Chapter 4

Reminder


A/N – This chapter is dedicated to my dear sweet Spencer-loving sister PanicButton

Rossi had sent everyone home to shower and freshen up. They didn't have any time to sleep, but often a shower had the same effect. Spencer was still in the clothes he had been wearing when he and Aaron had been attacked, apart from changing into a shirt that he kept in his drawer at the BAU. He drove the Volvo up the drive to the Castle. As he walked to the front door, he looked up at the house. He and Aaron could have so much here. They only had a day left to find him, unless he lied under oath. The Judge was right of course. It was the entire judicial system against the life of one man. Men had been sacrificed for less. But Spencer didn't think he could be the one to sacrifice Aaron. His stomach knotted in fear. He had rested his hopes on finding Aaron on time, but now half the time had gone, and they were no nearer to finding him, and Monday was creeping ever closer.

Aaron, Babe, I don't know what I am going to do. Please forgive me, my Love...I am so sorry...

He put the key in the door, and opened it. As he stepped inside, a hand on his back pushed him into the hall. It was so unexpected, he fell forwards onto his face. He turned over to see who was there, but he could only see a silhouette against the light from the door. The hall was in darkness. Spencer reached down for his gun, but it was kicked out of his hand. Then the door was slammed closed.

"Who are you? What do..."

Silently, the UnSub leaned forwards, and grabbed hold of the front of Spencer's shirt, and pulled him to his feet. Without a word, he bent down and picked up Spencer's gun, turned him round and pressed it into the small of his back. The other hand was entwined in his hair, pulling his head slightly back. Spencer raised his hands as he was pushed towards the stairs.

"Who are..."

A vicious yank to his hair cut him off mid sentence. He couldn't see where he was going now, and he stumbled on the first step. As he fell, his hair pulled harder, and he yelped as for a moment, his weight was on his hair.

He pulled himself up by the balustrade, and continued up the stairs, the gun still in his back. Neither spoke.

Spencer was shoved into the bedroom, and he fell face down on the bed. The light was switched on, and hands on his shoulders pulled him back, and turned him round again to face the UnSub. He was wearing a black ski mask, and non-descript black tee shirt and jeans. Again, hands took hold of his hair, and he was lifted up off the bed. The only sounds were Spencer's cry of pain as the man hit him on the cheek. Spencer felt his tooth crack, and blood sprayed from his mouth onto the white bed covers.

Spencer's hand went to his mouth, shocked surprise registering on his soft wide eyes.

"Wha..."

Again, he was not allowed to speak. He was pulled up, and this time the fist hit him under the jaw. He bit in to his tongue, and blood ran from the corner of his mouth. He rolled onto his front, and tried to crawl across the bed, blood dripping and pooling on the quilt.

An iron grip caught his ankle and pulled him back. He clawed at the bed, trying to hold the bed post, but the UnSub was stronger, yanking him hard, and swung him off the bed and against the wall, face first. A twist to his shoulder, and a fist to the abdomen, and Spencer fell to the floor, bleeding heavily from his mouth and nose, onto the floor boards.

Struggling to get up, he pulled himself onto his hands and knees. He screamed as a booted foot kicked him in the groin. He fell sideways, coughing and whimpering; he curled up, trying to protect himself.

Still the UnSub didn't speak. Spencer's eyes watered and his breaths came in pain filled gasps.

Strong hands pulled him up and leaned him against the wall. One hand around his neck, the other beating his face with the gun butt. Each blow sent blood spray onto the UnSub, and onto the bed. Spencer felt his lips split and his mouth fill with blood. His head was spinning, and his eyes were losing focus.

Who are you? What do you want?...

Suddenly, the grip around his neck was released, and he crumpled to the floor with a soft cry. He turned his head shakily, as the UnSub grabbed his right wrist and held his hand against the wall. Spencer felt the cold barrel of the gun against his palm, and the agony as the UnSub pulled the trigger, and shot through his hand into the wall. Spencer mercifully blacked out, and lay bleeding and battered on the floor.

-0-0-0-

"Reid's not back yet, and he's not answering his cell." Morgan said, concern in his voice.

"Have you tried his home phone?" asked Dave, getting worried himself now.

Morgan nodded. "I'll take a drive over there, just to make sure he's ok."

"Take Emily with you then." Rossi turned back to his notes. "We'll wait for you."

Morgan and Emily hurried out to the car. "I don't like this. He should have been back ages ago."

As usual, Morgan drove way too fast. Emily held onto the dash with one hand and the door handle with the other. She was unsure why. It wouldn't help in an accident, but somehow it gave her a sense of security. She considered asking Morgan to slow down, but decided against it. She doubted if he was capable of doing so.

He pulled onto the drive behind Spencer's Volvo. They could see one of the lights were on upstairs.

"Well, he's still here, then." Emily said, taking her gun out of the holster.

The two of them crept up to the front door. It was slightly open. Morgan kicked it wide. The hall was in darkness. Emily reached out, feeling for the switch. As light flooded the room, they couldn't see any signs of disturbance.

"Reid!...Spencer!"

There was no answer. One by one, they cleared each downstairs room. There was no-one there, and still no sign of disturbance.

Upstairs they again checked each room, ending up standing outside the master bedroom. The door was closed, but this was the room with the light on. Morgan tried the door. Locked.

"Stand back." Derek said to Emily. He stepped back and kicked the door. It took two hefty kicks before the oak door crashed forwards, broken from the hinges.

For a split second, they stood frozen. The white covers on the bed were sprayed with blood, across the bed and up the wall. Then they saw Spencer lying on his side at the end of the bed where he had fallen, a hole in the wall just above him, blood running down the wall onto the floor. Emily ran to his side, checking his pulse, and turning him onto his back. Spencer groaned as Emily moved him.

"Reid, it's Emily and Derek. Who did this to you?"

"D-don't know...mask..."

"Ok, don't try to talk, Reid, we'll clean you up Do you need an ambulance?"

Reid shook his head carefully. "...am ok."

Morgan was in the bathroom getting towels and water. Emily helped Reid sit and lean on the wall. She called the PD to come and process the room while she waited for Morgan.

Very gently, she cleaned the blood from Spencer's face and brushed his hair back.

"You need to see a doctor for your hand, Reid." she said, bandaging it with a length of towelling.

Spencer shook his head agaim. "No doctor. I've got work to do."

They heard Morgan shout from downstairs.

"You guys, get down here. You need to see this."

Spencer put his arm around Emily's shoulder, and she helped him to his feet. Slowly, together they started down stairs. Halfway down, they stopped, looking across the hall towards the front door.

"Oh my god!" Emily breathed. Spencer's heart quickened.

Across the wall, written in paint, were the words, 'REMEMBER HOTCHNER'.

-0-0-0-

"If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten" George Carlin