Title: Soaring into the Unknown.
Summary: Unknown to the team, there is a criminal on the plane. Could they survive and come out of the experience stronger than ever?
Author's Notes: With Many Thanks to REIDFANATIC for the beta read! I am graceful to her for making my work the best it can be.
I would like to show my gratitude to didi2909, Sue1313, egoofy34, CriminalMindsluvr21, shell2005, DeviousRobynno and Carla-Leigh by offering them a cyber cookie. Enjoy :)
To others, keep on reading!
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Sadly, the characters in this story are borrowed from the TV show 'Criminal Minds'.


Reid was lonely. The lower half of his body was freezing while he kicked gently, steering the bigger board with difficulty, he'd dragged two fully grown unconscious men onto it so he did not have to try and keep three pieces of the broken airplane together.

He had bandaged up Morgan's ribs using a dress that he had fished out of a floating pink suitcase which he could only guess was Garcia's. He tied a jumper around Luke's head, stopping the blood flow.

Reid paused, just letting the board carry him for a while. He was so tired and so cold. He knew that he would have to keep moving to push a little bit of warmth into his legs but the numbness was welcoming. He disliked the throbbing pain that came with each kick.

He cautiously pulled himself onto the board, careful not to bump into one of the men. Groaning as his legs had gone stiff; he tried to wiggle his toes but was too tired to see if they did move.

He closed his eyes, letting the waves creep over him. He coughed when the salt water ran up his nose. He held back a sob; he had never been so lost, so alone. His thoughts kept going back to JJ and his guilt of letting her goes so easily.

There was so many things that he wanted to say to her.

"I am sorry that I never complimented you especially when you looked so beautiful in front of the camera. I am sorry I never told you that I admire you when you give the worst news to hopeful parents. I am sorry I didn't hold onto to you harder, I am sorry I gave up so quickly. I am sorry I never took better care of you so that you would never have to feel pain. I am sorry I never told you that I love you."

"That's nice man but my heart belongs to somebody else." Chortled Morgan as he drew in a shaggy breath. Reid jumped, nearly falling in the water. His mouth was simply just repeating what his mind was screaming.

"I... I was just …" mumbled Reid as he crawled closer to Morgan so he didn't have to twist his head to see Reid.

"You love her, don't you?" asked Morgan. He knew signs of love when he saw it, after all, his heart really was no longer his but Garcia's. He loved her words and fashion sense even if it is a little crazy at times. She was different, good different.

"No," sighed Reid as he twitched his fingers, his heart pounded. "I am in love with her."

The air doubled in tension as they realised that their loves are lost at sea. They may never see them again.

"I miss her." Said Morgan with pain in his voice, the pain in his ribs forgotten for a moment as the thought of his angel runs through his mind.

"I know."

Silence washed over them as Reid wordlessly helped Morgan into a sitting position so that they could scan the messy ocean for any signs of other lives.

The waves grew calmer, rocking the boat ever so gently – luring them into a troublesome sleep. Noises pulled Reid out of his gentle slumber, it sounded like hushed yelling. Waking up fully, Reid sat up so fast that he was sure he pulled a muscle in his stomach. His eyes desperately searched the horizon. He swung around so fast that the board that the men were on almost capsized.

Morgan woke up, confused about what was going on – Reid had become like a wild animal hunting its prey. Next to him, Luke was stirring due to the change in the air – hope.

"Hello?" yelled Reid as he waved his arms, making himself more obvious. He didn't care that he looked like a fool, screaming and wiggling his body like a snake.

He stopped screaming for a moment, leaving no sounds behind. He heard it again, a distant yelling. It sounded female.

"JJ!" Hope bubbled up inside of him. "Is that you?" Oh God, please let it be her. His heart beat faster when he could see two figures gesturing on the horizon. Reid jumped off the board, pushing it as hard and fast as he could.

Morgan felt helpless, he wanted to help – but his ribcage glowed with each movement. Instead, he could only shout – leading the others their way.

As they got closer, Reid's heart sank and his legs kicking slowed. No JJ.

"Reid? It's Garcia and Emily. Why are you slowing?" asked Morgan. He wanted to hug his princess, spilling out all of his love through touch. He could see that both of the girls were soaked – their limbs splashing water everywhere, not caring if they kept hurting themselves. All that mattered to them was that they had found other survivors.

Emily had shouted for so long, along with the blonde haired technician. Their voices had changed in pitch and tone, somewhat deeper but that didn't matter. They were not alone.

Garcia could hear the pain in Reid's answer, "No reason, just tired." She knew that he was disappointed; he had swum so hard to a person that never appeared. She smiled back when Reid apologised to her through his eyes, knowing that she could see right through him.

"My handsome hunk, your love lead me right here," grinned the ecstatic girl as she shuffled from one piece of aircraft to the next. Morgan chuckled, recoiling when the sharp pain hit him. Not wanting to waste another second, he held his arms out which Garcia gladly flew into gently. Placing her head on his chest, listening to his heart beating, she smiled as she recalled the first time she'd done that. Morgan had said, 'you hear that, girl? My heart is beating just for you.' Who knew he could be so corny?

Emily was still floating on her own, holding onto Reid's hand so that they wouldn't be apart again.

"Why don't you come on?" asked Reid as his hands became slippery due to the seawater spraying on them. Although they weren't JJ, he still loved them. He wanted nothing more than all the team back together, so he wasn't going to let go until he was sure that they would stay together.

Emily just merely smiled, "not enough room." She was touched by Reid's concern, with his hand gripping onto her tightly. She liked the warmth that it brought, different from Garcia. He was like a brother to her. She wanted to ask him if he had seen JJ or Hotch but was too afraid to learn the answer.

Silently, they all looked out to the ocean, with no need to say anything more. They were not out of the danger and they certainly did not feel complete. There were two pieces missing from each of their hearts.

Time passed them by and Luke had been pretending to be asleep since Reid jumped out off the board, alerting him that they had company. He had been waiting for the right moment, it was now. The others had been watching the sea for a while now, letting their guards down. He waited until his strength returned and his head didn't ache as much. From listening, he knew that Morgan had been injured so that left only three that he had to deal with.

Judging by the distance of the sound and the movement on the board, he knew that he could knock three off the board easily but somebody was on another board. He thought it was one of the girls. It was a risk that he would have to take. He had to get rid of them; they were making the world a bad place. That was what Michael said and Michael was never wrong. He wanted his daughter to be raised in the best possible world. She was only a little baby, needing her daddy to ensure that she is safe. By getting rid of the team, he would be one step closer to giving his child a brilliant life.

With his wife and daughter's images in his mind, he suddenly jumped up making the board wobble, throwing both Morgan and Garcia off into the icy water. Reid slipped onto the board that Emily was on. With anger in his mind, Luke charged at both Emily and Reid. The brunette stepped aside while Reid lost his balance and fell into the ocean. Luke spun around when he went too far, his hand striking out to hit Emily but she stopped it with ease. With her other hand, she hit Luke in the face, crying out as soon as Luke fell down, knocked out.

Without checking if he was okay, she dropped to her knee upsetting the balance of the board, holding out a hand to help the others back on the broken airplane.

The three worked together to pull Morgan, trying to not make his injury any worse. Garcia could see that he was in great pain by his strained breathing. They all lay down, exhausted from what had just happened but still aware of the fallen man next to them. They had managed to make room for everybody so that they could stay together.

"You did great, Emily," sighed Reid; he was ashamed of how he'd reacted to the situation. He blamed himself; after all he did bring Luke back from the dead. "Are you okay?"

Emily only grimed and held up her battered hand. "I think I broke it."


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