I knew something was wrong, or at least, I should've. I should've noticed how he flinched when people touched him, how he was so distant, but so close to all the cases. I thought he was just shy, but maybe there was something more, maybe he was hurt, and maybe I could have saved him. Now it might be too late.

Hotch took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. When he looked at the agents surrounding him he shook his head.

"During one of the cases, Reid was hurt, but the paramedics were busy with other patients, so I offered to take a look," said Hotch. The others slowly returned to their seats around the table. "He refused, said it was nothing and that he was fine."

"Sounds like Reid," said Morgan, arms crossed over his chest.

"You're right," said Hotch, nodding slowly. "I brushed it off as Reid being Reid and had decided not to worry too much. Eventually the paramedic did convince him to let them to a basic examination. The woman who did examine him said he had a lot of bruising that wasn't from the incident. A lot of partially healed bruises and a few scars from old stitches."

"What were they from? How did that happen?" asked Elle.

"I still don't know. Reid won't talk to me about it, and he won't tell Gideon or me. All I know is that a week ago I got a call from him, he sounded very weak, like he was in a lot of pain."

Flashback

"Please, Aaron, you have to help me."

"Reid? What happened? Where are you?"

"Home. Please. Help."

"Reid, what happened?"

"I can't. Just, please, help me."

"I'm coming, Reid. Just stay calm."

"I…I'll try."

"Hold on, Reid. I'm on my way."

End Flashback

"My God. What happened when you got there?" asked JJ, there was sheer panic in her eyes and she was on the edge of her seat with her eyes wide.

Hotch looked at Gideon, who nodded and let Hotch continue.

"The door was open and he was lying on the floor, unconscious. He was bleeding pretty badly, and bruised all over, like Morgan said. I don't know what happened, and he obviously couldn't tell me. I panicked and just tried to do what I could.

"I wrapped him up in a blanket off the couch, wrapped some of the deeper cuts and drove him down to the hospital. I just had to get him help."

"When did you find out about this, Gideon?" asked Morgan.

"Hotch called me from the hospital to tell me that Reid was in pretty bad shape and to make something up to tell you guys."

"What made you think you'd have to lie to us? Why didn't you just tell us the truth?"

"It was for Reid. Until he could tell us what happened, we didn't want anyone to know where he was, or why. We wanted him to be able to tell us and to get through this without everyone worried about him," said Hotch.

"But if we didn't know, we couldn't help him through it," said Elle and JJ nodded in agreement.

"We figured it'd just be a little while, that he'd be better in a couple days, but I guess we were wrong," said Gideon.

"You guess? Brenda told me that there was a psychiatrist there yesterday, that he might have had a psychotic break! People don't just gonna snap back from that!" said Morgan.

"Morgan's right, Gideon, what's gonna happen to him now? What are we going to do?" asked Elle.

"We're not really sure yet. We're just taking it day by day right now."

With in an hour it had been nearly unanimously decided that they would go and see Reid. Hotch had protested that it would be too overwhelming for Reid, but even Gideon had vetoed him.

***

At the hospital, Reid was asleep. Nightmares haunted his sleep and he tossed and turned, fighting what only he knew.

In his dreams a man stood above him, anger painted on a usually calm and compassionate face.

"What's the meaning of this?" the man yelled. Reid felt the carpet beneath him and curled himself up against the impending attack.

Something hard landed on his back, and he let out a whimper, trying to fight of what was happening.

"It's nothing! Just a tabloid!" he cried, raising his arm to defend himself from another fierce blow.

"A tabloid? A tabloid? You're in a tabloid?" the man screamed at him.

"I'm sorry, it's nothing!"

"It doesn't look like nothing! It looks like you're getting awfully cozy with that actress chick. Is this where you went all week? To hang out with the A-list Hollywood Starlets? Business you said, business! This doesn't look like business!"

The man whipped the rolled tabloid at the figure before him, before squatting down to look at his prey.

He grabbed a handful of the Reid's sandy brown hair and pulled him up so they were at eye level.

"You're gonna wish you'd never laid eyes on that blonde bimbo, Spence. You understand that? You promised that you were mine, and I expect you to remember that. Understood?"

Reid tried to nod, but the man's grip on his hair was to strong. A tear slid down his thin face as he prepared for the worst.

***

A scream alerted the nurses that their young patient was awake. Brenda rushed to his side, he was thrashing, crying and in obvious panic.

"Its okay, Dr. Reid, you're safe," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. His eyes opened quickly and the fear was intense.

"No, please!" he cried. Brenda looked up to see a doctor come in. She looked at Reid with fear and compassion.

"Doctor, he's panicking," she said. The doctor nodded and made a quick decision and pulled a needle from the drawer.

Reid's eyes widened in fear and he tried to push the young nurse away and fight away from the doctor.

"Dr. Reid, please, you need to stay still! It'll be okay." The doctor took the needle and injected the sedative into the IV.

Both the doctor and Brenda watched as Reid slowly slipped back into a dreamless sleep as the sedative took affect.