"Reid." Rossi calls. "Reid." He calls again, the genius still not waking up. Bedelia pokes the genius' cheek making him jolt awake. He sits up.
"Sorry, I was dreaming." Spencer says.
"No kidding." Emily laughs out.
"We found a 6 year old boy who had been abused and stabbed. Your baby was at the crime scene. I was trying to get him out of there." He tells JJ. "Sorry."
"It's okay." JJ says, not sure what else to say.
"You know, Reid, simple dream analysis -- if there's a baby in your dreams, that baby's actually you." Derek says.
"I don't believe in dream analysis." Spencer says.
"I don't know. It makes sense. The case we're working on and the case in your dream both involve children. Maybe your subconscious is telling you you want to sit this one out." Hotch says.
"I don't." Spencer says.
"Well, maybe you're just stressed out about going home to Las Vegas. Did you tell your mom you're coming?" Emily asks.
"Why aren't we reviewing the case file?" Spencer asks.
"I don't know. Maybe because someone fell asleep on the jet." Emily grins. Spencer smiles and looks down, opening the case file.
"All right, let's start from the beginning one more time." Hotch says.
"This is Ethan Hayes. He was 5." JJ shows a photo. "Two weeks ago he was abducted out of his own front yard. "
"Where were the parents?" Spencer asks.
"His mom just ran inside to grab her purse." JJ says. "When she came back, he was gone. She wasn't away for more than a minute or two. Police found his body exactly one week later in the desert. He was in a new change of clothes. His nails were clipped. His hair was combed."
"That's a lot of remorse." Rossi says.
"No sign of sexual assault. The medical report suggests he was smothered. Unsub could see this death as merciful." Hotch says.
"Who's the new boy?" Emily asks.
"Michael Bridges." JJ states. "Yesterday, he set out to walk by himself to a friend's house a block away. He never showed up."
"Are we sure these cases are even connected?" Spencer asks.
"The unsub called each of the families." JJ says.
"But no ransom demand." Rossi says.
"It was more like taunts." JJ says. "He's telling them it's their fault that their child was taken."
"Okay. So, we have an unsub who shows remorse and then projects his guilt onto the victims' parents." Derek says.
"And if we're lucky, six more days to find a boy before he's killed." Hotch says.
+++
Bedelia, Derek, and Spencer are at the morgue.
"There was no bruising around his neck or face. I'm guessing he used a pillow." The coroner says.
"Was there any sign of a struggle?" Spencer asks.
"No, but he would have been extremely weak." The coroner says.
"Why's that?" Derek asks.
"This is where it gets weird. He was noticeably thin. And both his stomach and intestines were completely empty."
"He was being starved?" Bedelia asks.
"It seems that way." The coroner nods.
"What's the weird part?" Madelyn asks.
"I wanted to determine if malnutrition played a part in his death. So, I looked for evidence of starvation ketosis by analyzing some vitreous humor -- the squishy part of the eyeball -- and I couldn't find any ketone bodies there."
"Meaning?" Derek asks.
"He was getting nutrients somehow." Spencer says.
"Through an IV?" Derek asks.
"There were no marks to indicate that."
"Any idea what else could it be?" Spencer asks.
"Honestly, I have no idea."
+++
The three get to the Bridges' house and Hotch motions for them to be quiet, the mom on the phone with the unsub.
"He doesn't want to talk to you." The unsub says. "He knows what a bad mother you are. Your 3 minutes are up." The unsub hangs up.
"Garcia, anything?" Hotch asks.
"It looks to be a disposable cell phone. I couldn't triangulate the call, but it did bounce off not one but two towers." She states.
"Meaning?" Hotch asks.
"I know he's mobile, and I know he's moving within the Las Vegas limits. He didn't travel outside the city." Penelope says.
"It's just a start. Like I said, the more he talks, the more we'll learn about him." Hotch says.
"These are agents Morgan, Banks, and Reid. They'll be here all night just in case he calls back." JJ informs.
"I need to lie down." Amy says.
"Of course." JJ nods and the woman walks off. "You should go with her." She tells Craig. He nods, following his wife.
"What'd you find out from the medical examiner?" Hotch asks.
"We think that he's starving them." Spencer says.
"But that doesn't fit with the care he takes with the bodies. Starvation would be a form of torture." Hotch says.
"There's no sexual assault. The torture could be a substitute for the sex act." Derek says.
"I'll coordinate with Rossi and Prentiss. We'll call you if there's anything new." Hotch says.
+++
Bedelia jolts awake when she hears screaming.
"Morgan, get 'em off me! Get 'em off me! Delia! Get 'em off me!" Spencer screams, thrashing around in his sleep.
Derek turns a lamp on as the two rush over to him.
"Spencer? Hey." Bedelia calls.
"Reid. Reid. Wake up." Derek shakes him a little and Spencer wakes up. "It's Morgan."
"What the hell's going on?" Craig asks as he and Amy come down the stairs. Derek stands at the bottom of the stairs while Bedelia stays by Spencer. He sits up on the couch, hiding his face in his hands.
"Sir, ma'am, everything's okay." Derek assures.
"Hey." Bedelia whispers, crouching next to Spencer.
"I'm fine." He breathes out, running his hands through his hair.
"You wake us up screaming, you think everything's okay?" Craig asks.
"Yes, everything's fine." Bedelia says.
"I understand we startled you, and I'm sorry for that." Derek says.
"You're the FBI." Craig says.
"Yeah, well, we're not robots either." Bedelia snaps.
"Davis." Derek gives her a look.
"You're right. I'm really sorry." Spencer says.
"Sir, please, go back upstairs and try to get some rest." Derek says. Spencer stands up. "It was just a misunderstanding. Everything is fine, I promise you that."
Craig goes upstairs.
"Are you okay?" Amy asks Spencer.
"It was a dream. I'm really sorry." Spencer says.
"Was it about Michael?" Amy asks.
"No." Spencer shakes his head.
"I've been afraid to close my eyes. I'm scared I'll see him die." Amy says.
"Ma'am, I know it's hard. But I need you to go upstairs and try to get some sleep. Please." Derek tells her. "I am sorry for the disturbance."
Amy goes upstairs.
Spencer sighs, sitting back down on the couch.
"I'm making everything worse." Spencer says.
"Hey, no." Bedelia sits next to him. "Nightmares happen. Sometimes with terrible timing. It's just... a shitty part of life."
"Reid..." Derek sits on the arm of a chair. "These cases get to all of us."
"I'm losing it in their living room." Spencer says. "And I'm dreaming-- I'm dreaming about dead kids and covered in leeches."
"What the hell is scaring you?" Derek asks.
"This boy's gonna die and there's nothing I can do to stop it." Spencer says.
Bedelia frowns, hesitating before rubbing his back a bit.
+++
They're at the funeral and Bedelia, Spencer, and Derek are standing together. Bedelia glances up at Spencer to check on him, seeing the confused look on his face.
She glances at Derek who seems to notice it, too.
"Reid? Reid." Derek quietly calls. "What's going on?"
"I've been here before." He says.
+++
Derek and Bedelia walk into the room where Spencer and the detective are watching Rossi and Emily question the possible unsub.
"How's it going?" Derek asks.
"He's nervous." The detective says. "They're trying to pin him down."
"What's that?" Spencer asks, nodding to the file in Derek's hands.
"You mind giving us a minute?" Derek asks the detective.
"Sure." He says, leaving. Derek waits for the door to shut.
"We had one of the detectives pull it." Derek says. "The name Riley Jenkins mean anything to you?"
"No." Spencer answers.
"Think. Back to when you were a little boy." Derek says.
"I had an imaginary friend named Riley when I was little." Spencer says. Derek gives him the file.
"Riley Jenkins. He was murdered right here in Las Vegas when he was six years old." Bedelia informs. "You were about four at the time. He was found in the basement of his own house, behind the dryer. He had been sexually abused and stabbed."
"Where can we find Michael Bridges?" Rossi asks.
"You are trying to frame me." The guy says.
"You killed Ethan Hayes, and you're holding Michael Bridges." Rossi says.
"No." The guy denies.
"Then why were you videotaping a funeral?" Emily asks. "Does death excite you?" The guy scoffs. "Oh, wait. That's it." Emily laughs. "Death gets you off."
"I told you, I don't touch." The guy says.
"No, you just kill 'em and find new ways to watch him afterwards." Rossi says.
"I am not sick." The guy says.
"I think you are." Emily argues. "And I think you desperately want to tell us exactly how sick you really are, Walter. Don't you? You want us to search your computer and your home because it is eating you up inside and you know you need to be stopped."
"I never would have molested that boy!"
"Which boy?" Rossi asks.
"The one from the funeral." Walter says.
+++
They're listening to the recorded phone call between Hotch and the unsub. Hotch sees the parents walk in and pats JJ's shoulder making her stop the recording.
"Would it be possible for us to work in private for a while?" Hotch asks.
"He was at the funeral." Amy says. "I told you."
"He was at the funeral and you arrested the wrong man." Craig says.
"I don't think it is a man." Spencer says. "Did you hear the way she described the clothing? She said the blue shoes. Lime green oxford. A male wouldn't reference specific details like that."
"I think Reid's right. She talked about what the child wanted. How he slept, how she took care of him. She said, "I loved him."" Derek says.
"A male unsub would have emphasized the competition, not the caregiving." Bedelia adds.
"He would have talked about how he was smarter than the FBI. Bragged about not being caught." Spencer says.
"We could have been looking at both men and women." Amy says.
"The statistics are overwhelming. Women abduct newborns. Men take children." Rossi says.
"Garcia." Hotch calls.
"I'm right here, sir."
"Would you run the license plates the police gave you and find any that might be registered to a woman."
"That would be... zero."
"How's that possible?" Amy asks.
"Transcript almost reads like she's been institutionalized." Spencer says.
"You mean she's crazy." Craig says.
"She described herself as being "locked down." Not "arrested" or "put away." Plus, most mental facilities are very rigid about the amount of phone time they allow per day. I think her talking about only having three minutes isn't her rule to us. It's what she's been institutionalized to think of as normal." Spencer explains.
"Garcia, can you get records of women released from mental institutions this past month?" Rossi asks. "She most likely has some trauma in her case file -- possibly the death of a child."
"I'm sorry. I can't do that. To protect patient privilege there's no central database. I could hack each hospital individually, but even then, most diagnoses are kept separately by the different doctors." Penelope says.
"I think I might have a way." Spencer says.
+++
"I got a hit off the woman on the video." Penelope says. "I ran it through VICAP. Her name's Claire Bates. She was institutionalized three years ago after she assaulted a fellow secretary at a law firm. By that, I mean, she bit off part of her ear."
"Damn." Bedelia whispers.
"Do we have an address?" Rossi asks.
"There's no last known." Penelope says.
"Try running the license plates again." Derek says.
"Got it. No, wait. That's no good." Penelope says.
"What's wrong?" Derek asks.
"It's registered to her father. He lived in Reno, but he died two years ago." Penelope says.
"Garcia, pull up birth records. If she's really breastfeeding, then she must have just given birth." Emily says.
"Here we go. Claire Bates... gave birth to a son three weeks ago. Oh." She mumbles.
"What is it, Garcia?" Hotch asks.
"Social services removed the baby from her care after a seven day evaluation." She informs.
"That's why she holds the boys for seven days. She's recreating the loss of her baby." Bedelia says.
"But she's taking five year olds." JJ says.
"Her psychosis must be projecting her baby onto any children she can get access to." Hotch says.
"Garcia, can you read us the social services report?" Emily asks.
""While it is admirable that patient stayed off anti-psychotic medication for the health of her fetus, we strongly believe that due to a history of violent and delusional behavior, there is a significant risk to the child if she is granted guardianship. Therefore, the child shall be a ward of the state until such time a full time guardian can be established.""
"Is there an address?" Emily asks.
"2509 Brookside Avenue." Penelope says.
"JJ will stay here with you. We'll call with any updates." Hotch tells Amy and Craig. "Tell Reid where we're going."
+++
They get to the address and get out.
"Watch yourselves. If she's truly delusional, she'll have moments of clarity where she realizes what she's done." Hotch says.
"Morgan, Davis, and I'll go around back." Rossi says.
"Prentiss and I'll take these doors." Hotch says.
The three go around back while the other two go inside.
"She's going out the back." Hotch says. "Careful. She's got the boy."
They round a corner and Claire is running off with the boy wrapped in a blanket.
"Hotch, we got her." Derek says. "She's going to the garage!" He shouts so the other two can hear him in the house.
The five run after her, going around both sides of the garage. There's a fire and Claire is standing on the other side of it.
"Claire. Back away from the fire and put him down." Hotch orders.
"My baby's dead." She says.
"No, he isn't. He's being taken really good care of by someone else." Emily says. "Just like you need to take care of this boy."
"I kept healthy. I did good." Claire says.
"We know you did. We just need you to step away and put the boy down." Bedelia says.
"My baby's dead." She says.
"No, he isn't, Claire. Let us prove it to you." Emily tells her.
"Do you have a clean shot of her?" Rossi quietly asks Derek.
"She's not armed, Rossi." Derek says.
"If he's still alive and she drops him in the fire, we may not be able to save him." Rossi says. "Do you have a shot?"
"Yes. I got one." Derek answers.
"I've got Michael! I've got Michael!" They hear Spencer say through the ear piece. Derek immediately lowers his gun.
"No. Don't do it!" Derek yells as Claire tosses the blanket into the fire and he rushes over. All that's in it is a teddy bear.
+++
Bedelia and Derek walk over to where Spencer is standing outside of the house.
"You know, this is about as good a day as we're gonna get on this job." Derek says.
"I know." Spencer says.
"And yet you're still thinking about a boy you're not even sure if you really knew." Derek says.
"When I was four, my mother had a sense that I was in danger." Spencer says.
"Reid, your mother wasn't well." Derek says.
"I know facts about the case." Spencer says.
"Reid, you've got a photographic memory. Odds are you saw the story. He was just a kid like you, and it caught your imagination." Derek says.
"I don't really think that you believe that." Spencer says.
"You wanna know what I really believe? I believe you could have done anything in the world with your life and you chose to do this job. Your man Carl Jung says our unconscious is the key to our life's pursuits."
"Yeah. Yeah." Spencer says.
"So, for whatever reason, that case was stuck in your brain all these years and it not only led you to this career choice but to the same city where your mother lives and for us to have the opportunity to save this child."
"Yeah." Spencer nods.
"Like I said, this is about as good a day as we're gonna get, man. Enjoy your moment." Derek says. He pats Spencer's arm and Hotch walks over.
"Hotch, do you think it would be possible to wait until tomorrow to return home?" Spencer asks. Hotch nods.
"Do you think you two could find something to do in Vegas for the night?" Hotch asks. Derek laughs.
"Yeah. Yeah, no, I-- I think I can figure something out." Bedelia shrugs. Derek and Hotch leave. "Have a good time with your mom." She tells Spencer, gently squeezing his arm.
"Thanks." Spencer mutters as she walks off.