As long as they were in the hospital, Hotch did not allow the team to talk about what happened. The last thing they needed was to spread panic within the waiting room. So in silence, they waited.

Maybe half an hour had passed before something dawned on Rossi. "Did anyone get a hold of Emily? Why isn't she here?"

All eyes fell on Morgan who had been given the order to alert Agent Prentiss. "Her phone went right to voicemail when I called her and I left a message. I was on my way to her place when I saw the explosion from Reid's."

"And no one has heard from her since?" Rossi asked rhetorically. The silence that followed his question tied each of their stomachs in knots. Without uttering another word, the eldest member on the team flipped his phone out and urgently called their missing colleague.

When his back was turned, a young male nurse breezed through the doors of the emergency room and read a single name aloud.

"Spencer Reid?"

It surprised him when the name called prompted several FBI agents out of their chairs. Between Morgan and Hotch it was a toss up who approached the nurse quicker. But Hotch was the one to speak first.

"Is he alright?"

"It will probably be close to a week or two before he's released but he's going to be fine. Given the circumstances, Dr. Reid is incredibly lucky. His burns were minor and only along his upper back and legs. Most of the damage was caused by a force of impact to his head. The wound needed stitches and caused him to slip in and out of consciousness for awhile but he's stable now and whenever you're ready, you can see him."

JJ, who had not released Garcia's hand since they arrived, breathed a deep sigh of relief. Those words were exactly what she needed to hear. A mutual feeling came over the rest of the team as well, except for Rossi. He stepped past Hotch and Morgan and called for the nurse's attention once more.

"Excuse me, Felix," he began, having already read the nurse's badge, "In the last hour, you wouldn't happen to know if a patient was checked in under similar conditions as Dr. Reid? It would be a woman… possibly a burn victim…"

The team turned their attention to Felix who suddenly felt on the spot. It had never been his job to alert loved ones under these circumstances. He hesitated before answering weakly, "I… I believe there was a woman… but… unless I'm mistaken she was pronounced D.O.A."

That relieved sensation the team enjoyed for only a moment was swiftly taken. For the first time ever they were facing this kind of tragedy. One of their own… had likely fallen.

Only Rossi had the strength to reply with another question, "Has the woman been identified?"

"I don't believe so but I'm really not the one to talk to about the details of that specific patient. If you'd like, I can take you to the doctor in charge."

The elder FBI agent nodded once to the nurse and then to his teammates. "Go on ahead. I'll be there to join you in a few minutes."

The remainder of the BAU made their way to Reid's room in a daze. Garcia was the only one who allowed herself to cry. But before entering, Hotch stopped them and instructed quietly, "Not a word to Reid about what's happened to Prentiss or the fact that the rest of us were targeted as well. He may be stable but he's probably still fragile. This news won't to anything to help his condition and in all fairness, we're not even sure that he was talking about Emily."

Garcia and JJ nodded together before heading in ahead of the two men. Morgan lagged behind with Hotch and grabbed his arm before he could take a step inside. In a very low voice, the younger agent began to speak, "Hotch. The package that Reid found on his desk tonight was from Gideon."

While Hotch wanted to scold Morgan and remind him that they were not to discuss the case here and now, this kind of information was not something he ever expected. A startled and perplexed expression twisted his features as he turned to his colleague, "The bomb squad that responded to the call at my house were ordered not to disclose the name on the package to me when I asked. I didn't understand why… but now…"

"Do you think this is really Gideon coming after us?"

"I don't know. But for right now… it's out of our hands and we've got a member of our team in there waiting for us." Hotch gestured to Reid's door and stepped past Morgan. As he did, the man rested a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder, "It's not your fault if anything happened to Prentiss."

Before Morgan could get a word in to disagree, Hotch walked into the room to join Garcia, JJ and the injured Reid.

The young man's eyes were barely slanted open but the faint smile he flashed told his visitors that he was conscious enough to know who they were, "I was just telling the girls, it isn't as bad as it looks. You guys should be at home getting rest."

With a hand threading through Reid's hair, Garcia did her best to maintain her standard playful demeanor, "Oh come on, sweetheart, you know us better than that. Even if we weren't here, the last place we would be is our beds."

A spark flashed in Reid's tired eyes, "Do you already have any leads on who could have-"

"Don't worry about the case right now, kid. Just focus on getting out of this bed so we can use that head of yours." Lingering in the doorway, Morgan spoke for Hotch. "We'll get this guy eventually but for now, you just need to take it easy."

The rest of the team agreed with subtle nods directed toward their young friend. Even considering all that he'd been through in the past, this was by far the worst any of them had seen him. It was a wonder to each of them how that nurse could have said with a strait face that Reid was lucky. He looked miserable.

When he attempted to speak again, a cough broke his sentence, "You… you aren't con… considering Gideon, are you?"

As the only one left in the dark on that matter, Garcia furrowed her brow and wore a compassionate expression, "What would make you think we were?" She followed Reid's gaze behind her toward the rest of the team who didn't seem eager to answer.

"He didn't do this to me, you guys." Reid's words were so certain. He wouldn't believe such a theory. "I know given the material evidence, pointing the finger at him is the logical and obvious answer but… it has to be someone else. Someone trying to make it look like Gideon… he… he wouldn't-"

On his right, Reid's heart monitor showed a sudden increase of velocity. As Hotch had predicted, the anxiety of this case would only place unnecessary pressure on the young man. While the others went still, the team leader replaced Garcia at Reid's side. "It's alright, Reid. No one is blaming Jason for anything. We don't know who did this but we're going to find out."

It was painful but Reid nodded and managed to get his breathing and heart rate under control before the doctors came in to check. "I think… I think I should try to get some sleep."

JJ, who had been silent and off to the side for most of the visit, finally stepped up with an almost whispered request, "Spence, would you mind if I stuck around for a few minutes? There's something I want to talk to you about."

Though the others were unaware of what it could be, Reid knew full well what she wanted to discuss. The conversation could go one of two ways. Even if she had changed her mind about rejecting him, it wouldn't be real. Transference. That's all it was. She nearly lost him and now she was feeling vulnerable. (Assuming her mind had changed.)

"Actually, I'd kind of just like to be alone." He answered softly, shutting his eyes to give them leave. But before a single teammate could make a move to leave, he shot his gaze open and to Hotch, "Could one of you do me a favor and check on my mom for me? Make sure she doesn't hear about this over the news or anything?"

That was going to be a task. If Diana Reid was still living in Las Vegas, it might have been easier. As it was, two years prior, Reid's mother had shown an amazing recovery. Still under special watch, the woman was granted a residence of her own. It was close to her son, just outside Quantico and there was a doctor nearby who checked on her everyday.

Hotch crossed his arms uncomfortably and replied, "I'm not sure how long we'll be able to keep this from her, but I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," Reid smiled again just barely and began to find there was a challenge in keeping his eyes open, "We were supposed to do something together… tomorrow… for my…"

Exhaustion to its toll on the young doctor and he drifted to sleep without finishing his sentence. But he didn't need to. Sadly, the team realized that by tomorrow he meant today.

"His birthday," JJ stated the obvious as she and Garcia made their way out the door. Over her shoulder she stole one last look at her young companion, "It's his birthday and this is how he's spending it. Alone. In the hospital."

Marching ahead of his team, Hotch spoke in a professional tone that ruined the melancholy moment, "I know it's late. I know we're tired and upset over what's happened but if we're going to find this un-sub, we need to get right to work. JJ, the first thing I want you to do is visit Reid's mother like he asked. If you can, just keep her from reading or watching anything covering the attacks on the BAU. Garcia, go back to the office and be ready for us to call you with any evidence we might find. Morgan, Rossi and I will investigate each crime scene. We'll regroup at the office when we've uncovered anything that might tell us who's done this."

"Sir… what about Emily?" Garcia asked. She wasn't even sure what she was asking or what kind of answer she was hoping for.

"She's dead," the crestfallen truth came to the team from out of no where. Rossi miserably wandered over to join the others and added, "I saw the body. It's her."

Allowing his team a little time to grieve, Hotch did not falter and after only a few moments, demanded their attention again, "Alright, you all know what to do. We're officially after an un-sub who's killed one of our own. We need to move."

~ Author's Notes ~

Jesus, Mary and Joseph! I killed Prentiss! Even I did not see that coming. Honestly, I had no intention of doing that until this afternoon. See, the thing is, it occurred to me that this it would be a bunch of bologna if this un-sub didn't hit at least one of their targets. Even now I'm thinking 1/7 makes for a pretty shitty un-sub but who the hell else was I going to kill off this early?

Anyways, I hope you're still enjoying it and I'm sorry to all you Prentiss fans. I'll try to make it up to you someday in another fic. I swear! Nothing against Paget Brewster! I love her! It's really nothing personal, strictly business. It's just politics. (Ironic but rather appropriate, given the fact that Emily Prentiss hated politics.)

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to everyone who has shown an interest in this story by adding it to their favorite/alert list. And I send an infinitely large number of hugs to those of you who have left reviews. The support I've received from you all is what keeps me going! I only hope I can continue to entertain you.