Cellar

A/N Final chapter in this story. It will continue …… as the journey carries on.

The man visited by ecstasies and visions, who takes dreams for realities is an enthusiast; the man who supports his madness with murder is a fanatic. - Voltaire

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

The bookstore had been closed for months. It had a strange smell to it. Abandoned and deserted. Gideon opened all windows he could while Spencer stood at the front in the cobbled street and looked up at the window with the red curtains. Their room – their sanctuary which Agent Lewis took from them. This had been the one place he had been truly happy and it would not be the same with Jason, but for now Jason was keeping an eye on him. The windows needed cleaning. The step had a build up of rubbish on it. Prince Reed's. Reid smiled. This had been theirs. Floyd had set this place up for him. That was love wasn't it?

He could hear his name being called and so he walked slowly down the ally way to the courtyard at the back of the ancient building. Their cases where stacked in the kitchen.

"I'll go and check things out." Spencer said quietly. "You know – the shop and things." Gideon watched Spencer's eyes flicking over to the cellar door. It was still sealed shut with padlocks and keys.

"Mind if I join you?" And Jason started to follow Spencer.

He could tell this was going to be suffocating. He was the sort of person who needed time alone, but Jason was not going to let that happen. Reid had his leg re-strapped and plastered and was walking with a crutch still. He picked up a duster off a shelf on the way through to the shop and wiped the edges of the shelves as he walked. "We need to take them all down and look. I expect some have been damaged. The leather – you know needs on some of them – on some of them – to be cared for – differently." His voice getting quieter and quieter. Gideon stood looking at the pained expression on Reid's face.

"I will take the things up; you can start on the books." Reid nodded.

When he came back down from his last trip upstairs he saw Spencer was standing in the hallway with his hands pressed against the cellar door. Jason stood next to him "Want to tell me what's down there." Spencer jumped at the voice and pulled himself back from his thoughts.

"Shadows, dreams, love and lust."

"Can you show me?"

Reid's mind flicked through a list of rules. Jason in the cellar was not there. "I don't have a key. I can't get down there. Floyd – Floyd – he has – he has the keys."

"Not a problem, I have bolt croppers in the car. Come with me and we'll get them." Jason guiding Reid's hands away from the small door.

……………..

The Eurotunnel takes you directly into central London. Walking distance from the river, and the London Eye, and the Aquarium. A great place for tourists. A great place for the homeless and displaced, you will find begging and prostitution, but he was looking for the parks. This is where he was going to stay for a while and keep as his home. He will behave. For a while. Once he has found what he needs. Good hunting ground. He walked out of the old station and down towards the arches. This was going to be good. A new place to hide, and somewhere he wasn't known. He looked down at the filth some still laying in sleeping bags with the drug addicts and sick people, filth and scum, he would come back and do some clearing another time. For now he needed to find the boys.

……………

Padlocks fell to the floor as Reid stood watching. "You know - we – we shouldn't really be doing this."

"It will be fine. Don't worry." Jason pulled open the door. He heard Reid's sharp intake of breath and saw his shaking hand reach out and pull a light cord. The steps led down to another door at the bottom. It too was locked with a padlock.

…………..

You shouldn't be there!

What are you doing?

…………

"Jason, I I can't – I cant go down there. He will be so……………." Stepping back from the open door.

"He can't hurt you."

…………

Keep him out of there.

That is for us Spence.

What do you think you are doing?

………...

"He can and will. Jason please don't go down there."

Jason grabbed Spencer by the hand. "What can be worse than what you have seen already? I will be with you. You need to do this Reid."

They stood by the bottom door and Jason handed the bolt croppers to Reid. "You should do this."

He jumped back as if burned by them. "No no – Jason please – it's –it's personal. I don't want you seeing it." He started backing away again.

"I will stay here then, but you need to go in there and clear your head of this. Get rid of it Spencer, whatever it is in there say goodbye to it. Then we can lock the doors again."

Spencer turned and went back up the stairs on his hands and knees. "I'm not ready Jason. Just leave it for now."

Gideon cooked dinner in the microwave. He had the forethought to disconnect the power to the oven and hob. Not much Spence could do to himself with a microwave. They ate in silence and Spencer noted how the plates were made of some unbreakable crockery. Amusing Jason. Very amusing. Like that will stop me.

There were piles of books on the floor where Spencer had started to clear up and some books he was moving one by one right to the back of the shop almost out of sight. They had soft pale leather. Spencer had removed them and carefully oiled the leather with a small bottle he put back in his pocket when he heard Jason's footsteps on the creaky floor.

"These books are special?" He asked.

"They are not for sale." And he turned so his back was to them. "They don't belong to me." He did a big smile at Jason.

………………….

He stood at the edge of the park looking around. It was dark. He needed to find the perfect mark. He needed to do this right. He needed to start over again.

The person he spotted looked perfect. He was walking slowly with his head down. Skinny – he liked them skinny….dark hair over his face and a long plait down his back. Dark jeans, leather jacket and boots. It was the effeminate cropped t-shirt that drew his eyes to him though and the twitchy hands.

He stepped out in front of him "Fancy something to smoke?"

The lad looked up at him – dead eyes looked at him. "Yes."

"Follow me." And the two of them walked off into the shadows.

………………..

He got up in the middle of the night and slunk down the stairs. He pulled open the door and picked up the bolt croppers. The lock opened easily.

He entered the room and closed the door behind him. He stood with his back pressed against the wall and took deep breaths. He could still smell the incense after all this time. He turned on a small side lamp and hobbled around the edges of the small room. The light caught things hanging on the walls. Reid ran his fingers slowly over them and smiled.

"Just saying goodbye." He turned and sat on a big pile of cushions on the floor then curled up and wept.

………………

The following morning Reid was up early and washing by the time Jason woke. The smell of fresh coffee was wafting up from the kitchen. As Gideon approached the bathroom door Spencer opened it and was standing in his cords and a short sleeved shirt and tie with a relaxed smile. Jason was surprised to see that he was showing the mess his arms were in, but said nothing.

As the two of them went downstairs he noted that the locks were back on the cellar door and written on the door in Reid's hand Private Do Not Enter

They sat and drank coffee…and Reid microwaved some eggs and made toast.

"I feel good Jason. Think I will take a walk." He smiled at Jason and got up to put his things in the sink.

"Good idea, I will get my coat."

This was a routine they kept for a while. Reid took the same route everyday, and when his caste was finally off they walked a bit further. They didn't talk much, but Reid seemed relaxed. He was greeted sometimes with "Good morning Dr Franks, how nice to see you looking so well."

Gideon expected Reid to correct them at first, but was time went by he never did.

Jason had some maps and prints delivered to the shop and was standing behind the counter looking at them. Spencer stood next to him looking over them with him then took a deep sigh.

"Jason, I am going for a walk while you look through those. I need to pick something up from the postoffice. A package has arrived. I think it's that book I ordered." Gideon looked up and saw a fresh faced happy Spencer. He was in his cords and long sleeved shirt and sweater vest as the weather was getting cooler. He had been sleeping with out nightmares and looked healthy and rested. Recently he had been posting letters to his mum again. The old Spencer was coming back to them at last. He still had a slight limp as the ankle hurt some mornings. He could tell today it was hurting Reid but he said nothing not wanting to remind him of what happened. "I won't be long."

………………

The strange man had gathered a bit of a following. He gave them powders to sniff up their dainty noses, and kept them close to him. He made sure they handed over any money they earned during their night times, and he made sure they were safe and swapped their safety for drugs and for his pleasure.

……………

Spencer walked down to the post office about half an hour walk away. He gave the number he had been left and they brought out a box with: Dr S Franks. Prince Reed's: typed on the front. He thanked the postmaster and went and sat on the bench outside the shop. Old habits die hard. He gave the package a sniff then carefully peeled back one corner. It wasn't the book he had been expecting. It looked to be sheets of soft leather. He hadn't ordered any leather for the books so he checked the return address. Nothing. He walked slowly back to the shop. The pain in his foot almost unbearable but he refused to give in to this. Tears of pain threatened to escape by the time he got back to the shop with the package.

He checked to see what Gideon was doing. He was displaying his new bits, so Reid took he chance to go back through the cellar door and down the stairs. He flicked on a light and walked in, dropping the box to the floor and looking around him. Two of the walls were covered in chains and manacles the other two were empty, but had hooks as though ready for something. Spencer tipped out the contents of the box.

"This is the last thing Floyd. I won't be coming down here again. It's over. I am happy."

Hang the skins.

"I don't want to do this."

I can't remember giving you a choice.

"If I refuse?"

Remember what I can make you do.

Reid spent the next twenty minutes hanging skins and small squares of leather to the walls. Each one different and each one soft and smooth. A couple had what looked to be tattoos on them, or birthmarks, some dark and some light. He threw the empty box into a corner.

"Now it is over."

Now it is over.

Spencer turned off the light and locked the door. He went back up the stairs and locked the door in the hallway, and walked back into the shop. Gideon was whistling. Reid just stood and watched as he busied himself. This was good. He really was happy in the bookstore.

He pulled his sleeves down and pulled his watch over the cuff on his left arm. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and felt the pack of ten in one pocket and the lighter in the other.

…………

End

A/N This WILL be continued……but you can stop here if you need your happy ending :c) (that's as happy as I can get it!!!)