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

It feels like another age since I updated. No fear, update is here.

I really need to give myself time for writing cus I just feel like I have none.

This is the penultimate chapter so enjoy and I hope no one is disappointed.

Aaron was screaming. He hadn't screamed so bad in years. The last time he remembered screaming like that was after Myles had 'died'. Aaron had stared blankly the whole day, not really seeing anything. When he got home it was to a household missing two members. He'd gone to Myles room and when he saw the little boy's things just how he'd left it, Aaron had screamed himself hoarse.

Aaron held his head to the ground as the frantic splashing matched his screams.

"Stay down, Aaron!" his father yelled as Aaron screamed helplessly, his fingers clawing the sand.

He could hear struggling but he couldn't get up. He couldn't stop yelling. His insides felt as if they were on fire but with every breath he screamed, his voice breaking with them and his body feeling as though it could collapse at any moment.

Ed held the gun at his side and watched as his youngest son tried to hold his middle child up from the water.

It was messy. The water was already turning red.

Spencer slipped, dropping Sean and himself below the shallow water before getting his broken leg beneath him. He lifted Sean's face up with a cry, putting a great deal of weight on his unhealed leg. His body couldn't hold itself up let alone Sean. But Spencer's adrenaline was at an all time high and through gritted teeth and kept a solid grip on his brother.

Spencer kicked his good foot against the sand, trying to push himslef nearer to the shore. When he got close he saw a shadow loom over him.

Aaron had stopped yelling and his wet eyes looked up at the same time as Spencer to see the gun pressed to the young-man's head.

"That's far enough, boy," Ed said.

Spencer dropped Sean gently. The water was low enough not to cover his unconscious brother's face but Spencer still watched him nervously.

Spencer fumbled to press his hand to Sean's wound, his fingers glancing across the torn fabric of Sean's t-shirt when a rough hand grabbed his collar.

Spencer grunted as he was thrown away from Sean, landing with a splash, the hard ground sending spikes of pain up his back. Ed stepped over Sean's bleeding form shaking one of his shoes off once out of the pink water, a look of disdain on his face.

"Sean," Spencer whispered looking back desperately at Sean. He tried to lunge toward Sean but Ed shoved him roughly back into the water.

Aaron moved forward and Ed raised the gun to Spencer's head as he sat helplessly in ankle-deep water. Aaron lifted his hands slowly, each breath raspy and verging on whimpers, his body still tight and terrified for his brothers.

"If either of you move again I will shoot him," Ed said. Spencer panted heavily, his back bending towards the water. He glanced at Sean who was face up. Spencer could make out his chest moving shallowly which was a small relief. The water was gently moving his hair in its tide but staying low enough to keep him relatively safe, not counting the bullet burrowed in his arm, threatening every second he continued to breath.

Spencer made to shuffle out of the water but Ed tutted. "I don't think so, move back."

Spencer glanced back at the water and then at the gun. "Why?" he said, swallowing his fear. "You're going t-to kill me anyway. What does it matter?"

"Spencer-"

Ed shot Aaron a look and put a finger to his lips, his smirk lifting behind his finger.

"Neither of us want it this way," Ed said, waving the gun in the air. "We can both agree it's messy."

Spencer looked down at the water, watching for a moment as it bobbed gently around him, as if it were the safest thing in the world, but Spencer remembered what it felt to be under it; what it felt to be held down in its watery grasp, forced to suffocate beneath what appeared to be calm waves.

"I'd rather be shot than drown," Spencer whispered as he looked up at Ed again who was grinning.

"You don't have a choice. I won't kill you with this. But I can kill him." Ed pointed back at Sean. He paused to look at him for a moment, watching his shallow breathing. He shrugged.

"I could shoot Aaron and then I'd still drown you, even with a bullet in you."

Spencer stared at him with a horrified expression. "And if you don't shoot me?" he asked in a quiet mumble.

Ed's smile grew hungrily and he looked up at Aaron. "Then we'll continue with the plan," he said. "And he will help me." He pointed his gun at Aaron who was frowning.

"I will never help you."

"Not even to save your brothers?"

Aaron looked down at Spencer, the young man struggling to keep his arms straight behind him. He could barely keep himself up from the low water. "You're planning to kill them," Aaron said as Ed tilted his head.

"I can spare them if you-"

"If I what? What do you want with me?"

Ed looked back at his eldest son, the gun faltering as he scowled thoughtfully. "Pardon?"

"What do you want, Ed?" Aaron asked breathlessly. He motioned to his brothers. The question seemed to unravel Ed who stepped back, unsteady on his feet for a second. "What is this all about?"

"You," Ed said loudly. The gun had started to shake as their father frowned. He scrunched his face up, deep in thought and only broken from his thoughts when Aaron moved forward and Ed shoved the gun up. "You... you-you stay there!"

Aaron could hear the sirens. They were too faint for any of them to feel safe just yet but Aaron felt himself straighten confidently with the hope of help coming their way.

"Did you want me to come with you?" Aaron asked, keeping his voice soft.

"I..." Ed pressed his lips together and looked around himself. He smiled sadly to himself. "I wanted to get this feeling back," he said.

"The feeling of control? You want to control us?"

"I want them dead!" Ed shook his gun in Spencer's direction but the young man didn't cower, he glared up at Ed, his body growing limp from exhaustion but his defiance keeping him upright.

"You're going to do it! You will drown him."

"I won't touch him," Aaron said, his voice calm.

Ed snorted, shaking his head and the gun at Spencer before chuckling. "I know about your kid," he said, smiling widely at Aaron becoming the unhinged man he had always hidden so well.

"You'll never find him."

"I found Myles," Ed said simply, still grinning like a madman. He held his gun steadier at Spencer's head. "When I figured he was still alive I knew I had to kill him. He's the reason my whole life changed! He ruined my life! And Sean, he was the one who told the police about the fishing spot."

Aaron was starting to feel his fear creeping back as his father's eyes grew wider and he began to laugh breathlessly after each sentence. He glanced at Spencer who was looking back at him with tired eyes.

"I know you didn't tell them a thing," Ed said once he'd stopped laughing to himself. "You always kept your mouth shut. You were a good kid and if it was only you then I wouldn't have been put in prison.I would have had my life... I wouldn't have let her die!"

Ed's lip shook and Aaron felt some small compassion for the man. Only for a moment and only because he shared the same sentiment in regards to his mother.

"Your brothers took that life away from me!" Ed spat. "They took her away from me! Don't you see Aaron? They can't get away with it. And if Sean hadn't opened his mouth to the police then I would have dealt with Myles and ev-"

"You killed innocent people!" Aaron yelled. His fists shook at his side as his interrupted father stared at him, his face flat. "We were your victims too. You deserved everything you got."

"I thought you'd understand me," Ed said. His smile faint.

"I don't. I will never understand men like you. The fact my father is a killer influenced my choice in profession. The only thing I understood from you was the ability to hate with every part of my being."

Ed turned suddenly. The sirens were growing in the distance and a sense of deja vu spread through them all.

"You're done," Aaron said. He glanced at Spencer who was blinking slowly at the sand, his wide eyes dazed and tired. "And you know what? The only reason Sean told the police anything is because I told him what to say, I told him everything I thought about you and I led him right into that station."

Ed glared at his son and lifted the gun.

"Shoot me," Aaron said in a low, dark voice. "You won't do it."

Ed grit his teeth and took a step forward, a step closer to Spencer and away from Sean. "You have no idea," he hissed. He glanced down at Spencer who was looking at his fingers with hooded eyes, unable to move from his daze.

Aaron saw Ed raise the gun in slow motion as Spencer closed his eyes, unaware of his father's twitching finger over a trigger aimed at his skull.

"No!"

Spencer opened his eyes and looked at Aaron while the gun aimed for a fatal shot.

Aaron began moving forward but he knew he'd be too late.

Aaron leapt in front of Spencer, shielding him from the gun but the shot didn't come.

Ed didn't fire the gun.

Aaron felt Spencer's hand reach gently for his. Gurgling noises came from behind Aaron's back and he looked over his shoulder at his gasping father.

Spencer opened his eyes too just as Sean tugged a short scalpel from his fathers neck. He had his hand over his collarbone, pressing firmly to the fleshy part of his shoulder where his t-shirt was dark with blood stains.

Despite the rising sirens the night seemed quiet, everything became slow. Aaron and Spencer could see the scalpel in Sean's hand as if reflected in the moon light. He'd jammed the simple silver blade so far into the back of Ed's neck that the slim handle was smeared in blood.

Sean lifted his hand again, his teeth gritted together as he dove the scalpel into his father, this time in his back which had him collapsing suddenly. The knife slipped from Sean's hand, still embedded in Ed's back as he crumpled like paper to the wet sand beneath them.

Aaron stared at Sean who was covered in blood, his own and Ed's.

The sirens were on them now. Aaron could hear doors slam as he stumbled into the water and grabbed Sean's arm, carefully not to touch the one still bleeding.

"Stole it," Sean muttered without being prompted. He leaned heavily against Aaron who grappled to hold him up, wondering how on Earth Spencer of all people could have kept him out of the water for so long.

Sean took a deep breath which panted back out when he pointed down at Ed. "Scalpel," he said breathlessly and he smirked at Aaron. "I knew I-I couldn't go unarmed to your stupid plan."

"You left."

"I had a-a feeling I'd still need it." Sean winked, glancing one last time as Ed whose legs were twitching. "I hope he rots."

Aaron nodded and started pulling Sean away from their father. He saw torches shining through the trees and armed police skidding down the mud that Aaron had already endured.

Aaron looked over at Spencer who was attempting to claw his way out of the water, moving away from Ed's convulsing body as he did. His hands kept slipping on the sand and he fell into the water. He pushed himself painfully back onto his elbows and caught his breath before trying again. "Hold on, Spencer!" Aaron yelled, slowly setting Sean on the ground.

"I'm fine!" Spencer took a deep breath and pulled his legs with him, biting his lower lip hard when shock waves darted up his injured leg, twisting knots in his insides.

"POLICE!"

Aaron raised both his hands, squinting when he turned to find torch beams shining on him.

"FBI!" he yelled back. He heard someone familiar call 'he's with us.' Aaron found that familiar someone in the form of an angry Derek Morgan shoving his way through the last of the trees.

Morgan barged past the officers and grabbed Aaron's arm, his gun still trained in his other hand. "Where's Ed?!"

Aaron pointed at Ed, still twitching and rasping behind them. Morgan pushed him away and marched to Ed with several officers in tow. Aaron motioned EMTs to Sean who quickly knelt beside his bleeding brother. Sean began to grumble that he could sit up fine which was a relief to Aaron. His brother was well enough to talk back.

Aaron turned to help Spencer but found Emily and Rossi on either side of him, heaving him out of the water. The young man's legs were weak and he was barely able to keep them under him as Rossi led them from the water. They practically dragged Spencer out.

Rossi let go of Spencer when they were ok drier land and looked him over. "You alright?"

Spencer nodded, blinking wearily back at Rossi.

"Good, maybe next time you'll stay in bed."

"I-"

"We saw the CCTV, kiddo."

Spencer quickly shut his mouth and dropped his gaze.

"Hotch?"

"I'm fine, Dave," Aaron said before the Italian could question him. He brushed his shirt off and showed his sandy palms to Rossi. "I'm fine," he said again.

He let out a deep breath and turned slowly away from Rossi, JJ, and Emily, and Spencer who seemed to be the least conscious of them all. Aaron's eyes lingered on Spencer for a moment. Aaron felt protective of him both as his boss and his brother and he didn't like the way the young man winced at each shift in movement. Rossi was right, the kid needed to a bed.

Aaron allowed himself to look away from his youngest brother and over at the spot they'd left Ed. He saw a crowd of armed police and medics there, tending to what he hoped was a dead body.

He was about to turn back and help Emily with Spencer when Morgan came into his view, his fists clenched at his sides and a glare on his brow.

"Morgan I-"

Aaron couldn't finish the sentence. Morgan's fist interrupted him, throwing all thoughts from Aaron's mind as pain overran him.

"Morgan!" Spencer cried when the Derek's fist connected with Aaron's jaw, sending their unit chief stumbling back into the water, submerging his feet and nearly sending him down into the chilly lake.

Spencer shoved against Emily but she held his waist tightly. "Reid," she hissed when he hit her shoulder, despite his struggle being weak and easily over-powered. His adrenaline was nearly out and Emily could feel behind his fight, the inevitable slump of exhaustion biting back.

Derek stomped through the water after Aaron, grabbed his tie and yanking Aaron close. "What the hell!" he said, spitting the words at Aaron.

"Get o-"

Derek tugged Aaron's tie again, practically snarling at him. "What you did was suicide," he said. "How the hell are we meant to be a team when you plan stupid stunts like that!? We were here to help you! We were here to stop him but you're too much of a narcissist to accept that!"

Derek let go of his tie and glared at Aaron who was gaping back.

"I..." he started before glancing at Sean who was being led slowly to a stretcher, his arm held high. He looked then at Spencer who was pushing Emily away along with an EMT trying to guide him to another gurney. Aaron looked at Derek who was still seething. "I'm sorry," he said finally.

Morgan's face shifted from anger for a moment as Aaron continued. "I'm sorry," he said again with a deep inhale. "But this was always my battle. I needed this control, Derek. I know it could have easily been a suicide mission but I was prepared to make that choice."

Derek met his eyes, less clouded by anger. Aaron exhaled slowly as Derek stepped forward and pulled him into an embrace. Aaron let his hands slowly rise to hold Derek back, unsure on the agents motives. "That's not an option next time," Derek said into his shoulder. "Next time we will be the ones at your side, got it?"

Aaron nodded numbly, the words slowly pushing through his foggy mind.

Aaron looked up as the doors to Sean's ambulance were shut. The lights began flashing and Aaron watched as the vehicle streaked away from the scene. He pulled away from Derek who was still frowning at him.

"I mean it," his said with a final nod.

"There shouldn't be a next time," Aaron said quietly, looking back at where Spencer had been.

Emily was trying to pull Spencer toward the other ambulance with an EMT reaching for his arm. Aaron hurried over, gently pushing Emily away. She did so without a fight.

"Spencer calm down."

"Is he dead!? Is he dead?"

Spencer pulled out of Aaron's grip, staggering back and nearly falling. Aaron grabbed him and just held him.

"You're safe," he whispered.

"Is he dead? A-Aaron is he dead?"

"He is to me," Aaron muttered but he glanced back anyway to check. He saw his father lay on his back, the scalpels damage apparent from the blood stretching out around him and running down into the water. Spencer managed to look over as EMTs began chest compressions again.

"I think he's dead," Spencer mumbled and he leaned heavily against Aaron, the day catching up to him. "He's got to be..."

"We're okay now." Aaron motioned the EMTs waiting for Spencer forward as he pulled away from his brother. "Listen," he said, waiting for Spencer's tired eyes to find him. "You need to go back to the hospital."

"No I-"

"And you need to stay until you can actually hold yourself up." Aaron made his point clear when he let Spencer go and the young man wobbled. The female EMT reached out and took Spencer's arm gently. Spencer glanced around, his eyes wide with fear.

"It's okay," Aaron said quietly and he put his hand back on Spencer's shoulder.

"They'll look after you."

Spencer relaxed a little and allowed the other EMT to take his other arm and drape it over his shoulder. Spencer looked up suddenly at Aaron.

"W-will you ride with me?"

Aaron nodded and Spencer relaxed some more.

"Just give me a moment." Aaron nodded to the EMTs and they slowly led Spencer away, the young agent limping along with them.

Aaron glanced around to look at his father. There were EMTs stood around him, two knelt pumping his chest and trying to jam a tube into his stiff jaw.

Aaron turned his head again and let out a deep breath before beginning to walk away.

Thanks for reading.

Let me know your thoughts in the reviews. There should be one last chapter now and then that's this story finished.

I hope you're all enjoying it.

See you soon, Stay safe.