stop me, please!

Chapter 1

Reid groaned when he heard voices inside his head. So many of them. They were all saying so many different things. It confused him. He woke slowly, to an empty hospital room. That confused him even more.

"Hello?" Panic filled him. Where was he before? The last thing he remembered was...God he couldn't remember it! Everything was so fuzzy...

"Hello?" Why was he here? What happened to him? And the others...were the others all right?"

"Oh my goodness!" There was a nurse peaking her head into the doorway. She was a redhead with bright cat green eyes which shot wide open. "You're awake!"

"Yes I am," he agreed in a confused manner. Why was she acting like this was a miracle?

"He's awake!"

More noise, more chaos. Fear took over him.

"What's going on?" There were so many faces. So many strange faces. Where were the team?

"Spencer, my name is Dr. Roberts. You need to calm down."

Reid was fighting the hands that held him.

"I don't want to sedate you, but I will!" Roberts warned. That forced Reid to remain calm though panic was desperatly trying to escape.

"What's going on? Where am I?" His voice was scared, terrified really.

"I'll explain everything," said Dr. Roberts in a patient voice. "You've been in a coma."

"A...coma?" The information was a lot to asorb.

"For 5 years."

Silence. He shook his head.

"That's...not true."

"I'm afraid it is." The doctor's face was grim, as was his tone. Reid swallowed.

"5...5 years that...that means that...I'm 32..."

"That's correct." Dr. Roberts smiled. "They celebrated your 30th birthday here."

"Who?" Reid looked at him sharply.

"You're team."

"Where are they?" A sense of urgency climbed in his voice.

"They're arriving as fast as they can."

He liked Dr. Robert's sooth voice. His face was kind too. He had gentle eyes, and a gentle smile. Reid could always tell a lot about a person through their smile, and their eyes.

He nodded slowly.

"What...whappened?"

"You were shot."

Shot...yes he remembered it now...the bullet hitting him in the chest.

"You were one of the several victims at a store that was robbed." The doctor's voice continued to be soft, soothing, but that didn't stop the panic.

"I still don't remember everything."

"You will, give it time."

"Am I...hurt anyone else?"

"No, that's the thing. Except for your wound you were perfectly healthy, even breathing on your own."

Reid nodded. He was still trying to adjust to the fact it's been five years.

A knock was at the door. He looked and there stood his team. It was them, but it was different. Morgan looked older, more tired. JJ was carrying a baby Garcia's hair was no longer blond but a chocolate brown. Hotch looked older too, and so did Rossi. There was a bit of gray in Hotch's hair now, Emily also looked older. Her hair was shorter than before.

All of them were so very different, and yet so much the same,

"Hey Spence," JJ said softly. She had Will, who was standing next to her, hold the baby while she walked over to him. She kissed and hugged him. Suddenly he was surrounded by hugs.

"I knew you'd wake up someday,kid," Morgan told him. "You're a fighter."

Reid swallowed and nodded.

"You all...look so different..."

"It's been 5 years sweetie," Garcia said softly.

"Right..."He lookd at her. "Are you still with Kevin?"

Laughter formed from all of them.

"We're married." She showed Reid the ring and his eyes watered.

"I...wasn't there..."

"You were in spirit." She squeezed his shoulder.

"And this can't be Henry," he nodded to the baby and JJ smiled.

"No, that's our other son, Spencer."

Reid stared at her.

"You named him after me?"

She nodded, tears were in her eyes.

"It was our way of keeping you a part of our lives," she whispered and kissed him on the cheeks. "We visited everyday," she added. "I mean...unless we were working on a case and if we were Garcia always came by for all of us."

"I told you many crazy stories in here," Garcia laughed. "I'm kind of hoping you dont' remember all of them."

"I don't," sighed Reid.

"Do you remember anything?" Hotch asked suddenly. "About..that night?"

"Do we have to do this now?" Rossi asked sharply.

"Yes, we should let him rest," Emily added.

"Do what now?" Reid sat up slowly. Hotch sighed.

"I apologize, they are right. We should wait before asking."

"Asking what"

They looked at each other.

"Well you see, kid,the person that robbed the store and killed all those people and shot you is still out there."

"Why?"

"Cause no one knows what he looks like."

Reid looked at them, a slow realization sinking in.

"You mean..."

"That's right," Rossi said softly, and sadly. "You're the only witness that's still alive. The only one that can find him and still have him arrested."

Reid swallowed and Roberts noticed how tired he looked.

"All right, you all should leave now. Let him get his rest."

"I'm staying with him," Morgan said. Dr. Roberts finally relented but quickly made the others leave.

"I can identify the killer," Reid said weakly. "If I remember what he looks like?"

"Sh, don't think about that now." Morgan's voice was soft and hypnotic. "Just sleep."

Reid slowly drifted off into a hopefully dreamless sleep but the last thing he remembered murmuring was

"I'll remember what he looks like...I'll remember...no matter what."