Bianca jumped into my arms, wrapping her's around my neck. "Oh thank goodness," she confessed. Then she looked up at me, and quickly backed away . "I'm so sorry, Dr. Reid. I shouldn't have done that."

The truth is, I liked when she did.

Present:

I angrily chucked the pen I was holding. It landed on the floor, but I didn't pick it up.

"Spencer," Bianca called.

I jumped in my seat.

"I didn't mean to startle you. Are you alright?"

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I was just having another nightmare," she explained, picking up the pen from the cold tile square, where it landed.

"What happened in this one?"

"It doesn't matter," Bianca stated, "but please tell me, what's going on. I know something is wrong. I can see it in your eyes."

I took a deep breath, "It's my mom."

She pulled a chair out from the table, looking at me sympathetically-waiting for me to elaborate.

I took a deep breath, "My mom assaulted a care provider in her facility. If it happens again, she won't be able to live there anymore. If she hurts anyone else, they are kicking her out."