The Shadows We Dance With

Ch21: Love Game

The conference room was filled with an oppressive silence as the team stared at the screen, their expressions a mix of shock, confusion, and unease. Garcia had just uncovered a series of old files on Spencer's laptop—photographs and videos that none of them were prepared for. As they delved deeper into Spencer's past, the picture that was beginning to emerge was far more disturbing than they had anticipated.

On the screen in front of them was a young Spencer Reid, barely recognizable as the man they knew today. In the photographs, he stood next to a man the team now knew to be Valentino Marino, the owner of the Marino Dance Academy and a figure from Spencer's past. Valentino had one arm casually draped over Spencer's shoulder, his smile wide and self-assured. But there was something off about the way he looked at the camera, and something even more unsettling about Spencer's expression—his smile was forced, his posture tense, as though he was trying to shrink away from the man beside him.

Hotch, Rossi, Morgan, Prentiss, JJ, and Garcia stared at the images in stunned silence, their minds racing as they tried to process what they were seeing. This wasn't the Spencer Reid they knew—the brilliant, kind, if sometimes socially awkward, genius. This was a boy, a child, who had been caught in the orbit of a man who exuded control and manipulation.

"Look at him," JJ whispered, her voice trembling. "He's so young... so different."

Rossi nodded, his expression grim. "This man, Valentino... he had a hold on Spencer. You can see it in the way he looks at him, the way Spencer is trying to pull away but can't."

Garcia's hands shook as she navigated to another file. "There's more," she said softly, her voice thick with emotion. "Videos... of Spencer dancing."

The team's attention snapped to the screen as Garcia clicked on the first video. The screen flickered to life, showing a dance studio bathed in the soft golden light of the setting sun. The young Spencer appeared on screen, standing in the center of the studio, his expression serious and focused. He looked to be around fourteen years old, dressed in simple dance attire—a fitted shirt and loose pants that allowed him to move freely.

The music started, a slow, lyrical piece that immediately set a melancholic tone. Spencer began to dance, his movements fluid and graceful, his body moving in perfect harmony with the music. His expression was intense, his eyes filled with an emotion that seemed far too deep for someone so young. The dance was beautiful, heartbreaking even, and the team watched in silence, captivated by his talent.

"He's incredible," Prentiss murmured, her eyes wide with admiration. "I had no idea he could dance like this."

But as the video continued, a darker undercurrent began to make itself known. The expression on Spencer's face, the way he moved—it was as if he was trying to convey something beyond the dance itself, something painful and raw. The team couldn't shake the feeling that they were witnessing something deeply personal, something Spencer had never wanted them to see.

When the dance ended, the screen faded to black, and the room was once again filled with an uneasy silence.

"That was... intense," Morgan finally said, his voice low. "You can see the pain in his eyes."

JJ nodded, tears pooling in her eyes. "He was going through something... something that hurt him. You can see it in the way he dances, the way he holds himself."

"There's more," Garcia said quietly, her voice trembling as she clicked on the next video. The screen lit up again, this time showing Spencer in a different setting—the same studio, but with a different tone. The music was faster, more upbeat, and Spencer's movements matched the tempo, his body moving with a confidence and skill that was mesmerizing. This dance was more aggressive, more powerful, as if he was trying to fight against something invisible, something that was weighing him down.

"Why would he keep these?" Prentiss asked, her voice filled with confusion. "Why would he keep videos of himself dancing like this?"

Hotch's expression was unreadable as he watched the screen. "Maybe he couldn't bring himself to get rid of them. Maybe it was his way of holding on to a part of himself he thought he had lost."

The next video began to play, and the team immediately noticed the shift in tone. The music was different this time—LoveGame by Lady Gaga, a pop song with a catchy beat. The young Spencer appeared on screen once again, his body poised in the center of the studio. But this time, there was something off about the way he stood, the way he looked at the camera.

As the music started, Spencer began to move, his body swaying to the rhythm of the song. The dance was different from the others—more provocative, more sensual. His movements were fluid and confident, but there was a tension in his expression that was impossible to ignore. The way he moved, the way he performed—it was as if he was trying to embody someone else, someone who was far more comfortable with this type of dance than he was.

The team watched in stunned silence as Spencer continued to dance, his body moving in ways that seemed far too mature for someone his age. The dance was expertly executed, each movement perfectly timed to the beat of the song. But there was something deeply unsettling about it, something that made the team's stomachs churn with unease.

"Why is he doing this?" JJ asked, her voice filled with a mix of confusion and concern. "He looks... uncomfortable."

"He's doing it for someone else," Rossi said, his voice dark. "You can see it in his eyes. He's not enjoying this—he's doing it because he feels like he has to."

The camera zoomed in slightly, focusing on Spencer's face as he danced. His expression was a mix of concentration and discomfort, his eyes flickering with something that the team couldn't quite place—fear, perhaps, or a deep sense of unease. And as the camera panned slightly to the right, the team caught a glimpse of Valentino standing just out of frame, watching with a pleased smile.

"He's doing it for him," Hotch said, his voice tight with anger. "Valentino... he's making him do this."

As the video continued, the team felt a growing sense of dread. Spencer's movements became more provocative, more suggestive, as the dance reached its climax. But the look on his face told a different story—one of discomfort, of fear, of a young boy trying to please someone who held too much power over him.

When the video finally ended, the room was filled with a heavy silence. The team sat in stunned disbelief, the reality of what they had just witnessed sinking in. This wasn't just a dance—this was something far more sinister, something that had left a deep scar on the young Spencer Reid.

"That was..." JJ began, but her voice faltered as she tried to find the words. "That was wrong. He was just a kid."

"He didn't want to do that," Morgan said, his voice filled with anger. "You could see it in his eyes—he was doing it because he felt like he had no choice."

Garcia's hands shook as she closed the video file, her heart heavy with emotion. "Why would he keep these?" she asked again, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Because he couldn't let go," Hotch replied softly. "This was a part of his life that he tried to bury, but he couldn't bring himself to forget. These videos... they're a reminder of what he went through."

The team sat in silence, the weight of what they had just discovered pressing down on them like a heavy blanket. They were beginning to understand the depth of the trauma Spencer had endured, the darkness that had followed him from his past. But there was still so much they didn't know, so much that Spencer had kept hidden.

And as they sat there, processing the implications of what they had seen, one thing became painfully clear—Spencer had been hiding a part of himself from them, a part that had been deeply scarred by a man who had manipulated and controlled him during his most vulnerable years.

"We need to find him," Hotch finally said, his voice filled with determination. "We need to bring him back and make sure that man never hurts him again."

The team nodded in agreement, their resolve stronger than ever. They knew that time was running out, that every second they spent in that room was a second Spencer was out there, alone, and in danger. They had to find him, and they had to do it fast.

But as they prepared to continue their search, the unease lingered, the image of a young Spencer Reid dancing to please a man who held too much power over him etched into their minds. They had seen a glimpse of the darkness that had shaped their friend's past, and it had shaken them to their core.