A/N: Alright hey guys so this was just a fic that I had running through my mind constantly while on vacation for the last two weeks or so. I am heavily addicted to Criminal Minds and I figured it was about time I wrote something on it to give me a break from my usual stuff. Anyway, I haven't decided if I will continue this one or not past the point it's already at either way I enjoy it. WARNINGS are hint of rape, suicidal tendencies, molestation, drag addiction etc. If you think you're going to be triggered then don't read it and then flame me, just don't because I'm good at being a bitch online. Other than that, happy reading, reviews are appreciated but I'm not addicted to them. ~Rena-chan

Ch. 1

What Happens In Vegas Stays In Vegas

The BAU was wandering the streets looking for a quick bar to slip into after a grueling case that took them all the way to Maine. After they had all gotten some rest Hotch decided to take his team out for a drink. They had all accepted save for their youngest SA who had claimed he had immediate business to attend to. "I wonder where Reid wandered off to. It's normal for him to skip out on the social events but I wonder if he's holding up okay." Special Agent Emily Prentiss started off as she walked with the other girls.

"Knowing Junior G-Man he's probably stuffed his head in a book or something by now in a library." Special Agent Penelope Garcia, known as the tech goddess by more than a few of the members of the FBI, smiled as she thought of their little genius.

"I could bet on that, I thought after all these years he would have opened up a little more but he really sticks to the books. Pun intended." Special Agent Jennifer Jareau or JJ, the media specialists, smiled as she brushed the hair out of her face.

"He looked like he'd rather be teaching in a classroom rather than out on that last case to be honest. Pretty boy got wigged out after that officer tried to manhandle him into the interrogation room with him." Special Agent Derek Morgan, the Achilles of his time, shook his head with a sigh.

"That was on the officer and we all know it, he wasn't aware of the buttons he was pressing and without Reid telling him he proceeded to treat him like he would any other FBI agent he didn't like." the Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner or otherwise known as Hotch, reminded.

"My question is why didn't he say anything, he doesn't even say anything when we're too close to him except shrink away a little and if we're lucky we notice." Special Agent David Rossi questioned.

"I'm sure there's something that links that back to whatever he had to deal with as a kid. Probably nothing we should be discussing but something we all need to be aware of. We know he doesn't trust well, for whatever reason which is something I still need to work with him on." Hotch sighed.

"It's something we all need to work on with him Hotch not just you. After Gideon's leave, it's as though Reid crawled back into his comfort habits which is worrisome on its own." Derek pointed out and though he really didn't want to bring up or entertain the idea of the worst case scenario just yet he knew it was in the back of everyone's minds.

"We will have to start working on that later guys, we have another case. Morgan will you call or text Reid and tell him to meet us back at the station?" JJ asked with a sigh, a few groans passed but JJ knew her colleagues wouldn't be doing this job if they didn't know they would have endless nights and long days. Morgan pulled out his phone and dialed the young doctor's number hoping to all hell that he would pick up.

"Reid, we have another case, meet us down at the station in ten and call me back." he voiced then shut his phone and stuffed it back in his pocket.

"He didn't pick up?" Prentiss asked immediately worried, whenever Reid didn't answer his phone it usually meant he was either dying at the hands of an UnSub or something tragic had happened and he couldn't tell anyone about it.

"Not this time, the line was busy so he will get the message and meet us down. I'd bet he's talking with his mom. He said something about calling her when he got home tonight." Morgan assured though he knew it would only do so much and the members of the BAU would still worry until they saw Reid walking on his own into the office safe and sound. It was a price of him being the unfortunate target of many UnSubs and falling into the 'little brother' or 'son-like figure' role for many of the agents. At his last words a couple of the agents seemed to be a little less worried thankfully.

"Good, we don't need a repeat of Tobias. Or any of the other Reid-fancying UnSubs since we're going to his hometown in Vegas. Think he could get us into a Casino?" JJ joked lightly trying to ease her worries.

"That's assuming he hasn't been kicked out of all of them already, have you ever played him in Poker? It's impossible to beat him." Morgan grumbled with both Rossi and Hotch nodding, they'd had a few fun rounds with the genius before and safe to say there was no way he could be beat.

"If it was anyone

Reid I'd accuse of them counting cards but he's too good to fall to petty tricks like that." Rossi added in just before the team split up into their SUVs and headed for the station. Thankfully not long after them getting into the briefing room Reid walked in with a coffee in hand looking as good as ever.

"Alright what do we have and where are we going?" he asked taking a seat next to Prentiss and Morgan as usual.

"I'll start with the first question, we're looking at teen-mid twenties deaths. All the same MO of being injected with a type of poison, going to sleep and never waking up again. There's also a message that's been left at every crime scene, written on a small piece of paper like this next to the dead bodies." JJ started as she pulled up a picture of a neatly written note laying a little ways from a boy looking to be about eighteen years old if not younger.

"

" Rossi read aloud and blinked.

"It's written in first perspective yet the victim more likely than not had either already been dead by the time it was written or they were notes written before the crime was committed and then placed at the scene accordingly. We know we're looking for a man, judging by the age of that victim I'm making an educated guess that he is around the same age as his older victims in the early to mid-twenties. Statistically he is most likely to be a white male with a struggling background given that he claimed he had given them what they longed for meaning he thinks he's doing them a favor. Saying "the rest" means that he plans on killing more, by the position and lack of any abuse visible to the victim I doubt he's in it for any anger or sexual related causes. Whoever our UnSub is, he thinks he is helping one way or another." Reid rattled off while stirring his coffee and looking through the pictures of a few of the other victims. JJ couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips as she pulled up the pictures of all the victims.

"So far all of the kids have shown up in different places that don't look like they have any connection, we have the alley by a coffee shop, the mall bathroom, they found two kids in the same building but on completely different floors. In total there are around fourteen victims found and not a single missing persons report filed. Race doesn't look to play a factor and neither does gender. All of them are found looking like this." she continued, thanking her lucky stars it was nothing gruesome because she didn't think anyone could handle that right now. The pictures displayed showed the victims lying down with their eyes closed and a trace of a smile on their faces. Totally relaxed and at peace, they looked like they were sleeping.

"No sign of struggle at all, that suggests that they trusted the UnSub for whatever reason...could be someone they knew or a figure of authority they trusted like a cop or doctor." Prentiss suggested with a frown when she saw Reid's eyes widen and his complexion pale slightly before he covered it up again quickly as possible.

"This is Vegas we're talking about, the likelihood of kids of these ages trusting a policeman or anything of that kind are slim." Derek pointed out, he too had noticed Reid's reaction but decided not to press it otherwise they'd be lucky to get him out of his hotel room for a solid week.

"The local police in Vegas can't keep having these kids showing up dead, with no way to stop it and the public of Vegas going into a panic they've called us for help." JJ eventually said after a moment of silence.

"Then there's no use in us standing around here, everyone get packed. We leave as soon as possible." Hotch stepped in before anything more could be said. The team nodded and packed up before heading off to pack and then meet down at the airport so they could head out.

Reid looked down at his cell as he hung up while Morgan and JJ were walking up to where they would board shortly. They still had to wait for Penelope, Hotch, Rossi and Prentiss but the three figured they'd be there shortly as well. "Who was that, you're next hot date Pretty Boy?" Morgan joked lightly as he approached.

"You wish you had that over my head, no agent flirt, that was my mother." Reid answered making a display of rolling his eyes, at that information however Morgan frowned slightly.

"If you just called her now, then who were you on the phone with when I tried to call you earlier?" he questioned, Reid blinked at him for a second and looked like he would rather have sprinted down the runway over answering that question. Instead he shoved a quivering hand into his pocket and avoided his gaze.

"A friend, a long time friend, from back home. It had been a while since he called and we couldn't help but chat for a while." the young doctor finally managed to say in a somewhat normal voice though Morgan could tell the slight waver in it. JJ looked over, upon hearing the conversation, concern written all over her face but before either could press more the other team members got there and they all boarded the jet.

"Alright guys, let's start talking, but before we do that I have to tell you all that we will be working with a special force unit from Vegas. They're Las Vegas' Special Victims Unit, they over all deal with more of the law and politics part of the job that we do. We're being involved with them because on of their members has some insight to this case and wants his department to be helpful. I'll introduce you to the main agents we will be working with at the airport." Hotch began before the group went over their case file once again.

"I'll start getting the geography put together once we get down there, I have my suspicions and I want them to be confirmed before I say anything to definitely." Reid spoke up putting the file down and checking his phone again, it wasn't totally out of character for the young genius to be quiet and not participate in discussions without prompting but there was something off about his tone that even had the unit chief looking up in question. Spencer's head was down so he didn't see the questioning looks his team mates were throwing at each other and Hotch was secretly thankful for that. Saying the kid wasn't good with people fretting over him was a massive understatement.

'What is going on...with that last case I can understand distancing himself from it but this one. It doesn't even look like he can fully process it without turning away.' Rossi questioned himself as the genius excused himself and took a call to the back of the plane.

"I know you're all worried right now, just don't let him see that. We need to focus so start throwing out ideas." Hotch instructed with a bit more force than needed.

"So we know from Boy Genius that we're looking for a male most likely around early to mid twenties, white and thinks he's doing these kids a favor. We know he can get comfortable with them but we don't know how." Morgan started though it took effort to drag his mind away from Reid.

"Then there is the whole thing about no one filing a missing person's report for

of these kids. I can't see that as being possible. Can we get Garcia on? I want her to check the families of these victims and find something in common." Prentiss pointed out soon after.

"Yeah let's get on that, Garcia can you hear us alright?" JJ asked pulling up the screen with their tech's face on it.

"Good afternoon, what can your all knowing oracle do for you?" the ever dramatic techie asked effectively pulling a smile or a chuckle out of everyone, with the exception of Hotch, and changing the mood quickly.

"We were looking at these kids, it says there weren't any missing person's reports filed for any of them. Can you see if there's something that links all of the victims?" Prentiss questioned as Reid came back and joined them.

"Of course I can, I'll have everything about them and their families checked and sent to the office you're headed to since it'll take a while. There just had to be so many of them. Catch him guys, I want this sucker caged. Garcia out!" came the reply with no short of emotion.

'Would it be best if I removed myself from this case? If Garcia successfully finds out where these kids are all connected there's a possibility she will come across us. What will the team think if they find that out?' Reid questioned in his head, preoccupied with everything else he hardly registered that they were in the airport of Vegas until he heard someone introduce herself to Hotch.

"Pleased to meet you Agent Hotchner, we're thankful for not only coming down to Vegas but also working with my team to catch this guy." she smiled politely at him and shook his had in greeting.

"Believe me we want him on the streets no longer than you do. Team this is Special Victims Unit Chief Jax Press. Ms. Press this is my team, Derek Morgan, David Rossi, Emily Prentiss, Jennifer Jareau, I believe you have met our techie online Penelope Garcia and of course this is Dr. Reid." Hotch introduced as usual.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all, behind me is Spec-" she was cut off when a man about the same height as Reid flung himself into the doctor's arms.

"Holy shit it really

you! I haven't seen you in god what feels like forever Spen! You said you'd come visit me more often!" the outgoing beach blond haired and green eyed man said. Morgan couldn't help but feel his eyebrow twitch when he saw Reid hugging him back with an acceptance that none of them had seen on his face before.

"Sorry Gray, life's been busier than normal lately. While I'm here we'll have to catch up sometime." he replied with a slight laugh when the other let out a 'we fucking better or your ass is going to be glued to whatever office seas you sit in' before they pulled apart again.

"You two know each other then?" Jax questioned looking from her normally very professional agent to the young doctor.

"Course we do, we grew up in the same area out here in the city that never sleeps. Got into all types of trouble as most Vegas boys do. Oh right, I'm SVU agent Grayson Case." he smiled brightly and rocked onto his toes a little as he spoke.

"Pleasure to be working with you as well, shall we head back to the office and get some work done then?" Hotch asked as he turned back to a still confused looking Jax. she nodded and they split into groups, Spencer and Grayson chatted endlessly through the ride catching up on old times. It was obvious to everyone they were close, how close exactly no one could fully say but it was very close.

'With Grayson working with me, maybe I will stay on. I mean he went through it all too. We do things together right? That's how it's supposed to stay for things like this.' the genius thought with a sense of needed ease washing over him.

As they got back to the office and set their things up Garcia checked back in with the team over the computer. "Garcia what do you have for us?" Prentiss asked as they watched the faces of the victims pop up along with files.

"So much and yet so little, between the victims themselves the only true connection is the two siblings Kyle and Kayla Brown, now pictured on the screen. Kyle at seventeen went to the same high school as several of the older victims yet he dropped out on account of being deemed suicidal and put into a facility for a few months. Other than the suicide record and that drop out of school there's no record on him. His sister is different however. It looks like she also dropped out of school not long after going to police about her abusive mother. The whole thing fell through and she has a lack of anything on her. I looked into their family, their father died in a house fire that happened when the kids were at a summer camp years ago. Their mother raised them after that and aside from that one complaint there's nothing bad about her so it seems. Looking into the other victims I've found similarities in that they're seemingly functional families. There's something that someone has, information that's not on record for whatever reason. I need to know where that information is being held before I can find a connection between all of them." Garcia answered with a frown.

"So the only thing we have on the mother is the reported abuse from her child who was found...where?" Morgan raised an eyebrow.

"Let's see Kyla Brown was found on the rooftop of the local high school in the area they lived. Her brother was found in the park under a tree only an hour later." came the reply from the unhappy tech.

"Two totally different locations across town from one another, it looks like it's random placing but I'm not so sure. Do we know if there had been instances that those two had spent a lot of time in those areas?" Rossi suggested.

"The kid that reported Kyla's body said they'd often see her up there after school hours and even when the school was shut down though they didn't have any idea how she got up there. Apparently she was known in school as the quiet reserved type that kept to herself and didn't try making many friends." Morgan supplied.

"Alright, so maybe the UnSub is placing these kids in areas he knows they feel comfortable, a place they feel safe. If I'm in a safe zone I feel more compelled to trust others. Even someone I don't know at all." Jax commented causing a few other nods to go around.

"Let's check that by having a few agents go around and find out if these kids are seen a lot in the places they were found prior to their death. Morgan and Prentiss why don't you go check the areas around Jensen Baker, Patricia Hewitt, Gabriel Townston, Max White and Pepe Torres. Rossi and Jax can look at Amelia Handson, Chelsea James, Jenna Smith, Jamison Anders, and Hannah Sencer for now, JJ try and keep the media under control, I'm going to try and locate this missing information with the government and it looks like Reid and Case have got this place secured, they'll keep us updated with Garcia and with whatever they find according to whatever they're looking into." Hotch instructed, everyone briefly turned to look at the two agents working diligently on a map as well as passing around notes and putting up the profiles Reid had got from Garcia.

"I thought Case worked fast alone but it looks like your doctor is causing him to pick up the pace more than I would think possible." Jax shook her head in disbelief.

"That's what happens when you have an IQ of 187." Morgan told her flatly as he grabbed his things and they all split up.

As the team met back up in the conference room Reid and Case listened intently but did only that unless they were directly asked a question. 'They're getting closer, they're going to find out about everything. Hotch...how will he take it? He was peeved when he found out about Morgan's past criminal record and even though this isn't a criminal record it's most definitely not on my file...Gideon made sure of that so how will he react once he finds out?' Reid asked fidgeting with his hands unknowingly.

"Alright so from all the accumulative data we can confirm that this guy knows these kids enough to know where they feel comfortable, weather he gets them there or elsewhere it's unclear as of now." Rossi started off as he entered the room with Jax after they checked out the last of the victims.

"Guys I think I've got something here." Garcia sounded from the computer.

"Go ahead Sugar Mama." Morgan voiced to her making the girl smile.

"Alright, so I was looking into the family of Jamison Anders, the sixteen year old, and it looks like there there was a file on the father about being sexually abusive towards his son. That case went through and he was separated from the family and Jamison was sent to this clinic. A clinic for kids who have been sexually abused, it serves both temporary and permanent housing thanks to Hotch getting through to the files on the kids I've been able to find every single one of our victims has spent a good amount of time there for one reason or another so the chances of our UnSub not having a connection to that place is nearly zilch." she explained, Reid gave a brief look to his friend before the two of them exited the room to make a call to someone they knew at the clinic.

"Okay that helps us, so we know where this guy is from, can you get the files of everyone that's been there for a good length of time so they would know these kids?" Prentiss requested.

"Already on it, there's around six thousand kids that have record with them, all the files had seals on them for confidentiality reasons. I have to say though with the profile we have nearly half of these kids could fit the pro-oh my god." Garcia cut herself off, the team waited and watched with concern as the tech master seemed to freeze up and just stare at the screens in front of her.

"Garcia? Is something wrong?" JJ asked as they heard the woman trying to muffle sobs.

"I f-found the list of kids that would be in the age range and fit the profile, there's a-about twenty of them in total. You're not going to be happy with me saying this but I found a familiar face among them." she managed to choke out. The profiles and images were loaded onto the large screen in the conference room and everyone stopped when they reached two pictures on the far left.

"Where are Reid and Case?" Hotch demanded, safe to say he was livid.

"They left the office. We don't know." JJ whispered coming back from looking outside.

"Garcia, this is not something I want to ask of you and know that if I didn't have an absolute choice I wouldn't for both all of us and them. But we don't have a choice, I need the full extent of all of the profiles. Including Reid's and Case's." Hotch finally managed out. As much as he would have loved to think this was all a dream he knew it wasn't. No, this was the harsh reality, harsh in the most pure form it could be and he prayed to whatever god was out there that Reid would talk to them again when this whole thing was over.

"All the profiles are on their way, to the printers. You should have them right about now, please someone tell me that things are going to be alright." she whispered, Morgan assured her that he would at least bring their genius back home to Virginia before she signed off and the team collected the papers she sent them.

"They probably know by now, fuck what the hell do we do?" Grayson paced back and forth in the apartment he lived in.

"I shouldn't be saying this, but fourteen of us are gone, we have to protect him. If he get dragged into the station all hell is going to break loose and we're the only ones who know that." Spencer answered with his head in his hands. Never in the agent's life did he think his darkest times would be open for the BAU to read through. And there was nothing he could do about it.

"You know he won't go down without a fight either way, if he sees us his reaction...I don't know if I can watch that without going to him." Grayson stopped his pacing and looked back at a curled up and crying Spencer.

"I can't believe he would...no I can, I just...why did it have to be him?! Why couldn't it have been someone else, why didn't he ask me? He could have called me! I would have flown down here and taken off work no matter what Hotch said. If he gets locked away, do you have any idea the statistics of getting raped in prison are?! I can't let them do that to him, I have to send him to a facility or something I have to make another option!" the genius vaguely felt the arms encircle him as he battled with a fit of what could be considered hysteria.

'Why Jay, I know the reason behind this but why didn't you call us? We promised to keep in touch Jay. You were always looking to end our pain, Jay you stopped us from ending it all more times than anyone should have to! Why did you let yourself slip so far without telling us! Without telling Spencer?!' Grayson couldn't help but scream in his mind as he saw his younger friend break down. He was shattered and it wasn't certain if he was going to be able to be strong enough to get put back together no matter who was there to help him. "The other agents of the BAU will be tracking us back here soon Spen, we're better off facing the fire sooner rather than later." he tried in a calmed voice.

"I know, and I know how to bring him in. But it's only something we can do. I won't have the BAU or the SVU involved in this anymore. It can only be between us and the clinic members. We can stop this without causing panic and so much more pain." came the muffled and worn reply. Grayson looked at his longterm friend, he always trusted the younger with everything. When Spencer first joined the clinic he never thought he would stay with him for his whole life, he was the only one he could really talk to and he knew he served the same purpose for Spencer. There was a connection, a bond between them that they couldn't afford to let anything mess with. If that happened they would both lose their lifeline.

"Okay, let's put this plan of yours in order and then we'll go down to the station and tell them what's going to happen." he breathed, feeling arms wrap around him he couldn't help but to bury his face in the other male's shirt and shatter as the other had done previously.

The team, with the exception of Reid and Case, were sitting in what looked like a warm elementary classroom only there were no desks or chairs and the windows were larger. The clinic worker they were talking with was named Josephine Haux and she was being interviewed about their UnSub Jay Hefter. None of the team wanted to be left out of the information and none of them were surprised that she had watched over him, Reid and Case when they were here. "I had a feeling this would happen one day, I just didn't think it would be like this or with Jay for that matter..." she trailed off after wiping her eyes again.

"What can you tell us about Jay? Who did he spend the most time with and what did he usually act like around them verses everyone else while he was here?" Prentiss asked slowly and cautiously.

"Jay was always very observant of everyone here, he never wanted any harm to come to any of the others. He strived to help them in anyway he could, he wanted them to be free and happy because he knew that even if there were cases filed against the parents for abuse most of them fell through and the children would end up worse than anyone could imagine. He made it his life's goal to make sure they would find happiness in the darkest of worlds they lived in. He treated everyone as he would a little sibling, always protective and ready to put himself on a bomb for them if that meant they could be safe." she answered with a fresh set of tears and more comforting words from JJ.

"And his friends? Did he have any that stood out to you more than everyone else?" the blonde asked softly.

"Oh yes," Josephine smiled a little in fond remembrance, "Jay always looked out for the younger kids. The two he attached himself to, despite their initial resistance, were two boys by the names of Spencer and Grayson. They spent days reading and sometimes they would just lay on the couch and say nothing but it was obvious it was a comfort method he had picked up on. He really took to Spencer once he came in, he and Grayson had always had a connection but when the youngest joined them they were inseparable. I never understood the depths of their connection but they'd always go to each other. Spencer never talked unless they were around, he'd sooner be cornered by that window over there with his head in his knees. The older boys eventually broke down his barrier enough god knows how. Then the three of them had been moved to being under watched care, it wasn't clear how suicidal Jay was because most of the attention around that was focused on the other two. He requested to be moved up there with them and at the time that was our best options to keep the selfharm on a manageable level." she ended focused on the hands in her lap. Morgan had to keep himself from breaking through one of the windows and running to find Spencer and Case, Hotch wanted the entire team here and said they would come when they felt okay enough to.

"Did Jay ever display any sort of self destructive tendencies?" Rossi feared there was a reason Reid fell so easily into the addict role after what he had been told about Tobias, but he didn't really want to think about how it all started.

"Now that you mention it yes he did, the nurses that come through had to take him off of the anti-depressants because they were disappearing too quickly. We assumed he was giving them to Spencer and Grayson so in order to help the three of them we took him off. I figured more than anything he just wanted the boys to be happy and if his drugs did that he would give them over." came the reply.

"How old were the two boys when they first met Jay?" JJ tried keeping herself from wanting to learn more about her co-worker but she couldn't help it.

"Ah let's see, Jay was already here by the time they came in, Grayson was first and if memory serves me correct he was about five at the time. Spencer came in two years later at the age of four and at that time Jay had to have been nine. Neither of the boys had permanent stay here and went home every night which enraged Jay more than we expected. He was never the violet type but we had to keep him in an isolated room a few hours after every day they would leave for home." the interview went on and sever boxes of tissues later the team exited the building with emotions reaching sky high and beyond.

"He was never going to tell us had we not found out, was he." Rossi stated more than asked. Hotch shook his head and refrained from finding whoever was responsible for putting Reid in there and snapping his neck. He could tell Jax was feeling something along the same lines judging by the rage that washed over her eyes.

"How do we catch him and in doing so are we going to lose..." Prentiss started but choked up and stopped before she could finish her sentence.

"I don't know the exact numbers, seeing as I'm not Reid, but we've been on countless child molestation, abuse and murder cases. What are the chances that they've been flooding through his mind and killing him from the inside out since day one? Reid is in a lot more pain now than he's ever going to let us in on or let us help him with and has been for years. Right now we have to trust that he will make it through eventually but it's going to take a lot of time." Hotch replied as they piled into the SUV.

"We still don't know where he is either. Four, four years old god damit! Who does that?!" JJ seethed, she was seconds away from going into a blind rage.

"If whoever it is isn't already in jail we will see to it that they get locked away for good." the unit chief growled as he pulled into the station's parking lot to see the object of their conversation inside talking, Grayson at his side, with someone as they looked at a computer.

"At least he came back here." JJ couldn't help the sigh of relief that left her lips, her teammates had similar reactions to the sight. 'This time.' she added in her mind with a worried tone.

"You want us to do what?" Hotch questioned with narrowed eyes at the two small looking agents in front of him.

"We need both the BAU and the SVU to let us handle the rest and back off until the interrogation when we bring him in. I am fully aware that there are protocols against this but we know how to bring him in without resistance or hostility. Technically we should be taken off this case seeing as you obviously know our connection to not only it but the UnSub personally." Reid started to explain before Grayson stepped in.

"But because of that and our connections around Vegas we know how to do this the fastest." he supplied with Reid nodding.

"Reid you realize that this request will go on your record as we-" Hotch began with a hardened gaze before he was cut off by his agent.

"I'm sorry Hotch but this isn't a request." for once the team looked between Reid and Hotch as they stared each other down, eventually to everyone's surprise their chief nodded and backed down to the younger.

"I will not let you conduct the interrogation and you will need to bring him here." he said with a clipped tone telling everyone he wasn't happy about it. "And we will be meeting in my office once we get back to Quantico." he added which had Grayson sending his friend a concerned look. Reid however nodded and took the well meant partial glare in stride.

"I'll accept full responsibility once this is over, for now Grayson if you call Mrs. Haux I'll send out the email to everyone. It will take approximately an hour two if there's longer insecurities to work through." Reid replied turning back to his laptop and typing at a speed that even Garcia would marvel at.

'Please, just let this go smoothly for them.' JJ found herself thinking as the team watched and then decided to take a break in the conference room when Hotch asked them to meet there and leave the two at their work. The head of the SVU went out for coffee and to pick up some lunch orders.

"Technically this case isn't in our hands even for the moment, so let's everyone get out the concerns we've been having ever since we found out about...the clinic and Reid." Rossi started once the door was shut, thankful the room was soundproof and the team had a place they could bounce concerns and observations off each other.

"I'm going to have Garcia see if she can find anything reported against anyone from Reid." Morgan started with a slight smile, he would love it if he could snap the person responsible for all this in half.

Reid looked over the email he had written and sent to everyone he knew was involved with the clinic when he was there everyday. Thankfully everything was going smoothly and soon he found himself in the familiar room with Grayson and at least a hundred other people. He knew Hotch had security cameras installed so they could keep tabs on the meeting but over all he was back in the frame of when he felt this was the only safe place he had. An ordinary day that he came to the clinic, Grayson met him at the door as usual and soon called Jay over before the young kid could curl himself in a corner somewhere. "You look nervous, are you going to be okay with our next session? You know we can step out and just breathe if we need to sit out of the room. My room is open to us." Jay's voice entered his mind as arms encircled his torso, normally he would have flinched or backed away but with Jay all he wanted to do was stay in those arms.

"N-no, I have to participate in this one. If I don't I-I'll never..." his voice started out febily, he purposefully had the session focus on something that he had been struggling with since he was four years old. He didn't manage to get any more words out because Jay had hushed him soothingly and stroked his hair. Jay was still taller than him, he didn't know how tall to be exact and he didn't care, his straight light brown hair was cut short in a style that fit him and his calming blue eyes drew Reid in just as he remembered. "Jay I missed you, so much, I can't believe it. W-why did I walk away?" he couldn't believe what he was saying, he knew exactly why he walked away once he could but being back here just filled him with emotions so strong he felt dizzy. 'Can I go through with this without relapsing? Can I actually do this like I thought?' he questioned trying to keep the tears from falling.
"Come on Rabbit, let's go on the couch until the session starts and calm you down. G-man how are you holding up?" Jay asked as he extended an arm out to the other male with them.

"I-I've had better days I mean I'm back here aren't I?" came the hesitant reply as he was wrapped in the older man's other arm and assured that he was safe here before they all went to the couch. Spencer sat on the end pulling his knees to his chest and leaning on the other while Grayson sat on the other side and hayed his back against Jay's other side. The three were comfortable and talked with each other, Jay spent a lot of the time talking with Grayson as he combed through Spencer's hair and and kept him secured in the corner where he knew the younger felt the safest.

"I expected them to be close because of what Josephine had told us but...that's more than just close, those guys look like they're a lifeline for each other. Hotch I'm not sure this was a good idea, what happens when we take him in? What is going to happen to Reid and Case?" JJ asked as she watched them laugh and talk together. The other people there were also sharing stories and talking as though it was a normal day in the clinic.

"Alright everyone let's start this session." Josephine started and clapped her hands. The group gathered around where they were the most comfortable as she started talking.

"We're going to have to trust that Reid and Case will be strong for us after all this. Even then I want everyone to keep a close but unnoticable eye on him once we get back to Quantico. Remember that he will not have Grayson, his mother, Jay, his father or Mave who we know was a deep connection. He is going to back away from us, he is going to refuse our offerings and try to become lost in whatever he can in order to keep down the memories of whatever is going to happen in the end today." Hotch answered with a determined voice.

"And for hell's sake, please everyone keep an eye on his apparent suicidal tendencies." Prentiss heard Rossi say from behind her. The team couldn't agree more to that, losing Reid was one thing, losing Reid because of himself was something none of them could handle. The guilt would be too much.

"What did Reid and Case set up the session to be about today?" JJ asked in a small voice.

"Looks like they're talking about the abuse outright itself. Meaning we're not going to like what we hear, at all." Prentiss supplied as she closed her eyes in preparation for a moment.

"I remember the hands, more than anything, the way the grips were so unforgiving, relentless. The voices, what they said, even before the physical abuse started had my mind locked in a pool of self hate." one girl started out when no one was talking.

"Self hate, that thing that you can't ever really get rid of. Except...it's just so appealing! I thought I was over it, I thought I could just walk out of rehab and live normally but that's not true. They tell you lies! They say you're going to be okay again well news flash it's not. I can't help but want to throw myself off a bridge, the need to escape from this wretched life, I want peace I want to be able to see my family. I want to sleep and to never wake up, but they don't tell you that you're going to struggle your whole life after abuse. They don't tell you anything." a young boy, probably younger than twenty, exploded in a fit of rage and then drowning into sobs as he rocked himself back and forth before he was finally calmed from the girl who spoke before him.

"That's accurate, people expect you to be able to function, to hold a conversation and to keep a steady income coming without you spending everything on the next drug or bottle you see." Case added on in a small voice.

"It's never mentioned how badly those whips from that belt, the knuckles from familiar hands and the f-fucking feeling of your ch-childhood taken away from you. If someone had told me that when I was first taken away I never would have tried to keep living. I would have poured gas on myself and let the match drop." another girl, probably around the age of sixteen, confessed as she wiped the tears with the sleeves of her sweatshirt.

"I know this is painful, I don't want to ask this question, but how many of you have been suffering from either tendencies or further abuse since what initially brought you to this door?" Jay asked looking around him to everyone, especially Reid and Case, the tone in his voice was calm and collective. It was supportive and it made the participants relax quite obviously. "Just raise your hand, no words have to be spoken." he furthered with a look in his eyes that told everyone he was there for them. He would let them cry on his shoulder, he would protect them. Slowly hands rose, first only a couple then ten, then twenty, the numbers kept growing until over half the room had raised hands. That, to the unfortunate lack of surprise from the BAU with the exception of Garcia and JJ, included Reid and Case.

"It's easy to tell yourself it's over once the main nightmare of your life isn't able to reach you. But people forget...people forget that some days the nightmare that was once only one person becomes three, four, five or more..." Spencer's voice was so quiet the group watching had to strain their ears just to hear him. The ones who had clearly heard him were Jay and Grayson and they both nodded along.

"If you think about it, the verbal abuse and even the major beat downs...they were nothing compared to that feeling. That feeling that was so damn painful, driving deeper and deeper, driving you into darker and darker places. Nothing can be compared to that feeling of hate, that feeling of loss and complete uselessness." Grayson piped up eventually as his blunt nails tore at his hands in a near frantic manner. Josephine nodded solemnly as the group continued to talk to each other about how much they wanted to have a normal life, make a name for themselves and forget the past that haunted dreams and caused them to fear.

"Alright everyone let's all take a break as the schedule permits it. You can go off campus if you want but keep together if you do." she eventually interjected into the conversation as the kids in front of her all looked like they were about to go into relapses and flashbacks.

"Jay, Spen, can you guys come with me? I want to step out for a while and just sit and talk somewhere not in a room...no walls." Grayson asked and that was a clear signal to Hotch that is was time.

"Yes, no walls...no room, sounds good." Spencer nodded vigorously, his head felt so dizzy and filled with fog despite that he knew what was coming next would be so much harder. Jay smiled and nodded to both of them, he told Josephine before the trio walked out of the building and to the benches across from the police department under Grayson's plead.

"Hey Rabbit, you look pale, what's going on?" Jay asked sliding a hand to Spencer's forehead. It felt a little warm according to him.

"M-my head hurts is all, I feel a bit dizzy, but that's probably because of a f-flashback it's o-okay." he answered once he was able to comprehend what all was being asked of him.

"Spen I don't think you're alright, maybe we should get you inside...they probably have some cool water in the police department that may help your head." Grayson offered as he stand and took a hold of the sweating hand belonging to his friend.

"I agree with G Spencer, let's get you on a couch." Jay agreed without hesitation as he stood as well and helped the younger up. Grayson kept a hold of his hand, flashing worried looks to Spencer at least once every second that passed if that was possible. By the time they actually got into the station Spencer looked only partially conscious, Jay ended up carrying him to the room because he didn't think the kid would actually make it to the couch. A cup now half full with water was on the table near the couch and the three boys were silent except for the occasional shifting. It was then that JJ stepped into the room and introduced herself.

"You all may call me JJ, I work here temporarily, Jay can I just borrow you for a few minutes to ask some questions? We can help your friend." she promised, though it was reluctant Jay followed with a nod leaving Spencer with Grayson. Instead of the interrogation room she brought him into the conference room with the entire team there since that was what Reid had asked saying it would be the most comfortable place the in the office. "Jay this is my team, they'll ask you some questions too and then we'll let you go back out there to see your friends. You all seem really close." she said with a warm smile.

"We are, those two are my lifeline, I'd like to think I'm theirs as well. The youngest one, Spencer though I call him Rabbit, on the couch called me quite a few months ago saying he was pretty lost. As much as I'd like to say he's better...clearly there's a lot he's still facing. I don't really wish to be separated from them for very long if you don't mind." Jay answered with sincere concern flowing off his body in waves. JJ swallowed hard and nodded before she sat down.

'I can't believe an UnSub could be so caring and protective. Evil and harsh yes but never are they like this.' she thought trying to keep herself from bursting into tears.

"He seems like a very strong kid with everything on his plate. Why do you call him Rabbit?" Rossi asked, halfly because he was just simply amused at the nickname.

"Oh, that's because he's always on high alert, observant of everything and everyone around him. And because if you find something he likes to talk about, or knows something about his words just jet out of him. You don't get to hear him speak very much, probably thanks to his father, but when he does...I could listen to him forever." Jay replied with a smile that could have literally lit up the room had the power gone out just then.

'No wonder they became attached, no wonder the victims felt so safe with him.' Morgan blinked.

"He's the type that even though you and he both know he's fully capable of doing things far beyond your skill level you want to protect him from the world of harsh reality and pain. When he breaks, it's the most painful thing to watch in the world. I've helped others find peace before, helped them to escape the world where they were trapped, but the ones I really want to save are G and Rabbit. They deserve it more than any two kids I know walking on this planet." Jay kept speaking, his voice so fond and brotherly towards the two it almost physically hurt the agents to know they would have to take him away.

The group continued questioning, even after they got their technical confession, about how the three boys lived and what Jay knew about them. It was unfortunate for them that Jay started to figure things out, that the team was purposefully keeping him away from the other two and that's when he went what Rossi could claim to be hysterical. They had to handcuff him to keep him from hurting himself, since he was convinced he was going to prison and would die, he kept screaming at the top of his lungs in a panic wracked fit that eventually Reid and Case overheard when JJ opened the door unknowing what to do. "Spencer! Grayson! Help me! They're going to kill me! I'm going to die! Help, you have to help me! Please I can't go, I can't be there! I'll get raped, I'll get abused again! I can't Spencer! Spencer please help me! I only wanted to help them! I only wanted them to be free of this hell! Tell them G, tell them that I kept you safe, I kept you from leaving how many times?!" he screamed in his hysteria as the two boys walked towards the room.

"Eighteen, eighteen times you kept me safe Jay, you need to calm down Jay they're not going to send you away, we won't let them." Grayson soothed as they got close enough to be heard.

"How many times did I keep you here Spencer, Spencer please tell them I helped you, that I helped you stay safe." Jay pleaded, the tears streaking down his face as he cried on his knees.

"Twenty six times. Jay, I promise you that we know you were helping them, we know that you were protecting them but Jay we need you to look at us. Look at me Jay, please just come here." Spencer replied walking closer, Grayson followed closely and kept his movements as calm as they could be. He knew Spencer was acting only fractionally out of what he should be doing and mostly out of sheer emotion towards what was happening. Hotch stared in something akin shock as Jay got up and hurried over to Reid and then as the young agent uncuffed him and let the older just hug him as he cried. "Jay I want you to listen to me, I'm not letting anyone take you away okay? I need your help Jay, a lot of it." Spencer whispered just loud enough for those in the immediate vicinity to hear him. His voice was shaking as much as his body, even the team could see it too obviously for comfort. Jay and Grayson nodded and they all made their way back to the couch which Reid was previously on before in the waiting room.

"They're gonna Spencer, they're gonna, I'm not going to be able to see you ever, I'm not gonna see either of you. I can't protect you. I can't protect you." Jay wailed as he clung to the genius with everything he had. Since talking didn't seem to be getting him where he wanted, Reid started to hum a tune his mother hummed to him when he was having some sort of mental struggle. It started working immediately, Jay's body started relaxing as Grayson started talking.

"Jay, you've helped us through so much in our lives, you have given Spen and I help when no one else could. When we couldn't handle our lives, when we tried to leave this damned world behind. We're still alive because we found someone, someone good to us that was strong and loving. Jay we're still alive because of you." Grayson choked out, he couldn't keep the tears from streaming down his face. "You've done so much for everyone, so we're going to do something for you, we want you to be so happy Jay. We're going to take you into the happiest world of your life. Right everyone?" when Jay looked up, despite the tears, he smiled to see everyone from the clinic room inside and smiling at him. Telling him they were going to help him too.

"Jay?" Spencer asked causing the older to look at him, despite what he was feeling inside Spencer smiled. It was something Jay would have burned into his mind and most beautiful thing he'd ever witnessed.

"What can I do for you Rabbit?" he asked eventually.

"I want you to close your eyes, lay your head back and listen to everyone. We're going to lead you through a dream everyone will be there." Reid replied, Jay noded and did so without a fight. Grayson traced soothing patterns on his hand while Spencer ran his hand through his hair and started telling him a story. Jay felt himself fall into this state of bliss as he listened to Reid talk of the amazing times the children in the story had.

"Spence, Grayson, you're the best things that ever happened to me. I want you to find peace too." he mumbled with a smile, due to the half conscious state he was in he never felt the needle being inserted into his vein.

"We know, we know how you think of us like the family that you always wanted. Keeping us safe. You know our code don't you? From heaven or from hell, we may be seen as the damned we may be seen as the fortune." Grayson trailed off.

"But even as we're thrown into the depths of the darkest ocean caverns and or the blinding light of the sun we remain together." Reid added the next part as he wiped the tears flowing from his eyes.

"'Nd even though we're not bound...by blood...the three of us will always...stick together. We're brothers forever." Jay ended as his breathing slowed and his pulse started fading.

"That sounds pretty cheesy now, but it's still true. You're always going to be there for us. We'll always look at you like our brother, our protector." Grayson cracked a pitiful smile. Jay opened his eyes one last time and looked to the room of people that he cared for and smiled just as his last breath left him. Everyone was left in silence except for the sound of quiet sobbing from a few of the clinic members. It felt like a long time before people were sent in to retrieve the body, in that time Reid and Grayson hadn't moved from where they were. Jay lay dead in their hands, literally, but they couldn't stop until someone took the body away from them. They didn't put up a fight but the emotions in their eyes, the way Reid curled into himself in the corner and Grayson just leaned against him sobbing gave everyone else a good idea of their state. JJ couldn't help herself anymore and rushed to Reid's side, concerned for his mental state as he accepted the arms around him, he let himself crumble with Grayson. The rest of the team couldn't help but look away or try to avert at least their eyes if not their ears, what Jay had told them about seeing a broken Spencer Reid being the most painful picture had been right. So right that none of them could believe it.

"And to think, he did that, to himself in order to help his friend. He gave him the way out Jay needed. But did it have to be so painful on him? Hotch what are we going to do?" Prentiss whispered, for once in his life on this job Hotch couldn't face his team. He couldn't lead them through this.

"I don't know. I really don't know." he eventually confessed.

A/N: Alright there you have it, my (for now) one shot fic for this. I apologize for the OOC behavior that's probably in there along with any mistakes, I do try and read each thing over at least eight times before I post but I mean I'm not perfect and writers tend to go blind to their own mistakes since we've been playing this out in our head. Thanks to all who have read this and don't hesitate to tell me if you do want more. ~Rena-chan