Title: Lost
Author:
just-chiaraFandom: Criminal Minds
Pairing: Morgan/Reid
Rating: PG
Warnings: Spoilers for 2.15 "Revelations".
Plot: Back home after the events of "Revelations", Spencer can't sleep.
Words: 503
A/N: Written for
princesslacus for the Secret Valentine challenge at
crimeland.
Spencer was lying on the couch, curled up on his side. He’d tried sleeping in his bed, but it was too big. The limited space of the couch was comforting, almost like a hug. He wrapped the blanked more tightly around his slim body and forced himself to close his eyes.
He was exhausted. It’d been two days since they came back and he’d been awake almost the whole time. Every time he closed his eyes, images of Tobias, of the barn, and of much older memories came back to haunt him. So he’d been lying there, alone, too tired to read, too drained to even eat, and too proud to call someone.
They’d all offered to stay with him, of course. Gideon at the hospital and then again on the plane, Hotch at the airport in Washington - telling him he could stay with him and Haley for a few days if he wanted to, JJ before he got in the car. Even Emily had asked, even though they didn’t really know each other. Garcia had been on his doorstep when he’d gotten home, and he’d almost let her in. Almost.
And Derek. Derek had asked again and again. First, at the hospital, while sitting at his bedside and holding his hand; then on the plane, talking softly to him while everybody else slept; then again in the car, shooting worried glances at him through the rear-view mirror; and one last time by the front door. He hadn’t let him in; he’d sent him away with Garcia, telling them both he’d be fine.
He wasn’t fine, far from it. And yet he’d ignored all of Derek’s phone calls, and when he’d come knocking at his door the day before, he’d pretended not to hear it. Now, as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he regretted not opening the door.
He reached for his phone. Five lost calls, twelve unread messages. He discarded them all and looked for Derek’s contact. He was about to press Call, when the door bell rang.
“Pretty Boy, it’s me. C’mon, open the door. I know you’re not sleeping.”
Slowly, Spencer got up, blanket still wrapped around his shoulders. He let him in without a word, turning around as soon as the door was open so not to meet his eyes. He collapsed back on the couch and kept his head down.
Derek sat down beside him and looked at him for a few seconds before reaching out to touch him. Spencer flinched at first, but then leaned into the touch and rested his side against Derek’s. He felt Derek’s lips on his forehead, and then his arms wrapping around his body, pulling him closer.
The hand that was clutching the blanket moved to grab Derek’s sweater and he buried his face in the hollow of his shoulder.
“You’re safe, kid, you’re safe with me,” Derek said gently. “You’ll be okay.”
As much as the voice in Spencer’s mind told him it wasn’t true, he believed him.