A/N: And so you are all dying to find out what happened to our young doctor? Well, here it is. Beta read by the Gublerific editor frog! Enjoy!

Sunday

The BAU sat in the hospital corridor, waiting. There had been no news about Reid since they arrived at the Mid Michigan Medical Center six hours earlier, and the entire team was in a state of dissolution.

Gideon sat in a chair, covering his face in his palms as he leaned on his elbows. He couldn't believe this was happening; all because of him. Reid had been tormented and abused for a week, all on the count of a demented woman who was determined to get vengeance on Gideon for something he hadn't done. It hurt the senior agent to know that the one person in the world he would never want to place in danger was the one who had been subjected to the torture. On the other hand, that was exactly what Sienna had wanted.

Hotch had been on the phone for two hours, calling the local real estate agencies, airlines, train companies, bus lines and car rentals trying to find out where the women – and George – were going. He had come up empty handed with every single one of them. None of them had any listings of any of the women or George. The pictures had been sent out to every single train- and bus station in the state of Michigan, as well as the airports, in hope of catching the group before they left the state.

Garcia had been notified by Morgan that they had found Reid, but that he was in such a bad state that there was no way of telling if he'd survive or not. She hadn't left her office in 46 hours; she slept in her chair and asked other agents to bring her food. She wanted to be available at any time during the desperate chase for the team's youngest member. Now she was still in her office, hovering over the phone – waiting for it to ring and give her news about Reid.

JJ tried to be strong, but failed miserably. She wasn't built to handle these kinds of things. Locking herself in the bathroom every now and then, she cried sad and angry tears, swearing to herself that whoever had done this to Spence would be severely punished. If not by her – then by the system. And maybe Morgan.

Emily had reluctantly fallen asleep in a chair. After three days of minimal sleep, the strain finally got to her and her system gave in, and she drifted off into a blissful state of obliviance.

Morgan paced up and down the hallway. In his mind, anger mixed with desperation and fear of losing his friend. The kid was like a little brother to him. To have this happen to his junior colleague was a nightmare. If there was one person in the world that didn't deserve this, it was Reid. He couldn't harm a fly; why can't he catch a break? he thought.

Everyone in the hallway had their insides twisted into painful knots in wait for news on the condition of Reid.

Hotch hung up the phone for the hundredth time in the last six hours. "I just talked to the real estate agent who sold the house to Sienna. She bought the house cash, using the name Laura Nolan."

"Her mother." Gideon never even met his superior's eyes when answering.

"Yes. And there are no paper trails to the building of the cell. A local construction company admitted to doing the work while being paid double the money under the table, as long as no receipts were administered."

"Of course. Limit the paper trail; limit the knowledge of your identity." JJ came back to the hallway after one of her trips to the bathroom. Her eyes were red and puffy.

"There are no records of any of the suspects having left the state. Every road has roadblocks from here to Grand Rapids and Detroit." Hotch sighed and rubbed his eyes. The fatigue was getting to him.

Morgan's phone began chirping in his pocked, and he answered. "Hey Garcia, you're on speaker phone."

"Guess what I just dug up from under five megatons of paperwork?"

"Tell me."

"Seems Sienna Nolan inherited a rather large amount of money after her father passed away."

"How large?"

"6.8 million dollars. How's that for an inheritance?"

"How was this not in the paperwork before?" Hotch looked annoyed.

"From what I can tell, she had the money wired to an account in Switzerland before it even hit the system."

"Smart girl." Gideon mumbled under his breath.

"That would explain the buying of the house in cash." Morgan nodded.

"And the building of the chamber. That thing had more wiring than the White House." JJ wiped an involuntary tear from her cheek as she tried steadying her voice.

"Garcia, can you check if anything else has been rented, booked or bought in Laura Nolan's name in the Mid-Michigan area?" Hotch had a small hunch in the back of his head.

"Not that I can see from here. But I only have the official companies here; there are a lot of small private rental companies in the area. I'll dig a bit more and I'll get back to you. Call me the moment you hear anything."

"Will do, doll. Get some sleep now." Morgan smiled into the phone.

"Not until I hear Reid's gonna be okay."

"That's my stubborn little girl. I'll call you." Click.

The team fell into silence once again as they sat in the hallway, anxiously awaiting news on their youngest member. No one even noticed the doctor walking up to them.

"Spencer Reid?"

Everyone flew up from their seats, approaching the man in green, holding a chart. Hotch reached him first. "Yes. I'm agent Hotchner. How is he?"

The doctor sighed heavily. "When he came in here he had lost a large amount of blood after the cuts to the wrists. He also had several head traumas and broken ribs. His left arm was broken, as well as his nose, cheekbone and both collarbones. We had to remove his spleen during surgery due to damages. He was severely dehydrated and malnourished, and had suffered what I can only imagine was a number of blunt force traumas on various parts of his body." The doctor took a deep breath. "Your friend was in very bad shape when he was brought in."

"Is... Is he...?" Gideon couldn't finish the sentence, feeling tears rising to his eyes.

"Almost. We lost him for a moment on the operating table, but he is back with us again." The doctor gave a slight smile as he saw the relief on the agents' faces.

Morgan closed his eyes in utter relief. His "little brother" was alive.

"But, Agent Hotchner," the doctor continued, now with a sterner look on his face. "I have to tell you that his injuries were very severe, and at this point we can't even be certain that he will even wake up."

Hotch nodded slowly. "Can we see him?"

"He's coming out right now."

Turning around, the team saw Reid being wheeled out in a hospital bed. Rushing up to him, the BAU were met by a ghastly sight. They young agent's face was swollen nearly beyond recognition and there were cuts and bruises everywhere on his upper body. A tube in his throat helped him breathe.

Gideon took the young man's hand as they walked in the hallway, moving next to the bed. "Reid. You're gonna be okay. You're safe now."

"I'm sorry sir, you're gonna have to let go now." A nurse touched Gideon's arm.

"I want to go with him." Looking resolutely at the nurse, the older agent couldn't bare the thought of anyone taking Reid more than ten feet away from him right now.

"Are you his father?"

Gideon turned his eyes away from the nurse and looked at his colleague.

"Yes."

"Right this way, sir."

Slowly, Reid opened his sore and tired eyes. As his sight focused he expected to see the inside of the cell once again; its pale and barren walls staring back at him. But instead, he was greeted by a green ceiling. This bewildered the young agent.

Where am I? Confused, he tried to orient himself by letting his eyes sweep over the green above him. Nothing made sense. He was lying on his back, covered with something soft.

What is going on?

As he blinked, he realized that one eye was completely useless; it was entirely blackened. His face felt stretched and its skin too tight for the flesh it covered. Trying to move, a white bolt of pain shot through his upper body, forcing the young doctor to lie still. He hurt everywhere; his entire body was in turmoil.

Turning his head slightly to the side, he saw a window. A window! And the sun was shining outside!

The window was partially open, and Reid could feel the mild breeze sweeping through the room; grazing his sore face. It was a wonderful feeling, one he hadn't felt in a very long time - fresh air.

But something else caught his eye as he had tilted his head.

Morgan..!

Morgan was sitting next to him, sleeping in a chair. Reid had never been happier to see his colleague.

They found me! They saved me! I'm safe! They did it!

Reid felt tears of happines and relief rush to his eyes. He tried to reach out for his friend, but lifting his hand was too much of a strain on the young man's body, and his hand stopped moving before it even started. He tried talking, but there was something in his mouth, obstructing his tongue.

The young man tried to spit the object out, but in his confused state he didn't realize he was on a ventilator and the tube down his throat was helping him to breath. It took him a few moments to understand what had been put inside him, and when he did – it truly dawned on him.

I'm not in the cell anymore. I'm in a hospital. I'm safe! Oh, God, I'm safe! It's over... It's finally over...

Moving his head to the right, he could see another one of his friends and colleagues. There was no mistaking the older agent by his side.

It was Gideon. He sat by the junior agent, holding his hand; but having fallen asleep in the chair with his head resting on his other hand.

Gideon... I knew he was here with me. I knew all along.

Gathering up all the strength he could, the young doctor wrapped his slender fingers tightly around the rugged hand in his and squeezed it as hard as his body let him.

Gideon flinched. I'm dreaming... he thought. But as he felt nimble fingers once again pressing his hand, the older agent opened his eyes.

And met with those of Reid.

"Reid!" Gideon was immediately awake, shooting up from his resting position.

Morgan also woke with a start. "Reid! You're awake!"

"It's good to see you, son." Gideon held his protégé's hand tightly in both of his as he gave the young man a warm smile.

Reid could neither speak nor move, but he blinked his eyes slowly at his senior colleague.

Morgan had taken Reid's other hand, holding it carefully. "You're gonna be okay, kid. You're safe now." The slightly cold, powerless and bruised hand in his gave him a slight squeeze.

Reid closed his eyes, forcing his lips to stretch, forming some type of grimace that could be interpreted as a smile. Morgan smiled back at him; a big, pearly white smile – warming Reid to his core.

Morgan gave Gideon a look and cautiously let go of the young agent's weak hand. "I'm gonna go call the others – and Garcia. You wouldn't believe how she's been calling to know about you! I'm gonna go calm her down. Be back in a while." Momentarily placing a hand on Gideon's shoulder, he left the room.

Gideon never took his eyes off Reid. The warm, fatherly smile resting on his lips made the young agent feel like a little boy who had just skinned his knee. The senior agent squeezed his junior's hand. "You're gonna be okay. I knew you were strong. I knew you could do it."

But Gideon... I couldn't do it. You told me to do it, but I couldn't...

Reid's fingers pressed against those of his senior as a tear ran down his cheek. There was so much he wanted to say to his mentor, but his body wasn't strong enough.

But no words were needed. Gideon knew. And Reid knew. The silence spoke enough for the both of them.

Not even half an hour later, Hotch, JJ and Emily barged in through the entrance of the hospital. Taking the stairs two steps at the time, they soon reached the corridor where Reid's room was located. Morgan met them in the hallway.

"He's awake, but not able to move or talk." Morgan had a relieved yet worried look on his face. "The doctor says it's a good thing he woke up; if he hadn't done that in the next hour or so... there wouldn't have been much hope that he ever would have."

JJ had been crying, everyone could see it on her face; the red, puffy eyes and the smeared mascara. This time, however, the tears had not been from desperation, but from happiness. Reid was alive. "Can we go in and see him?"

"Gideon's in there right now, I figured I'd give them some time. Look, we need to talk about what to tell him."

"Tell him about what?" Emily wondered.

"About the live feed. If he doesn't know about us watching, should we really tell him? I think it would break him completely."

"It's bad enough he had to live through that torture, but knowing that we saw parts of it...?" Hotch shook his head. "No. I think it's better if he doesn't find that out."

"Don't you think he deserves to know?" Emily tuned to her superior with a questioning look on her face.

"Would you?"

It made her think. Would I want to know that my colleagues had seen me beaten, tortured and humilated beyond every boundary possible?

"I guess not."

"Then it's settled. We don't mention it; at least for now." Hotch straightened the hastily buttoned shirt. "Let's go see our boy."

Entering the room, the three agents were both horrified and relieved to see their youngest member lying incapacitated in the hospital bed. Reid's eyes met with Hotch's and took on an excited look.

Hotch walked over to his junior colleague. "It's good to see you, Reid." He gave the young agent a warm smile as he felt his paternal instincts kick in. "We missed you." Walking around to the other side of the bed, he placed his hand over Reid's and squeezed it.

JJ stood behind Gideon, who still held a firm grip on Reid's other hand. "You're gonna be fine, Spence." She smiled at her younger colleague, who did his best to smile back from behind the tube. It felt so good to see her friend, even though he was in such a terrible state. At least he was alive.

"Yeah, it's just a matter of time before you're back in the bullpen, feeding us tidbits of useless information." Emily smiled and patted Reid's foot from the end of the bed. She was struggling to keep her face resonably straight, although all she wanted to do was to break down and cry in relief. It had to wait until she was back in the hotel room.

Reid tried to smile. He wanted to tell his team how happy he was that they were all there around him, holding him; encouraging him. He wanted to tell them 'thank you' for saving him. He wanted to tell them that he loved every single one of them. That they were his family.

But the tube down his throat refused to allow him to speak, and he remained silent and motionless. The tears rolling down his cheeks told every single word and feeling he meant to express.

There was a knock on the door and a nurse stepped in. Seeing the room filled with people, she was a bit startled but then smiled. "I'm afraid visiting hours are over. Mr. Reid needs to rest now. You can come back and see him in the morning."

The agents were a bit disappointed, having only gotten to lay a quick eye on their friend, but knew the nurse was right. Reid did need his rest. And maybe tomorrow he could be taken off the ventilator.

JJ gave Reid a kiss on the forehead before saying goodbye, so did Emily. Hotch carefully lay a hand on his subordinates shoulder and gave him a smile. "We'll come back tomorrow, Reid. You hang in there."

Reid blinked in response, a tear making its way down his cheek.

Morgan let one hand connect with that of his young friend and with the other he wiped away some tears lingering on Reid's face. Looking into his eyes, the older agent had a stern look on his face. "I hope you realize that you are never coming with me to a bar again? Ever." He then smiled and patted the limp hand he held before walking towards the door.

The young agent wanted to laugh at his colleagues joke, but it didn't work. There just wasn't enough strength.

Morgan turned back towards his co-workers. "Gideon. You coming?"

"No." The older agent still had his protégé's hand in his, and he was not planning on letting go.

"You need to rest too."

"I'll rest here. See you tomorrow."

Morgan nodded knowingly, and with a small smile, he closed the door.

Refusing to leave the room, Gideon stayed with Reid that night. He slept in an armchair the nurses had put in there for him. The rest of the team had rooms at a nearby hotel, and for the first time in an entire week they could all get a good night's sleep.

Reid slept like a baby on the morphine he'd been given because of the injuries he sustained during his ordeal.

A nurse poked her head into the room. She saw the older man sleeping silently in the armchair in the corner, and the young man who had been abused beyond recognition. Silently, she tip toed up to the bed where Reid was sleeping.

Letting her fingers graze the young man's short, uneven tests of hair with her fingers, she put her hand on the side of his face that wasn't covered in bandages.

"Poor boy," she whispered softly.

She looked at the young man's wrists, noticing the bandages. The young woman let her hand rest softly on Reid's left wrist.

"Why would you do something like that to yourself?"

Leaning over the sleeping man, she kissed him lightly on the forehead and smiled.

"You really shouldn't trust strange women, Dr. Reid."

Checking the IV one last time, the young brunette left the room, taking a final smiling look at the men in the room.

"See you later."