Chapter 37

Closing

The worst prison would be a closed heart.

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

She was walking behind him again. Her mind was in a strange muddle. He knew full well that she was walking a very thin line. Actually when she really concentrated on the current situation she could see how far over the line she had not just walked but run without thinking of the consequences and the logical part or her mind which was still there trying to beat the confusion away was telling her………….. she didn't want to listen to that little nagging voice. The one telling her that this man is in actuality Reid's lover and whatever she felt about him that meant he was out of bounds. But she was just walking in the forest with him. Wasn't she?

Prentiss wiped at her face again. She couldn't smell much due to damage caused earlier but she could sense that smell seeping through her skin and masking her thoughts so that all she could think of was that man walking in front of her leaving a bloody trail behind him.

So when he suddenly fell to his knees then keeled over onto his side howling she was there in a flash.

Floyd had been fine. Gradually as he got closer he had been able to pull more of Reid's pain to himself. Now he felt they were very close and in a moment of pure blind foolishness he opened his mind up fully to take Spencer's pain for him. In the process he looked at all the fear and loathing and hatred and every bit of negative emotion Reid was feeling. He didn't take it from him…he just let himself feel it.

The pain blinded him. He felt his legs give way and he felt himself tip forwards into the snow. He was bleeding. He coughed and choked up blood onto the snow. He started sneezing vile black blood clots from his nose and now he could feel the warmth trickle down the side of his face coming from his ears. His gums where the holes were began to throb and his gums were bleeding.

All he could think of to do was curl up and ride it through. If Spencer could take it – and he must be or he would be dead then he could take it too. He could hear a voice but the words were lost in the screams going on inside his head. He could feel that his feet were bleeding too and franticly he tried to kick off his boots.

Emily stood for a few seconds not quite sure what had just happened. One minute he was fine and the next for no reason he was howling and gushing blood in the snow.

She ran to his side and crouched down in the snow. She was sure he was going to right there in the snow with her watching and not being able to do a damned thing about it. There was blood bubbling out of his ear and running down the side of his face and onto his neck. He was kicking his boots off his feet and had his arms wrapped tightly around him again. It was the dreadful noise though which alarmed Prentiss the most. She had never heard anything so creepy and diabolic in her life.

She stood up again and moved around so that she was facing him. This time she knelt in the snow which was slowly becoming blood stained. A careful hand rested on his arm. The noises had died down now to a strange keening.

"Floyd – what the hell just happened?"

She didn't get a reply. She didn't expect a reply. She ripped a bit off the bottom of her blouse and started to wipe at the blood on the side of his face. She wanted to know where it was all coming from…this couldn't all be from his nose and mouth – and if it was then she doubted Floyd was going to be getting up again.

He sneezed again and sprayed Emily's legs with blood and gunk. She let out a small yelp, but that was nothing compared to what Floyd was going through. She could see that there was blood trickling from behind his toenails and she wondered where else he was bleeding from.

"I want to help – how can I help."

There was a reply but it came out in pink bubbles and spit and she couldn't work out what it was.

"Please – god what's going on?"

"Leave – me – alone."

This time she heard it. She sat back on her heels and looked down at him. This was the mighty Floyd? The one who ripped people apart with his bare hands and ate parts of them? He didn't look too scary to Emily right now. She should cuff him and drag his scrawny ass back to the car and deliver jail – and no passing go.

She stood up and brushed the snow and muck off her legs…she thought they were in a hurry. He said Reid was in danger. Her hand twitched at her side arm and she took a step back away from Floyd. She was just going to have to go alone.

"Don't be so fucking stupid Emily."

His voice was clearer now.

"I need to do something! I can't just stand here Floyd! Let me help you so we can carry on."

He pulled one of his hands out from where he had been holding them close to himself hand put it out to Emily. "I took on too much. Wait – I will be fine soon."

As she bent down to take his hand she saw his eyes roll back and he lay limp in the snow. The ragged breathing stopped. The coughing and sneezing stopped and right now there was not a sound. Not a twitter of a bird. Total silence.

-o-o-o-

It was like someone had just ripped open his soul and removed everything which made him what he was. He made a small gasping sound as he allowed whatever it was to take all the pain away from him. With it his hate and fear and love and every emotion which made Spencer who he was torn from him too. What was left kneeling in the snow was just the shell of who he used to be. He didn't hurt anymore and he wasn't afraid either. The only thing still holding Spencer together was obedience and so that is what he did. He stayed with his head down slowly bleeding into the ice cold snow.

-o-o-o-

The blood trail wasn't trailing off. They could all clearly see the smears on the leaves of the trees and they could see it splattered on the ground. They walked virtually is silence. The ranger occasionally pointing something out, but Hotch and Morgan both thought they could have found their ways to where they were now standing.

They all stood at the edge of a small clearing. Hotch indicated for the rangers to stay back whilst Morgan and he walked in to see what they could find – if anything. The pile of clothes thrown to the side was the first and most obvious thing they found. They inspected each item. The trainers, Tshirt and sweatpants could really have belonged to anyone. It was the odd socks that confirmed that these were Spencer's things. The trainers and socks didn't seem to be much worse for wear. The sweatpants were filthy and damp from the snow. They had blood smeared on them in various places. It made Derek want to scream. The Tshirt was by far the worse. The front was blood soaked and covered in vomit. A bit further away was the old coat Reid had taken from the house…it too had blood and vomit over the front of it.

"What in gods name has the bastard done to him?" Derek stood looking at the Tshirt which Hotch was carefully bagging.

"Morgan – keep looking, this might not be all there is here."

Derek walked off. He knew Hotch had sent him away before he got himself into a knot of rage. Reid was like a kid brother to him – and hurt his brother you hurt him. He had threatened this many times before but this time he WAS going to put the bastards head on a stick. His foot moved against something which made a clinking sound. With gloves on – he bent down and swept the snow and leaves away. A chain. A fairly heavy duty chain. He followed it to the tree where it had been wrapped around and secured tightly. The other way he ended up looking at a set of let irons.

"Hotch – I've got something." Aaron walked over and looked down at the crude metal contraption. "There's blood on it." Morgan could fee the rage again. "He stripped him and put this damned thing on his ankle. Hotch……."

But Aaron was looking down at a pattern of blood a bit further away and at the rock laying on the floor next to it. "They've moved on. We need to too." Morgan joined Hotch.

"Oh god – you don't think?"

"No – I don't think he killed him – he wouldn't have taken him with him if he had."

Hotch called the rangers in again and asked them to find which way they left by. It didn't take them long to find a new blood trail leading further into the forest.

"I don't know what we are going to find. I just need you to know that we need to get our man back – and we need to do anything it takes to get him back to us." The rangers nodded and pushed jackets back out of the way of their side arms. Morgan un-holstered his pistol but Hotch's hands were too damaged to be using a sidearm yet. They walked carefully and as silently as they could behind the rangers.

-o-o-o-

"Floyd – wake up for goodness sake!" Emily shook Floyd's shoulder gently. "We need to go."

Floyd felt the hand on him, but he didn't want to move. He wanted to stay here forever now. He hadn't lost yet, but it was coming close and Floyd didn't like being on the losing team. Very slowly he moved so that he was on his hands and knees.

"A hand here Emily." His words still sounded distant and strangely slurred. She linked her arm under his and helped him to stand up.

"Do you know how much further?" Her normal sure voice seemed weak and girly to her and she wanted to kick herself for it.

Floyd wiped a hand under his nose and shook his head. "My sense of smell seems to be buggered. Not far. I can taste him."

"Oh. Well we need to go then." She glanced down at the mess Floyd had left behind him and it made her stomach turn. "I'm not sure if you are going to be much help Floyd. You cant even stand unaided."

He took a wobbly step forward with Emily still clinging hold of him. "I'm armed Emily. Don't worry." And the two of them carried on their walk to find Reid.

As they walked forwards they could hear something strange. Now something you would normally hear in the middle of a forest. The gentle calming sound of wind-chimes.

Floyd stopped and turned to look at Emily. "We have arrived. Just follow your nose Emily – do what you feel is right. Don't hesitate and don't try to second guess. Get your sidearm out. You will be needing it."

And with that he stepped forwards through the trees head up and with not a wobble in sight and faced what it was Taki had prepared.

He stood and looked and heard the sharp intake of breath from behind him. It was quite stunning he had to admit. Reid kneeling with his head down dripping blood into the snow. His skin had a strange bluish tint to it. Flanders could clearly see where the back of Reid's neck had been marked. Taki was standing next to him with his katana raised so it's tip was at shoulder height. If the sword dropped Reid's head would too. Taki very slowly turned his head to look at Floyd.

"You took your time Floyd. What held you up?"

Floyd took a step out into the snow and towards Reid. The fact that he was still bleeding was a bonus. At least he knew he wasn't dead.

"You can let him go now. It's me you want. Here I am." He stood with his arms down at his side and his palms facing backwards. "Spence – move out of the way."

Floyd took another step forward. Just off to the side of his vision he could see movement and Morgan and Hotch appeared from between the trees. A gust of wind blew over the clearing and the wind chimes rattled and the fabric of Taki's heavily embroidered royal blue clothes moved slightly as he stood unmoving.

Flanders took another step. Reid hadn't moved. Had shown no signs of life except for the blood still dripping from his face. Floyd put up and hand and made a 'put your guns down' gesture at Aaron and Derek.

"If you shoot him – and I know you want to, that blade will drop." Floyd let Hotch and Morgan know. "Let me deal with it. I know what he wants." He waited until he saw the guns being lowered and took another step. He now turned all his attention to Taki Otikami.

"Well you have me. You took my toy and destroyed it and now you have me. Just tell me what you want."

Still the blade didn't waver.

"Taki you are going to have to tell me what to do. I can't read your mind." Another step. Taki was just staring at him. A self satisfied smug inner feeling seeing how bad the condition his victim was in.

"Just kneel for now."

Another step but the blade quivered slightly and so Floyd stopped. He was in the wrong place though. He didn't want to stop here. A step to the side received no reaction from Taki. This was good.

-o-o-o-

Hotch and Morgan stood watching the game being played out by Taki and Flanders. Reid being the prize. Morgan wanted to go in guns blazing and shouting FBI, but it wouldn't stop Taki from slicing Reid's head from his shoulders. They could see he had already been cut. The could see how the blood had melted into the snow and they could see muck dripping from his face into the snow between his hands.

Hotch's hands began to hurt more now that they were standing still. He didn't have painkillers with him and head was starting to thump to such a degree that his eyes were beginning to water. He rubbed angrily at his eyes and tried to concentrate on what was happening in front of him. He put a hand out and placed it against a tree to steady himself and let out a small hiss of pain as he pulled his hand back again quickly and held it tight against his chest. He just hoped that no one could see the pain reflected in his face. He still needed to be the leader. He still had to be in control of this. Reid's life was at stake here. He stood and watched Floyd play his game. He just hoped that he knew what he was doing.

Aaron wiped a bandaged hand across his sweaty brow. He saw the sideways glance Morgan gave him but a small tight shake of the head from Hotch seemed to ease Morgan's worries that his boss was not going to pass out.

-o-o-o-

"Stop fucking with me Flanders! Kneel."

Floyd swallowed and glanced quickly in the direction of Hotch and then back towards Prentiss. They all seemed to be in position.

"Let him go." Floyd slowly sank to his knees.

"You are not here to bargain with me. Keep your head down dog. I don't want to see your filthy face."

Floyd complied.

This was it.

Now Floyd knew whatever happened he had lost Spencer. He may have lost but it wasn't over yet. He still had every intention of getting Spencer out of this mess as unscathed as he could. Floyd's hair had fallen down in a dirty matted curtain. He was able to carefully look around to see how the game was playing out.

Hotch looked sick. Morgan fit to kill an army – two or maybe three rangers – all guns out and ready to kill. He just wasn't sure who they were ready to kill. What he needed was for Taki to move away from Reid. He needed to lure him and he thought me might know a way to do it. His sense of smell might have gone astray but he could still tell that Taki wanted this final humiliation to be of his doing. All he needed to do now was to lure him over.

Slowly with his broken fingers he began to undo his waistcoat. He could feel the bones in this fingers grinding against each other and this newly found experience if pain made him feel sick. Right now vomiting in the snow was not his plan though. He could see that Taki was watching him, and as he pulled the garment off and threw it to the snow he thought he might even have seen a look of lust cross those slanty eyes.

Floyd could hear the breathing of the people around him.

Morgan's quick and easy breaths opposed to Hotch's more laboured heavy ones. The man was in pain. He was going to be no good to man nor beast in that condition. Floyd looked over at Hotch and this time being a bit more careful pulled some of the pain away and brought it to himself.

A sharp breath from Floyd as the pain short through his hands and head – but he could control this. He needed Hotch to be able to think straight and shoot the right person.

Emily – he could smell her too. She was nervous and puzzled but he could rely of Em to do what he wanted.

Now his hands moved down to his belt buckle. Not only did he have his broken fingers to contend with now, but the pain he had pulled from Hotch. His eyes watered and his nose ran but he didn't stop. He wasn't going to give Taki that satisfaction. He pulled the belt form the loops and threw it over to the side slightly in Reid's direction. He looked over to see now that all of Taki's attention was on Floyd. Still though the sword was in a dangerous position and until Taki moved nor could he.

Now hands were slowly undoing the top button of his jeans and now it happened.

Emily saw Taki move. She saw the sword glinting but Taki had moved away from him. Gun raised she ran in towards Reid.

Aaron looked down at his hands and frowned. He pulled his pistol and aimed at Taki.

Morgan took a step forward and shouted "FBI freeze!"

The guns seemed to open fire simultaneously. Floyd saw Taki take a step back and then keep running forwards for him. All Floyd could do now was hope someone did a head shot on the bastard so he could do what he needed.

Hotch and Morgan ran forwards….the rangers with shocked expressions moved in behind.

He could hear the 'wooosh' of the blade coming down, and though they hadn't done what he really wished they had Floyd rolled and pounced.

The sword flew from the hand as Floyd's sudden weight unbalanced Taki and the two men lay rolling around in the snow.

The shouts of 'back off' and 'on your face' and 'stop now' and more gun fire.

-o-o-o-

Reid could feel hands on him. Gentle hands on his back and somewhere there was shouting and gun fire but it seemed a long way from where he was right now.

"It's alright Reid. Come with me."

But he needed to stay where he was.

"Spencer." And the hand rubbing on his back. "You're safe now."

But he was not going to disobey Taki. He had been told to stay like this and this is where he was going to stay.

"Look at me Spencer." A hand touching his face now. He squeezed his eyes shut and wished it would go away.

-o-o-o-

Taki's small blade he kept on the inside of his wrist entered Floyd's abdomen.

Floyds broken hand ripped open the front of Taki's clothing. As he began to rip with his nails and tear at Taki's flesh with his teeth the blade slid higher.

There was a lot of shouting now and someone was running and telling them to freeze.

As Floyd's teeth met rib he added his fingers to push his way into Taki's chest and the blade slid further up.

The sudden smear of brains on the snow took the smug look of Taki's face. The hand on the blade loosened but Floyd still ripped at the chest.

Now hands on him. "Stop for christ's sake stop!" And Morgan was pulling Floyd away.

He didn't understand…The stupid bastard was stopping him! After all of this he was not letting him complete. As Morgan rolled Floyd onto his back he held onto the slice in his flesh bubbling blood and internal organs out onto the snow and Floyd howled in rage.

Hotch was over at Reid and trying to lift him from the bloody pool of snow and ice he was kneeling in. He took off his jacket and lay it over Spencer's bony shoulders. "It's over. I've got you now Reid." And suddenly everything poured back into him. The pain, the degradation, the fear….it all came back as Floyd lay screaming like a banshee and Prentiss just stood looking at the blood and brains and damage and her compartmentalising collapsed as big tears slipped down her face.

Ranger Depakote stood with his mouth open.

"What the fuck just happened?"

This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning: - Winston Churchill

A/N: nearly the end.