A/N: Here is the next chapter for you guys. I hope you enjoy! As always, dearest readers, I greatly appreciate the follows/faves/reviews. Throwing out lots of love to you. Let me know what you guys think! This story is starting to wind down, so thanks for sticking with it for so long!

Warning: Torture scene P.S.-Sorry in advance but y'all should know I love to end on a dramatic note.

Joey pulled her head up and slowly blinked several times. Her brain felt like it was rebooting. She looked around her. The room she was in was huge. Metal shelves all around her reached toward the high ceiling, and it smelled damp and musty. Single-bulb lights were hung evenly spaced, but they cast little light into the giant warehouse.

Warehouse? Joey questioned. She couldn't be sure. She blinked several more times, her brain starting to wake up. She tried to remember where she had been before this. She remembered Sergio…so she was at Emily's, and Prentiss had stepped out…when someone was in the kitchen…

Joey's eyes widened and her heart rate increased. She forced her mind to calm down. Panicking wouldn't help anything. She did a physical assessment. Based on her line of sight she was standing.

Standing? Joey looked down to check. Her ankles were bound together and her toes barely brushed the floor. Painfully, Joey dragged her head until she was looking up. Her wrists were bound in chains and she was suspended with a large hook.

Right, suspended. She looked up at the hook again. It looked like something from a fishing boat that would be used with the nets. Were they at a shipping yard? How far had they travelled? More importantly, how long had she been out?

Joey tried to twist her left arm so she could see her watch, but cried out in pain. Black spots appeared at the edge of her vision. She breathed heavily through gritted teeth. Right, shot in the shoulder. She made a mental list. She dropped her head down to look and found a pad of gauze with a dark red stain taped to her shoulder under her shirt. Joey snorted. At least he had the decency to patch her up.

Joey closed her eyes and tried to remember anything else. She remembered waking up for a brief moment in the back of a moving vehicle, but there had been a bag over her head, and she'd blacked out again before she could get any sense of direction.

She'd woken up a second time when the arrived to…where ever they were. But once he had seen she was awake, Pearce knocked her out again with the butt of his gun…

Pearce. Joey reminded herself. He was the reason she was here. He was also the reason for her pounding headache, apparently. Though she was probably also dehydrated. And based on her churning stomach and sore, raw throat, she had probably thrown up sometime along the way, too.

Joey glanced around again. Through a long, narrow window on one wall of the building, she could see the night sky, so she guessed she had been there at least 24 hours, though maybe more. She tried to turn to head to see what was behind her, but it pulled painfully on her shoulders, so she conceded to staring at the shelves in front of her. They were covered in mostly industrial items: large tools, boxes of scrap metal. Joey tried to wrack her brain, thinking if there was anything like this close to Quantico.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of metal scraping concrete, then again, before the sound of footsteps echoed around the shelves.

The dim lighting cast harsh shadows on Pearce's face as he appeared before Joey, emerging through the looming towers around them. His face split into a wicked smile. "You're awake."

Joey said nothing as she glared at him. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of engaging in conversation, and she certainly wouldn't beg.

Pearce stepped forward until he was inches from Joey. He looked at her lips. "I bet you're wondering why you're here." Again Joey said nothing.

Like a viper, Pearce's hand connected with Joey's face at maximum speed. She inhaled sharply, blinking in surprise, but merely rolled her head back to stare defiantly into Pearce's eyes.

Pearce took a loose strand of hair and gently tucked it behind Joey's ear. He stroked the side of her face. "Where's the tape?"

Joey gritted her teeth and remained silent. Pearce struck the other side of her face. Joey felt her lip split and tasted blood. Her head was swimming and there was a fierce pounding at her temples.

Pearce stepped back and put his hands on his hips. "Did you think I was stupid? Did you think I wouldn't find out that you had recorded me?" He folded his arms across his chest. "I know you and your team have a tape of me and you in my office. And you're going to tell me where it is." He sneered.

Joey said nothing but continued to try and burn holes in his face with her eyes.

Pearce sighed and stepped out of sight behind Joey. For a moment she panicked, waiting for another blow, but she felt herself be lowered suddenly until she was on her knees. When Pearce reemerged in front of her, he had a bucket and rag with him. Joey eyed the the objects apprehensively.

"You know," Pearce began casually, as if he were having this conversation with a friend over drinks. "I always thought there was an art to torture." He dipped the rag in the bucket and brought it up, ringing it out. "But I always thought it was something you learned when you were young." He smiled at Joey benignly. "Better late than never, I suppose."

Without warning, Pearce covered Joey's face with the damp rag. Joey barely had time to register what was happening before Pearce yanked her head back by her hair and gallons of ice cold water were being poured over her face.

Joey gasped and her lungs were filled. She tried to cough or breathe, but was met with only more water. When her body finally started to override her mind and she began to panic, the water stopped and the rag was torn away from her face. Leaning over, Joey coughed and heaved. Darkness was creeping into her vision, and her esophagus was burning as her lungs and stomach tried to force the water back up her throat. She finally took deep, rattling breaths.

Pearce grabbed the back of her neck. "Are you going to tell me?" Joey clenched her jaw and glared at him through her dripping hair. Pearce sighed dramatically, as if this was paining him, and forced her head back again.

Three more times Pearce waterboarded Joey, each time she wretched more violently. She was sure the next time blood would come back up with the water. Her lungs were screaming protests as they hadn't quite recovered from their case in Montana. But the warehouse had begun to sway around her. She blinked water out of her eyelashes, acutely aware of the sound of her own ragged breathing. She turned her head slightly as Pearce said something, but it sounded very far away. Before she could respond, her head dropped to her chest and she slipped into oblivion.

When Joey came to again, Pearce was waiting for her. She figured she couldn't have been out for too long because the bucket was still there, though off to the side, and her hair was still damp on her face.

Pearce was grinning down at her. "Welcome back." He came forward and knelt down inches from her face. "Are you ready to tell me where the tape is?"

Joey pointedly shut her mouth and glared at him. The truth was, she couldn't tell him if she wanted. She had no idea what Garcia had done with the tape. But even if she did, there was no chance in hell she was going to let Pearce break her. He'd have to kill her first.

Pearce sighed and shook his head before standing and disappearing from sight. Before Joey understood what was happening, she felt a tug at her arms and moaned through gritted teeth as she was pulled back up to being suspended just above the ground. She felt the gauze over her shoulder become damp again as the wound reopened. While Pearce adjusted the hook, the chains around Joey's wrists jangled. She nearly screamed in pain and her vision became blurry again. Vaguely, she recalled that one of her wrists had been in a brace the last time she was at work.

Joey was taking deep, labored breaths through her nose when Pearce came around to her again. "You know." He said, reaching up to Joey's collar. She tried to jerk away, but relented as her shoulder protested. "It's only going to get worse from here."

Pearce slowly unbuttoned Joey's shirt until her bare stomach was exposed. She began to shiver as the icy water dried on her body. "I need you to tell me where the tape is." Pearce said calmly. At Joey's silence, he pulled out what looked like the leather whips jockeys used on their horses. "Come on now."

Joey merely swallowed, though the whip admittedly made her nervous. Pearce swung his arm back, then forward at full force, whipping Joey across her stomach. She let out a grunt of pain. Her stomach started to churn. Willing herself not to vomit, she dragged her gaze back up to Pearce's.

He locked eyes with her and something seemed to snap. Maybe he realized that he really wasn't getting answers from Joey, or maybe he was tired of waiting, but he began to whip, again and again, as Joey tried to reel back in pain.

Angry red welts began to form across her abdomen. After the sixth or seventh lash, Pearce drew blood. Joey hissed through clenched teeth as her skin split and trails of blood snaked down her stomach.

Finally, Pearce stopped, chest heaving. He stared at her with only insanity.

Rolling her head slightly to the side, Joey looked out the window. She could see the first rays of sunlight appear through the dusty panes. The pounding was back in her ears and her head felt heavy. Her eyes were getting very tired. Distantly, she thought she heard the sound of metal scraping concrete. She looked back around, but Pearce was still standing in front of her, breathing angrily through his nose.

"Fine." He feigned calm. "If that won't work…" Pearce threw the whip on the ground and pulled a large knife from seemingly nowhere. "Maybe this will." Pearce started to advance quickly.

"Aidan Pearce!" A man's voice rang through the warehouse.

Joey blinked blearily. She knew that voice… People were shouting now, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Joey faintly registered that she couldn't feel her hands anymore and wondered if that was normal.

Three loud gunshots made her jump, then wince as a sharp pain seared through her shoulder again. The sound of running feet came near and Joey tried to move away. "No…" she moaned.

"Hotch, over here!" A second voice cried out.

She registered movement by her ankles and suddenly felt her feet swing free. To her surprise, she realized she was slowly being lowered. Pearce is taking me somewhere else. Joey thought to herself. Someone was pulling at the chains around her wrists.

"Hey…" A pair of strong hands grabbed her as her arms fell free, and Joey tried to push away. "Hey, hey…" The hands held on, thankfully, because as soon as Joey had taken a step, her knees buckled beneath her.

"No, no, no." She protested, fighting someone.

"Hey, hey, hey…it's me." The pair of arms she had been wrestling held her still. She recognized that voice…

Joey looked up into the concerned face of Morgan. "Morgan…" she said, her brain was becoming foggy. "Morgan." She repeated with a dopey smile. She practically laughed out of relief. "It's you…" she tried to stand back from him, but her legs gave out again.

"Joey!" Morgan caught her against his chest.

"Morgan, she's lost a lot of blood." A second voice sounded from very nearby. Joey turned. "We need an ambulance back here now!" Reid shouted to his vest.

"Spencer…" Joey smiled again, then laughed. She couldn't believe it. They'd found her.

Morgan, still supporting Joey, made a hushing noise as Reid pulled a rag from off one of the shelves. He peeled the old gauze off Joey's shoulder before pressing the folded rag against it firmly. She let out a faint cry of pain. "I know, I know, I'm sorry." Reid muttered apologetically.

"Spencer…Imsogladseeyou…" Joey mumbled. Was she slurring her words?

"Shh, don't say anything now." Reid said. There was a note of fear in his voice. "Morgan, we have to get her out of here."

Joey felt her eyes begin to droop. She was so tired, and she wondered if Reid would let her sleep.

As if in response, Reid held Joey's face. "No, hey, Joey. I need you to look at me, okay? Keep your eyes open for me." He looked up. "Morgan…"

Dizzyingly, Joey felt her legs being swooped up as Morgan picked Joey off the ground and carried her hurriedly through the maze of industrial shelves and out of the warehouse.

As Morgan stepped outside, Joey felt the warm morning sun on her face. She smiled faintly. It was quite peaceful actually. If she just closed her eyes…

"Hey Joey." Reid's voice was near again, too loud. He placed a hand on her cheek. "You have to keep your eyes open okay?"

Joey blinked blearily as she felt herself get laid down on something firm. She suddenly felt a strap being tightened around her ankles and legs and she tried to sit up, protesting. "No, no…"

A new pair of hands delicately grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back down. Joey looked up. "Emily…" She breathed. She grabbed Prentiss' hand. "Emily..." Why was she crying?

"Stay awake, okay?" Emily said tearfully.

Joey didn't reply but looked around. "Hotch…JJ…" She could see them huddled together a few feet away receiving a report from Morgan. She didn't like the scared looks they had on their faces.

As a final strap was tightened over her chest, the gurney began to move and someone tried to fit an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. Joey tried swatting them away. "Spencer?" She called. Where had he gone? Her throat was raw, but Joey began shouting "Reid? Reid!?" She started clawing at the straps until Reid suddenly appeared next to her.

"I'm here." He said, touching her shoulder.

"Reid…"

Reid looked up at someone, then back down at Joey. "I'm coming with you." He said, grabbing her hand.

Joey sighed and leaned back as they wheeled her to the ambulance. They loaded her in, and Reid climbed in after her. The doors slammed shut and the vehicle began to move. Joey watched curiously as the EMTs began sticking her with needles she wasn't able to feel. The jostle of the ambulance as it flew down the highway was oddly consoling…

Joey's eyes began to drift shut. "No, hey." Reid sounded desperate as he leaned in close. He grabbed Joey's hand. "Joey, don't fall asleep, okay? You have to stay awake. You have to keep your eyes open."

Joey nodded, then shook her head. "Yes, please, Joey, please stay awake." Reid pleaded.

Joey felt a tear slip down her cheek. "I'm so tired." She whispered.

"I know. I know you are, but you have to stay awake just a little bit longer." Reid implored, his voice breaking. "Just a little bit longer and then you can sleep."

Joey shook her head. Reid didn't understand. She just needed to rest for a little bit. If she could just sleep for a little while, it would all be alright…

Joey's eyes fluttered. "No…Joey!" Reid looked panicked as the EMTs pushed him back and leaned over her. Joey's eyelids felt like they each weighed a ton. She caught one last glimpse of Reid's terrified face before her eyes slid shut and she slipped into blissful sleep.