I'm just doing a quick update now; I'm heading up north tomorrow morning, and while I'll PROBABLY be bringing my computer, I can't promise it; my mom's driving me up and she likes to keep her computer at home during these Northern vacations... And I know there isn't much Reid here, but I had to get this in. There'll be plenty of Spencer, Tobias and Foyet next chapter; I'm writing it right now!

Also... The state of Minnesota is in a full Government Shutdown! YAY! (not!) ...My school isn't affected but it puts a damper on my fiancial aid situation... xP

Again, I don't own Criminal Minds!

….

I know there's a blue horizon/Somewhere up ahead, just waiting for me/Getting there means leaving things behind/Sometimes life's so bitter sweet. ~Carrie Underwood "Starts with Goodbye"

JJ sat on the couch in her living room, lost in thought. At her feet was a small backpack with a Las Vegas keychain hanging from one of the zippers. She grasped the item in her hands, feeling every groove and edge of the decoration in her grasp.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, David Rossi and Emily Prentiss watched the young blonde woman in the other room. JJ had gladly served them copious cups of coffee until Rossi had gently guided her to the couch and told her to relax for a while. Now, they watched her completely drop her strong front and stare at the backpack, a lost look on her face.

"She blames herself," Prentiss whispered sadly to the older man. "I know Garcia was here earlier, trying to comfort her, but…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "If I hadn't read the case file, I would have assumed that Spencer was her son."

Dave nodded, sipping his umpteenth cup of coffee. "JJ's lost so much already," he began softly. "Her husband was a loving and caring man, and they had a son together. After his death she realized that he wouldn't see Henry grow up. So when Spencer was assigned to her for protection, she wanted to prove that someone else wouldn't lose their life under her watch. She blames herself for both Will's death and Spencer abduction. She knows that she can't change Will's fate, but she wants to spare Spencer from that; she wants him to come home."

Emily nodded, continuing to watch the woman through the doorway until a little blonde boy toddled up, arms opened wide. Henry, Emily reminded herself as JJ picked up the little boy and took the moment that his head was turned toward the kitchen to wipe the tears from her eyes; Henry waved sleepily at the two agents, who waved back wearily before the child settled his head on his mother's shoulders and closed his eyes as JJ walked away. A few minutes later, she returned to the kitchen, wiping more tears from her eyes.

Rossi spoke first. "Do you mind if we stay here for the night; I think you may need some company, and it's—"

"Protocol, yes I know," JJ whispered, walking toward the coffee pot and began pouring another cup for herself, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Emily took the opportunity to snatch JJ's coffee cup and the coffee pot from in front of the other woman. At JJ's protests, Rossi grabbed her hand.

"Jennifer, it's late," he whispered. "As much as I know how you would like to help us, you can't right now; you're tired, and Henry needs you. He needs you to be awake for him because tomorrow is going to be tough enough, and I don't want you to be falling over halfway through the day because you didn't sleep tonight."

"But Spencer," she whispered exhaustedly.

"Emily and I will stay up; if anything happens, we'll let you know." As he spoke, his pocket vibrated. At the same time, he heard Emily answer her phone.

"Prentiss… The sketches were a match? Who was… Okay. Garcia, are you… The pictures and the sketches are exactly the same? Okay, that… Yes, I can be there. Rossi is going to stay in case something happens… Okay. See you in a bit."

Then she turned toward Rossi and JJ. "They found a match for both the sketches of the men Derek described." She reported.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Derek was walking down the street that he and Spencer walked everyday to and from school. Spencer was up ahead, moving faster than Derek's surprisingly heavier steps; it was almost like the younger boy was lighter than air, while he, Derek, was weighed down by…

He turned around.

His backpack.

Derek quickly turned back at a sudden shout to see Spencer running back toward him, being chased by Justin Bieber and Borat. The faces of the two pop culture icons were distorted and their eyes were black with dilated red pupils. Their hands were claws reaching, groping, intent on grabbing the small figure running toward Derek.

But the distance between the two was getting longer, and no matter how fast Derek ran, he couldn't reach Spencer, who was shrinking with the distance as he came closer to Derek.

"Spencer!" Derek roared. "I'm coming! Just keep running!"

"Derek, help me!" the plea was distant, not quite faint, but far enough away to elicit a sense of fear from Derek; he wouldn't be able to reach the kid.

Desperate, he tried pulling off his heavy backpack, but it wouldn't budge. Instead, the straps and handles snaked their way around Derek's arms and chest, sending him crashing to the ground. At the same time, a shrill scream split the air.

"Derek! Help me! Please!"

The grotesque figures were closing in on the younger, smaller figure; Spencer remained just out of reach, but for how much longer?

Derek struggled against the constricting material "No…" he begged. "No, please… not again. Please… Don't! He's just a kid!"

And Spencer was so close, reaching out toward Derek's form when the claws constricted themselves around him and dragged him back away from Derek.

"No!" Derek howled. "He's just a kid! Damn it, he's just a kid."

The screaming continued as a hole opened in the ground, and the grotesque kidnappers leapt into the depth of the hole, their captive wrapped in material that reminded Derek of the spider web from The Lord of the Rings movies. Desperately, the older boy wriggled toward the hole, but before he could reach it, it snapped shut.

Suddenly, there was a noise, like a low moan growing from the depths of the earth; it only took Derek a moment to realize that it was coming from him. And then the moan exploded into a scream.

"NO!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Jason Gideon awoke to the sound of screaming and pleading. Leaping from his bed, he burst into the hall and flew into Derek's bedroom.

The younger boy was thrashing, his sheets twisted around his body as he sobbed brokenly. Acting quickly, Jason grabbed the boy's arms, restraining him and began gently talking him out of the dream.

"Derek! Derek, it's only a dream. Wake up! It's only a dream, Derek, wake up!"

Derek's eyes snapped open and he glanced around the room for a moment, moving his arms and legs as he did so before looking toward Jason.

"It's only a dream," Jason repeated, and Derek nodded, wiping his forehead. "Do you want anything?"

Derek shook his head. "I saw them again, but they looked horrible; they were like monsters of demon or something out of a horror movie; they took Spencer and I couldn't stop them."

"You mean the kidnappers?"

Derek nodded again. "But it was the faces of the masks, the actual people from on the masks. They took Spencer and jumped down a hole."

Jason leaned over to wrap an arm around the teenager, and Derek seemed to fall asleep almost immediately, although his breath still hitched with sobs as he whimpered in his sleep.

Jason woke him from three more nightmares that night and never left the bed. He eventually fell asleep sitting next to Derek, his arm still wrapped around the boy's shoulders.

….

A/N: 101 Reviews in eight chapters! Thanks you guys! **hugs**

Thanks to my awesome reviewers pippinheart, Abigail Thalia LaRue, Fairytopia, LenniluvsBrian, lightinshadow, fireball1012, Reidemption, JusticeIsBlind13, Unknown, SpencerReid1, Doll and the-vampire-act! You guys are AMAZING!

LenniluvsBrian: It probably won't be happening this story; I'd warn you if it was. Thanks for reading; I hope you enjoyed it and please come back soon! :)
Unknown: Glad to see you're back, and still hooked! Thanks for all the lovely compliments; I hope to see you again! Please enjoy this chapter! ;)
Doll: Thank you! I hope you liked this one; please come back! :D

I should be back on Monday evening; I have class Tuesday morning (Blah!) And The review button should be around here somewhere... there **points**

Happy Fourth of July! And good-night! :D

*~N_CBAU~*