Headaches

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

They walked together through the woods. Sometimes hands would brush by each other in a wishful way. Sometimes eyes would look into eyes in a needful way but never looking too deep or too needful.

Reid was feeling strangely nervous. He didn't know why. He was with who he needed to be with. He should feel safe. Why did he feel endangered?

"Floyd – where – where are we going?" He felt confused almost drugged. The nightmare………….was it a nightmare? Everything was so confusing.

"It's a surprise." Always questions. This was getting irritating. Ungrateful stupid boy. "Don't look so worried Spence. It's all good, I promise."

Reid stopped walking. "I am hungry and tired and I have a headache and you saying it's all good?" His voice raised slightly in annoyance.

Floyd took a step forward and took something out of his pocket. "Chew on this and don't you ever talk to me like that again Spence. People don't talk to me like that. Not even you." Mouths close. Lips touching. "You understand?" He put a small bit of something in Reid's hand. "Chew it. Relax."

"What – what is it?" Feeling the breath on his lips.

"Questions, Spence. Always too many questions." A quick brushing of lips and he was turning around and walking away. Reid looked at the thing in his hand. It looked like a bit of mushroom. A fungus of some kind. His brow knotted.

"Flanders are you drugging me with magic mushrooms?"

Floyd stopped again and turned around…The smile on his mouth not reaching his eyes. "Just chew it and shut up Reid."

"Oh! And if I decide I don't want to eat this – this thing?"

Moving closer to Reid. "Then I will make you."

"Oh, and just how will you do that?" Grinning

"I will tickle you without mercy. Now chew."

……….

Gideon was watching Hotch rub at his temples and run his fingers through his hair.

"Aaron, is everything OK. Apart from the obvious."

"It's fine. Just a bit of a headache." And Aaron got up and went to the men's room with Jason following close behind. Morgan and Prentiss glanced their way then over to JJ who was just sitting looking out of the window.

Aaron was in a stall being sick so Gideon went to get him a drink of water, when he returned Hotch was washing his hands. "Not just a headache Aaron." He stated.

Hotch slowly shook his head. "No not just a headache. Bad dreams too. Not quite nightmares, but not good dreams either. Jason, I need to find Reid."

"Well all do."

"Yes. We all do." Aaron wiped water over his face and took the cup of cool spring water from Jason. "Thank you." But he was swaying and there was no colour in his face.

"Aaron go and lay down. You can't work like this."

"I need to find him."

"You need to rest. What use will you be to us if you can't think straight? Get something for the headache and sleep it off. It's doubtful we will get an update anytime soon."

Hotch sighed and nodded. "Very well, but any news, and I mean anything, you come and get me."

….

Hotch took the couch in the ready room and lay down to try to sleep the pain away but as soon as his eyes closed it started again.

Walking in the forest. A taste of something sweetly salty in his mouth.

Deep deep hunger and a fading fear. What happened to cause the fear?

Who was he with? He couldn't tell. He looked at his hands but they didn't look like his.

Long fingers with chewed bloody fingernails, and cracked sore knuckles. They looked like Reid's hands, but not.

Reid's hands had long nails and soft skin. These were hardened and painful.

He felt woozy and scared and happy and relaxed all at the same time. It felt like a sleepy drugged happiness.

Then the dream twisted to old memories of himself, and he let out a moan as the dream carried him back to places he promised he would never go again.

They finally exited the edge of the forest to face a huge lake. Reid stood and looked at it and frowned.

"Lovely. Now you want me to go and catch dinner?"

He got a severe hair ruffling. "You relax. I will cook." And he led Spencer around the lake by his hand to a quiet cabin on the lakeside. They walked past the newly dug and covered graves, and away from the blood drenched generator shed.

"Floyd? Whose place is this?" Was that doubt again? How strong was this boys will?

"It belongs to a friend." And quickly walking towards the door.

"Well now I know you are lying. You have no friends." Big grin.

The cabin was warm and friendly. Two bedrooms, one of which obviously belonged to a child. Reid sat on the big couch and lay back and relaxed "So who are these friends then?"

"I thought you were half starved to death Spence."

"I am." And he sat and watched Floyd preparing the food.

"Then let me cook and stop asking so many questions." He thought for a moment then added. "Just enjoy the moment."

Reid scowled at him and stopped with the questions. For now.

The food turned out to be surprisingly good. A pasta with stuff over it. Reid made a mess but it tasted good. It filled him and made him feel happy and sleepy and relaxed again. He closed his eyes in the comfort of the cabin knowing Floyd was there if the lights suddenly went out and they would. Cabin middle of the woods, something bad always happened. Something bad happened at Gideon's cabin. He tried to think what it was, but the memory was fading as his mind drifted to happy things. He slowly drifted off into another drug induced sleep.

"Christ Spence. Why are you making this all so difficult for me?" and he kissed the sleeping Reid on the forehead.

Floyd sat in front of the small fire in the grate and thought.

Wake up Aaron.

I need you here.

Come on.

You know you need to be here.

You know you need to protect Spencer.

Come to me Hotchner.

And somewhere a sleeping Hotch moaned out again and whispered in his sleep "I don't know where you are though."

Get in your car and drive.

I will tell you where to go.

They will ask me where I am going.

Think of something Aaron. Your boy needs you so much.

Hotch sat up and rubbed his head with his fingertips. The pain was going but the heaviness was still there. He walked slowly to the door and opened it. Still not a lot of activity. They were waiting for Reid or anyone to use his plastic or for some odd report to come in from somewhere.

"I need fresh air. I am going to take a drive around." And he started to leave the office.

"Aaron?" It was Gideon. "Are you sure you are alight to be driving? Let me drive you."

"Thank you Jason I do appreciate the offer but I need space to think and air in my head. You understand?" He hoped Gideon did, because he sure didn't!

I am on my way.

Good. Make sure they don't follow.

I have a fun evening set up.

I don't want them to ruin it.

And Aaron started a journey down the road and out of the town. Without really thinking about it, Aaron pulled over into a car rental lot and parked up. He then requested something small and inexpensive. He paid his money and carried on the journey. He knew the SUV could easily be tracked. This would stop that. The day was pulling to a close when he bumped along the old track to the forest lake. By now what remained of the team would be looking for him. They would have found the SUV. They would know something was wrong. Aaron got out of the small car and walked slowly to the door of the cabin.

"Aaron – at last. Come in and join us." He watched Flanders carefully. He might have been coerced into doing this somehow, but he had not forgotten what this man had been doing. What his man was capable of.

"Where is Reid?" His main concern. Was Reid still alive?

"Sleeping on the couch. Go say hi – but I doubt he will wake up." And he was smiling happily at Aaron.

Hotch walked quickly to check on Reid. It looked like he had just slumped over from a sitting position. Some of this shirt buttons where undone, and his shoes were removed.

"Reid?" and he shook him gently but all he got back was a low murmur.

"You won't be able to wake him."

"What have you done to him and why did you bring me here?" Aaron shook Reid harder but his hands were pulled away.

"I drugged him. He kept resisting me, so I had to drug him. He won't be waking for a while. So tell me Aaron. Just what is it the two of you have going? A relationship? A deep friendship? Tell me how you comfort him Aaron. I want the details."

……………………………..