Reid sat slumped forward against his restraints, eyes closed, chest rising and falling with every ragged breath.
"Take her back." one of the men ordered as he returned the knife to its sheath.
Rough hands untied the strap around Alex's torso and pulled her to her feet.
"Mmph!" she protested through the gag, lunging away from his grip in a desperate attempt to reach Reid.
"Oh, shut up!" He said, dragging her down the hallway and shoving her back into the small room. The door slammed shut and locked with an echoing crash.
Within a few minutes, Alex managed to work her cuffed hands under and in front of her.
"Spencer!" She cried out, yanking off the gag and pounding on the unrelenting iron door. "Let him go you son of a bitch!"
"I...I'm sorry," Garcia sobbed, "I failed him...I just couldn't stand to see...I'm normally ok and can just think of puppies and kittens and other small cute animals to forget...but with that...with him...Reid...I just..."
Morgan crouched down beside her chair and silently pulled Garcia's shaking body into his arms.
"Hey," He said, gently pulling her glasses from her tear stained face and wiping them on his shirt. "You haven't failed anyone, you are the smartest and most beautiful woman I know, and after we get Reid back, you can take him to the animal shelter and snuggle all the cute kittens and puppies you can possibly stand. ok?"
"Garcia," Hotch interrupted, emerging from her office, "We need you."
"Yes sir." She replied, taking her glasses back from Morgan.
"Thank you" She mouthed, pushing the bespecled lenses up her nose before whirling around to follow Hotch.
Morgan's half smile fell as soon as the door closed and he sank into the chair behind him. Head in his hands, his shoulders shook with every carefully controlled breath.
"Hey kid," Morgan's voice floated towards Reid like a life raft in a storm, as strong arms wrapped around him "I've got you, just hang on for me. Just hang on. Just..."
"...hang on! I'll get it!" a harsher voice snapped impatiently, jarring Reid back to reality.
His head was ringing and his body felt like it had a thousand tiny fires lit all over it. He forced his heavy eyes open, greeted by the littered cement floor below him. Two men stood on either side, supporting him, while a third struggled with the latch on a large iron door.
"Get back!" The man commanded, pounding his hand on the door, "Stay back or I'll shoot him"
Seemingly confident that his orders were carried out, he opened the door as the others shoved Reid forward.
Alex rushed towards Reid as he stumbled to his knees, the door clanging shut behind him.
"Oh god," she gasped, cuffed hands tenderly brushing his hair back away from his pale face "hang on, lets get you to the bed first."
The floor swam under Reid as Alex pulled him to his feet. "Woah, easy there." she said, placing a steadying hand on his chest. "It's ok, we can take it slow." They made their way over to the cot with painfully slow steps and Reid groaned as he collapsed onto the rough bedding.
"Jesus!" Alex jumped as something clattered through the opening in the door.
"What is it?" Reid asked, struggling to sit up.
"It's a first aid kit."
