Young Writers Society

“What’s going on Reid?” Morgan asked as Reid made his way towards the living area. Reid took a deep breath. It’s all going to be okay. It’s all going to be okay.

“I know I have a lot of explaining to do,” Reid started, “But I want you to know that I didn’t mean to hide this from any of you, it just never really came up….”

“Tell them Reid,” Hotch began, "It's for the best.”

"What?” Morgan exclaimed, "You knew about… Whatever ‘this’ is?”

“He had to,” Reid interrupted, “it's his job. He had to know about her, she's my family…”

“Your family?” Prentiss asked

“When I was a kid, my mother had another child. This was before my dad left… And when I was nine years old, it was two weeks before I turned ten, my little baby sister was born. Her name’s Natalie. Natalie Alexandra Reid. When I sent my mother to the institution, I thought I got custody over my sister, but then social services came. They took her away from me. She’s supposed to be with her foster family now….they let me see her though. I guess that's good. She got smart though too. When she was 14, she was diagnosed with an eidetic memory, just like me. She has an IQ of 176, but she's only in high school. She's in her senior year and is 16 years old…..she still blames me for social services taking her… she always did..... But right now- just then, there were computer screens in that guest room. She's on them. She's on every one of them. Nat's on those screens, and I can't do a thing about it. I can't save her, I can't-”

“Don't.” Morgan exclaimed, “Don't blame yourself pretty boy, we'll save her. We'll do it.”

“I know, but it’s just…….We have to, right? I mean, besides my mom, she’s all I have. And my mom, with her condition, she could die any moment, and-”

“She’s not hat old Reid.” Rossi stated, “I mean, you’re only thirty, how old can she be?”

“Rossi!” Garcia scolded, “Don’t you know wh-”

“Garcia,” Reid interrupted, “it’s okay. He didn’t know. He wasn’t here yet, remember?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I just figured….”

“Yah, I know.”

“What is it?” Rossi questioned.

“My mom’s a paranoid schizophrenic. She has been since I was six. When my dad left four years later, I took care of her until I was eighteen, and I sent her away to a mental hospital….I couldn't take care of her anymore….”

“I'm sorry.”

“Don't be, you didn't know.”

“I mean, I'm sorry for what you went through, you weren't supposed to go through that…”

“We all have our secrets Rossi, but thank you… I guess.”

“You're not alone pretty boy,” Morgan said.

“What?”

“You said all you have is your mum and your sister, that's not true. You have us,” he said, motioning to everyone, "but I know what you mean. We all do. We will find her. Whatever it takes we'll do it. We'll find her."

Reid met his eyes with Morgan's. He knew what he had to say. What he was supposed to say, he reminded himself. But instead of doing that, he did the one thing he tried so hard to keep from doing. But as soon as the first tear escaped, he began to break it down. Tear after tear fell down his face, and he couldn't help but think about his own experience with Tobias.

The room was cold and reeked of fish. Tobias had taken my shoes off and was proceeding to take my socks off.

Why did I split up! Why didn't I just do what I was supposed to do!

“Confess your sins”

“I'm not a sinner.”

Why did I even become an FBI agent? Why couldn't I just be like my father wanted: normal.

“Everyone's a sinner boy, you just have to dig down deep enough.”

Because you’re not normal....you're worthless.....just like your father said. Just like-

Then I spotted it: the twigs. My socks were well off my feet now, and Tobias decided to ask the repeated taunt once more:

“Confess your sins, boy, or pay the consequences!”

“No.” I responded, still trying to keep my pride in check, just in case my colleagues happened to be watching.

“Your loss”

Tobias then took the bundle of twigs and swung back and just as they hit was about to come, he felt a Tap on his knee

“We'll find her.” Morgan said as he laid a hand on Reid's knee.

“I know,” Reid said as he took a big, shaky breath. “I just hope she's alive when we do.”

“I hope so too Reid, I hope so too.”