Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal minds.

10. Conspiracy

"He's gotta be here somewhere…" Morgan said, loudly enough for JJ to hear.

…

JJ stared at the picture, feeling the bruise on her head. "Are you two shackled too?" She called, confuse meant in her words.

…

"Yeah, a cuff around one of our legs." Garcia called back. "Why?"

…

JJ picked up the photograph, closing her eyes. "Have you guys seen this picture of Reid?

…

"Yeah," Morgan scoffed, hating the image that burned behind his eyes.

…

"This guy only chained our legs, but he's got Reid completely bound." JJ pushed the picture away. Another thought hit her. "When he abducted me, he said something strange, he said Every Aunt wishes for a child of her own, to love and protect."

…

"He called Reid my brother, and Morgan my uncle. He said that the easiest way to hurt a family was through its children." Garcia added.

"He's comparing us to some kind of family," Morgan said. "He's taken our youngest to hurt us, to make us oblige to whatever he wants. He's made Reid appear vulnerable, he wants us scared."

"He said he wanted vengeance, but then…" Garcia trailed off.

"What happened?" Morgan asked.

"When we got here, while you were still unconscious, he started acting differently. Happier. He called me Paula, said we were home. He brought me into the living room, and said I'd always liked to sit here."

…

"Maybe he's comparing us to his family." JJ mused. "Something happened to his family, and he's taking it out on us."

…

"We gotta get in this guys head, work his fantasy until he trusts us." Morgan said, looking around the room. "Analyze the rooms, see what these people were like, be these people."

…

"This room is tidy, lots of books, it was a girl's room." JJ said as she looked around the room.

…

"It must have been one of his aunts rooms." Garcia said, looking over the plain living room.

"He called Garcia Paula, we're going to have to start using that name, making this guy feel like we know what he's talking about. Tricking him into telling us about this family, so we can become them."

.-.-.-.-

Aunty was waking while Lucas carried her into the house, a confused stirring. Soon, she would begin to fight him, she would be afraid, angry. It would be good for her to wake up home, to be in her old sewing room. It would help her to remember.

She was dazed, blinking away the blurs in her vision. She felt herself placed into a creaky rocking chair, felt the cool ring encase her ankle. She heard the lock click, and her body tensed. Something wasn't right, she needed to pull out of this darkness.

Something was slid into her hand, her gingers were wrapped around the edges. There was a low chuckle, followed by a bright flash and the sound of film winding. And then the room became empty. The paper was thick, its surface slick in the middle, somewhat rough around the edges. Her vision cleared, she shook her head, and sat up straight in the chair.

She looked around the room, dusty and old, filled with sewing supplies, a small dresser, wardrobe, and a twin sized bed with a half finished green sweater on it. The shackle around her ankle was bolted to the leg of the bed. She turned her gaze to the photograph that had been placed in her hand, and for a moment, her body paused. Someone had taken Reid, probably whoever had taken her, and trussed him up like a calf in a rodeo show.

"What the hell is going on?" Elle asked the darkness that slowly crept into the window.

.-.-.-.-

Morgan and Garcia watched as the man came down the stairs, a distant look in his eyes. They had seen him carry Elle up the stairs, barely conscious, and they were angry. How many of them was he going after? How many would he get?

Garcia was the first to speak to him, quiet, cautious. "You haven't told us your name, I-I cant remember it."

The man looked at her, confused. "Lucas." A faint smile. "You should remember that, sister."

She smiled back. "We don't remember, Lucas. Our names, this house, its all lost to us."

"I'm sorry about that," He sighed. "It's probably because I shattered you, but you'll remember."

He smiled at Morgan. "Uncle Dan, I'm glad you've calmed down. It would have done the boy no good to have you angry."

"Where is he, Lucas." Morgan asked, remaining calm, despite his want to hurt this man.

"He's in our room…" Lucas said distantly, then turned toward the kitchen, out of view.

.-.-.-.-

Lucas walked through the kitchen, toward the cellar door. He descended down those stairs, into his bedroom, and stared at the figure bound to his bed. Who was this boy really? He was of their family, that was why they were all worried, why they cared, but, was he part of his family?

All of the others had been reborn in these people because they had died, but he had not died, he had survived. So how could he have been reborn? Was this boy supposed to be him, though he had lived? Or was he just a distraction?

Lucas gripped his hair in confused frustration. This had all started as his vengeance for their happiness at his misfortune. He had watched them as a family, smiling happy people. The life he had never had lived in them, and they should have suffered for it. But they were so much like his own, they were his! Those hearts were beating after years of death, the house knew who these people were, Lucas knew!

And yet, this one boy baffled him, made him rethink his decision in all of this. Did he want to hurt their family, or repair his own? Lucas was not dead, he could not have been reborn. And there was the extra to consider, the one man who did not fit, who could not possibly be part of his family. That one all ready had two families, the one he shared with Lucas', and the one he had with his wife and son. He could not be left free, but he was not truly of Lucas' blood.

Too many unanswered questions, and no time to debate. It was Sunday night, and there were two more to bring back. He could make his decisions when he had them all here, when all was safe.

He sat on the bed next to the boy, leaning close enough to feel his breath bounce off of his skin. It made him smile to watch the boy try to remain calm, to hear his quiet whimpers.

"I will bring them all here, using you. I don't understand what role you are to play, where you fit in this if I am not to take my revenge, but, your have been rather useful, as you will continue to be." Lucas chuckled, stroking the boys face.