"Please…you´re hurting me…"

The hushed plea was the first thing Seth heard after opening the door to the motel room.
It was quiet and pressed but the sheer terror in that voice was enough to have alarm bells ringing in his head. He didn't have to see Richie pressing their hostage against the desk - one hand restraining his arm the other grabbing his face - to know that he was just in time.

Before either man had time to notice him he dropped his keys to the floor and practically lunged for his brother, grabbing and hauling him backwards with so much strength it sent him sprawling to the floor.
Richie´s face crunched up first in pain from the impact, than in unrestrained rage against his unknown attacker. Seth actually saw him reach into his pocket where he kept his knife just before he recognized his brother and stilled, immediately morphing from a deadly predator to looking like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar.

Seth barely suppressed a growl at that, he was too familiar with those two sides of the coin, to fed up with playing the same old game for years and years only to be the only who had the remaining mess to deal with.
His eyes then flitted to the kid, still pressed against the desk´s edge like it was the only thing holding him upright. He didn't appear to be breathing as he stared at Richard, his lips pressed into a thin white line, his face ghostly pale.
Immediately, Seth felt rage boiling up inside him and he clenched his fists by his sides as he forced himself to look back at Richie before he lost it.

It proved to be a mistake because Richie was still looking at him like he always did in situations like these. He just sat on the floor looking up at him like a kicked dog, like he didn't understand what had gotten his brother so angry. Like he hadn't meant any harm. He looked like it too. He looked like a 13-year old kid, reprimanded for unjust reasons. Not scared, because he knew this always worked on Seth. Maybe it was that knowledge, or the simple fact that it was him he had picked this time, but Seth just got angrier instead of calming down.

"What do you think you´re doing?", he hissed, his voice deadly quiet.
Richie looked a little surprised at the amount of rage he was confronted with. Usually Seth didn't go into a full-fledged fit unless someone lost at least a limb. He caught himself pretty quickly though, especially after shooting a glance at Reid who looked like he was far from uttering a single word on the issue.
"We were just talking.", he shrugged: "Chill out, man, will you?"

This time Seth actually growled audibly, barely able to keep his temper in check. He made a step forward, ready to grab Richie again, but stopped himself at the last second.
What good would it do to throw a fit now? Richie wouldn't learn and all he would do was upset Reid more if that was even possible.
So instead he spun around on his heels before he could change his mind and stalked over to Reid, ready to dissolve the situation by changing the room. He needed to talk to the kid but he sure as hell wouldn't do it with his brother right there. Reflexively, he made to grab Reid´s upper arm like he had the day before - but stopped in his tracks when Reid flinched before he could suppress his instincts, staring at his hand out of haunted eyes.

Seth froze when the kid recoiled from him with an almost frantic expression in his eyes. It was gone as quickly as he´d spotted it, overshadowed by forced self-control and false bravado -but it didn't fail to freeze him for a second. He stood in-between Reid and his brother wordlessly, just looking at the young man in front of him, realizing what he must be seeing, feeling…

God damnit, he cursed inwardly, ready to hit whatever came to close to him by now. He knew the reason for Reid´s reaction all too well, knew that his behavior now didn't make it any better, wouldn't reassure him…
He was just so fucking mad. Mad at Richie for making this whole thing even more difficult. Mad at himself for leaving.
But he knew from experience that those feelings wouldn't get him anywhere, all he could do was try to reduce the damage.
Seth took a deep breath to calm himself, ending up torn between frustration and exhaustion. Then he took another step towards Reid, slowly this time, almost like he was approaching a shy animal. Reid didn't blink –or breathe it seemed – as he watched his approach but he didn't shy away again, already back to restraining his instincts like the agent he was supposed to be. All the while looking like he had a knife pressed to his throat.

"We need to talk.", Seth said, trying his best do look and sound non-threatening. It wasn´t really something he was used to with strangers but he made an effort, putting the emphasis on talk while adding an implied just.
He wasn't sure if it worked, or if what he saw was just resignation.

In any case, Reid didn't try to pull away again when Seth reached out, taking hold of one of his wrists. Not wasting another second, Seth pulled him forward and then towards the bathroom door, making a bee line around Richard.
As soon as they were over the threshold, he slammed the bathroom door shut behind them loudly, cursing inwardly when the kid flinched yet again. This so wasn't his week…. Then he stood there, not quite sure what he had been planning to do in here in the first place. His first instinct had been to get Richard out of his sight, but now…

He looked at the young man in front of him, pale and stressed beyond his own understanding as he stood as far away from Seth as the hand around his wrist would allow. Light brown eyes flickered from his face to the hand restraining him apprehensively and Seth felt the slight tremble going through him in his fingertips.
´Please´

Ghosting across his mind …One word uttered in a barely audible, panic stricken tone just as he returned to the room. It echoed in his ears, clearly readable from Reid´s face and lips. Even now that he didn't allow himself to show that kind of weakness Seth could see that he wanted to, wanted to plead with him….terrified under his thin skin…since the first moment they´d met, always scared of what he might do…

He had no reason to feel any differently, Seth knew that, knew he had no right to complain. But this was different…this was fear that Richard had invoked, fear to be hurt in a way that went far beyond any trivial from of torture…and he was quite obviously projecting it onto him. Seth let go of his wrist like he had been burned, only now realizing that he had unconsciously mirrored Richie´s grip.

Inwardly cursing his brother once more, he moved away towards the door, leaning on it to show that he wasn't going to do anything without appearing weak to their hostage.
Reid actually looked sort of confused for a moment, shaken even more by his inconsistent behavior. With a sigh, Seth rubbed his face, trying to find the words to fix this.

Reid fought hard to regain his control, to shake off the vise-like grip of fear that Richard had invoked in him. He blinked. Richard was gone.
He was alone with Seth. Seth who looked torn between anger and frustration –not sure how much of that was directed at him, Reid tried to keep as much distance as possible. He really didn't think he´d take another blow to the head very well. There was silence for a moment and Reid tried to figure out how much danger he was in, what exactly was going on right now by reading the expression on the older man's face. It proved quite difficult.

Seth had looked mad at Richie…and he´d stopped him….but now, as he mustered Reid, there was suddenly a sort of spark in his eyes, for a split second he looked shocked, his hand dropping from the wrist Reid hadn't been aware he was still holding on to.
Reid automatically pulled his hand to his chest, lightly covering his sore skin with the other one as he waited breathlessly. He didn't understand…what was Seth thinking? He waited, but Seth never said anything, he just stood by the door, seemingly fighting an internal battle. He didn't move, didn't try to grab him again and Reid was immensely glad for it –he could still feel Richards fingers burning on his skin. Sure, he didn't expect anything of that sort from Seth in the first place, what with his profile and him stopping Richard back there…but at this point he didn't know what he could still be sure of.

So when he eventually walked over to the sink, turning on the faucet he made a point not to turn his back on his captor for even one second. Not that it would matter much, but he did it anyway.
Seth clearly noticed judging by the way his brow furrowed momentarily but he remained silent.
So Reid did his best to ignore the man, hoping his behavior didn't look too much like the retreat that it was, that Seth wouldn't notice how paper-thin his control was right now. All Richard had done was talk -but still he couldn't seem to calm down…maybe because he kept seeing his mug shot, or the crime scene photos…

He turned on the cold water and let some flow over his hands, resisting the urge to slap some into his face as well.
He couldn't break down.
He had to stay strong –at least until Hazel was save.

Seth watched silently as the young man carefully washed his thin, scabbed wrists, the image of Richie´s fingers clamped around them fresh on his mind.
Even now he was barely keeping down the rage boiling in his chest, the urge to walk back outside and physically make sure Richie understood what he had done wrong. He couldn't believe this was happening again -and that just minutes after he had so stupidly threatened the kid with it….Richie´s timing was just impeccable.

Seth´s gaze wandered from the slight tremble of fingers that he couldn't completely hide and lingered on a pale face, half hidden behind slightly tangled strands of hair. He suddenly felt the urge to say something else, even fought to find words -but there was nothing to say that could have made this better and still been true. He tried it anyway.
"I´m going to need you to stay calm, ok?", he said the first thing that came to mind. It was what he usually said to hostages but this time it failed to work somehow.
Reid looked up at him with almost disbelieving eyes.

Then –completely taking Seth off guard- his expression suddenly morphed into one of anger and disdain.
"Why? So you don't have as much trouble killing us?", he asked unexpectedly, his voice trembling. It sounded almost cynic, certain to have made Seth angry if it hadn't been for the haunted look that accompanied it.

For a moment, Seth could do nothing but gape at this sudden change in attitude while Reid straightened up, carelessly wiping his hands on his already bloodied shirt. He suddenly looked mad, clearly not coping well with his shock.
"Tell me. What do I get if I´m good, like Richie says?", he asked, acid seeping through his choice of words: "If I give myself up will that make you let her go, is that it?"
Seth stared at him, shocked beyond words to see him lose it like that. What the hell had Richard said to him to cause a reaction like this? He refused to think about what exactly Reid was implying with his words, instead focusing on his anger for Richie.
"What the hell are you talking about?", he finally got out.

Reid scoffed at the indignation in his captor´s voice, like it was some cruel joke. What Richard had said or done must have been bad if it caused him to give up on trying to placate his captors, making him think that he had no reason to hold back anyway…
"How am I supposed to know?", Reid all but hissed, clutching the front of his shirt with white knuckles: "You tell me. Is this some kind of sick game, something to pass the time until you have the money and are free to do as you please with us?"

For a split second, Seth stomach twisted with some dark emotion he dared not place, then he felt his own anger overshadow it. Whatever Richie had said, what did Seth have to do with it? How could this kid even imply he was the same as his brother?
"Calm down.", he forced himself to say, fighting to do just that himself. With no exact knowledge of what had happened he had to guess as best as he could: "Richie overstepped the line -but he wouldn't have hurt you unprovoked." He hesitated before adding: "He… is unstable…sometimes he forgets to take his meds, sometimes he doesn't notice when he scares people, sometimes…"
It was unusually hard to say those words, making him feel like he was admitting a personal failure, leaving him open for attacks. He did it anyway, somehow hoping to get Reid to understand, to calm down.

Instead of appreciating this concession though, Reid looked at him incredulously, like he didn't believe what he´d heard, the audacity of the lie he was presented with.
"….sometimes he stabs people to death after raping them?", he finished for him.
It sounded crude and wrong coming out of his mouth. Seth knew this total switch in behavior showed just how close he was to snapping from all the pressure he was under –but that didn't stop him from feeling a flash of fury at his words. How dare he? In that moment it didn't even occur to Seth that Reid said the truth, all he saw was that he was attacking his brother and purposefully insulting him.

"You´re on very thin ice.", he warned from behind gritted teeth, his hands clenched to fists by his sides. If he didn't stop aggravating him soon, Seth was sure he´d forget himself.
"You think I don't know that?", Reid snapped, seemingly not catching on to Seth´s fading control, or maybe just not caring: "We both know what he is."

"He´s ill. He can't help himself.", Seth all but growled, his fingernails cutting into the skin of his palms.
He was sure his gaze was deadly by then, because Reid at least took a step back, making sure the wall was in his back as though that would be of advantage. He didn't stop pouring oil into the fire though:
"But you´re not! You´re his brother, you must have known for years, and yet you've never stopped him before.", he was almost yelling now: "So why are you dragging it out? Why are you trying to make me believe you? Is it so you ca-"
His sentence was cut short when Seth suddenly lunged forward, his hand racing towards Reid´s face. The young doctor cringed, his back hitting the tiles on the wall as he leaped backwards. The palm a large hand hit the tiles next to his ear flatly, Seth's furious face just inches from his´.

"Don't talk about things you don't understand!", Seth hissed.
He made Reid flinch at his loudness, finally causing him to shut up. He stared up at Seth with impossibly wide eyes, looking like he had just snapped out of a nightmare. The effect was immediate. Instead of looking angry and aggressive, he went back to the way he had acted all along, just profoundly shaken on top of it. Seth sensed the change immediately, but knew he needed to get out what he had to say anyway. He needed Reid to understand why he was so angry at his words.
He didn't move his hand, instead lowering his voice a little as he said with determination: "He´s my brother, and, yes, he´s unstable. But I'm back with him now and I'm watching out for him, making sure he doesn't do anything stupid, understand?" He was almost surprised that there was no heated comeback. In fact, all the fight had seemingly left the younger man in front of him within seconds.

Now he was just standing against the wall, conflicting emotions burning in his hazel eyes. He looked almost painfully fragile suddenly.
"What makes you think I don't understand?", Reid asked quietly, voice cracking: "But two wrongs doesn't make one right."
He was quick to avert his face after that, looking at the tiles, anywhere but at Seth. Seth suddenly got the definite sensation that he was missing a piece of the puzzle here, but he didn't press the issue. He was just glad they had seemingly moved on from yelling at each other.

With his anger suddenly faltered, he had nothing left but frustration. How could he make him understand, make him believe him at least…? God, why the hell did he care so much if the kid understood his motives anyway? He was seriously losing ground here…
He looked down at the side of the his face, his fingers suddenly itching to reach out, catch him under the chin and turn his head up. He knew he couldn't though. It was bad enough he had lost his temper when it had been obvious Reid was close to cracking already, but forced physical contact was on top of a list of stupid things to do right now, even he understood that. He curled the fingers of his hand into a fist against the wall, just to make sure he wouldn't move it. Then he took a deep breath.

"Let´s make this real easy, ok?", he then said, grateful that his voice sounded relatively sure and calm, more conceding than aggressive really: "I want you to understand one thing. I may be a mean bastard and yes, I won´t hesitate to shoot whoever gets in my way, but whatever Richie told you – that …that is not how it works, it´s not what I do." He sighed before adding: "It's… just what I have to deal with."

Reid did look at him then, still not saying anything but at least not trying to avoid his eyes anymore. In fact, he mustered him, wary, somewhat uncertain but with a definite trace of hope mixed in. He wanted to believe him. Seth took that opportunity, straightening up to give him some space and maybe make him more comfortable. He needed him to believe this.
"I´ll make a deal with you.", he announced: "You help me get what I want from your team and I promise you´ll get out of this unharmed."

Reid looked like he wanted to protest then, still in doubt and looking over to the closed door warily -but Seth didn't let him.
"It will be an arrangement between you and me."; he assured him, guessing his thoughts: "I´m not asking you to trust Richard. Just trust that I'll keep him under control."
Reid looked at him like he was trying to see past his eyes and into his soul, and Seth returned the gaze hoping it would be enough to reassure him. For what seemed like forever, neither man moved or spoke, they just held each other's gazes, silently testing each other. In the end, Reid nodded, conceding to his terms.

Seth was as relived as he was surprised by it. "Do you believe me?", he asked almost doubtfully, keeping his voice even and detached though.
There was the faintest trace of a bitter smile on the young man´s face as he answered: "I´m agreeing to your terms. I´ll believe you when it's over."
He didn't look particularly hostile saying it, just incredibly drawn and Seth didn't comment on it even though the answer didn't sit well with him at all. He probably shouldn't have expected more.
Instead he nodded in agreement, making himself walk away and towards the door. This was a good result considering the situation, he told himself. Good, indeed.
"We´re leaving in ten minutes."

When he got no verbal reaction, he strode outside, ready to give his brother a piece of his mind.
Richie looked up at him in apprehension when he came in, very aware that his brother´s re-found calm was only a thin layer. Seth glared at him as he packed a map, a blanket, the handcuffs he had taken off Reid and his gun for the trip.
"Seth…", Richie started weakly, but was cut off immediately.
"Don't even fucking start!"; Seth snapped, making his brother flinch: "We have three days tops to get through without any major screw-ups! Now, do you think you can do that? Do you think you can act normal for three freaking days?"
"Of course.", Richie gave in, frowning like he was offended or something. Seth turned away before he got even madder.
How often had he heard Richie say that?

But not this time. Not…him. No, he would make sure of that –and right away. "Great.", he said, trying to keep his face neutral as he changed his plans: "I´ll go make the call with the kid. Stay in this room and don't fucking move until we come back, you got it?"
It was the best he could do for now. Distance. Make Richard stay behind. He would deal with the long term solutions once he returned and wasn't quite so agitated anymore.
Richie looked a little surprised but didn't protest: "Yeah, Seth, I got it. How long´s it gonna take?"

"I dunno. The clerks down at the store were too stupid to gimme any information. We might have to drive further than I thought. So whatever happens don't leave the room, let the girl be, and don't do anything to get us caught, got it? Call me if you have any problems…and remember to take your pills."
Again, Richie nodded and Seth decided that he had to be satisfied with that.
"Alright, kid.", he called towards the bathroom: "Time to roll!"
Reid walked out of the bathroom, calmer now but carefully avoiding looking in Richie´s direction. It was for the better because that way he didn't notice how hungry eyes seemed glued to the damp tips of his hair and the remnants of water he´d neglected to wipe from his neck and collar.
Seth did though. Suddenly he couldn't get out of the room fast enough.

"Come on."; he motioned for Reid to come closer, then got out the handcuffs. Reid looked reluctant enough, but he didn't protest, apparently accepting their bargain to some degree.
Seth closed the cuffs around the young man´s wrists, figuring it would be easier than the usual tape.
Then he walked them over to the door, quickly looking outside to see if anyone might be watching. When he didn't notice anything suspicious, he opened the door and quickly pulled the kid towards the car.

Without thinking he opened the passenger side and let Reid climb inside before someone could see his bound hands.
Then he walked around the car where Richie stood, the door to the motel room half open. Seth decided not to mention how stupid it was to just leave the girl unguarded; he really didn't want to talk to his brother about anything right now.
"Don't fuck this up, Richie.", he threatened darkly.
Then he turned around and quickly climbed into the driver's seat. Reid's head snapped around when he started the motor, wide eyes flitting from his face to the motel.

"Wait, they´re not coming with us?", he asked, sounding as alarmed as he looked.
Seth was immediately glad he hadn't told him of his plan in advance. He would have been forced to drag him away kicking and screaming.
As it was, he only put the car into first gear and shrugged it matter off: "No, we´ll be less obvious if it's just the two of us. We´ll come back here tonight."

"No.", Reid gasped, immediately: "No, I'm not leaving her here all alone…not with…no!"
He started struggling to open the car door with his bound hands, but Seth just locked all four doors automatically, stopping him. Ignoring the look of hurt and betrayal he was shot wasn't as easy as he would have thought, but he managed.
"I told you.", Seth said calmly: "She´ll be fine as long as you do what you're told."
Like he hadn't spoken at all, Reid started to panic again, words spilling from his mouth that Seth ignored as best as he could. He understood his worries but he had already told Richie to steer clear. It was all he could do –which was why they had to leave in the first place….

He could almost feel Richie´s gaze though the window and clenched his fingers around the steering wheel.
He practically raced off the parking lot, not beginning to feel better until they were on the high way, rapidly speeding in the opposite direction of Richie´s madness.

ok, so a sort of truce - if you diregard the fact that Seth just screwed it up again. he´ll fix it next chapter though, i promise. and soon we´ll see the BAU again (in case you were wondering where they are). Please comment x