A/N: Heh, ya know, I thought it'd take me a while to update this time but guess what? I got to it earlier than I expected. Cool?

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, for your uplifting and precious reviews! Reading them has given me a HUGE boost of inspiration, ya know? (beams)

Awkay… (inhales and exhales deeply) This is it, folks. I hope ya'll be ready for the ride and enjoy (in case you can actually use the word 'enjoy' here…)!

DISCLAIMER: There's a children's song in this chapter. I didn't write it, and me no own. (pouts)

The Darkness

This time Spencer woke up to complete, utter darkness. Instinctively he tried to get his eyes open but nothing happened. He only felt a stab of pain.

Terror washing through him he whimpered and reached out towards his eyes. That's when the memories finally hit him, as he felt the stitches and blood beneath his fingertips. For several moments his heart stopped, turning his body cold, before his blood began to rush with such speed that it deafened him.

His punishment, for seeing too much.

Some tears of terror, anger and frustration slipped through while he kept scratching, desperately attempting to get rid of the stitches although he knew that he'd probably end up doing more damage than good. Nothing happened.

Spencer tried to open his mouth for a scream, only to discover that it was impossible. Pain burned on his face and there seemed to be something sticky around his lips. His heart beginning to thump furiously once more he felt around with a extremely unsteady hand. In an instant he felt more stitches.

He'd spoken too much, too.

He was stuck in the dark, unable to do as much as speak. He'd just been tossed into his worst nightmare. And Jason Gideon was right there with him. Right on the other side of the wall, quite possibly without a clue of him being the other player. Plus there was Emma, a still painfully innocent little child who'd most likely spent most of her life with these monsters. A child who had to be saved, soon, before she'd be lost entirely. What was he supposed to do now? How was he going to get them all out of this? He'd have to act soon, before the team would find him and become victims of this sick game as well. He couldn't even imagine what would be waiting for them.

Barely stable enough to remain in a sitting position Spencer felt around with trembling hands, cautious to spot all possible threats. In a few moments his fingers met something slightly warm that had some chunks in it. A rotten taste rose into his mouth.

So he'd vomited, possibly right before she'd sutured his mouth. He wondered if she'd enjoyed seeing him react that way. He was almost glad that it all became dark for him after the first eye had been dealt with.

They were odd, the things he considered a blessing these days.

Still sitting up, albeit barely, he pulled his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, then brought his head to his knees. It took all his willpower not to start hyperventilating.

He just wanted to go home. He really, really wanted to go home.

Why wouldn't he wake up from this nightmare already?

As though mocking all his pleas and prayers steps approached the room. How did they know that he was awake? Somewhere in the back of his troubled mind he wondered if there was a camera of some sort in his room. It was highly likely.

The door was thrown open. After that it was quiet for a small eternity before Doctor's voice could be heard. "I'm sorry that I lost my temper the last time we met. I just don't like being lied to and things being hidden from me. I'm sure you understand."

Flashbacks Spencer wasn't exactly proud of flew through his head. The dark that spread through his veins when Emily came back, those words of venom hissed in moments of sheer agony… He nodded slowly without even noticing it.

"Good." Doctor sounded genuinely relieved. He jumped when a hand touched his face – when the hell had the other man moved closer? "Don't be afraid, Spencer. There's only two more rounds left before this is over."

Spencer swallowed loudly, pain pulsating absolutely everywhere. Something warm traveled down his cheeks. He wondered if it was tears or blood.

Doctor touched his hair this time. There was a moment of silence. "Do you think you can walk a little bit?"

Spencer calculated his options. In the end fool's hope overcame everything else. He nodded cautiously.

"Good, good. Because our next round won't take place in this room." He was hauled up with such force that he unleashed a muffled cry through sutured lips. "Shh, shh… Everything's going to be fine. Just hang in there for a little bit longer. It's going to be okay."

No, Spencer thought, unable to speak. It's never going to be okay again.

Walking was agony but he did the best he could. The wooden floor creaked dangerously beneath him as they went. They took stairs down before he heard a door being opened. Doctor wasn't overly gentle as the man ushered him inside.

"This… is my final round for you", Doctor stated, like it'd been the most natural thing in the world. "It's quite simple, really. All you have to do is to make it to the other side. Emma is right there waiting for you." There was a screech of metal. "Now go. Good luck." The door behind him banged closed.

For a moment, perhaps for hours, Spencer stood rooted to the spot. Then he heard Emma's voice. "Spence'?" She sounded terrified. He hoped from the bottom of his heart that his tormentors hadn't been cruel enough to leave her into total darkness. There was a tiny sob. "Whe'e a'e you?"

There was no way Spencer could've kept himself from reaching out for her. His hand wasn't perfectly steady when he laid it against the wall, cautious for any signs of traps. He was surprised when nothing unpleasant happened.

Still cautious, his heart racing a million miles per hour, he took a couple of slow steps forward, feeling the floor with his bare foot as he went. It was agonizingly slow but also the only chance to avoid unnecessary risks. If he'd hurry…

And then Emma cried out. "SPENCE'!"

Spencer couldn't control himself anymore. He took a careless step – and a soft yet ominous click could be heard. His breathing became quick and frantic when he heard a slight screech until the wall he'd been leaning his hand against began to inch closer. If he'd been able to he would've screamed out loud.

He was in complete, utter darkness. And now the walls were closing in on him. How the hell was he going to make it out of this one?

He could hear Emma crying, all the way to where he stood. And that's what gave him the push he needed. Even if he was already lost there was no way he could let her die in this hellhole as well. Gritting his teeth he began to move once more.

There was something sticky and extremely sharp on the floor. A growl of agony crept up Spencer's throat when blood leaked from his abused, previously scarred feet. In the end the pain brought him to his knees. His body convulsed with agony when the sharp pieces damaged his hands, legs and knees. He was almost sure that some of the new wounds reached all the way to the bone. And with each passing second the walls came closer. Soon they'd meet his shoulders.

Emma was sobbing louder, now. "Spence'…! Please…!"

Something beyond determination driving him Spencer crawled on, shaking with agony and sheer exhaustion. Adrenaline stormed through his veins and at the moment he didn't want to think what'd happen when it would run out. He had much more important matters at hand.

Then his bloodied hand met something soft and warm. A tiny foot. He shivered as realization dawned. Those two had actually left Emma into this place with him.

She kept sobbing, her tiny hand touching his hair. She was trembling all over with terror. "What… What happened to you? You' eyes…"

Spencer would've given absolutely anything if he'd been able to look at her, to open his mouth for words of comfort. But at the moment he didn't have such luxury and the walls were beginning to press his shoulders. Time was running out.

Without pausing to think for a second he pulled her into his arms although he could barely handle her light weight. The exact moment her weight shifted there was a brand new click, exactly similar to the previous one. Emma emitted a scream of startle, both of her arms wrapping tightly around him, irritating several injuries. She clung to him like he'd been her sole lifeline and he fought not to pass out from the pain. Somehow he managed to draw strength from her.

It took exactly three seconds before he realized that the walls had stopped moving. Just then there was a loud bang of a closing door.

Doctor's voice came through some sort of a speaker phone that was most likely with Emma. "What you couldn't see for obvious reasons was that there was a wide open door only eight more steps away from you. A door to the outside world. The second you picked up Emma the walls stopped moving and the door closed – for good. With saving her you sealed your own fate. You'll never, ever get away from us but as far as I'm concerned you did very, very well in my part of the game. Congratulations."

"Did you hea' that?" Emma sounded excited, despite the fact that he must've looked terrifying to someone so young. "You won't go. You'll get to play with us fo'eve'."

Spencer hoped dearly that it was dark enough to hide his tears. Only the stitches on his lips kept him from screaming out loud. He'd never felt as helpless in his entire life, not even with Tobias Hankel.

He would never get away from this game, would he?

And then he heard Auntie, right behind him. "Now, let's go and finish this, shall we?"

Spencer felt a hot, stinging sensation that made him hiss just a little bit. And then everything became hazy.

Spencer was led into a yet another room. Whatever Auntie gave him made him so drowsy that he couldn't fight back when he was tied from wrists and ankles to a bed of some sort. He was almost sure that for a moment he felt someone stroking his hair. Whether it was his imagination or not he found some comfort from the touch.

He then swallowed thickly, a flash of Emma's voice echoing in his head.

As though reading his mind Auntie spoke. "Don't worry, Emma isn't anywhere near us – your previous round startled her a little bit and she needed time to calm down." He felt something sharp on his neck and didn't dare to pull in a breath. "This… is just for the three of us, Spencer. This is Jason's round, too. He's watching you. So be brave, understood? Make him proud."

The sharp object moved downwards from his neck. Apparently the drug given to him was taking a even stronger hold because he wasn't scared anymore. He couldn't feel anything, really. The voices and physical sensations seemed to belong to a whole another world. Pain, terror, exhaustion… He was finally free of them.

"I did some research", Auntie told him. "That unit chief of yours – Aaron Hotchner, right? – was stabbed. Nine times, I believe." The sharp object, without a doubt a knife of some sort, paused to his chest. "I'd like try and break that record with you. To see just how strong this game of ours has made you."

Pain exploded inside Spencer's body but didn't really register to his mind. He was rather mystified than worried by the sensation of blood flowing down his skin. All the while Auntie kept humming. It was the song that actually reached him.

"Five little mice came out to play, gathering crumbs along the way…" She stabbed again while singing, without a trace of change in her tone. She twisted the knife, making agony go through him in electric jolts. Still he couldn't feel fear. "Out came pussycat sleek and fat, four little mice go scampering back."

Was he… crying? He couldn't really understand why. This wasn't actually happening, not to him, not to his body. He'd just have to breathe through the pain. Soon this would all be over. Soon he'd be able to open his eyes.

The third stab was different, sunk deeper. This time he actually emitted a muffled, strangled sound of discomfort. Dreams… They weren't supposed to hurt this much. "Three little mice came out to play, gathering crumbs along the way. Out came pussycat sleek and fat. Two little mice go scampering back."

Spencer's mind wasn't reacting to the pain all that much but his body was. His heart hammered mercilessly and blood rushed, inside him and down his skin in small rivers. How much blood could a person lose before…? Shouldn't he know that?

Auntie kept singing while she delivered three more stabs, calculating each strike carefully. Her hands trembled with pleasure, making the knife do the same. She breathed loudly, as though inhaling the scent of his blood. Although he barely understood what was going on his stomach twisted with nausea.

Auntie leaned closer, whispering the lyrics to his ear. "One little mouse came out to play…" She plunged the knife down, as deep as she could. "Gathering crumbs along the way."

Spencer wasn't sure if the voices that echoed quietly in the background were real or not. There were running steps, sounds of a struggle, snarled orders

Almost like…

Auntie didn't seem to care. Stab number eight came swiftly, with skill and dedication. "Out came pussycat sleek and fat…" She struck again almost instantly, as though she'd been running out of time all of a sudden.

Spencer's mind was slipping deep, deep into darkness already. He felt like he'd been lingering between two worlds. Somewhere in that surreal place he heard Derek Morgan's comfortingly familiar voice. "Put the gun down and keep your hands where I can see them!"

A set of gunshots echoed. He didn't know if they were real or not, didn't even manage to care too much. He just wanted to sleep.

Two more gunshots. A scream.

On his way down Auntie's voice was the last thing he herd. She delivered a one more stab. "No little mice go scampering back", she whispered.

White engulfed him, swallowing him in whole.

TBC

A/N: Oh… dang! (winces) Poor, poor Reid. 'Wonder what's gonna happen to him next. Did the team really get there? If they did are they okay – and will they make it to him before it's too late?

PLEASE, leava a note! Awww, c'mon, ya know how excited hearing from you makes me. (gives puppy's eyes)

ONLY TWO MORE TO GO!

Until next time, my friends! I really hope that you'll feel up to reading a lil' bit more.

Take care!

Steph: I did? Yosh! (grins)

Reid definitely needs his team right now. (winces) Let's hope that they get there soon, before the poor genius is actually gone.

HUGE thank you for the review! See ya with the next one?

The Reaper Weeps: You are, hmm? That's good. But we'll see just how far this madwoman is about to take her 'round'…

Gigantic thank yous for the review!