Dark Academia- Spencer Reid

Chapter 25

AN- Hello my lovely peoples! I hope you're all happy and healthy! Sorry it's been a while but life got hectic. Peace and love xx

TW- drug use.

Spencer awoke the next morning to the sun reflecting off the white comforter. He turned around to throw his arm around Zena, however felt nothing but bedsheets and a spare pillow. Drunken memories began to flood through his brain when he suddenly felt his stomach turn. The young genius jumped up from the bed and bolted second floor to the bathroom, emptying out his stomach.

Zena heard Spencer's retching from the guest room and automatically sprinted to get her husband a glass of water. As she made her way up the stairs, she only heard the sound intensify, as if it would never stop.

"It's okay, let it out," she cooed to Spencer as she sat on the cold tile floor rubbing circles on his back. After another minute or so Spencer finally stopped heaving and leaned his drained body against the cool tiled wall. Zena handed him the cup of water and brushed his messy locks out of his face.

"Z, I am so sorry. I had no right to lash out on you last night, and I cannot believe that I brought your family into it," Spencer said, tears welling in his eyes as he craned his neck to stare at a spec of dust on the bathroom floor.

"For a smart person you are pretty fucking stupid, Spence. Next time come talk to me. Don't drink away your problems because I couldn't read your mind."

Spencer looked up from the floor into the eyes of his wife, who had began to cry. "I know, I don't know what I was thinking," he started however he was cut off.

"You weren't," Zena responded, laughing as salty tears slipped out of her eyes.

Spencer chuckled softly, a small tear finding its way onto his cheek. "You're right, I wasn't."

The two sat in silence for a short while on the cool bathroom floor. It felt surreal to the both of them; in the span of a few short weeks they had gotten married, gone on their honey moon, and lost their best friend.

"Z, do you believe in spirits? You know, after someone dies." Spencer finally broke the silence, sinking further onto the cold floor hoping it would cure the sweats coming from his hangover.

"Yeah, I think so. We are all made of matter. If matter cannot be created or destroyed, only recycled then perhaps our energy goes somewhere after this lifetime," she said, blankly staring at the wall.

"You know, I never thought about it like that," Spencer softly stated, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.

A few weeks had passed, and Zena and Spencer were as good as they could be, considering the loss of their best friend. Zena decided that she would be a consultant on the next couple of cases as the semester at Hopkins had started back up again and she was beyond excited to teach again.

The two were busy bustling around their home, weaving between one another and Pavlov in their tiny kitchen, Chopin playing softly in the background. "Think fast, Boy Genius," Zena said excitedly, tossing a piece of toast at Spencer, who was unprepared. Rather than Spencer catching the bread, Pavlov jumped and snagged the toast, scurrying away into the office where his dog bed resided. The couple chased after him, prying his mouth open and stealing back the bread, all while laughing.

What the two loved about their work schedule was that they left the house at the same time. It was a great start to their morning. However, with a small home, there is bound to be some bumping into one another. As Zena reached to open the closet door, Spencer had walked past her, causing Zena to hit his bag off of his shoulder. The bag slapped onto the hardwood floor, and out rolled a tiny bottle that Zena had never seen before, but knew couldn't be good.

Spencer had scrambled to pick up the bottle, but his wife beat him to it.

"Dilaudid? Baby, did you.... Did you relapse?" Tears were streaming down her face immediately, grief overtook her body, and she couldn't help but ache at the pain her husband had been going through alone.

"Z, I can explain that. I promise," he started, going to grab the bottle out of her hand. However, she pulled her hand away quicker. "I haven't relapsed. But with Emily's death, I've been thinking about it," he said defeatedly.

Zena didn't know what to think or if to believe him. "Roll up your sleeves," she said flatly. He did as she asked, and she saw nothing but healthy flesh. She sighed in relief. "Follow me," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him out the front door.

"Z, what are we doing?"

"Smash the bottle on the ground," she said.

Without hesitating, Spencer grabbed the bottle and threw it towards the concrete, having it shatter to a million pieces.

"Good, now go get the other bottle," she instructed.

"There isn't another bottle."

"Spence, do not lie to me."

Spencer walked back inside and a minute later came back with two more bottles, both of which were smashed on the ground instantly.

"Thank you," she sighed hugging him tightly. "You need to start going to more meetings.  I can only support you so much.  We can talk more about this after work, but for now we both need to leave. I love you, I am so proud of you," she told him.

"I love you more, pretty girl. Thank you for understanding," he whispered kissing her dark hair.

"Woah, is that Z? It feels like forever," Derek shouted as Zena walked through the glass doors into the bullpen.

"In the flesh," she replied with a little twirl. "I figured it was a Friday and I should come in and see my family."

She caught up with the team for a few moments, until Hotch came out of his office very quickly. "Conference room, now," he ordered. This was followed by a "Oh hello Barbarage, nice to see you."

The team scurried into the room; all being informed of another case. "We are going to need as many hands on this case as we can get. Barbarage, do you think you can come on this weekend case?" The team looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Yes definitely. I have my go bag in the car."