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The Dark

He refused to open his eyes!

Better to look at the blackness of his eyelids, he thought.

His eyelids could not surprise him. They were constant in their familiarity.

Sweat ran down his chest. He tried to slow his breathing, but he could not seem to get air into his lungs. The smell of rot and decay, married with new mortar seeped into his nose and mouth. His stomach heaved.

His eyes wanted to open. His eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks as though he were faking sleep on the jet because he didn't want to talk to anyone. He squeezed them tight. He'd make them stay closed. He wouldn't see that face again if they stayed shut.

He breathed in deep, and the smell of fresh dirt assaulted his nose as he pulled uselessly on the chains that held his hands over his head.

NO!

The smell of the cornfield, the rich earth and fresh breeze rattling the corn stalks rose and became a living thing as the face of his captor pushed past the safety of his closed eyes.

No, Tobias! Please don't let him hurt me again.

"You're weak boy, just like my son."

No! I'm not weak…

The old break in his foot erupted in pain, blocking out the numbness and pain in his arms. He stumbled and tried to shift his weight but the chains wouldn't let him move. The chains clicked like the sound of a bullet chambered into a gun. The rolling sound of the pistol's chamber drowned out the keening of his voice.

"Do you know what this is? It's God's will."

Something pinched his arm like the bite of a syringe. No! Not again! His body slumped, held upright by the cuffs and chains tethering him to the wall. The warm numbing action of the drug pushed away the cold of the tiny space, the darkness and the pain.

His mother's face smiled at him from sunlight. He looked at her over the chessboard. She'd taken his father's place at the board when his father left them alone.

"Spencer… Why are you just standing there? Wake up!"

Someone slapped him hard across the face. Blackness returned and he screamed. His eyes stared into the ebony air. He tried to look into the perfect, smooth inky blackness. His eyes bulged with the effort of trying to look through the darkness. If he could see to the other side into the light, all the bad things would go away.

His breathing sped up as more sweat pooled off his face into his eyes. The salty liquid stung his eyes into tears.

"Please let me go." He said in a small voice of a little boy. "I'll be good."

"You're a sinner… Confess."

His broken foot burned and stung. Tears rolled down his face. Tobias lay on the ground looking up at him with hate that burned through him like acid. "You killed him!" Charles said in his ear.

"I had to!"

"It was your punishment boy. Now you'll join me in hell Satan!"

"No… Let me go!"

"Spencer!"

Her voice came from a long way as though echoing to him from a long tunnel. He closed his eyes, but the blackness remained. The smell of rotting fish and the cornfield forced him to empty his stomach. He choked on the bile and acid. The smell of it twisted his stomach. He dry heaved until the muscles in his stomach quivered and ached.

"Go away…" He rasped.

"No… You cheated death boy. God told me to put it right."

"I didn't -"

"Don't lie to me boy. You killed my son. He was a weakling like you, but he was my son."

"I didn't want to kill him. It was you…"

"I made him strong boy and I'll make you strong too."

His face reeled back from a slap. His foot burst into fresh hot pain.

"Open your eyes and watch boy."

"No…" He held them tightly shut.

"Don't listen to him Spencer." Her voice said.

"Open your eyes and face your punishment!"

Reid opened his eyes and saw the face of the man who'd put him in this place. He watched him build the wall repeatedly like a movie looping in his brain.

Something clinked at his wrist. His foot throbbed. His arms had died. He couldn't feel them anymore. Blackness drilled into his skull.

How much air do you have?

It didn't matter he tried to tell the voice that spoke to him. His head spun around. The chains kept him from falling because his legs couldn't hold him anymore.

"Confess your sins boy and I'll make it quick for you."

"No… I didn't do anything wrong."

"Confess!"

"Don't listen to him Spencer. Remember me…" Scotty said.

"Why do they call you Bones?" She asked him.

He sat next to her waiting for the movie to start. She sucked on the straw buried in her giant paper cup of soda . He held a huge container of popcorn between his knees.

"Justin says I remind him of a half starved runway model and since I have three doctorates, and we're all Star Trek fans, it stuck with me."

"I like it!"

He'd wanted to add - before she said she liked it - that he hated the name. Now, as she looked up at him with her emerald eyes, he felt he could live with it.

Suddenly, she smiled and poked him in the arm. "Shut your mouth. You're catching flies."

His mouth had been hanging open, he now noticed. He closed it with a snap and reached into the tub for a handful of popcorn.

"So," She said as the house lights went down. "We're Scotty and Bones forever, as silly as that sounds."

He settled back into his chair with a comfortable sigh. Yeah, forever was good!

"Bones," Her voice grew louder in his head.

It could only be in his head. His air would be gone soon. No! She couldn't be here and see him die. He closed his eyes and refused to listen to her talk to him. She had to leave.

"I'm not going anywhere this time Bones," She said.

"Please don't look at me."

"Listen to my voice Spencer."

He opened his eyes and looked at her face. "I'm scared Scotty."

"I know… There's nothing in the dark that isn't there in the light."

"There are many things in the dark that aren't there in the light."

She smiled at him. "You're doing fine Spencer. Hold on, we're almost there."

"I can't see anything!"

"You can see me."

"I see what I see." He said and he began to laugh.

"Concentrate Spencer… Take a deep breath."

"I'm going to die. I can't breathe."

"Yes you can!" Hotch said and Scotty faded away from his eyes.

"Hotch… I'm sorry!"

"Don't apologize to him boy. Confess your sins!"

"Leave me alone," Reid shouted. "

Light pushed through the darkness that pressed on his eyes like a living thing. "Bones open your eyes and look at me. I'm coming for you."

Her voice whispered in his ear. He ignored her. A different blackness began to pull him down like a strong tidal pull.

"Bones," The gentle pull of her voice changed to irritation. "Listen."

More light bathed his face. He closed his eyes against it. It was a trick or a cheat. To give in and believe would be folly.

"That's right boy… She lies! The army of Satan lies. You know this to be true. Confess your sins and you shall enter the kingdom of heaven." Rafael said.

"Spencer!" JJ said. She sounded close enough to touch.

"Hey kid… We're almost there."

A sound, the clink of something on a hard surface pushed past the voice clattering in his head. Something fell and smashed at his feet. He opened his eyes squinting against more golden light that bathed him.

"It's a trick."

Rafael's voice grew father away as though a radio with bad reception.

"Spencer!" Katherine's voice penetrated the light and he could see her.

"Reid," Emily said. "Talk to us!"

"You're not real." He croaked. "It's a dream. I'm going to die and this is a dream."

More light opened in the wall. Someone pushed a brick to the floor where it clattered with a bang. He squinted and watched as Morgan and Rossi took down the new brickwork. Morgan muscled through the wall as soon as they had a hole large enough to let him enter. Hotch followed him into the small cubicle.

"Hey kid…" He smiled at Reid. "Let's get you out of here."

"Okay… Morgan?"

"What kid?" The older man held him in his arms while Hotch unlocked the shackles.

"Thanks for being my friend."

"Hey, I got your back."

Reid smiled. "You don't have to worry about me Morgan. It's over! You're just a dream. I'm dying."

"No you're not kid." Morgan said. "Come on… Let's get you to the hospital.

"Where's Kathy?"

"I'm right here Spencer." He looked at her and her smile.

"Good… I gotta say goodbye cause I'm goin' away now." He began to slur.

"Morgan?"

"Right here," He helped the medic lay Reid on a stretcher.

"I'm tired."

"I know, but you need to stay with us for just a bit longer.

"Hey Reid, "JJ and Emily smiled down at him.

"Hi…"

"Come on," Rossi said to him. "You'll be up and around in no time."

"I'm tired." He argued.

"Stay awake…"

"Can't, my foot hurts. Can I have some water?"

"Sure thing kid," Morgan said.

He looked up at the light overhead. The blackness had retreated with arrival of his family. It couldn't be real though. It had to be a result of oxygen deprivation.

Someone began to talk to him and ask him questions. He couldn't think! It had to be the lack of air. Someone lowered a mask to his face. No… He pushed their hands away. If they touched him, they could hurt him.

'No! Don't want it! Don't touch me."

"Reid, you have to let them help you."

"Can't, they'll hurt me."

"Spencer!"

She stood over him with golden light making a halo around her head. "They have to give you oxygen Bones. Let them help you. I promise I'll stay with you. Your team will stay too."

"Kathy…" He whispered in a raspy voice.

"They don't want to hurt you Spencer."

He let go of someone's hand and let him or her put the mask over his face. Cool sweet air entered his nose and mouth. The smell of rot, fish and his vomit retreated. The end must be closer than he thought. Light and sweetness had overtaken the blackness and the stench of eveil. He could close his eyes and it'd be okay.

"Stay with us Reid," Hotch said.

Why? The easy path lay ahead. He closed his eyes and let familiar darkness claim his sight.