His father argued when Spencer told him that he and the FBI were making a trip to see Dr. Switch.

"He's already been inside your head with his hypnosis crap," said the older Reid. "Are you sure this is the best course of action?"

"I have to, Dad. I need to remember what happened to me, all of it."

"You're the one that's always telling me the mind protects itself. What if you remember something so terrible you can't handle it?"

"I need the truth, Dad. Please be there for me like you promised."

William studied him for a minute. "Alright. I don't like it, but I know you're right."

"I'll be fine."

William watched his son get into the SUV with the agents. He wondered if Spencer would be okay. He drew in a breath and decided the best he could do was go back to his office and go through his files again. He'd find something to help Spencer and put this Brian Telly away, once and for all.

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Agent Rossi sat next to Spencer in the back seat of the SUV. He caught Spencer's eyes after Morgan made a rather exuberant left turn. "Don't worry, he hasn't killed anyone yet.

"I heard that."

Rossi chuckled and it made Spencer laugh too, but it was a hollow laugh because fear lived in his heart. If only he could see Maeve and know if she were alive. He wanted to touch her face and get lost in her sea-blue eyes.

"It's distracting me from worrying about Maeve," he lied to Rossi.

"Sure it is."

"How do you do this every day?"

"It's not a job you can love," Rossi said honestly. "When I think about all the victims and how many more there could be if the BAU didn't exist," he shrugged his shoulders. "I couldn't live with it."

"What does your family think?"

"I've been married three times and I don't have kids. Being a profiler's very difficult on relationships."

Spencer sat back in his seat and thought about it for a minute. "I guess you have to be dedicated to helping others over everything."

"Yeah, it does."

Spencer went silent for long minutes. "I don't think I'm that committed."

Rossi smiled at him. "I think you can do whatever you want. You've certainly given us more than we could ever hope for on this case."

"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Spencer replied.

"Perhaps, but you have the makings of a great profiler."

"He's right," Morgan said.

"Hey, pay attention to the road," Rossi commanded.

"Morgan's abilities at the wheel, notwithstanding, what else can you tell us about Dr. Emerson Switch?" Asked Agent Hotchner, who resided in the seat ahead of him and seem unconcerned with Morgan's prowess behind the wheel.

"I only know what I've observed. His personal hygiene is sadly lacking. He has above average intelligence, and he's a well-trained mesmerist, that prefers to work on his theories of music and hypnotism. He's single and, in my opinion, too full of himself to be successful in a healthy romantic relationship. He a misogynist, extremely manipulative, and narcissistic."

"He fits the profile of our killer," Morgan pointed out.

"No," Spencer argued. "You've met him. He takes pleasure out of controlling others. He wouldn't soil his hands with sexually motivated murder."

"We can't prove it, because there's no physical evidence to force him to confess, but he's suspected of hypnotizing at least two female coeds and having sex with them," Morgan put in as he hung a hard right into the parking lot at Dr. Switch's university office building."

"Proves my point," Spencer put in. "He can't face these woman on equal footing. Am I correct in assuming the victims didn't have signs of blitz attacks?"

Morgan turned to face Spencer after parking the SUV. "Are you sure you don't wanna be a profiler?"

Spencer saw the sparkling glint in the other man's eyes and it made him smile, despite his worry for Maeve.

"No, Agent Morgan, now that I've been personally involved in one of your cases, I think I'll stay right here."

"Too bad, we could use you."

"Morgan," Hotch said in a tone of getting everyone back on track. "We need to talk to Dr. Switch."

"Yeah," Spencer said. "We have to find her."

It was like every other university campus Reid had encountered in his years of schooling, but it was also more familiar and usually felt like home. Now, it felt like walking into the encampment of an enemy. The corridors were filled with students moving back and forth from classes and this time there were all staring at him instead of him just thinking that they were. The eyed him and the FBI agents as though they were interesting specimens under a microscope.

He heard bits of conversation as they moved down the hallway.

"…doing with the suits.

"…looks like feds."

"….told you he was a freak."

"…think they're here looking for drugs?"

"…don't be stupid. They don't care about three years ago, man."

He shut out their voices just like every day in class when other students wanted to talk instead of listening to the lectures. He navigated through them on autopilot and ignored their voices until he washed up against the wall near Dr. Switch's door.

Hotch knocked at the door. "I'm busy," called a pompous voice from inside. "Please go away."

"FBI!"

There was a long pause then a very irritated "Come in!"

They entered an office that was small, with two metal chairs, files and papers covering every available surface and a dirty window that let in feeble rays of autumnal sunshine.

"I told you, I don't know –"He began then flinched to see Dr. Reid standing behind and to the left of Morgan.

"Hello, Emerson," Spencer said and something in his eyes made the other man flinch back as though he'd been slapped.

"What do you want?"

"You're going to help me get my memory back."

"I can't, I have very important work to -"

Morgan stepped forward and towered over Dr. Switch. He smiled down at the smaller man and Dr. Switch stumbled back into a stack of books. They tumbled over to the floor and slid across it to Spencer's feet.

"I'm getting sick of your whining," Morgan said in a perfectly reasonable tone. "We have a murderer to catch, so you will help us."

"I know this doesn't mean much to you, but Maeve's been kidnapped. We think the killer has her. Please help me," Spencer pleaded, his hazel eyes resembled a small child. "You're the only person I know that can."

Dr. Switch stopped fumbling for his handkerchief. "Alright, I'll try."

"I know you can retrieve the memories," Dr. Reid continued in a soothing tone. "You're the best."

"Yes, well, I suppose I could put off my research for an hour. I'm always willing to help the FBI."

"Since when," Morgan wondered and earned a glare from Hotch.

"I went of my own free will to try and free Dr. Reid from his hypnotic trance. You can't say I have been unwilling to help you." The smaller man pulled up to his full height, but his hands were trembling.

"After we promised not to arrest you for rape."

"I never raped anyone," he said calmly. "I consulted my lawyer and he informed me that anything I said to you was said under duress and isn't admissible in court."

"Please," Spencer interrupted. "We don't have much time."

"I have a more comfortable room next door," Dr. Switch said. "Please follow me."

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Reid lay on a couch in another room that was much tidier than Dr. Switch's office. In fact, it had a large window that let in golden light through the clouds that were gathering to the west.

"Spencer, we've been in this place before, when you came to me for help with pain management. You know this is a safe place, a place you can relax and feel warm and calm."

Dr. Switch pulled a chair up close to the couch and removed his gold medallion. "I want you to concentrate on the coin. See how the light reflects on its surface and shines like the sun."

Rossi observed as Dr. Reid's eyes latched onto the coin and watched it as Dr. Switch began to twist his hand back and forth like the pendulum of a clock.

"Let your body relax, Spencer. You can keep your eyes open until they close in sleep. Just watch the coin and feel your toes begin to relax. You can feel a warmth, like a blanket in winter begin in your toes and move up through your feet to your ankles."

Spencer tried to stop thinking about Maeve and concentrate on Dr. Switch, but his mind kept skipping back to her.

"Let the warmth and relaxation flow up from your ankles to your legs and then to your abdomen. Watch the coin and don't worry about your thoughts, let them go where they will. Now the warmth is moving up your chest and into your shoulders and down your arms to your wrists."

More thoughts of Maeve and that she must be suffering swam through his mind, but they were sluggish like the weight of his arms and legs.

Dr. Switch observed that his subject's legs and arms twitched. His fingers jerked and his eye lids trembled. "I want you to open the door, Spencer and see the stair case that leads you to your safe place. Take the first step, just like the first time you solved a math problem, the first time you rode in a car, the first time you kissed a girl. Think of all the first times and take the step."

Spencer's eyes fluttered closed and his breathing began to hitch a little. "Good, now take the second step. Breathe in and out slowly as you step down to number two, let go of your fears."

He talked for fifteen minutes until step number ten. "Are you sleeping, Spencer?"

"Yes," he said and his voice was low and completely monotone.

"You're in your safe place, Spencer. Nothing can hurt you there. You will perceive this journey as a movie you're watching. Nothing can harm you. You are in control and can awaken feeling refreshed and remembering every detail whenever you want. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"I want you to go back to Thursday afternoon. You're leaving your last class at UNLV. You're about to get into your car. Tell me what you see."

"I see the parking lot is empty of people except for two girls across the lot and my friend, Brian."

"What's Brian doing?"

"He's standing by my car and smiling at me. I'm surprised. "Brian what are you doing here?"

"Tell us about him."

"He said he'd secured funding for a new dig in Mexico and he wants me to join him. He said he has all the details to show me if I come back to his place."

"Do you go?"

"I want to but I have plans with Maeve."

Morgan watched as a bright smile played on the Spencer's face.

"How did Brian react to your refusal?"

"Oh," Spencer's face twisted. "I tried to get in the car, but –"

"Spencer?"

"It's all dark," he resumed but his voice had taken on a breathless, childlike quality. "I don't like the dark."

"Spencer," Dr. Switch snapped harshly. "You're in your safe place. You're watching the memory like a film on a screen."

Reid's breathing began to slow and his rigid body relaxed. "It's dark, I can't see anything or hear anything."

His breath began to hitch again. "I'm awake, but I don't know where I am. There's a light, but it's very low, like a muted light in my dad's study."

"Look around you, Spencer. Tell me what you see."

"It's a room. There's something – oh god."

"Spencer, remember where you are. You're watching it. You're safe."

"I'm safe," he repeated and his hands stopped twitching on his chest. "No, why is she here? Megan?"

"She can't see you, Spencer."

"I don't know why she's here."

"Concentrate and tell me what you see. What's in the room?"

Spencer drew in a huge breath and let it out forcefully. "She's in the middle of the room. She's tied up to a metal table. I have to leave. Please don't make me stay here."

"It's okay," Dr. Switch said, but he gave Rossi and Morgan an awful look. "You are safe. Do you trust me?" He said in soothing and kind tones.

"Yes, but he's going to hurt her."

"You can't do anything to stop it, Spencer, but you can help the FBI catch him."

"I can?"

"Yes, Spencer concentrate and tell us what you see."

"I can't move," Spencer said. "My hands and arms won't move. Am I tied up? Is he going to kill me, too?"

"No… He needs you."

"Oh God, Brian, what are you doing?"

He began to scream breathlessly. "Spencer," Dr. Switch said. "You're safe. He can't hurt you."

Spencer's eyes snapped open, his breathing entered and left his lungs like a long distance runner at the end of an Olympic marathon. He closed his eyes again, sighed, relaxed, and then – screamed so loudly, Dr. Switch had to yell over the scream.

"Spencer, remember you can awaken at any time."

Spencer's mouth closed with a loud click, then he seemed to deflate like a balloon in the couch. His eyes opened and he began to sob. Rossi went to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Its okay, Dr. Reid. You're safe here."

The young man looked at him with such misery, he had to bite the inside of his cheek. In two days, and against his will he'd grown very fond of this young man, as a father cares for his son. He couldn't shut down the disappointment and despair that had his tiny boy lived more than one day, he might be like this extraordinary man.

"Agent Rossi," Spencer observed him with eyes that saw too much.

Instead of finding comfort in the touch of a fatherly older man, Spencer reached out and clasped Rossi's shoulder. David closed his eyes and then opened them to find the young man smiling at him despite the tears of fear in his eyes.

"I remembered everything and I know where he's taken Maeve."