Disclaimer: Criminal Minds does nay belong to me - as promised, another chapter! hope you like it! :)
Aaron Hotchner felt hollow, numb, void, yet livid, all at the same time.
Blood still coated his clothes, the substance now dry and sticky, the metallic smell working its way up his nostrils.
This wasn't happening, it couldn't be happening despite his mind conjuring up those god awful memories.
Haley, beautiful, caring, loving Haley, lying dead in a pool of her own blood, gorgeous eyes lifeless and empty.
Why was this happening? Why? Why? Why? WHY?
He fisted his black hair in desperation, salty tears making their way down his cheeks. The anger consumed him, making his breathing short and uneven, limbs quaking, antipaction boiling in the pit of his stomach to rip that son of a bitch's head off. He was going to kill Foyet, make him feel his own pain, make him beg for his life.
"Hotch" Morgan said gently, frowning, a look of sadness plastered on his face. Hotch whipped around, eyes alight with fire that Morgan involuntarily took a step backwards.
"Have you found him?" He demanded in a hard voice and Morgan shook his head.
"No sir we haven't but..." He trailed off and Hotch eyed him up - Morgan was clearly nervous, adam apple bobbing up and down and his fists were clenched at his side - an obvious sign of anger, "We can't find Reid" He admitted and Hotch's blood ran cold. Oh go...oh god no.
Hotch took angry strides from the house, Haley's house, adrenaline fuelling him forward.
No - he already took Haley away from him he wasn't going to let him take away Reid - not going to happen.
"Sir, there's no trace of either of them" Prentiss stated, warm chocolate brown eyes full of worry.
"I want a five mile area scouted now, the bastard wouldn't have gone too far" Hotch barked, barging past his team, ignoring their gazes of worry and sympathy - he couldn't handle that right now, he needed to focus.
Hotch was so angry, so livid, so absolutely beyond reason, he left his team behind, eyes wild as he searched every alley way, every nook and cranny, every open building he could find - he needed to find Foyet so he could rip his damn head off, and... and Reid. Hotch shook his head, trying to will away those awful thoughts that kept plaguing his mind.
He knew Foyet, he knew what he was like, and he knew, he knew, if he had Reid then it was already too late - Foyet never lets a victim away, not unless he chose to spare them.
A sudden feminine scream of terror made Hotch's head snap to the right, eyes narrowing slightly.
He had heard enough screams over the years to know the difference.
It was a scream of pure and utter horror and despair.
Before his mind could catch up with him, Hotch was running, pushing scared pedestrians out the way, feet eatting up the sidewalk as he skidded into a nearby, cornered off alley, the cobbled stones digging into Hotch's feet.
A young woman was screaming and sobbing, hands covering her mouth as she stared down at... something lying on the ground.
Hotch let out a breath, hands shaking at his sides.
What could be so horrible and terrifying it required that amount of terror?
Of course he knew the answer, it was in the pit of his stomach but refused to believe it, he had to see for himself.
He stumbled forward, eyes prickling with tears as he fell to his knee's in despair.
Reid, good, whole, honest, innocent, wonderful Reid lay sprawled out on the hard ground, shirt torn open, multiple stab wounds littered his smooth torso, the bright red blood congealing around him. Reid's face, usually bright and childlike, was slack, blood sliding down his cheek, eyes empty and chestnut brown hair messier than usual.
Hotch let out a choked sob, looking down at his team mate.
It couldn't be real, it just couldn't, Reid survived everything that was thrown at him, surely his eyes were betraying him.
But they weren't - he knew that Reid... Reid was dead.
"Oh my god" Morgan muttered and Hotch turned his tear stained face toward his friend, his other colleagues not far behind him.
"No, no, no" JJ muttered, face crumpling like tissue paper, a hand holding her chest as if she were struggling to breath.
Rossi shook his head, running a tired, devastated, hand down his face, coffee coloured eyes full of grief.
Where as Prentiss practically fell forward, a look of complete shock on her face, cheeks wet with tears.
"No... Reid" She gasped, stifling a sob behind her hand.
Hotch felt her pain because it was his own - he knew the confusion, the shock, the sadness, the grief, the anger, the despair... he felt it all.
So, with a shaky hand Hotch reached forward and slid Spencer's eyes closed, not bearing to stare into those soulless eyes.
He couldn't do it.
But he knew whatever part of Spencer there was left, should know how much he was loved - by all of them.
Wiping his eyes, he sniffed, taking a firm hold of Spencer's limp hand in his own strong one, grasping at it like a lifeline.
"We'll get him Spencer, for you... we'll get him" He vowed before lowering his head in grief.
Hope y'all like it - please please review - means a lot - next chapter out tomorrow! :)