A/N: Hiya there! Phew, it was a tough one but I managed a timely update. (grins) Heh, the things I'm proud of these days…

First off, of course! Thank you so much for those reviews! (HUGGLES) You guys are precious, ya know? So thank you!

Awkay… I'm having some insecurity issues so I'm cutting the chase before I drive myself up the wall. (rolls eyes at oneself) 'Hope ya'll have a good time.

The Slumbering Beast

Derek had seen and heard a lot in his life. Some of those things made him question absolutely everything. Others… he just couldn't explain. Other things, like having his best friend looking at him with terror filled eyes and telling that he could see dead people.

Time itself froze at those words. The air around them turned cold, uncertain. The silence stretched, weighing them down mercilessly. And then Derek sputtered the first words that came into his buzzing skull. "You've gotta be kidding me."

He regretted his words in an instant when Spencer's eyes filled with tears. The man's hand trembled when he pulled down the collar of his shirt a little bit, revealing most definitely fresh red spots on his neck. A chokehold. "Do you… Do you think that I did this to myself? That I'm losing my mind?" The genius unleashed a laughter of bitterness and panic. "Maybe I am. It'd make sense. But… But it attacked me, Morgan. Just before you came. It… It doesn't want me to help you find her. And there, in the conference room… I saw Gabrielle. She showed me that cabin, okay? That's how I know. She… She showed me what he does to them. And I…" The man was so close to tears that his eyes shone and his lip quivered ever so slightly. "I can't let that happen to Ashley, or anyone else. So I… I need someone to believe me, to help me. Because I… I'm scared out of my mind and I have no idea of what I'm supposed to do."

There was a million things Derek could've done. Perhaps even should've done. But to his shame he didn't manage any of them. Instead he stared, like the person before him – his best friend – had suddenly become a total stranger.

What was he supposed to do? To believe that the man was seeing ghosts? Shock, fear and disbelief tangled together, forming a blockage into his throat.

Spencer noticed, of course. The last time he saw that look on the man's face was when Emily appeared to the doorway, returning from the dead. Only this time it wasn't eased with joy and relief. Derek never got the chance to make things right. For just then the room's door opened.

There was a quite warning look on Aaron's face. The man's jawline was tight. "We may have found something." The unit chief's eyebrows furrowed while his piercing eyes met Spencer, evaluating. "Are you sure that you're in the condition to work?"

Spencer nodded far too eagerly, his whole body twitching with anxiety. "I just want to get this over with." With those words the man walked out of the room, clearly avoiding direct eye contact with Derek.

As soon as the genius had left Aaron cast a questioning look towards Derek. All he could give in return was a frustrated sigh and a shake of head. What the hell was he supposed to say when he didn't understand anything anymore?

He'd have to choose between his head and his heart. And for Spencer's sake he'd have to do it quickly. Before it was too late.

JJ could tell that something was wrong the second Spencer and Derek entered the room. The way Spencer avoided the older man's eyes… The aura of worry and irritation… The shocked look in Derek's eyes…

That moment wasn't the one for questions, though. Because as soon as the men walked in Penelope was speaking. "As it turns out there was some footage related to this case, after all. There was a security camera on Gabrielle Young's campus that was supposed to be broken. It did catch something. A security guard sent this file to me as soon as he saw JJ's press conference and realized that it might be related to the case."

After a second the recording was running. At first all they saw was static. Then, squinting, they were able to make out a most likely teenage girl with long, blond hair. There was blood all over her but it was impossible to tell how badly she was injured. After about two minutes Gabrielle appeared to the screen.

At that the footage ended, so abruptly that they all jumped slightly.

Penelope gave them an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, but the file was pretty badly damaged. I'm not sure how much of it I'll be able to restore."

Aaron's eyes flashed. "That girl is the last one who saw Gabrielle before the abduction. Do whatever you can and start right now. At the moment that clip is the only lead we have."

The rest of the team didn't notice it but JJ did. Subtly and soundlessly Spencer slipped out of the room, a look on his face that truly scared her. Her eyes sharpened. This could be her only chance.

While the others focused on the new discovery JJ distanced herself from the group and made her way out of the room, to where Spencer was leaning against the wall. There was a chilling, haunted look in his eyes that made her stomach twist with worry even more than the lack of color on his face. He was shaking and she could tell that he was barely standing.

"Spence." There was no pride in her anymore. She was pleading openly, using the tone of a voice Spencer had never been able to resist. If she would've dared to she would've touched him. "Please, tell me what's going on. Because… This is scaring me, alright?" She took a shuddering breath, taking in his tormented form. What the hell was it eating him away? "You're my friend. The godfather of my son. One of the most important people in my life. And I… I can't stand to see you like this. So please…!"

Spencer's eyes were torn with guilt, fear and frustration. She could nearly touch the distress floating all around him. "I really wish that I could tell you. I would if I could, you need to believe that." So saying he was already turning although it clearly took all his strength and determination. "Tell Hotch that I'll be back in an hour, okay? That I needed some air. Maybe… Maybe I should've stayed in the hospital, after all." He was already moving away from her. "And tell Morgan that I'm sorry."

JJ knew all too well that there was no use in arguing with him. That's why all she could do was watch him walk away although it made her feel like her heart had been torn right out. And for the first time she truly found herself wondering if she'd ever see him again.

For the first time since the whole turmoil after Emily's return from the dead Spencer felt like there was absolutely no place for him to go. He couldn't stay at work where the clues he tried to drop fell on deaf ears. As it turned out, though, he didn't have to choose where to go on his own. He was just staring at the familiar stairs of a metro station when his cell phone rang.

He shivered before picking up, frowning at the unfamiliar number. "Spencer Reid."

"This is nurse Jackie Bennet from Quantico General. Is this… a bad time?"

Spencer stood rooted where he was, his head buzzing with all the movement there was around him. It was a dull, hollow sound. "No. What is it?" Dread bubbled underneath his skin, burning like acid. What was going on?

"A while ago a John Doe was brought into the emergency room. His condition didn't appear promising so we did all we could to identify him but didn't get anywhere until today." There was a tiny pause. "His name is Nathan Harris. It looks like he listed you as his emergency contact a few years ago."

Spencer felt like he'd been shot again. His eyes widened and he actually felt color draining from his face. Nathan…! He'd been thinking about that poor, troubled soul every single day since they met but hadn't managed to find a trace of the youth. Until today he'd thought that he'd never see Nathan again, that he'd never get the chance to find the answer that was burning his head. Why in the world would Nathan have listed him as a emergency contact? It took ages before he managed to produce a sound. "I… I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Good. I don't mean to worry you, but… I'm not sure how much time there's left."

Derek's head hurt like it'd been about to burst as he leaned it against the wall. His cell phone practically burned in his pocket. He had absolutely no idea of what to do with it.

What to do with Spencer.

"I'm taking that as your talk with Spence didn't go as well as you hoped. Neither did mine." JJ's sad voice caught him off guard. There was a frustrated look on her face.

He sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. "I found out why he said that Seaver's in a cabin. The problem is that I have no idea of what to do with that information."

JJ frowned, folding her arms. Her eyes were those of a protective mother bear. "Do you think that he's in a trouble?"

Derek nodded. Cold squeezed his chest mercilessly. If only he would've been able to tell her everything…

JJ would've most definitely attacked him with more questions if his cell phone hadn't rang just then. It was Penelope. "What's up, baby girl?" he inquired.

"Don't ask me how, but… I was able to restore that file." Her voice was nearly shaking from shock and he heard her swallow. "Get in here, now."

Derek practically ran to Penelope's lair, JJ following only a step or two behind. Aaron, Emily and David were already there, none of them appearing less anxious than he felt. Penelope appeared even more shocked than she sounded as she stared at her computer's screen. Derek spoke although he wasn't sure if he wanted to know. "What did you find?"

Penelope's eyes were huge when they met his briefly. "The rest of the footage… It's right here. And I… I have no idea of how Reid's going to take this."

Derek's lips opened but the clip was already playing. His eyes were sharp and full of alert upon locking to the screen. In mere moments the whole world stood still.

Just like the last time the first thing he saw was the girl, sitting there on the street, crying and covered in blood. Then Gabrielle Young walked in. She reacted like any sane person would to seeing a seemingly hurt teenager all alone on a street. She rushed over, panicked and her lips moving constantly. Questions. Words of comfort. Promises that everything was going to be alright eventually.

The shadow was almost unnoticeable at first. But then, in about twenty seconds, they were able to distinguish the figure of a man. A man who seemed to be holding a syringe upon approaching the unsuspecting woman who was only trying to help. The girl's eyes, on the other hand, moved towards the arrival. A gleam lit into them while she began to smile.

Derek didn't even see the chilling look on the teenager's face. Nor could he focus on Gabrielle. For at that very moment the man was finally in sight. A set of gasps ran through the group of profilers when recognition dawned.

"Shit…!"

The man was without a doubt none other than Nathan Harris.

Spencer's head was a mess when he barged into the hospital's ICU ward. Several members of staff gave him long glimpses, obviously disapproving his presence, but a young woman with angrily shortcut black hair and unnaturally blue eyes made her way to him. "I'm Jackie", she explained. "I…"

He nodded, interrupting her. "You called me, I know." Bemused and nervous, he shifted his weight restlessly. "So… How is Nathan?"

"You need to tell me if I'm giving too much information, alright?" Jackie sighed, running a hand through her hair. "He was in a car accident. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt and he was speeding, which means that he flew through the windshield with a massive force. There was a lot of blood loss, several broken bones and significant damage to his spine. He also sustained a severe head trauma and his brain suffered quite a bit of damage, which is why he's been in a coma since then. He can't breathe on his own and his heart… It just won't do its job properly anymore." She gave him a look of genuine sympathy. "I'm truly sorry. I wish I'd had better news for you."

Spencer gulped laboriously, barely even hearing her. "Can I… see him?"

Jackie nodded. "Of course." She motioned him to follow. "He… probably looks quite different from the way you remember him. I don't want you to be taken aback."

It was Spencer's turn to nod. He followed the nurse, trying to prepare himself for anything. What he faced wasn't anything he'd expected.

Nathan lay in a plain bed with a far from peaceful expression on his deathly pale, swollen and badly bruised face. Dark circles surrounded his tightly closed eyes. There were what looked like a million tubes and wires attached to him. Despite the determined gasps of a respirator the young man's chest was barely moving. The only sounds came from the machines.

Spencer felt tears building up in his eyes and suddenly breathing was a lot more difficult than before. He approached the younger man, not even noticing how the nurse left to grant them some privacy. He laid a hand to the edge of the bed, not daring to touch in fear of disturbing one of the tubes. There, up close, he got a proper look of all the fresh and old self inflicted scars littering Nathan's arms. So many of them, forming sickening rivers…

He wiped his eyes although no moisture appeared yet, never noticing that he was trembling. "I'm sorry", he whispered. "I'm so sorry."

This time he didn't know to expect the icy cold that rose into the air deviously swiftly. And he most certainly didn't expect the venomous hiss that echoed in his head. "No, you're not. Not yet. But I promise you, you will be."

Spencer gasped, his eyes wide and barely managing to keep himself from hyperventilating. The machines around Nathan were wailing and flashing. The world around him fell into a chaos and all he could do was stand there, like his whole body had been paralyzed.

"I told you to let me die back then. Remember? I was begging of you. I saw the monster I was turning into – letting me die would've been the only way to stop it. But instead you chose to force me to live. And now… Now those women have paid the price. Ashley is paying the price."

Spencer really, actually couldn't breathe. His heartbeat burst out of control at the exact moment Nathan flatlined. His body was shutting down. What the hell was happening to him?

What had he done? What had Nathan done?

"You really should've let me die."

TBC

A/N: I'd call that a surprise. (shudders a bit) Soooo… What's the girl's story? What about Reid, Seaver and the rest of the team – are they going to get out of this one? The story, as you may see, is ticking towards its end…

PLEASE, use the opportunity you have to let me hear ya out! Was that a gourmet dish, or a pile of steaming… Well, I think you get the picture. (rubs hands together) There's only one way to let me know, guys.

Until next time, folks! 'Hope I'll be seeing ya then.

Take care!

Guest: Let's hope so! Because he'd REALLY need that help. (sighs)

Thank you so much for the review!

Ren: Awww, don't worry, you weren't late at all! (hugs) We'll see just what happens next as the story leaps on. I'm happy to hear that the twists thus far have pleased you! (grins)

Massive thank yous for the review!

lightinshadow: Technology so sucks sometimes, doesn't it? (groans)

Things are clicking indeed. Let's hope that the team manages to function fast enough to save both Reid and Seaver – and preferrably without getting themselves killed in the process…

LOL! My wrath can sure be a terrifying thing, no? (chuckles)

HUGE thank yous for the review!