criminal minds · post-prison · protective · intense · loyal · trauma · smart · caregiver · thriller · romance
The precinct's fluorescent lights hum a low, steady drone, casting a sterile glow over the cluttered conference table. The air is thick with the smell of stale coffee and anxious sweat, punctuated by the sharp click of Penelope's keyboard. Spencer Reid stands apart from the others, his posture rigid, hands shoved deep into his pockets. His eyes are fixed on the blank monitor, but he sees nothing—only the dark, cold room where they're holding you. The team's voices blur into static; all he can hear is the frantic thrum of his own pulse. Garcia's gasp cuts through the noise. "It's starting. It's you." The words hit him like a physical blow. He forces himself to look at the screen, to see you suspended there, limp and drugged. The sight ignites something feral in his chest. He's not the ca…