A/N: Fast updates at the moment as I'm in a state of hyperfocus. I'm going to slow down after this chapter as I'm tiring myself out.
MAJOR NON-CON WARNINGS for this chapter. It is disturbing and explicit. Please be warned and do not read if it will cause distress.
Hotch stared at Samantha through the two way mirror. He couldn't believe that this innocent looking woman was responsible for the pain of his youngest colleague. It didn't seem right. He was used to dealing with evil. But her? There was nothing remotely evil about her. At least not on the surface.
He knew Samantha. Not well, but he had interacted with her from time to time, as the team often did with VICAP. The thought that she was involved made him sick. He'd had a few names in his head that would potentially 'make the cut' for an 'inside man'. He had been wrong on all counts. His profiling skills on this occasion had failed him miserably.
Prentiss stood next to him.
"What would make a woman like that be involved in something like this?" She asked, completely in awe.
"That's what we're going to find out. Stay here for now and observe." Hotch ordered, moving his way to the door of the room.
When Hotch entered the room, Samantha's back stiffened and she looked at him carefully.
Hotch's face was set in a stern frown. He sat down opposite her, not breaking her gaze.
"Please confirm you understand your rights and you have rejected the right to an attorney at this time." He said firmly.
"Yes, I understand." She said, staring at him with narrowed eyes.
"And you do not wish to have an attorney present."
"No, I don't."
He nodded.
'Samantha. We have reason to believe that you have been involved in the leaking of a confidential FBI video containing footage of one of our agents. Are you aware of the video I am referring to?"
She looked at him hard.
"No comment." She said, her jaw tight.
"Our analyst has traced the original IP address that posted the video back to your work computer. Can you tell me how this has happened?"
"No comment." She did not break Hotch's gaze, her expression was turning hard. He had never seen her look like that before.
"Who sent you the video?"
She looked at him and tilted her head, a small disbelieving laugh escaped.
"So this is how it's going to go?" She said bitingly
Hotch's brows furrowed more than usual.
"Excuse me?"
"You bring me in here, pin it all on me while the rest of you walk away scot free?" She folded her arms, looking at him in disgust.
"I don't follow." Hotch said curiously.
She leaned in to him, lowering her voice.
"I know all about how this works, Agent Hotchner. You guys keep your hands clean while getting me to do your dirty work for you. You have my word, I will keep quiet, you really don't need to go through this performance. Trust me, I know what's at stake."
Hotch's looked at her surprised, confusion still marring his brow.
"What is at stake for you, Samantha?"
She looked at him hard for a few moments then spat out a laugh.
"You really don't need to do this. I am the least of your worries." Fear crossed her eyes for a split second.
Hotch was quickly realising that she was convinced he was involved in all of this.
"I'm not sure who you think I am, but whatever you think I am involved in, I am not. I am investigating the release of the video. It involves my colleague-"
"I'm well aware of what and who is on that disgusting video. It makes me sick." She spat.
"If that's the case then you will want to help me catch the men involved in this."
She eyed him again, squinting a little then gave a disgusted smile.
"Is this some kind of test?"
"Test?"
"To see if I'll talk."
"And will you?" Hotch asked, knowing that he was having no success in creating rapport with this woman. She clearly didn't trust him at all.
"You should know by now that I won't cause you any problems."
Hotch considered his position for a few moments. She wasn't likely to trust him anytime soon.
"Who sent you the video, Samantha?"
She looked down at the table in front of her, her eyes started to fill up with tears.
"Samantha?" Hotch pressed firmly now.
"No!" She cried out, tears now running down her cheeks.
"No?" Hotch was getting angry now.
"I'm not doing this! You know who sent it to me and I'm tired of these games!" She slammed her hand down on the table. Fear flashed across her face again as she saw the anger in Hotch's expression. "Please." She begged, her voice breaking.
Suddenly Prentiss' voice came through on his earpiece.
"She has two children. Both boys. 12 and 16."
Hotch took a few moments to take in that information and then looked at her.
"How are your boys doing?" He asked simply.
She looked at him like he was a monster. Her voice lowered again.
"Don't. I have done everything that has been asked of me. Please."
"Your family has been threatened?"
She looked at him like he had said the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard, then shook her head in disgust.
"If you tell me what is going on I can protect your sons. I can bring them into the BAU where you know they will be safe."
"I don't want you anywhere near my sons! I know what you are capable of. I just want all of this to be over!"
"What exactly am I capable of?"
"I have been told about you." She said, crossing her arms.
Hotch wasn't getting anywhere and it was frustrating him. He decided he would play along.
"Then you should know exactly what I am capable of. Tell me... now."
She looked at him, clearly torn about what to do. On the one hand, she was never supposed to approach the man. But on the other, he was here asking her questions. It seemed more dangerous at this point not to answer him.
"I know you have surveillance on people's families." She said with a deep inhale of breath. "Mine included." A shudder ran through her. "I know you were responsible for what happened to that agent. I know you set it up so Mr. Turner had access when he needed it."
Hotch paled at this.
"That agent is a member of my team."
"And that's why the poor soul trusted you.' She shook her head. "I know you can make information disappear. And people." Again, that familiar expression of fear ran across her features.
"Emily, can you come in please." Hotch said suddenly.
Samantha looked around, shocked to know that someone else had been listening in to this conversation.
Prentiss then entered the room and sat down next to her boss.
"Hi Samantha. I am Agent Emily Prentiss of the Behavioural Analysis Unit. I am organising to have your boys brought in to the building for safety. We can protect you. Agent Hotchner is not who you think he is. I don't know who has been telling you that he is involved in any of this, but he is not. All he wants to do, all we want to do is help our friend, Agent Reid and stop any more videos or information being leaked." She reached her hand out across the table to the woman. "I promise you, you are safe here and your boys will be too."
Samantha stared between Prentiss and Hotch, clearly not sure what to make of this development. If this was a test then it was taking a very odd turn.
Did she dare to believe that this woman may actually be telling the truth?
"Samantha, please." Prentiss continued. "We need your help. Think of the young men being trafficked, some the same age as your son, Ben. Please, help us."
A tear ran down her face. She was terrified of making a wrong move.
"You let me see my sons." She said firmly. "You show me that they are safe, and I will help you."
The metal was gone.
Reid's brows furrowed as the pressure was released. Was he dead? Was that it?
Daring to open his eyes, he found John still stood in front of him, gun now lowered and a thoughtful look on his face. His heart sunk. This wasn't going to be quick.
Reid let out the breath he had been holding, a shiver running down his body.
Morgan did the same, relief flooding his features. The relief was short lived.
John turned and smiled at Nick.
"Would be a shame to waste something so pretty, don't you think?"
Nick looked at him in horror. Reid cautiously glanced between the pair.
"No... No, John." He shook his head, his eyes conveying his complete disbelief.
John just laughed.
"Nick, come on, what is my business?"
Nick suddenly put himself in between John and Reid.
"You said you wouldn't. I told you, this couldn't happen. Come on, haven't you done enough?" Reid stared at him in complete shock, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He felt like his legs were going to give way. Nick quickly glanced over his shoulder at Reid, avoiding eye contact. "He can't. Not again. You promised." He said firmly.
Morgan saw red. He started screaming at Nick in fury from behind the cloth, trying to push it out with his tongue.
John's gaze hardened on Nick.
"If you believed that, then you're more stupid than I thought." He put his arm around Nick's shoulders, turning him to face Reid. He held Reid's chin with his other hand. "He killed my brother and you told me how much Jason destroyed him." He pouted patronisingly in fake sympathy. "You think I'm not gonna use that?" Nick dropped his gaze to the floor as Reid's desperate eyes stared at him. John smiled, giving a glance to Morgan. "Don't worry, I'll kill him after. Make it nice and quick." Nick's shoulders slumped.
Reid's head swam. He couldn't be sure before, but this had confirmed it. Nick was in on this. He knew they were going to come and kill him. That's why he had brought him home. He'd brought him here so they could kill him. This was someone he had placed his confidence in as a professional and believed would protect him. Someone who knew everything that Jason had done to him. He had trusted him. Reid stared at him, the painful feeling of betrayal on his face was plain to see.
John brushed Nick out of the way and approached Reid, looking deep into his terrified eyes.
"Please." He gasped. "Please don't do this. I'm begging you."
Morgan's heart broke all over again and tears ran down his face. He thought back to Reid falling asleep on his chest in a tight hug and all he wanted was to go back to that place, where Reid was safe and he mattered.
The second man callously covered Reid's mouth and a sob escaped behind the hand. John grabbed his arm rolling up his sleeve to reveal his scars. Reid tried pulling it back, whimpering, but John's grip was too hard.
He traced his fingers along the raised red letters.
"Mine?" His fingers kept dancing along the sensitive scars. It made Reid's skin crawl. "Sorry, Jason. Not any more." He said with a lecherous smile. The men behind him laughed heartily and their grip tightened in anticipation. Reid was petrified. He tried pulling his arm away again but the grip on his wrist dug in harder. He winced, whimpering and shaking his head, his eyes hopelessly pleading with his tormentor.
He stared Reid deep in his eyes again.
"Fuck him senseless." Reid started trying to beg again from behind the large hand, desperately shaking his head in denial. The men laughed. He talked straight over Reid's pleas. "And when he can no longer walk, stand or think straight, bring him in here and I'll show Agent Morgan exactly what his friend really is." Reid was shaking his head desperately now.
He turned to Morgan. "I'll put him in your lap while I screw him." He smiled a sick smile. "One last comfort before I give him the mercy of a bullet in his brain." Morgan looked at him in horrified disbelief. John laughed darkly.
Morgan gagged from behind the cloth feeling suddenly incredibly ill. His stomach rolled dangerously. He was madly pulling at his handcuffs, sure that if he pulled hard enough he would detach the radiator from the wall. He ignored the blood that was freely pouring from his wrists now. The things he would do to these men if only he could get free.
John, still tracing his fingers along the scars, leaned up to Reid's ear and whispered.
"Have fun."
One of the men behind him suddenly wrapped a strong arm around his throat and started dragging him backwards. The other grabbed his legs effectively lifting him. Reid had to hold onto the arm around his neck in order to stop himself from being strangled.
Morgan continued his struggle to free himself to no avail. He was desperate to prevent this. Terrified for the young man he viewed as his little brother. He had no choice but to watch as Reid was dragged away knowing what fate was in store for him.
Realising they were moving him towards the bedroom, wild hot panic overtook Reid and he kicked his legs frantically and he began shouting.
"Help! Morgan?! Nick?! Please! Someone help me!"
It was hopeless. An elbow met his stomach, winding him. He simply wasn't strong enough to overcome the two pairs of arms that were manhandling him. The last thing he saw of the living room was Nick's regretful and pained expression.
Before he knew it, he was thrown down onto his bed and hands were on him, pulling and tearing at his clothes.
He kept shouting for help, hoping that one of his neighbours might hear. It was a long shot as it was a weekday afternoon and most were probably at work but he had to try.
A hand quickly covered his mouth, muffling his cries. He felt his cardigan be ripped from his body and his tie quickly followed.
He was bucking and rolling trying to stop the hands from progressing but it seemed to be making it worse. The more he fought, the faster the hands moved.
No one was going to help him. No one could help him. Despite all his promises, when push came to shove, not even Morgan could protect him.
His brain was unable to process anything other than fighting against the hands looking to strip him of his clothes. His thoughts couldn't extend any further than that one goal.
Pure survival instinct had kicked in.
"Fuck, hold him down." The first man said. He was shorter and slimmer than John, but more muscular. He had a large cross tattooed on his neck. A good Christian. Reid would have thought it ironic, if he was capable of thought at that moment.
Suddenly pressure was on Reid's arms and legs, holding him tightly to the bed.
How about I strap you down to that bed so fucking tight that you can't even move?
Reid gasped, images of Jason flashed in front of eyes and a loud sob escaped his lips.
"Shut up!" The second man shouted, pushing his face sideways and into a pillow.
Reid's body was shivering violently now.
The good Christian was balanced across his hips, ripping open his shirt, sending buttons across the room. They twisted and turned him to release his arms from the sleeves, tearing at the fabric as they did.
Holding his arms down once again, a finger was traced across his chest over the two bite marks that had left scars on his chest. His best kept secret.
"Look at this." The good Christian laughed.
"Fuck toy." Alan said salaciously.
They all laughed.
Reid's eyes were tightly closed now trying to fight between the flashbacks that were overtaking his mind and remaining present enough to fight the men that were all over him.
He bucked his hips trying to throw the man off him.
"Christ, he's hard work." The good Christian ground out. He punched Reid hard in the stomach twice stilling his movements as he gasped for air.
Taking this opportunity, he moved to Reid's pants and starting tearing at the belt. Pulling it free he ripped his pants open and pulled them down viciously.
At this Reid became almost feral. His arms and legs bucked, kicked, hit, scratched at anything he could connect with.
"Help! Help!" He shouted desperately.
Outside, John teased Morgan. "He wants your help, Agent." Furious tears streamed down Morgan's face as he closed his eyes in utter devastation.
The men flipped Reid over, pushing his face into the pillow, silencing him once more.
Next the hands went for his boxers. They heard a muffled sob and a 'no' come from the pillow.
This isn't happening. This isn't happening.
Reid's mind tried to flee as he felt his boxers being wrenched down his legs and the cool air on his exposed skin.
"Poor baby, we'll take good care of you." Alan laughed lecherously, slapping his backside.
The hand pressed into the back of his head kept his face firmly fixed into the pillow, he felt like he couldn't breathe.
Cruel hands were digging into his hips and pulling them up and back to bring him to his knees on the bed, his head was then wrenched up trying to force him onto all fours.
"Don't." His broken voice croaked out.
As his head was pulled from the pillow, he caught sight of his bedside lamp and in a flash of panic he grabbed and swung it behind him. It connected with the good Christian's head, sending him sideways.
He felt all hands release their grip for a split second and it was all he needed. He scrambled across the bed and away from the men. It was only once he was stood and looking back at them, he realised he'd unintentionally backed himself into a corner.
"Fuck!" Blood was coming from the man's head now where the lamp had made its connection.
Reid was stood shaking in the corner of the room, feeling completely exposed and vulnerable but poised to tackle anyone who came near him.
"Ellis, grab the bastard." He said to the second man.
Ellis launched himself at Reid, fighting against Reid's hands that were punching, flailing, scratching, doing anything to try and prevent what was fast becoming the inevitable.
The good Christian took a step back to allow Alan to assist with subduing their terrified victim. Throwing yet another punch to Reid's gut, he completely winded him, leaving him doubled over and coughing. He dropped to his knees trying to regain his breath.
"Keep him like that." The good Christian snarled. "He fucking owes me."
Ellis took some zip ties from his pocket and pulled Reid's arms behind his back and tied his wrists together tightly.
"You alright, Bill?" He asked, looking to his bleeding head.
Reid was still trying to catch his breath but was quickly realising what was about to happen.
Bill unzipped his pants allowing his erection to spring forth.
"I will be in a minute." He said angrily.
Reid tried to scoot backwards but found Ellis' legs lodged behind him.
"Bring him here." He snarled again.
Ellis and Alan dragged him forwards and to the end of the bed, causing painful friction burns on his knees.
"No, please don't, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Please, I can't do this!" Reid begged.
In the living room, Morgan's heart was shattering.
Bill grabbed him by the hair and ran his thumb over Reid's lips.
"That pretty mouth talks way too much."
Tears ran down Reid's face as helplessness overtook him. He was back in a nightmare he thought he would never have to revisit.
Bill pushed his erection up to Reid's face. His senses were overwhelmed with a combination of mustiness and sweat.
He closed his eyes and clamped his mouth shut, hardly daring to breathe as the scent was making him nauseous.
Bill simply gripped the back of his head tighter and clamped down on his nose.
Reid knew this was a battle he was going to lose. He was going to have to take a breath at some point and the second he did he would be back in hell.
The tip of the man's penis danced across his lips leaving a sickeningly wet and sticky trail whilst it waited for its opportunity.
"Come on, Agent." He spat the word, patronisingly.
Reid felt the pressure building up in his throat and at the back of his mouth as his body started begging for him to take a breath. His face started turning red as he pushed to hold his breath for as long as he possibly could.
The pain was becoming excruciating and he knew that his body would force him to breathe soon. He held on until he felt like his throat would explode then his mouth reluctantly opened to gasp in some much-needed air.
He managed to gasp in a fraction of what his body needed before invasive flesh was hitting his tongue and the roof of his mouth. He tried to breathe around it but it was too difficult. He could feel his head starting to spin as his oxygen levels were dropping dangerously low. Saliva was running down his chin.
"Fuck, that's good." Bill moaned, finally releasing his nose. Reid breathed short and sharp breaths in through his nose desperate to replace some of the lost oxygen in his body.
Bill firmly held the back of his head, forcing himself deep into his throat and held still while Reid gagged around him.
"Relax your throat and breathe." He ordered.
Reid was still gagging, dangerously close to being sick. His body was thrashing about, trying to fight.
Bill's hand came to his throat.
"Calm down, relax your throat and breathe... focus on your breath out" He reiterated. Reid had no choice but to try and follow his 'helpful' command. Suddenly it became very clear what went on in the 'training facilities'. He had clearly done this many times before.
Reid took deep breaths in and out through his nose and found his gag reflex was starting to relax.
"Good. Very good." Bill breathed out in a disturbingly comforting manner.
Reid's whole body was shaking, he could feel his hands constantly twitching behind him.
In for four, 3, 4 out for six, 3, 4, 5, 6.
In for four, 3, 4 out for six, 3, 4, 5, 6.
In for four, 3, 4 out for six, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Once Bill was satisfied that his victim was breathing well enough for him, he started moving again, thrusting in and out.
Reid's throat constantly contracted, trying to expel the unwanted invasion.
He then felt tight arms on his waist pulling his legs up to standing. Bill kept his head firmly in place, taking advantage of the new angle to thrust further into his throat.
Panic overtook again and he began to gag unable to cope with the new position.
Bent over as he was with his arms behind his back, his centre of gravity dragged him forwards. Another pair of hands joined in to support his chest to stop him toppling over.
The hands that were around his waist were then behind him, probing. A finger entered him and he whimpered around the invasive flesh that was still silencing him.
"Shush now, it's not like you haven't done this before." Ellis said with another cruel laugh.
His legs gave way but he was roughly pulled back up by an arm around his hips. Tears were falling freely now. He tried to twist away, but bent over as he was, he was in no position to fight anyone off.
Another finger was inserted and he flinched, memories once again flooded over him.
"I'm gonna take my time with you. Show you what control really means. And I'm not gonna stop 'til you're begging me to."
A sob wrenched out as he felt another finger enter him. A wave of painful pleasure shot through his body as Ellis manoeuvred his fingers, manipulating his prostate. His legs were shaking violently now as he felt his body starting to react.
"He likes that, Ellis." Alan laughed, observing the automatic rush of blood. He reached his hand between Reid's legs and encouraged the budding erection. Between the fingers massaging inside him and the pumping hand Reid was soon wretchedly moaning in a combination of pleasure and devastation.
He was just about ready to collapse when Alan got beneath him and took him into his mouth. He unintentionally thrust forward unable to contain himself any longer.
Ellis laughed.
"Look at you, you can't get enough, can you? He's loving it." He said, manoeuvring his fingers again pushing Reid's body closer to orgasm. He sobbed loudly now.
After a painful few minutes of forced extreme pleasure, Reid's body violently shuddered, finally reaching its climax. He cried out around Bill who was still making use of his mouth. His legs collapsed and Ellis did nothing to stop it.
By this point Bill was also reaching his climax.
He couldn't take this anymore. He wanted to get out of this disgustingly used and abused body. He wanted to die.
His mind fled.
From fairest creatures we desire increase,
That thereby beauty's rose might never die,
But as the riper should by time decrease,
His tender heir mught bear his memeory:
But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,
Feed'st thy light'st flame with self-substantial fuel,
Making a famine where abundance lies,
Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel.
Morgan could hear everything.
The sickening things they were saying, the sobs, the crash of the lamp, the begging, the cries as he was clearly attacked again, the gagging, the whimpering.
His mind was in turmoil. He was so angry with himself. The one thing he had sworn to Reid was that it was over and he was safe. He would never have to go through it again.
It wasn't over, Reid wasn't safe and worst of all, he had allowed himself to become a spectator to the abuse.
He heard "Relax your throat and breathe" coming from the bedroom and his pointless struggles against the handcuffs began afresh. He felt like he would be sick if he had to listen to any more.
John smiled at him.
"Jealous are we?" Morgan stilled, a dangerous gaze landed on John. "Would you like to join in?"
Morgan did not respond, his stare burned a hole into the man in front of him. He had never hated someone as much in his life as he hated John right now. The sheer pleasure he took in knowing the pain he was causing was sickening. He was another Jason.
John turned to look at Nick who was sat on the couch with his head in his hands deliberately avoiding any interaction.
"I really must thank you for this, Nick. This is the most fun I have had in a long time." He jovially patted him on the back. Nick tensed and shook his head in denial.
Morgan noted that whatever his involvement was, it clearly didn't extend into the realms of sexual abuse. But his betrayal was a painful one. Reid had put his trust in him and shared the full account of what Jason had done. This information had clearly been shared with John to put Reid in an even more compromised position.
It was in that moment that Morgan had a realisation. Noticing this, John looked at him curiously.
"Something the matter, Agent?" His lips curved upwards into a sly smile. He moved over and removed the cloth, too intrigued to hear what Morgan had to say to Nick.
Morgan never took his eyes off the man.
"You were responsible for the video leak." Morgan said in a horrified and accusatory tone.
Nick just shifted and moved his gaze further away from the other agent. As clear an admission of guilt as Morgan had ever seen.
"How could you? We trusted you. Reid trusted you." His voice broke a little. "You're FBI for god's sake. How could you do this?" Morgan leaned forward. "Answer me dammit!"
Nick took a quick glance to him and ran his hands through his hair in a movement of stress.
They heard laughing coming from the bedroom and a pained moan. Morgan winced.
"You need to stop this now." His attention was now on John. "Attacking FBI agents is a serious offence. You could get the death penalty."
"I'll get nothing of the sort, Agent." John spoke confidently. "You'd be amazed how many people of 'importance' make use of my services. I won't even see the inside of a jail cell. Unless they want the whole rotten machine to come crashing down."
The comment made Morgan's heart skip a beat. Was it a bluff? He knew corruption existed, they had all witnessed it first hand. But something like this? This was another level entirely.
Sensing his internal conflict, John knelt in front of Morgan.
"I don't make idle threats, Agent." His eyes were dangerous and hard. "Just ask your friend in there." He smiled.
Regretful moans of pleasure and desperation were now coming from the bedroom as the men clearly relished the forced pleasure they were inflicting on their victim.
"You sick son of a bitch." Morgan spat, leaning forward towards the other man. If his hands were free he would kill him right there and then.
"Now, now Agent. If you're not careful, I will keep your friend alive and have him as my own personal plaything. You would never find him. As you can hear, he seems to enjoy it."
A groan and a hitching sob came from the bedroom.
"That would be his life." He gestured to the bedroom. "Until it's all he knows." He said in mock upset. "Then on your birthday I would return him to you as a present on his knees ready to please you. You think he's broken now? You wouldn't even recognise him." John wasn't smiling.
Morgan couldn't pull his eyes away from the man, they were full of horror. Something about his demeanour told him that this was a very real threat. He wondered how many sons and brothers had been lost to this man. The thought made him physically sick.
"How could you?" Morgan's voice was now shaking. "How can you do this to someone? Do you not hear him?" His breath caught. "Do you feel nothing?"
John just looked at him, watching the emotion in his face like he was a fascinating piece of artwork.
Morgan's eyes filled with hatred.
"No, because this is the only way you can get off isn't it? Seeing people suffer. If he wanted it, you couldn't get it up, could you?"
Morgan watched his lack of reaction and laughed.
"Yeah, just as I thought. You're weak. You're not a man. You're pathetic." He spat.
John smiled at him.
"Are you done?"
Morgan just stared at him. He had met true psychopaths many times and experienced their lack of emotion and compassion. But he was never emotionally attached to any of their victims before. No amount of experience could prepare him for the pure coldness he was met with.
Seeing nothing that resembled a human being in the other man he shook his head, feeling utterly hopeless, and finally broke down. Nothing was helping and the grotesque moans and pathetic whimpers from the bedroom were becoming too much to bear.
"He's one of the gentlest people I've ever known. He doesn't deserve any of this." John just looked at him expressionless. "Please. Just stop this. Let me go to him." He knew he was begging now and didn't care.
John looked at him with kind eyes and Morgan dared to hope for a second he just might have hit some semblance of humanity.
"I suggest you keep your mouth shut or I will walk out that door with him right now."
John watched as understanding washed over Morgan and he became defeated. Standing up, he hit him hard across the temple with Reid's gun and stomped on his gut, just to emphasise his point.
Morgan grunted as his head split open, blood poured down the side of his face.
"Do I make myself clear, Agent?"
Morgan's consciousness swam, but he managed to nod his head in understanding, coughing as he did. He had never felt so helpless in his life. He couldn't do anything without bringing more harm to the one person he swore he would always protect.
If there was a hell, then he was pretty sure this was it.
"Your boys are safe. We have them here." Prentiss spoke.
A wave of relief flooded over Samantha's features, but then her gaze hardened.
"I want to see them." She said firmly.
"No." Hotch replied, his voice stern. "We have done what you want, now you help us."
"I need to know they are safe." She answered.
Prentiss looked to Hotch and stepped in, holding out her phone. A picture of the boys in the BAU conference room was displayed.
Samantha looked at it and then grabbed the phone.
"Oh, my boys." Tears ran down her cheeks. She looked to Emily.
"Now, will you cooperate with us?" Emily asked gently.
Samantha looked between the pair, still clearly not fully convinced.
"Start from the beginning." Hotch ordered, his patience wearing thin.
Samantha shifted uncomfortably.
"It started around 18 months ago." She said, dropping her head into her hands. Still not sure she was making the right decision. Seeing her boys in the FBI offices did make her feel better, but so much had been told to her about Aaron Hotchner, it was hard to believe that he wasn't a problem. His colleague Emily seemed genuine though. "I had a phone call from SSA Nick Field regarding two missing persons cases in the VICAP system. He requested that I remove the cases from the system as they were found to be false reports and were throwing the stats out. So, on his request, I did. It wasn't an unusual request, but it started coming through more regularly. It would be every month, then it got to every week-"
"Nick Field?" Hotch cut her dead.
She looked at him knowingly.
"Yes."
"Are you saying he is a part of this?" Emily asked quickly.
"He's the one that told me you were watching my family." She said to Hotch.
They both looked at each other with a shared look of horror.
"You're sure?" Hotch asked her to clarify.
"Yes, I'm sure" she said irritably, then took in the expression on Hotch's face. "My god, you don't know, do you?"
"Reid." Hotch gasped out.
Hotch pulled out his phone and dialled Reid's number. Prentiss could see the sheer terror in his face as it went to voicemail. He tried again with no success.
"No answer?" Prentiss asked, feeling the panic welling up in her chest.
Then he dialled Morgan. The call also reached only voicemail.
Hotch was turning paler by the minute. He tried Morgan again, and then again, receiving only the same recorded response.
Suddenly his phone rang. He answered it before even checking who it was.
"Yes?" He said frantically and hopefully..
"Sir! I've traced the source of the leak! It's Nick Field!" Garcia's panicked voice came down the phone.
"Oh god." The phone slipped out of his hand and his horror filled eyes met Emily's before he unexpectedly turned on his heel and left the room.
A wave of panic ran up her back and she followed after him, slamming the door behind her.
"Do not let her leave." She said to two agents outside.
Hotch raced through the bullpen attracting curious looks all around. His usual calm and professional demeanour was long gone.
He went straight to Anderson turning him around in his chair and grabbing him by the arms. He looked taken aback.
"Anderson, did an order come in for a protective detail for Agent Reid?" His eyes were wide and pressing.
Anderson appeared confused.
"Uh, no, sir. I haven't received one."
Letting go of Anderson's arms, Hotch looked like his head was swimming.
"Is everything alright, sir?"
Hotch felt the world spinning around him, he grasped onto Anderson's desk for support much like Reid had done earlier.
"Hotch?" Prentiss stepped in next to him, trying to bring her boss back. "Aaron?"
"Dammit!" He suddenly shouted, launching Anderson's monitor off the desk.
Loud gasps echoed around the room.
The rest of the team were now in the bullpen and moving quickly towards Hotch. Emily was stood back, mouth gaping at the display of aggression from her boss.
JJ came rushing into the bullpen from her office having heard the commotion.
"Aaron, what is it?" Rossi moved in, surveying the broken monitor on the floor.
JJ looked in horror at her boss' expression.
"It's Nick. It's been Nick all along. I should have known." He said in something of a detached, introspective trance.
"What?" JJ asked, a puzzled look on her face.
"Agent Field has been working with the trafficking ring." Prentiss said, her expression now desperate.
Realisation washed over Rossi and JJ as the implications of what they were hearing became very real. This went a lot deeper than a simple leak.
"Neither Reid or Morgan are answering their phones." Hotch said, his voice shaking.
"Oh god." JJ gasped.
Rossi sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. He was the one who had told Hotch to trust Nick. He felt sick.
Rossi turned to the team. "We need to move, now." Desperate faces looked back at him. "We need SWAT, we take no chances."
Reid was now on the bed, his face pushed firmly into his pillow. Cruel hands still digging into his hips.
His body gave no reaction any more. His mind had wandered far away into a world of Proust, finding comfort in the voice of his Mom reading to him. She had already narrated multiple Shakespearean sonnets.
For a long time I used to go to bed early. Sometimes, when I had put out my candle, my eyes would close so quickly that I had not even time to say "I'm going to sleep." And half an hour later the thought that it was time to go to sleep would awaken me; I would try to put away the book which, I imagined, was still in my hands, and to blow out the light; I had been thinking all the time, while I was asleep, of what I had just been reading, but my thoughts had run into a channel of their own, until I myself seemed actually to have become the subject of my book: a church, a quartet, the rivalry between François I and Charles V.
Distantly he felt a hand grabbing his hair, pulling him onto all fours again and redirecting him.
This impression would persist for some moments after I was awake; it did not disturb my mind, but it lay like scales upon my eyes and prevented them from registering the fact that the candle was no longer burning.
The gagging began again. His body rocked back and forth, back and forth.
Then- then it-
His Mother's voice struggled to continue as his focus was being pulled back to his difficulty breathing. She pushed on.
Then it would begin to seem unintelligible, as the thoughts of a former existence must be to a reincarnate spirit; the subject of my book would separate itself from me, leaving me free to choose whether I would form part of it or no; and at the same time my sight would return and I would be astonished to find myself in a state of darkness, pleasant and restful enough for the eyes, and even more, perhaps, for my mind, to which it appeared incomprehensible, without a cause, a matter dark-
His mind was cruelly pulled back to awareness as he was violently thrown onto his back and a hand was clamped over his mouth.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" He heard Bill say. He sounded panicked.
Reid's eyes came into focus and pain returned to his body. He felt like he'd been ripped in two. He felt disgustingly and familiarly wet and sticky down below and on his face. A combination of blood and... no. Nausea washed over him.
He could hear voices coming from the living room, then a gunshot rang out. His muscles flinched at the sound. His mind went straight to Morgan and panic filled his chest.
"Keep quiet." A voice hissed.
The hand over his mouth pressed down further, pushing his head deep into the pillow.
"Shit, shit! What do we do?"
Before anyone could answer, the door was kicked open and guns were all around them.
"Put your hands on your head!" Not knowing what else to do, and completely unarmed, the three men obeyed. "Get down! Get down on the floor!"
Reid felt eyes on his exposed body and heard a gasp. He couldn't. He was so exposed, humiliated, vulnerable. They couldn't see him like that. He couldn't deal with it.
His Mother's voice floated back in, taking him to a place of safety.
"...indeed. I would ask myself what o'clock it could be; I could hear the whistling of trains, which, now nearer and now farther off, punctuating the distance like the note of a bird in a forest, shewed me in perspective the deserted countryside through which a traveller would be hurrying towards the nearest station."
"What is going on here?" JJ asked worriedly from the back of the SUV.
"Nick has been covering up for the ring. He arranged the leak of the videos to the press." Hotch's focus was back now, his voice serious and grim.
"But why would he do that? Why would he expose himself like that?" JJ shook her head in disbelief.
"Distraction. Pressure. Threats. Who knows." Rossi said, anger clear in his voice, sharply turning the wheel of the vehicle as they flew down the road, sirens blaring.
"But he must have known it would trace back to him at some point." JJ said confused.
"If it wasn't for Garcia then we wouldn't even know, we were ordered off the case. It's only because she wouldn't let it go that the source of the leak was traced. Nick was likely directing the investigation away from the true source." Prentiss said.
"What makes you think Reid is in danger?" JJ asked, terrified of hearing the answer.
"He is supposed to have ordered a protective detail for Reid. He hasn't. I can only think of one reason why he would do that. Nick told me John Maloney is out of state but knowing what we know now and that Nick is actually responsible, I have to believe there's a bigger plan in place."
"Oh god." Prentiss closed her eyes.
Realisation swept over JJ.
"So that John Maloney could be in there with them, right now?"
Hotch grimaced.
"It's possible."
"This isn't happening." JJ's elbow rested on the vehicle's door as she rubbed his forehead.
Prentiss put a supportive hand on her shoulder.
The vehicle descended into silence.
They reached Reid's apartment building and gathered with the SWAT team.
"We do a hard entry." Hotch advised.
Their hands were all shaking. They were all terrified of what they were going to find. Would they be dead? Would they have been taken? Maybe they would be fine and they would just be sat on the couch talking with Nick? They hoped beyond hope.
Hotch took the lead up the stairs directing the SWAT team to Reid's door. Gathering outside he gave a silent countdown of 3, 2, 1 then the door was broken in.
"FBI!"
They swarmed into the apartment, guns raised, landing on John who clearly panicked and pointed the gun back at the Agents and SWAT.
Their eyes quickly scanned the room. Nick was there, looking terrified, holding up his hands to show he was not armed. Morgan was on the floor, seemingly attached to a radiator. Blood poured out of a cut on the side of his head but he was otherwise unhurt. His eyes looked haunted. There was no sign of Reid. Their hearts sank.
"Drop your weapon!" Hotch said angrily.
John looked taken aback. He had clearly not anticipated their arrival.
"Keep back!" He shouted, turning his gun in the direction of Morgan. As he did a bullet lodged into his side. He grunted, falling to his knees, dropping the weapon.
Rossi was quickly on him, shoving him aggressively to the ground.
John coughed, laughing as he did so.
His mouth curved into a sick smile.
"Are you his Daddy?"
A shudder ran up Rossi's spine at the lechery in his voice. He angrily shoved John's head against the carpet allowing SWAT to take control of him. He 'accidentally' caught his foot in the man's side as he handed him over.
Prentiss moved in to cuff Nick.
"I'm so sorry." He said, shaking his head. "I'm so, so sorry." He repeated.
Prentiss didn't respond, disgust written on her features. She roughly cuffed him as the rest of the team made their way through Reid's apartment.
Morgan was shouting constantly to free him and let him get to Reid.
SWAT pushed open the bedroom door and the sight that met them was horrifying. Reid was completely naked on his back in the middle of the bed. As they moved in a hand was removed from his mouth. Three men stood around him, two with their pants undone. The smell of sex and blood from the room was overwhelming.
Hotch couldn't move any further. JJ gasped beside him and flinched backwards and out of the room allowing SWAT to pour in.
"Put your hands on your head!" The three men automatically threw their hands up. "Get down! Get down on the floor!" The men were directed to the floor with guns trained on their backs as they were roughly cuffed by the SWAT team.
"We need a medic!" Hotch radioed, finally getting back his focus.
Prentiss handed Nick over to a SWAT officer and moved to Morgan's side, his eyes were desperate and haunted. He was shouting to be released from the moment the team entered the apartment.
"Okay, okay, I'm here." Prentiss said in her most soothing voice as she unlocked the cuffs.
Before she could even warn him to stay still in case of concussion he was up and away from her, heading towards the bedroom.
He looked to JJ who was now leaning over the back of a chair, dry retching, tears running down her face.
She looked at Prentiss who was now following Morgan and shook her head.
"I'm sorry, I can't, I can't!" Her face was almost green with nausea and her expression was filled with guilt.
Morgan suddenly felt like the world was moving in slow motion. He turned towards the door to see the three men being led out of the bedroom, two with their pants open. He stared for a few moments watching them go by. He knew this was happening. But some small part of him was in denial. This image ripped that to shreds.
Only ten minutes before he would have torn these men to pieces. But now all he could do was watch them go by, completely dumbfounded. Shock had settled in.
His feet led him clumsily towards the room. Sound was swimming in and out.
His wide eyes found Reid's naked form lay on the bed, hands either side of his battered face. Hotch knelt at the side of him, trying to get him to communicate. Reid was completely unmoving, eyes staring emptily at the ceiling. He was so exposed. So broken.
"No." Morgan choked out. "No no no no." He whinged, it was a pained and desperate sound. He ran and collapsed next to Reid on the opposite side of the bed. Hotch looked at him, concern, tears and blazing fury in his eyes.
Rossi was then in the room and grabbed a sheet from the floor. He pulled it over Reid in an attempt to recover some of his dignity. It sickened him to see him like that. Hotch grabbed the other end of it pulling it across him so he was covered from the shoulders down.
"Get the medics in here, NOW!" Rossi shouted.
Morgan grasped onto Reid's hand.
"Kid? You there? Please talk to me." Tears were streaming down his face. "Oh god, I'm so sorry." He frantically kissed his cold hand over and over then broke down putting the hand against his cheek. "I'm so, so sorry."
Rossi moved to Morgan and put a hand on his shoulder as the medics entered.
"You okay?" He asked Morgan, aware of the wound to his head and severe cuts on his wrists. He didn't receive an answer. That didn't surprise him. He dreaded to think what Morgan had seen.
Rossi was disgusted by the sight in front of him. Reid's distant eyes, his twitching lips, the blood running down his face. Sticky wetness around his mouth and running down his chin, a sure sign of what they had made him do whilst he was in this state.
His stomach rolled and he found his legs taking him out of the room and towards the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, he fell to his knees and was violently sick into the toilet.
Hands shaking, sweat pouring off his brow, he emptied his stomach.
After a further minute of dry heaving, he unsteadily made his way back to his feet. He looked in the mirror almost looking through himself. The last six months had provided him with some of the most traumatic sights he had seen in his whole career.
And this time was all his fault. He had done this to Reid.
Splashing some water on his face, he grabbed a face cloth and wet it, opening the door to find Prentiss stood outside.
"You okay?" She asked carefully.
His face was uncharacteristically pale. He could see that Emily's mascara had been running down her face. She had been crying.
"No." He said simply. Turning into the living room he looked at the men held by SWAT. John was on a stretcher being tended to by medics. "Get them out of here!" He said angrily. He couldn't bear to look at them.
He headed back to the bedroom where Reid was being looked over by paramedics.
"He's unresponsive." The female medic commented.
"Dr. Reid?" The male called out, shining a light in his eyes. "Can you hear me?"
Morgan and Hotch were stood back in the corner of the room, arms crossed and watching carefully, unable to take their eyes off their youngest colleague.
"Let's get him to the hospital." The male said, leaving the room to get a stretcher.
Rossi moved in by Reid's side and bent over next to him, gently taking the cloth and wiping his mouth, chin and neck clean.
"There you go, kiddo." He said gently, his eyes tearing up.
Hotch looked away for a brief moment, too upset to contemplate the action. Tears ran down Morgan's face.
Rossi put the cloth into an evidence bag and stepped back, allowing the medics to move in again.
Reid didn't react when the medics lifted him onto a stretcher. His mind was hidden from anything that could hurt him.
The three agents watched them carefully wrap him in the bed sheet and strap him to the stretcher. Reid frowned a little. Spotting it, Morgan moved forward hoping that this meant there was an ounce of awareness.
"Reid, it's okay. You are safe now." The words felt hollow. Too little, too late.
He turned to the medics. "Can I go with him?"
"Yes. We will need to have a look at you." The female medic gestured to his wrists and head.
Hotch followed the stretcher out of the room. As they emerged, JJ and Prentiss were waiting.
"Reid?" JJ reached out to stroke his head. He didn't respond, his eyes were just glazed. She looked at Morgan and he just shook his head. JJ's eyes filled up with tears again and she stepped back. Prentiss moved to pull her into a hug.
Hotch pulled Morgan aside.
"Are you okay?" He could see the distress on his sub-ordinate's face.
Morgan simply stared at Hotch. His eyes giving the answer. No, he wasn't and he wasn't sure he ever would be again.
"Make sure you get these seen to." He motioned towards his wrists. The cuts looked particularly bad.
Hotch gently put a hand to his shoulder and squeezed in a gesture of support. It was a fairly intimate touch between the two men. "We'll see you at the hospital."
Morgan nodded, almost in a trance.
The medics left with Reid and a disorientated Morgan in tow.
Rossi stood staring at Reid's bedroom. His sanctuary where he should feel at his safest and most relaxed, now tainted. Like so many other things in his life.
He took in the blood and semen-stained sheets. The smashed lamp. The zip ties that had clearly been on Reid at some point. A bloodied cloth. His ripped clothes thrown about the room. Buttons in random places. His belt on the floor. The blood-stained pillow where his face had clearly been pressed.
This was a very different scene to when Jason had taken him. Jason had been all about the dominance. He'd taken his time. This was more carnal. Less personal but equally as degrading.
"Dave?"
He turned to find the pale face of the unit chief looking at him.
"The CSIs are here." He said simply.
Rossi nodded and moved out of the bedroom.
JJ's phone was ringing out on speaker. Probably calling Garcia.
"Jayje! Where are you all?" Came the worried voice on the other end. "I've been calling you!"
JJ braced herself for this one.
"Penelope, Spence has been hurt. He's on his way to hospital. We'll meet you there."
"Oh god, what? What do you mean hurt? What's happened? Oh my god."
"We will meet you at the hospital, okay?" JJ said, really not wanting to explain over the phone.
"Is he okay? Well of course he's not okay, you just said he's been hurt. Oh god, okay. Okay. I'll be there."
"Penelope?"
"Yeah?" Came the breathless response.
"Drive safely." JJ said kindly.
"Yeah." The distracted voice on the phone answered quickly then the call disconnected.
They could all envisage her packing up her bag in a hurry and distractedly rushing to the elevator to make it to the hospital in record time.
JJ looked at the rest of the team as CSIs filed in around them.
"How could this happen? He is never going to get over it."
No one had an answer. There were no reassurances that anyone could give. This was a completely unexpected, unpredicted and brutal turn of events.
They all stood in silent contemplation for a short while until Hotch spoke up.
"Dave, take everyone to the hospital. I'll follow on shortly when I've spoken with the CSIs."
Rossi shook his head.
"No, you go. You're his medical proxy and the condition he's in, he's not in a position to consent to anything. You need to be there." He said knowingly.
Hotch's jaw tightened and he nodded.
"Okay. See you soon."
They all sat once again in the now too familiar waiting room. JJ had her head resting back against the wall. Prentiss was sat forwards, resting her elbows on her knees. Hotch was staring at the floor. Morgan had his head in his hands, his freshly stitched head wound looked angry but clean. His wrists had been bandaged up to cover more stitches, which he had been advised would likely leave scars.
No one said a word.
It felt like an eternity before someone entered the waiting room. A familiar face emerged.
"Agents?"
They all looked up. Hotch stood.
"Dr. Marston." He extended his hand out and she shook it.
"Please sit." She sat down opposite him, near Morgan. "I really am so sorry to see you all back here." Tears stung at her eyes as she looked around the room at the devastated faces.
"How is he?" Hotch asked directly.
"Medically, he is okay. He's been badly beaten. He has some cuts and bruises. He's had stitches to a cut over his eyebrow. The bruising to his abdomen is severe but his body will recover. He will need plenty of rest. Mentally..." She sighed. "He's unresponsive. He hasn't spoken or interacted since he came in."
"Is he catatonic?" Morgan asked, thinking back to last time.
"I've got a psychiatrist coming to examine him, but it's possibly too early to say. It could just be the shock or he could be dissociating and hasn't yet come out of it."
She took a deep breath and looked to Hotch. "If I remember correctly, Agent Hotchner, you are his medical proxy, is that still the case?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Are you aware that he has been sexually assaulted?" She said quietly, almost not believing she was having to say this again.
Hotch looked to Morgan. He closed his eyes, the guilt was eating away at him.
"Yes." His voice broke and he cleared his throat. "Yes, I am."
She leaned forward, softening her voice.
"I would like to do a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam, but I will need consent. As I cannot communicate with him, I need to ask you as his medical proxy. Obviously, as I'm sure you know, this is a time sensitive matter so the sooner it can be done, the better."
"Yes, of course." Hotch responded. "We will need it for evidence." He nodded. "Just... be gentle with him." He said softly.
"Of, course." She nodded, sadly.
Dr. Marston looked to Morgan who was rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands.
She put a comforting hand to his shoulder and he looked back at her, his eyes filled with trauma. She gave a small supportive smile. She knew how much work he had put in to helping Reid the first time round.
"You weren't the Doctor he was handed over to." Morgan responded, with a slight question in his voice.
"No. But I saw his name on the board so, I was worried." She answered, her voice dropping off slightly.
"Thank you." Morgan nodded, tears starting to come again.
"Are you okay? You look like you've taken a beating yourself."
"I'm fine." Morgan responded quickly, not wanting to garner any attention or sympathy in this scenario.
"Okay, well if you start to feel unwell at all, please let someone know." She patted his shoulder again.
She gave a tight-lipped smile and turned to Hotch.
"Okay, Agent Hotchner. I need you to sign some paperwork for me." She stood, leading him out of the room.
The sound of frantic heels came rushing down the corridor.
She automatically headed to the waiting room.
The team looked up as a block of colour came tottering in. Tears were running down her face, she was in a complete panic.
"Tell me, tell me what's happened. Right now!" She said in a mixture of devastation and anger.
"Sit down, Garcia." Hotch said firmly.
She looked at Hotch, eyes wide.
"Oh no. This is bad isn't it." She slumped down in the chair next to JJ. "He's not... please tell me he's not-" She couldn't finish that sentence.
"He's alive." Hotch said calmly.
"Oh, thank god." Garcia rocked back and forth trying to calm herself. Sensing the mood of the room, she continued. "But it's bad, right?" She looked around at them desperately searching for an answer.
"It's bad." JJ grabbed her hand. "You need to remain calm when I tell you this, okay?"
Terrified, Garcia stared at her and nodded a small scared nod.
"They sexually assaulted him."
Garcia just stared at her, mouth open, her head shaking from side to side. She looked to Hotch, Prentiss, Morgan, trying to find someone who was going to tell her it wasn't true.
"No." She said in denial.
JJ just nodded.
"Who did? They- No!"
She stood and started pacing back and forth.
"John Maloney and three others attacked him in his apartment. Agent Field was protecting them and as far as we know, he was involved in setting it up." Hotch said slowly and carefully.
Garcia continued pacing.
"This can't be happening. How do you know they- no... just no!"
Garcia was expressing out loud how they all felt inside.
They all looked to Morgan. He shifted uncomfortably.
"Morgan was there." JJ said cautiously. He kept his gaze looking down at the floor.
Garcia looked at Morgan shaking her head, her eyes welling up.
"What?" She now noticed his injuries for the first time. "Oh my god, you're hurt." She went straight up to him, her hand cupping his cheek. "Are you okay?"
He pulled his face away in irritation. Garcia looked a little wounded.
"I'm fine!" He snapped.
Garcia backed away from him and sat down, putting a cautious hand to his knee. He let her.
Tears were now running down JJ's face again and Prentiss kept lifting her eyes to the ceiling trying to stem the flow of her own.
Knowing better than to press Morgan, Garcia looked to the others.
"How is he?" Mascara was running freely down her cheeks now.
At this, Morgan stood up and stormed out of the room. He couldn't deal with any more of this.
They watched after him for a few moments before Prentiss gingerly broke the silence.
"It's hard to say. A psychiatrist is going to see him as he seems to be stuck in some form of trance. He's having a forensic exam done now."
Garcia just nodded again in shock.
"I can't believe this. Reid was just getting back to normal." Garcia whined.
"I can't believe that Nick has been involved in this the whole time. He took Reid's statement." Prentiss shook her head in disbelief. "He knows everything Jason did to him and he arranged for this. It makes me sick."
Hotch looked at her, anger burning in his eyes.
"He will pay for this. I guarantee you."
"It's too late. Too late for any of that." JJ said despondently.
"It's never too late for justice, Jennifer." Responded Hotch, sternly.
"So we send Reid into court? Can you really see him doing that? He's so private, it would kill him." JJ shook her head.
The team all sat in silence. None of them had considered how this would move forward.
"Hey. Any news?" Rossi rounded the corner with a reluctant Morgan in tow. He obviously hadn't pressed him for an update but had managed to convince him to not be alone.
Rossi squeezed Garcia's shoulder as he entered as a greeting.
"He's having a SAFE done now. He's still not talking." Hotch advised, noticing how red and puffy Rossi's eyes appeared. He didn't mention it.
Rossi grimaced a little and nodded.
"Was all okay at his apartment?" Hotch questioned.
"They are getting through it."
Once again, silence descended on the room. They were all stuck in their own thoughts.
Morgan suddenly spoke quietly.
"He was a virgin before all of this." He shook his head, tears coming down his face, an air of disbelief in his voice.
JJ nodded knowingly and let out a sob.
No one answered. It had been suspected by the rest but was obviously only a fact known by his two best friends.
"Just waiting for the right person to feel comfortable with. To share that with." He stared at nothing. "Five..." Morgan's voice broke. "What the fuck has he done in life to deserve this?" He was getting angry now. "How the fuck does he deserve this?"
"He doesn't." JJ's breath hitched. "The last person in the world that deserves this is Spence."
"I was right there and I didn't help him. How is he ever going to trust me again?"
"Didn't? Or couldn't?" Rossi said knowingly. "There is a huge difference, Derek, and you and Reid both know it."
"Rossi, I sat and I watched as he made him... simulate..." He paused, shaking his head, "oral sex with his own loaded gun."
The team all looked at him with wide-eyed revulsion. Hotch paled.
"He- He did what?" Garcia's mouth hung open in complete shock. She couldn't believe what she had just heard.
"Oh yeah, with the safety off and his finger on the trigger the whole time. He told him to imagine it was Jason. Sick fuck." Morgan's hands tightened into fists.
"Oh my god, he must have been so scared." Garcia's voice shook as tears ran down her face again.
"I've never seen him so scared." Morgan confirmed, his voice choking a little. "Or humiliated."
Hotch's jaw was tightly clenched. He had the sudden urge to break something.
"He told his guys to... rape him 'til he couldn't even walk." His face scrunched up in complete disgust. "Then he was going to do it right in front of me. He said he would put him in my lap while he did so I could comfort him before he put a bullet in his brain." Morgan's eyes were going distant. Garcia gasped. "He wanted to tear him to pieces, 'til there was nothing left."
"Morgan-" Rossi tried to bring him back.
"I asked him how he could do it. How he could do something like that to someone so gentle. He just said if I didn't stop he would keep him alive as his personal plaything until he was broken." The trauma was written on Morgan's face. "Then send him back to me on my birthday to pleasure me."
"Oh god." Prentiss' face paled, her hand coming up to her mouth.
"Derek, sweetie-" Garcia reached out, she was almost green with nausea.
"He told him that sex is all he's made for. That even Hotch thinks about using him after a stressful day."
Hotch's eyes flashed with fury. JJ breathed out a shaky breath, putting her head into her hand.
"He was begging, pleading with them for one ounce of kindness. Just for them not to rip his life to shreds again. To not put him through that again. And they just laughed at him. They laughed. And then they did it anyway. The sounds from that room-"
"Derek!" Rossi was now at his side, hand on his back.
Morgan jumped a little at the firm sound of his voice. He blinked a couple of times and then turned to Rossi. His eyes were haunted.
"Stay with us, my friend. You don't need to go down that road. Not right now." He said kindly.
Morgan just shook his head, he was clearly suffering from shock. Rossi put his arm tightly around his shoulders and pulled him into an embrace, which Morgan seemed to awkwardly accept. He then broke down into harsh, shaking sobs.
JJ put her hand to her mouth. Hearing Reid cry like that after Jason was hard enough. But hearing Morgan that way somehow was worse. If Morgan had reached this point, then things were bad.
She thought back to her brief captivity with Deputy Lomax and how terrified she had been. The thought alone of what he was going to do was paralysing. Actually going through it at the hands of multiple sadistic and merciless people was unfathomable.
There was clearly no way of reasoning with them like there had been with Lomax. Their intention was to pull him apart. And the crueller the method, the better. It was beyond anything her worst nightmares could conjure.
Yet here Morgan was, having witnessed it all. She didn't know how either of them were going to make their way back from this.
The evil Reid had experienced in the space of a few months was more than any human was designed to cope with. She genuinely worried about whether there even was a way forward for him now. Jason had destroyed him to the point where he wanted to die. He was just getting back into a place where they were starting to see flashes of the old Reid. He was far from over it. And now this. Not to mention the layers of betrayal that had been so fundamental in all of his torture. Throwing Morgan into the mix was the final 'fuck you' to show Reid exactly how powerless he was. He could put his trust in people but they either would betray him or not be able to protect him. He would be hurt regardless.
Rossi's face was set in a deep frown as he tightly embraced Morgan. He wanted to cry with him, but he'd already done his fair share of crying at the apartment when he was alone. He didn't feel that stepping on Morgan's grief would help him right now.
Hotch had covered his eyes with his hand, stoically letting the tears fall privately. He was so angry with himself for letting this happen. His faith in his own leadership skills was waning badly.
Garcia had moved in to stroke Morgan's back. Her eyes were streaming. She kept replaying everything he had said in her head, over and over. The cruelty of it was just too much for her to comprehend. Every time Morgan sobbed, she felt her heart break that little bit more.
The bond between him and Reid had always been strong, but over the last few months they had almost become one. Morgan read Reid's moods and body language so deftly that he almost knew him better than he knew himself. And Reid had become equally as perceptive with Morgan. It was in a less obvious way, but they all knew that Reid saw Morgan as more of a brother than ever before. He trusted him implicitly and unreservedly. Morgan had been so kind and comforting. For him to watch... that... after all of that care and attention, it must have been devastating.
She knew why he cried the way he did. It was the pure terror that the relationship may be lost. That Reid would not put that same trust in him again. If their relationship broke down, they all knew that Reid would rather suffer alone than allow anyone else to get that close again.
A knock on the door of the room brought them all out of their disturbing thoughts.
Dr. Marston was stood in the door way, a sympathetic and apologetic look in her eye as she took in the moment she was interrupting.
Morgan automatically pulled himself away from Rossi and wiped his eyes self-consciously.
"I'm sorry to interrupt." She said with a small, sheepish smile. "But he is ready for a visitor now. The Psychiatrist is with him at the moment but they are happy for one person to be in the room with him in the hope that it might help to bring him round."
"Morgan, I think you should be with him." Hotch said.
A look of fear crossed his face.
"I don't know if I can."
"Derek, of course you can." Garcia said gently grabbing his hand.
Tears started coming down Morgan's face again.
"I really don't think I can." He shook his head. His avoidance was clear.
"Derek." Garcia said firmly taking his face by the cheek and turning it to face her. "It's Reid. If anyone can bring him back, it's you."
He uncharacteristically shied away from her gaze, pulling his face away from her touch.
He stood up and took a deep breath, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants.
"I can't do this." He said suddenly and stormed out of the room shaking his head.
Garcia's mouth dropped open and she looked at the rest of the team who looked equally gobsmacked.
Dr. Marston shifted awkwardly, clearing her throat a little.
"I can come back later."
"No." Rossi said. "Someone needs to be with him." He spoke firmly, standing up to take Morgan's place.
"Dave, do you think JJ might-"
"No... I want to do this for him." Rossi cut off Hotch.
He was determined he wasn't going to see Reid left alone, especially by the male contingent of the BAU. He was more than aware of how long it had taken them to get on board with his recovery last time. Now Morgan was backing away, he'd be damned if he allowed himself to mess it up again.
"Okay, I just need to prepare you. He's been beaten badly, so you might find his appearance... unsettling."
Rossi nodded, swallowing down the hatred that bubbled in his throat. His eye twitched uncontrollably.
"He's conscious, but he's not present. His eyes are open but he's still not responding to anything. It's important that you don't push him to communicate. The Psychiatrist will talk you through it more outside the room. Are you still happy to do this?" She asked kindly.
Rossi's beard twitched with irritation. Would she be asking this if he was Morgan?
"Of course. Take me to him." He said firmly.
They both left the room, then Garcia stood.
"I'm going to find Derek." She said, with a hint of determination in her voice.
"I wouldn't." Prentiss jumped in.
"What? Why?" Garcia looked at her like she was making no sense. She couldn't just leave it like this.
"He's in shock. He's been through a trauma too."
"She's right." Hotch said quietly. "Pushing him now could just make things worse."
"He needs time to process things." Prentiss added.
"But what if he doesn't?" Garcia said, her voice shaking.
"He will." Prentiss said confidently, moving to put a hand on Garcia's back. She guided her into a chair.
"Bringing Reid back from Jason took a lot out of him." Hotch said knowingly.
"And now we're back at square one again." JJ said depressively.
"This isn't square one." Prentiss said harshly. "This is square minus one." She shook her head.
They all looked at her.
"What? It's true. After what Jason did, add this on top and we're not even close to starting where we did before. It's just too much trauma. How the hell is he ever going to get through this? He's not even got the comfort of knowing the bastards are dead." She spat.
"Some comfort that was. If Jason had been alive maybe they'd have gone after him instead." JJ added grimly.
"Maybe. Maybe not." Hotch shrugged.
"I told him he would never have to do this again." Emily sat forward, her eyes distant in a memory.
"What?" Garcia put her hand to Prentiss' forearm.
"When he gave his statement. He looked at me and the look in his eyes- god. And I told him, he would never have to do it again." Tears started running down her face. "After the things Jason did to him. I just... I don't see how he will-" She couldn't continue. She wanted to say 'survive' but couldn't bring herself to say it.
She had seen death in his eyes that day. A complete detachment from life that had scared her deeply. She couldn't imagine what his eyes would look like now.
Garcia wrapped her arms around Prentiss, pulling her into a tight hug. They all just sat in silence.