36

The kettle water finally boiled and Spencer made three mugs of weak light brown coffee. Floyd took his to the bathroom. Sam sniffed his then left it and Spencer slowly sipped on his as the pair of them talked.

It was Spencer who started talking. Sam remained sitting on the floor, but now pressed his back against the wall as though testing it to see if it would swallow him up. 'I never intentionally set out to hurt you. In actuality I made a promise to myself that I would protect you from Floyd. I did my best Sam, but you really don't make it easy.'

'Don't need your protection.'

'I admit that I attacked you and I did something so horrific that I'll have nightmares for a long time over it…'

'You'll only have nightmares cos you pissed Floyd off.'

Spencer sighed. Liking Sam just was not possible. Sam was a nasty vindictive individual and from where he was sitting now he could understand how he'd snapped and battered Sam the way he had. What was more surprising was that it hadn't been done more often.

'Not only because of that. I didn't piss Floyd off so much as hurt him.'

Sam now leaned forward so that he was kneeling and had the palm of his hands on the floor. 'So Spencer, what did you do with my remains? I looked for them every fucking where. I know that they're out there somewhere, but I dug all over the sodding place until I had blisters on my blisters and found nothing. So what did you do with them? Throw them in the bin?'

Although Sam was beginning to look alarmingly canine as he swayed slowly from side to side, Spencer remained calm. 'Floyd requested that I bury you far and deep.'

'Burial at sea?'

'I know that you don't like fire.' Sam nodded… Spencer was sure Sam was drooling too. 'I know that you cant swim. Cremation and water burial were out of the question. I considered it deeply Sam. I treated you with all the respect I could. Can I tell you a little story? You'll understand why when I've finished.' Sam nodded but didn't say anything. His tongue hurt from where he'd bitten it and the whole of his lower face felt as though it was swelling. 'Many years ago when I was around fourteen years old, something happened to my mother.'

'She's bonkers.' Sam whispered.

'My mother has problems but that's not the point. She was put into hospital for a while and because I was still young I was told that I had to go live with a foster family for a few days. I didn't want to. I really didn't want to do that. I liked my home comforts and familiar smells. There was a really nice social worker who took me to this house which wasn't really too far from where I was brought up, but far enough for it to be a tiring walk… but never the less, as soon as the social worker had left I went out of the back door, through the yard and like many lads of that age, thinking I knew what I was doing I was off over the scrubs thinking I was heading for home. I was wrong though. I was walking in the wrong direction. I was scared and alone and lost.'

'Well my heart bleeds for you, truly it does. What's your fucked up childhood got to do with where you buried me?'

'I'm coming to that. Wait… I took cover at night under this rocky ledge. There were creatures out there in the desert. I could here them yapping and calling to each other. I was too afraid to sleep. I had no water left. I had no food. The sun was blazing down on my head and my neck and arms were burnt, my face too. There was nothing for miles around except some dust cloud way off in the distance. A long way off. I thought it was the way the desert winds pick up.' Spencer made a circling movement with his finger. 'You know what I mean? You've seen that out there?' Sam nodded so Spencer carried on. 'Well that dust cloud got closer and closer and as it finally got close enough I realised that it wasn't the wind doing it but Floyd on a big old dirt bike. He told me to get on the back and he gave me a small drink of water and a hat. He even gave me some sun lotion to rub in, but it was really too late by that point. So I thought he was going to take me home again and tell me what an idiot I was. It wasn't the first time I'd run off and not the first time Floyd had found me. But he didn't take me home. Out there in the middle of nowhere is somewhere really awesome.' Spencer paused for effect, but Sam was looking bored. 'There is a small gully. So small we had to leave the bike behind. When the wind is in the right direction it will virtually fill that small area up with sand and grit. Hideously dangerous place, but today it was clear. Floyd led me down this small crack in the rocks until we reached a fork in the path… forking paths, not an eating fork.' Sam raised his eyes up to the heavens. 'OK, well there was one much like the one we were already walking down and a smaller one which dipped downwards. Only a fool would have gone that way as it was so obviously a dead end, but Floyd walked down there and stood and waited for me. At the bottom of that tiny gully which I could only just fit down was a boulder and behind that boulder was a small metal door.'

'Sure there was. And fairies dancing in the moonlight.'

Spencer carried on. 'It had a green blinking light over it. Floyd pressed a button and the door slid downwards into the ground and there was a tiny room. Floyd told me to step into it. So I did. I was fascinated by this thing. Floyd followed and the door closed and the room dropped down.'

'An elevator in the middle of the desert? Right. You had sunstroke you fool.'

'I don't know how far down it goes, but it was some kind of bunker. There was a long corridor with doors on each side and a big room at the bottom. There were bedrooms, a kitchen, storage rooms, even an armoury of sorts, but it was mostly empty. There was everything there someone would need if they had to escape from upside. A fall out shelter of types, but very advanced. Well there was a special room there. Shelves along the walls and tiny doors and drawers. It was a burial chamber. There were no bones there but it was obvious what it was meant for. So when I was given your remains I went back there.'

'No… hang on one damned moment. You've not told me what happened when you were there. Did you sleep there? Did you let Floyd fuck you there? Was there anyone else there? Did you eat shit and stuff? How long did you stay for? How did Floyd know about it? How many rooms? What happened when you went home again? Were you in trouble? How long was your mother in hospital for?'

Spencer nodded. 'OK… We did sleep there. For nearly a week. There were games consoles which we messed around on for a while, a television, but the picture was very grainy… books which we read to each other. We did eat and there was fresh water to drink. I think Floyd knew about it because I think that he had something to do with building it. There were three bedchambers. I was in a lot of trouble when I got home. They wanted to know where I'd been and I wouldn't tell them. I just said I'd been with a friend and didn't want to get him involved. Floyd at that stage in our friendship was careful. We touched.' Spencer paused and rubbed at his eyes. 'We kissed. I was fourteen Sam… not an experienced lad like you, not very worldly at all, except for the occasional glimpse into other things Floyd would show me. I was in trouble. Mother was in hospital for only three days and she was worried sick for a few hours and then I guess she forgot I was missing and thought I was at school. It's how it was.'

'OK… so back to me then.' Sam then sneezed onto the floor between his hands.

'I took your remains back to that place. I took them and placed them carefully on one of the shelves and then I wrote your name on some paper and rested that with you. It was the deepest place I could think of. The safest place I couldn't think of.'

'So you laid me to rest in Floyd's secret fuck hideout? What name did you write on it?'

'Well you know where they are now and I wrote Sam Trent-Saviour.'

'OK and Yeah… I thought you'd just chucked me with the trash. I thought you'd thrown me out.'

Spencer smiled and shook his head. 'No… no Sam. I suppose you could ask Floyd to take you there?'

'Take him where?' A dripping Floyd spoke from the bathroom door.

'To your hideout in the desert.' Sam smirked.

Floyd gave Spencer a very long look and then took in how Sam was kneeling on the floor, now with his head down and swinging his head back and forth. There was a slither of drool which broke away from Sam's mouth and dropped to the floor. If Floyd didn't know better he would have thought that Sam was going through some sort of change… like a lycanthrope.

'Sam, look at me.' Floyd spoke in a voice which he didn't expect to be ignored. Floyd didn't move though. He was standing in the doorway of the bathroom with a towel around his middle and there was the place he intended to stay, at least for now.

Sam slowly lifted his head. Hair hung down in front of his face and Floyd could see now a trickle of blood coming from the corner of Sam's mouth. His lower face looked pale and sweaty and somehow wrong? Sam let out a long hissing sound from between clenched teeth, shook his hair off his face and looked over at Spencer with narrowed eyes.

'Look at me!' Floyd commanded.

Sam's head snapped around and Floyd heard slight crack sound of Sam's neck and saw the wince of Sam's face. 'Stop that crap right now! You're creeping Spencer out. Sit up and wipe that drool off your face you fucking idiot. And what's wrong with your face?'

'I cant stop drooling! You've done something to my brace. Pulled it out of line or something. Cant bite down properly and it hurts like a son of a bitch. It's not my fault! It was Spencer's. He did it. He clobbered me and mashed me. If you want…'

'I'm getting dressed. I wish that you two will continue your bonding and Spencer will have a look and see if he can help.' Floyd backed out of the room and back into the bathroom causing Sam to give Spencer a look of deep curiosity.

'Did I creep you out?' Sam got to his feet as Spencer nodded. 'Can you see if you can pull that back round again?' He presented Spencer with the brace. 'Why was Floyd acting funny do you think? It was like he was hiding something or was scared of something.'

Spencer shook his head. 'I cant help you with this without causing further damage. You need hospital.' Spencer pulled a tissue out of a box on the night stand and handed it to Sam who jumped back away from it as though it was diseased.

'A tissue? From your spunk wiping box? Fuck off! I'll use my sleeve thank you very much. Shit Spencer, that's like offering someone a used condom! And what's Floyd up to? What's he hiding from us and why has he never taken me to his secret hide out before. Oh yeah – and when you went back to it did it look like someone had been there?'

'No.' Floyd snapped. Now back in a clean shirt with a dark waistcoat over the top and a pair of black jeans.

Sam and Spencer both frowned at him, but it was Spencer who asked the question. 'Where did you get those clothes from? You came out of gaol with what you were wearing and a cigarette lighter.'

Floyd pulled the lighter out of his pocket. 'Oh babes… it's not just a cigarette lighter.' So that explained everything. 'And he'd not have seen traces that someone had been there Sam, because I tidy up after me. I'm not a fucking slob like the pair of you two are.'

'So you've been back?'

Floyd didn't respond.

'Can you take me to hospital and get this off my face before it does horrific things to my nerves.'

'Horrific things to your nerves? Like the pair of you do to me? Go wash that mess off your face, then we shall rest up and then when the light is new again and another day has started we will take you to the hospital and get you sorted. For now I need you to rest. I need to rest. I used up a shit load of energy and I'd appreciate it if you let me just close my eyes and have maybe twelve hours to hibernate and recharge. Spencer my love, use the phone there my sweets and call the car rental people and let them know you'll have the car for a while longer.' Floyd then sat down on the floor and with his back tight against the wall he slid sideways into something a bit deeper than a sleep yet not as deep as a coma.

'He's knackered. You should have seen the fireworks at the ranch. I've not seen Floyd quite that full of shit before. I bet he's never been that angry when he's killing someone for you! HA! That's because…'

'Go to the bathroom and wash your face.' Spencer snapped as he picked up the telephone to make that call. But he didn't take his eyes off Floyd. Spencer was sure that the man was hiding something. And he had every intention of finding out what it was. He was almost certain it had something to do with Floyd's back. Once he was sure that Floyd was so far into his recharging process that he couldn't stop him, Spencer was going to get Sam's help in finding out exactly what it was Floyd didn't want them to see.

When Sam returned from the bathroom with a slightly fresher looking, but still swollen face, Spencer had made his call and turned on the television. He had it on a Home Shopping channel, but wasn't watching it. He still had his eyes fixed on Floyd. He motioned Sam to come over and for a few minutes they both sat looking at Floyd.

It would be the perfect chance to escape.

Except neither of them felt like captives.

Both were under the foolish impression that they were there because they wanted to be.

'We need to look at his back.' Spencer whispered across the side of Sam's face.

Sam waved a hand in front of Spencer. 'Your breath stinks. But yeah. I'm thinking nubs. What about you?'

'Nubs?'

'I think he's got vestigial wings or something. He had so much – I don't know how to describe it – power? Power flowing through him. Never seen it quite like that before. I've seen him enraged but not firing off like that.'

'Nubs?' Spencer repeated.

'Yeah.' Sam said in awe.

'You're crazy.' Spencer informed Sam. 'However we still should look.' A soft but conspiratorial tone.

Sam leaned in and spoke softly in Spencer's ear. 'You're not fooling me with your soft voice and friendly innocent eyes.' He then stood from the bed and walked slowly over to Floyd. He stood and looked over his shoulder at Spencer and nodded towards Floyd.

They knelt next to him trying to work out how to do this. Spencer indicated that they had to roll him onto his front, and Sam motioned pulling up Floyd's shirt at the back. Spencer gave him a nod and they both reached out carefully to gently – oh so very gently – roll him onto his front.

'Touch me or my clothing and I'll eat both your damned faces off. Go away.' Floyd growled at them.

Sam yelped and jumped back out of the way quick as a cat, but Spencer stayed where he was with his hand in mid grab. 'Can we just look? Make sure everything is OK?'

Floyd snapped his teeth together. 'Don't make me tie both of you up. No you may not look. Disturb me again and I'll fucking well teach you why you two should listen to me and not think you have ideas of your own.'

'And when will I get my face fixed, and get my eye glasses?' Sam moaned.

'Never. Wont need to if you're a pile of maggoty intestines draped over the table lamp. Now shut the fuck up. Turn off the damned television and sleep or something.' Floyd then wrapped his arms around his head and pushed back hard against the wall, giving Sam even more reason to suspect that Floyd was growing something back there which he didn't want them to know about. Sam grabbed Spencer by the hand and said in a voice which Floyd would have been able to hear…

'Smoke? Out there in the daylight – whilst the vampire sleeps?'

'Fuck you.' Floyd muttered but didn't object as the pair of them left the room and sat on the board walkway outside. Spencer gently and as quietly as he could closed the door behind them, making sure that they could get back in again.

o-o-o

Sam had something important to say. Spencer could see that much by the way he was fidgeting and the way he was actually willing to talk to him. They sat together and Sam put a pack of smokes on the boards between them. They sat with legs dangling over the edge of the ledge and shoulders resting on the blue painted railings.

'Now I'm not sure about this.' Sam lit up using a red tipped match which he scratched alight on the bottom of his sandal. 'But if I'm right then we're either going to die real soon or we are going to live forever.'

Spencer nodded. 'Well what's new?'

'He is.' Sam jabbed towards the door Floyd was behind with the cigarette. 'He was so full of that energy back at the house that the place was exploding around our ears. It was pure magic. Cant explain it any other way. Now if I am right, and if what is happening is actually happening and I think it really fucking well is, then we are either the luckiest bastards alive or the most unfortunate.'

'Again, that is how it always is when around Floyd. Not that I'd change anything.' Now Spencer too pulled a smoke from the white and red pack.

'Well here's the thing. I know that I'm not back here unless Floyd wanted me back. I'd still be up there kneeling in shit and piss and begging those cunts to send me back. I had a list of stuff I wanted and I guess in a way I got what I asked for, cos I was none to careful in my wording and you really do have to be oh so very careful how you word something. But anyway, I'd not be back if Floyd hadn't requested me back again.' Spencer's eyes narrowed at this thought but he said nothing as he picked up the book of matches Sam had put next to the cigarettes and lit up. 'So if he went back what did he ask for? What did he go back for?'

'To request that they sent you back again, I would assume.' Spencer told Sam.

'Stop trying to make it look like you give a shit. Thing is… what the hell did he ask for and what did they give him?'

Spencer nodded and turned to look at the door. 'He lost you. He was more than a bit angry with me. But I was physically able to be found again. You weren't. Again I'm going to assume that he went back to request your return.'

'You think he doesn't have needs?'

'I know he has needs, but I think that losing you the way he did was all consuming.'

'Oh my fucking god! You think I'm going to believe that? You're a bigger fool that me… I mean than him… if you think that. I'm not going to. He went back for something else and got me as an added bonus. A bonus not something to drag him down. He wants me. Really badly wants me. More than he wants you.' Sam paused. 'Were you breast fed?' A long drag from the smoke. 'Anyway, what if he asked for his wings back and was actually granted them? Well not the wings as such but the power that goes along with them? What if he's been promoted?'

Spencer drew his knees up close and wriggled around so that his side was against the railings. 'I don't know what you're talking about. I don't understand the politics or the structure of the place you come from.'

'If he's been promoted… you see? If he has, then I've been upgraded. Didn't he say originally ages ago that he'd been upgraded?'

'I think he was promptly downgraded again when they realised their mistake.'

'OK… you don't believe me then think of this. Why are we here? I mean here on the outskirts of Vegas, in this fucking piss hole of a joint where I know full well Floyd is miserable. Why are you here? Why was I here? Why is that little place you know of here? What's with this fucking horrible hot place that's drawn us here? I started out in a different state. I was moved here when the other place blew up. But I could have gone to anywhere in the damned world, but it was to here… just down the pissing road from where you were brought up. Why is that?'

Spencer shrugged. 'I've never really thought about it. I actually like it here. I can understand why someone would want to live here.'

'Yes but you're brain addled from all the sun on your head. You're not thinking right, cos I don't like it here and Floyd don't like it here so why are we here?'

Again Spencer shrugged. 'Maybe because Floyd has nubs.'

'Are you being sarcastic? Cos if you were it wasn't very fucking funny, but then you're not known for being the worlds best funny man are you? Best leave it to those who are.' Sam stubbed out his smoke. 'I want to see that place you spoke of. Can you take me there?'

'I'm here because I was raised here. I came home. My mother is here. Floyd joined me here because of that reason.'

Sam now stood. 'Don't fucking fool yourself Spencer. He's here because of a better more important reason than you. Primarily he's here because of me. So fuck you! What the question was though was, why?'

'What day is it?' Spencer was pulling his wallet out of his back pocket. Sam told him it was Friday and Spencer nodded. 'Thought so. Can I leave you here for about ten minutes?'

'No. Where are you going? I'll come with you. I don't want to you out of my sight. I think you're a tricky bastard and I don't trust you, but that might be because you battered my noggin in and I've not forgotten, or forgiven. I'll get you back for that. It hurt. It bloody well hurt! And now this thing hurts too. Does it look swollen to you?'

Spencer slipped the wallet back into his pocket, gave Sam a proper good look and nodded. 'Are you sure you want to come with me? I don't want you losing your temper if people stare are you, because it wont be for your good looks. You're face is swollen, yes and the skin is colouring. It's going to end up one big ugly bruise.' Oh that felt good. It felt spiteful and that shouldn't feel good, but the look of horror on Sam's face was worth it. He would beg his imaginary god for forgiveness at a later date. For now it was going to keep Sam away from public glare and allow Spencer to go shopping alone. He didn't think he was in the mood for Sam trailing behind him moaning and bitching about everything he could think of. 'Just stay here. Make sure no one disturbs Floyd. I wont be long.'

Sam sat back down and rested his head on his knees, but he didn't moan or complain. Just this once. Maybe his brace had slipped and finally strangled him.

Another apology Spencer was going to have to make to something or someone.

As he walked down the steps to the area below he muttered under his breath… 'Nubs, indeed.' Shook his head and walked to the small corner shop which was luckily closer that the take out place where the smell of onions and boiled meat seemed to be wafting from. Spencer's stomach hitched with revulsion as he slipped into the tiny shop which sold everything from weird spices from unknown lands and mops for the kitchen floor.

o-o-o

Spencer brought back a bag of things which he took into the room with a curious Sam in his wake. He produced a slightly better quality coffee from the bag but as there was no way to make a real good coffee, once again it was coffee granules, but certainly better than the stuff which was provided with the room. He handed Sam a carton of strawberry milkshake with a straw attached and though Sam pulled a face at it and didn't say 'Thank you' he still drank it all. They then sat in silence and waited.

And waited.

Spencer checked that Floyd hadn't died and on seeing a twitch of one of his fingers, moved back out of the way again quickly. He didn't want to be so close if Floyd woke up grumpy; which was more than likely. Spencer also noted that Sam was repeatedly rubbing at his good eye, but when asked what was wrong, got no reply. It was going to be a long night, and one which Spencer didn't want to fall asleep during. He didn't trust Sam.

Sam trusted Spencer as far as he could spit, but he still eventually curled up on the bed with pillows adjusted around the side of his face so that nothing was digging in.

There was no clock in the room and Spencer didn't have his watch on and so the only sign that time was passing was when light gradually began to seep through the curtains again. He had a shower, cleaned his teeth and then walked back into the main room to see Floyd sitting up, cracking his knuckles. He wanted coffee. Spencer made him some and apologised for the poor quality, but Floyd didn't seem to mind. Spencer picked up the bag of things and sat on the floor in front of Floyd, placing it between them.

'Yesterday was Friday.' Spencer informed him. Floyd blinked but said nothing. 'I didn't know which to get.' He pushed the bag over to Floyd as the bed behind him creaked and Sam muttered some oaths. Floyd's eyes darted over to Sam and a deep frown set on his face. He still didn't speak. As Sam sat down next to Spencer, Floyd delved into the bag and took out the contents.

'Jello? That's what you went to the store for? You brought jello? Lots of jello? Different types of it? What the fuck for?' Sam asked. 'Only real cunts, kids and old ladies eat that shit.' Again Sam got a frown from Floyd, but Spencer received a grin.

'Jello. Especially for real cunts. You went and got this for me?' Floyd's voice sounded rough; like he'd spent the night throwing up or chain-smoking. 'It's Saturday. Green. Lime I think.' He picked up the small transparent pot of green jello. 'Thank you Spence. Sam what the in the name of fuck in hades has happened to your face?'

'You eat that shit?' Sam watched as Floyd peeled back the lid and dipped his fingers in. He ignored the little plastic spoon glued to the side of the pot.

'Yes I eat this shit.' Floyd replied. 'Because I'm a real cunt apparently. Which are words you might regret later. We need to get you to a hospital though. And then things to do, places to go, but I'm not taking you anywhere looking like a fucking gargoyle.' Maybe the words were a bit harsh as it had been Floyd shaking Sam by the brace which had caused the swelling and now the fine lot of bruising coming up around his jaw line. Sam snatched up the paper bag the things had been in and put it over his head.

'I wish I was dead.' Sam moaned.

'I think Spencer can help you out there.' Floyd smirked back. His mood was a lot lighter than Spencer had been expecting. Maybe it was the jello which put Floyd in such a happy mood. The reasons didn't matter. The fact that he'd not attacked either of them was more important. Floyd reached over and pulled the bag off Sam's head. 'Don't cover it up Sam. I need a laugh.'

Sam moved back away and with a… 'Fuck you arsehole,' and went to the bathroom where both Floyd and Spencer could hear rather dramatic sobbing.

Now that they were alone Spencer spoke quietly to Floyd. 'This might not be the best time to ask…'

'No it's not, but I figure you're going to ask it anyway… go ahead, what's bothering you?'

'Is there something wrong with your back? Sam thinks that you're growing wings or something.'

There was a moment of silence… a long sigh… 'Wings… He's such a fucking stupid shit. No babes, I'm not growing wings. There's just something I don't wish to share with Sam. Later. I'll show you later, because it will explain this wondrous idea I've had which involves you. Sam will get insanely jealous though and it's not worth upsetting the little maggot further than he already is. Now… you sort the car?'

'That was another thing I wanted to talk to you about. The car… if you can call it that – is a wreck.'

'It's just a car Spence. We can get another one, a newer one, a shiny one! A perfect one.'

'Not the point Floyd, it's not my car and they're going to freak when I take it back.'

Floyd shrugged. 'Cross that bridge when we get to it… Now tell me, what other insane ideas has Sam had?'

Spencer told him about the Vegas thing and again Floyd just shrugged. 'Everything has a place where…' He looked thoughtful for a minute and then carried on. '… a place where things begin and things end. It's like a giant wheel which we all jump on and take the ride, but that ride has to start somewhere, the ticket office has to be somewhere doesn't it? Then the wheel stops turning and there you are back where you began. You start off as nothing and then…' He clicked his fingers. '… dust. Nothing. Well that's unless you have the reincarnation theory running in your head, but even then you always end up in the same place. It's like a building up of power.' Spencer had no idea what Floyd was talking about and told him so. 'OK… you of so little imagination… You began life here and you will end life here.'

'So…'

'Yup… so… easy answer to complicated question. OK… imagine if you will, that you pick up a book and you read the first couple of chapters, then you chuck it in your bag and travel to another world, I mean another place… then you open the book and read again… it will carry on from where you left off. It's not going to change because you're not longer in the same city, country, hemisphere or whatever. The story will remain the same, enclosed between the cover of the book. That's what life is Spencer. Your life is already mapped out for you. I cant change it. Sam certainly cant change it and you cant do anything about it either. Chapter fifteen, Doctor Spencer Reid, the beautiful and oh so fuckable FBI agent is shot whilst on duty. BANG! Bullet to the brain. Now you could say that it wont happen… you've skipped forwards and seen spoilers and you know what's going to happen, so you take a blade to your wrist in chapter twelve and you pre-empt the story and attempt to take your life before someone can do it for you, but what happens is you just hang onto life for a few more chapters and you'll still die in chapter fifteen. Or you can call in sick that day but there will be a knock on the door and some fuck will be there with a pizza and a .45 and you'll still be dead. You cant avoid it. It's written there. And if you go back and look carefully you will see that actually chapter twelve has that suicide attempt there anyway. It's a good thing you cant read what's going to happen. You will go bonkers. Believe me. It's no fun. Vegas is the pages of the book Spencer. Everything started at the beginning and will end at the end – in Vegas. Do you think it would be really wrong of me to eat yesterday's pink jello?'

'What chapter are we on Floyd?'

'Oh sweet thing! Don't look so worried. We're still wading through the shit about the author at the beginning. Our story's not even fucking started yet! Not for real it hasn't. We have an eternity together. I'm here to keep you safe. Haven't I always kept you safe? Don't I protect you from things? Even from way back? Came to your rescue when you wandered down desert roads with snot on your top lip and tears running down your face? Haven't I always stepped in? Hell I just did two years in the slammer to keep you safe. I'm your guardian angel Spencer. We're going to have a fucking ball! That is if I don't fuck up. There's always that possibility and the last few chapters get removed or lost somehow.'

'So why are we in Vegas?'

'Ah… yes. We are in Vegas because you were here and you are what life is all about. Therefore The Teevy family had to also be here. Hotchner had to be here… I had to be here. We all had to start out together… feet on the starting line waiting for the starters pistol to go off and set us on our way. Now are you less confused?'

Spencer blinked. 'Oh very much so. I should point out that from Sam I am learning sarcasm.'

'Dangerous.' Floyd smirked.

o-o-o

Sam's sobbing increased. He, for once, wasn't really doing it for sympathy. His face hurt like hell on wheels and it felt hot and around the jaw sort of hard, yet squashy at the same time. Sam sat in front of the toilet and let the sobbing turn into very painful puking.

It was around then at he thought his brain might have exploded. The pain ripped through him knocking him off his well worn knees and onto the bathroom floor, smacking his lower jaw on the toilet rim as he went. Something hot was crawling out of his nose and popping in his ears. His tears were somehow slime filled and sticky, and as he took in a deep breath to let out a howl of pain it seemed that his throat was going to stop him by closing up just enough to prevent that breath from being taken.

Floyd heard the odd noise Sam started to make and stood with his pink jello dripping off his fingers. 'Sam?' He called the name and got no reply. 'What the hell are you doing in there you little pervert?' Floyd licked at his fingers as he walked towards the bathroom. Spencer stayed where he was. It felt as though he'd had a life time of Sam's histrionics and today he was not going to react to it. He was attention seeking. Spencer was very sure of that. He watched Floyd walk into the bathroom and then started to pick up the rubbish left on the floor.

By the time Floyd arrived at Sam's side it was very obvious that something was quite a bit wrong. Sam wasn't in a full out convulsion but he was sprawled out on his back with puss oozing from his nose, ears and the corner of his eyes and shaking so much that his teeth, or something, was rattling. Floyd wanted to shout at him and tell him to get up, but for once he actually thought maybe Sam was in distress and not putting it on. He sat on the floor next to him, pulled him partially onto his lap and rubbed at Sam's chest.

'Spencer!' Floyd shouted through the door. 'Two things… call an ambulance and then call Hotch and let him know we have Sam.'

Floyd heard Spencer jumping to his feet and running to the bathroom door. 'What's going on?' He looked at Sam and then at Floyd and then at Sam again.

'Well fuck if I know. Call the bloody ambulance now!'

'Cant you…? Fix him?'

'Ambulance Spencer… 911… NOW!'

o-o-o

There was a big scene at which Spencer stood back and watched, Floyd shouted abuse at everyone and paramedics stayed calm.

Then Floyd went with Sam in the ambulance (on the condition that he calmed down) and Spencer rattled behind in the rental car. It felt as though the thing was coming apart the further they drove. The flashing emergency lights Spencer was following rushed through the traffic, but at least kept going. Floyd wasn't killing everyone. It was a start.

When Reid arrived at the hospital parking lot he saw Hotchner walking quickly in his direction. He gave the car a once over and then gave Spencer a nod.

'Thank you for letting someone know about Sam. It was assumed he was in the house at the time.'

Now Spencer was confused. 'At what time?'

'At the moment it's still under investigation and I think it will be for a long time yet. They are saying that it was the result of what could only be called an opening in the ground – some type of subsidence. The ground just opened up and swallowed the house. It wont be possible to…'

Spencer nodded. 'I understand. Sam was with us… Floyd… Well anyway, Sam was fine, but something has gone wrong with the brace they attached to keep his jaw in line. Some sort of weird reaction to it.'

'And you called 911 rather than called out for Flanders?' A bitter tone.

'I called 911 because Floyd told me to. I then called you because Floyd told me to.' Spencer paused. 'He knows.' A whisper of a finish to his voice.

Hotch wanted to give Spencer a comforting hug, or maybe a manly pat on the shoulder. Just something to show that he cared, but if Floyd was nearby that was maybe not a good idea. 'Well I'm glad Sam is safe.' Was all Hotch could think of saying. Though in reality they were walking into a hospital emergency room so saying that Sam was 'safe' was maybe premature.