William Reid awoke with a start to the sound of a distant ringing phone. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand and felt his heart skip a beat. 3:15 am. He knew that Aaron wasn't currently working on a case, so the only likely caller at this hour was the hospital with news about Spencer. Bad news he presumed, as nothing had changed for the better when he left at 9 pm. With that realization he shot out of bed and hurried down the hallway to Aaron's room. He didn't pause to knock as he pushed the door open. Aaron was dressing in the dimly lit room while talking on his cell. He glanced briefly up at William as he continued his conversation. When he hung up, he smiled broadly.

"They think Spencer is waking up. A nurse noticed the signs about an hour ago and they've been monitoring him closely. The doctor doesn't know how long this might take, but he thinks I should be there."

"I'm going with you," William replied quickly, as he headed back to the guest room. He hastily threw on yesterday's pair of jeans and a clean dress shirt from his open suitcase. He grabbed his wallet and ran to meet Aaron at the top of the stairs. "Are you ready?" he asked breathlessly.

Aaron nodded, but put out a hand to stop William from taking off. "Just don't forget what we discussed before. I know that you're anxious and so am I, but we have to do this the right way."

"Of course; I know how this has to go. I'll leave when he is actually awake, but I need to be there now. The doctor said it could take hours so I should be fine for a while."

"Ok, then let's go," Aaron responded.

The half-hour drive from Aaron's house to the base hospital took less than 20 with Aaron behind the wheel and William tapping his foot impatiently. The parking lot, the elevator ride, and the jog to Spencer's room passed in a blur. William was both excited and petrified at the prospect of seeing his son awake. The past three weeks he'd spent every day with Spencer, but soon his son would be able to answer his questions-or to tell him to get the hell out. He had no problem admitting to himself that was his biggest fear. As emotionally invested in his son as he was now, a rejection would be tough to handle. Not that I wouldn't deserve it, he thought; he has every right to be angry. I just hope he'll give me a chance. Dr. Caine's arrival snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Aaron, William, sorry to drag you out of bed so early, but I knew you'd want to be here."

"No, we appreciate it, Dr. Caine. What can you tell us?" William admired Aaron's calm, professional manner and was extremely grateful for it. He wasn't sure he could form a coherent sentence just yet. His heart pounded with adrenalin and his brain whispered incessantly about the possible outcomes of this day. He forced himself to listen patiently as the doctor explained the changes they'd seen and what to expect in the coming hours and days. Waking and recovering from a long-term coma would be a difficult process for Spencer and for them. William didn't care much about those details at the moment-he just wanted to go see Spencer for himself. Dr. Caine apparently noticed his agitation as he finished speaking and motioned for them to enter the ICU room. Though he wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, William was mildly disappointed by the lack of visible change. Spencer looked the same as when he'd left. It was certainly nice to see him without the ventilator tubing, which had been removed earlier in the day in hopes of prompting Spencer to awaken. His lungs were holding up well so far, and the physicians were pleased.

William took his usual place at Spencer's bedside and held his son's hand firmly. He watched closely for small movements or sounds that would indicate Spencer's level of consciousness. After a few moments, he noticed the same tiny eye twitches the nurse saw. Spencer's eyelids didn't open, but William could see tracking motions behind them. He felt elated at the improvement, but disheartened at the lack of further signs. He sighed and sat back in his chair. He fixed his eyes on Spencer and settled in for long hours of waiting.

-----

He lifted his head from the large file he was reading at the sound of his secretary's voice. He looked up at her, surprised and amused at her slightly annoyed tone. It was hardly unusual for her to call him several times to get his attention. She often gave up unless it was something important. "Sorry Jeannine, what is it?"

She shook her head and spoke slowly to make sure he understood her. "I said, you have a phone call from the FBI. Someone named Aaron Hotchner. He insists that he needs to speak with you immediately."

"FBI, huh? I wonder if this is about the Johnson case..." he nodded his thanks to her as he picked up the phone. "William Reid."

"Mr. Reid, this is Special Agent Aaron Hotchner. I work in the Behavioral Analysis Unit at the FBI..." there was a brief pause. "I'm your son's, Spencer's, supervisor."

"Oh," he couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice. While he knew that Spencer was an FBI agent, and now hearing it in context he knew the name Aaron Hotchner, he was still caught off-guard. "What can I do for you, Agent Hotchner?"

Another pause. "I don't need anything, Mr. Reid. I have news for you. There was an incident yesterday afternoon while we were on a raid. Spencer was injured. It was a close call, and he's in a coma right now. He's stable for the moment, but he's still critical."

William felt a block of ice settle in his stomach. He'd dreaded something like this since he found out that Spencer joined the FBI, but he never expected to actually get the call. He was amazed that he was even on a contact list. After the initial shock, Agent Hotchner's words sank in: injured, coma, critical. A sudden panic clawed up his chest and into his throat, and he had trouble forcing out his words. "How bad...I mean, is he....what's his prognosis?"

A heavy sigh proceeded Agent Hotchner's response. "They're unsure. Right now the coma is drug-induced as they didn't know if he would survive the initial trauma, but it was originally brought on by oxygen deprivation." Oh my god, what the hell happened? He was afraid to ask for details. "As his power of attorney and medical contact, I'm in charge of medical decisions concerning Spencer. However, you are technically his next-of-kin and the hospital advised me to contact you. Unfortunately, this was the soonest I could call you and I had to make some immediate decisions without speaking to you first. I hope you understand."

"Of course, that's fine. I'm sure you did what was necessary at the time. What would you like me to do?" Not waiting for an answer, William began packing up his files and straightening up his desk. It didn't really matter to him whether Agent Hotchner wanted him there or not-he was going to see his son.

After a brief moment, Agent Hotchner replied, "I think you should be here. There's a possibility that things could go badly, and as a father myself I'd hate for you to be elsewhere if they do." William swallowed hard. He greatly appreciated the agent's candor, feeling it wasn't something he gave easily. However, it also sent a cold fear through his veins. If he thinks I need to be there, things must look pretty bad.

"Absolutely. I'm preparing to leave now. Where are you? My secretary can arrange a flight immediately." He walked to his open door to catch Jeannine's attention. She hurried over as she caught his words.

"That won't be necessary. Spencer was injured on duty, so I'm authorized to send the Bureau jet to pick you up. I just need your address." Whoa, talk about perks! Ordinarily he'd protest and insist on paying his own way, but the gravity of the situation was more important than his pride.

"Ok, then. I'll need to run home to pack up a bag, then I can go to the airport. The closest is a private one just off the strip."

"Why don't I send an agent from the Vegas field office to pick you up at your house? We're in Denver at the University of Colorado Hospital, so it'll take just over an hour for the jet to arrive."

"That's fine. I live in Summerland, at 1268 Westin Place. I'll be there in ten minutes and I'll be ready in twenty." He covered the phone long enough to tell Jeannine that he didn't need a flight after all.

"I'll get in touch with Agent Lawrence in Vegas to arrange transportation. Is it all right for me to give him your number?"

"Yes, but give him my cell: 702-654-0782."

"Ok, I'll call him and you can expect his call shortly. I need to go now, but I'll meet you at the hospital."

"Sure, and, thank you...thank you for calling me Agent Hotchner."

"Of course." William barely noticed the dial tone in his ear as he pulled on his suit coat. He grabbed his briefcase and turned off his office light as he hurried out. He paused long enough to inform Jeannine of his trip and give her instructions for handling his affairs while he was gone.

His drive home, packing his suitcase, and riding with the agent to the airstrip were completely unmemorable to William. He only knew they'd occurred because he remembered arriving at the Bureau jet and having his bag taken to storage. He vaguely recalled staring at the plane in awe and being impressed that this was Spencer's usual mode of travel. After a brief conversation with the agent that picked him up (though he had no idea what was said), he boarded the plane and endured the seemingly endless flight with a heavy heart and frantic mind.

--------------

"William?" Aaron's voice interrupted his morbid reverie. He turned toward Aaron as his brain raced back to the present. "I'm going to get some coffee. Do you want some?"

"Oh, sure. Thanks Aaron." William turned his attention back to Spencer to look for anything different. Not unexpectedly, there were no changes. He let out a deep sigh. Who knew that just waiting would be so exhausting? The memory he'd just relived played again, and William reflected on his feelings during those panicked minutes. It both surprised and pleased him that his fatherly instincts kicked in so quickly when he heard Spencer's name. During those first moments he'd been certain that Aaron would tell him Spencer had been killed, and the pain from that thought hit him headlong. His initial worry of Spencer's being in law enforcement had gradually faded over the years. He often saw the accolades heaped on Spencer and his team after successful cases; but, he rarely considered the danger anymore unless something dramatic happened to remind him.

"I've been such an idiot," he murmured aloud. He could scarcely believe that he'd wasted so many precious years with his son. Once Spencer turned 18 and had Diana committed (which he shouldn't have had to do alone), there was no reason for William not to contact him other than his own guilt and fear of rejection. I could have told him the truth years ago. Then maybe he wouldn't hate me and we could actually be family again. He made a silent promise that he would do everything in his power to fix his relationship with Spencer once he awoke. If Spencer chose not to continue things, that was his choice. William, however, knew with stunning clarity how he wanted things to be from now on. He just had to hope that Spencer could find a way to forgive him and give him a chance to prove himself.

Aaron returned with fresh coffee, and the rich aroma roused his senses. He took a careful sip and sighed contentedly. "This isn't hospital coffee," he teased Aaron quietly.

"No it isn't," Aaron agreed. "I brought it with me from the house and bribed a nurse to make it for me."

William smiled slightly at that. "Well then, I'd say the ordeal of having Spencer moved here from Denver was worth it just to have good coffee." Aaron chuckled softly in response as he sipped his own beverage. "If you don't mind, I think I'll go wander around for a few minutes." William suddenly felt restless and inexplicably anxious. Maybe the activity will do me some good.

"Sure, no problem," Aaron replied. William eased his chair away from Spencer's bedside and sipped his coffee as he quietly left the room. It struck him as funny that they tried to be quiet when they actually wanted Spencer to wake. He wandered down the now-familiar halls with no particular destination in mind. Along the way he greeted various staff members and patients he'd come to know during the past weeks. Finally, he reached the central garden and decided to take advantage of the remaining daylight. As he paced the small area, his mind wandered back to the last time he was in a hospital with Spencer. Talking about it with Aaron had brought the memories to the forefront of his brain, and now he often felt the pain and worry of those days assaulting him unexpectedly.

It was a cold breeze whispering across his neck that caught his attention. He looked around to realize that the daylight was beginning to fade and the temperature was slowly dropping. A glance at his watch told him he'd been reminiscing for nearly two hours. Though he wasn't concerned about being gone so long- someone would find him if there were any problems, he hated leaving Aaron alone in the room for so long. He knew from experience that the absence of sound other than machinery got to be very irritating after a while. He headed back upstairs at a quicker pace than he'd used before.

As he stepped out of the stairwell on the ICU floor, he immediately noticed a change in the atmosphere. There was a buzz of excitement and a flurry of activity happening all around. He scanned the area as he approached Spencer's room, looking for clues as to what the fuss was about. He rounded the corner and ran into a crowd of staff members gathered in front of Spencer's door. Their whispered conversations and pleased expressions kept him from panicking, but he felt his heart beat increase with anticipation. It wasn't until he reached for the doorknob that he even noticed the imposing nurse blocking the entrance.

"I'm sorry Sir, but you can't go in right now. I have to escort you to the waiting room down the hall."

The words sounded strange to William's ears as his brain attempted to process them. He'd been coming and going as he pleased, so the sudden interference caught him by surprise. Maybe he's new and doesn't realize who I am? "It's ok, I'm William Reid, Spencer's father," he reassured as he reached for his wallet.

"I know Sir," the nurse replied firmly, "but I've been instructed to make sure you don't go in until the doctor gives clearance."

That caught William's attention. "Doctor Caine? What's happened? Is something wrong?"

"Please, Mr. Reid, come with me and I'll let you know the details in the waiting room."

"No, if something is going on with my son I want to know now. Who said that I'm not allowed to go in?"

"Sir it was Dr. Caine and Agent Hotchner that made the decision. I'm just following orders."

The knowledge that Aaron was involved wiped out all of William's anger. If there was anything that he knew for certain, it was that Aaron had Spencer's best interests in mind. If he said that William had to stay away, it was for a good reason.

He nodded silently and allowed the nurse to lead him to the empty room across the hallway and several doors down. Surprisingly, he could still see the entrance to Spencer's room if he sat in the chairs closest to the door. Once he was seated the nurse began speaking.

"First of all, everything is ok. Your son woke up about 20 minutes ago..."

"Spencer's awake?" William interrupted excitedly.

"Yes sir, Dr. Caine is in with him now to do a preliminary evaluation, and I'm sure they'll let you in as soon as he's finished."

"I doubt that," William stated ruefully. "Spencer won't be expecting me, and I'm certain they don't want to shock him this soon after waking up." At the nurse's puzzled expression he continued explaining. "I haven't seen Spencer for years. My presence here is the last one he'll expect."

The nurse nodded his understanding but wisely declined to comment. After a moment of awkward silence, he offered William any assistance he could provide before leaving. William sat quietly in the otherwise desolate room watching the activity in the corridor. Handfuls of nurses carrying various equipment came and went from the room, but more than an hour later neither Dr. Caine nor Aaron had appeared. Just as he decided to risk venturing closer to the action to collect information, Aaron exited and walked toward William's hideout. His body language screamed exhaustion but his eyes were brighter than William had seen them thus far. Instinctively he knew Aaron was bringing good news. A weight lifted from his heart and an excited smile took over his face.

"He's ok," he demanded before Aaron was fully in the small area.

"We think so. Obviously he's still groggy and a bit confused, but he recognized me right away. When I asked if he remembered the case we were on he could recall everything clearly until right before the attack, and he even has a few vague memories afterward. Dr. Caine wants to do more tests over the next couple of days, but so far it seems like he will be just fine." Aaron's voice was fatigued yet filled with an enthusiasm that made William relax even further. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief.

"That's my son, always beating the odds."

"No kidding. The team sometimes jokes about him having nine lives. Sometimes I'm afraid they might be right."

"I hope not; otherwise, he doesn't have many left."

"I know." Aaron sighed deeply and stretched out into the chair beside William. "Dr. Caine thinks we won't get to visit anymore tonight. Spencer was already worn out from when I left and he'll likely be completely exhausted once they are finished with the tests. We may as well go home to rest and come back early tomorrow."

"I don't like the idea of leaving him here alone all night, even if he will be sleeping through most of it. Someone should probably be here just in case."

"Oh, he won't be alone," Aaron assured. "It's Morgan's night to stay and I called him a few minutes ago with an update. He's already on the way, and JJ is going to be here when visiting hours start. They know to call if anything happens."

"Ok then," William agreed. He knew he could trust Aaron's team to take good care of Spencer. Hell, they've done a better job so far than I ever have. The men wearily trudged to Aaron's SUV. While it had been a good day, both of them were ready for a break. Maybe they'd even be able to sleep peacefully tonight.

----------

A loud squeal of excitement forced William from his worrisome thoughts. he peered out the doorway of 'his' waiting room to see Penelope hugging JJ, Derek, and Emily, who were gathered outside of Spencer's room. The flamboyant tech carried a bright yellow smiley face balloon and a large bouquet of yellow roses and baby's breath. The women had just arrived for visiting hours, and the five friends stood talking enthusiastically. William could only catch part of the conversation, but he knew they were sharing updates on Spencer's condition.

He felt a pang of envy at seeing their joyful expressions and knowing Spencer would be equally as happy to see them. He held no illusion that such a warm reception awaited him. Aaron had promised to inform Spencer of his presence as soon as he felt it was safe to do so. It was the waiting, however, that was driving William crazy. He didn't even know if Spencer would agree to see him. The selfish part of him wanted Aaron to just find out what his son wanted so that he wouldn't be trapped in this limbo of uncertainty; the rest of him ignored that part. After all, he'd spent nearly two decades caring for his own needs. Now was the time to focus on Spencer and helping him recover as well as possible.

William was so wrapped up in his musing that he didn't realize Derek had entered the room until he sat down across from him. Of all of Spencer's team members, Derek was the least trusting and most resentful toward him. Though the coolness between them had dissolved some over the weeks, William could still feel a mild dislike emanating from the profiler. He'd discussed this with Aaron and determined that Derek's attitude likely stemmed from the fact that his own father died when Derek was ten-the same age Spencer was when William left. It made sense that he would have issues with a man that (somewhat) willingly left his son when Derek's father hadn't been given a choice. It was probable that this unfortunate similarity helped bond Derek and Spencer together as friends, good friends if Aaron's observation skills were accurate. In the short time he'd known Derek, William had noticed his 'protective older brother' feelings toward Spencer, and he'd felt the wrath of Derek's worry and pain over said 'younger brother'. He didn't mind, really; it was good to know that his son was surrounded by people that love and care for him.

He glanced pointedly in Derek's direction. The agent hadn't spoken a word, but he silently fixed his penetrating stare on William. It's like he's trying to get inside my head. Maybe he is; he's a profiler, that's what they do!

William took the initiative to open up conversation. "How is he doing?"

Derek continued staring for several seconds before replying. "He's good, better than expected actually. He is still really tired and he was disoriented when he first woke up, but so far everything looks good. Dr. Caine is letting us visit for a short time to see how he handles it."

"That's great."

The awkward silence returned and only the ticking of the clock could be heard.

"You know that I'm not here to hurt him?" William's statement sounded more like a question that he wanted.

After a short pause Derek answered carefully, "I believe that you don't intend to hurt him, but I'm not sure that you can avoid doing it."

"I'm sure you're right," William responded bitterly. "I've been hurting him for a long time without ever meaning to." He let out a humorless laugh. "Funny thing is I was trying to make things easier for him and instead I made a mess of everything. I do love him, you know. I always have."

"I believe that. I don't think that he knows it."

"No, I'd think not. I want him to realize that though, even if he doesn't want anything to do with me after this. I just want him to know that I never stopped caring about him."

Derek nodded slowly. "That's what I needed to hear." He stood to leave and William called out to stop him.

"Thank you," he said when Derek turned to face him again.

"For what?"

"For being such a good friend to him."

"You don't have to thank me for that," Derek replied with a small grin as he left William alone with his thoughts once again.

------

It was late afternoon when Aaron emerged from Spencer's room. Spencer had been awake for over 24 hours now, and William had spent many of them watching doctors, nurses, and agents come and go from visiting and checking on him. Occasionally one would stop in to say hi to William and give him a brief update. Aaron's appearance in the waiting room meant that he could finally get a good idea of what was happening overall. The look of concern on Aaron's face, however, didn't shake William from the melancholy mood he'd been trapped in for hours.

"What's going on," he asked hesitantly?

Aaron sighed heavily and sat next to William. "I've spoken with Spencer and he's agreed to speak with you. I'm not certain that it's a good idea yet, however Dr. Caine feels that it will be ok as long as he doesn't get too upset..."

"I don't want to upset him, Aaron, I just want to see him."

"I realize that, but what you don't understand is that just my telling him that you are here made him anxious."

"I won't stay long and I won't bring up any issues."

"He likely will, though. He's had nearly 20 years to build up anger and resentment; and knowing Spencer like I do, he won't let you off too easily. Just be sincere because he'll know if you're lying and that'll make things worse. And please, try to stay calm no matter what happens and that should help keep him somewhat calm too."

William shook his head ruefully. "It's kind of pathetic that you have to give me instructions to deal with my own son. You know him so much better than I do."

Aaron gave him a hard look. "We've been over this before, and I'm not going to aide you in your self-pity. If you want to make things right you have to take the hits. I'm just trying to help you stand a chance. I know from experience that it isn't easy to confront an angry genius."

Both men smiled at that thought. "If that's the case then I'm almost glad that I missed the teen years."

"Don't worry; he still has some of the attitude left and I'm sure he reserved some just for you."

"Thanks," William grumbled lightly as he stood to leave. "Wish me luck?"

He received a smirk of encouragement. "You'll be fine."