Hero

I gasped as I hit the stone again, an ache consuming the entire front of my head. The massive hand grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled me off of the ground. I let out a cry of pain as he dragged me along the dirt covered floor to the thin mattress in the corner. Throwing me onto its harsh springs, he moved around me while I laid there, too weak to do anything. The sound of the chain came and his face loomed over mine as the cold touch of metal assaulted my neck. He smiled before he stood and dug his steel tipped shoe into my side. The wind in me left as I curled on my side, tears streaming down my face.

Looking up, I saw the slowly decaying body of the girl who had to suffer through this before me. Her blond hair was grimy like mine, though hers had a layer of waxy shine caused by her body ridding itself of it's fluids. I wanted nothing more than to roll over, but I couldn't. I could only stare at my future.

That is, if the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI didn't find me first.

The collar around my neck squeezed a little making it difficult to breath. My breath wheezed with every intake. It didn't take long for me to become light headed.

I was going to die down here.

Darkness began to frame my vision. This wasn't new. This was what the collar did. Outside a sound came of a car door slamming shut. My heart beat sped up, my remaining energy fueling the idea that someone was coming to save me. But I passed out before anything else could happen.

~Spencer's POV~

Hotch pulled in front of the house, and I pulled out my gun. Turning to me he said, "Reid, I want you and Morgan to find Brittany."

Turning to him I said, "But Hotch-"

"No 'but's Reid. You're too close to this. I can't trust you to go after Holmes, even with Morgan watching you."

I frowned, but he was right. The moment I found Dr. Holmes I would have hurt him. The idea of him beating Brittany was enough to make me want to do everything he did to him. I wanted to beat him senseless, keep him on a mattress with springs that came out and tore though his skin. I wanted to put a metal collar around his throat.

Hell, I wanted to kill him.

Getting out of the car, I met up with Morgan and we waited for the team to secure the first floor, and Holmes before we went in. I went to the kitchen and banged on the walls trying to find the hidden door like in his last house.

"Reid," said Morgan, banging on a part under the stairs.

I ran over and pushed it open, holding my gun up. Stairs lead down into a basement. Going down I found Brittany lying on a mattress. Lowering my gun, I ran over to her and knelt down next to her.

"Brittany?" I held her in my arms, trying to move around her clothes to find a place for a pulse, "Brittany, please wake up."

Her pulse was slow.

"Morgan," I said, "Find a key!"

He nodded and ran back upstairs. The sound of him moving let me know he was trying. I looked around the room for anything that might help, but the only thing I found was the dead body of Jessica Preacher. I held Brittany tighter as I registered her possible fate. Both girls were petite blonds, as were the other three girls that had disappeared before Jessica. When Brittany disappeared on her way back to the hotel I almost lost my mind.

As I waited for things upstairs to work out, I thought about all that the two of us had been through, and I realized... I was in love with her. We have been working together for two years, and I've watched her from a safe distance for a long time. It had taken me the entirety of the first year to work up the courage to even ask her out on a casual lunch date. But now, as I looked down at her weak and ruined body, I was sure that I would literally loose my mind if I lost her.

Morgan came back down, followed by JJ, Hotch, and Rossi. He held out a small key on a chain and I snatched it from him. My hands fumble with the lock and key as I tried to get it off. When I heard the lock twist home, I ripped the collar off and bent down to check if she was breathing.

She wasn't.

"No, Britt," I said as I moved to perform C.R.P. My mind knew that C.P.R worked only three percent of the time in the field and thirty in a hospital, and insisted that I know that everytime I pressed down on her chest. Even with the statistic fighting it's way to the front of my mind I still tried to get her to breath again.

Tears pooled in my eyes, but I wasn't ashamed. Everyone knew how I felt about her, and I knew no one, not even Morgan, would judge me.

Five minutes went by and nothing happened. Her pulse continued to weaken, "Reid... enough," said Hotch, "She's gone."

"No" I said, "No, not yet."

"Reid, it's been-"

"I don't care!" Turning back to Brittany I said, "Please, Britt, please." I blew air into her mouth then pressed on her chest in a pulsating pattern. After the fifteen seconds were up, she in hailed.

I moved away from her, scared by the sound. Her eyes opened and I came back, making sure I was the first person she saw. Her hands shook as she reached out and I took one in mine. She started to cry and I used my free hand to cup her face.

"It's okay," I said, speaking softly, "Brittany, it's okay. I'm here. I've got you."

Her feeble grasp was the only thing that let me know that she could hear me. A team of paramedics came down with a stretcher and we moved to allow them space. I took this time to wipe my face clear of tears, and breathe. It felt like a mountain was lifted from my chest. It felt nice to breath.

Rossi came over and placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze, "Well done, kid."

I nodded, then turned to follow Brittany up the stairs.

~Six Months Later~

I woke up gasping. I found myself on a dimly lit plane surrounded by my fellow team mates. I was on the couch, the place I had won in a game of Scrabble. Sitting up I took a moment to catch my breath, then sigh.

It has been six months since Holmes captured me, and I still couldn't get the images out of my mind. I could still feel the dirt floor, the busted mattress -that had left behind some gruesome scars - and the worst part... the cold of the collar.

Looking down the length of the place, I found Spencer still awake, reading under a light. He was currently watching me, no doubt hearing me wake. He gave me a small smile, and I moved to sit across from him.

"Bad dream?" he asked, book marking his page.

I nodded, "I can't seem to shake them."

Spencer didn't say anything, just gave me a slightly apologetic smile. He has been the one team member I was able to talk to about my experience. I kept telling myself we needed to remain professional, but I couldn't help but flirt with him. I really liked Spencer, and I could tell he liked me. As we sat across from each other. I couldn't help but notice how his brown hair brought out his eyes.

I was so distracted by them, that I couldn't remember how we got this close. My breath caught but, I didn't have the time to think. Leaning in, we both closed the space between us, and kissed.

It was a small chaste kiss, but it gave off what we both wanted. When Spencer pulled away it was far enough where I could look in his eyes, but close enough to feel his breath on my face. It smelled nice. In the back of my mind, I was freaking out.

What did my breath smell like?
Was it good?
Was it nauseating?

It must have been okay, because I found myself kissing him again, this time with more passion. I honestly had no idea that this kid could kiss like this. It was over whelming. When we pulled away this time we were both breathing heavily. We would have gone into a third kiss if the sound of Derek Morgan chuckling in the darkness hadn't come.

"You two are just too cute," he said, "Just freakin' adorable. I can't wait to tell Garcia."

I found the two of us blushing, but I managed, "Get a life, Morgan."

"Can't, baby, too busy saving them."

He chuckled as I rolled my eyes and moved to sit next to Spencer.

"It was only a matter of time," came Hotch's voice from behind us.

"You two have been building tension for months," agreed Rossi.

JJ moaned, "Wait? Did they kiss?"

My face felt hot and I hid in my seat due to embarrassment. Spencer was acting the same. "Thanks for making this awkward, guys." I said.

Everyone laughed, then we settled back down to continue out slumber. I moved in and rested my head on Spencer's shoulder,s and smiled as he wrapped his arms around me.