A/N: This is it, ladies and possibly gentlemen. Here we go. (Beta read by editor frog)

The very second Penny closed her eyes, Reid threw his arm over her head, grabbing her shoulder length brown hair, giving it a violent yank backwards. The tug made Penny cry out, but it also made the young doctor realise in how much pain he actually was. His shoulder felt like it had just been pierced by a red hot poker. The restraints had caused his muscles to go into rest after the first few hours, to keep them from cramping up. The young agent now realized that he did not have even half of his normal upper body strength, with the broken ribs and aching shoulders and arms. But he had to try.

Gathering up as much strength as he possibly could, Reid pulled Penny's entire body back towards his legs, and with all his might jammed his right knee into the left side of her waist. Unknowingly, he had hit the girl's kidney spot on, and with a groan, she fell to the ground clutching her side.

Reid forced himself up onto his elbows, ignoring both the pain in his chest and in his arms. Pulling his legs up, he managed to roll over and get on his hands and knees. The burning in his chest was undescribable and he coughed hard. He could taste the blood in his mouth. Keeping his left arm firmly clutched around his chest he struggled to get on his feet. The young agent moaned as pain shot trough his entire upper body with every move he made. But he had to. He had to get out. He had to escape.

Stumbling over the room, Reid had almost reached the stairs when he heard a high shrill behind him. A split second later, he felt Penny leap onto his back, knocking him to the ground with a scream of pain. He never had a chance to make another run for the stairs before he felt a violent blow to his head. Nearly blacking out, his body went limp; the only sound excaping his lips was a weak whimper.

Feeling his already sore body being turned onto his back, Reid had nothing to put up against the young girl's treatment. Every bone in his body was aching and his head felt like someone had just dropped and anvil on it. He slowly opened his eyes only to see Penny sit across his hips, panting, holding the meat tenderizer in her hand. It was covered in blood. The darkness in her eyes had returned, and it was deeper than ever. And Reid knew.

It was over.

--

Sharply turning the black SUV, Hotch drove straight up onto the sidewalk outside Penny Harrow's house, followed by two police vehicles and another SUV, containing the remaining part of the BAU. In less than 15 seconds the entire team was running towards the house, weapons in hand. Hotch sent the deputies around the to the back together with JJ and Gideon, while he, Prentiss and Morgan ran up to the front door.

They stopped for a moment to listen. The house was silent. Hotch felt the door knob.It was unlocked. He motioned his team members to follow him inside. Silently, they slipped through the door, weapons ready and aimed in front of them. The moment they entered the hallway, Prentiss sniffed in the air. "Do you smell that?" she whispered. Hotch and Morgan looked at her, not scenting what she referred to. She stared into the hallway. "Bleach. And lemon."

It was all the proof Hotch needed. The team swiftly moved into the house, ready to take their UnSub down.

--

Penny had straddled the young FBI agent after bludgeoning him over the head with the meat tenderizer. She was now staring straight at him, insanity gleaming in her hazel eyes. "You don't love me..." she hissed through her teeth. "You lied to me!"

Reid knew there was nothing he could say at this point to make her calm down. He had betrayed her confidence by trying to escape, and now he was going to pay the price. But what price? His ears were ringing from the blow and his vision was partially blurred. And no words could help him now. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" he cried, holding his hands up, trying to plead for his health – or his life.

"'I'm sorry, I'm sorry', it's all I hear from you!" she growled at him, rage rising in her body. She lifted her hand high into the air, holding the meat tenderizer. "And I'm sick of it!"

As she let her hand fall down towards Reid's head, he twisted around, just enough to keep the club from hitting his head, and just enough to throw Penny off guard for only a split second. The meat tenderizer hit the jagged ground with a dull thud, and before the young girl could react, Reid had grabbed the handle. With about the same upper body strenght as the girl, Reid fought furiously to gain control of the mallet. Pain shot through his body with every move he made, but he pushed it away as he fought for his life.

Suddenly, Penny lost her grip of the club and it fell into the hands of the young agent. One strike was all it took. Blood spattered over Reid's face and body as he swung the heavy kitchen utensil, hitting the young girl straight over the head. The force of the blow knocked Penny off his hips and threw her to the ground, where she lay motionless. Her eyes were still staring at him.

A few moments went by. Reid tried to catch his breath as he listened to Penny draw her last. The weak, unnerving rattle sounded through the basement, and then it fell silent.

Reid pulled himself up onto his hands and knees, and started to crawl away from her, setting his sight on the staircase. Blood was flowing down his face from the fresh wound in his head, caused by Penny's strike with the meat tenderizer. Despite beginning to feel weak from the pain and the loss of blood, the young agent was determined to reach the staircase, make his way up and call for help. Reaching the stairs, he strenously began pulling himself up the steps, still on his hands and knees. Pitiful moans escaped him as he tried to repress both the pain and the tears which burned relentlessly in his eyes. Suddenly, the basement door was flung open, and a blinding bright light hit Reid's face, making him squint.

"Reid!" Hearing the familiar voice call his name made the young doctor break out in full scaled crying, and he collapsed onto the stairs. The rapid steps moving down towards him filled his heart with hope and relief. They had found him. His team had found him. Hotch had called his name and it had released him from every hint of doubt he had about ever surviving. It was over.

The hands lifting his limp, half naked body were strong, but gentle. He had no strenght to either speak or move, all he had the energy to do was keep his eyes open, and even that was an all-out effort. He saw the worried, yet relieved faces above him as they helped each other lift the young man away from his hell hole. He watched them all. He listened to their voices as they carried him out of the basement, out to the waiting EMS.

Morgan looked at him like an older brother looks at a younger. "You're gonna be fine, Reid. We got you."

Prentiss gave him a motherly look. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Gideon nodded as he closed his eyes. He didn't speak, but Reid saw it all in his eyes. They said: I knew you were strong, Reid. I always knew. That's my boy.

JJ didn't speak either as she supported the young agent's head as they walked slowly into the hallway. Reid saw the tears falling down her cheek, and the strained smile on her lips. She was trying to be strong.

"Reid." Hotch caught the young man's attention. The older man's eyes were sad, desperate and filled with angst. "I should have listened to you." Having never felt so ashamed in his life, Hotch tried to repent.

Reid made one last effort. With all his remaining strength, he slowly lifted his hand and took that of his superior. Not being able to speak, he simply looked Hotch in the eyes, looking through his dirty, bloodied bangs, and gave him a worn out, grateful, forgiving smile, hoping he would understand.

He did.

As the team reached the hallway, carrying their wounded colleague, a strecher was waiting for them. Placing the young agent on it, the team gave room to the EMS staff as they rushed him out the door and into a waiting ambulance.

The team stood silent in front of the house as they watched the ambulance driving away, lights on and siren blaring. Hotch drew a breath of relief. "Thank god..."

Jumping into their SUV's to head for the hospital; they left the crime scene to the deputies and the CSU. Their job was done.

A/N again: Well, that's it! I hope it was to your liking! If there is any interest I could write an epilogue for this story, and maybe post the alternate ending I wrote. You'll have to tell me if it's something you'd be interested in ) Thank you everyone for reading and giving me wonderful reviews, you - the readers - are what has made me write this story. Thankyou!