Hey there! Sorry the last one was so short but it had to be. Anyway, marching band is in full swing so my updates are gonna be a little less than the week before (when i got my account). But that doesn't mean i wont update, it just means these chapters will be sweeter with the longer wait (keep that mind set! It'll work, I promise!). =^-^=

"REID!" Hotch screamed, breaking down the door. They'd gotten a lead saying Reid had been seen here, auctioned off in a human slave ring.

Plenty of people stood around. The slaves bound with plastic twist ties, the leaders in the organization had there guns drawn.

Reid wasn't here.

They arrested them anyway.

1 month later

"Reid?" Prentiss walked carefully into the back of the van. Ten college age kids sat on the floor, hands tied and gagged.

No Reid.

Prentiss sighed inwardly and began helping the kids out of the van. Not one even looked like him.

3 months later

JJ walked calmly into the ER. She went here every weekend she wasn't on a case. Maybe he was here? They just couldn't identify him maybe.

Then she'd walk up and down every hall on every floor she was allowed where a normal patient would be.

He could be here, unconcious or just unable to tell them who he was.

But he never was.

So she ended up crying the whole drive home.

1 year later

The BAU was a little more solem, a little more serious, no longer a happy family. Even Garcia, one to always make things bright and cheery, gave up and spent a little more time in her office. Only going out once every once in a while on a date with Kevin. But even he could tell, she was in mourning.

"Come on Pen. You'll like this movie." Kevin said gently, taking her hand and leading her into the theater. "It's all about computers. Action, no horror. I promise." Taking Penelope to see Death on the Rail had definently been a bad idea. She'd cried into his shoulder, whimpering, "They could've solved it before she got killed! He could have picked up on the pattern! they could've seen!"

So an action movie had been picked. One about Aliens invading a Robot run Earth.

"Fine." Garcia sighed, sitting in the seat and the lights dimmed.

The sneak previews began to roll. A movie about a princess, an animation about a frog and a dog, and then something actually interesting.

"Visit the Circus of Dreams! Coming to Quantico September Seventh!" The announcer said, the ad popping up and showing the Ring Master standing happily infront of the big top surrounded by the other performers.

Garcia leaned forward, focusing on the Ring Master. He seemed... familiar, but different somehow.

But then in a flash, the ad was gone.

And Garcia was left sitting in the theater chair, thinking hard.

"Kevin."

"Yes?" Kevin sat down with the popcorn.

"What's the date?"

"The Eigth."

"And it's September right?"

Kevin laughed. "You've been in that office to long to forget the month. But, Yes."

"I wanna go to the Circus." And with that Garcia got up.

Tickets were easy to buy. The opening was yesterday so the place had calmed down a little. But there was still alot of people to wade through as they made their way to the big top.

Inside was the same as a year ago. Gray, rusty stands around the tent, torches on poles inbetween every stand, and the giant ring in the smack middle.

"Wow." Kevin grinned. "This place is insane!"

Garcia smiled and sat down next to him in the third row. The lights dimmed and a spotlight was turned onto the Ring Master. Still the same tall, thin man in a white mask and tailcoat.

"Welcome Ladies and Gentelmen," And yet, he seemed different... "Welcome to the Circus of Dreams. Where your darkest ones realized and your sweetest ones brought to life! Here the Circus has travelled the world over and collected different acts from around the world! Please give me a hand in welcoming the first of our amazing acts tonight, Ms. Spider!"

Garcia had already seen the act so she didn't scream, but Kevin jumped in his seat as she plunged to the ground and then applaudded when she saved herself with the threads. They both clapped when she finished.

Garcia kept staring at the Ring Master who stood in the middle of the circle applauding and laughing along with the crowd. Even when everyone else screamed he laughed at the death defying moments.

He was just the same as last time... but was he?

After the main preformance, Kevin took Garcia around to the booths, winning games and prizes, getting a chocolate covered pretzel to share, and eating a dinner of hot dogs and popcorn at a picnic table.

"Hey baby," Kevin said after awhile of walking around, "I gotta use the john real fast. Stay here, I'll be right back." Garcia nodded and leaned against the picket fence as Kevin ran across the dirt road to the bathroom.

The moment he disapeared a large gang of boys came running through the road. Laughing, shouting, and not paying attention.

So of course they collided straight with Garcia.

"AHH!" she cried as they pulled her down in the wreckage.

"Watch where your goin' lady!" One cried.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Another screamed.

By now Garcia could feel a prick of tears in her eyes. The pain, the humiliation, the pure shock that comes from situations like this. It was all to much at the moment.

"Why don't you watch where your going?" Someone asked above the tangeled mess.

It was the Ring Master. He stood above them, staring down from behind the white mask.

The boys whent silent.

"Ah, someone taller and probably stronger shows up and all that fire leaves huh? Your worse than our clown Bobo. Drunken idiot would atleast stand his ground towards all fights." He leaned down and took Garcia's hand. "Have they hurt you to terribly my lady?"

"N-no." She whispered as she shrunk down toward the ground a little.

"Hey!" Kevin came running over, a plastic rod in hand. He started hitting the kids as they scrambeled to get off his girlfriend. "You better not meet me in a dark alley!" He screamed, chasing them a little ways before running back to Garcia.

By this time the Ring Master had helped her up and was brushing her off as she got redder and redder in the face.

"Theres no need to be ashamed dear lady." he laughed, waving his cane around in the air and producing a bouquet of flowers from the tip.

"For you, as compensation that the Circus atleast appreciates your attendence here today." He bowed. Kevin kept a firm arm on her shoulder, but Garcia still took the flowers.

Inside the bouquet was two silver pieces of paper.

"The midnight showing. Absolute best!" the Ring Master enthusied. "One for the dear lady, and one for her prince charming." the Ring Master bowed towards Kevin.

Kevin's face turned alittle pink, but he did his best to hide the appreciation of the compliment.

"Ah man, well... you know..." he shrugged, holding Garcia alittle closer.

"I dont. Cupid absolutely refuses to smile upon me. All I can do is watch and admire." the Ring Master punctuated each word with motion. Shaking his head, waving his arms around, shrugging, or waving the cane around.

"Im sorry." Garcia said.

"As is I friend. As is I." the Ring Master shook his head sadly. "So," He perked his head up and leaned on the cane, "Can I expect you both there tommorow night?"

"Tommorow night?"

"Yes. The midnight showing is a once only. Sort of like a finale. We do it a few days before were scheduled to move on. Its done only once wherever we are."

"Then," Garcia tried, "Could I have a few more? Enough for my friends that is."

"Certainly!" the Ring Master waved his hand and produced the silver tickets from thin air.

"Thank you." Garcia said stiffly. Something was wrong here. Something was seriously off. He seemed familiar... but not from here. Had she known him?

The Ring Mast turned to leave, taking a giant step forward, when Garcia shot out from under Kevin's arm.

"Wait!" Garcia turned back to tell Kevin to wait, and knocked into the man infront of her.

"Oh!" The Ring Master nearly fell down. He paused, then turned back to Garcia.

"Careful Dear Lady, the ground's uneven here." He bent toward her, "now, you wnated something? I can't give more tickets you know."

"No, no its not that." Garcia took a steadying breath, "I was wondering if you remembered another person who visited here."

"Depends Dear Lady, I've seen many people come through here."

"He was chosen to be a participant in the Witch's show. He chose the giant smile with a diamond and tear drop above it." Garcia said, looking at the white plastic of the mask, afraid to make eye contact.

"Hmm... Spencer Reid? I remember him. Strange boy, but seemed lovable."

Garcia burst into tears, "He went missing the next day!"

"Oh don't cry Dear Lady!" the Ring Master pulled a hankercheif from his sleeve and dabbed her eyes with it. "Im sorry to hear something so tragic befell your friend. I hope you find him. Im sure he's still out there, after all, its only been a year."

"How do you remember so easily?" Garcia suddenely asked.

"I remember alot of things." the Ring Master shrugged. "And I read. I saw an article about that in the paper a few months ago."

Garcia nodded. "Well, thank you anyway. And thank you for all the tickets. I'll be sure to bring my friends."

"Remember Dear Lady, tommorow night!" The Ring Master pointed his finger in the air, punctuating the sentence.

Garcia nodded and turned around, walking calmly to Kevin.

"We have to leave." She hissed.

"Why?" Kevin asked incrediously, then he hit the rod to the palm of his hand, "He didn't do anything did he?"

"No. It's not what he did. It's what he said."

"What?" Kevin straightened up, hitting the rod harder.

"Not like that!" Garcia cried, steering him towards the parking lot, "He mentioned Ried's disapearence being in the newspaper."

"Honey, you gotta let that go. Being sad is one thing, but if you run away from every mention of his name than your never gonna move on!" Kevin sighed.

"No, no." Garcia shook her head, "It was never in the paper. JJ stopped it before it could get that far. The one broadcast was it. So how could he read it in the paper? And if he saw the broadcast why would he lie?"

"Ah." Kevin nodded, pretending to understand.

"It means, somethings going on. He remembered Junior G-man with such clarity, like he'd seen him yesterday!"

"Ah, I get it. You wanna go and investigate huh?" Kevin nodded, actually understanding this time.

"Exactly!"