Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: T

Ship: Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss, eventual Rossi/JJ

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: No warnings for this chapter!

Chapter Summary: Team discuss their new case, Hotch pisses Emily off and he feels like a failure, the team witnesses one of Spencer's nightmares first hand.

Author's notes: Sorry about the wait guys!!! I think I might be about to start a short-ish story, Criminal Minds of course, but I'm not entirely sure!! Please let me know what you think! Review's are much loved, and constructive criticism is much appreciated. Also, I know it's shorter than usual, but I have some pretty good stuff coming up soon!!! Next chapter: The beginning of the actual case.

Garcia sat down next to Spencer on the plane, and smiled at me. Spencer was acting strange, withdrawn and quiet. I could tell that he thought something was up with this case, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

"Spence, you okay?" JJ speaking shook me out of my silent contemplations, and I looked over at my boyfriend. Spencer look up and met JJ's eyes, nodding quickly.

"Something is wrong angel." Garcia added, putting her hand on top of Spencer's. I nodded my agreement, although none of them were looking at me.

Gideon looked up from the case file he was reviewing, and pulled his glasses off his face, looking at Rossi purposefully. "What's going on in that head of your's Reid?" Spencer looked at me, his eyes silently begging me for help.

"It's nothing Gideon, I promise." Gideon stood up, leaning against the wood table that we usually played cards on. Garcia leaned back against the seat, and closed her eyes. I briefly wondered how much sleep she was getting, before turning my attention back toward Spencer.

"Spencer, you aren't a very good liar kiddo." Spencer hung his head slightly, and folded his hands together on his lap. I closed my eyes tightly as the plane took off.

"There's something about this case, it just seems so familiar, and I just can't put my finger on it." Spencer heaved a huge sigh, and JJ's hand found the small of his back, rubbing soothing circles. I was startled when he didn't jump, or flinch away from the sudden contact, but then again, JJ will always be JJ and Spencer loved her like a sister. JJ and I were the only people that could really touch Spencer in the week following his attack, he'd allow Garcia and Emily to hug him and possibly allow Hotch, Gideon, and Rossi the chance to pat his shoulder or shake his hand, but he still wouldn't let any man besides me touch him without freaking out. "It's quite… Irritating. I don't like feeling like there is something I don't know." Emily chuckled lightly, and caused Spencer too look across the table at her, and looked next to me in surprise.

"Now you know how the rest of us feel, when you start on Reid." Reid got this scandalized look on his face, and he and the girls started arguing playfully. I could tell the Emily had just been trying to distract him, and I appreciated it.

"Morgan, can I talk to you for a second?" I nodded, and playfully pushed Emily on my way past her.

"What's up Hotch?" Hotch ignored me and busied himself making a cup of coffee. He looked at me, and handed me the first cup.

"After you and Reid left, JJ finished briefing us on this case." I cocked my eyebrow, and looked back over my shoulder.

"Why'd you have to wait until we left, Hotch?" I was starting to get irritated by the secrecy. I could understand the certain level of protectiveness toward Spencer, but they were keeping things from us, and him. That wasn't how our team worked.

"I'm not keeping things from either of you." The corner of my mouth quirked up, leave it to Hotch to be a mind reader. "I just wanted to talk to you about this before we did the on flight briefing… I need to know how you want to handle this."

"Spencer's right, isn't he? There's something about this case that gets under everyone's skin isn't there?" Hotch nodded and took a long sip of coffee.

"All the victims were brutally beaten and raped before they were murdered." I ran a hand over my face.

"So, he was right?" Hotch nodded slowly, crossing his arms. "What a stupid question, Spencer is always right."

"What do you want to do with this information, do you want to tell him or not?"

"Of course I want to tell him, I can't keep this from him." Hotch nodded and he and I both grabbed another cup of coffee. I grabbed Spencer's coffee and I walked back to the table.

"Hey," Spencer looked up at me and smiled, taking the offered coffee out of my hand. I sat down in the seat next to Spencer, forcing Garcia to squish against the fake wooden wall of the jet. "Okay, what aren't you telling me?" I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Spencer was too damn perceptible for his own good.

"Hotch just finished briefing me on the rest of the case?" Spencer's eyes widened, but he nodded. "All of the victims were brutally raped and beaten before their throat's were slashed, Spence."

Spencer went quiet, and suddenly shoved me out of my seat with a sudden burst of strength. Before any of us could stop him, he had shut himself in the bathroom and locked the door. We could all hear the sobs, but he wouldn't speak to any of us.

"Spencer, come out! Please!" I motioned everyone else away and slid down onto the floor, crossing my legs and resting my back against the cold metal.

"Go away Derek." I sighed and closed my eyes, mentally cursing Hotch and his stupidity.

"I am not going away Spencer, so why don't you just come out now, and save me the trouble of sitting on the floor for the next two hours, Baby?" I heard the lock click, and I scrambled to get up, pulling Spencer into my arms as soon as he was out the door. His arms went around me quickly, and he leaned all his weight into me, breathing heavily. I sent Hotch a death glare, and led Spencer over to the couch.

Spencer burrowed his face into my neck, and clung to me, holding on for dear life.

POV Change

I stood in the kitchenette, looking over at my team. I couldn't understand how everything had gotten so out of control so quickly. I was supposed to take care of them, protect them at all costs and all that happened was they kept getting hurt.

JJ was asleep, and her head was resting on Reid's thigh, who was still curled up in Morgan's arms. Morgan had his head leaned back against the seat and his head phones were covering his ears, his eyes were closed, although I couldn't tell if he was awake or asleep. Garcia had her head resting on Emily's shoulder, and Emily had fallen asleep with her head on top of Garcia's. Jason had his head phones in, and he was flipping lazily through one of the numerous case files we had brought with us. Dave was sleeping at the opposite foot of the couch from Derek, and his hand was resting near JJ's hand, like they had fallen asleep holding hands.

I had suggested that they all try and get some sleep before we landed, as we were planning on hitting the ground running, every one had agreed quickly, retreating into themselves and each other. I couldn't stop the feeling's of uselessness that bubbled up inside of me, and I quickly turned away from my team. Leaning my head against a faux wooden wall, I jumped slightly as arms wrapped around me.

"What's wrong, Aaron?" I allowed myself to lean back into Emily's arms, trying to stop castigating myself.

"I can't help but feeling like I've failed the team. Everyone keeps getting hurt with my decisions, and nothing I do is going to change that." Emily pulled away from me and I turned around to face her.

"You're an idiot Aaron." I chuckled bitterly.

"Don't need you to tell me that, Em, I know." Emily huffed and threw her hands up in the air, storming back to her seat.

I winced as soft whimpers reached my ears, searching quickly I saw Reid moving around fitfully, and his face was scrunched up in pain. Morgan was instantly awake, and was holding Reid tightly, almost as if restraining him. JJ and Rossi woke up at the same time Garcia's eyes opened. "Move guys!" Morgan whispered.

"Baby! It's me! Calm down!" After a moment, Reid's eyes shot open, and he struggled to get away from Morgan, kicking his legs out, trying as hard as he could to get away from his lover.

"HELP!! MORGAN!" Morgan wrapped his arm's even tighter around Reid. I winced again as a fist connected with Morgan's jaw. Rossi quickly grabbed Reid's flailing hands, and I watched as JJ and Emily each threw themselves on his legs. Gideon, looked torn, and I could understand the feeling; he wanted to comfort Reid, but he didn't want to make it worse.

"Angel! It's just us, I need you to calm down!" Garcia placed her hands on either side of his face and held his head straight, forcing him to focus.

"Penny?" Garcia smiled, and nodded. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and slowly backed away. Morgan pulled Reid into his arms and held him tightly, kissing his cheek and whispering 'I love you' over and over again to the young doctor.