Running

Chapter 20

It took two hours for the doctors to pull every piece of glass and every splinter out of my body. But that was only after the x-rays. Which I find stupid. I had to lay on a metal table so they could take pictures of my bones meanwhile sharp things of every kind are digging into my skin.

But now I lay in a hospital bed, as nurses disinfect all my wounds.

I'm in my bra and underwear, seeing as to how I had cuts all over my body.

One of the nurses pours the alcohol disinfectant on a fairly gigantic gash and I scream. The pain had been so sudden I couldn't even control myself.

Spencer bursts through the door, eyes wide, thinking somethings wrong, but when he realizes what happened he lets out a sigh of relief. He doesn't even seem to take notice of my current state of undress, but then again, it could also just not affect him anymore.

"We're almost done," the nurse tells him and he nods, coming up to my bedside.

He holds my hand as they continue, and every time I grunt he gives it a little squeeze, simultaneously telling the nurses what to do.

"Spence, they know what they're doing," I laugh.

"I-I know but-"

"OW!" I yell as they touch a tender piece of skin.

"Sorry sorry..." she mumbles.

A few minutes later they clear out, and I finally take a calming breath.

"You really shouldn't have gone in there," he says.

"I know Spence, but I didn't even know where I was going when I got in that car. Then I showed up, and something was just calling me inside. But I mean, look what happened. I walked in on him and Maisyn. She escaped. Me getting attacked was just the price to pay. It wasn't that bad."

"Wasn't that bad," he mocks.

"It really wasn't. I'm just glad you guys got there in time."

"Except for the fact that he was hurting you for three minutes already beforehand." He shakes his head.

"It doesn't matter now," I say. "Maisyn's gonna be okay. Seth has been arrested. My dads going to go back to jail..."

Spencer looks me in the eyes at that part, his face sad.

"I already know Spence. He killed those girls didn't he? He killed them and hid their bodies. Raymond isn't just a rapist but a murderer. Cas knew about the murders, and since he and Seth were friends he told him.

"The whole time my dad was planning on training Seth, and so he did. Seth only hated me because he wasn't the one that got to torture me. But now, when Seth wanted to go on his own, he needed help getting started. So he blackmailed my dad with the information he knew into kidnapping the first two victims.

"Ray might've known it wasn't smart but he didn't want to go to prison, so he helped Seth. He just didn't know he hadn't trained him properly and in turn got them both caught. Now they're both going to prison. And it all started thirteen years ago..."

I sigh.

"At least now it's over. Everything is over. And he's all found out. Maybe now the nightmares will stop..."

"How long-"

"Since I was twelve. Almost every night I had a nightmare. It got worse last year, before I joined the BAU, and then, you know... you saw, I was having dreams on the plane, and reacting, and everyone could see. It was just getting worse. And no one knew why. I guess I'm just glad I've told everyone now... Now it won't feel like I'm lying every time I look someone in the eyes..."

Spencer cups my cheek, running his thumb along my cheekbone.

"If-if you think I'm too broken... or disgusting, you don't have to-"

"Woah woah," he says. "Why would I ever think you're broken? Elle, you're beautiful. And whatever happened in your childhood? It's over now. And it doesn't effect who you are. This is the Eleanor I fell in love with. Not one from the past."

My eyes go wide. Did he really just say that? He seems to notice just when I do because his cheeks go red.

"I-"

I kiss him. I cup his face with both my hands and kiss him. He reacts almost instantly, deepening the embrace by pulling me closer. He kisses me passionately, and a heat runs through me. He climbs on top of me, pushing me back gently onto the hospital bed.

We make out for a while, but near the end when he tries to go farther he accidentally touches one of my fresh cuts, and I jump, biting his lip.

He pulls away in shock but we both laugh.

"Maybe we should wait a bit before we try that again," he smiles.

I kiss him once more before he stands back up.

"It's getting late now, you should get some rest before we leave in the morning," he says.

"Well you should sleep too," I add as he passes me a gown.

"I am," he replies, pulling over a chair.

"No, no way. You're not sleeping on a chair. Either you go back to the hotel-"

"Nope."

I smile. "Or just lay here with me..."

He smirks before nodding, and carefully joins me on the bed. I fall asleep in seconds, cuddled against his side as he drapes his arms around me protectively.

Finally. I think to myself. A fresh start...