Paranoia - s.reid

Sign

A gunshot.

Another gunshot.

Well, shit.

Liz screwed her eyes shut, awaiting the painful impact of the bullets, but it never came. Instead, she saw Molly's limp body, blood puddled and soaking through the fabric of her shirt and on the floor by Liz's feet layed Lyle, who'd been silent throughout the entire interaction since they got to the apartment.

His breathing was shallow and the crimson stain right on his ribcage was prominent. Liz immediately bent down to his aid, cradling his body as she overheard Spencer and Hotch call for medics and declaring that Molly was dead. From the angle of her wound, Liz could tell that Hotch took the shot and Molly shot Lyle- the man who'd known Liz for not even a day but had still taken a bullet for her.

Things were happening too damn fast, and before she knew it, Liz had been cleared from her checkup and now sat in Lyle's hospital room, hours after he'd left the O.R. 

The doctors said he'd be fine, that he'd wake up, and here she was, fighting her urge to sleep to wait for a man who she'd deemed irritating just to see him wake up and speak to him. Spencer had gone to get breakfast as Liz read one of the magazines, her head snapping up when she heard the unconscious man stir.

It took a minute before Lyle regained full consciousness, his eyelids frantically opening and closing at the harshness of the light before finally adjusting and staying open. His head craned, meeting Liz's eyes. "How's your baby?" He rasped.

"Everything's fine. You're going to be okay. They'll let you sign the papers to be discharged in a few days." He nodded. "Thank you. For taking the bullet. I owe you pretty much my entire life."

"It was nothing."

"It was something. Do you have kids? A wife? I didn't see a ring or an indent on your finger so-"

"No, I don't have either. When you look like me, I'm not so surprised. No offense, by the way." Liz let out an airy chuckle, waving him off. "Thank you, for staying."

"Don't mention it. Thank you, again."

"Like I said, it was nothing."

-----

The next morning, Liz was fully clad in black as she stood opposite a fresh grave with an old headstone with Spencer next to her.

Ted Robert Bundy
November 24, 1946
January 24, 1989
Loved son and father.

"At least my mom had the decency to put Ted instead of Theodore on it. I'm surprised she even buried him at all rather than dump his body at the bottom of a lake." Liz remarked, leaning her head on Spencer's shoulder as she tiredly cradled her bump.

He wasn't able to respond before a group of footsteps was heard from behind them. They turned, absorbing the presence of the entire team, sad smiles on their faces. "I told them about what happened." Hotch informed. "We wanted you to have a proper goodbye."

"Thank you, guys. That means a lot to me." She grinned, wrapping everyone in their individual hugs. They all stood around the grave, the sun hot on their skin and the silence was welcomed. "Would anyone like to say something? Bella?" Rossi questioned.

"He knows." Liz replied. 

"I think Reid's lucky he can't kill from the grave." Morgan spoke, an awkward beat went by before the group erupted into laughter at the remark. "Trust me, if he could, Penny would've been dead about 4 years ago." 

"Anyone up for iHOP? I think pancakes are good for everyone right now." Garcia bounced on her toes, relief flooding her when everyone agreed. They all lingered for a few more minutes.