TW: hospitals, broken bones, arguing, family drama, threats, and some fluff
Spencers POV:
I hate hospitals. Something about the lights, the constant rushing around by doctors and nurses, not to mention that hospitals are a breeding ground for bacteria and germs. I shivered at the thought as I tried to push it out of my mind. I sat in the waiting room surrounded by my friends as we waited for word on y/n's condition.
She was rushed into surgery to reset broken bones and make sure nothing was punctured and there wasn't any internal bleeding. I wrung my hands together as I tried to push the image of her bruised body from my head. Her lips slightly blue from the cold of the room, her legs purple from where he put his hands on her. Her fingers distorted from the shattered bones. He broke her and now it was my job to put her back together again. And I was up for the challenge.
Calling her mother was one of the worst calls I've ever made. Having to tell a woman I never met that her daughter had been captured and brutalized for four days. She was broken on the other end of the line. Loud sobs filling my ears. I told her what hospital we were at. She told me through harsh tears that she would be there. I braced myself for this confrontation. Not the way I wanted to meet her mother. That's for damn sure.
I bounced my leg, anxiety threatening to swallow me whole. Emily stood, crossing the room and taking the free chair next to me. She placed her hand on my leg, stilling my movements. I looked at her with blank eyes. She shot me a tender smile, one to tell me she wasn't here to pity me.
"I think you should take time off, Spence. With her." She tilted her head to the side, trying to read me. Trying to profile me. "She's going to need you. This isn't going to be easy for her. She got over it fast the first time. But this time? This time is going to be hard."
I nodded. She was right. This time was going to suck. This time she'd be reminded every day of the torture she suffered at the hands of me and her father. The scars will litter her body. And I feared it would break her.
"What if she leaves me again?" I didn't mean to ask that. This wasn't about me. This was about her. But I couldn't stop the words.
Emily shook her head. "She's not going to leave you, Spencer. She loves you so much more than you know. Trust me. That girl is so in love with you, she'd part the sea if it meant you'd be happy."
"You know you can't actually part the sea?" Of course, she knew that. What a stupid thing to say. She laughed.
"There's the Spencer I know and love. But yes, I do know you can't actually part the sea. Promise me you'll take the time? If we need you, we'll call you."
"I promise." Emily smiled at me, satisfied that I'll finally be taking time off. But I had plans. Things me and her were going to do once she was better.
"Y/N Y/L/N?" The doctor pulled me out of my thoughts as the doctor came out. I stood, crossing the short distance to the man in the white coat. He had a small smile on his face, that must be a good sign. I relaxed a little. "Which one of you is Dr. Reid?"
"That's me." I rocked back and forth on my heels, anxiety lingering.
"She's awake and she's asking for you." My heart lurched out of my chest. She was okay. She was alive and she was asking for me of all people. But then the intrusive thoughts came crawling through the cracks in my brain. What if she's asking for me to break up with me? What if she's asking for me so she can yell at me? Not that I didn't deserve it, but still. I swallowed it down and followed the doctor to her room.
Taking a deep breath, I entered her room. My heart pounding so loud I was sure she could hear it. She looked up when the door opened, her tired eyes meeting mine. The only sound heard was the monitor indicating her heartrate beeping louder as it increased.
I let my eyes roam. Her fingers in a split while her arm was in a cast. One leg out of the blanket also in a cast, a few of her toes taped together to set them. I could see a band wrapped around her middle. The bandage peeking out of her hospital gown. But still, just as beautiful.
She visibly relaxed as I brought my eyes back to her face. "Spence. Oh, Spence." She reached her good hand out, making grabby hands for me to come closer. I hesitantly walked over to her, sitting on the side of her bed, careful of her body. I leaned in and she placed her forehead to mine, her eyes closing as she let herself feel. She opened her eyes once more, looking at me through her long lashes, a small smile on her face.
"Hi." She said shyly. My heart lurched out of my chest at her little voice. Oh, how I missed it.
"Hi, princess." I carefully brought my hand up to her face, cupping her cheek and running my thumb over her cheeks. I just needed to feel her, not in a sexual way in the slightest. I just needed my hands on her skin. My finger tips to brush against her softness. I just needed to touch her so I could know she was real.
I felt a tear slip down my face. She wiped it away. "Don't cry baby. I'm okay." She kissed me gently, the saltiness of our mixed tears swirling into the kiss. Now it was my turn to brush them away.
"This shouldn't have happened. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry, princess." I sniffled as I looked down at my hands. "I feel like a failure. What am I if I can't protect you from the monsters of this world?"
She placed her pointer finger under my chin, forcing me to look at her. "You're human. You are not a superhero, Spencer. No matter how bad you want to be, you'll never be able to protect me from everything. But you try and that's more than enough."
I interlaced my fingers with hers, kissing the back of her hand. "I love you baby. So much."
She smiled at me as she squeezed my hand. "I love you too, daddy." I let out a small giggle. The nickname letting me know she still trusted me, still loved me, still wanted me. Wanted me to protect her. Wanted me to have the control.
I heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall, a waterfall of raven hair bursting through the door. It was her mother. Cash, following close behind her trying to calm her down. Her face fell when she saw y/n. A look of relief washing over for a minute. Then, she spotted me. Now it was anger that was washing over her. I mentally prepared myself for what was coming. She stalked forward. The closer she got to us, the angrier she got.
"You mother fucker. You did this to her. You! Some man you are not protecting her." She yelled towards me. I just sat there. What was I supposed to do?
"Mom. Stop it." Y/n sounded like she was willing herself to stay as calm as possible. But her mother continued.
"No, y/n. NO! He fucking did this to you. This wouldn't of happened if it wasn't for him. For your fucking father." She was growing louder and I was sinking in on myself.
"Kristy. Stop." A voice called from the doorway. It was Richie. That didn't make the situation any better.
Kristy straightened herself, now stalking over towards him. She was shorter than he was. Much shorter, but that didn't stop her from landing a hard slap across his face. The sound ringing into the otherwise silent room.
"You said you'd leave me alone. You told me I was free to leave. That you didn't want your life ruined because I wanted more. I trusted you. You promised to stay away. And look what fucking happened because you got curious." She spat at him as he rubbed his cheek.
"You didn't tell me you were pregnant, Kris. You hid that from me. I wanted kids. I wanted them with you. So, when I found out you had a baby not even seven months after you left, I did a little digging. Then when the time was right, I did what I needed to do to confirm she was mine." he stepped closer to her mother.
"You took 29 years away from me. Twenty-nine fucking years, Kris. That's not fucking fair. And it's not fair of you to blame Spencer for what happened to our daughter. He did what he needed to do to keep her safe. I did too. This couldn't have been prevented."
Kristy rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. She was shrinking in on herself. She knew he was right. "It could've been prevented if you would've stayed away. I wanted more, you didn't. You wouldn't give up the life for me. What was I supposed to fucking do?"
"STOP IT." Y/N yelled from her bed. She startled all of us with her loud voice. Y/N never got loud. Not even with unsubs. She was loud only with me. Only in our private moments. "Both of you just cut the fucking shit. There isn't anyone to blame. Not Spencer, not dad, not Cash, not even you mom. No one." She squeezed my hand.
"This could've been any old unsub who did this. It just so happens it was a rival. It's no one's fault. Mom, you did what you thought was right for me, but he's right. You robbed him of trying to know me. But that doesn't make you a horrible person, just like it doesn't make him a horrible person for wanting to find me or Spencer for doing literally everything he could to keep me safe."
Her mother had tears in her eyes but said nothing as she turned and left the room. Richie followed after her while Cash stayed back. He turned back to us and shook his head. "You'll be sorry you ever hurt her."
I stood, my slim frame towering over the man. Toe to toe with the 'man' you called himself a father. "'S that a threat, Cash?"
He laughed, taking a step back. "It's a fucking promise, Reid."