The members of the BAU, minus JJ, were gathered in a room in the Fairfield rec center. Given the damage to the local police station, this was the best that Fairfield could offer them. Even what was left of the Fairfield police force was currently working out of the rec center. The third day of this case was drawing to a close, and they were no closer to solving the case.

"This doesn't make sense. He hits the fire company and then the police station and then nothing. He's completely disappeared. Nobody has claimed responsibility. Nothing else has been targeted. Nobody wakes up one day, decides to bomb a fire station and police station, decide he had enough fun and quits," Morgan commented.

"Nobody bombs two important places to a town like a fire station and police station without a reason," Prentiss added.

"There's a reason for this, we just haven't found it yet," Hotch said, looking around at his team. Morgan and Prentiss were sitting across from each other at the same table he was sitting at. Reid was standing, his gaze locked on the evidence board. " I know we've gone over this again but let's trying thinking through this again. What would the UnSub gain by bombing the fire station and police station?"

Both Morgan and Prentiss brought up reasons. Reasons that they had considered before but revisited hoping they would come across something that they had overlooked before. It was all review though and got them nowhere.

"What if these two targets were only meant as a distraction," Reid commented, turning from the board.

As he did the door to the room opened and JJ rejoined them. Their eyes met momentarily before JJ quickly looked away. It was long enough for Reid to see the hurt and sadness in JJ's eyes. ~I need to apologize,~ Reid thought, thinking of what had happened earlier that day.

The two of them had been alone in the room, as Hotch and Prentiss were out revisited the crime scenes and Morgan had gone on a coffee run. It had been the first time Morgan had let him out of his sight for more than ten minutes since they had come out to Nebraska. JJ had taken the opportunity to inquire how Reid was doing. Reid had managed to answer her questions without going into too much detail. He had no desire to recount his nightmare again, especially not to JJ, knowing it would only upset her. Reid didn't want her blaming herself again. What had happened wasn't her fault.

JJ had made a suggestion that it might be helpful for Reid to go talk to a therapist. It was that suggestion that had set him off. Talking about this stuff was hard enough with Gideon, Hotch, Morgan and even her. People he knew and trusted.

"I'm not going to a therapist!"

"It may help, Spence. I'm worried about you the whole team is and I don't know about the others but there are times I don't know how to help you. Don't know if I'm doing more harm then good."

"So you want to just pass me off to someone else. Wash your hands of the problem."

"Spence, that isn't it!" JJ said, reaching out for his hand.

Reid had drawn his hand away, while getting to his feet. "If I'm too much trouble for you, then just forget about me," he told her slipping the watch she had given her off. He placed the watch on the table in front of her. "I don't need you. I don't need anyone."

~But that wasn't true. He did need her. Needed the team. Wasn't that why I'm out here in the first place instead of at home taking some time off. Time off that I'm pretty sure they all think I need.~

~I know she was only making the suggestion because she cares about me but I won't go to a therapist. I can't. I can't explain to a stranger things this personal. It wasn't fair to JJ for me to go off on her like that. I keep lashing out at my friends. Why? I don't understand why I keep doing that,~ Reid thought, thinking of the night in Morgan's apartment and what had transpired. ~I don't know why he's even still standing by me.~

"A distraction for what? If they were a distraction wouldn't they have made their move close to the incidents?" Prentiss asked.

Reid looked away from JJ who was looking anywhere but in his direction and toward Prentiss as he addressed her questions.

"Attacking the fire and police departments hinders the response time in an emergency. What if that was the only intent of the two attacks and the UnSub has his primary targets still in sight. While the fire department is still not able to respond, State Police are keeping an increase presence within the town following the attacks."

"Which is countering the effects of the attack on the police station," Hotch said, picking up on where Reid was going. "He hasn't made his next move because he feels that its not safe."

Reid nodded as JJ spoke up.

"Well then the UnSub might get what he wants. Sheriff Phillips has just informed me that State Police are pulling their extra men in the area tomorrow morning at nine a.m.."

Hotch rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to decide what to do. Finally he looked up at his team. "Let's call it a night. We've been working long hours with little to show for it. I think we all need sleep more than anything else. We'll meet here at eight o'clock tomorrow morning."

The members of the BAU all started gathering their things and heading out of the room. It was just about five in the evening and they were all looking forward to a chance to eat a non-hurried meal, and a long shower before retiring. As Morgan headed for the door, he glanced back at Reid, silently asking him if he was coming.

Reid nodded his head in Hotch's direction, who was still seated at the table. Morgan nodded in understanding and mouthed the words - "I'll wait for you outside." Morgan then slipped out of the room, letting the door closed behind him.

Alone now with the unit chief, Reid took a deep breath.

~Why am I so nervous?~ he asked himself. ~It's just Hotch. He's never showed disinterest in taking the time to talk to any of us. To do anything he can to help us. Why would this time be any different.~

"What's with you and Reid? Did the two of you have a fight?" Prentiss asked JJ as the two agents walked the short distance between the rec center and the Days Inn they were staying at.

~So the tension between us is noticeable. And if Prentiss noticed, I know Hotch did,~ JJ thought.

"Not a fight really. More a misunderstanding," JJ replied.

"Did he go off on you for something minor that he blew out of proportion?" Emily asked.

"Spence has been under a lot of stress lately," JJ said, instantly defensive despite what had happened. Despite still feeling hurt by the words Spencer had said to her and his action of giving her back the watch. She recalled Morgan's words to her earlier that afternoon right after it had happened as he had returned as Spencer was leaving.

~"I know what he said and did hurt you JJ but please don't hold it against him. Reid needs us right now whether he realizes it or not. He's got it in his head that everyone leaves him and part of him is trying to make that true by pushing people away. We can't let him do that. We need to show him that we're there for him no matter what he does."~

JJ had the feeling there was more to it than that. That Morgan knew something he wasn't saying. ~And I've got a pretty good idea what that something is. I think the whole team does. I'd rather not know for sure though. I just want the old Reid back but I don't think I'll ever get that.~

"We can't judge him to harshly, Emily and I can't blame him entirely for what happened."

"I'm not trying to judge him, JJ but I've been on the receiving end of those outbursts a couple of times. I know how much it can hurt," Emily told her, putting her arm around JJ's shoulders.

"I shouldn't have made the suggestion that I did."

"What suggestion?"

"That he see a therapist," JJ said. Beside her she heard Emily's quiet "ahha". "I knew it wouldn't go over well but . . ." JJ paused, getting up the courage to say the next words. "I don't want to lose him Emily and there are times I think we will."

"We won't," Emily assured her, giving her friend's shoulders a slight squeeze. "We're not going to let that happen despite the hurt feelings that are going to arise. We've just got to be stronger than that and remember that Reid is our friend and he's worth anything we have to go through in order to help him."

JJ nodded.

~I'm glad she understands. She doesn't know Reid as well as the rest of us. Didn't get to spend a lot of time with him before he went through that ordeal with Hankle,~ JJ thought. In that moment she realized just how special the bond this team had was.

Reid was in with Hotch for about ten minutes. As Morgan waited for Reid outside the rec center, he watched as people walked past, going about there business. A couple of police officers walked in and out of the rec building, the grief heavy on their faces.

~They lost a third of their force in that attack. For a small town like this that isn't easy to recover from. We've got to find this guy.~

Morgan spotted Reid walk out of the rec center and moved away from the tree he had been leaning against. Without a word the two agents started toward the Days Inn side by side. Unlike Emily and JJ, the two didn't speak.

~I don't know if I should breach the topic of what happened with JJ or not. It really should be between the two of them but I hate to see JJ hurting like she is.~

"Do you think JJ will speak to me again?" Reid asked as they approached the front entrance of the Days Inn.

"What?" Morgan asked, the question taking him by surprise, especially as it had mirrored his own thoughts.

"I know she would have told you what happened while you were gone. I need to apologize but I don't know if she'll speak to me. She wouldn't even look at me back at the rec center."

"She's hurt by what you said and did, Reid."

"I know. She probably hates me. I hate me."

"She doesn't hate you Reid. If that were the case, she wouldn't have been hurt by what happened. She made the suggestion about the therapist because she cares about you. JJ would do anything for you, even after this afternoon. We all would," Morgan said as they reached the steps and headed up to their rooms on the second floor.

"Do you think she's right? Do you think I need to see a therapist?"

"Talking to a therapist can help people sort a lot of things out but I know you, Kid. I know how hard it would be for you to talk about what your feeling with someone you don't know."

~Just as hard as it would be for me, if not harder. That's why I haven't made the suggestion though I'm glad someone finally did. No matter the outcome it was something that needed to be spoken.~

"It's more than that," Reid stated, having reached the top step. He stopped and leaned his arms on the railing, gazing down at the lobby below. He waited until Morgan was beside him to continue. "I'm scared. I'm scared that if I talk to a therapist they might find that it isn't just dealing with what I went through in Georgia that's the problem. I'm afraid to be told I have schizophrenia like my Mom."

"You're nothing like your mom, Kid."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. Just because you don't think about or look at things the way everyone else does, that doesn't mean there is something wrong. Your intelligence and eidetic memory are extraordinary gifts and its only natural that you're going to see things in way us normal people can't. That doesn't mean your sick. You're mother can't function without her meds. You do and not only in normal situations but even now. With all your dealing with you're still able to do your job. You just proved that back there."

"Do you think I should see a therapist?"

"Kid, only you can answer that," Morgan told him, hearing Reid sigh next to him. "What I do know is that you do need to talk about what you're going through with someone. Now, who that person is, that's your choice. Like I told you the other night though, don't let it get bottled up inside. Don't let it eat away at you."

"Morgan, I need you to do something for me."

Morgan didn't hesitate with his answer. "Anything, Kid."