They soon arrived at the Hankel property, sirens blaring as they got out of the vehicles. Elijah had his fists clenched in the back seat, he just wanted to know if Reid was okay.

"John, Bobby, take the house with Gideon, Prentiss and Hotch." The sheriff told them,"Morgan, you take Deans and Howards to the barn round back. We'll cone too."

As they entered the barn, it was quiet. On the ground lay three dead dogs and what remained of Mrs Douglas.

"Damn." Morgan sighed.

"FBI!" JJ shot up, her hair was everywhere,"Don't move!"

"JJ, it's Derek, Fleur and Elijah- Don't shoot!" Fleur pointed her gun.

"It's okay, are you hurt?" Morgan asked as she lowered her gun.

"Where is he?" Elijah asked, looking around.

"I had to kill them... They just completely tore her apart, there's nothing even left.." JJ shook her head. She was in a state of shock, her adrenaline high.

"Jennifer, look at me." Elijah turned to her,"Where is Spencer?"

"We split up. He said he was going to go around the back." JJ told him.

"Come on." Morgan nodded to Elijah.

Elijah shook his head and ran from the barn and into the cornfield. After searching the field, they couldn't find Reid or Hankel. However there was drag marks on the ground.

"This wouldn't have happened if I was here." Elijah shook his head, heading back towards the house.

"You don't know that, kid. Reid's smart, he'll figure it out." Morgan assured him.

"I do know that. If I was here, I wouldn't have let him go on his own." Elijah pointed.

"Elijah, you can't let your emotions get in the way, we won't get him back thar way." Morgan sighed,"I love him almost as much as you do... We will find him."

"I would've tried to protect him- But she lied to me and now he's gone."

"I know kid, we'll get him back." Morgan patted his back.

"Any sign of Reid?" Emily asked as they approached the house.

"Nothing, but we found drag marks." Morgan sighed.

"Yeah? Are you sure? We're on our way." They heard Franks speak.

"What's going on?" Fleur asked the him.

"Sheriff two towns over said he just gave directions to a man that fit Hankel's description to a motor lodge in Fort Ben." He told her.

"Let's get the others." Morgan nodded.

*********************************

Elijah was stood in the corner, drinking coffee. He wasn't try very hard to hide how he was feeling towards JJ. Garcia then walked through the door, Hotch had picked her up and brought her here to help.

"Welcome to our nightmare." Fleur sighed.

"His computer's an extension of his brain, I need you to dissect it." Gideon told her.

"I'll get you set up, come on." Morgan lead Garcia into another room.

"So nothing new since I left?" Hotch asked.

"Well, the good thing is the guy documented practically every second of his life." Emily opened a journal,"Bad news is we're still unpiling."

"It looks like he hasn't left this place in years." JJ shook her head.

"He knew he could pretend to be looking for a motel and throw us off his trail." Fleur nodded.

"No, no, no. It's more than that. The sheriff's office, 911 calls, every time he engages with the police he gets away with it." Elijah shook his head,"Reassures himself that God's on his side, not ours."

*********************************

"Elijah?" JJ spoke as she walked to him.

"What do you want, Jennifer?" Elijah looked over at her.

"Can we talk?" She sighed.

"What is there to talk about?"

"Please." She gestured to the kitchen

Elijah sighed,"Fine."

The two walked to the kitchen, Elijah keeping his distance and leaning against the counter.

"Are you okay?" JJ looked up at him.

"Am I okay?" Elijah blinked.

"Look, I know I lied to you-"

"Enough." Elijah turned around,"I don't want to be having this conversation- I can't do this right now-"

"You think Reid and I should've stayed together at the barn, don't you?" She asked him.

"Jen, just drop it." Elijah sighed.

"I can tell that's what you're thinking, you aren't trying to hide it. So.." JJ trailed off.

"I just want to get Reid home safe." He shook his head.

"But if I had his back, like I was supposed to, he'd still be here." JJ stated.

"Jennifer, what do you want from me?" Elijah turned to face her, holding back every urge to snap at her.

"I just- I want someone to tell me the truth." JJ told him.

"The truth? The truth is that one of you is here and one of you isn't- The truth is that the man I love is in danger, he could be hurt, and there's nothing I can do about it." Elijah finally snapped, his fists clenched.

The kitchen was left in silence for a few minutes, both people almost trying to process what had been said.

"..Love?" JJ spoke up.

Elijah looked away from JJ,"Love.."

"Elijah... I didn't know." She shook her head.

"I know you didn't." Elijah looked away,"But I guess I trusted you not to lie to me."

"I just thought- I'm sorry."

"I can't lose him.." Elijah shook his head.

"We'll get him back." JJ assured him, her voice still gentle after his outburst.

"I was supposed to protect him.."

"This would've happened if you were here."

"But-"

"Hankel would've overpowered you too." She sighed.

"I... I know what's it like, to be with someone who's delusional with their faith. There's no reason, no logic." Elijah shuddered to think at what Reid could be going through,"There's no stopping them from believing they're in the right."

JJ nodded slowly,"I'm sorry, Elijah... Truly."

"I know." Elijah sighed,"And I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have blamed you for any of this.. You didn't know."

"Let's head back to the others. Friends?" She held out her hand.

"Friends." Elijah shook her hand.

"I'm still invited to ladies night, right?"

"Of course, I can't just stop one person from going to ladies night." Elijah nodded.

JJ chuckled and walked back through the room. Elijah followed after her, he felt better after letting some of his feelings out and now he knew who to be angry at.

"Hey, I got a list of Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Someone's name and number is written on it, but it looks to be about twelve years old." Fleur sighed.

"Try it, there are no bad leads." Gideon told her as he ripped off the wallpaper, revealing a repeated message.

"Is that Latin?" Emily moved over.

"Oh- I know that one." Elijah pointed as he walked up behind her,"Honora patrem tuum. Honor thy father."

"Guys? I think I got something.' Morgan called from outside.

The group hurried outside to where Morgan was. He'd brushed off some leaves and branches to reveal a cellar door.

"Tobias Hankel. FBI." Morgan announced before heading down,"Tobias Hankel."

At the bottom of the cellar was a man, slumped over and ice surrounded each wall.

"Tobias." Morgan pointed his gun.

"I think we just found Tobias' father." Hotch sighed, shaking his head.

*********************************

"There's something weird going on here." Fleur read through the journal.

"You think?" Elijah looked over at her.

"No, seriously. Check this out. This journal is filled with religious ramblings. He notates hour by hour." Fleur pointed,"November 13th, 3:17. If ye offer a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord, ye shall offer it at own will' and it goes on and on. 5:04, 7:41, 10:22, 1:42. But then it goes blank for days."

"Maybe he got sick of wiriting." Franks suggested.

"I think I got it." Hotch nodded.

"What is it?" Gideon asked.

"A journal entry. 'December 6th, father is sick. Wants me to put him down. I say 'Thou shall not kill', he says 'Honor thy father'. Must pray for guidance." Hotch read out.

"So he kills his father as an act of mercy?" Fleur blinked.

"This is from two months ago. Tobias Hankel's father had been dead for four months already." Hotch shook his head.

"That's exactly it. Look at the floor." Morgan pointed,"The scuff marks are fresh. I mean, it's like two people were moving the chairs, constantly trying to fight for control."

"So?" Franks raised a brow.

"This journal matches Charles Hankel's handwriting, but it was written after he died. Upstairs, Tobias' bedroom, it's got junked piled from floor to ceiling, but the other bedroom could pass military inspection."

"So, are you telling me one of Tobias' personalities was his father?" He asked.

"Well, Tobias was raised with a strict religious code. Black and white, right and wrong." Elijah sighed,"When his father asked Tobias to kill him, something had to give."

"And his brain couldn't handle the moral contradiction, so it split two personalities in order to keep his father alive." Hotch pointed.

"So, who is Raphael?" Franks asked.

"Well, my guess is he's a mediator between the two. Angels have no human emotions. Live or die, they don't care, as long as its God's will." Gideon sighed.

"We need to start profiling Tobias' father. He may have been the one who chose where to take Reid." Hotch stood up.

"I'll get Garcia on it." Morgan nodded.

*********************************

"Any luck with the rehab contact?" Gideon asked as Emily and JJ walked in.

"Well, he has no idea where Hankel might be, but we did learn he has a serious drug problem. Dilaudid." Emily nodded.

"Well, that could explain the psychotic fracture." Hotch sighed.

"What are you talking about?" JJ raised a brow.

"Tobias has been living as three separate people. Himself, his father and Raphael." Elijah told them.

"Well, this could be some bad news." Franks walked in,"A computer store was robbed in the middle of the night. A suburb outside Atlanta. Thief got away with four laptops, external hard drives and a satellite."

"If it's Tobias, it puts him right back in business." Hotch shook his head.

"Guys- Guys! Get in here." Morgan ran through.

"What is it?" Elijah asked, hurrying in with the others.

On the screen was Reid, tied to a chair. Bruised. Elijah froze up as he saw him.. He saw the fear, the pain..

"He's been beaten." Fleur realised.

"Garcia, can't you track him?" JJ asked.

"Hankel's only streaming this to his home computer." Garcia shook her head.

Fleur took Elijah's hand, holding it tightly and squeezing it. She was trying to calm him down.

"I'm going to put this guy's head on a stick." Elijah muttered.

"This is for us, he knows we're here." Gideon sighed.

"Why can't you locate him?" Hotch asked.

"He's rerouting to a new IP address every thirty seconds. I can't track him." Garcia typed.

"The other heathens are watching. Choose a sinner to die, and I'll say the name and address of the person to be saved." They heard Raphael speak.

"I won't choose who gets slaughtered and have you leave their remains behind like a poacher." Reid shook his head.

Raphael then grabbed Reid, pulling him up by his shoulders,"You really see into my mind, boy? Can you see that I'm not a liar? Choose one to die, save a life. Otherwise they're all dead.

Reid began to cry, looking down,"Okay, I'll choose who lives.."

"All the same." Raphael shruged, stepping aside so Reid could view the screens.

"Far... Far right screen." Reid pointed with his cuffed hands.

Raphael turned,"Marilyn David. 4913 Walnut Creek Road."

"You got that?" Hotch turned to Garcia.

"Yeah." Garcia nodded as she typed.

Gideon then got pulled out his phone, calling Mrs David.

"My name is Jason Gideon with the FBI. You're currently being watched and targeted, I need you to turn off your computer, now."

Marilyn did as she was instructed but... That's when the screen went blank.

"Son of a bitch." Elijah cursed, eyes still fixated on the dark screen.

Morgan punched the wall, storming out the room.

"Derek." Fleur followed him,"Elijah, don't stay in there."

Elijah was stood still, unable to move. Maybe.. Maybe he'd come back. He had to stay here in case Reid came back.

"So, now what?" Franks questioned,"We wait around for a 911 call and hope we get there in time?"

"For once... I don't know." JJ muttered.

"Elijah." Emily nudged him,"Come on, let's go into the other room."

Elijah shook his head,"What.. What if he comes back?"

"Then we'll try our best to track it. We will get him." Emilg nodded, wrapping an arm around him.

Elijah nodded slowly, walking out of the room with Emily at his side as the sound of Reid's fearful voice played in his head.

*********************************

Elijah was sat on the couch, a cup of coffee in his hands. He was looking down at the ground, his feet. He couldn't get that image out of his head. Reid, tied to a chair and beaten..

"Eli." Fleur walked over to him.

"Hm?" He turned to look at her, drinking more coffee.

"You need to rest... Not drink more coffee." Fleur sighed.

"I can't sleep." Elijah shook his head,"Not now."

"We need your brain clear, not hyper." Fleur took the coffee mug,"Please, drink some water."

"Fleur, you saw what he did to him.." Elijah crossed his arms.

"I know, I know." Fleur sighed,"I hate it. I want him back too."

"I just feel... Helpless." Elijah looked down,"He felt so close but he's so far and I can't do anything."

Fleur put the mug down before hugging him,"Each time we see him, we might be able to get closer."

Elijah held onto Fleur,"He doesn't deserve this, any of this."

"No one does... We'll catch Hankel and he'll pay."

"I'll make sure of it."

*********************************

Elijah sighed, drinking some water out of a glass he found, and washed repeatedly. He was walking down the hall, just about to pass the room with Hankel's computer when he heard that voice again.

"I haven't done anything.." Reid sobbed.

At the sound of Reid's voice, his head jerked around and he walked to the door of the room where Garcia, Gideon and Fleur were gathered around the computer.

Raphael landed another punch,"Confess."

"Elijah, help me.." Reid whimpered.

"He can't help you, he's weak. Confess!" Rapael slapped Reid,"Confess your sins."

"Do not let Elijah in." Gideon turned but it was too late.

Elijah dropped the glass and it smashed at his feet. Reid... He needed him- He was sat doing nothing while Reid needed him.

"Spencer.." Elijah could barely form words.

Fleur quickly turned to Elijah and held his arm as Raphael then pushed Reid backwards. Reid began to foam out the mouth and shake, beginning to fit.

"Oh my god, he's killing him." Elijah covered his mouth.

Reid's body then went limb. Raphael left the room, leaving Reid on the floor. Unresponsive. That's when Gideon walked out, the others hurrying in.

"No- No! Spencer!" Eliiah cried.

"Kid.." Morgan turned to him, pulling him into his chest.

Elijah broke down, holding onto Morgan. He had failed... Morgan held him tightly, gently swaying him side to side. They remained like that for a minute or so, in silence aside from Elijah's sobs, before Garcia jumped.

"He's- He's doing CPR." She gasped.

"What?" Elijah looked up.

"Raphael- Tobias. One of them is bringing Reid back!" She pointed.

They all watched as Tobias gave Reid CPR and he began to breathe again, looking around his surroundings.

"Wait a second. When was the video of the last murder posted?" Emily asked.

"9:23." Garcia answered.

"And what was the time of death?"

"The 911 call came in at 9:04. The murders must have been moments later." Hotch told her.

"That's only a nineteen minute difference." JJ looked up.

"How long would it take to post the mpeg?" Morgan asked.

"Two, maybe three minutes." Garcia shrugged.

"Let's call it two. You figure a maximum of sixty miles per hour in a residential area. That means Hankel is within a seventeen mile radius of the crime scene." Morgan explained.

"Garcia, can we see it on a map?" Fleur asked.

"Yeah." Garcia nodded, putting it up on screen.

"Call Farraday. I want that area locked down like it's martial law." Gideon ordered.

"Guys." JJ pointed to another screen.

Raphael was stood over Reid's body,"You came back to life."

"Raphael.." Reid whispered.

"There can be only one of two reasons."

"I was given CPR." Reid told him.

"There are no accidents. How many members are there on your team?" Raphael questioned.

"Nine."

Raphael forced Reid back onto the chair,"Who do you serve?"

"I serve you." Reid nodded.

"Then choose one to die." Raphael pointed.

"What?" Reid panted.

"Your team members. Choose one to die." Raphael repeated.

"...Kill me."

"You said you weren't one of them."

"I lied."

"Your team has eight other members. Tell me who dies." Raphael spat.

Reid shook his head,"No."

Raphael spun the barrel of his gun and aimed it at Reid's head,"Choose and prove you'll do God's will."

"No." Reid repeated.

Raphael fired the gun, but it clicked. No bullet.

"Choose."

"I won't do it." Reid looked up at Raphael.

Again, he fired. Again, no bullet.

"Life is a choice."

"No."

Once more. No bullet.

"Choose." Raphael again repeated.

"I choose... Aaron Hotchner. He's a classic narcissist. He thinks he's better than everyone else on this team. Genesis 23:4, let him not deceive himself and trust in emptiness, vanity, falseness and futility, for these shall be his recompense." Reid quoted.

Hotch left the room as Raphael fired his gun at the wall, before loading a single bullet into the barrel.

"For God's will."

Everyone then left the room, following Hotch out.

"I'm not a narcissist." Hotch began looking through a book.

"Come on. Look, you can't take anything from that." Gideon sighed,"He's not in his right mind, Hotch."

"No, stop- Stop. Everybody, right now, what's my worst quality?" Hotch asked.

No one wanted to speak. This was their boss, they couldn't be nasty about him.

"Alright, I'll start. I have no sense of humor." Hotch sighed.

"You're a bully." JJ spoke first.

"I'm a bully." He nodded.

"You can be a drill Sergeant at times." Morgan shrugged.

"Right."

"You don't trust women as much as men." Fleur nodded.

"Your hairline is going to recede. Drastically." Elijah pointed.

"Maybe not- I may be all these things but none of you said I ever put myself above the team because I don't, ever. Reid and I argued about the definition of classic narcissism, and he knew that I would remember that. And he also quoted Geneis 23:4. Read it." Hotch handed the book to Elijah.

"I am a stranger and a sojourner with you, give me property for a burial place among you that I may bury my dead out of my sight." Elijah maintained eye contact with Hotch, closing the book.

"He wouldn't get it wrong unless it was on purpose. He's in a cemetery." Hotch pointed.

"I don't see a cemetery." Emily shook her head, looking at the map.

"Call up the first time we saw Reid." Gideon nodded.

'I wont choose who gets slaughtered and have you leave their remains behind like a poacher.'

"Check to see if there are any reports of poaching in the last couple of days." Fleur told Garcia.

"Okay, a farmer reported two sheep being slaughtered on his property." Garcia told her.

"Right, where abouts are we talking?" Elijah asked.

Garcia managed to narrow it down to a place called 'Walton'.

"What's that patch of green there?" JJ pointed.

"Marshall Parish, I think it's an old plantation." Hotch answered.

"Wait, Tobias wrote in his journals about 'staying clean' and keeping away from 'Marshall'." Emily recalled.

"Guys, there's a cemetery on the property." Garcia realized.

"Let's go." Gideon ran out the room.

*********************************

The team approached Tobias' cabin, torches and guns raised.

"FBI!" Morgan yelled as he kicked the door in, although there was nobody inside.

"Clear." Hotch cleared the room.

"What's that smell?" Emily questioned.

"What smell?" Elijah looked around.

"Organs." Fleur pointed,"He's burned the sheep organs."

Elijah genuinely couldn't smell the sheep organs, maybe faintly? He was in an accident involving a baseball bat in his youth and although he physically recovered, his sense of smell never did.

"Let's spread out. He has to be on foot, let's go." Hotch nodded.

Everyone then left the cabin, guns and torches raised as they navigated the woods. Elijah stopped by a bush. He could hear... Digging? He slowly began to creep down the hill, he'd spotted Tobias.

"Keep digging, boy." Raphael spoke.

"I can't- I'm too weak." Reid shook his head.

"You're all weak." Raphael took off his jacket,"Get out of there."

"Touch him and you're dead." Elijah aimed his gun at Raphael.

"Elijah-"

"Sinner." Raphael scoffed, shoving Reid aside before he walked towards Elijah,"There's not even a bullet in that gun-"

Elijah didn't think twice as he fired a bullet into Raphael's chest, causing him to fall the the ground.

"God wills it." Elijah muttered under his breath.

"Tobias?" Reid asked quietly as he crawled over to him.

"He killed him.. Do you think I'll get to see my mom again?" Tobias smiled softly.

"I'm sorry.." Reid shook his head as he backed up, Tobias was dead.

"Spencer..?" Elijah asked slowly, dropping the gun at his feet.

He'd just shot someone. He shot Tobias. No. He killed Tobias. He broke his promise..

"Elijah." Reid quickly staggered to his feet, hugging him tightly.

"Oh my god- You're alive." Elijah held Reid close,"You're alive.."

"I knew Hotch would understand.." Reid whispered.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner.." Elijah stroked Reid's hair.

"I'm just glad you're here now." Reid shook his head.

Elijah looked down at Reid's face, trying not to cry. He had to stay strong for him, protect him. He wasn't going to let this happen again.

"Are you- Are you hurt?" Reid looked at him.

"No- No, I'm fine. What about you? I saw.." Elijah stopped himself,"He hurt you."

"I'm... I'm okay now." Reid nodded as the others ran over.

JJ then walked over, hugging Reid as he let go of Hotch,"I'm so sorry."

Reid shook his head and hugged JJ,"It's okay, it's not your fault."

"Let's get you out of here." Gideon nodded.

*********************************

Elijah was quiet as he drove Reid back to his apartment. He wanted to make sure he was okay, and not alone.

"Elijah, I'm fine." Reid assured him.

"Look, I just want to make sure." Elijah shook his head as he parked.

"Okay, okay." Reid gave in.

"It'll only be for tonight, just in case you need anything. " Elijah told him.

"..I appreciate you doing this." He nodded.

Elijah smiled softly,"I just want to look after you."

"And I'm letting you." Reid hummed as the got out of the car.

Elijah let Reid lead him inside and up the stairs to his apartment. He watched as Reid fiddled with the key before unlocking the door. As they walked in, Elijah looked around. It felt.. Homey. It was warm, with many bookshelves all filled to the brim.

"You like it?" Reid looked back at him,"Sorry, I know it's a little messy."

"No- It's great. I like it." Elijah told him,"Now, you do whatever you need to do. Shower, get a drink, I'll be here if you need me."

"Yeah- Yeah. I'll be in the shower." Reid tapped his pockets before walking towards what Elijah assumed was the bathroom.

He wondered what was in his right pocket as it made a sound when he patted his trousers. Maybe another set of keys? Elijah shook his head, deciding to move on as he sat on Reid's couch. Elijah wasn't watching the clock, but soon, Reid walked out to him, now in his pyjamas.

"You ready for bed?" Elijah looked up at him before standing up.

"Yeah, I just.. Wanted to see you." Reid nodded.

Elijah smiled softly,"Come on, let's go to your room."

Reid nodded slowly, bringing Elijah to his room. It had the same feel as the rest of the apartment, yet more books too. Elijah stood at the side of the bed as Reid climbed into it, covering himself with the duvet.

"I'll stay until you fall asleep, alright?" Elijah pulled over a nearby stool.

"Thank you.." Reid looked up at him, holding out his hand.

Elijah gently took Reid's hand, placing a kiss on his knuckles. Reid eyes seemed to light up and he held Elijah's hand tightly and close to him. Elijah smiled as he watched his breathing start to slow and his grip lessened.

"Goodnight, darling." Elijah whispered, kissing his forehead.

With that, Elijah stood up and headed back through to the living room. He stretched, sitting down on the couch. Elijah took off his shirt and laid backwards, letting out a sigh. He closed his eyes but.. All he could see was Reid. Hurt. And all he could hear was Reid. His pained cries for Elijah. He couldn't have been for laying there for long when a warm feeling enveloped him.

"Sorry.. I just.." He heard Reid sniffle.

Elijah opened his eyes and looked down at Reid, who was now laid on Elijah's chest with a blanket around him.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Elijah asked him.

"I'm.. I'm sorry for calling for you back then... I didn't know what to do and-" Reid was holding back tears.

"No, don't feel bad about that. You were hurt, you needed someone." Elijah held Reid close.

"I shouldn't have ran off." Reid sighed.

"I should've been there to stop you."

"It's fine, you needed to help Hotch." Reid shook his head.

Elijah sighed,"No... I didn't. Hotch didn't need me."

"He didn't?" Reid looked up at Elijah.

"He didn't, JJ just wanted to spend more time with you." Elijah held him closer.

"What... Elijah." Reid sighed.

"What?"

"You should've just came."

"I know, and I'm so angry at myself for not doing that." Elijah shook his head.

"You shouldn't be angry at yourself, please don't feel angry." Reid shook his head.

Elijah looked down at Reid and held his cheek,"You really scared me back there... Promise me that you won't run off like that again."

"I promise." He nodded.

"Thank you." Elijah kissed his forehead.

Reid smiled softly before looking down at Elijah's arm,"Can you.. Promise me something too?"

"Of course, anything."

"If you ever feel like doing this... Please let me know, I don't want you harming yourself." Reid gently traced one of Elijah's past scars.

Elijah tensed up, looking down at his arms,"I... I promise."

"I'm sorry I just- I worry about you." Reid sighed and took his hand,"I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"No- I would've brought it up if our places were swapped." Elijah squeezed his hand,"I'm getting better."

"If things ever get tough, I'm always here. You can talk to me." Reid smiled up at him.

"And I'll always be here for you, if you're struggling." Elijah told him,"Now get some rest."

"I'll try." Reid nodded, slowly closing his eyes.

"I... I love you." Elijah looked down at Reid.

"I love you too." Reid whispered back.

Elijah smiled, gently stroking Reid's hair. He wasn't going to let anyone hurt him again.