[fic] the worst things in life come free to us
Title: 'the worst things in life come free to us'
Characters: Cassie Riddle, Spencer Reid.
Notes: There are moments when she's happy, Spencer knows.
Word Count: 359.
Prompt: 'Sleep'.
Spencer Reid doesn’t sleep very much. It’s not so much a problem when he’s by himself, he can get up and do things to try and make himself tired. He reads or pours over research notes. He goes for a wander about the Tower, anything to try and sleep when he should.
When he falls asleep with Cassie, it’s easier, but he never sleeps for long. Soon enough, he’s awake again and there’s not much he can do after that. Getting up requires moving and moving will disturb Cassie and every time he sees her asleep, he can’t bear to do that.
He knows what she’s been through since she came to Chicago; it’s a lot for any person to go through. Too much in fact. And he knows that no one deserves it. No one deserves to be tortured or nearly murdered or killed numerous times. Especially not Cassie. Spencer knows how kind and wonderful she is too well, and it hurts to know she’s suffered in this city.
But when he sees her curled up against him, fast asleep, he never sees that. Sleeping seems to be the one thing that allows her some peace. Sometimes there are nightmares, but they never seem to be as often now. He’s been there a few times when she’s woken up from some awful dream, tears in her eyes. He knows how frustrated she gets that she’s still dreaming of Kaden and of all the things she’s been through. He hates that no matter how much times, she can’t put it totally put it behind her. It’s something Spencer knows himself; he still remembers Tobias Hankel and the dilaudid and even though he’s trying to get better - what happened never totally leaves him.
But most of time, when Cassie sleeps, she’s blessed with a sort of vacant happiness and it’s something he’s so happy to see. And seeing and watching that gives him something to do until he can fall asleep again himself, just knowing she’s happy for a little while.
And even when she buries her head under his chin and he can’t see her face - he still knows.