End Plan

A/N: Still supporting the 2007 WGA writers strike.

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

The morning came too slowly. Spencer was awake by four in the morning and was clearing up the mess he made the day before. He picked up the little twisted bits of paper. Some of them looked like tiny animals. He saved them and lined them up on a shelf. He couldn't remember making those. Everything had to be put back as it was. There could be no sign of anything out of the ordinary here.

He picked up his jacket up off the hallway floor and hung it up with his messenger bag, and then went and cleaned up the bathroom.

Spencer checked again that the lock was on the door and the alarm was set, and then went around his small apartment pulling down the blinds and closing the drapes.

You are doing good Spencer.

He dragged his chair over to the corner of the room, and sat curled up in it so he could see the door and window, yet keep his back protected. He sat and his eyes flicked from the drapes to the door. He got up again and checked that the window was locked, and that the drapes left no gaps for the light to get in. he went quickly to all the other windows and made sure the locks were securely in place. He checked the door lock again and reset the alarm, then made a coffee.

Spencer returned to his chair and sat with his eyes flicking from window to door, and sometimes making sure the chair couldn't go any further back into the corner. He sipped the coffee, but when it steamed up his glasses and stopped him from seeing so well he set it down on the floor. Reid made odd little noises as he removed his glasses to clean them. His vision blurred and the shadows were there waiting for him. This was ok.

You are doing good Spencer.

When the knock came at the door he jumped and squeaked, but didn't move. He stayed sitting and looking at the door. There was no one he wanted or needed to talk to right now. He needed to be alone.

The knocking got louder and more insistent. The door was rattling on its hinges, and the lock was creaking. He could see the wood splintering as the door began to heave inwards.

He pulled his knees in tight to his body and wrapped his arms around them and stared at the door. A sudden flash of red on the wall told him the alarm had gone off. Another nightmare. He had fallen asleep in his chair. Not good.

This is not good Spencer.

When the door finally popped open he saw a small dark figure in the door way.

"You messed up." And the figure was standing in front of Reid.

Spencer kept his face in his knees. This was a strange nightmare. He seemed to almost have control over it, and there was none of the falling and floating. Yes this was different. "I know." He muttered back.

"Well what are you going to do about it?" Spencer could feel the hot breath on the back of his neck and one hand moved from holding his legs in tightly to protecting the back of his neck.

"I don't know what to do." He whispered back.

"Yes you do. It's not too late." The small dark man was now looking at the books on Reid's selves. "Interesting subject matter you have here. Tell me Spencer – why are you still here?"

"I I don't – I don't know what you mean." Still talking into his knees.

Now hot breath on Spencer's ear. "Yes you do! Think. I will give you time to consider your options and then I will return and you will tell me what you decided to do about it. I will provide all you need. Just tell me. Don't wait up. I don't know how long I will be. Matters to attend to."

Reid could feel his chair vibrating for a few seconds and then nothing.

Silence. Then distant whispering. For a while it sounded like there were people in his apartment whispering and moving around. Then it faded away and there was silence again. Blessed silence.

He screwed his eyes shut. Still sitting one arm hugging his legs and one hand on the back of his neck.

Then the whispering returned and got louder. It sounded like he was under water. He could hear his name but his confused mind wouldn't let him focus on it. He just knew he couldn't move from the chair.

A hand on his shoulder. A gentle hand. "Reid?" And the voice was closer and it sounded calm but worried. "Reid what happened?" It was Aaron. Why was Hotch here? Reid took a deep breath and looked up. Keeping his hands securely where they were.

"Hotch? What are you doing here?" Genuinely confused look on Spencer's face.

"You neighbours called in the local PD who in turn called us. What the hell happened here?" Hotch was kneeling on the floor trying to look closely at Spencer's face.

"N n nothing happened."

"Spencer, your door. What happened?"

"Nothing." And he closed his eyes again and rested his forehead on his knees.

Now he felt a hand on his face and lifting his chin. "Look at me Spencer." Still the calm voice. "Spencer please."

Slowly he opened his eyes again. This wasn't a dream. This wasn't a nightmare. This was real. "Hotch?" What was Hotch doing here? Why couldn't he focus?

"Talk to me Reid. What happened? Are you hurt?" Hotch moved one of his hands to cover the hand on the back of Reid's neck "Let me see?"

…………….

Morgan was standing silently. He didn't want to freak his friend out again but something bad had happened. He inspected the doorframe. It had been smashed in from the outside. The locks broken, the hinges snapped, the wood of the door splintered, and the alarm was not working at all.

He looked over at Prentiss who was just emerging from the kitchen. She looked over at Morgan and shook her head. "Nothing odd in there except the lack of food, but that's normal for Reid." They stood and watched Hotch try to talk to Reid. "He needs professional help Derek."

Morgan nodded and rubbed his head with his hands.

…………

"Where are my glasses? I can't see properly." Reid's eyes were flicking around the room.

Hotch reached out to the coffee table and handed them to Spencer. "Here." The hand on the back of Reid's neck slowly moved away and he took his glasses from Aaron. He looked quickly at what Reid had been hiding with his hand, but all he could see was the imprints of his own fingernails.

"Thank you."

"Now talk to me about your door Reid. Someone has smashed down your door. You must have seen it."

A shake of the head and now both arms hugged his knees. "I heard it."

"I will get someone over here to fix it. Re-enforced steel plate would be a good option. Are you OK with that?" He got a nod in return and Aaron indicated to Morgan to call in the specialist to fit a new door. "Your alarm isn't working either."

"I set the alarm." And he chewed on his bottom lip. "Someone turned it off."

Hotch tried to untangle Reid's arms from his legs. "You need somewhere to stay until you door and alarm are fixed." Holding Reid by the hands but still not getting eye contact. "Can you stand?"

A small nod and he unfolded him self from the chair and stood. He leaned on Hotch's arm but looked beyond him to Morgan and Prentiss.

"Morgan." Almost in a whisper.

Derek walked slowly over and put a hand on his shoulder. "You OK there kid?"

"No – I really don't think I am. Can I stay with you for a while?" Morgan could feel Reid was trembling.

"You know you are always welcome. If that is what you want to do. But Reid what happened here?"

A shake of the head. "I really don't know. I thought it was a nightmare. I didn't look."

"Did you see anyone?" Aaron wanted to know.

"I don't know what was real and what I was dreaming." A sigh "I am sorry. Derek I really am sorry."

………………..

Good. Get him alone and do what you need to do. One way or another you will sort this mess out.

………………..