Freedom, Finally

In which Reid can't concentrate, Zack is more observant than anyone gives him credit for, and Hodgins and Angela don't think things through. Plus, the end.

"Reid."

No response.

"Reid." Louder this time.

At this the young genius did actually turn around. "Any luck on the geographical profile?" Hotch asked.

One of Reid's trademark sharpie maps was pinned to an evidence board behind him. The case was a serial murderer, with women being abducted from their homes and then being dumped 72 hours later. They'd had a few leads, but not much. There was lots of geographical data though, which the team hoped would help tie it down.

"Initially not. It's too scrambled." The various pins in the map displayed that. "But when I though about it more, the data points to two separate locations."

"Work and home?" Emily suggested.

"That was my first thought, but both areas are residential."

"Garcia can run down the data and see if there's anyone with connections to both areas."

Reid nodded. Hotch went to make the call.

"What's up with you? You've been distracted all day," Morgan said.

"He's right," Emily added. "Something's bothering you."

Reid sighed. "Caroline's presenting the case to the attorney general today."

Oh. That would explain some things.

"That's rough," Morgan replied.

"I don't know what's going to happen. We've got the evidence to clear him of the murder charge, but everything else is up for debate. He's been in for three years at this point. It all might be declared invalid, or they might declare a fresh trial. I have no idea."

"Don't stress about it. We need you here," Emily replied.

"I know. Cam's going to call me as soon as she hears anything," Reid replied. Only the call should really have arrived already. He'd been fiddling nervously with his phone all morning.

"Camille Saroyan?" Morgan asked. Reid nodded. "She's reliable. You'll know as soon as she does."

"You know her?" Reid was surprised.

"Used to work for Chicago PD. Way way back though."

Thinking about it, Zack had mentioned that Cam used to be a cop. She certainly seemed to be the best of the Jeffersonian crew. The only one who had any sense at times.

-x-

"Cam." Reid's voice was excited and anxious all at the same time.

"Hey Reid." Her reply was weary.

"What is it? How is he?" It didn't sound too good.

"Zack? He's fine. Seemed disappointed you weren't there."

"I wanted to be. Case comes first though."

"How's it going?"

"Badly. We think he'll strike again tonight and we're no closer to stopping it."

"Good luck." It seemed stupid to say, but necessary. There was a pause.

"Cam, what did he say?"

"He was adamant that Zack would be tried on a myriad of charges related to the case. Had some poor new prosecutor there to list off the charges."

"So that's it, it's going to trial?"

"Caroline argued it for all her life. You should have seen her. She ripped through that list of charges, pointing out that it was more likely to get the case thrown out of court and cost thousands of dollars settling facts we already knew. The accessory to murder charge stuck though."

Reid couldn't say he was exactly surprised at that.

"But he's served three years, so he's already completed that part. And the Medico-Legal lab isn't pressing any charges, and seeing as most of the damage he did was there..."

"There's not much they can do about it," Reid replied. "He still obstructed a federal investigation though, what's the case there?"

"Booth and Caroline aren't interested in pursuing it. Zack says the apprentice who actually killed Mr. Porter was killed by Gormogon. We just need to prove that and Zack's free. Which means a nice search through the Gormogon evidence, but shouldn't be too hard."

"So he's off? He'll get out?"

"There's an awful lot of stuff to sort through, and Zack'll probably be stuck in the institution for a couple of months. But yes, he'll be free."

"Thank god." Reid knew he'd be tense about the case, but hadn't realised quite what a load this had been.

"Now you've got a case to solve, so I'll let you get back to it," Cam said. "You'll come see us when you get back to D.C, though right?"

"Of course," Reid replied. "Thanks Cam."

"No problem." She hung up the phone. Reid put his back in his pocket. He sank into his chair, sighing heavily. Thank God. The trial would have been awful.

Now back to the case. There were lives to save.

-x-

"Reid, are you alright?"

Reid, who was clearly grimacing form the light, looked across at Zack. "I'm fine."

"No you're not." Zack's reply was quick. He'd noticed something off about Spencer since he'd arrived. He was more unkempt than usual, bags under his eyes, clutching at sunglasses like a safety blanket. It had only got worse throughout the visit.

"I'm fine, really." Reid attempted to put a good face on it.

"Spencer, you aren't alright." Reid looked up at the mention of his first name. "What's going on with you?"

Reid studied Zack. The concern was written all across his face. There was more care here than Zack had shown throughout the entire process. Reid supposed if there was one person he trusted, it would be Zack. "I've been having these headaches." Zack didn't say anything, as he considered what to say. "I can't sleep properly. I can't concentrate. I feel like I'm losing my mind."

"You're just as sane as I am," Zack replied.

"Zack, you are aware of where you are?"

Zack actually gave a brief smile at that. "And you recognised from the second you met me that I wasn't insane. You aren't going mad. Have you spoken to someone about it?"

"I've got an appointment next week." Reid paused. "My mother's a paranoid schizophrenic."

Zack nodded quietly. He understood a little more now Spencer's worry about going mad. "You're past the common age for a schizophrenic break though?"

"Barely," Reid sighed. "Even then, it could be something else. The BAU has had several nervous breakdowns. We've had two agents leave in the past four years because of it."

"You've been doing your job for six years Spencer. At some point it gets to you. There are always difficult cases, and you handle the worst of them."

"The BAU is all I've known. It's my family. I can't leave." Spencer reconsidered his statement. "I won't leave."

"That's how I felt about the Jeffersonian," Zack replied.

Spencer knew what was behind that. Zack's desire and need to fly the roost and prove he could have a life outside the Jeffersonian had ended disastrously.

"You don't have to stay. I will be alright if you leave. The lights here can't be doing you any good. We can go over this another time." Zack gestured to the paperwork.

Spencer gathered himself together. "I'll be alright. The sooner we do this the better." He looked down at the mass of paper and questions which they were supposed t be answering. "Being here with you helps."

Zack could not stop the smile that came across his face at that.

-x-

"Reid's looking unusually cheerful today," Rossi commented, standing with Hotch once again surveying the team.

"Zack's released today," Hotch replied.

Rossi smiled. "All that work finally coming to fruition. I'm glad he can still smile at it." He looked over to Emily's desk, which Ashley was awkwardly sat behind. They were still adjusting to the loss of one of their own.

"It's why he's rushing around. He wants everything finished so he can go and help."

"I presume there's some sort of plan for what to do with him?"

"I'm not really sure. I presume one of the Jeffersonian staff'll take him until he gets back on his feet. I hear Dr. Brennan wants to give him his old job back at the Jeffersonian."

"I could be a tough process adjusting. Can she even give him his position back?"

"Dr. Saroyan is the boss, the decision'll lie with her. You couldn't put him on the stand though. I'll doubt he'll be rehired. He can't perform the work required either, with the state of his hands."

"Teaching or consulting then?"

"I imagine so. I think Reid's been gathering all the offers he's been given in the past couple of months and is going to pass a lot of it on."

"I guess being similar helps in the regard."

"Yes. I'm glad this whole mess is over though. Reid's head hasn't been fully in anything since it started."

"It still won't be Hotch."

Hotch had to admit that Rossi was right. Reid had taken Emily's death harder than he thought he would. And with no JJ around either, he was clearly struggling. Had Zack's case gone to trial, Hotch thought the stress would have driven Reid over the edge, but thankfully it hadn't.

"I know. But it'll be one less distraction."

Rossi nodded to that. Reid had dashed over one more set of files into his outbox, grabbed his satchel and coffee cup, and approached Hotch. "I'm off."

"Good luck," Hotch replied. Reid turned to leave, but Hotch had another thing to say. "If you need a couple of personal days to finish sorting everything out, you can have them."

"Thanks Hotch." Reid smiled back.

-x-

Sweets, as Zack's psychologist, was the one actually responsible for Zack's departure from the Institution. Hodgins and Angela had dug up some spare clothes from Zack's old room which they hoped he'd be comfier in. (Hodgins had never had the heart to clear out Zack's old room. It wasn't like he needed the space.)

Cam and Reid had both come along for moral support. Brennan had claimed she had more important things to do – Angela had tried to persuade her otherwise, but once she'd learnt that Reid would be there, she'd had no interest in attending. Booth had said he'd feel awkward being there without Brennan. The interns had all scarpered at the suggestion. They'd all come slowly drifting back once they'd heard Dr. Brennan had returned, and now they were all terrified for the existence of their positions and desperate to please her.

The four of them stood outside. The atmosphere between them was tense. No one quite knew how Zack would react to being out, or indeed how they would react to Zack.

A few more minutes passed. "I see him!" Angela, excited. Reid could too. "He looks alright."

Not much more was said until Zack and Sweets reached them. "Hello," was Zack's weak greeting.

"Oh it's good to see you out," Angela said as she pulled him in for a hug. Reid hung back from the gathering Jeffersonian group. For the first time he noticed how thin Zack was. It was more pronounced in the old clothes, the way the t-shirt fell loosely off his frame, and how his belt was done up to a much tighter setting than it used to go, trying to keep up jeans which were now too big.

Hodgins was next on the hug front, though Hodgins' approach was a big clap on the back, and going "It's good to see you man." Zack could only choke out a meek "It's good to see you too," back.

Cam was more reserved, her hug more gentle. "I'm glad you're out, Zackaroni." Zack didn't say anything back, just returned the hug.

When he broke from Cam, he approached Reid.

"Thank you," Zack said. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

"It's nothing," Reid replied. "I'm just happy everything ended up alright."

There was a slightly awkward moment as they both stood there, but then they were hugging too, as if it was completely natural.

"Thank you Spencer," Zack choked out. Emotion was now clearly getting the better of him.

The two parted, but Zack stayed close to Reid.

"Your old room's just how you left it," Hodgins said.

"I don't want to go back there." Zack looked slightly distraught.

Hodgins and Angela were just the slightest but shocked. They'd just assumed Zack would move back in and it would be as before. There was a clear look between Cam, Hodgins, Angela and Sweets as they debated where to put him.

Reid knew Cam didn't have the space, and had Michelle to consider anyway. Neither did Sweets, who lived in a truly poky D.C. Apartment. Hodgins and Angela had the space, but it was at the mansion which would probably remind Zack just as much as his room would.

Reid made an impulsive decision then and there. "You can stay with me." It wasn't like he used his apartment much.

Zack looked overjoyed and thankful.

"We can bring over anything you might want," Angela suggested.

"Can I get settled first?" Zack asked. "There isn't any urgency, right? If there was a case you all wouldn't be here."

They all nodded. They had arranged around that after all, to the best of their ability.

"Then I'll go with Spencer tonight. We can reconvene in the morning."

-x-

There was a comfortable silence that had settled over Reid's apartment. They'd grabbed food on the way back, and Reid had tried to encourage Zack to eat some more, but he hadn't. The remnants were now sitting in the fridge. Reid had grabbed a book to read, while Zack just sat at his place on the couch.

He was starting to realise that it would take a long time to adjust to being out. Sitting here, even with Spencer, who carried that air of familiarity, was difficult. His apartment wasn't flashy, didn't hold many reminders about Zack's life (or indeed, Spencer's own.) Zack'd noticed a couple of pictures as he came in, but didn't actually know who they were.

Zack had spent the vast majority of the last three years on his own. He'd never been allowed much in the form of entertainment. Being out was overstimulating in many ways.

"How are you finding everything?" Spencer looked up from his book.

"Strange." It was the only way to describe it really. "Sweets was right when he said that adjusting would be a challenge."

"We can take it slow." Spencer looked earnestly at Zack. "I've spent so long getting you out, I'm not going to let this all fail now. We'll do it how you want. I know how tough the world can be."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." After all, Spencer thought, he had spent all this time asking Zack questions.

"Why did you feel so strongly that I didn't do it? And why did you work so hard to get me out?" Now that Zack had started, it was difficult for him to stop. "There wasn't any indication of my innocence so early on, there was no reason for you to pursue the case so intently."

Part of Spencer knew that this was always going to come round eventually. "It's difficult. Complicated. The profile always indicated you wouldn't have murdered someone, right from day one. I saw a little too much of me in you to leave you there."

"I am glad you did," Zack said. "I believe much longer in my current circumstances and I would have gone mad."

"I'm glad too." Spencer smiled.

A comfortable silence once again fell over the pair. It would most likely be a long journey, but Zack was going to get back on his feet. Finally.

-x-

A.N: And so we come to the end. This story fulfils a long held ambition of mine to write a getting Zack out of the loony bin fic, so I've finally gone and done it. I apologise for any muck ups I may have made about the legal situations, law is not something I know very much about, and additionally I'm British, so know very little about American Laws. The maximum sentence you can get for accessory to murder is three years though, which is how that one works! The rest of it is complete conjecture, but none more so than the liberties crime procedurals usually take.

Thanks to everyone who has read and enjoyed this fic. I hope to write a bit more in this universe, picking up on some later episodes in both shows and develop the Reid/Zack angle that started developing.