Disclaimer: i do not own Criminal Minds.

T.W. for mentions of past drug use.

JJ leaned on the sink, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She looked the same as she always did and she wondered how this much guilt didn't show on the outside. She closed her eyes for a moment at that thought. Suddenly, growling snarls erupted from behind her. Her eyes flew open, but she didn't move. She looked at the vicious dog that crouched behind her in the mirror her hand moving to her gun as she kept the rest of her body still. As soon as her hand touched her Glock she spun, pointing it at the mutt-

"Woah, JJ!" Lila said, panicked. JJ snapped out of it upon hearing her voice and put her gun away as fast as she could manage with slightly shaking hands.

"Oh, hi Lila. Sorry, you just… startled me." Lilas expression softened from panic to understanding.

"No, I'm sorry." She said sincerely. "Are you okay?" Lila reached out tentatively to grab JJ's hand and grabbed it when she didn't flinch or pull away. The touch anchored JJ, and she smiled gratefully.

"How do you deal with this?" She asked, partly to avoid the question and partly because she really needed to know.

"With, what, his abduction?" Lila asked. JJ nodded and Lila let out a slightly hysterical laugh. "I deal with it because if I don't, I'll fall apart. And if I fall apart, I won't be able to help Spencer. He needs me and I refuse to abandon him."

"Hey, JJ," Prentiss said, popping her head in the door. "I'm talking to a witness that may have known Tobias from Anonymous Narcotics tomorrow morning. Why don't you come with me, get out of the house? You could come too, Lila, but you would have to stay in the car."

"Yeah, that would be great," Lila said, and JJ nodded her assent.

"Guys, I think I got something!" Morgan yelled from outside.

"Stay here," JJ told Lila and the to agents ran outside to where Hotch and Morgan were standing outside an old cellar.

"Tobias Hankel, "F.B.I.," Morgan yelled. There was no answer, and they descended down the stairs. The smell was horrendous, and Hotch grimaced.

"I think we just found Hankel's father."

…

Reid met a young man by the name of Anthony during his early days in Hollywood. Lila had dragged him to a party and introduced him to her cast members. He was one of the up and coming stars, but one of the nicest people Reid had ever met. They became friends soon after they were introduced, sometimes meeting up for lunch or dinner to catch up. One day Reid invited him to lunch, and he said he was busy. The next day he found out that Anthony had died of an overdose only hours after that conversation, and it hit him hard. He swore to himself that he would never get addicted, that he would never do that to the people that cared about him.

When Tobias wrapped that belt around his arm and tried to stick that needle into him, he knew he wouldn't come back from that. He wasn't sure how it happened, but the syringe was flying across the room before it could touch him. Tobias stared at where the syringe landed for a moment.

"I said, I don't want it." Reid whispered with conviction, and that was the last time he tried to give Reid drugs.

…

"Guys!" Garcia called out, the panic lacing her tone. She stared at the screen in front of her in horror as the rest of her team filed in.

"Oh god," JJ said quietly, guilt once again gnawing at her stomach, making her sick.

"He's been beaten," Prentiss said, noticing the blood staining his face and matting his hair to his head. Morgan felt the need to punch something, but couldn't take his eyes off the screen. Hotch felt his ever professional mask slip for a brief moment before it was back in place. Rossi muttered what sounded a lot like a curse under his breath, and Gideon closed his eyes. I should have known, He thought but didn't dwell. Dwelling on it wouldn't get his agent back.

"The other heathens are watching," A shadowy figure said from next to the camera. Reid looked up at the man, the back at the camera before swallowing thickly. "You claim that you want to save people, so choose," He continued, referencing a conversation that the rest of the team was not privy to.

"What?" Reid asked quietly.

"Garcia, trace the feed," Gideon growled.

"I-I can't," She said, voice panicky as her finger flew deftly across the keyboard.

"What do you mean you can't?" He demanded.

"He's rerouting to a new server every six seconds, I mean I can't."

"Oh my god." There was a voice behind them, and all but JJ and Morgan spun around to see Lila standing the doorway. She had been outside when Garcia called for them.

"Honey-" JJ started to pull her out the door, but Lila shook her off.

"Is this live?"

"Yes, but you shouldn't-" Morgan was cut off.

"No, m-maybe I can pinpoint his location. This combined with my connection to him…" She let herself trail off. She stepped forward, and no one stopped her. She stared intently at the screen, as did everyone else.

"Choose one to die," He said, and those who hadn't been paying attention assumed this wasn't the first time he said it. Reid swallowed visibly.

"I won't choose who lives, and who you slaughter like a poacher." He glanced at the camera for a long moment as he said it. No one noticed with all of them focused on what the man behind the camera would say next.

"Choose, or I'll kill them all." He growled. Reid looked conflicted and closed his eyes for a moment.

"The far left screen, they live." He says quietly, and he says the address before the camera was turned off and all the screens went black. Gideon was on the phone with the person that had been saved, telling her to turn off her camera.

"I- couldn't… Oh god." Lila whispered and ran from the room.

"I'll go check on her," JJ said, looking pale, and went after her.

"So we, what, just wait for the next call?" Morgan demanded.

"There's nothing else we can do," Hotch said. The call did come, and they were still too late.

…

Reid couldn't look away from the monitor in front of him as Hankle slaughtered the innocent couple he hadn't chosen to save. He made himself close his eyes, letting himself grieve for two people he had never met. He must have fallen asleep like that because the next thing he heard was Gideon calling his name. His eyes flew open, the prospect of rescue pumping adrenaline into his system. Disappointment coursed through him upon seeing that his mentor was only on the screen in front of him. He barely listened to the speech Gideon gave him, staring blankly as his mind reminded him of how much his chances decreased the longer he stayed in this hellhole.