A/N: Hiay guys, and happy Independence Day to all those coming from my country! (grins)

(chuckles) I know, I'm just finishing one project and planning on another, but this plotline lurked into my head and doesn't seem to have any intention whatsoever to leave. So… (grins sheepishly)

(MILD SPOILER ALERT) The secret of Reid's that'll apparently be revealed during season 6 is driving me up the wall. This is my second theory on what it could all be about. (grins) (MILD SPOILER ALERT ENDS)

WARNINGS: Language, adult themes, mentions of child-abuse, SEVERE general oddness... (grins) You know, that's quite a short list for one of my stories!

DISCLAIMER: (sighs) If I DID own anything of 'CM', Reid's secret would've been revealed ten episodes ago. (pouts)

Awkay… (takes a deep, extremely nervous breath) I REALLY hope you'll enjoy the ride!

'I know not; am I my brother's keeper?'

(Cain in the Book of Genesis from the Bible, when God asks him where his brother Abel is.)

Brother's Keeper

CHAPTER 1 – Prologue

/ Janine Henderson – a rather beautiful woman with chestnut-colored hair and dark eyes – had been a nurse in the emergency ward for fifteen years, and dared to think she was good at her job. Over the years she'd managed to develop a extremely careful eye that managed to catch almost every battered housewife, abused girlfriend and child who'd been beaten by their parent. Some days she hated her job.

Just like she did one night of early December, when a five-years-old Spencer Reid was brought before her.

Janine was unable to keep shock and disgust from showing on her face as she examined the damage. Several fresh bruises, broken arm, multiple cuts that were still oozing through the bandages…

'He was thrown through a glass-door', paramedics had told her.

"Please don't stare." Spencer's voice, although quiet, didn't sound anything like a child's. It claimed all her attention instantly. The child's brown eyes – one of which was steadily swelling closed – held fear, sorrow and utter exhaustion. "It's impolite."

Janine attempted to smile, but failed miserably. "I'm sorry, Spencer. But I have to take a look at these injuries, to see how badly you're hurt." She held a moment's pause, because all of a sudden it was very hard for her to figure out what to think. "Those cuts and bruises must hurt a lot. Do you need…?"

Spencer shook his head quickly, his small hands twitching nervously. "I… I'm fine, I just… I want to go to mom and dad."

Janine's eyes swept towards where Spencer's parents – Diana and William Reid – were sitting with another child they'd briefly introduced as Spencer's brother Vincent. For a moment her eyes remained on the child. He looked a lot like Spencer, apart from a much lighter hair color, and she estimated him to be around eight-years-old. But then her gaze locked to William, who sensed her look and their eyes met. In an instant Janine's eyes narrowed when she took in the fright and guilt in the man's gaze. "If there's something wrong, at home… You can tell me, Spencer." It was a miracle her voice managed to sound as even as it did. Perhaps she was getting too used to cases like this. She fixed her eyes on Spencer, who'd began to shiver violently. So close… "You wouldn't get into any trouble at all, sweetie. I promise. If you need help… You can tell me, okay?"

She waited, and waited. She frowned when noticing that Spencer's frantic, almost pleading gaze locked on Vincent, who looked back almost instantly. What she saw in Vincent's eyes when they met Spencer's would forever haunt Janine's nightmares. Spencer, on the other hand, swallowed thickly. The trembling from before deteriorated. "There's… There's nothing to tell." The boy looked at her with utter despair. "Please, I just… I just want to go home." That's what the child said, but his eyes were pleading for the opposite. Those huge eyes, at least, hadn't learned to lie just yet.

Janine felt cold and sick to her stomach as she nodded, reluctant to accept her defeat. "Okay, then", she murmured, once more glancing towards the child's waiting family with raging eyes. "In that case, let's get those wounds of yours looked at."

Spencer nodded stiffly, licking his lips. The boy's hands didn't stop squirming for even a second. "'K." /

At first the distantly familiar voice came from a million miles away. "Reid!"

Dr. Spencer Reid frowned, still unsure if the voice was a part of his nightmare or real. He realized distantly that he was nearly hyperventilating, and there was a taste of vomit in his mouth. Was the entire world shaking violently, or was it just his body…?

And then the voice from before was closer – too close. "Reid, wake up! Snap out of it!"

Spencer's eyes flew open and his lips opened, but the scream of terror that echoed in his head never made it past his lips. For a moment those sickening flashes from his nightmares were all he could see, but then his mind returned to the present and he was able to make out Derek Morgan's frowning, worried face. "M-Morgan…?"

Hearing him speak Derek loosened the death grip the man had on his shoulders, but only slightly. "Damn it, Reid!" the dark-skinned man breathed out, his voice shaking slightly. "You were screaming in your sleep. It took me five minutes to make you wake up. What the hell were you dreaming of?"

Spencer looked away, realizing with dismay that he was still shivering like a leaf while cold sweat lingered on his skin. He did not want Derek, or anyone else, to see him like this. "It… was just a dream", he murmured softly, and went on before the older man could protest. "Morgan, please, let go of me." Although the man's hold was rather light at the moment it felt crushing to him.

Derek obeyed, although with clearly visible reluctance. There was a long, heavy moment of silence before the man spoke. "We're in Vegas. Is that why you're having nightmares again?"

Spencer blinked, still struggling to maintain his grasp on the present. Yes, they were in Las Vegas, trying to catch a serial killer who'd slaughtered six people… And…

His thought became cut when his cell phone chose to start ringing. Before Derek could object he grabbed the item and frowned at the unfamiliar number. Who could be calling him in the middle of the night? "Reid", he managed.

"Spencer, please don't hang up." Cold shivers ran down his spine when he recognized his father's voice. Something forced him to obey; perhaps it was the despair and fear in William's voice.

He grit his teeth, feeling familiar rage bubbling in his veins. "What do you want?" he all but spat out, using a tone that tasted foreign in his mouth.

He could've sworn he heard William gulp. "I… I think we should meet. Because something… Something's happened."

Spencer frowned. This time the chills he felt were those of dread. "What's going on?"

"I don't want to tell you over the phone." There was a moment's pause. "I… I heard you're in Vegas. Do you… Could you meet me in that café, Alabaster, in fifteen minutes?"

Absolutely all of Spencer screamed at him that he should decline, that he was choosing a disastrous path. But his mouth worked against his will. "I'll be there", he announced curtly, then hung up.

He didn't know how long he'd been straying in his thoughts – his fists clenched and his teeth grit so tightly it hurt – until Derek's voice pulled him back to awareness. "Reid? What the heck was that about?"

He swallowed, then got up to his dangerously unsteady feet and began getting ready for leaving the hotel room. "There's… something I have to take care of", he explained, failing to keep his voice even. He didn't dare to meet Derek's eyes while pulling on his jacket a bit more tightly than would've been necessary.

He heard Derek get up as well. "There's no way I'm letting you go alone, especially when you're like that."

Spencer took a deep breath, gathering himself, before turning to look at his friend. "Morgan, I'll be fine. It's just… I have to take care of this one alone, 'k?" With that he opened the room's door and headed out. "I'll be back in an hour or two. Just go back to sleep." He gulped loudly while taking a step away. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Reid…!"

But the door was already closed between them.

It wasn't a surprise that Alabaster was almost empty at such a hour when Spencer walked in. He noticed William sitting in one of the most shadowy corners, hunched on his seat like there'd been a ton's weight on his shoulder. For a long moment Spencer contemplated leaving, but in the end his feet began dragging him towards the older man.

William jumped upon hearing his steps. A look of utter gratitude lit up the man's troubled, almost haunted eyes when they noticed him. The man was pale, and looked at least ten years older than the last time they met. "Thank god!" his father breathed out. "I wasn't sure…"

"Why did you call?" Spencer demanded while sitting heavily, deciding to cut the chase. It looked like he was getting a splitting headache, and although he didn't feel quite as much animosity towards the man anymore William's company certainly didn't help matters.

In a microsecond utter terror filled William's eyes. The man swallowed and licked his lips, as though all saliva had disappeared from his mouth. "Spencer, it's… It's about Vincent."

Spencer felt like his blood had been turned into ice. His body became so cold that he could barely breathe.

William swallowed again before continuing. Although the man whispered Spencer heard all too clearly. "This morning, he… He disappeared." The terror on the man's face became something even beyond that. "Spencer, Vincent's escaped."

TBC, OR NOT?

A/N: So… (gulps nervously) How was that – good, luke-warm, horrible? Do you guys think this deserves to continue?

PLEASE, let me hear your thoughts! This would be my first fic in which a case has a huge role, so it'd mean A LOT to me!

GAH, I've gotta get going. (pouts) Thank you so much for reading this!

Perhaps I'll c ya guys later, with this story or some other…?

Take care!