A/N: I was re-reading the reviews for Guardian and you people were making me smile and blush which is very nice since at the time I was really stressed out and worried so I decided to give you guys some new material! This chapter, which is called "Panic in the shadows" was written a long time ago. Like, before I started Guardian, which was started over a year ago. This is also basically the first CM story I ever wrote (actually, it's the first fanfiction I ever wrote, amazing isn't it?).

Anyways, this will be a series of CM one-shots mostly Reid-centric and will have stories spanning from horror to hurt/comfort to maybe romance? (no slash though). Will post warnings for each chapter. Each chapter will have varying lengths. Hope you enjoy! :)

Summary: He would forever regret not moving a bit faster...

Rating: Will leave it at T for now, but may go up to M in later chapters.

Warnings: Kinda creepy, but nothing too triggering I think.

Disclaimer: I don't own CM in any shape or form.

Panic in the Shadows

Reid crept down the hallway, flanking his team members. They swept their guns in wide arches around themselves, watching with hawk-like eyes, searching for the first hint of danger. They passed a doorway and, without hesitation, Reid entered it while the rest of his team moved further down the hallway.

It was a small square room, completely bare, with bright fluorescent lights shining down so that not an inch of the room was left in shadow. In fact, the only thing Reid could see was a spider web stretched across the corner of the ceiling, with a black dot in the center that must have been the spider.

Not much for it to eat here, thought Reid absent-minded. At the same time he heard a shout of "clear!" Reid holstered his gun and called back a clear to the rest of his team mates. A few seconds later, Morgan appeared in the doorway.

"Was a dead end," he supplied. Reid frowned. Their unsub wasn't here, but they had been so positive that he would be. It just didn't add up.

"Come on, we're going back to the station," said Morgan, dodging backwards from the doorway to allow a frowning Hotch to pass him. Reid nodded and started forwards. On his way out he hesitated, a nagging feeling eating at him, and too lost in his thoughts of confusion to move any quicker.

He would forever regret not moving a bit faster.

With a sudden and startling clang, a metal door slid down, trapping Reid in the room separate of his team. Reid only just managed to leap back before he was crushed by the heavy metal. He could hear a few shocked yells on the other side of the now-blocked doorway.

"Reid, you ok?" yelled Hotch.

"Yeah, I'm ok!" Reid shouted back, a little shaken.

There was a pause, then Morgan asked, "Can you get out Reid?" Reid scanned the room, taking in the emptiness. His eyes landed on the outline of a door he hadn't seen before, painted exactly like the wall, so it blended in.

"There's a door," he called through the metal blocking him from his team. He walked over in a few strides and tried to open the door.

It wouldn't budge; it probably was locked from the outside.

He gave a growl of frustration and stifled the urge to kick the door, knowing that it wouldn't help.

"Locked," Reid said, walking the small distance back to the other side of the room. He now realized that the metal separating them wasn't all that thick, so there was no need to shout.

There was a silence on the other side of the door before a gruff voice Reid recognized as Rossi's said, "I remember seeing a side entrance. I sent SWAT to guard it in case the unsub tried to escape that way. We can get you out that way."

"Just sit tight Reid, you'll be out soon," called Emily's voice.

"Not much else I can do," grumbled Reid quietly.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Ok then, we'll be right back," said the calm voice of Hotch.

Instantly Reid was struck with a bout of nervousness, feeling caged and defenceless. He didn't much like the thought of being left here alone with the unsub still on the loose, even if logic was telling him that the unsub wouldn't be able to get to him.

"Guys?" he squeaked, feeling stupid, but not wanting them to go.

Morgan, bless him, must have picked up on Reid's nervousness and said casually, "I'm gonna stay here with Reid. Keep him company." There were sounds of agreement from the rest of the team, then footsteps clomping away. When the sound of their shoes had faded away, Morgan asked softly, "You really ok, kid?"

"Yeah," said Reid, tiredly slumping against the metal door and staring around the blank room. Unknowingly to them both, Morgan chose that moment to also lean back against the metal, so that they unconsciously were standing back to back.

"And Morgan? Thanks."

"No problem, Reid; I got your back."

The two men stood in silence for a bit. Reid breathed calmly in and out, trying to push down his unease of being trapped. In and out, in and out.

I wonder if this place is air-tight, thought Reid and instantly all the statistics leapt into his head. All the facts and logic pointed to no, but the thought still made his heart speed up a bit and he went back to counting his breaths.

In and out, in and out.

Suddenly, and without warning, the lights shut off. They didn't flicker or waver, but just flicked off in a small drone of lost power. Reid couldn't help but let out a tiny whimper as the blackness took over, blinding his eyes. It was completely dark, so black Reid couldn't see his hand held up to his face. He pressed closer to the metal, becoming aware that Morgan was trying to talk to him.

"Reid? Reid? You ok?" he was saying.

"Yeah," said Reid quietly, and realizing Morgan probably couldn't hear him, he licked his lips and repeated louder, "Yeah, I'm good. The lights went out."

"Yeah, same over here. Can you see anything?"

"No," said Reid, trying to keep the shake out of his voice.

Silence.

"Don't worry, you'll be out soon. Just hold on, kid," said Morgan, well aware of Reid's fear of the dark, and trying to sound calm and soothing for him. He listened for a few seconds, worried to find he could now hear the faintest sounds of Reid breathing, meaning he was obviously starting to panic.

"Just breathe, Reid, just breathe." Reid heard Morgan and took a deep breath, telling himself to calm down. It was just a little darkness, right? Nothing to be concerned about. He once again started to count his breathing, in and out.

"Morgan?" he said softly.

"Yeah?"

"It's really, really dark," and Reid didn't even care that his voice broke, and that he probably sounded childish. Morgan, however, didn't think he sounded foolish. He felt his heart throb hearing the scared note as his friend's voice broke.

"It's ok, Reid," he murmured, half to himself, half to his friend. Once again the silence stretched, neither knowing what to say.

More time passed in darkness, Morgan whispering encouraging things every minute or so to keep Reid calm, and wishing the team would hurry up. Unlike in the room Reid was trapped in, there were dull backup lights along the hallway that provided just enough light to let Morgan still see clearly. But the lights were dim, and the dirty old building was starting to make Morgan feel nervous, like it was watching him and disapproved of him being there. As for Reid, he just clenched his eyes closed and concentrated on not panicking from the smothering darkness around him.

A soft rustle made Reid's eyes fly open and he peered desperately into the sinister dark, hoping to be able to see anything. He tried to tell himself it was just his imagination, but another noise had him whimpering in fear.

"Reid?" came Morgan's voice.

Then something very lightly grabbed Reid's arm. He jolted away, slamming heavily into the metal door, letting out a muted cry of shock and fear. And almost as quickly, the feeling of touch was gone, leaving Reid to wonder if it had really happened. But no sooner had that thought crossed his mind when the voice started.

A gentle laugh, like a chuckle, deep and low…

"Heh-heh-heh…" Echoing and vibrating around the entire room. Morgan was forgotten as Reid pushed himself harder against the door, panting in sheer terror as the voice seemed to come from nowhere. Then the laugh slowly died down till all he could hear was his panicked breathing and Morgan yelling something. That sounded muted though, and the silence in the room screamed louder than even the blood rushing through Reid's ears and Morgan's voice calling for him. While cringing back, he strained his ears, searching for any scrap of identifying sound. A sound of whispering and clanging metals seemed to be tickling the edges of his hearing, until he realized it was getting louder gradually.

"He's alwayssss watching…" the voice hissed inhumanly, and something brushed Reid's ankles, causing him to yelp and pull away. The voice laughed as he slowly slid with his back to the door down to the ground, curling into himself and pushing heavily against the door, wanting to melt though it and out of this nightmare.

"It's not real, it's not real…" he whispered desperately to himself.

"Tearsss your bonesss, when you're all alone…"

"It's not real, it's not real…" Reid clenched his eyes shut tight and cowered into his hands, pulling his legs up and rocking back and forth slightly.

"The bloods calling to be tasted…" purred the voice.

It's not real, it's not real, screamed Reid's thoughts, now too terrified to even speak anymore.

"Will it be sweet? I think I'll taste…" Reid could feel the presence in front of him, and he whimpered and slammed hard on the metal, feeling like he was going to pass out in fright. He could smell the foul breath blowing on his face and he recoiled, knowing there was no escape. Then there was a pause and the voice whispered softly, directly into his ear, "Seems to have ran out of time… but I'll be back for you…"

It lapsed into silence, then suddenly something bit down hard on Reid's cheek. He gave a scream and jerked away, feeling blood trickling down his face.

"Heh-heh-heh, tastes so good…" There was a slight rustle and Reid felt the small sob building in his chest burst, and he could no longer breathe.

The side door burst open, allowing light to spill into the confined room. Hotch was leading the way with the rest of the team hot on his heels; even Morgan was there, since he had ran to the team when Reid had stopped responding. They would forever have the memory of their youngest member burned into their memories; the image of him curled on the floor, shaking and sobbing, with blood dripping into haunted eyes. He was rocking back and forth, whimpering like a wounded animal, and he didn't seem to see them. He continued to stare at nothing, still seeing only darkness and the horrors that had disappeared into the gloom.

Locked in his own personal hell.

A/N: Since this story was written so long ago, I'll apologize right now if it seems OOC or just overall bad. My writing style has increased greatly over the year but this wasn't really edited from when I first wrote it so yeah... sorry.

Ok people, tell me what you think and send me prompts! At the moment I'm working on a huge Spn project so unfortunately my CM creative juices won't flow unless you throw an idea at me. So go ahead and send in some ideas through message or review!

Side Note: If there is any Guardian fans out there, I would just like to announce that since basically every review for the last chapter asked for the sequel, it is now happening! I just finished the first chapter but I'm gonna wait a while to post the actual story but still, THE SEQUEL IS A GO PEOPLE! Thanks so much and good-bye for now! :D