Note: I don't even remember if this is on time or not... So... this chapter is a little shorter than most of the others. Silly me, I forgot I was supposed to keep writing the story as I posted already written chapters and so I had to finish this when I got home from work. Which... honestly, I'm going to confess that that's a little sad because it's not like this has an impressive length or anything.

Anyways... a big thank you as always to my reviewers: ahowell1993, Purplehood and Spxxxxx. I haven't been able to respond via PM recently (but I'm going to try and get back into that habit,) but know that I appreciate you all immensely. :)

Please enjoy!

Reid doesn't answer, moving instead to unlock the first of the cuffs.

His fingers slip several times-he hasn't quite gotten the feeling in them all the way back. He hisses and sets back to work, getting the first of the cuffs off.

"Reid?" Hotch asks, concerned, as the cuff falls away.

Reid moves to the other one, keeping his eyes focused on the task at hand and anywhere but his unit chief.

"Are you okay?" Hotch repeats the question again as the last cuff falls away and he rubs his wrists.

Reid hesitates, before starting to move on to Hotch's ankles.

"Let me take that," Hotch interjects gently, taking the keys from him.

Reid doesn't protest. "I…" he finally begins, as Hotch unlocks his own ankles. "I thought for a second I'd killed him."

And Hotch understands.

Reid has already killed before.

It's not something he wishes on anyone, but especially Reid.

And a hammer is so… so personal. So up close.

No wonder he was so shaken.

"It was self defense, Reid," Hotch tells him firmly. He stands, appreciating the feeling of actually being able to move again. "No one would fault you for that."

He knows that, had Greer been dead, what he is saying right now wouldn't have mattered. Reid would still have carried the weight of that death with him for the rest of his life.

Maybe it would have been an easier burden, knowing that there hadn't been any other choice, but it would have been a burden to carry all the same.

You're never the same after killing someone.

Hotch is glad that it didn't have to come to that this time.

Reid doesn't deserve that.

A groan comes from the man on the floor and Greer stirs.

He's waking up.

Hotch sets his jaw, grabbing a pair of handcuffs from the chair.

Marching forward, he presses a knee into Michael Greer's back.

Greer angles his head, getting a look at Hotch. "I'm not going to be the only one," he says.

Hotch presses his knees harder against Greer's back. Greer lets out a low moan. Hotch doesn't care.

Not after what Greer did.

"You're going away, Greer." Hotch can't keep the bite, nor the satisfaction, out of his tone as he cuffs him. "You lost."

Greer rests his head back down. "But I'm not going to be the only one," he says. His voice possesses a near dreamlike quality and his words are slurred. "You'll die eventually."

"But you won't be around to see it." Hotch cinches the handcuffs tight and Greer winces, closing his eyes again.

"Maybe. Maybe not," he whispers. And then he grins. "But it will be worth it when that day comes."

Hotch tightens the cuffs once more. "We'll see," is all he says, then he turns away, leaving Greer on the floor.