Twigs snapped beneath every step Reid took deeper into the wooded area. Despite the challenge he knew awaited him, somehow the young doctor felt a sense of relief. He had made it this far avoiding any hindrance. Above all else, the greatest calming factor was that he knew it would all be over soon.

At the end of an unmarked trail, the young Dr. Reid came to a familiar clearing near the water. There was a light breeze on the air and a comforting sound fluttered down from the swaying trees behind him. Not far off the coast, he could see the aquatic state line that separated Maryland and Virginia.

More importantly, he could see her. He could see her – his mother – who was now just a few feet away. He could see her – his mother – holding his godson. He could see her – his mother – holding his godson – Henry.

"Henry," Reid called out to the three-year-old in a way that wouldn't frighten him anymore than already was. "It's going to be alright. I'm here."

Choked sobs escaped the little child as he clearly being held against his will. "Uncle Spence." He only managed to utter a stifled whimper of his godfather's name.

That small and defenseless cry was a sound that Reid knew would haunt him for years if he made it out of this alive. It broke his spirits to see Henry in the clutches of one who meant to cause him harm. The pain Reid felt amplified immensely knowing it was his mother.

Diana was entirely devoid of all emotion. Her face was a blank canvas of apathy. She held Henry still by the shoulder and concealed what Reid could only assume was a weapon in her other hand.

"Mom," he breathed and took another step closer to the water, "Mom please… please let Henry go. You know he's got nothing to do wi-"

"Stop!" Diana snapped and revealed to him the firearm she held at her side. Reid guessed that she probably took it when she ambushed Will at his apartment and took Henry.

The young man went still as instructed and faced the barrel of a gun at the hands of his own mother. Even so, the thought of simply reaching for his did not even cross Reid's mind.

"How does it feel, Spencer?" Her icy words were like a bitter winter's chill, sending a shiver down his spine, "Even if this little brat is just your godson, I know how much you love him. How has it affected you, knowing that he's in danger? Are you afraid? Are you nervous? Are you an unmanageable, paranoid WRECK?"

Though Reid had tried to avoid asking himself why, his mother's actions were becoming clearer to him. But words were beyond him at this point and she had more to say. Or rather, she had more to spout hatefully at her ungrateful bastard of son.

"You! I did everything I could to protect you and what did I get in return? You sent me away! You locked me up as if I were some kind of animal!"

Henry didn't understand. He just couldn't grasp the concept of what was going on. He just didn't know why. Why? Why was this mean lady screaming at Uncle Spencer? And why? Why was Uncle Spencer crying?

While there was no detecting his weakness from the sound of his voice, Reid's eyes welled with tears as he tried once again to move closer, "I am so… so sorry. I'm sorry. Mom I… I thought I was doing the right thing. I just… I wanted to help you… I-"

"Help me?" Diana snarled and dug her hungry claws through Henry's sweater, into his shoulder, "You left all alone! All alone! You weren't there! And now you know! You know how it was for me to feel such fear… I was afraid I could have lost my baby and the pain I went through trying to protect you…"

As the woman's grit and anger began to wither, so did her aim. The gun lowered until it was pointed at the ground and Diana began to sob.

"You… took… you took my life from me," her soft and broken statement trailed off into inaudible rambling that Reid didn't have time to distinguish. Once Diana released her firm grasp on Henry, the young man signaled for the boy to come to him quickly.

Without even thinking about it, Henry sprinted to his godfather's side. The first thing Reid wanted to do was hug him but he knew that was too risky. Instead, he made sure Henry was safe and standing behind him.

Now he just had to think of a way to talk his mother into giving up the gun.

"Mom," he began again in the same pleading tone, "Please just give me the gun… and I… I swear to God… I… I'll…"

But what could he do? It was a sentence that he could finish and in the end it didn't matter because he never got the chance. For it was at that moment that Hotch appeared out of the brush and approached them with his gun drawn.

"REID! DON'T MOVE!"

That was an order he just didn't follow. Maybe it was natural impulse or protective instinct. Whatever the case, Reid whirled around and drew his gun. It was a position he never thought possible. But the young genius found himself pointing his gun directly at his boss; directly at Hotch.

"I'm sorry, Hotch. I can't let you take her."

After that, the seconds moved too fast to catch but too slow to run away from. What Reid didn't know was that an uninformed officer was trailing not too far behind Hotch as back up.

Reid wouldn't shoot. Hotch knew that. Even if Reid didn't, Hotch knew. But the officer in the woods didn't know that either. Seeing a gun drawn and pointed at the FBI agent he assisted out here understandably prompted him to raise his own firearm and aim for Reid.

"WAIT! STAND DOWN!"

It was an order that couldn't have made a difference. A shot was fired. Henry screamed. And Reid fell. Not before he locked his gaze with Hotch's and with his eyes alone, exclaimed,

"I'm sorry for everything."

Hotch screamed Reid's name. He wanted to go after the officer that took the shot. But when he hit the ground and Hotch laid eyes on the woman standing behind him, SSA Aaron Hotchner knew that the bullet that took down Dr. Spencer Reid had not come from the woods.

While a complete stranger mourned the death of her son, Diana stood silent for a moment with the gun shaking in her hands. Her listless expression remained just that as she looked over Spencer's lifeless form.

Hotch, who was already kneeling at Reid's side with Henry scooped in his arms, waited for the blast to come from behind him and sure enough… it did. Diana Reid received a shot directly to the face which knocked her back, cascading down into a watery grave.

Not ten feet from where she landed, Hotch's trembling hands fumbled to find that like mother, like son, Reid's eyes were already closed. His chest didn't rise and fall. His face was pale.

It was an unbearable sight to look upon and it caused Hotch to fall back and cling to Henry just as desperately as the boy clung to him. The two of them remained like that until the sweet sound of Henry's mother calling him brought them back to reality.

As JJ and the others were still fair distance from the two bodies, they could only rejoice at the sight of Henry alive and well. But it was Morgan who saw the scene first. While JJ wept and delighted over her son's safe return, Derek gathered the courage to face the inevitable at Hotch's side.

Reid had been right.

It was over at last.

"Il était un grand patriote, un humanitaire, un ami fidèle, à condition, bien sûr, il est bien mort." – Voltaire

~ Author's Notes ~

Well guys... that's it. That's how it ends. If possible, I'd really love to hear what all of you thought. Remember now, this was my first fan fiction so maybe don't go too ballistic. Well… no go ahead. Because I REALLY think there's something missing from this. So have at it.

I'll tell you now that this whole idea came about one day as I was randomly pondering how the writer's would kill off Reid. I had this image in my head of him dying and that just led to a whole heap of things I didn't expect. I'm glad it did though because I enjoyed sharing this with you all.

One other thing I would like to share is that now that the story is over, I can tell you that I absolutely DESPISE the title. When I came up with it, I just thought it was so clever. It was geared toward Gideon's return and Reid's death. But then after awhile I just couldn't believe I actually went with that lame ass title. So... yeah. Bleh.

Anyhow, thank you to everyone for your support! I appreciate all the love I've received. Now that the story is finished, PLEASE do let me know what you thought. Because whether or not I start another fic is up to you guys.

Now that it's all over... whaddya say? Do you guys want more from me?

P.S. For those of you who are pissed about the ending, I suggest you translate the closing quote. It may give you reason to hope. ;)