A/N Sorry for the delay in updating. I hate it when a day goes by and I haven't done any words, but I've had two horrid days, and I've been ill as well.
But all better now, and on with the show! Don't forget to leave feedback, it makes this bunny very happy!

PERSONAL TIME
Chapter 12
End times

If you have something to say, say it. You never know when it will be your last chance. Tomorrow could be too late - ANON

Aaron thought he could hear Spencer. He was used to hearing voices that weren't there, but this one, he wanted to be there so much that he made it real in his mind. The sweet sound of his voice was making his heart explode in his chest; heartbeats that shook his body and the pain of happiness that he was going to die listening to the voice of the man who loved him. He was calling a name – his name –Aaron.

He's calling me I can't call back please don't leave me...I am here Spencer I am here...

The name again...I try to lift my arms but there is nothing there; it's as if I don't have arms they don't belong to me... I can stretch my fingers? I try, stretch them towards his voice, towards his calling my name – Aaron – Spence, I am here...

Then it changes. The voice stops, an explosion rips apart the fragile air, and a warm spray across his face and chest, on his dry brittle lips – blood – and a sound of something falling...

Ohgod ohgod ohgod Spencer don't go don't die please I love you...

And suddenly nothing...

-0-0-0-

Emily turned around and unhooked her jacket off the fence. As she did so, she saw vehicle lights coming along the road. She ducked down behind the fence, and watched. When the car pulled up next to hers, she felt a lump in her throat. She rested her gun on the fence bar and waited.

When Morgan got out of the car, she sighed with relief and stood up.

"You gave me a fright!" she said, and briefly explained what was happening.

"Ok, sounds good. I'll come with you." He jumped the fence and the two of then started to push their way through the undergrowth. It was pretty hard going. It was dark under the trees, and it wasn't easy to see where they were going, even with flash lights. Fallen leaves were slippery underfoot, and several times Emily had to grab hold of a low branch to stop herself from falling. But before too long, the house could be seen in silhouette through the branches.

Keeping in the shelter of the trees, they skirted the building and went towards the light that was coming from behind the house.

There was no movement that they could see in the scattered out buildings, but one caught their eye. It had a glass roof, and light from it shone upwards into the late evening sky. Emily pointed to it, and Morgan nodded in agreement. Carefully they walked towards it, keeping low, and keeping quiet.

Then suddenly the silence was broken as the sound of a gunshot split the air.

Oh my god! Spencer!

Emily broke into a run. She sensed Morgan behind her doing the same.

-0-0-0-

"Get rid of it."

"Oh well done, that's crapped up our plan hasn't it?"

"It was gone to hell anyway, the moment this Fed decided to take us on instead of doing as he was told."

"I guess they didn't love each other as much as we thought."

"And who the hell's fault was that then, Kate. It was..."

"Never mind all that. Recriminations are for later. Just get rid of the corpses. Dump them in the silage tank. By winter there'll be nothing left."

Kate and another guy got Reid by the legs and arms. His head fell forward as he was lifted off the sandy ground.

He groaned in pain as they began to drag him. Kate dropped his legs.

"Hey! He's not dead. I'm not dumping a living man in the silage."

Phil sighed. He kind of liked his sister to have a feminine side, but why it had to manifest itself now...?

"Ok, drop it; I'll put it out of its misery."

He took a step towards Reid, who was lying prone before him. His chest was rising and falling in erratic bubbly cycles. He lowered his shotgun to the back of his neck.

And that was the last thing he ever did.

Emily's gun discharged and blew the man's face away.

She stood in the doorway, shaking and tears running down her face. "Don't you touch him!"

Morgan stood beside her.

"The next person that moves get's the same!" he yelled. In the back of his mind he saw Emily fire her gun without issuing a warning. He briefly glanced at Emily's shaking hand.

"Go and disarm them, Prentiss."

He was relieved when Emily put her gun away and went round the room collecting firearms. Then she cuffed the woman and two men together and around a pillar. The woman struggled.

"I want to see my brother!" she was yelling. You killed him, you bitch!" Emily smacked her face.

"Shut up." Was all she said.

Emily ran to Aaron. She touched his face and spoke to him. He made soft sounds from the back of his dry throat, letting her know he was alive. She pulled at the metal rings he was chained to.

Morgan was with Reid, and on the phone, calling for help. Reid's head was resting in Morgan's lap, he was bleeding on Morgan's legs. He looked up at his 'brother'.

"Hotch?"

Morgan stroked his hair. "Emily's with him." He took Reid's hand, and with the other, he pressed down on the exit wound on his chest. He wondered how he could still be alive. He could hear Emily shouting.

"How do I loosen these?" She had dug into the sand and was pulling at the chain attached to Aaron's neck. "Tell me or I will shoot someone else!"

"Emily!" She swung round to look at Morgan. He had never seen fear in her eyes before. "Emily," softer this time, "There is a crank handle below Hotch's feet. Try that."

She quickly crawled to where Morgan was indicating. There was a handle there which she carefully turned. She didn't know which way would loosen them, and she didn't think he could survive them being tightened.

She went back to Aaron. The band around his neck was looser now; it no longer was cutting into his flesh, pressing on his wind pipe. She pulled it and carefully lifted it over his head. Then his arms.

"I am going to have to move your arms, Aaron. I am so sorry if this hurts."

The rings were loose. She pushed them down past his elbow, and lifted his arm through the loop. She started to cry when Aaron screamed; muscles hurt that had been denied movement for three days.

"I am so sorry, Aaron." She crossed to his other side and freed his other arm. There was no broken scream this time.

"Aaron! Aaron..." She went back to his face and touched him softly.

He had fainted. He was still breathing.

Now she had to free his legs.

The rings had almost disappeared into the muscle of his thighs. Gently, she lifted the loop and tried to lower it, but it wouldn't move further than his calf. Carefully, she bent his knee, and lifted the bloody ring over his foot. Then she did the same to the other leg.

She looked back at him, and she needed to hold him. She knew that he was impaled on the sand, and all the time he was laying there, the wounds would get deeper. She knelt astride him, and with one hand behind his head, the other under his back, she lifted him and held him tightly to her chest.

She felt the muscles of his back quiver as she held him, his head resting on her shoulder. She needed to move him.

Holding him still, she moved so that she was kneeing beside him. Leaning his body against hers, she slipped one arm under his knees, and lifted him away from the lethal spikes. There was a table in the room. She carried him to the table and laid him on his side. Carefully she lowered him into the recovery position, removing her jacket and pressing it against his back.

"Aaron, help is on its way. I'll get you some water."

Aaron's hand caught hers. She pushed his wayward hair from his forehead. His dark eyes questioning her.

She glanced at Morgan.

"He's ok, as long as the medics are quick."

She turned back to Aaron. "He's ok, Aaron. Don't worry."

His hand fell away and she saw him relax.

There was a tap and sink in the corner of the room. She washed two cups from the sink and filled them. One she took to Morgan, who held it to Reid's lips. The other she took to Hotch.

She wet her hand and wiped Reid's blood off his mouth, the she wet his lips with the sweet water. She allowed a little to run into his mouth. She thought his eyes flickered.

"Ok, Aaron, just take a little." He tried to lick his lips but he needed more water to moisten his tongue. He opened his mouth and she let a little more run between his lips.

She longed to kiss him. She touched his mouth with her fingers, and lowered her face and kissed his forehead. He tasted salty and dry.

"Have some more water." She said, her voice trembling with love. "You are going to be ok, you're with friends now."

-0-0-0-

Morgan rocked Spencer in his arms. "It's going to be ok, just keep breathing for me."

Reid looked up at Morgan. "Hotch... ok?"

"He's fine, Kiddo. Just keep breathing for me."

"Help... Aaron... "

"It's ok, Emily's with him."

Reid seemed to relax at this. Morgan held him close and rocked.

Please, almighty god, I know you can do anything, please don't let my friends die...

Morgan had tears falling from his eyes as he looked down at his 'little brother'.

The sounds of sirens in the air, Morgan felt a profound sense of relief. He looked at Emily. He didn't think she had heard them. She had her arms around Aaron, crying onto him, pressing her face into his neck, holding him against her. She was covered with his blood, and he with her tears. She was crying out low sounds of grief as she rocked him.

"Emily, the ambulance is here." Morgan said. "Help is here."

"It's too late! Oh god, it's too late!"

Emily looked over at Morgan, her face smeared with his blood, wet with her own tears. "He's dead. Morgan, they killed him." She clutched at his body, as if her strength could revive him. "Oh god he's dead... please, please wake up, Aaron, I need to tell you something!"