~Spring~

"Adam?"

At first Dr. Spencer Reid of the FBI couldn't say for certain but when he looked a little closer, the truth became evident. Amanda was fading.

"Adam!"

It was the first time since their visits that Spencer's image was captured on the ever rolling camera. He leapt to the side of the struggling victim and clasped his hands on each side of the boy's head.

"Adam, look at me! Stay with me! Adam, you can do this! You can beat her! Look-look at me!"

As the boy lost control of his body and slipped into violent convulsions, Reid held tighter. He ignored the hands of other doctors at his side and back, urging him to step away. After all this time, he wasn't going to let this moment slip through his fingers

From those two intense green pools of frustration, the icy gaze of Amanda was dissolving but she was still trying to resurface.

"Amanda… please…" Reid's voice trembled with desperation. "Let go…" He swallowed hard and never once broke eye contact, "Let Adam go."

The body in Reid's hands writhed and jerked with such force, there came a point where he didn't think he could keep holding on. But somehow he found the strength. He wasn't giving up. He was going to free Adam.

"ADAM!" He called again and tenderness emerged from the darkness behind a pair of timid green eyes.

A smile crept on Dr. Reid's lips as he knew this was going to be the day. Time was moving so slowly as the conflicting personalities fought for dominance with Adam Jackson's mind. In one last attempt for control, Amanda screamed.

Then out of nowhere, the chaos abruptly ended and Adam went still. His eyes fluttered shut and before Reid could do anything about it, the hospital's staff finally used force to intervene. Reid was knocked out of the way by two nurses who came to the aid and – if need be – revive the motionless young man.

Unable to move from his spot on the floor, Reid watched horrified as the silence in the room got to him. His gaze lingered on Adam waiting for some sign of life. Without any other option, Reid closed his eyes and silently asked whoever was listening, 'Please… please let him be alright.'

And in the end, someone – somewhere – was in fact listening.

Harsh coughs tore from Adam's dry throat and his upper body slumped forward, heaving deep breaths. It only took one glance at the boy's face for Reid to know that after two years, one month, one week and five days of searching - he found and released the missing Adam Jackson.

~ Author's Notes ~

Here we go again. Hopefully I've roped you right in with this prologue. This is my second attempt at a fan fiction and I thank you sincerely for taking the time to read it.

I realize that the situation may seem a little vague to some and to those people, I strongly urge you to watch episode 85 (4x20) of Criminal Minds. The name of it is, Conflicted.

Keep in mind however that this WILL NOT be an Adam/Amanda centric story. Of course this moment is crucial to the rest of the story but it is the only piece of the story that watching Conflicted is absolutely necessary. So for those of you who are lost… you won't be soon.

I'd like to quickly express my fanatical gratitude to everyone who supported and encouraged me through my first fanfiction, 'Hello Again, Goodbye Forever.' There are a few names I'd like to specifically recognize for the outrageous love I received. In no particular order, I send mad love to thee:

Harriet123, purplerayz, Hockey35, Lillibella and WalkingPastSunday