Derek and Spencer spent the rest of the weekend barely leaving the others sight. When the two had gotten home from the marathon, they both almost instantly fell into bed with one another. Spencer had still been feeling tired after his most recent treatment, that mixed with the lack of sleep and the emotional night they had, falling asleep was easy. Derek was more than happy to do the same, as long as they were spending the time together.

It was Monday morning when the two woke up, angry that the weekend was over. "Spencer, c'mon," Derek mumbled as he sat up.

Spencer rolled over to his side of the bed causing Derek to let out another groan. "You'd better be up by the time I get out of the shower," he said as he forced himself to get out of bed. He stole another glance at Spencer, who still hadn't moved, before making his way out of the room. "We need a vacation."

After he left, Spencer blinked the sleep out of his eyes. He let out his own groan as he realized it was morning. He sat up and glanced back at the pillows, glad to see that it didn't seem like that anymore of his hair had fallen out during the night.

It had become part of his routine each morning since he first realized his hair was thinning. He considered himself lucky. He had readied himself when he had first started chemo, knowing that one of the side-effects was hair loss. Derek didn't know, but Spencer had panicked the first morning when he found the small clump of hair. It had taken him by surprise, and he found that he couldn't really prepare himself for something like that.

Spencer was pulled from his thoughts when he felt the bed dip beside him. He looked to see a freshly showered and dressed Derek.

"Stuck in your head, again, Pretty Boy?" Derek teased as he wrapped an arm around the other man's waist. "Thought I'd have to throw a bucket of water on you to wake you up."

Spencer rolled his eyes and snorted. "Like you would actually go through with it," he said as he stood up from the bed.

Derek grinned. "I still owe you for what you did to my phone. Paybacks are a bitch."

"As you've said before," Spencer remarked, returning the smile. "You'd better have coffee made when I get out," and he made his way out of the room.

45 minutes later, they were on their way to Spencer's appointment.

"Hotch knows we're going to be a little later than usual, right?" Spencer asked, before taking a large sip of his coffee.

"He knows you have blood work on Mondays. Why would today be any different?"

"This is the first time I have an appointment with Dr. Barnes after. Considering my reaction to the last round of chemo, it may take a little longer than planned."

Derek rolled his tongue around as he thought it over. "I'll shoot Hotch a text while you're getting your blood work done. No need to worry about anything." He reached over to squeeze Spencer's knee reassuringly. "Everything will be fine."

"I just want to make sure I can still go with you to Chicago. I hated missing your mother's birthday last year."

They both remained quiet as Derek pulled into the parking lot at Saint Sebastian.

"Remember, Dr. Barnes said all traveling is up to you and how you feel. How are you feeling now?" Derek asked as he turned off the car.

"Besides your usual need of five coffees to function normally." As they climbed out of the car, Derek grinned when he saw the small glare Spencer was sending him.

"I feel fine," he replied as they made their way inside. "But that's now. There's no way to predict how I will be feeling on Thursday."

Derek took his hand and squeezed as they made their way through the lobby. "We'll take each day as it comes."

They entered the elevator and were thankful they were alone. Derek pulled Spencer against him, planting a kiss on the younger man's lips.

"I love you," Spencer mumbled as he pulled away.

"I love you, too," Derek replied with a smile.

Derek was sitting in the waiting room while Spencer had been taken back to the phlebotomy labs to get his blood work done. Pulling out his phone, he dialed Hotch.

"Hotchner," came the immediate, familiar greeting.

"Hey, Hotch. It's me," Derek began. "I forgot that Spencer had an appointment with his doctor, so we're going to be a little late."

"That's fine. There haven't been any cases that need our immediate help. If there are, I'll call you," Hotch assured. "Is there anything else?"

Derek sighed and ran a hand over his head. "Yeah but nothing that can't wait until we get to work."

"Very well," Hotch replied. "I'll see you later."

Derek let out another sigh as he hung up and slipped his phone back into his pocket.

"Agent Morgan?" Derek looked to the door and smiled at Molly. They have come to know her very well over the course of Spencer's treatment. "Spencer is already in Dr. Barnes office and I've come to bring you back there."

Derek nodded and stood, following the nurse down the hallway.

"Dr. Barnes should be along shortly," she said as they reached the office and she gestured for him to enter the room.

"Thank you," he said as he walked past her into the room.

Spencer was sitting in one of the chairs facing Dr. Barnes' desk, playing with the ends of the sleeves to his cardigan. When the door closed, he jumped slightly and looked up. "Oh, hey," he mumbled as Derek to the seat next to him, a small smile on his face.

Derek returned it. "Everything okay?"

Spencer nodded. "You know me with needles." Derek nodded, sensing that Spencer was worried about the appointment.

The two didn't have to wait long and both looked to the door as Dr. Barnes entered the room. "Good morning to you both," he greeted as he walked over and shook their hands before taking his seat. "Now, how have you been feeling?"

Spencer licked his lips and cleared his throat before answering. "I reacted a bit differently to the treatment this time," he began. "I was still nauseous and got sick following the initial wasn't until the next day I started noticing different side effects."

"He felt fine the next morning," Derek picked up. "He went to work and everything. It wasn't until later he started to feel worse."

"How so?" Dr. Barnes as he began taking notes.

"I was getting tired more easily, had a bit of a headache. By the time we got a case, I had a low grade fever and the usual injection site had begun to feel achy," Spencer explained.

"Did you go on the case?"

Both Spencer and Derek shook their heads. "I stayed behind, worked from here."

Doctor Barnes nodded. "Did anything get worse?"

"By the end of the day, the fever had reached about 100 degrees. The headache wouldn't go away but after I took Tylenol, the pain was less intense and the pain in my elbow started to go away."

"The fever and everything else was gone by Friday and he only felt a bit tired over the weekend," Derek added.

They fell into a comfortable silence as Dr. Barnes took everything in and finished his notes. "These side effects are normal and the ones that patients receiving carmustine experience. As you know, it's different for every patient," he explained. "Nothing you said seems out of the ordinary, and this makes it so we can treat it if it happens with the next round."

Derek and Spencer nodded in understanding as Dr. Barnes pulled a sheet out of Spencer's file. "Now, for your blood results."

Spencer sat up a little straighter in anticipation, Dr. Barnes tone sending off some alarms in his head. "Is there something wrong?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly.

Derek looked from Dr. Barnes to Spencer, before taking Spencer's hand and squeezing it.

"Just some things we need to watch," Barnes replied.

"Like what?" Derek asked.

"Your hemoglobin and red blood cell count are low, heading towards anemia. You white blood cell count is also in the lower percentile," he explained, looking to Spencer. "All we can do right now is watch them. Nothing to worry about unless they get lower."

"Do we need to do more tests during the week to make sure?" Spencer asked.

Dr. Barnes was silent as he thought it over and shook his head. "Not yet. We're fine to stay on your current schedule. This is only a week after your treatment, so it's normal to see them decline. In the following weeks, they could go either way. Like I said, we'll just watch them."

Spencer nodded and sat back in his seat, letting out a relieved sigh. Derek looked at him and smiled before looking back at the doctor. "We're flying to Chicago this weekend and he wanted to make sure he would be able to go," he explained.

Dr. Barnes nodded, understanding. "It comes down to if you feel you're well enough to go or not," he said to Spencer. "Now, do you two have anymore questions?"

The two agents shook their heads and he smiled. "Then I'll see you at your next appointment," he said as the three of them stood.

"When would you like that to be?" Derek asked as they stepped into the hallway.

"The week before your next treatment, if you can," he replied. "And if you're experiencing any other side effects or something seems off, call us immediately."

The three shook hands and parted ways.

After making the next appointment with the receptionist, Derek smiled as the two of them stepped into the elevator. "Feeling better about things, Pretty Boy?"

Spencer looked over at him, a small smile on his face. "Yeah, I'll just have to make sure I watch for the signs of low blood counts."

"And you know what those are?"

Spencer looked right at him, raising an eyebrow and cocked his head to the right. Derek smirked "Right, sorry."

The ride into work was comfortably silent, both of them still trying to digest everything that Doctor Barnes had told them. Once they had reached the bullpen, Spencer was confused when Derek followed him, considering he usually headed to his own office first thing.

"Something wrong?" Spencer asked as they both reached his desk.

"Just need to talk to Hotch about something," Derek replied.

"We're not in trouble for being late or anything?" Spencer asked, biting his lip as he took a seat at his desk.

Derek quickly shook his head. "No. Nothing to do with that, just need to ask him something."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

Spencer sighed. "Alright. Tell me about it later?"

Derek nodded and quickly pecked Spencer on the lips. "Meet me in my office for lunch."

Spencer smiled and got up, heading towards the break area as Derek made his way to Hotch's office.

Derek knocked on the open door. Hotch looked up from whatever case file he was working on and gestured for Derek to come into the room. Derek nodded and took a seat in front of Hotch's desk.

"You needed to talk about something?" Hotch asked as he got up from his desk and walked around to the front, leaning against it as he looked at Derek. "Is everything alright with Reid?"

Derek quickly nodded. "He's fine. The side effects that he suffered from last week are normal for those going through the chemo regime he's on. His blood counts are little low, but that's supposed to be a normal thing as well."

Hotch nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest and waited for Derek to continue.

"I know that we already have the three day weekend to visit my mom in Chicago, but I was wondering if it would be possible to take off a few days earlier?"

"What did you have in mind?"

Derek ran a hand over his scalp. "I think Spencer needs a small break from everything right now, getting away from the office, hell just getting away from everything in Virginia right now," he explained. "I want to take him to Vegas before we head to Chicago. He hasn't seen his mom since before his diagnosis."

"When?"

Derek raised an eyebrow. "I was hoping tomorrow, but I understand that you probably don't want to be two agents down sooner than-"

"Done," Hotch said, cutting him off. "I'll make sure the paperwork is all in place."

"Really?"

Hotch smirked and nodded as he stood up and went back to sit behind his desk. "Really," he echoed. "Is there anything else?"

Derek smiled and shook his head. "Thanks, Hotch," he said and made his way out of the office to his own.

Spencer watched Derek through the blinds in Hotch's office, hoping to clue in on just what this impromptu meeting between the two of them may be about. He let out of a small, relieved smile when Derek walked out of the office smiling. Making eye contact with Reid, Derek winked at him before making his way out of the bullpen. Spencer smiled to himself as he finished his current file and taking another from his inbox.

"Wonder what that was about?" He heard Emily comment from his left. Spencer didn't look at her as he shrugged, keeping his gaze on the folder in front of him.

"You don't know?" she asked.

Spencer shook his head.

"Are you seriously giving me the silent treatment?" Emily asked, sounding exasperated.

"Who's getting the silent treatment?" JJ asked as she sat down at her desk, looking between the two other agents.

"Me, apparently," Emily replied.

JJ sighed and looked at Spencer. "Are you still angry about Saturday?"

Spencer didn't reply, closing his now finished case file and grabbing another one.

"I wouldn't think he'd be one to hold a grudge," Emily mumbled to JJ.

"How long do you think the silent treatment is going to last?"

Spencer wrote something on a sheet of paper, reached over the divider and dropped it on Emily's desk.

JJ moved her chair over to Emily's desk as Emily grabbed it. "What's it say?"

Emily groaned and looked over at Reid with a small glare as she handed the sheet of paper to JJ.

"A couple hours," JJ read aloud. "You're not going to let it go, are you?"

Spencer remained silent.

"Well today she should be interesting," JJ grumbled, before moving back to her own desk.

The rest of the morning passed in silence as Spencer had been his stubborn self and managed to basically ignore the two of them until it was time to break for lunch. Grabbing his coat and bag, Spencer got up and made his way to Derek's office. The door was open and he could see Derek was finishing up a case file. He knocked to make sure he wasn't interrupting anything.

Derek's head shot up at the knock and he grinned when he saw it was Spencer. "Come on in, Pretty Boy," he said, getting up from his desk.

Spencer turned the smile and closed the door behind him. Derek walked up to him and pulled him into a kiss.

"Not that I mind," Spencer said after they had pulled away. "But what was that for?"

Derek smiled. "Just 'cause."

Spencer raised an eyebrow, but let it go. "So, what did you need to talk to Hotch about?"

Derek led them both to the couch, taking Spencer's hand in his own as they sat down. "About our trip to the Chicago this weekend."

Spencer bit his lip. "Did a case come up?"

Derek should his head. "No, nothing bad, nothing like that," he quickly said, hoping to calm Spencer down a little. "I thought he needed to extend it."

"Extend it how?"

Derek sighed. "How do you feel about going to Vegas?"

Spencer took a deep breath and looked at Derek questioningly as he let it out. "Go to Vegas? This week?"

"More like tomorrow," Derek replied with a smile. "I know you've been wanting to see your mom and I think we need a little escape from everything here."

"And it's all cleared with Hotch?" Spencer asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Derek nodded.

Spencer immediately wrapped his arms around Derek's neck, shoving his face into his shoulder. Derek returned the hug, holding Spencer tight against him. "I'm guessing you're happy?"

Spencer nodded into his shoulder, tightening his hold.

They remained that way for a little while, not really caring that they were giving up their lunch break for this.

"Thank you, Derek, really," Spencer said as he sat up and pulled Derek into a kiss.

"No need to thank me, Pretty Boy," Derek replied. "We both needed this."

Spencer rested his head against Derek's shoulder and nodded. "So we leave tomorrow morning?"

Derek wrapped an arm around Spencer's waist. "Yep. I already booked the flights and everything."

"I'll call Bennington this afternoon, see how mom's doing before we go visit her, how long are we there?"

"We'll get in mid-afternoon tomorrow, and fly out to Chicago Thursday night."

Spencer nodded and glanced at his watch, groaning. "Lunch is over."

"We'll have a big dinner tonight," Derek said as the two of them stood.

"Not what I was groaning about. I know it seems puerile, but I'm still annoyed with Emily and JJ," Spencer admitted.

"And not Garcia?"

Spencer raised an eyebrow. "I know better than to be annoyed or even angry with Garcia. Not going down that road."

Derek snorted and nodded in agreement. "I'll see you in a few hours then," he said, pulling Spencer in for one more kiss. "Then the rest of the week, we're out of here."

"Can't wait," Spencer whispered in response, before pecking Derek on the cheek and making his way back to the bullpen.

JJ was already back from lunch when he returned to the bullpen, a smile still on his face.

"Someone must've had a good lunch break," she teased lightly as he sat down.

Spencer hummed in agreement as he moved his bag under his desk and grabbed the case file he had been working on.

JJ groaned. "Spence, c'mon, it's been more than a couple hours-"

"Oh look! You do actually know the meaning of that," Spencer retorted as he turned in his chair to look at her.

JJ's eyes widened in surprise. "Is that really what this is all about? I've already apologized, so has Emily and Garcia. I don't think it's fair you're treating us like this."

Spencer turned fully now to look at her, sitting up straight and crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't really think I'm being unfair."

"Really, Reid?" came Emily's voice, causing the two of them to jump. She was sitting at her desk; neither had seen her return from lunch. "I seriously think you're blowing all of this out of proportion."

"I still-"

"You're acting like a child over this," JJ stated, cutting him off.

"I agree with her," Emily said.

"Well, I disagree with you both, but obviously you're just not going to see it from my point of view," Spencer said in a soft voice. He grabbed the mug on his desk and stood, making his way over to the break area.

Emily and JJ glanced at each other, both confused by Spencer's sudden change in behavior.

"I agree with him, actually," Rossi announced as he stepped up to them. He had heard the conversation from his office, he'd even admit to be eavesdropping slightly. He had talked to Will after dropping JJ at home. "You two really aren't seeing this from his point of view."

"So we didn't tell him it was going to be our regular ladies' night and he ended up babysitting longer than planned," Emily said, still confused.

"Again, that's not how he's looking at it either. At least, not consciously," Rossi began. "Put yourself in his place. After working a case from home because he was too sick, separated from the man that has hardly ever left his side for a few days," he stopped to let that sink in.

As both JJ and Emily thought it over, they frowned and looked guilty. "And the first night they get to spend together after that was spent on my couch," JJ growled. "Now I feel horrible about this."

"Me too," Emily said.

Rossi shook his head. "Just don't badger him on it anymore and you guys should be fine," he said and returned to his office.

Spencer returned from the break area a few minutes later, ignoring both of the apologetic looks Emily and JJ were sending him. He already felt bad for snapping at him but this whole day had been way too emotional and he couldn't wait for it to be over.

"The week off is going to be just what I needed," he mumbled to himself before taking a sip of his coffee and throwing himself into his work, hoping the rest of the day would pass by quickly.

Spencer smiled as Derek opened the door to their hotel room the next afternoon.

The previous day, Spencer had thrown himself into his work, making sure he got through all of the files so that he wouldn't be behind when he got back to work on Monday. When quitting time he came, he grabbed his stuff, said a small goodbye to both Emily and JJ, and made his way to Derek's office. They had packed that night, called the Haywood's about watching Clooney and had gone to bed early to catch their flight.

Spencer had fallen asleep on the drive to the airport then on the plane itself. Derek didn't mind, knowing how Spencer was prone to feeling tired or sick without any warning.

Derek dropped their bags near the closet of the room and walked over to Spencer, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Well you certainly seem happy," Derek commented, pulling Spencer in for a kiss. Spencer opened his mouth, deepening the kiss. Spencer almost giggled when they pulled away, resting his head against Derek's shoulder. "Scratch that, you definitely are happy," Derek said with a laugh. Spencer lifted his head and grinned, nodding.

"It's because of you," he whispered as he stole another kiss.

"Pretty Boy, we're here for another two days and have more than enough time to do more of this, but I thought you wanted to see your mom," Derek said after they had broken apart for air.

Spencer's smile stayed as he stepped away and nodded. "I know," he said. "It just feels so good to be away from everything at home right now."

"I agree with you there," Derek said as he kept his arms wrapped around Spencer's waist. "Did you call Bennington?"

Spencer nodded. "She's been having some good days. Dr. Norman said we'll be good to come by both days," he explained, biting his lip.

Derek frowned slightly. "I know that face, what's wrong?"

Spencer sighed. "I'm nervous. I know I'm usually nervous about seeing my mom, but this time it's different. From the few times I've been able to talk to her on the phone, she at least knows what's going on to an extent, but she hasn't-"

"She hasn't actually seen how its changed you," Derek finished for him, understanding.

Spencer nodded and took a deep breath. "There's no sense in putting it off though."

Derek smiled and unwrapped his arms from Spencer, took a hand in his own and entwined their fingers, giving it a squeeze. "Everything's going to be fine."

Spencer looked at him, giving a small smile in return. "I know."