Eidetic - A Criminal Minds/Spencer Reid Story

Chapter Sixteen - Biting the Bullet

"And suns grow meek, and the meek suns grow brief, and the year smiles as it draws near its death." - William C. Bryant

*Spencer Reid*

"Cecilia!" Josh and Viv exclaimed at the same time. They both rushed over to her and I quickly drew my gun from the holster. The one day where I almost leave it at home, this happens. I quickly scanned the city hall lobby to see where the shot had come from. There was broken glass everywhere and the window right above us was broken.

"It must've been a sniper!" I said. Security guards came to our aid and one of them escorted the judge away from the scene.

"She still has a pulse!" Josh yelled. "We need medics now!"

"Spencer!" I heard Viv yell frantically. I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed 911.

"This is SSA Spencer Reid requesting backup and medics right away to city hall, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave! There is an agent down, I repeat there is an agent down!" I said into the phone.

I moved over to where Cecilia was on the ground. Josh and Viv had undone her shirt to see where the blood was coming from. The bullet had gone through her chest, and there was a lot of blood pouring out. "We have to stop the bleeding," Josh said calmly.

"How? She was shot in the chest, Einstein!" Viv snapped back. I shot her a look, silently telling her to calm down.

"Look, medics are on their way. We're going to get her to a hospital," I said.

I felt something tug on my jacket sleeve and I looked down to see Cecilia trying to tell me something. "Don't trust him..." she said quietly.

"Don't trust who? Cecilia, stay with me," I said. Before she could answer, medics rushed in and shooed us away. Josh and Viv went with the medics to the hospital and I waited at city hall until Morgan and Hotch arrived.

"What the hell happened?" Morgan asked when he and Hotch got out of the SUV. He tossed me a towel to wipe the blood from my hands.

"You don't need to know the entire story, but basically Cecilia and her boyfriend Josh flew out here to get married and then some sniper shot her," I replied.

"Was the surrounding area cleared?" Hotch asked. I nodded.

"The shot came from up there," I said pointing in the direction where the broken window was facing. "A few officers went to go check the buildings, but they found nothing."

"Morgan and I will finish things up here. Go to the hospital and check in with Viv. She needs you now more than ever," he said handing me the SUV keys. I nodded and rushed off to the car.

Thoughts were racing through my mind. Why was Cecilia shot? Who was it? Who was Cecilia telling me not to trust? I felt my heart beating in my chest as I replayed the scene over and over in my head. Viv was standing right there behind Cecilia, she could've been killed.

I pulled up the hospital ten minutes and ran into the hospital and made my way to the trauma unit. Josh and Viv were in the waiting room. Josh was pacing back and forth and Viv was sitting in a chair with her head in her hands. "Viv!" I called out. She looked up and I ran over to her and pulled her up from her chair. I pulled her closer to me and I felt her start to sob. My shirt was starting to become soaked with her tears, but I didn't care.

"Why...is this...happening?" she heaved out in between sobs. She back down in the chair and wiped her eyes. "I can't lose another person I care about. I just can't." I sat down next to her and took her hand in mine and brought it up to my lips, kissing it softly.