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Reid opened his eyes, the clarity surrounded him; the boy could see the room he was in.
It was a conference room. His hazel eyes darted around, he noticed a cake in front of him. Hm. Curious. But what got his attention was–
The eyes. A lot of eyes. People facing him with bright and welcoming smiles. Everyone was looking at him.
A bald man, with a muscular body but with no sign of aggressiveness towards Reid – Agent Morgan, the one and only! Next to him was, of course, David Rossi! How could the BAU be the BAU without him?! Reid could not imagine it. There it was a pretty woman with black hair – Agent Prentiss, Reid knew her name, of course –, she was next to the blonde one, who had very kind eyes – Jennifer Jareau, he knew her too! –, looking at Reid with calmness. There it was the other man, Agent Hotchner, next to Reid, he was tall and had a stern look with crossed arms, but he had a grin looking at the little boy. At his left side, there was another woman older – warm, steady – than the other three, Reid liked her.
She looked at him with such motherly care. Reid liked that.
"Well Pretty Boy! You need to blow out the candles or else, you wouldn't be a big boy, right?", Morgan asked him, with such a caring smile.
Reid smiled back. They were his friends! It was his birthday! He liked his birthdays, because his friends always gave him gifts, smiles and time to listen to his rambles. They never interrupted him. With a sign of a nod from Hotch by his side, Spencer blew his candles.
Everyone cheered up.
"Happy birthday, resident genius!", Prentiss said, walking towards him and fussing with his curls. "We couldn't forget your favorite cake, right? Chocolate with colorful sprinkles on it.", Jennifer smiled too. “You did great, Spence”. No one called him Spence, just her.
Everyone was smiling.
But there was the buzzing. Buzzing, a static sound in the background, somewhere lost but there.
The buzzing. Reid could hear it! It was just so close, just near by–
“Remember what we say,” Agent Blake’s voice broke through softly. She was beside him, her eyes kind and warning. “Don’t pay attention to the buzzing, Reid.” She was looking so deeply into his eyes, that Reid could see the caring in there, but the buzzing kept going–
“Look at that,” Rossi chuckled. “Our Doctor Reid looks tired. Time to sleep, huh?”
Reid wanted to protest, but the moment he was about to, Blake lifted him with ease, cradling in her arms. "Yes, Rossi is right kiddo. Time to rest a little bit. I am sure Hotch would let you sleep at his office, right?"
Hotch smiled. "Of course, how can I say no to our buddy right here?"
Reid’s chest felt warm. His friends were so kind.
Blake tucked him onto the office couch, smoothing his hair. Her voice was so soft. It always made him melt so easily. "Sleep well, dearest. And remember: Don't go after the buzzing. You are safer when you stay close to us."
"Thank you Blake, good night..." Reid mumbled under his breath, sinking into comfort. The lights were out the second she stepped out of that office; Reid was catching his sleep, seconds away of a heavenly sleep when–
The buzzing.
The damn buzzing.
The buzzing was fussing with his sleep. Reid knew he shouldn't chase after that noise but he couldn't? He needed to know what was buzzing. Reid's curiosity was louder than his better judgment.
Why was it always there?
It was almost hypnotical–
Stealthy as usual, Reid crawled out of his blankets and in tiptoes, followed the damn buzzing. No one was there, so he wouldn't be caught! He was a smart young boy–
The buzzing got louder.
Reid went straight to the noise. The building was awfully quiet since he went to take a nap. Where were his friends anyway?–
The buzzing was behind a closed door. In the end of the hall.
Reid went after it.
Small steps.
Longer now.
Faster now.
His hand was in the knob and suddenly–
“What…?”
A house… A house? Why a house? What– Where was he?! He was just with his friends–
The buzzing again.
Reid kept walking forward. The house wasn't neat. It needed care, as any other house. The dishes weren't clean. Food out of the fridge was half eaten–
“Spencer?”
A man’s voice echoed from the living room.
Reid froze.
“Spencer, is that you?” The voice tried again .Reid turned toward the voice. A man sat in front of the TV, staring through it. He didn’t look at Reid.. But does he… Knew Reid was there–?
“Spencer, I need you to check on your mom, she is not having a good day and neither I!”
Reid didn’t move. He couldn't move.
“Why are you here, by the way?"
The man kept talking, he knew Reid was there but he didn't take his eyes off the TV. He didn't look at Spencer. Probably his TV was more important than see the little invader in his house–
"I thought you were outside, finally playing this time. Like a normal kid.”
Reid’s stomach twisted.
“Damn it, on TV they make it look so easy… You know, you were supposed to be more normal, like the other kids… What did I do wrong with you, Spencer…”
“I’m not-” Reid began, but the man stood up abruptly, still not looking at him. The air changed, Reid could feel it.
“I’m doing everything I can! I work hard to put a roof over your head and your mother’s! You should be more grateful for having me around, Spencer!”
Reid took a step back.
“God dammit- You know?! Your mother is sick, I have to look after two now- But then, you are staring at me like you always do, and will give me a information I didn’t ask for, so you can feel smarter than I–”
The man’s words cracked like thunder. What was this man talking about?! Reid trembled in fear as progressively the voice got louder and more angriest.
“Your mother doesn’t listen to me! She doesn’t want her meds, and what am I supposed to do? Force her to? For the sake of me? Of this ruined marriage? I am not a monster, Spencer!” He takes a step towards the boy.
“I’m a good father! A good husband! A good lawyer! But you stare at me like I was a shitty father! Am I an idiot to you, Spencer?!”
Reid didn’t answer.
“Answer me Spencer!”
Reid froze, trembling. He wanted to disappear. Scared from the outburst of that man on him; should he say something?! Should he run?! What is he supposed to do?!
“For god’s sake, Spencer! I can’t wait until you have respect for your father who you think is an idiot! I must be right; of course you think you are better than me. You are just like your mother-”
The buzzing–
It called again. Louder. So close...
Reid turned toward it instinctively. Searching for it. But the moment his eyes weren’t in the man anymore,the man’s voice grew harsher. Reid felt his whole body shiver. The man was furious with the lack of attention.
“Spencer! I’m talking to you! Get back here–”
Reid bolted throughout that house. He needed to find that stupid noise – And run away from that man. Panic surged through him as he ran down the hall, following the sound. He darted into a room and slammed the door behind him, chest heaving. He was safe, I am safe, just go after the buzzing–
A hand grabbed his arm.
“Spencer…?” A woman's hand. A woman. Blonde hair, pink robe, cardigan. Eyes unfocused, wild.
That stopped Reid again.
“Is that you…? Spencer?” she was grabbing him with fierce force. She was staring him, so was he, and for a moment, he felt his chest pang for her, because, she was staring him but not truly looking at him–
“You should knock before invading someone’s room… You should be more considerate honestly, but I forgive you…” The hand tightened around his arm. Reid’s throat closed. He’d read about this before–
“I forgive every single one of you, every night… It's a virtuous cycle. How did this get so bad? I feel terrible about everything... I feel terrible. You and I don't live, we survive. You're just as powerless as I am, Spencer... See?”
Reid could not take his eyes off the woman, his breath catched in his chest. He learned from the books he read about profiling. His friends were more experienced than him, but Reid had one or two things about it. When he looked at the woman, he could see the erratic behavior in her slurred speech. “I have read about schizophrenia one day, an episode could be seen when the person was–”
Then why were his eyes watering? Why his chest hurts so much, and his arm– It hurts–
“Spencer… Why are you not answering me…?” her voice dropped awfully quiet. “... You are not my son. Are you from the government?!”
Her nails dug into his skin.
“L-Let me go! Stop it! Y-You are hurting me!” Reid cried between panicked breaths. She released him, and he ran. She chased him.
Behind him, another shout: “Spencer! What are you doing to your mother?! Dammit, stop making it worse!”
“Why are you in my room?! Where is my son, you little shit-”
“I told you to not fuss with your mother, dammit! Why are you not helping me, Spencer?! Don’t make it worse then!”
Reid ran faster. He just needed to get back. Back to his friends. Back to safety.
The buzzing grew. It filled the air, the walls, and his skull. It was back, and it was all he could think of at that moment.
He followed it. Too overwhelmed to care, Reid chased that buzzing faster as he could; and it got louder.
And louder.
So louder–
He entered another room this time. Closing the door behind him as he caught his breath; he was in a tiny room. Not much with a decoration, but the voices outside were lower in there and–
And the buzzing was there. The boy’s chest was raising and falling in short breaths, his heart was beating so fast against his ribcage– He finally could see what was the damn buzzing and turn it off once for all–
A TV.
Why aTV?
Something was playing on the TV.
Reid got closer, and the buzzing was becoming like a static.
The static was ingrained with voices.
He took another step closer to the TV, so he could hear it, and see what was on the TV. He could see a blonde hair over there–
“... First of all, we’d like to thank the local authorities and the citizens who assisted during this investigation. The suspect is now in custody, and there is no ongoing threat–”
What…?
“We’re grateful for the cooperation of the local authorities and the community. What matters now is that the children are safe and that this town can begin to heal.”
It was Agent Hotchner there, his team was behind him. All familiar faces for the young boy.
Oh.
Oh.
Spencer could feel the cold water in his systems. Burning his little body with a scare and flee attitude, a coldness that burned it-
He blinked one. Than two.
The cold got hot.
Than hotter.
He heard his mother banging at his bedroom door, along with his father leaving the house as he banged the front door. Huh. Climbing his bed and wrapping his not so warm blanket around himself, blocking the overwhelming loud voice of his mother and her bangs against the door, Spencer Reid curled in a tight ball. He closed his eyes very tight. Maybe if he shuts strong enough, he could–
Reid opened his eyes again, the clarity surrounded him; the boy could see the room he was in.
It was a conference room. His hazel eyes darted around, he noticed a cake in front of him. Hm. Curious. But what got his attention was–
The eyes were there again. Everyone was looking at him. Morgan, David Rossi, Prentiss, Jennifer, Hotchner. And Blake was there too. She looked at him with such motherly care. Reid liked that.
Everyone smiled at him.
Spencer smiled back.