The two senior profilers followed their boy-genius into the bullpen.

"That drive back felt like forever." Rossi complained.

"And you got to relax in the passenger seat." Hotch retorted.

They both stared at the back of their silent colleague. "You got a minute, Dave?"

"Sure, your office or mine?"

"Your office is fine." Hotch followed him in and flopped into the chair across from the desk.

"Well, I can see that you are definitely out of character." The older agent stroked his graying beard while leaning back in his own chair.

"Don't profile me." Aaron sighed and ran a wide hand over his face. "I'm worried about him, Dave"

"I know. I thought things would get better."

"What do you mean?" The unit chief asked suspiciously and sat up straighter.

"That case with his father was really hard on him."

"Dave, what aren't you telling me?"

Rossi looked down at his lap for a minute, "I'm not sure I should go behind his back."

Hotch got up and paced the small room. "Do I need to suspend him?"

"No, it's not that. It's just--"

Hotch watched his friend struggle for the right words. He just knew it was going to be bad if Dave was at a loss for words. "I can't let him keep going on like this. Please tell me it's not drugs again."

"It was during the hypnotherapy session. There was something he was really uncomfortable with that didn't have to do with the case--or at least I think it only had to do with his father.

"Dave, he has a lot of hurt feelings where his father is concerned and Reid doesn't like to deal with his emotions. You have no idea how the Hankel case really messed with him before you came along." Hotch stared at his friend like he could pull the information straight from his head.

"I don't think he would deal with a suspension very well. But is there any way to get him to talk with someone?"

"We've tried that before. He's a profiler, and a genius. He runs circles around all of the psychotherapists the bureau has."

"Hotch, you know I like the annoying kid," Rossi smirked, "but you're going to lose him if someone can't get through to him."

The unit chief stared out the window and watched Reid nervously organizing his desk again, "Morgan's tried and even Garcia can't get through to him."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know."