A/N: I'm so sorry that this update took a little longer than the previous one! (winces) There was something I had to take care of first. But now I'm back with another chapter. (beams)

THANK YOU, truly, for you amazing reviews! (GLOMPS) Your support means the world to me, ya know? So thank you!

Awkay. (shivers a little bit) I guess it's time to go on. I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride! (As far as 'enjoy' is the correct word…)

The Doctor's Patient

Time passed and Spencer began to suspect that he'd been forgotten entirely. He was in the dark, without any food or water and almost certain that his wounds were infected. He needed proper medical attention, soon. Did his captors know that? Did they care?

He couldn't tell what time of a day it was, much less how long he'd spent in captivity, when he once again opened his eyes to darkness. This time was, however, different. He could tell in an instant that he wasn't alone.

Wincing and fighting back a groan of agony he shifted his body, just enough to be able to see a figure in the shadows. It took a while before he was able to tell that it was the man. The masked figure merely sat there, staring at nothing. The sight made shivers run down his spine.

He must've made a sound because all of a sudden the man's head turned. Eyes he couldn't see examined him for the longest time before there was speech. "I've been waiting for you to wake up. You've been asleep for a very long time."

Spencer nodded slowly, furiously attempting to figure out the right words. "Thank you", he half-whispered in the end. "For letting me rest."

"You need energy for the rounds to come." There was a long moment of silence while the man looked at him. "I try to get to know all the players – the game is more intimate that way. What's your name?"

He hesitated for a while. "I'm Spencer."

"Spencer…", the man echoed, as though tasting the name. Another silence followed, this time lasting even longer. "Well, Spencer, now that we're sharing do tell me… Who's Tobias? You were muttering his name in your sleep."

Spencer shivered and felt a little nauseous while the nightmare he'd just had kept repeating itself before his very eyes. To be honest he wasn't sure which one was worse, dreams or reality. "He's… a ghost from the past. A very unpleasant one", he replied in the end, hoping that it'd satisfy the man's curiosity.

His captor nodded, pondering his words. "I see." Then, all of a sudden, the man moved and shifted a tray towards him. "You must be hungry. Eat."

Yes, Spencer was hungry. But he was also suspicious. There was a frown on his face while he pulled the tray closer with caution, then slowly took away the metallic cover that'd been hiding the food. The meat on the plate was obviously rotten.

He looked towards the other man, the frown still in place. "I can't eat this."

His captor folded his arms. "That, Spencer, is the catch here. Are you willing to do what it takes to survive? And trust me, this is a small thing compared to something else I could tell you to do."

Spencer stared at the food, the smell refusing to fade away into something he would've been able to tolerate. He stared, and the more he looked the clearer the realization became. There wasn't any real choice, was there?

He closed his eyes and willed his mind elsewhere as he placed the first piece of meat into his mouth. The taste rolled on his tongue while rancid fat formed a thick layer to his his mouth. He gagged dryly when the piece got stuck into his throat and trembled slightly.

"Good, very good. You're doing well", the other man praised him. "Just hold it down. Your body needs it."

Spencer finally managed to swallow properly but the rotten taste in his mouth wouldn't go anywhere. Praying silently that he'd be able to stomach it he took another piece, keeping his eyes closed with all his determination. There was no way he would've been able to eat the meat if he'd looked at it.

Two pieces became three. Theree became five. And finally the entire disgusting meal was inside him. He gagged again, forcing his eyes open. There was something bizarre, almost electric in the air while he and his captor stared at each other.

The other man waited for almost a minute, watched him stop gagging at last, before speaking. "That meat you just ate… It came from the player we lost before finding you. She lasted for a remarkably long time, almost to the final round. Perhaps you'll have some of her spirit, now."

It took a while before Spencer finally understood. When he did absolutely everything inside him froze. He experienced a bizarre, falling sensation while nausea swept through him like a tsunami.

That meat… Did he just…?

His eyes widened while a sickening realization sunk in.

Oh no…! No, no, NO…!

"Don't look so shocked, Spencer. You only did what you had to. And perhaps now you're just a little bit closer to finding the light." The man pushed himself up. On his way out the captor whispered to him. "You never appreciate life before you realize just what you're willing to do and capable of in order to keep it."

It was a struggle but Spencer managed to hold it together until the man was out of the room. No one was there to hear him throw up loudly, tears of rage, terror and frustration filling his eyes. No one was watching as he curled to the floor right next to the vomit, his whole body trembling violently.

Spencer wasn't sure if he believed in God. But he was certainly starting to believe in hell.

Shortly after those events Spencer was given something proper to eat. It wasn't much but he accepted it gratefully. He had no idea of how long passed until a yet another round was pushed into motion.

Sleeping properly with his injuries was a nearly impossible task. That's why he was only a blink away from full consciousness when the room's door opened. This time the woman entered. Spencer stiffened instinctively, his eyes widening, but didn't speak.

The woman looked at him. "You know, someone could consider that kind of a reaction rude but I'm in a righteous mood. I can imagine that you're tired."

Spencer swallowed, silently wishing that she'd brought him water. He was lightheaded and his body felt warmer than it should've. He wondered if he had fever. "Another round?" he inquired quietly.

She nodded, her posture perfectly calm. "This time I didn't come alone." She opened the door again, revealing that there was a heavily unconscious form of a man behind it. "I'm afraid that I wasn't entirely honest with you earlier. There was also a third player in the house. He was, however, so far gone from the beginning that we couldn't really count him in." She pulled the unfortunate soul inside, for him to see. "We found this lost cause two weeks ago. Despite our best attempts he refused to be saved." She sighed, appearing genuinely sad or perhaps disappointed. "We gave him a choice. To continue on the path to the light, or to take the easy way out. He took an overdose of drugs. In a few minutes he'll be dead."

Spencer's eyes were impossibly wide as he stared at the dying person before him. In less than a couple of seconds he recognized and something shattered to pieces inside him. It took his all not to emit a whimper.

The man was, without a doubt, Nathan Harris. (1) There were scars and wounds all over the man's nearly naked body. Nathan was drifting somewhere far away from the world, barely even breathing anymore.

Tears streamed down Spencer's cheeks without him being able to stop it as he forced himself to look at the woman once more. "What… What are you expecting me to do?"

"Lift his shirt", she told him. "Then you'll understand."

Spencer shivered when crawling with huge effort closer to Nathan, then taking a cautious hold of the shirt. The red fabric felt sickly moist in his hold. He moved the shirt slowly, reluctantly, and couldn't keep himself from giving a sound of ache and despair upon seeing the gaping, still bleeding open wound. Even if Nathan had survived from the overdose…

"There's something inside him", the woman explained. "I want you to dig it out."

Spencer swallowed convulsively, everything inside and outside of him trembling. It felt like someone had wrapped a rope around his throat. "I… I can't, yet", he barely managed. His eyes were full of pleas when he looked at the woman but he didn't care. "Not… Not before he dies."

"You have three minutes", she announced without a hint of mercy.

The tears falling even harder Spencer looked at Nathan's bloodied and battered yet surprisingly peaceful face, and could practically feel his heart break. Without thinking at all he took Nathan's hand and squeezed as tightly as he could, wishing from the bottom of his heart that the man had opened his eyes. Seen that he wasn't alone.

"Two minutes and thirty seconds."

Spencer didn't even hear. All he could focus on was Nathan's pulse that was fading steadily under his shaking fingers, on the man's chest that was barely rising anymore. And then it was all over. Nathan's troubled, tormented soul left this world without making the slightest sound.

This time Spencer couldn't save Nathan's life against the man's wishes.

The whimper came faster than Spencer could stop it, and he brought a unsteady hand to his lips to keep more from coming. The tears blinded him and it took a lot to wipe them away. Pain exploded inside him, taking his breath away.

"One minute and twenty seconds."

Gasping and choking on his breath Spencer outstretched his hand, forcing it into Nathan. The man was still warm. It was impossible to believe that he was really dead, gone. Spencer squeezed his eyes tightly shut and winced, struggling against the vomit rising to his throat.

I'm sorry, Nathan. I'm so sorry…!

Then his fingers met something small and metallic. His eyes flew wide while his fingers grabbed the item with some trouble and brought it out of Nathan. He blinked twice at what he discovered.

A key, attached to a chain.

"One day, when you're ready, you'll find out where that key fits. And then you'll truly understand", she told him. "Put it around your neck and make damn sure that you never, ever lose it."

Spencer did as ordered, still close to the state of shock. He couldn't keep himself from staring at Nathan's abused body. "Please…", he whispered, knowing from the start that he was taking a huge risk. "Please, promise me that you'll bury him properly. Make sure that he gets to rest in peace. Please."

To his surprise the woman nodded. "We will." She sounded almost sincere. Then she took a step closer. "But first… There's something we must take care of."

Spencer swallowed loudly, feeling sick to his stomach. "Isn't the round over yet?" Because if there'd be more to this…

"It is. But it seems that the other player has been breaking some rules." She kneeled to his level. He could smell smoke on her clothes. "We need to teach him what the consequences are."

Spencer eyes flew wide. "No…!"

She didn't give him the chance to finish. Before he could even move she took a firm hold of the wire wrapped around his leg and tightened. In an instant burning hot pain traveled through absolutely all of him, sweeping his mind blank. A cry of agony was ripped from his throat.

"Hold very still", she whispered to his ear, her hand still firmly on the wire. "This is going to hurt." With that she tightened again.

Spencer screamed as pain ravished his whole body. Warm blood trickled down his skin. A one more scream was crawled from his abused throat when she tightened the wire again. Someone hollered from the opposite side of the wall, despair and crushing guilt evident in the voice. Two fists banged the wall, as though a caged animal had been attempting to break free.

"Good. Good", she purred. "Let him hear you scream. Let him know exactly what he's done. Make sure that he never breaks the rules again."

The blood… It was coming a lot faster, now. He could feel it form a tiny pool beneath his leg. He unleashed a tiny moan but couldn't produce a proper word.

"Please!" Was it his voice screaming, or that of the other captive's? "Please…! I'm sorry!"

The woman's whole aura radiated pleasure while she measured him up with her eyes, clearly savouring the pleas she'd just heard. "His punishment has been served, now. Do you see? This is price of betrayal." She brushed his face with her hand, making him recoil ever so slightly. "Don't ever cause him the same pain."

At first Spencer's line of vision narrowed, became dark around the edges until he could only see a tiny, blurry glimpse of her masked face. And then everything faded away into darkness.

Someone was singing in the dark when Spencer woke up from a yet another nightmare. He opened his eyes slowly to spot a familiar dark figure in the furthest corner of the room. He licked his lips, then winced upon feeling a fresh sting of pain. Looking down towards the back of his hand he blinked with surprise.

A cannula, right next to a old wound that'd definitely leave a nasty scar.

"You needed antibiotics to survive." The other man sounded deviously calm but there was once again that slur in his speech, like he hadn't quite trusted his own mouth to function properly. "Your fever hasn't quite gone down yet but you're out of the woods for now."

Spencer nodded, blinking once more to get rid of the haze filling his head. "Thank you." He hesitated for a while before voicing his thoughts. "Your… partner. She called you 'Doctor'. Are you one?"

The man looked towards him and took a moment before answering. "Yes. I am."

Spencer shivered a little bit, trying to ease his muscles. How long had he been sleeping sitting up? "It must be hard for a doctor to harm patients", he hazarded, trying to calcute the risks of receiving a violent reaction.

Doctor didn't offer him one. Instead the man shrugged. "Sometimes pain is a necessary part of the route towards healing. It doesn't mean that I'd enjoy causing it." The tormentor's posture changed and he wondered if they were being watched. "Causing pain to cure is something I can understand. I can't, however, understand how someone could harm themselves and imagine that it's an escape of some sort."

Spence swallowed, his pulse speeding up considerably. "Why… are you saying that?"

"I used to be a psychiatrist, Spencer." Doctor folded his arms, tilting his head. "You can't even imagine how many troubled beings were brought before me, every day. I know that particular look in someone's eyes the second I meet them. That's why I'm so good at my current job. I can tell in an instant who needs me."

Spencer didn't manage to speak. Instead he stared directly at Doctor, his heart thumping so loudly that he feared it might jump out of his chest. His thoughts blurred and tangled together.

Doctor went on. "When I saw you leave that store I knew that you need me." The man's head was lowered ever so slightly, towards his wrists. "There are no scars so I can tell that you weren't trying to end your life, not really. And there are no new marks, which means that you haven't been cutting for a very long time. But you've crossed that bridge, at least once. And once you have… The itch never really disappears, does it? It's always right there, right below the surface, in your veins. You don't even think about it anymore but it slumbers in the back of your head and stirs whenever it's given the chance. I'm sure that you've missed your mark while chopping vegetables and imagined that it was an accident." The man focused on his face again. There was something in the air he couldn't name. "When did you cut yourself, Spencer?"

For a while Spencer froze completely, disbelief striking him numb. He barely realized that the voice came from him. "I… I was eleven. There… was a lot going in my life." He looked away, feeling humiliated and violated as the memories were forcefully ripped from him. This was the last situation in which he wanted to share this but what choice did he have? "It happened only three times. I… I never dared to cut much past the skin but I was still so scared that my mom would find out. That my teachers would notice. No one ever saw a thing."

Doctor nodded, leaning slightly towards him. "Tell me, with three words, how did you feel after you'd done it?"

Spencer swallowed but that didn't ease the desire to throw up at all. He wrapped his arms tightly around his upper torso, futilely attempting to shield himself. "Scared. Embarrassed. Lonely."

"I see." To his utter stun the other man offered him a small paper knife. "Now, I want you to engrave those words to your arm. So that you'll never, ever forget if you feel the desire to take that path again."

Spencer stared at the tiny blade in his hold, his eyes wide and wild with adrenaline. Feelings and thoughts that hadn't even crossed his mind in decades came sneaking back, echoing in the back of his head. For a moment he drifted in a different, much darker time. And then he forced his mind back to the present. His eyes flashed, and then the blade was already moving on his skin.

"Deeper", Doctor ordered in a tone he hadn't heard before. "I don't want those marks to fade away in time."

Spencer whimpered a little bit while doing as ordered, his face twisting to a grimace. His whole body screamed against such a violent, senseless act but he didn't want to face the repercussions. By the time he was done blood stained his whole arm. The words were clearly visible.

"Very good." Doctor was almost purring. "Now, your other arm. I want you to engrave three reasons why you're still alive."

Spencer frowned, pained and dizzy. "Why?"

"Because I don't want you to ever forget that one, either." The air around the man changed slightly. Was he… scared? "Now hurry. You don't have a lot of time."

Spencer took a deep breath, bracing himself, then lifted the knife once more. He was startled by how easily it broke his skin. He had no idea how long it took to create the words – it could've been a full day, a week.

Family

Hope

Future

A hand on his cheek startled him back to the situation at hand. The touch was warm, gentle. "Don't collapse, Spencer. You need to keep fighting, until the game's through. Because I think that you just came a little bit closer to finding the light. You're a truly fascinating being." The man began to leave, the paper knife firmly in his hold. "It's been five days. The rounds are going to get harder from here." The door was closed between them.

Five days…

Spencer gasped loudly, his pupils dilating.

Five days. Soon the team would start looking for him.

He just wished that there'd be something left to be saved by the time they'd find him.

TBC

1) In case you don't remember… Nathan Harris appeared in one of season 2's episodes. He was a badly screwed up boy with whom Reid formed a bond of some sort. Nathan was terrified by his desire to kill (he never actually killed anyone, mind you). At the end of the episode Reid saved Nathan against the boy's will when Nathan tried to kill himself.

A/N: Uh huh… (takes a deep breath) I feel a bit dizzy after writing that. It was a quite chilling experience.

PLEASE, let me hear what you think! Loved it, hated it, yawned? Click the cute lil' button below and let me know.

Gah, I've gotta get going now. (pouts) Until next time, folks! I really hope that you'll be staying tuned for that one.

Take care!

Steph: Poor Reid indeed! (shudders) Five days of THAT sounds very, very long… And who knows how long it'll take before the team finds him once they start looking.

Oh, it feels so good to hear that you enjoyed the chapter and don't mind the idea of reading several more. (grins from ear to ear) 'Hope the next one meets your expectations.

Gigantic thank yous for the review!