A/N: Here we go everyone, the last chapter for this segment! There's more to come and it'll really start to pick up on some of the unanswered questions but it's a longer story over a far longer period of time so I'm still working on it! I'll have it finished and up as soon as I can!

Chapter 10

He was warm, cocooned by blankets when he woke. He let himself languish in the semi-awareness for a long while enjoying the lack of pain. He could hear something familiar, safe, next to him but he wasn't awake enough to identify. After a while he could smell antiseptics, hear regular beeping and a soft nearby hissing. He opened his eyes sluggishly seeing the white ceiling. He followed the sound to see his mother in a chair at his bedside with a book she was reading aloud. He smiled weakly and let himself slip back into sleep for a time. When he woke the doctor was checking him over, his mother still there with the book in hand, her finger holding her place.

"Mom." he was surprised by how weak he sounded. It was almost as weak as he felt.

"Spencer, my baby, how do you feel?" she ran her fingers through his hair gently.

"Mr. Reid, it's good to see you awake. Can you tell me how you feel?" the doctor interjected.

"Tired and weak, what's going on?" He sat himself up further cringing with diffused intense pain through his shoulder.

"You don't remember what happened? Do you know where you are?"

"Hospital, don't know the name…feeling groggy."

"That's understandable; you've been out for several days now. Let's give you a little more time to wake up. We had you on some pretty heavy sedatives. I'm sure it'll come back to you." He nodded as the doctor left.

"Are you sure you're okay Spencer? You're so skinny lately." He smiled blearily.

"Not skinny."

"You are, you need to take it easier on yourself. You're always in trouble lately."

"It's not that bad mom." He looked at the door wondering at just his mother's presence, partly how she got here at all but also at the lack of his team. He felt an ache in his chest without them.

"Don't lie to me Spencer. First there was that car chase, Chapos…oh whatever his name was and then that paper killer fellow and now this guy with the gun. Don't tell me it's not bad." He sank further into the bed too tired to argue.

"Have my team been by while I was sleeping?" the sudden harsh shift in body language surprised and worried him.

"No, they won't be bothering you."

"What're you talking about Mom? Where's my team? Are they okay?"

"Oh there fine. I just made sure they wouldn't bother you anymore, especially with you coming back with me!"

"Wait what do you mean coming back with you? What did you do Mom?" the i.v drip released another dose of pain medication and he fell into sleep without an answer. He was in and out for the next day, bombarded with questions by the doctor and his mother reading books to him. She was always abrupt and reticent when he asked about the team. He remembered flashes of them outside the door or heated arguments with his mother barring them from the room but he couldn't quite place if they were real memories or just dreams. He woke the next morning with a nurse checking him and his mother not present.

"Excuse me, where's my mother?"

"We told her to check into a hotel and get some food and sleep. We got a call from her doctor explaining her condition. Apparently she had simply left without a word." He nodded.

"Is Agent Hotchner or Morgan here?" he licked his lips repeatedly until she gave him a cup with water and a straw.

"I believe there's an Agent Hotchner waiting outside right now. There's been someone here every day but your mother has forbidden them coming into the room. Is there something you need hun? Are you feeling any pain?"

"No, I'm feeling okay. Can you ask Hotch in here?"

"Sure sweet heart, I'll send him right in."

"Thanks." He was alone only a moment before Hotch entered. Reid frowned seeing his haggard appearance, his eyes with dark circles under and deep worry that only slightly lightened with relief.

"Reid, how are doing?"

"Alright I guess, confused, my mother didn't say much." Hotch gave an odd chuckle which didn't go unnoticed by Spencer.

"How much do you remember?" Hotch settled heavily in the chair cradling a coffee which Reid looked to longingly.

"I remember Jones, the shooter, and a chess game? It's a bit fuzzy. I can't think why my mother is here. She seems…mad but I don't know what's wrong."

"Yes, your mother. She saw the news reports and slipped out of the hospital to hop plane here and save you. She blames us for what happened to you, before and with Chaplin and Chadwick."

"She worries a lot. She didn't cause too much trouble did she?" Hotch gained another almost forced uncomfortable grin.

"She slipped this on my desk a few nights ago." He handed over a printout which Reid realized was a typed up resignation, his resignation from the BAU, and what looked like his signature.

"I didn't sign this Hotch, I swear. I don't want to leave."

"I know Reid."

"This is actually impressive though."

"Yes,, your mother can be impressive when properly motivated."

"What happened to the shooter? I think I heard him called Jones?"

"Sebastian Jones, we found him dead, shot in the head point blank. Evidence indicated it was probably with a sawed off shotgun and he had a penny shoved into his mouth." Reid scowled.

"Another unsub killed him, and left a penny in his mouth?"

"That's what we're finding right now."

"So there's another serial killer out there?" his eyes began to dip, sleep pulling at him.

"Maybe."

"And he killed Jones before he could kill me?" It was getting harder to stay awake.

"That's what it looks like. Sleep Reid, we'll get this figured out." He didn't object feeling exhausted, eyes drooping fast.

"M-kay, as long as it doesn't…have to do with…me."