This one shot is dedicated to firedrakegirl as she requested it.
The shadows shifted as a figure stepped out of them to deal with the girl child that was having a nightmare. Upon entering her room he is met with the sound of screaming and gunshots followed by the sound of footsteps pounding their way to the child's room. Fearing for the little girl's life the figure scooped her up and withdrew into the shadows with her held protectively in his arms.
Just as the shadows enveloped them the door was thrown open and a masked person stalked into the room where he proceeded to search for the girl and let out several cuss words when he couldn't find her before he left, talking to someone on a cell phone that the girl hasn't been found.
As soon as the person was gone the figure stepped out of the shadows once more though he stayed until the police showed up and, after silently promising he'll be back, left to take care of other nightmares and pay a visit to the Sandman.
It took him a while to finally find Sandy and, after asking him if he may borrow some of his dream sand, return to the child's side. Once he returned he found that his old mortal team had been called in to help solve the murder of the girl's parents. Not knowing what else to do he remained hidden from them as they worked though he allowed the girl to see him.
Derek Morgan was watching the little girl as she sat coloring in the room they had put her in and talked to what he thought to be her imaginary friend as she was only five. As he stood there watching her, a member of his team, J.J., entered the room to ask the girl some questions.
J.J. took a seat across from the child with a gentle smile. "That's an interesting picture you're drawing. Can you tell me who the man in the picture is?" She started off.
"The Nightmare King, he saved me from the bad man who took mommy and daddy from me." She looked up to her right as if someone was talking to her.
"Is he in the room right now?" J.J. asked as she glanced briefly where the girl was though she didn't see anything.
"Yes, he said to tell you he's sorry he had to leave you but when Man in the Moon choses someone they can't tell him no." The child replied as she went back to her coloring. "He also wants someone to check up on his mommy in the hospital."
At her words J.J. jerked back and moved her now tear filled eyes to the spot the little girl had looked at minutes before quickly getting to her feet and walking out of the room. Derek met her at the door as he had seen her reaction to whatever the child had told her. "What's wrong?" He questioned as he pulled her into a hug.
"She said that the Nightmare King had protected her the night her parents were killed but that's not what upset me. She said he wanted her to tell me that he was sorry he had to leave but when Man in the Moon choses someone they can't tell him no and that…that he wanted one of us to check on his mother in the hospital. How can she know about something that happened states away before she was even born?"
Derek gently pushed her far enough back to meet her eyes. "What are you saying…you don't think that he could…J.J. Spencer is gone, we saw them bury his body." He told her, not wanting to really hope that Reid is still, somewhat, alive only to have that hope shattered.
"I know but who else would know about his mother and after what happened on that case five years ago with those kids and 'Jack Frost' I'm willing to believe, to hope that he is really still here…with us." J.J. replied as she wiped her eyes.
Hearing a sigh and a quiet "Thank you" being spoken in a familiar voice made her turn slowly around to see the, once, youngest member of their team standing before her. "Are…are you really here?" She whispered, not daring to speak any louder as she reached out a shaking hand to touch him.
Reid raised his own hand and clasped her hand in his to show he was real. "Yes, I'm here." He answered simply with a sad smile. "I can't stay for long though, I'll be needed elsewhere at times but I'll be back to check on Sarah once in a while and to help with any nightmares she may have, it is my job now after all."
Pulling herself together J.J. nodded as she dropped her hand back down to her side. "I understand just, please, be careful."
"I will, promise don't worry besides I'm immortal now so it take a lot to get rid of me." Reid told her as he raised his eyes to look at the silent Derek. "Could you give a message to Rossi for me? Tell him that I danced with her in my dream, he'll know what it means." He said as the man mentioned joined them.
"What's going on?" Rossi asked as he stopped next to Derek.
J.J. turned to him, "I got a message for you, he danced with her in his dream. He said you would know what that means."
"I do but we never told anyone about what we talked about. How did you know about it?" Rossi questioned.
Shaking her head, J.J. pointed a finger in Reid's direction. "You'll have to ask him yourself, he's standing right there." With that she walked away to do her job.
Derek and Rossi glanced at each other and Derek shrugged then went to go get some coffee leaving Rossi by himself. Turning in the direction J.J. had pointed Rossi closed his eyes, hoping that she was telling the truth and willed himself to believe in what she told him. When he opened his eyes he saw a smiling Reid in front of him making him jerk back in surprise as he rubbed his eyes.
"I need to sit down." He muttered as he walked over to the nearest chair and lowered down onto it, Reid followed him. After he got his coffee Derek went to inform their team leader, Hotchner, what just happened and he called everyone into an empty room for a team meeting.
Once everyone present was sat down and Garcia was contacted Hotchner asked which members of the team were able to see 'him', both J.J. and Rossi said they could. "Care to inform the rest of us how you are able to see him."
J.J. glanced over at the seemingly empty chair before she answered. "He said all you have to do to see him is believe in him." Rossi agreeing with her as the other team members looked his way.
"Who are you talking about?" Garcia asked, confused.
"Reid, he's not as dead as we thought." J.J. answered her. Her words caused a chain reaction of shock and surprise as Reid appeared before their eyes the minute they began to believe in him and he soon found himself questioned by all of them except J.J. and Rossi.
He held up a hand to get them to fall silent. "I'll answer your questions but am only able to hear one at a time." He told them so the next few minutes was spent with questions being asked and answered before everyone went back to their jobs with Reid promising them he will visit whenever he had the chance.
I'm working on a new story called 'Frozen Star' but won't upload it until I'm finished with my other stories though I will be working on it, I already have the prolog written and I would like to thank Alaia Skyhawk for helping me come up with the title.