DISCLAIMER:

I own nothing. All rights remain with ABC Studios, CBS Television Studios and The Mark Gordon Company. Neither I, nor this story, are affiliated with above mentioned companies or any of their associates or subsidiaries, nor do I receive any monetary compensation from the publication of this narrative.

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Witch Hunt

Chapter 4: Sacrifice

The sun is low in the sky casting brilliant shades of orange and gold blending with a royal blue that fades into an indigo. It's 5:45 on Halloween. Time is running out and Reid knows it as he paces between the two evidence boards. His eyes are scanning everything while his mind tries to piece together where Madison could be. He'd drawn the circle on the map, and even the crosshairs connecting the four points, but there is nothing in that intersection except an open field.

Rossi and JJ had gone to interview the Emerson's, but they were not at home nor at work. Garcia sent all the information about the couple's deceased child to the team. The family was returning from dinner when a drunk driver hit the rear section of their car, killing the toddler instantly and hospitalizing Margaret while David only suffered a broken arm.

Garcia provided the team with a list of places that might have been special to the family, as well as the cemetery where the young child is buried. The BAU, with the assistance of local law enforcement, are doing their best to survey all those areas, but it is a lot of ground to cover. Hotch wanted Reid to remain behind and ordered Morgan to keep an eye on the young genius.

"Reid, you need to take it easy. The doctors said as much." Morgan says, watch the whirlwind of activity that has consumed Reid.

"Well I'm a doctor too and I say work is good for me."

"You're not a medical doctor."

"Give me two years." Reid snaps.

"Reid, stop!" Morgan angrily snaps. Morgan grabs Reid's arm and spins the young man to face him, pulling Reid away from his obsessive goal.

"I…I can't stop Morgan. I can't. I told her I wouldn't let them take her, and I failed. I have to find her. I have to save her. I don't know if you can understand that, but either help me or get out of my way." Reid pleads, the desperation in his eyes battles breaks through Morgan's defenses.

"What are we looking for?" Morgan asks with a sigh.

"I don't know. I just know that the answer is here." Reid confesses pointing to the circle he drew on the map. Reid rubs his forehead as he tries wishing away the headache and the nausea. The hospital had tried to prescribe him something for the inevitable headache, but he had refused, even going so far as tearing up the script the doctor had insisted on writing. One of the officers had given him an aspirin pack from the first aid kit, but Reid threw it away when the officer wasn't looking. His demons still lingered, waiting for him to tumble back into their waiting arms. Today would not be that day.

"Ok. We got a couple who want to bring their child back to life. Rossi and Prentiss have found no evidence that the kid's grave has been disturbed."

"It was closed casket. Maybe they never buried the child. It would be elaborate, but possible to switch the child with some type of weight." Reid says, still studying the map, where would a witch go to raise the dead?

Reid turns his face bright with an epiphany. "We've been thinking about this all wrong. We've been trying to find where a pagan would go. But Madison told us that these people aren't practitioners, they don't know what they're doing." He says hurriedly.

"OK, so if we're going to raise the dead, where would we go?" Morgan asks.

"A cemetery." They answer in unison.

"But not any cemetery. It has to be in this area, and would probably have a small chapel or mausoleum. Something easy to get into, but still isolated enough for them to do this ritual." Armed with this new knowledge Reid begins frantically scanning the map while Morgan asks one of the deputies about any old cemeteries in the area.

"This one! What can you tell me about this one?" Reid asks, pointing to a small spot on the map just barely within the circle.

"General's Peak?" the deputy asks after taking a closer look at the spot Reid was pointing to. "It's the oldest cemetery in this county, dating back about 150 years or so. Huge too. It stopped being used in the 50's when our church established a new cemetery closer to town."

"How far away is it?" Morgan asks.

"From the police station? About an hour."

"We have to get there." Reid says, grabbing his bag and heading towards the door with Morgan and the deputy close behind.

..~~~**~~~..

The first thing Madison is aware of is warm water and the sweet smell of Gardenias. Just under the Gardenias are the familiar scents of rosemary and Frankincense. She can hear the soft splash of water and feel its warmth on her skin. Gentle yet firm hands are holding her, bathing her, support her so she doesn't slip beneath the water. She tries to ask where she is, but all that escapes is a groggy groan.

A woman is speaking soothing words, but Madison can't grasp it all. Only a few words register. "Purification" is one. Is this a purification bath? For what purpose? Why would a hospital give a patient a ritual cleansing?

Madison finally manages to force open her incredibly heavy eyelids, but can't manage to focus on anything. A flesh colored blur with a grey fuzzy halo speaks to her again. More words that take too much energy to decipher are spoken. Was a question asked? Madison makes a small noise that could have been a word. Madison's face scrunches in frustration, her power of speech has been reduced to the level of 6 month old and it's pissing her off.

The blur gently washes Madison's face with the sweet smelling water, the salt in the water stings her wounds. The blur keeps talking, its tone soft and reassuring, pleasant even. Madison's head lolls to the side as she tries to focus on something, anything that might give her a clue to her location. A second blur, enters the room and very carefully lifts her out of the warm water. It too is speaking quietly and reassuringly as she's carried into another room and set down on a soft bed. Is someone brushing her hair? It feels good…soothing. It brings to mind pleasant memories of her Aunt brushing her long red hair.

Someone was supposed to be here. Someone who was to be her protector. Where is he? Why did he leave her? He promised.

"Spencer." she weakly calls, just before sleep takes her again.

..~~~**~~~..

Reid is anxious, almost fidgety as the SUV speeds its way to the cemetery. They've lost their race against the sun as darkness has fallen across the land, but the race against time was still ongoing. If they didn't find her soon, she would be killed, she had said as much.

"Samhain…the 31st…when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. For the spell these lunatics want to try, nighttime would be best."

That is what Madison had said. He puts himself in the shoes of their unsubs. If he were to cast a spell to bring the dead back, he would think midnight would be the best time. But this coming midnight would end the 31st, not usher it in, and Madison had said that it is the 31st when the veil is at its thinnest. Given that he would probably try casting this spell around 11. That gives them just under 5 hours to find Madison. Not a lot of time, especially if he's wrong.

No! He's not wrong. He can't afford to be wrong.

His mind jumps to honey brown eyes that look at him with such reverence…such awe; and a soft kiss full of so many unspoken promises.

Please God, don't let him be wrong about this. Let him get there in time. Please.

..~~~**~~~..

Madison is being carried, and her groggy mind is wondering why the hospital stopped using wheelchairs or gurneys…her insurance can't be that bad. With great effort she manages to open her eyes. She can focus enough to see that the blur who is carrying her is an older man with dark eyes and no hair, but can't make out much more.

Next the man is an equally blurry woman with grey hair and dark eyes. The woman is speaking. But Madison doesn't know if it's to her or to the man carrying her. Her brain is fuzzy and can't make sense of the words spoken.

Blah, blah, blah "…she's perfect…" blah, blah, blah "…almost time…" blah, blah, blah "…will work…" blah, blah, blah.

Madison's eyes close again, but only because it's far easier than trying to keep them open. She keeps listening, hoping something will make sense. Is the woman really saying blah, blah, blah? That thought would've made her giggle if she had the energy to do so.

Cold air suddenly surrounds and cuts through her and she finds herself shivering. Why is the air conditioning on? Did she just ask that out loud?

Distantly she wonders what is going on and exactly what was in that shot the nurse gave her. She is aware of being set in a van and a blanket thrown over her. Grateful for the warmth she curls up, snuggling under the blanket and falls back asleep.

..~~~**~~~..

Reid is nervously fidgeting in the backseat, an accident en route has slowed their progress, to a near crawl, and none of the other team has called with news. Reid bites his tongue to keep from asking how much longer or if there was an alternate route they could take.

'Please don't let them take me.' She had begged. He didn't have to see her to know there was a fearful desperation in her eyes. Reid closes his eyes, trying to push that memory back. It won't help him in this situation. He tries to shift his thoughts to case notes, but instead finds himself reviewing the background Garcia has found on Madison Wilcox.

Her mother died when she was 5, complications from pneumonia. A few months later her father, a manic depressant, admits himself to a local mental hospital because of suicidal thoughts. The day of his release he talks an orderly into giving him a razor and kills himself before being discharged. Madison was sent to live with her maternal aunt, her husband and their 6 year old daughter.

The mental hospital settled out of court, granting a decent settlement to Madison. The money was placed in a trust, listing her aunt and uncle as the executor. Her uncle took that money and invested it properly, turning it into millions. Half of everything he made went back into a trust for Madison to claim upon her 21st birthday.

Madison herself is an accomplished author in the supernatural/fantasy fiction field with two series of books. The first series, which is nearing completion, is her Silver Ring series. A collection of 8 books centering on a young half-breed heir to the Unseelie Court and the political intrigue between him claiming the throne and maintaining the peace between the two fairy courts.

Her other series, Grave Dancers, is a modern alternate reality focusing on a pair of reluctant partners in the police force. Two books have been published, with a third to be released soon and a fourth in process. He read both of these books and was impressed with her understanding of the justice system and her ability to build a believable crime story involving werewolves, vampires and witches.

Reid cradles his head in his hands and breaths quietly. The constant screaming of the siren is making his head is feel like it's about to explode. His stomach is filled with the butterflies of dread. He closes his eyes and all he can see are those honey brown eyes and soft smile.

Please God, let him get there in time.

..~~~**~~~..

This time it's the cold that brings Madison around. Her eyes slowly open, her mouth feels like it's full of cotton and a drug induced fog that filled her brain is slowly lifting.

Madison looks around, but her surroundings raise more questions than answers. The room is dimly lit by over a dozen flickering candles. The room is small, from what she can see, and devoid of any furnishings. The walls are made of old grey stones, the type of masonry that isn't used anymore. The only window she can see is high on the wall to her right and devoid of glass, but that seems to be by design and not vandalism. Through that portal she can clearly see stars sparkling in the darkened sky. What time is it? How long was she out?

Reaching out with her other senses she can feel that she is laying on a cold stony surface. She can smell the fresh crisp October air. Madison lifts her head and sees that she has been dressed in a thin sheath style gown, like the women in the crime scene photos. Dread turns to terror as she finds her feet are tied and her hands are tied above her head have. She's about to scream for help when she hears two people approaching. They're speaking in hushed voices making it impossible for her make out any words. Once they come into the dim light she can see that the man is carrying a small folding tray table and a large canvas bag while the woman carrying, what looks like a Pack-n-Play and a small bundle wrapped in thick layers of blankets.

Nothing is said to her as the man sets down his bag and set up the tray table on her left hand side. Once done he takes the tightly wrapped bundle, bouncing it gently and coos soothing phrases while the woman sets up the Pack-n-Play. Why would they bring a baby here? The man gently set the child in the crib and helps the woman preparing for the ritual.

Madsion is the first to break the silence, politely asking to be released, promising not to tell anyone. The woman hooks a stray grey hair behind her ear before she sweetly pats Madison on the head.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, but we can't do that." The woman says with unexpected sweetness. Her voice is familiar, but it's like trying to recall a dream from several nights ago.

"Just lay back and this will be over soon." The woman says with a reassuring smile.

"Please don't do this. It won't work. You can't bring the dead back." Madison tries to appeal to them logically. Her voice holding a tremor of fear and her heart is racing furiously in her chest.

"It will work this time." To older man says his voice just as calm and friendly.

"This time?" she finds herself asking, their calm and friendly demeanor is almost as terrifying as their intentions.

"Last time we did everything wrong. The circle was too small; it was on the wrong date, at the wrong time. We had the wrong sacrifice and were asking the wrong god." The man explains his voice low and remorseful.

"Don't blame yourself, dear. This time it will work. She's perfect." The woman says, gesturing to Madison.

"No! It won't work. You can't bring the dead back!"

"Not with an animal sacrifice, but with a human…with a human the life force will flow from you and into Joshua. The life force will recognize the human body and fill it. And with you being a witch your magic will give it just that little extra kick." The woman says.

"Little extra kick?" Madison cannot believe what she is hearing. "This isn't a cooking show! Once the life force leaves a body it's gone. It doesn't come back." Without realizing it Madison begins struggling against the ropes.

"We tie a psychic tether to your life force and Joshua's body, that way when your life force leaves it will be pulled back into Joshua." The woman explains as she pulls a large cloth wrapped bundle from the bag and hands it to the man.

"You can't tether a witch." Madison lies, she doesn't know if it's possible or not, but if it means survival she'll play into it. "The tethers break."

"Then your life force will be trapped in the circle, forever earthbound. Your other option is to maintain the tether and live again." The woman explains, setting up several small jars full of various spell components on the edge of the make-shift alter next to Madison.

"Your circle is too big." Madison says in a hurried voice. Talking them out of the ritual seems useless; maybe if she stalls long enough someone will come to her rescue. "And you waited too long between calling the corners." She takes a breath and tries to sound calm, despite the furious pounding against her rib cage.

"And why should we believe you?" the man asks.

"I…I obviously can't talk you out of this. So unless I want to be earthbound, I need to help you succeed. Right?" She says her eyes still wide with fear. The couple exchange looks, but don't say anything.

..~~~**~~~..

General's Peak is as grand as it is old, a wide spanning fence standing 8 feet tall and composed thick grey stones. A local restoration group has taken it upon themselves to maintain the cemetery and is in the process of having the site declared a Historical Site by the Government. It's far from the road, secluded enough for the unsubs' purposes. They silence the siren when they were about two miles from the graveyard. Pulling up to the tall stone gate Morgan point out a small blue hatchback parked a few yards away. The three of them slowly creep into the darkened graveyard with weapons drawn. The graveyard is indeed massive, in the dark Reid can't see the end of this necropolis. They start moving in the dark searching for any structure large enough and obscure enough for a human sacrifice.

"Please God, let me get there in time." Reid whispers softly to himself as they weave among the tombstones.

..~~~**~~~..

The couple drew a smaller, yet still sizable circle around themselves, the altar and the playpen. They ended up using a fair amount of the sea salt they had brought. Why they had so much sea salt Madison really does not want to know. She had drawn out the casting of the circle as long as she could, bringing to mind the most elaborate of rituals usually reserved for complex spells and sacred gathering.

Gods help her she out of ideas, she can't stall them any longer. Her last hope now is that this resurrection ritual they have planned is along and drawn out process. Now that the circle was drawn the couple began laying out the materials and components for their ritual.

"You've been ever so helpful." The woman says, picking up the thick bundle laying on the small tray table the couple brought in with them.

"I'm sorry to do this, but I'm going to have to take your heart out. And you will be alive when that happens."

"Merciful Mother." Madison breaths as she watches the woman carefully lay out all the implements necessary for removing a human heart. The man reaches into the cradle and removes the bundled child and carefully lays it next to Madison.

Her mind is racing, she's stammering, trying to think of something, anything that will stall them or even better stop them. When she watches the woman lay out rib separator her resolves breaks. Out of ideas and out of time she does the only thing she can think of…she screams.

"SPENCER!"

..~~~**~~~..

"Did you hear that?" Morgan asks.

"What was it?" the deputy asks.

"My name." Reid answers taking the lead, heading in a northern direction towards the scream. Towards Madison. Hearing her scream was a heartbreaking relief. He's sorry she's in this situation, but relieved she's still alive. He moves quickly and silently, far ahead of Morgan and the deputy.

Just past the last row of headstones he pauses at the sight of nearly a dozen small mausoleums. He looks at each structure, any one of them could be the correct one, and searching all of them will take up too much time. A clue, he just needs a single clue and then he sees it, a faint glow coming from under the door of the tallest building.

"That one." He says.

The three of the rush the building. Morgan and Reid stand on either side of the door while the deputy kicks the door open. The three of them rush in, ordering everyone to freeze. Madison's tear stain eyes find Reid, the relief in them is overwhelming.

"Put the knife down." The deputy barks, pulling Reid's attention to the couple standing on either side of a gagged Madison. The woman is a small scalpel up to the sky, her eyes filled with rage and hate as she stares at the men.

"No! This time it's perfect! You can't stop us!" she screams. The deputy repeats his order for her drop the knife, adding the warning that he'll shoot if she doesn't. When the knife begins to come down a deafening gunshot echoes in the confined space and the woman stumbles back, dropping the knife and grabbing her shoulder.

Reid takes a breath, it his was his gun that fired the shot and ended the standoff. Morgan and the Deputy rush in to arrest the couple. Reid rushed over to Madison and quickly freed her from the ropes and removed her gag.

"Are you ok?" he asks.

Without hesitation she throws her arms about his neck and holds him tightly.

"Please get me out of here." She whimpers in a small voice. Reid scoops her up in his arms and carries her out of the building and back towards the SUV.

A couple of hours later the graveyard was swarming with police, paramedics and FBI. The BAU were assisting local law enforcement in how to handle the Emersons while in custody as well as how to handle any press or political fallout that may or may not arise from this arrest. Reid was checking on Madison who was now sitting in the back of an ambulance wrapped in a blanket.

"Thank you." She says to Reid as a paramedic wraps her wounded wrist. "I mean I know that words aren't enough, but….thank you."

"uh…you're welcome."

"so..um, what are you doing later?" she asks awkwardly. "I mean maybe we get a drink or a cup of coffee. Well, maybe a pot of coffee, I've seen you drink coffee."

"We'll be heading back to Quantico early in the morning." Reid states.

"Oh."

"Maybe tonight?" Reid hears himself ask.

"The paramedic wants to take to the hospital to have my wrist checked out."

"Oh, yeah. That would make sense. I, uh, better get back to my team." Reid says. Without warning she leaps to her feet grabs his tie and kisses him. He in turn cups her face and returns her kiss.

"Check it out." Morgan says, gesturing towards Madison and Reid from a distance. Prentiss pauses mid-sentence and watches. Her jaw drops and Morgan gives a quiet shout out when the young couple kiss. The pair then quietly groan and voice their disapproval to each other when Reid pushes her away. They can see him talking, and don't have to be within earshot to know that he's probably trying to convince her that what she's feeling isn't real. He might even be trying to explain that whole transference thing. Then without warning, she kisses him again. Morgan and Prentiss exchange approving looks, and smiles.

"This isn't transference." Madison counters when their lips part. "This is woman who is interested in you." She grabs his hand and produces a sharpie from somewhere and proceeds to write a ten digit number on his palm.

"This is my number in Virginia. I'll be home in a couple of weeks, why don't you call me and we can hook up for coffee or something."

Reid looks at his hand. "You know I have an eidetic memory. You could've just told me your number."

"Nope, I had to write it. When a girl gives a boy her phone number she has to write it on either a napkin or his hand. It's tradition." She explains.

"Is it tradition to use permanent marker?"

"Uh…no. the paramedic wouldn't loan me his pen."

..~~~**~~~..

Three weeks later…

It's late at night and team is packing up to call it a day. Reid sets in desk in order, as Morgan leans on his cubical wall "So have you called her yet?"

"Madison? No, she's…she's not interested."

"How do you know?"

"Come on Morgan, look at me. What do I have to offer her?"

"More than you give yourself credit for. Look kid, you're always asking me for advice with girls. So here's some advice; call her."

"I don't know."

"Reid, I saw that kiss. You know the one in the graveyard."

"You saw that?" a bright red blush fills Reid's cheeks.

"Yeah I did. Call her, kid. Take her out somewhere. See where it goes. When a woman writes her number on your hand, she wants you to call." And with that Morgan pushes away from the cubicle and heads towards the elevators.

Reid stares at the phone on his desk for a moment before picking up the handset and dialing the number Madison gave him. The phone rings three times, and he's aboutto hang up when she answers.

"Madison? It's uh, Dr. Spencer Reid, Spencer. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go out sometime?...Really? How about this Saturday?...Um, ok I'll, uh, I'll see you then." He hangs up the phone a grin on his face from ear to ear.

The End?

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