Hey everyone, here is the next chapter for you all. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I'm so sorry for my delay in posting my updates. I know that it's been over two weeks since my last update but I've had some stuff happen over the last two weeks. I had a rough time emotionally last week, I've had three fingers on my right hand strapped up after an accident involving some heavy stuff falling on them and had a bad fit yesterday. I'm doing better now that I can type a bit better. Really sorry for the delay in updating. Thank you for staying with this story. Enjoy and I hope to hear from you all soon.

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All mistakes are my own

Emily walked numbly through the hospital, she had seen the news on a website and couldn't stay away. She brought up her credentials to the guards outside and stepped into the room after they stepped aside. Blake and JJ both lifted their heads at her sudden appearance but her attention was drawn to the hospital bed where Garcia was asleep and holding one her best friend's hands. JJ came to her side.

"Why didn't you call me?" Emily said tearfully. "I had to read the news on the internet to find out about Reid being taken."

"We're still working on the case," JJ tried to explain.

Emily shook her head and went to Reid's bedside. "I will always come when you need me! Look at him, JJ. I deserved to know as soon as you found him. You should have called me to help you find him."

"Emily," Reid moaned. "Emily, is that you?"

Garcia awoke groggily from her sleep. Emily sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Reid's cheek with a feather light touch. "Hey, Reid. It's me," she said, her voice cracking.

Emily accepted Garcia's hug immediately but kept one hand touching Reid's bruised cheek. No words were needed between Garcia and herself. They shared a bond that she hoped would never be broken. She felt Garcia shake in her arms and knew her heart was fragile. Garcia stepped back and stroked Emily's hair. "I've missed you so much. I'm sorry we didn't call, Emily."

"I'm here now and that is all that matters," Emily smiled sadly before turning back to Reid. "Reid, are you still awake?"

"I really want to see you but I can't yet," Reid wheezed before licking his dry lips. Blake grabbed a jug and left the room to get some ice chips and cold water.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere for a while. Oh, Reid."

"Don't cry," Reid said quietly. "I don't want to upset you."

"You're not upsetting me," Emily sighed before wiping away tears creeping down her cheeks. "I'm upset at the fact someone hurt you and I don't understand how anyone could hurt you because you're the best man I know."

Reid's bottom lip quivered and sob escaped his lips. "I-I thought I-I was going to die."

"Don't get upset," Emily soothingly spoke. "You're safe now."

"I-I got someone killed," he hiccuped. "He shot a man and his blood hit me. W-Why wasn't I good?"

Blake arrived back in the room with a jug of iced water and a plastic cup. She poured some water into it and placed a straw in the cup. Garcia brought the bed up carefully while Blake brought the straw to his lips. "Reid, it's Blake, I want you to drink some water, only small sips."

Reid winced as the straw touched his stitched lip but relished the feeling of the soothing cold on his sandpaper throat. The water was more precious to him than anything. His abductor had denied him both food and water. Blake brought the cup away causing a small whimper to leave him. "You can have some more in a few minutes. We can't upset your stomach now."

JJ stepped forward and held Reid's hand. "Spence, I have something to tell you. The man whom kidnapped you is dead. The police found his body in the woods. His real name was Declan Wilson."

"Good," Reid said through gritted teeth. He wheezed and clenched the blanket with his uninjured hand as memories assaulted his mind. "I...just wanted him to stop. He broke my legs..because I ran."

"Reid, calm down," Emily said gently. "Don't get lost in the memories."

"I don't want to talk about it," Reid pleaded. "I don't want to talk about anything that happened to me or about Declan. Please don't."

"Shhh," Garcia said immediately. "We won't talk about it. Go back to sleep, sweetie. You can't let yourself get stressed. Go to sleep. You'll be safe and we'll watch over you."

Garcia carefully stroked her hand through his hair till he fell back to sleep while the rest of the team stayed silent. Emily brought her hand to Garcia's hand and
held it tightly. "You're an angel."

Garcia let out a small laugh before looking to Reid. "He said the same thing."

She turned to the others. "No-one talks to him about this till he is ready. He can't deal with that right now. We keep him safe and then we will explain everything to him when he's ready. He went through so much pain and he doesn't need to relieve it."

The silence in the room was a silent agreement between them all to not talk about what Reid had gone through while they were around him. He deserved peace after so much horror.


Hotch stood outside the interrogation room where Carey Lock waited. Rossi came next to him and let out a deep sigh. "You don't have to go in there, Hotch. I can do this for you."

"No, I need to do this," Hotch said. "It's my responsibility to make sure Reid is kept safe and to do that I need the name of the other man kidnapped by Carey. Reid's gone through a lot working for the FBI but I've seen him grow through each tragedy that he's gone through. You should have seen him the first time I met him."

"What was he like?" Rossi asked.

"A lot shyer than he is now. He profiled me immediately after I asked him to. He was nervous but there was something special about him. It wasn't his mind. There was something in his eyes. I saw the strength he kept hidden away. This team wouldn't have survived all these years without that strength. I can think of a lot of cases that could have gone the wrong way without him. I don't care for him enough."

"What do you mean?"

"He's alone too much," Hotch said honestly. "He was alone when he was walking home the night he was taken. That son of a bitch Declan dragged him to an alley and no-one was there to help him. He was alone when he was being tortured. He lives alone, spends most weekends on his own and he's gone through life changing events on his own. I know he's there with us sometimes but as more time goes on, I know that he needs us more. We all have a breaking point and I think Reid is near his. We can't let him go over that breaking point because we'll never get him back."

"We won't let him reach that point, Hotch. We're a team and we don't let one of our own fall."

Hotch smiled at Rossi before composing himself. "I need to speak with Carey."

"Good luck. I'll be here if you need support."

"Thanks."

Hotch walked into the room with a stoic composure on his face. Carey looked up and gave Hotch a small smile.

"I'm Agent Hotchner with the FBI. I'm here to ask you about Declan Wilson."

"I'm not sure I know who that is," Carey shrugged.

"Let's not play games, Carey. Declan went missing when he was eighteen years old and he doesn't pop up after ten years and want to free you for no reason. He kidnapped, tortured and almost killed a federal agent. You killed four people in their homes before being caught but there is something more to you. You wanted your work to continue at all costs so you took Declan when he was eighteen and brainwashed him into becoming your protégée. He wasn't the only one though, was he?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Agent Hotchner. I have fans out there. Maybe this Declan is one of these fans."

"Declan Wilson is dead. He was murdered not long after we rescued my agent from him."

Hotch saw something spark in Carey's eyes. His behaviour shifted into one of insecurity.

"You should have seen the wounds on Declan. In fact, you can," Hotch said, placing the file on the table and opening it to show photos of Declan's body. Carey grabbed the photos and looked at them intently. Hotch had him now, he knew it.

"There is some major overkill. The coroner told us that he was stabbed even after he was dead. Now, I'm guessing your other protégée is very jealous over the fact you chose Carey to help you escape. You knew what Declan was planning. There is no use in lying."

Carey's hand shook as he held the photos. "No, not my son."

"Declan wasn't your son, Carey."

"Not by blood but he was my son. His parents didn't truly know what he wanted. I did though. I rescued him and I showed him everything he would need to continue my work and then to eventually create his own. My son is dead," Carey said shakily. "That stupid boy did this."

"Care to share a name?"

"He was never good enough!" Carey yelled angrily. "He was nowhere near my Declan's level."

"GIVE ME A NAME!" Hotch shouted as he lost his sense of calm. "Declan is dead. I want the name of the other man you kidnapped and brainwashed."

Declan held his tongue and stared at Hotch. "I'm not giving you his name. He may have killed Declan but he's the last mark of my work and I intend to ensure he's kept free. If you want him, you find him yourself."

Hotch rushed forward and grabbed Declan by the collar, he slammed him into the wall angrily and ignored Rossi rushing in.

"Your favourite student is dead," Hotch growled. "I don't care about your mark being in the world or that Declan is dead. I hope he's burning in hell after what he did to my agent. I want a name!"

"My lips are staying shut," Carey smirked.

Rossi grabbed Hotch's fist as he tried to hit Carey and pulled him out of the room. The other guards came into the room and secured Carey. Hotch stepped back from Rossi and clenched his fists. "I shouldn't have lost control like that."

"I want you to visit Reid," Rossi said. "Reid's kidnapping is affecting you more than I thought. Go to the hospital and take a break from the case."

"I can't. I have to find the unsub."

"Hotch, you may be the leader of this team but you're also Reid's friend. Go to the hospital and sit with him for a while. That's an order."

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