(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters)

Thanks to everyone who for reviewing the last chapter.

Enjoy

Spencer shivered, tightening his arms around himself. The boat rocked gently in the moon-reflected water, shining light up on their faces.

Ed was humming to himself, inspecting his gun.

Spencer itched to have his glock back, to feel it's comforting weight at his side again. He wondered who had it. Maybe Aaron...

A sound from the shore perked both Ed and Spencer's attention and they glanced inland.

Sirens. Spencer heard sirens. This was Ed's 'show down.' Spencer wasn't going to let it happen.

"Up boy."

Spencer looked back at Ed who had the gun pointed at him. He couldn't stand, not on his legs. He glanced down at the one radiating pain throughout his body and grimaced at the sight of the torn bedsheet and gauze securing it, dried blood having seeped through the whiteness.

"I won't ask again."

Spencer closed his eyes and, holding both hands on the side of the boat, he raised himself up, keeping all weight on his hands and his okay leg.

"Good, now look over there," Ed said and he waved at the shoreline. He himself stood up slowly, looking at the flashing lights in the distance, hidden by the surrounding trees.

"Feel anything?" Spencer asked. Ed turned his head to look at Spencer, tilting it to the side just slightly.

"I'm not a psychopath, Myles," Ed said with a laugh and Spencer shook his head, shifting his one hand to the other side of the boat and leaning heavily on it.

"This is how it happened last time," Spencer said quietly. "That's why you planned this. So-" Spencer paused, licking his lips anxiously. "How does it feel?"

Ed narrowed his eyes at Spencer but didn't answer right away. He pulled the gun to his chest and checked something in the barrel before raising it at Spencer again. "It feels great," Ed said, a sickening grin coming to his face. He shifted to his other foot, rocking the boat and Spencer gasped and gripped his fingers tighter on the splintering boat.

"Feels like destiny... ya know?"

Spencer didn't know and he didn't want to find out. Ed just smiled, holding the gun like an excited child.

"What's g-going to happen now?"

Ed pressed his lips together thoughtfully. "Hmm..." he kissed his teeth, nodding slowly to himself. "My thinking is that Aaron comes out here. Maybe swims, I don't know. You're my hostage. He won't try anything."

"And then what?" Spencer gritted his teeth as he tried not to think about the carnage Ed had planned.

"Two little ducks... hunting season, it's not hard to figure out, Myles," Ed said with a laugh and Spencer swallowed thickly, his arms feeling heavy as they hold the boat.

"You'd shoot us in the water?" Spencer mumbled and he looked away from Ed's broad grin.

"What happens happens, hey kid?"

Spencer stared down at the water, feeling unwell as the sirens grew louder in the distance. He could see Ed aiming the gun at him in the corner of his eyes and the urge to throw up only intensified.

Spencer forced himself to breathe deeply before turning to Ed again, knowing he had to hold up a strong front in the face of such evil.

The boat rocked and Ed glanced at the shore, seeking out the location of the flashing blue lights. Spencer stared at the gun and he licked his lips. He knew it was now or never, and in his state, he needed some kind of upper hand.

So Spencer pushed himself up, his hands leaving the boat and lunging at Ed, or more specifically the gun in Ed's hand.

Ed turned suddenly when he felt Spencer's body on his but he didn't have time to pull the gun from Spencer who grabbed it and tore it away from Ed's trigger-happy fingers.

"Son of a bitch!"

Spencer pushed against Ed, throwing him back into the boat, and himself nearly falling over the edge. Spencer grasped the side of the boat. He leaned on it, relying on his good leg to keep himself upright. He remembered suddenly that Ed was still close and he turned, raising the gun quickly. His breathing was raspy and fast as he locked his sights and the gun on Ed.

Ed chuckled, the gun now in Spencer's hands and pointed at him. He didn't put his hands up in defence as Spencer's finger shook against the trigger.

"Boy I know you don't have the guts to do that."

Ed leaned forward, attempting to stand and Spencer used the gun to motion him back down.

"I will sh-shoot if y-you don't sit down a-and wait for them t-to come ge-get us," Spencer said, stammering nervously as Ed grinned.

"That's n-n-not happening, kid," Ed said, mocking Spencer's trembling voice. "Because Aaron will come out here and we're gonna play happy families before I shoot the both of you. Then I'll find his kid. I'll find little Jackie-"

Spencer fired the gun.

Ed went down. He crumpled and sagged into his corner of the boat like wet paper. The shot knocked him out... or killed him... Spencer couldn't tell.

He thought he'd shot the man in the shoulder but Spencer's vision ebbed suddenly and he couldn't make out where he'd hit. His vision churned again and he had to turn and grab onto the boat to keep himself from passing out.

He glanced at Ed out of the corner of his eyes and saw the man was still down. The siren's wailing seemed so close now and when Spencer glanced at the shore he saw dark shapes and vivid pulsing lights coming from there.

Spencer looked back at Ed, still unsure if he was unconscious, dead or faking it. He needed to check. Spencer sat up, moaning as his leg throbbed. He looked down at it, biting his lip as he did. He looked up at Ed, glaring at his slumped body, hating Ed for everything he'd inflicted on him.

Despite this, Spencer needed to know if Ed was alive.

Spencer stood on his one good leg, trying to reach over to check Ed for a pulse. He could see the small hole in Ed's shoulder and the bloody mess around him. Part of him just wanted to shoot the guy in the head but the damage to his shoulder was bleeding badly enough that he might just die anyway.

Spencer leaned on the boat, his other leg on fire as he dragged it closer to Ed. The man hadn't moved and Spencer couldn't see his chest moving either. He shuffled closer, gritting his teeth.

He was close to touching his father, his fingers brushing his still warm face, when he knocked his leg on one of the paddles.

Spencer went white, the pain all-consuming and he lost his balance, his senses suddenly fuzzy, centred around the pain in his leg. He felt as if nothing but his leg and the pain lashing up through it existed. He was so caught up in it that he didn't feel his body topple over to the side or the cold water enveloping his body until he was submerged beneath its surface.

The water had an instant cooling effect on his body, easing the firey pain in his leg and for a moment Spencer felt himself again. He opened his eyes and the water stung. He felt a twinge in his chest.

He couldn't breath.

Spencer looked up and saw the moonlight above the water and his lungs started to burn, yearning for air.

Spencer kicked his good leg, jarring the other. He screamed beneath the water, swallowing water as he did and kicking for his life.

He reached his arms up and felt them break into the cold night air. He kicked again, his body, despite feeling weightless in the water, aching from the desperate attempt to live.

Finally, he broke through the surface and he gagged on the water he'd swallowed. He coughed, spluttering into the water, his body trying to clear his airways. He coughed again before breathing in deeply, gasping on the glorious air that had been stolen from him. He gasped into the night air, still struggling to keep his body afloat.

His lips dipped under the water and he pushed himself back up, breathing loudly whenever he could managed it.

He sucked air in through his nose and glanced around himself. His body kept dipping under the water and Spencer was losing strength to keep himself up. He saw the boat and could make out Ed's head as it bobbed along the quiet water. Spencer turned hard, his one leg kicking and struggling against the heavy water. He just needed to keep himself up but with one leg and two tired arms it was getting painful. Spencer looked around for anything and his hands searched desperately for something to hold onto.

Spencer turned again and spotted one of the boat oares. He reached out for it weakly, pushing his body closer his arms paddling and his leg kicking hard under the water.

Spencer got close and he lunged for the oare, grabbing the flat end where the paddle sat. He grappled with it, barely keeping his head above the water. Each time he got his hands embraced around it then it started to sink, taking Spencer with it.

Spencer grew so desperate that he couldn't hear the sirens or the shouts coming from the shore. He didn't see the boat drifting away either. He just held onto the oare, spitting out water each time his head ducked under.

He threw his weight onto the oare and it slipped out from under him. Spencer reached out to grab again, his fingers brushing the flat wood but missing to grip it. He reached again but couldn't find it. He smacked at the water blindly, his heavy body pulling him down.

Spencer turned, his mouth sinking under the waves his body was stirring. He looked desperately for the oare, kicking again and gasping when he found fresh air, only to be pulled under a few moments later.

He took a deep breath, his body pulling again, and he yelled. It was the last of his breath he could muster. He screamed into the night air, his voice cracking painfully. He continued to yell as he searched again for the oare.

His hands found nothing and his scream died suddenly when he dipped beneath the water.

Thanks for reading!

Hope you enjoyed.

I cut this chapter in half, originally there was a scene with the team after this but I wouldn't have gotten this out with it... HOWEVER there will be a chapter with that scene in the next few days (Sunday) hopefully. So there will be no waiting a week for it.

Normal posting will resume after that, I just wanted to publish something tonight.

See you soon, stay safe.