After a nearly sleepless night, Reid faced the morning with dread. He was about to embark on the most difficult conversation of his life. Or maybe not. Maybe the most difficult had been when he'd first had Diana committed. She'd made it clear that he had "taken away her entire life" that day. He'd felt like he'd betrayed her while at the same time he knew it was for her benefit. Now, he wasn't sure if he would be advising her for her benefit or for his. And now the stakes really were "her entire life". He hoped Dr. Carson would be able to help him.

Still in her room, JJ was on the phone with Garcia. "He's doing as well as can be expected, I guess, considering. No one seems very optimistic. In fact, her doctor wants to meet with Reid this morning to discuss how much treatment to give her and whether to resuscitate her if she needs it. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't sleep at all."

"I thought she'd regained consciousness. Has she gotten worse?"

"She's awake, and yesterday she felt well enough to talk—even read to us, which was a pretty interesting experience. But they're afraid that she could get much worse very suddenly if the tumor bleeds, so they want to talk about what to do if that happens. Poor Spence, it's being left to him to discuss it with her because she's not considered competent. Although she seemed pretty sharp to me. Spence says it's because she's in a "window period" between when she came off her meds-they stopped them when she was admitted, so they could figure out her mental status-and the time when the schizophrenia will show itself."

"Well, you give him my love and great big hug from godmother to godfather. "

"I will. Garcia, is anyone else there now?"

"No. They were called to a case in Arizona, flew out last night. I thought someone might have told you."

That took JJ by surprise. "They went on a case down two team members? Let me call Hotch. Talk to you soon."

She got him a few seconds later. "You're on speaker, JJ. How are things going there?"

"The more important question is how are they going there? Hotch, I never meant for you to be so shorthanded on a case. I could have come back if you needed me."

"Relax, JJ." It was Rossi's voice. "We're here for a possible serial but aren't even sure about that yet."

Hotch added, "You're only in Nevada—we can have you here quickly if we need you."

Emily spoke up. "How's Reid? Is he with you?"

JJ repeated what she'd said to Garcia, and Emily responded, "Stay with him, JJ. We really will call you if this turns into something, but right now I think we all feel better that you're with him."

"Yeah,"-Morgan-"You tell Pretty Boy I'm thinking about him-and his mom."

"I'll do that," JJ said with a smile in her voice. "Please call me if you want me to come. Spence will understand. And please, all of you, be careful."

Hotch ended the call. "Take care, JJ. And tell Reid he should take all the time he needs right now. He is where he should be."

They met up for coffee. JJ passed along the others' good wishes but didn't mention they were out on a case. She feared Reid would feel guilty about being away, and especially about not knowing how long he might be gone.

Reid thought JJ should take a break and relax while he met with Dr. Carson, but she declined. "I think I'll go and keep your mother company for a while, Spence. Would you mind if I did that?"

"I think she might like it, but I don't know that you will. Unless you like being lectured to about medieval English literature. That's what tends to happen when she has an audience."

"I wouldn't mind that at all. But I also think there might be some other things she'd like to talk about," JJ was smiling to herself. "We'll see."

When they got to the hospital, Reid went directly to his meeting with Dr. Carson while JJ went to Diana.

"Please have a seat, Dr. Reid. I know how difficult this ordeal is for you. Again, I am so very sorry to be having this conversation. As you know, your mother's tumor has already had some internal bleeding, leading to her seizure. That is usually a negative sign, meaning that it usually means it will bleed again. It might be only a slight bleed, resulting in another seizure or even some minor damage to that part of her brain….or it could be a major bleed, leading to significant brain damage and possibly to her losing the ability to breathe on her own-or leading rapidly to death."

He gave Reid a few moments to take it in. Reid's mind was stuck on the idea that this left sided tumor could cause left sided brain damage-the processing center for words, and words being so precious to his mother, so much a part of what had sustained her in her isolation at Bennington. Could this tumor be so diabolical as to take away her one comfort?

Dr. Carson went on, "We need to determine how much intervention should be made, especially if Mrs. Reid were left not fully conscious or able to breathe on her own. Should she be intubated? Given a feeding tube? Should she receive CPR? Doctor, do you have any sense of what your mother would want?"

Reid shook his head. "It's not something we've ever talked about. But I know how much she hates procedures, how her paranoia is heightened whenever she even needs a blood test. She hasn't even had a flu shot in years because she gets so agitated, thinking they're running an experiment on her. I can't imagine she would want anything aggressive done, if there's no hope of recovery. Am I right in assuming there's no hope she'll get through this?" He asked, reality in is voice, but hope in his eyes.

"There is no hope, Doctor, no. The best we might be able to do is to give her a little time if we're able to shrink it with radiation. We'd actually like to get started on that tomorrow. She went down for marking this morning."

"Dr. Carson, my mother has always been, both before her schizophrenia and since, a woman of words. She loves to read, and her journal is her most precious possession. I think, if the tumor were to take that from her, she would lose her will to live. And so I don't think she would want you to be aggressive if the worst happened."

"I think that's a wise decision, Dr. Reid. I know you are acting as her agent in this, but I also know that you want her assent. Would you like me to be present when you speak with her about it?"

"Thank you, Dr. Carson, but I think it's best if I do it alone. She does get mad at me sometimes, but she always trusts me. As much as I dread it, I think it has to be just the two of us."

"You're a good man, Dr. Reid. Your mother raised a good son."

"Let's hope she still thinks so after this."

Diana's nurse had warned JJ she was having a rough morning. She'd been upset at the radiation marking process, thought they were trying to do something to her mind. JJ remembered what Reid had said about the meds, and wondered if her mental illness was beginning to reemerge.

"Good morning, Diana," JJ announced her presence. "How are you feeling today?"

"I'd be better if they'd let me out of here. My head is pounding after they put it under that machine this morning. Where's Spencer? I want him to make them let me go."

"He'll be along in a little bit. I think he's talking with Dr. Carson. Can I wait with you?"

"Of course you can. Sit here beside me." Diana patted the bed. "Tell me about my boy. Is he well? Is he happy? He's always been so special, and sometimes I worry that it's a burden."

"Right now he's worried about you, but he's okay. Spence is a very important member of our team. I don't think we could do even half of what we do without him."

"I'm glad to hear that, Jennifer. But I still worry about him. He has such a dangerous job. I wish he would do something safe, like teaching."

JJ thought to herself, sometimes I wish he would do something safe too…..he's always putting himself at risk. But to Diana, she said, "He's happy in his work, I think. He's making a difference in many, many lives, if that's any comfort."

Diana shook her head, "I never thought he would work for the FBI. I always encouraged him to use his words, not to fight- discouraged him playing with guns. It seems like such a violent career choice for him to make."

"Spence does use his words, Diana. Long after most of us give up trying, Spence is there talking to the unsub-the bad guy-and trying to get him to give up, to choose to stop the violence. I know people think he's crazy"-rephrasing, considering Diana's diagnosis-"think he's wrong, and sometimes even I want us to just go in and take them by force, but….there's something….I don't know...noble…about what Spence does. And sometimes it works. I suspect you had more of an influence on him than you think."

Pensive, Diana said. "When he was a little boy, he loved to climb to the highest branch he could reach and then jump. I'd always thought he was just being a typical boy, but one of my "therapists" (dripping with sarcasm) wondered if he was trying to escape his childhood with me. That I'd made his life so difficult…" She was lost in memory.

"Diana….this may not be my place, but I feel like I should tell you…..Spence has been telling me a lot about his childhood. There were definitely hard times, but I can tell you that he has as many memories of good times as of bad. You clearly did something right with him."

Letting Diana absorb that, JJ went on. "I was really hoping to talk with you about that…..about how you were a mother, raising a son alone. Henry's father and I aren't together any more….we realized we might do Henry more harm than good by staying together. But now I'm worried about whether I can be a good enough mother to him. How did you do it? How did you raise your son without his father, and while being ill? Spence is such a good, good man. How did you know what to do?"

JJ couldn't read Diana's reaction. She seemed surprised to be asked for mothering advice, pleased at the comment about Spencer, and disturbed at JJ's situation. "I'm so sorry, Jennifer. It was very hard for me when Spencer's father left us." She held JJ's gaze. "But it became more just a way of life after a while. Spencer was hurt by our fighting….you are right to protect your little boy from that."

She sighed deeply and resumed. "I never thought the day would come when someone would ask me for advice on raising a child. But since you have, I will tell you that it is part prayer, part love and part magic."

JJ encouraged her with a sideways look. "Prayer because you know you can never be good enough on your own, love because it's visceral, and magic because somehow the combination of prayer and love work-and that must be magic."

JJ laughed, as she was meant to. "I only hope I have enough-of prayer, and love…..and magic."

"Tell me about your little boy, Jennifer."

"Henry is great. He's four, blond-so cute, if I say so myself- a bundle of energy, so funny. Some days I think I will burst, I love him so much."

"That's the magic, Jennifer. It makes everything else work."

JJ thought of something else she should share, a gift to Diana. "Did you know I asked Spence to be Henry's godfather? On the team, we'd always laughed about what Morgan calls "the Reid effect". Spence was uncomfortable around children and pets, and they seemed to sense that, so they were never quiet around him. So everyone thought it was a strange choice-but when I thought about who I wanted my son to grow up to be…it was Spence. If Henry can be the kind of dedicated, responsible, caring man that Spence is-well, I will be a very happy mama."

After a moment of silence, JJ heard, "Thank you, Jennifer. What you've said leaves me feeling confident that I will be leaving my son with people who care about him."

JJ had been so caught up in the conversation she'd forgotten why they were having it. Of course Diana was looking for some sense that she would not leave her son, albeit an adult, abandoned and anchorless. She sought to reassure her further.

"Henry has pretty much adopted Spence as his "uncle". He is very attached, sometimes even literally. And Spence loves to read with him, build with him-Lincoln Logs are his favorite-and has even taught him a couple of card tricks. Spence is a member of my family now, Diana. You don't need to worry about him."

"Thank you, Jennifer. For telling me all of these things-and for making my son happy."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Reid had seen them in intense conversation as he walked down the hall, had waited until it looked like a good opportunity to join them.

"Hi Mom, JJ. What are you two up to?"

The women looked at each other, and then at him. "Nothing", they said, simultaneously. "We're just visiting", added JJ.

Reid looked from one to the other slowly. "Hmmmmm…."

"Mom, could I talk with you about something?"

JJ interjected. "I think I need to make a call to Henry. I'm needing to hear his voice right about now. I'll catch up with you after lunch."

"Thanks, JJ. Mom and I will be fine. Say hi to Henry for me."

"And for me," added Diana.