Disclaimer- I have no claim to either CBS or Criminal Minds. I merely enjoy messing with the characters.

A/N- I know it's been awhile since I updated this and I apologize for that. My train of thought derailed and it has taken quite awhile for me to pick up the pieces.

Chapter Fourteen

BAU HEADQUARTERS

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 15

"We've got them!" Garcia exclaimed, twirling her office chair away from her computer screen and coming to face Charlie. "Do me a favor and round everyone up."

"Sure thing," Charlie said, getting quickly to his feet. The math genius hurriedly left the digital intelligence officer's domain and made his way upstairs to the bullpen area where the rest of the BAU team, as well as Don and his team, were working. When he arrived upstairs he found the room virtually deserted so he made his way up to the small landing where the conference room was located and when he pushed the door open he found the people he was looking for assembled around the conference table.

"Hey Charlie," Don said as he and everyone else looked up to see who their visitor was. "You got something?"

Charlie nodded. "Set up video conference with Garcia, she has some things that she wants to share with you."

Hotchner nodded and quickly set up a video feed that linked a laptop on the conference table with the main computer of the digital intelligence officer. When the pleasant face of Garcia appeared on the screen she smiled broadly at her boss and Hotchner thought to himself that it was the first genuine smile that he'd seen on her face since Reid was injured. "What have you got for us Garcia?"

"I am truly amazing," Garcia said. "Not only have I tracked down a couple of suspects for you but I also have a lead on a possible hide-out for them."

"That's good work Garcia," Hotchner said. "Give us all the information you've got and we'll get right on it."

"Right," Garcia said.

HOPE MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER

THAT SAME DAY

Gideon and Lyssa were sitting in the ICU waiting room, the small room that they had called home for the past three days, when the door opened and Hotchner and his team stepped inside. Gideon's gaze shifted to his team and he held a questioning look in his eyes.

"We've found them," Hotchner stated in a matter of fact tone as he came to stand beside the chair where the senior agent was sitting. "And we're setting up a sting operation as we speak. We're going to get these guys this time."

Gideon nodded and said in a quiet voice. "Be careful."

Hotchner nodded. "Of course. So has Reid's condition changed any?"

Gideon shook his head. "Not since the last time we spoke. Sometimes I can get him to squeeze my hand but most of the time he remains motionless."

"He's going to be okay Jason," Hotchner said.

"I know," Gideon said.

"We're going to leave Garcia and Charlie here with you," Hotchner said, turning the focus of the conversation back to the upcoming mission to apprehend the terrorists. "The rest of us, along with several members of the SWAT team, are going to go and apprehend these guys. We're not taking any chances this time."

Gideon nodded.

Hotchner turned and left the small waiting room, followed closely behind by the rest of his team. Gideon watched them leave, saying a silent prayer that the mission would go well and that all of them would come back safely this time. Then the senior agent focused his gaze on Garcia and he instantly picked up on the worry that was barely hidden behind her eyes as she watched Morgan leave with the others. He got to his feet and walked over to the spot where she stood, placing his hand on her shoulder. "They're going to be fine."

"I know that," Garcia said, almost managing to keep her voice steady.

"It's visiting hours," Gideon said, deciding that a change of subject was in order. "Why don't you and Charlie go and see him?"

Garcia smiled and nodded. She turned to Charlie and together the two of them left the small waiting room and made their way down the hall to the ICU. They navigated the familiar path to Reid's room and when they reached it they stepped inside quietly.

"Hey sweet boy," Garcia called out in a soft voice as she walked across the room and came to stand at his bedside. She picked up his pale hand and held it in her own, leaning over so that she could whisper in his ear, "Squeeze my hand Spencer."

There was a brief pause and then Garcia felt a slight pressure on her hand. She stood back up and smiled down at her young team mate. "You did good. Now open your eyes for me."

The young man's eyelids twitched slightly, as though he were trying to open them, however after a few moments he stilled.

"That's okay," Garcia said. "You'll get there Spencer. I know you will."

Garcia and Charlie spent a few more minutes with Reid and then they made their way back out to the waiting room so that Gideon and Lyssa could go back and visit with the young man. Once the two of them had made their way back to the ICU Garcia turned to Charlie. "So what do you think is up with her?"

Charlie arched a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Lyssa," Garcia said. "She's been acting strange ever since Reid was injured. There's something going on with her, I just can't figure out what it is."

"Well," Charlie said. "Her boyfriend is in ICU and no one's told her exactly what happened to him. I don't think it's that unusual that she's a little shaken up."

Garcia shook her head. "No, it's more than that. There is definetely something else going through that little girl's mind."

HOPE MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER

LATER THAT DAY

Several hours had passed since Hotchner and his group left to apprehend the suspected terrorists and Gideon and the group at the hospital were beginning to grow concerned. Their concern proved to be unfounded however as, around eight o'clock, the group of FBI agents trooped into the ICU waiting room. They looked exhausted however Gideon could tell that they had accomplished their mission by the jubilant expressions on the faces of the people that he saw entering the room.

"Six people," Morgan announced. "They're being interrogated as we speak."

"Good work," Gideon said.

"So has his condition changed any?" Hotchner asked as the group of agents all took seats.

Gideon shook his head. "He will squeeze your hand sometimes however the reaction isn't consistent."

"I see," Hotchner said.

This time when visiting hours rolled around it was Hotchner and Gideon who took the first visit, leaving the others out in the waiting room. The two senior agents followed the familiar path down the hall to the Intensive Care Unit and when they reached the ICU they quickly made their way to Reid's room.

Gideon stepped into the darkened room, followed closely behind by Hotchner, and the two profilers walked over to their young colleague's bed.

Gideon reached down and took his young subordinate's hand into his own, saying as he did so, "Can you squeeze my hand Spencer? If you can hear me squeeze my hand."

There was a slight twitch and then Gideon felt the familiar, light pressure. He offered Reid a smile and then opened his mouth to speak the second of his by now familiar requests however before he had the chance Reid's eyelids fluttered for a few minutes before they slowly opened.

"Spencer!" Gideon called out.

Reid's gaze slowly shifted to the senior profiler and then he gazed over at Hotchner before his gaze slowly surveyed the otherwise empty room. Gideon immediately knew who his young colleague was looking for and he offered the young man another smile. "She's here Spencer. Hold on a minute and I'll go out and get her for you."

This said Gideon left the room, quickly making his way back down the hall toward the waiting room. When he opened the door everyone glanced up and Charlie asked, "What is it? Did something happen?"

Gideon nodded and offered the group a small smile. "He woke up."

Lyssa's head shot up at this news and she got quickly to her feet. Gideon nodded in her direction and said, "I think he was looking for you. You should go and see him."

Lyssa nodded and quickly left the waiting room, practically sprinting down the hall toward the ICU. When she reached the room in which her boyfriend lay she slowed her pace and stepped through the doorway. Hotchner nodded in her direction and left the room, to allow them some privacy.

Lyssa slowly walked over to Reid's bedside, picked up his hand, and gazed down into his partially open eyes. "Hey Spence. I was wondering when you were going to wake up."

Reid was unable to speak due to the intubation tube that was in his throat however he did manage to squeeze the hand that held his so tightly.

Tears appeared in Lyssa's eyes at this motion and she suddenly released her hold on his hand, turned and sprinted out of the room. Garcia and Charlie, who had been making their way to Reid's room for their visit, had to step out of the way to avoid being run over by the girl.

"What in the. . ."

Charlie shook his head. "I have no idea."

Nearly blinded by her tears Lyssa kept running, completely by passing the waiting room where her boyfriend's colleagues were all assembled, and she ended up outside the hospital. The young woman stopped running at this point and she sat down on the steps, gazing down at her clasped hands. "Oh Spencer."

Garcia quickly made her way down the hall to Reid's room while Charlie turned back and went in search of Lyssa. The two of them had decided without words that someone should go and check on the young woman and Charlie volunteered for the job.

Charlie went back to the waiting room however he soon discovered that Lyssa had by passed that particular room.

"Is something wrong buddy?" Don asked as his brother poked his head into the waiting room.

"You could say that," Charlie replied. "Lyssa freaked out and ran out of Spencer's room and now we have no idea where she went. Have any of you guys seen her?"

Charlie's gaze swept the room however everyone shook their heads, indicating a reply in the negative. "Damn."

"Do you have any idea what happened?" Morgan asked.

Charlie shook his head. "No. Garcia and I were on our way back to Spencer's room when she ran past. I can tell you that she was crying but what I can't tell you is why."

"Something isn't right with this picture," Morgan said. "She should be ecstatically happy that Reid woke up and she should have to be pried from that room with force. And yet she ran out of her own free will. That makes no sense to me."

TBC. . .

A/N- I apologize once again for the fact that it took me so long to update however I've been battling a bout of depression and I didn't want to do anything. I didn't want to write, I didn't want to draw, hell I didn't even want to get out of bed. So sorry for the wait. Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long.