Chapter 1:

Only the Beginning, Only one who Knows:

Spencer Reid walked in the BAU. His bag thrown over his shoulder and his eyes turned toward a book that was balancing in his left hand, because the giant cup of coffee was taking up the entire right palm. Only glancing up to slip through the door into the bullpen, he noticed, no one else was here. He looked around, and there was no sign of JJ, Morgan, Hotch, anyone. He continued to his desk and shrugged his shoulders; maybe they are just running late this morning. Reid reassured himself before settling down in his giant spiny chair, book in hand. After reading over one hundred pages, Reid glanced over his book at the wall clock, which was hanging crooked on the wall. So, he got up to straighten it out, but when he did, he couldn't move his feet, like they were super glued to the floor. He tried and tried but couldn't get anywhere. "Hello?" He called out, only to now be standing in the conference room where they reviewed their cases before boarding the plane. Everyone was sitting around the round table. "There you guys are, I thought you didn't show up for work today." Reid sighed, letting a smile slip across his face. But, when he looked closer at his teammates, their skin was pale and they almost looked, dead, indeed when JJ turned to face Reid, half of her face was missing. Reid screamed loudly, only to wake himself up in his bed. He was covered in sweat and he was chilled to the bone. He moved the covers to the side, and let himself slide out, onto the cool tile floor. His stomach felt in knots. That seemed so real. He told himself. As he rose from the floor, the mirror on the side of the room came into view. Maybe just one peek. He shrugged as he approached it cautiously. Only to realize, his face was in one piece and everything was where it needed to be. He let out a sigh of relief and headed to bathroom to shower for work. But as he was peeling off of his clothes, he noticed a spider on the corner of his sink. He flicked it away, not thinking anything of it. Only when he pulled back the curtain did he realize there were millions of the spiders crawling right for him. He let out a yell...

"Someone HELP ME!" He yelled. A strong hand fell on his shoulder and he jumped.

"Kid, kid?" He heard the familiar voice of Morgan breaking through his scary thought. When Reid finally came to, he was sitting at his desk, and Morgan and JJ were hovering over him.

"Sorry, I must of fallen asleep." Reid apologized. Morgan looked at him worried,

"No kid, you were just sitting here talking to us, and you kind of zoned out I guess." Morgan stated, looking at JJ who nodded in agreement.

"Oh sorry, I was just, thinking about something, concerning another case. Will you please excuse me?" Reid lied and slipped right past Morgan and JJ and headed to the mens room, where he climbed in a stall and locked it. He sat on the top of the toilet seat, curling his legs up under him and rocking back and forth. It's not real Spencer, none of it is real, it is your head, it is trying to mess with you. Nothing is as it seems. You need to pull yourself together, go back out there and act like nothing ever happened. The voice kept talking, even after Reid had covered his ears.

"Stop." Reid finally said aloud, only to realize there was another person standing right outside of his stall.

"Reid?" Morgan questioned. "Reid come on, open this door, I really need to talk to you." Morgan banged on the door hard. "Answer me Reid." He yelled, banging harder on the door, making the hinges squeal in pain.

"Leave me alone Morgan, just please," the tears began to fall down Reid's face as he came to the conclusion he had always dreaded, "go away." Reid had realized he was having a psychotic break, a schizophrenic break.