It was a case that they all knew would be difficult. It wasn't just one person at a time, but whole families missing and the NYPD had run out of explanations to the public.

In a way, Reid was greatful, because it meant they probably had to be away for a long while and that would give him time to figure out what to do with his life. He had no intentions of staying with Bill for much longer, but if he told him he wanted to break up, Bill would probably beat him unconcious.

"Hey, kid"

Reid jumped and looked up at Morgan.
"Huh, what?"

"We're heading for the plane, do you have your go-bag?" Morgan asked. Reid was a bit confused after being in deep thoughts, but shook them off.

"Uh, yea yeah"

He gave Morgan one of his usual smiles and Morgan nodded.
"Alright then, you comin'?"

Reid got up and grabbed his bag from the floor and put his coat on. It was November and it was really getting chilly outside.

For a second, he considered stopping Morgan as they walked and tell him he needed his help, but he knew it wasn't a good time. The plane would leave in a few minutes and it would take Reid so much longer just to get the words out.

"Are you going to tell me what really happened?" Morgan asked and held the door open for Reid as they left the building. Yes, I want to, believe me.

"What? It was just the damn kitchen cupboard"

Morgan let out a sigh.

"Isn't it against science to lie to your friends?" Morgan said. Reid held uphis hand, as he gestured while he spoke.

"Actually, it's not scientific at all. Lying has got to do with moral and ethics, which is basicly..."

"Alright, I get it. You don't want to talk about it..." Morgan interrupted with a long sigh and walked up the steps to enter the airplane. "... It was a girl, wasn't it?"

Reid furrowed his brows and looked up at him.
"What? Why would a girl give me a black eye?"

Morgan chuckled and turned around to meet his eyes.

"Reid, you're the guy who typed 'death' in a search engine for no good reason"

Reid just pressed his lips together and quietly followed Morgan onboard.

***

It wasn't a long ride, but the team had enough time to go through the plan on how to start, and discuss the case.

"Well, all of the adult males visited the same strip club the past six months..." Prentiss began as she looked through the file. "... That can't just be a coincidence, I mean there are dozens of strip clubs in New York"

She looked up and over at Hotch who seemed to be in deep thought.
"It's strange, though, because some of them lived quite far away from that perticular club and there must be other ones closer to where they live" Reid said, not looking up from the file. The pictures of the husbands and fathers missing looked quite alike, and the men had many recemblances to eachother. "They're all in their fifties, middle class and they all have well paid jobs within law or buisness, this shows that the UnSub is targeting this certain type of victim" Reid said, words coming out at high speed. "The families are not the target, they're just a bonus"

He looked around at the others. Again, Hotch looked sceptical.
"We can'think that far ahead, we have to start off objective" Hotch finally looked up and straight at Reid. "When we land, I want to talk to you in private"

Reid swallowed. Hotch didn't seem angry or anything, but it was always nervracking to be asked to speak wth Hotch in private just like that.

"Y-yes, sir" Reid said quietly and returned his focus to the file in is hands.

"The fact that there's been no bodies found would suggest they're alive or hidden somewhere. If they're alive, we should prepare for the UnSub to make contact. Kidnapping is usually a way to get money in exchange for the victims lives" JJ said.
"Or the UnSub keeps them as prisoners for his own pleasure, weither it's through torture or sex, it has happened before. It's extremely important to look at anysigns of the way the UnSub removed them from their homes" Rossi filled in, just as the plane went down for landing.

***

Two months earlier

"Bill... We have to talk" Reid said nervously. His hands were sweating and his throat was dry, but he had made up his mind.
"Sure, about what?"

Bill sat down infront of him, acting too sugarly sweet than what was believeable if you knew him.

"It's been three months now and, uh, it's been great... sometimes, but I..."

"You want to break up?"

Bills eyes was threatening and Reid swallowed.
"Uhm, no... I mean, I was thinking... A break?"

"A break?" Bill said loudly. "A break, huh?"

Suddenly Reid was pushed up against the wall firmly. He couldn't breathe. Not even when Hankel had pointed the gun to his face had he been so scared.
"I'm not good enough for you, genius?" Bill yelled and Reid closed his eyes, whimpering like a scared puppy.

"I didn't mean that, I just-"

Smack! The back of his head hit the wall hars and pain shot through his brain like ice.

"We, you and me, are meant to be, Spencer. Meant to be! And you want to RUIN IT?!"

Reid was shaking and kept his eyes closed. His mind screaming that this was his final moment. He wanted to cry, but it wouldn't leave his body.

"Bill, please..."

For a moment it was like Bill turned into another person and slowly let go off Reid.
"I'm going to have a drink" he mumbled and left Reid against the wall in shock.

// Not to worry, my dears, I am still writing The Haunted Memory. I just had this idea aswell and I am now writing both.