How Dare You [ReidxReader]

(4) A Long Weekend

Notes: TW mention of substance abuse, addiction, physical pain. This chapter describes real symptoms of opioid withdrawal and it's treatment. I, however, do not endorse doing any of this without professional help.

You eat in silence. "Can I ask you something?" Reid suddenly looks at you.
"Sure." You nod.

"Where did you get the scars on your back from?"

You look back down at your plate without answering him. "Sorry, you don't have to answer." He backpaddles.

"It's alright. This will be a long weekend. We might as well get to know each other."

You put the silverware down and take a sip of water. Then you ask: "I assume you read my file?"

Reid nods: "Yeah."

"And you saw the six months under cover job?"

He nods again: "I was wondering why there are no details about that job in your file. Was it kept strictly offline because it was top security?" He puts his silverware down as well and looks into your eyes, propping his head up in his hand.

You sigh: "No." You don't really want to talk about what happened to you. You talked to no one about it. They all just know what they could see.

"Oh." Reid furrows his eyebrows.

You clear your throat: "I was abducted."

Reid's hand sinks to the table and his mouth falls open. After a pause he asks you, pure disbelieve in his voice: "You were abducted and held captive for six month and there is nothing in your file about it?"

You sigh again: "They never caught them, so it was swept under the rug. How can an Agency claim to protect the public when they cannot even protect their own?"

After that it's silent for a long time. You eventually keep eating while Reid stares somewhere on the table. When your plate is empty you push it to the site and look at Reid until he says in a quiet voice: "Why are you not angry?"

You let out a laugh: "Oh, I am angry."

Reid looks into your eyes: "I am angry as well. We could not protect Prentiss. How are you so calm?"

"Because," You lean towards him, "I don't have any energy left to act otherwise." After a pause you add: "And drugs."

"Why do you care so much about me taking drugs then?" His tone suddenly becomes more aggressive and defensive. "Don't you think it makes you hypocritical?"

You take a deep breath: "You could put it that way. I would argue, however, that I am not addicted. Which means I am able to function without taking something. You are not."

"I am able to function! I am sober during cases and do my job!" Reid starts to raise his voice at you. You pause again and observe his body language. His pulse is quick, you can see his cervical artery basically bouncing, his eyes seem glazed. "Don't you dare profile me right now!" He yells.

You stand up and bring the plates into the kitchen. When you come back, Reid is standing in the middle of your living room, looking like doesn't know if he wants to destroy something or simply run away.

- - - - - - - - - -

When you don't say anything, he starts to pace up and down. "This is bullshit! Why the fuck do you even care?" Reid shouts.

You see the sweat glistening on his forehead. "When did you take your last dose?"

That questions makes him come to a stop abruptly: "What?" You repeat your question and wait until he answers: "Three days ago, in the evening."