Chapter XVI: Platonic Soulmates

TW: Police Brutality, Murder, Rape, Death

True friends are always together in spirit.L.M. Montgomery

~"Andy got shot."~

Three words.

Three words are all it took for Eden to fall apart. For her entire world to feel as though it came crashing before her. Those three words broke Eden.

The saddest thing about it, however, is how a crack was already built before the dam burst free.

Eden drops to the ground in shock, trying to process everything. Spencer notices her change and catches her as she breaks, as he tries to rebuild the broken dam. He grabs her phone,

"Hi, I'm Dr. Spencer Reid, I- I'm Eden's colleague, ca- she can't come to the phone, what happened?"

"Oh- uh, I'm Anna, I- I'm a friend of Andy's, h-he was shot, " Anna cried out.

"Oh, oh my God. Is he okay? What happened? Why?-" Spencer scrambles as he tries to hold Eden. Eden hugs Spencer tightly, holding him as if he was a raft keeping her afloat.

"C-can you just- can you get Eden back home? I- I need her, we need her."

"Yeah, uh- were currently in Utah, it might take a couple of hours, " Spencer rambles.

"Uh- yeah, okay- Just- get her here, please."

"I will, I have to go."

"ok, bye."

Spencer hangs up the call and holds Eden as she cries, as she breaks. A few minutes pass by before a knock is heard at the door,

"Hey lovebirds, we have a plane to catch, " Morgan says from the other side.

"Can you just come in? Do you have a key?" Spencer asks not letting go of Eden.

"Uh, yeah, Let me ask Hotch."

A few seconds pass before the door opens and Morgan rushes to see a crying Eden on the floor.

"What happened?" Morgan asks urgently.

"Right now, that doesn't matter. Help me get her to the jet and I'll grab our bags, " Spencer asserts.

Morgan grabs Eden from Spencer's arms and carries her bridal style as Spencer quickly packs their bags and leave. They all go outside, seeing the girls chatting and leaning against the car before noticing them.

"Oh my God, Eden-" JJ mutters, hurrying quickly towards Morgan, Emily right behind her.

"Oh, honey, " Emily says as Morgan lets her stand before she collapses in JJ's arms, letting out a vast cry. 

"What happened?" Emily mouths to Derek. He simply shrugs and nods to Spencer who is putting away their bags. Emily goes up to him,

"Why is Eden crying?" Emily whispers.

Spencer leans in, "Andy got shot."

Emily puts her hand over her mouth in shock before helping JJ get her inside the car.

"Spence, wanna come along?" JJ asks after closing the door for Emily and Eden.

He nods and waves goodbye to Derek before entering the passenger seat, still looking back at Eden as she hysterically cries.

~

On the jet, Eden doesn't speak, she doesn't say a word to anyone. She stays in the corner of the couch, her knees to her chest with her head down. The only person knowing even remotely anything was spencer, and he only knew the cause, nothing more.

30 minutes pass, JJ gives Eden her candy bar, to which Eden gives her a soft smile as she takes it.

1 hour in, Edens been crying in the bathroom for 15 minutes.

2 hours in, Derek kneels in front of her asking her if she needs anything, she responds with a head shake signifying no.

3 hours in, Garcia is called in, she sees Eden in the corner of the plane on Derek's phone.

Spencer is worried ridiculously but doesn't go up to her, understanding her wanting to be left alone.

4 hours have now passed, she's laid down since then her knees still to her chest, no tears but instead a few quiet sniffles.

5 hours, she keeps drifting off to sleep but waking herself up, knowing she can't go to sleep not knowing if her friend was okay.

Spencer gets up, 45 minutes before landing, to sit on the other end of the couch. Eden looks over to him before starting back into space again. He sighs, taking his suit jacket off and laying on top of Eden. She stares at him in confusion, to which he responds with a soft smile and a head shake. She smiles back and gazes off to nowhere once more.

The plane is about to land and the only thing Eden does is buckle up before they descend. Spencer watches as she does so and scoots closer before they land.

"Hey," he says softly.

"Hi," Eden responds, her voice timid and dry from the sobs and hours of not using it, "do- do you think you could drive me to th- the hospital?" she says closing her eyes as she tries to not cry again.

"Oh- yeah, of course," Spencer says putting his hand on her knee in comfort, she looks at his hand before hesitantly taking it in her own and laying her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you," she said, her voice barely audible.

Spencer simply kisses her forehead as she closes her eyes during the landing.

~

Finally arriving at the hospital, Eden takes out her phone and rushes to the front desk simultaneously.

"I'm a friend of Andreas Laurens, he was brought in," Eden said urgently to the woman at the front desk.

"Yes ma'am, he is..." her words trail as she types on her computer, "he is currently in surgery but you can wait with the woman and man who came with him they're on the third floor," she said with a soft smile.

"Thank you," Eden says before rushing off to the nearest elevator, Spencer following behind.

After the elevator ride, the two start walking through the halls looking for Anna, despite Spencer having no clue what she looks like. Then, a young woman walks up and hugs Eden.

"Thank God, you're here, " she says breathlessly.

"What happened?" Eden replied.

"I was out late, this is all my fault-"

"Dont say that-" Eden interrupts.

"It is, just listen, " she sobs, "I was out at a party, getting high, getting drunk, all of it. And I end up drunk dialing Andy asking him to please pick me up-" she breaths deeply before continuing, "He picks me up, I stink of booze and weed..." she trails off wiping her tears away, "Andy knew you were out of town so he decided to drive to Jonathan's for help with me. I guess we took the wrong road because we..we were pulled over, " she sobbed.

Eden listens carefully, as Spencer does, his hand on the small of her back comforting her.

"You know the track record with cops around here, " she laughs humorlessly, "he pulled Andy over and all he could see was a black man driving with the car smelling of alcohol and weed, " she cried before sniffling once more, "things escalated... And the cop shot him. For no reason! The cop shot him!" she sobbed before sinking in Eden's arms.

Eden hugs Anna as they both sink onto their knees. Eden hugs her and tells her,

"I don't care how much that car stank of booze and weed, you are not to blame."

"But-"

"No. This didn't happen because of the odor, the officer jumped to racist conclusions before hearing him out, right?"

Anna nods.

"This has nothing to do with the smell and everything to do with racism."

Eden holds up Anna to walk her to a chair, the three sit as Eden comforts Anna, before a doctor comes out,

"Andreas Laurens?" the doctor calls out.

Anna and Eden stand up, Spencer standing right behind them,

"Yes?" Eden pleaded.

"The surgery was successful. The bullet didn't hit any major arteries. He'll be alright after resting and some physical therapy, " she smiled.

Eden smiled lightly, "thank you."

"You can see him shortly, " the doctor said before walking away.

"Hey, Anna, " Spencer began, "Wheres Johnathan?"

"I called him, he came by before leaving all the sudden, I don't know where he is, " Anna responded.

Spencer nodded as the doctor came back,

"You may see him now, " she smiled gently.

~Eden's POV:~

Anna and I walk into the room to see a sleeping Andy on the hospital bed, our stare is interrupted by the doctor speaking up.

"He needs to rest so if you'd like to wait for him to wake up that's completely fine," The doctor smiled.

"Thank you," I said quietly. I walked up to Anna,

"Hey, honey, maybe you should get a change of clothes," I smiled.

She nodded and waved goodbye to me, she left and I leaned against the doorway, seeing a sleepy Spencer sitting right by the room.

"Spence, " I whispered nudging him lightly.

He grumbled gibberish as he woke up.

"You didn't have to stay, " I said, my voice still soft.

"I wanted to, " he stood up and stayed by me.

"Really?" I scoffed and looked at the ground.

"Yeah, " he pushed a hair behind my ear.

I'm done wasting time.

I kiss Spencer. I wrap my arms around his neck pulling him deeper. His lips move against mine like tides at bay.  I drown into his lips like they're an ocean I'm not looking to get out of anytime soon. He pulls away,

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked with worry.

He lets out a breath from his slightly swollen lips, "You're vulnerable right now."

"And I need you, " I beg.

"You want a distraction, " he says looking into my eyes before I avert my gaze, " talk to me."

I look up at him, his hazel eyes boring into my brown ones, I look back at a sleeping Andy before taking Spencer's hand and sitting him down with me. I look into his eyes,

"Did you really wanna stay for me?"

"I care about you, Eden. A lot, " he says cupping my cheek. I lean into his touch as tears start pricking my eyes, " What's wrong?"

"I'm so tired, " I sigh.

"I can take you ho-" Spencer starts before I interrupt.

"No, I'm tired of being strong."

He grabs both of my hands holding them in his own, his silence allowing me to continue,

"I- I've grown up having to take care of everyone. My grandparents and myself. There are times where... Where I want someone to take care of me, " I whimper.

"I feel like no matter how much I care or how much I give into a relationship, they always leave, " a cry comes out, "I don't feel good enough. This seems out of the blue, but... Andy was the first real person to care for me. He- he was there when I broke up with my ex-girlfriends and even though they ended mutually, they still ended, and... he never once made me feel bad for crying over a relationship that just...burned out."

A few tears roll down my cheeks before spencer wipes them away with his thumb, his hand rests my cheek as I continue,

"My mom died when I was a newborn, my dad blamed me for her death, and he left. My Nonno-- grandpa, passed when I was 8 and it broke my Nain--grandma. I had to take care of her, I needed to. For years that's what I did, I took care of her while still taking care of myself, and it was hard. Between school and taking care of her, I barely had time to do anything. I met Andy through one of my classmates, and we just clicked, " I laughed lightly,

"he didn't care about my intelligence or-- my body, while that one is obvious, he liked me for who I was. He didn't use me to get a good grade or to try and get some. He liked me. We opened up to one another, and now I'm just scared. I'm terrified. I know he's okay but he won't be forever. There are times when he doesn't come home at night, that I worry sick. I may see a kind friend who can make me laugh even when I'm upset but to others...all they see is race. They see a black man carrying a drunk girl home. They see a black man picking up random girls at the bar. No matter how flamboyant he is, or even if he had gay tattooed on his forehead, all people see is color."

I sighed before going on, "I wish people could see, a man being courteous enough to help a drunk girl, " I signal outside to indicate Anna, "there was one night, it's hard to remember, but I do. On my 21st birthday, we went to a bar, him, Anna, and I all went to a club one night. This was when me and Anna we're dating, " I say, stunning Spencer, "we ended things on good terms, " I chuckle.

"I got really drunk, Anna was passed out in the backseat of our car, the door was locked, don't worry. But I was alone at the bar. While you may see a pretty girl drinking, others see prey. A guy came up to me, and I was... wasted, for lack of a better word. I was so drunk, I didn't notice him...roofying my drink, " I looked at the ground, "Andy got me out before it was too late. He cares so much, " I sobbed, "and this is how he gets treated, " I motion to the room, "he gets judged because of his race, and I- you never think this will happen to someone you care about until it happens, " I stand up looking into the room.

"Andy is my soulmate, platonically, yes, but he's the first person to not leave, not even when I tell him about all my messed up shit. He's the first person to care, no questioning necessary."

I kneel in front of Spencer and take his hands,

"I can't lose him, " I sob,

"...or you."

Spencer gazes into my eyes,

"Spencer, I know we've barely known each other for a month, but... I care about you too."

Spencer's lips turn up slightly at my words, I grin back at him before hearing a low voice,

"Hello?"

I turn to see Andy trying to get up in his bed.

"Andy, " I rush inside the room and smile at him, "dont hurt yourself, honey."

"What happened?" he asks, his voice hoarse.

"you were shot."

"oh, that explains the pain."

I chuckle before kissing his forehead and gently wrapping my arms around his shoulders,

"I was so scared, Andy."

"I'm fine, " he says.

"But you could've not been."

"But I'm all Gucci and Versace now, " he smiles looking up at me before looking towards the door.

"Heeeyyyy, Doctor Who."

see? tolerable nicknames.

Spencer laughs lightly, " It's Spencer."

"How could I forget with Eden's private showers, " he mutters.

"If you weren't injured I would hit you, " I said standing straight with only my hand on his shoulder.

"Too bad, " he sticks his tongue out, "Wheres Johnny boy?"

"He left a while back, Anna went to get a change of clothes but I don't know where he is."

I grabbed Andy's hand, "are you okay?"

He shrugs, "it sucks to say but I knew this would happen eventually."

Spencer looks at him a bit puzzled,

"Listen, I don't know what your childhood was like, Spencer, but what I do know is your skin color didn't make it any worse. The first time I was racially profiled, I was 11. I know your jobs, I know you don't racially profile someone just because, you base it off statistics, right?"

Spencer nods.

"The difference is this cop didn't use statistics, he used the scent he got from my car and my skin color. I may be alive, but it's not luck, it's the fact Anna called 911. Thank God they arrived in time but I still have this scar, the cop still gets to go home, while I have to rest and go to physical therapy. Breonna Taylor died and her murderers were charged on counts of endangerment, not murder, but the endangerment of the white people around her. Only two arrests were made, when three cops are responsible. Who knows if the cop that did this to me even gets charged, it'd be a miracle if anyone even noticed."

Eden wraps her arms around Andy once more, Spencer speaks up,

"I'm so sorry, " he moves closer to the bed, "I hate that's how everything seems to work here. If there's anything-"

Andy shrugs, " It's alright, Spencer. That's why we keep fighting. I know you're good. I know that's not how you guys operate-"

All a sudden a knock at the door is heard, Johnathan is standing there with a bouquet and large basket.

"Oh my God, " He says as Eden moves away for him to hug Andy.

"Where were you?" Andy asks.

"I was getting a flower arrangement from that shop you like that's like 30 minutes out, I also got you chocolates but none filled with raspberries because I know you hate them, and I know I was being a bitch about it last week but I also got you that vintage ring we saw at that grandma shop that has that citrine stone-"

Andy kisses Johnathan passionately,

"I love you."

I start reaching for Spencer's hand, I grab it and lean in,

"that's our cue to leave, " I whisper in his ear.

He nods and we start leaving just before hearing,

"I love you, " coming from Johnathan.

"Oh thank God, " I breathe out from the door frame. The couple looks at me curiously,

"I'm sorry but I cannot handle an injured and heartbroken Andy, I don't wanna die."

They laugh before I wave goodbye, "are you gonna stay?"

Johnathan nods, "go sleep."

"Okay, I'll be back tomorrow, " I blow a kiss towards Andy. He grabs it and puts it to his cheek.

Inside joke tingz.

"Hey, " Spencer says, before holding up the hand that's holding mine, I feel my face heat up.

"Would you... like to come over?" I asked.

✰✰✰✰✰A/N: HES OKAY YALL HE'S OKAY. (Nain-grandma in welsh, Nonno-grandpa in Italian)

I also wanted to say to please continue signing petitions and donating, it's important to continue fighting to end police brutality. we need to continue spreading information. BLACK LIVES MATTER.

Thank you for reading!