(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters)

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Rossi and Morgan didn't know what to say when they reentered the waiting room and most of the team turned to them. Morgan glanced at Rossi as he rubbed the back of his neck and Rossi was squinting at Aaron.

"How is he?" he asked as Aaron stood up.

"Better," Aaron said with a smile. "He spoke to me at least. Garcia and Emily are with him now. He's sleeping."

Rossi nodded slowly and he looked down for a moment before looking at Morgan.

Aaron watched their exchange with a frown. "What?"

"Did you find something?" JJ mumbled quietly, her eyes downcast.

"We found something," Morgan said and he looked away when Aaron's searching gaze found him.

Rossi cleared his throat. "When Spencer woke up did he say anything?"

"Not really... he wasn't really saying anything coherent. He mentioned his mom but I think he was confused."

Morgan and Rossi shared another look and Aaron folded his arms.

"What? Did you find dilaudid."

"No," Morgan said quickly and Aaron sagged a little.

JJ sat up in her seat. "But then... why did he..."

"We're still not sure, but I have an idea," Dave said before he turned to Aaron again. "We found Diana," he said.

Aaron's arms fell to his side. "What? I didn't realise she was out of Bennington."

"The apartment was mess," Dave said. "We thought Spencer had been robbed but Diana must have been having some kind of episode. Morgan found a pot of her pills and I found Diana wandering around outside."

"Outside?" JJ said her eyes wide with worry when Morgan nodded.

"Is she okay?" Aaron said.

"I'm not sure. She nearly got hit by a car when we got to her. She was covered in blood but she was talking."

"She wasn't making any sense," Morgan added.

"Where is she now?" Aaron asked. He felt awful. Spencer hadn't been confused, he'd been begging him to save his mother.

"In the hospital. She hurt herself pretty bad in the apartment. There was blood all over the kitchen," Morgan said and he grimaced.


Aaron walked into Spencer's room and he felt a sudden immense guilt. He smiled briefly as Garcia and Emily stepped out, leaving the seats open to him. Morgan came in behind Aaron and he too stopped before the bed.

"Jeez," Morgan muttered. He glanced at Hotch. "You didn't say he looked this beat up."

"He'll be okay," Aaron said as he slowly walked around the bed. He stopped at Spencer's side and gently grasped his hand. Morgan went around the other side.

"So," he said quietly. "What do we think Reid was there for? Lured there? Drugs?"

"Probably for his mother," Aaron said and he sat down. He pressed his lips slowly to Spencer's hand as the young man slept on. "He has been worried about her lately. I never realised he'd gotten her to move in with him."

Aaron sighed and he rubbed his thumb along the back of Spencer's hand. "It explains why he's been so distant. And why he stopped staying with me."

"I remember him telling me she could get violent, and say things she didn't remember later. Horrible stuff I think," Morgan said. "I wouldn't blame him for being so agitated at work."

"I wish he'd told me," Aaron said and he shook his head sadly. He thought him and Spencer had something unbreakable. How had he not realised the young man had so many things he was struggling with. He was going to need to talk to Spencer about opening up to him more about his problems.

Although, if he thought about it, Aaron knew he himself couldn't offer Diana a place in his home. If she got violent with her own son, what could she do to Jack. Spencer probably knew that too which is why he'd stopped staying at Aaron's and let his mother stay with him.

Spencer shifted slightly and Aaron hunched over the bed, grasping his hand tighter.

"Spencer?" he whispered. Spencer shifted his head away and frowned. He didn't open his eyes.

"Pretty boy?"

Spencer frowned again and he pried one eye open an inch. Morgan grinned as Spencer squinted at him but the young-man closed his eyes again.

Morgan walked up closer so he was beside the bed. "Aw, come on man, is that all I get?"

Spencer cracked his eye open again and scowled up at Morgan before he looked at Aaron.

He opened his other eye as he stared at Aaron's loving expression before he again turned to Morgan.

His frown grew in his confusion. "D-er?" he croaked and Derek grinned again.

"Good to see you awake, pretty boy."

Spencer didn't reply. He shifted again and looked at Aaron, squeezing his hand weakly.

"What...?" he managed to get out before coughing painfully.

"You were attacked. Do you remember? You woke up already and saw me."

Spencer started at Aaron groggily. "Aaron," he whispered as he tried to reach for him. Aaron took his other hand gently and pressed them to his lips.

"Yes."

Spencer watched him, breathing calmly for a moment until his breath hitched. His eyes widened. "My mom," he said, his voice rasping as his nails dug into the backs of Aaron's hands.

"She's safe," Morgan said and Spencer looked at his suddenly.

"I-I left her," he said in a sad voice and his wet eyes found Aaron. "She's alone."

"She's here," Aaron said and he reached forward to stroke Spencer's cheek.

"She's a little roughed up," Morgan said. "But she spoke to us." It wasn't a total lie. She had spoken, just not to them and not coherently.

"Check," Spencer said. He looked at Aaron imploringly. "Please, make sure..." he swallowed hard. "Make sure she's okay."

Aaron couldn't deny Spencer when he looked at him so desperately. He gave a slow nod and stood up from the bed. He slowly pulled his hands away from Spencer who was smiling up at him.

"Make sure he rests," Aaron said as Morgan sat next to Spencer.

"You got it."

Aaron stepped out of Spencer's room and made his way to the waiting room where the others were. JJ had gone home to be with Henry but the others still remained.

Rossi stood up when Aaron approached.

"He's awake," he said and Rossi visibly relaxed. "He's still out of it but it hasn't been that long."

"Is Morgan with him?"

"Yes. But you should all go home. Take a break, Garcia. You can visit him tomorrow."

Garcia pouted. "I'd better say goodbye."

"He'll probably be asleep again when you get there. But go ahead. I do expect you all to go home soon."

Emily nodded and picked up her bag. She distributed hugs before she left. Garcia hurried back to Spencer's room leaving Hotch with Rossi.

"Do you know where his mom is?" Aaron asked.

"I asked a nurse just ten minutes ago. She's being examined but she's awake."

"Do you know where?"

Rossi glanced across at the ER section and motioned to one of the curtained off beds. "One of those I think," he said.

Aaron looked at the curtains and saw nurses trailing back and forth between them. He nodded to Rossi. "Thanks."

"No problem. Is he really okay?"

"He will be," Aaron said. "I'll try and get him to talk tomorrow."

"Don't accuse him."

"I won't," Aaron said with a slight roll of his eyes. "You better go. You've been running around for hours."

"It's been nothing r-"

"Well at your age," Aaron said with a smirk as his words trailed off. Rossi glared playfully at him and chuckled.

"I'll be back tomorrow."

"I'll meet you here."

Once Rossi was gone Aaron made his way to the curtained off beds. He was about to ask where Diana Reid was when he heard her yelling.

"Where have you taken my son!?"

Aaron paused and turned back to three beds behind him. He waited, listening for Diana's stubborn voice.

"No, I don't NEED THAT! NOW WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY SON!?"


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