A/N: Heh, I was a bit sceptical if I'd be able to update again this year – I've been basically banned from my computer few a few days, so it was a touch and go. But here I am! (grins)

BUT, before going on with the show… HUGE, huge thank yous for all those absolutely amazing reviews! You guys can't even imagine how happy you've made me. (GLOMPS) THANK YOU! Thanks to you I'm seriously falling in love with writing this little thing. (chuckles)

Awkay, because I'm kind of running short of time… Let's go! (swallows thickly) I really hope you'll have a good ride with this one.


CHAPTER 4 – Family Reunions


/ By the age of thirty-five Tawny and Keith Rogers had seen a lot of things they'd most likely have nightmares of for the rest of their lives. After all Keith was a public prosecutor who always seemed to be handed the cases no one else wanted, and Tawny was a psychiatrist in a prison. But that Halloween their nine-years-old daughter Madison gave them a surprise that changed their lives forever.

When they came home with groceries they frowned upon discovering that there wasn't just one, but two pairs of children's shoes nearby their door. "Maddy? Sweetie?" Tawny called out. "Do you have a visitor? I thought we agreed that…" She trailed off, for just then she reached the house's living room. And suddenly there were no words.

Madison was sitting on the couch, watching cartoons. And right next to her, with his head placed to her lap, lay a boy of her age with slightly messy brown hair and large eyeglasses. It was a surprise that he seemed to be fast asleep, because the visible injuries must've been painful, especially for someone so young. A split lip, a bruise that'd most likely darken to a sickly color on his face, two clearly broken fingers on his left hand…

What the heck had happened to that poor child?

"Mommy." Madison's eyes were pleading and filled with worry as she looked at her. "I know you and daddy said I can't have friends visiting during the holidays, but… Spencer's dad is out of town, and his mom is sick – he doesn't have anyone."

Just then Keith stood beside Tawny and also saw the battered child. The hissed out "Shit…!" was so quiet that Madison didn't seem to hear it.

Tawny gave her husband a look that told him to stay quiet for the time being before focusing on Madison once more. "Do you know who hurt him?"

Madison shook her head, all the emotions twirling inside her visible in her eyes. "He wouldn't say." The girl looked at Spencer, who hadn't even stirred during the conversation. "He… hasn't slept in five days."
Looking at the adorable, painfully skinny boy Tawny grit her teeth, coming to a conclusion that the child hadn't been eating properly, either. That was when her maternal instincts kicked in. "Let him sleep, for now. Daddy and I will figure out what to do."

Madison nodded, appearing utterly relieved.

Tawny motioned Keith to follow her, and they made their way to the kitchen. "What the hell are we going to do with that kid?" Keith sighed, slumping to the nearest chair.

Tawny grit her teeth, her eyes straying towards the living room. "I'm going to call the child protective services. Then I'll make some food for that kid. After that…" She shook her head. "I have no idea."


Spencer didn't know how long he'd been asleep when he woke up to discover that he was still in Madison's house. He could feel a bright, hot blush on his cheeks when he discovered that his head was on the girl's lap.

Feeling his movements Madison looked down and smiled brightly when seeing him awake. "Hey!" She went on before he got the chance to say a word. "Do you want food? Mommy said you should eat."

He shook his head, feeling nauseous as memories and pain came flooding in. "I… I'm not hungry", he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. "But thank you."

Madison nodded. "Okay." Then, most likely on the spur of the moment, she gave him a kiss to the forehead. "Go back to sleep. No one will hurt you now, I promise."

His blush from before was so bright that it almost burned, but Spencer didn't care. As he closed his eyes and slowly began to drift back to sleep he realized that for the first time in ages he felt perfectly safe. Like everything was alright, at least for a while.

Since that day Halloween was his favorite holiday.

It was fortunate, really, that Spencer couldn't possibly know that the darkest chapter of the story had only just began. Because the very next day Vincent came by and took him back home. And six months later he saw Madison for the last time… /


Considering that the entire remaining BAU team was there the room was unbelievably quiet as they all stared at a computer screen, the looks on their faces showing uncharacteristic, breathtaking displays of emotions.

The video was footage from Valley of Ataraxia, which was one of strictest mental institutions on the south of United States. The patients there were the worst of the worst – extremely disturbed, haunted beings most people would've long since declared lost souls. The video they were currently watching had been filmed for a trial because, as the doctor interviewing the patient had explained in the beginning of the video, the patient wasn't well enough to be present in court. The patient's presence would've been harmful to several parties.

The thirteen-year-old patient's name was Vincent Reid.

From the very beginning the team had found it chilling and extremely disturbing that those eyes, which had the exact same color as Spencer's, held absolutely no emotion. There was no remorse, fear, sadness, anger or even confusion. The boy simply stared at the doctor, who was sitting behind the camera, with the most demeaning expression the team had ever seen. It was even more terrifying that the child was a nearly perfect replica of Spencer. Those facial features were exactly the same. They all focused firmly on the only difference, which was the boy's short, almost blond hair.

"So, Vincent", the doctor began. They could all identify a tremor in the man's tone that had nothing to do with the film's bad sound quality. "Did Mrs. O'Malley explain to you why we're doing this?"

Vincent nodded without hesitation, appearing utterly bored. "Yeah. It's because I can't testify in the trial." There was something that made the team members shudder in the boy's tone; something so sinister they hadn't heard such many times even in the voices of UnSubs. "Apparently I'm too… ill right now."

"That's right." By then the doctor's terror was loud and clear.

And Vincent didn't miss that. Looking at those eyes the team found it chillingly easy to believe in monsters and demons. "Spencer is going to testify against me, isn't he?"

"I'm afraid I'm not allowed to answer that one, Vincent."

Vincent gave the doctor a extremely irritated look, visibly fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the man he obviously considered unworthy of his time. "I know he will – he'll talk about these." The boy pointed towards a huge number of photographs on the small table before him. The film's quality was poor, but the team nonetheless saw the pictures all too clearly.

Without a doubt they were of Spencer. The boy had been abused so badly that there didn't seem to a undamaged part. And to make the pictures all the more heartbreaking the boy had been stripped so that he only had a pair of underpants on. His face had numerous cuts and bruises, his arm was in a thick cast and the rest of him looked like one huge, endless bruise. The worst part, however, were the child's huge, terror- and moisture-filled eyes that clearly begged for help.

"I was trying to teach that stupid brat a lesson. Everything always comes so easily to him – everyone adores him. Because of him and his loud mouth everyone thinks I'm some kind of a monster, so I decided to become one." Vincent's voice shook for a microsecond before regaining its usual, chilling tone. Once again the boy looked at the doctor in the eyes, visibly enjoying the new power he had. "He swore to me he wouldn't tell a soul. We had a deal, and he betrayed it. That's why he needs to be punished, now." The boy leaned towards the doctor as though entrusting the adult with a great secret. Vincent's eyes looked almost black as the child whispered so quietly that it was barely caught on the tape. "There's no way you or any of these unworthy idiots could keep me here. Trust me, one day I will get out. And that day, Spencer pays. That's my testimony."

The doctor was absolutely still and speechless for a long moment before breathing out. "Okay." There was a long pause. "Thank you, Vincent." With that the video clip ended.

For the longest time the team stared at the black screen as though expecting someone or something to appear and tell them this was all a part of some twisted nightmare. To convince them that what they'd just seen was a joke.

Nothing such appeared. Instead Derek spoke in a voice they barely recognized. "What… What the hell is this?"

Penelope swallowed loudly, her face several shades paler than usual. "Vincent, he… he really is Reid's brother, three years older – I found his birth certificate. And… Based on what I've found so far he made Reid's life a living hell when they were kids." She trailed off for the longest time, blinking furiously. "He… He's sick, really sick. He spent years in that place."

"Did they… let him out?" Emily asked in a extremely tight voice, although it was audible that she would've rather not heard the answer.

Penelope shook her head. It took what felt like ages before she managed to squeeze out the answer. "He escaped, weeks ago. They've been trying to find him quietly – looks like the hospital's management doesn't want to ruin the place's reputation."

Once more the silence was absolute when ice-cold, stone-hard realization hit them. "He's going to go after Reid", David finally breathed out, voicing what they were all thinking.

Derek grit his teeth so hard that a screeching sound could be heard. Something almost primal gleamed in the man's dark eyes. "I… went to see him, earlier." His voice was filled with guilt and about a million other shades the man was powerless to hide. "I left him alone into his apartment."

Aaron didn't have to hear more. Everyone's eyes were on the man as he pulled out his cell phone, then dialed numbers and waited with a hard expression on his face. Although it must've been less than a minute to them the wait seemed to take ages. "Reid, as soon as you get this message, call us." They felt like someone had punched them when the man put away the phone, giving up. "We're going", the unit chief half-barked, looking fully ready to tear something or someone apart. "Now." His eyes were sharp as he delivered orders. "Garcia, keep investigating. The rest of you, we're going to Reid's apartment. We need some answers." Also, there was a feeling of dread in his chest he couldn't explain.


As soon as Derek heard the truth about Vincent his head went completely, utterly blank. Suddenly everything Spencer had said to him earlier made sense, and he felt sick to his stomach.

/ "I need to go. I've… been trying to find another way to deal with this – all of this." /

Derek's eyes narrowed as Spencer's voice echoed in his head over and over again, as though mocking him.

Damn it, kid…! Why the hell do you keep coming up with stuff like this?

Of course he knew why. But that made no difference to the ton's load of guilt and terror sitting on his chest.

Emily, who'd quite wisely taken the wheel of their car, gave him a sideways glance. She pressed her lips together for a moment before talking. "You do understand that none of this is your fault, right? There was no way you could've seen any of this coming."

He gave her a wry look. "Thanks, but… That doesn't exactly help, you know?"

He saw the sigh Emily swallowed. "Yeah, I know." The look that flashed in her eyes radiated some of what was spinning inside him. "Looks like Hotch and Rossi are already here."

Gathering himself with a huge inhale Derek nodded, then climbed out of the vehicle atypically stiffly and headed towards where the older men were waiting. The four of them didn't exchange a word as they entered the block of flats – they didn't have to, because they were all thinking about the same thing.

If they'd failed to notice that something was wrong with Spencer again, if they'd let him walk into the hands of a yet another monster, they'd never forgive themselves.

The first warning sign they got was that the door of Spencer's apartment was open, and there was a annoyed, curious and mildly scared older woman standing a step away from it. A neighbor, no doubt. She narrowed her eyes behind her huge glasses and folded her arms tightly to her chest when seeing them. "Now who are you?"

Aaron showed the woman his badge. "We're all with the FBI." The man nodded towards the open door, his expression grim. "What happened here?"

The woman relaxed slightly, curiosity making her eyes brighten. "Oh, FBI? That's good. I was afraid there'd be more… suspicious people lurking around here." Before they got the chance to ask the woman went on, clearly enjoying the excitement. "Earlier today this… man entered Dr. Reid's apartment. Later there was a lot of noise – screaming and things being thrown. I was about to call the police, but then it became silent." She frowned. "It's unusual that Dr. Reid forgets his door open. Usually he's such a private person…"

Derek felt cold filling his chest and stomach as he also frowned. "What did that man look like?"

The woman shrugged. "The lights were out so I couldn't see properly, but I think he looked a lot like Dr. Reid. The man could've been his brother or some other relative."

How Aaron managed to maintain that stiff, professional mask on his face was beyond the rest of the team. "Thank you." In the dimly lit hallway it was impossible to read the man's eyes as they darted towards the team. "We're going in."

Derek didn't have to be told twice. One hand fully prepared and placed to his weapon he entered the apartment. For some reason darkness was the first thing he paid attention to. It felt wrong; Spencer hated the dark. "Reid?" he called out, tossing aside all caution. There wasn't a sound apart from the team's steps following him. Panic formed a huge, painfully tight ball into his stomach as he tried again. "Reid, are you here?"

That was when Emily, who was the last one to enter, turned on the light. The sight that greeted them was like a punch right at Derek's face.

Before his disappearance Spencer had packed up pretty much all his belongings. Now the boxes had flown all around the room as the result of a struggle. A corner of Spencer's bookshelf had cracked from when a body had been thrown against it. Those things, albeit chilling, weren't what got to the team the most. What truly unnerved them was the blood. Droplets of it seemed to be everywhere, scattered so that it was impossible to tell the exact amount.

It was clear Spencer hadn't let himself be taken away without a fight. But in the end he'd lost.

Even the last bits of breath and warmth abandoned Derek's body as he stood there, staring at the crippling sight with wide eyes. Guilt crushed him like a tank, and for a moment he couldn't breathe under the weight.

They'd been too late. They'd been too fucking late.

A flash of Spencer's eyes from when he'd last seen the genius appeared to his mind. Derek was fairly sure they'd be plaguing his nightmares for a very, very long time.

Derek was so consumed with his own thoughts that he shivered when David moved all of a sudden, a deep frown on his face. It wasn't until then he noticed something barely visible.

On the floor before the bookshelf, almost disappeared under the furniture, was the corner of paper. With quite a bit of effort David coaxed the item in the open, revealing a tiny note that had a brief, hasty line of writing on it. The frown on the older man's face deepened as he looked at the words. "Is this… Spanish?"

Emily stepped closer and blinked twice when looking at the paper. "Yeah, it is", she announced, appearing stunned. "It says 'Look closer'."

Until then Aaron had stood somewhere behind Derek without moving an inch, barely even breathing. But now the unit chief moved, kneeling to the bookshelf. The rest of them stared with stun as the man's fingers danced on the shelf's wooden bottom-decoration, brushing the star-shaped engravings. Derek opened his mouth to ask what was going on when there was a soft 'click'. The four of them stared as a piece of the wood opened, revealing them a small hidden locker.

In some other situation Derek might've laughed. Trust a magician to have such things in his house…

Aaron frowned, then took out the locker's soul content – a disc.

"Reid… wanted us to have that", Emily mused out loud. "He knew we'd find it."

Derek grit his teeth so hard his chin hurt, trying to ignore the stinging sensation in his eyes. "Then let's go and find out what's on it."


The very first thing Spencer experienced upon waking up was nausea. He might've even thrown up – he couldn't be sure, because for a long moment everything appeared hazy and disoriented. But then, gradually, he became aware of the voice calling out to him.

"Spencer." The male-voice was familiar, but he couldn't quite put a name to it. "Spencer, are you awake?"

He blinked twice, wishing the world would've stopped spinning. "Yeah", he murmured, even to his own ears sounding dangerously close to losing consciousness again. "I am."

"Good. That's good." Spencer still couldn't recognize the voice, but he did distinguish the load of worry – almost terror – in it. There was a brief pause. "You… He said you have a head-injury. I was afraid you got a consussion."

Spencer didn't really want to say that he was almost sure that assumption was a correct one. He breathed in deep and blinked thrice, pleased to discover that the spinning was subsiding and he didn't feel like throwing up anymore. He was relieved for a brief moment, until his brain finally took in his surroundings.

The first thing he registered was that it was so dark it was hard to see clearly. The small, circle-shaped room's only source of light was a rapidly fading oil-lamp that'd been left nearby a huge, metallic and most likely heavily locked door. The floor and the walls were made of stone. The air filling his lungs was extremely heavy and filled with the stench of moisture. It seemed that he was cuffed to a tightly bolted chair with something metallic.

And as though that hadn't been bad enough pain began to surge in once more. Unable to hold himself back he whimpered barely audibly when ache seemed to spread to his entire body, finally centering to his head and swelling as though attempting to smash his skull to pieces.

"Spencer." The nearly frantic voice was even more familiar now. "How badly did he hurt you?"

Spencer wished he could've answered, reassured that he was going to be fine as soon as he'd get himself pulled back together. But he just couldn't remember at all. And soon the answer made no difference to him, because about ten seconds later he finally recognized the other captive's voice. "Dad?" he choked out.

There was a long pause until William Reid half-whispered. "I… I'm so sorry, Spencer. I'm sorry." His father gulped loudly. "I never wanted it to end up like this. I never thought…" The man trailed off.

Spencer never got the chance to respond, because just then the door he'd discovered earlier opened and a person he knew all too well entered.

Now that Vincent had grown up they looked even more alike than when they were children, although his brother's haircolor was still a lot lighter than his and the older man was more strongly built. But those eyes looking at him… Spencer had never seen anything as terrifying in his entire life. And at that moment he knew something with disheartening certainty.

If it was up to Vincent, he wouldn't be leaving this hellhole alive. And no one was coming to rescue.

As though hearing his thoughts Vincent gave him a chilling, dangerous grin that revealed a row of white teeth. "I see you're already getting the picture. That's good – we're on the same page." The man walked closer with heavy, loud steps. "You know, I thought about picking up mom too, so she could join us. But already then she was such a pathetic, useless creature that I still can't feel anything but pity towards her. But you two…" If it was possible those eyes became even more dangerous as they narrowed. "You can't even imagine what it was like to grow up when everyone treated me like some sort of a monster because of you. Because of you I was locked up into that shithole like some kind of a animal – you ditched me there as though I was worth nothing! And I swear, I'll make you pay for it."

Spencer swallowed, blinking slowly. Whenever he'd pictured this situation in his head he'd imagined himself frozen by terror, but now he was utterly numb. Perhaps it was because of his head-injury or shock. "What are you going to do to us?"

Vincent looked directly at him. "I'm going to start with you, midget." Spencer was almost sure his heart stopped for a couple of seconds when his brother pulled out a needle before talking again. "It's come to my attention that you've had some… problems with things like this in the past. I'd like to see what they're all about."


In the BAU-headquarters the mood was close to grim as Penelope inserted the disc Spencer had left for them. Moments later a video-clip of Spencer on his couch appeared to the screen. Someone unleashed a strange, unidentifiable sound, but they couldn't be sure which one of them it was.

Spencer was even paler than usual and his eyes were full of sadness when he ran a hand through his hair and licked his lips before getting started. "I… was hoping that I'd never have to do this, but…" The brunet spent a long moment searching for the right words. "I… I'm pretty sure you've already heard about Vincent. And you want answers. You'd deserve an explanation, and I'm sorry that this is the best I can do." The genius swallowed loudly, his eyes wandering. "He's dangerous, though I think you've gathered that much already. He's a sociopath; he feels no empathy or remorse, already as a child he was extremely manipulative, impulsive, violent and he has no control over his reactions. And he… He threatened to come after you. So, the thing is… I'm going to stop him. And I wanted to leave this for you guys, just in case…" There was a long pause none of them liked. They also hated the torn look on the brunet's face. "If you want answers, look for Madison. That's the most I can give you. Look for answers, but please don't come after Vincent. Please. Don't ever come after him." Spencer blinked twice and tried to smile a little, but failed miserably. "You guys, I'm so sorry. Just… Take care, okay? Be careful. And… Thank you so much, for everything." With that the genius turned off the camera.

And then the video ended, just as suddenly as it'd began, leaving behind silence and emptiness nothing seemed to fill. No one in the room managed to tear their eyes away from the already black screen. It was like they'd been soundlessly pleading Spencer to come back, to show himself to them again.

Hearing his voice, at least, would've given them a feeling that there was still hope.

In the end David was the first one of them able to talk, although his voice was a touch weaker than usual. "Madison?" he mused out loud.

Everything in the room froze when a voice they'd never expected to hear again spoke. "Madison Rogers." Moving slowly, as though thinking that perhaps this was all a dream, the team members turned. A variety of expression and emotions could be seen as they faced Jason Gideon. The man shifted his weight to his other leg, clearly feeling uncomfortable in his own skin. The former team member gave no stiff greetings, awkward apologies or hollow pleasantries, instead went on straigth away. "I… was asked to perform some investigations when she died. That's when I met Reid for the first time."


TBC, no?


A/N: Oh crap, it looks like things are getting worse and worse. (winces) BUT, at least now the team's aware of what's going on. We'll see if they'll manage to help…

Ah, a small announcement! Now that I've officially fallen for this story, it's gained a sort of a structure in my head. Which means, that I can finally announce how long I'm planning to make this. What would you guys say of a nine or ten shot? Because I'm planning on writing five or six more chapters if you're interested to read. (glances questioningly)

PLEASE, leave a note and let me know your thoughts! By now it should be creal how much I love hearing of you. (gives puppy's eyes)

IN THE NEXT ONE: Reid is taken back to the darkest days of his life, and he must struggle to maintain his sanity. It looks like Vincent is only just getting started… Meanwhile Gideon tells the team his side of Madison's story. Feelings bubble and boil over. Will Reid and his father be saved while there's still something left to save?

See you next time, I hope! Take care!

Oh, and of course…

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!


ReadingYourThoughts: (blushes, grins from ear to ear and gives a huge hug) Awww, you're making me feel all flattered!

I really hope you'll be as excited about the rest.

Monumental thank yous for the review!