Before Hotch, there was Josie Brent, Gideon's first protégé. Wiped from the FBI records, she emerges from the shadows to save Reid from a sexual sadist. But someone is hunting her, and she is going to need the help of her betrayers to survive.

I know the description reads like a Mary-Sue, but she isn't. I like the idea that Reid wasn't Gideon's first protégé. A lot is changing in my life. I have plans for the future. No M material here. I am curious to see who is still hanging around.

The Failed Protégé

1999:

As he walked to the door of his cabin, Gideon felt a tingling sensation the back of his neck. Before he could turn around, he felt his head slammed against the door. The person gripped his neck tightly.

"I thought you had learned from what you put me through!" she shouted into his ear.

"The boy is gifted," he said. "He could do a lot of good for the FBI."

She slammed his head again the door again.

"You know I'm sorry about what happened to you Josie," he said.

"Then why did you cover everything up!? No one knows I exist."

"The unit was going to be dismantled if I didn't agree. I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it!"

"Josie, are you going to kill me?"

"That's too easy a fate for you. You deserve to suffer."

"I'm trying to right a wrong! The young man had a traumatic childhood with a schizophrenic mother and no father figure."

He felt a gun against his head.

"Maybe I should kill you. You've learned nothing from me. You think you're a savior. That man may go through trauma he isn't trained to handle."

"Then do it," he said. "We both know I deserve it."

"Somebody is going to kill you, Jason Gideon. It won't be me. Fate has something worse planned for you. I only hope Spencer Reid fares better."

Let him go, there was a swish of fabric, when Gideon turned around, she was gone.

Present:

Reid was dying, he knew it. He'd lost too much blood. Every inch of him hurt. He had been violated in every way imaginable. The thought of dying didn't scare him anymore.

The door opened. Levi was back.

"I'm going to f**k you until you die!" he said gleefully.

He just wanted it over. There were no more tears. This wasn't the end he planned, but it was preferable to whatever else Levi could come up with.

As Levi approached him with a delighted grin, the door was smashed open. A masked woman appeared in a purple hooded coat. He reached for his knife, but the woman was quicker. She hot him twice in the legs.

Levi fell to the ground. She pulled duct tape out, and put it over his mouth.

"He'll bleed out in about five minutes," she said an approached him. "He deserves to die a painful death."

Reid eyes widened in fear.

She pulled her mask off. He could she had faded reddish blond hair and only looked five years older than him.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she said calmly. "Spencer Reid, I have spent the better part of twenty years wanting to meet you, but not like this, obviously."

He was too weak to talk. She pulled out a knife and cut the ropes. The woman caught him as he fell. He was vaguely aware of Levi screaming through the tape in pain.

"Your team and an ambulance are ten minutes out. Let's see what need to be tended of first."

"Who—"

"Don't try to talk Dr. Reid. Odds are you're not going to remember me anyway. The brand can wait as those are generally too hot to easily cause infection. The stab wounds are what I'm more worried about."

It was too sudden, her appearance. Who was she? Panic filled him.

"I know Jason Gideon," she said. "I'm Josie Brent. He plucked me out of Harvard med school and convinced the FBI to recruit me at the age of twenty-four."

Reid began to think he was losing it. Nothing she said was making sense.

"Hey, I'll make a deal with you. Everything you will ever want to know about me is stashed in a file on Samuel Cole. Find that file and you'll learn everything. Just try to stay calm, okay?"

He blinked in agreement. Josie pulled out a bag and began to work. Elevating his limbs and drying wound areas, she applied bandages to his injuries. Then she put an oxygen mask on his face. She then covered him with her coat, revealing an all-black outfit with gun holsters on her shoulders.

Josie knelt by his face.

"I can't stay," she said softly. "There are so many things I've wanted to say to you, but I'm trying to keep a low profile. Yes, I know there is a camera on us. Good luck Dr Reid, and I'm sorry Gideon didn't learn his lesson."

She got up and ran out of the cabin.

Two minutes later, he could hear the wailing of sirens. He was barely holding onto consciousness as J.J. and SWAT rushed forward.

"Spence!" J.J. said as tears filled her eyes.

As Reid prepared to drift into oblivion, the of thing he could think of was the question of what Jason Gideon did to Josie Brent.