A/N- So the illness is revealed. And no, it's not creative nor much of a suprise. I just hid it because I had this scene in my head.

As always- Review, review, review!

"It's now or never Hotch." said Emily.

Hotch took a deep breath and picked up the phone.

Ring ring, ring ring

The noise shocked them both.

She wiped the sweat off her forehead and said; "Right. You answer it. And put it on speaker."

Spencer stood up and made his way to the counter. He picked up the phone.

"Hotch. You're on speaker." Spencer said, slowly walking over to his previous spot and sitting back down.

Hotch gripped the phone tighter.

"Valencia." he said speaking directly to her, bypassing Reid. "What's going on today?"

It had been a long time since she had heard that voice. It bought back a lot of memories.

"Agent Hotchner. I'm sorry about this, but if you had bothered answering any of my letters..."

"What letters?"

"...Or gotten it right the first time around, none of this would have happened."

"I'm sorry you feel that way Valencia. Why don't you come out and we can talk about this."

"I didn't go to all this effort to give up just because you asked nicely." Spencer noticed her closing her eyes and rubbing her temples.

"What do you want Valencia?" asked Hotch.

"What do I want?" She raised her voice, irritated. "I want you to do your job Aaron!" Spencer noticed the use of his first name. She took a moment to compose herself.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't your fault I... He... You just need to fix this, okay?" She pleaded. Reid could here the desperation in her voice. While before she looked angry, now she looked like she was going to cry. Much to Reids relief, she didn't.

"Valencia, what Alex Newman did to you was awful..."

"Alex did nothing to me!" She was angry again. "You think if I had any inkling that Alex had done... that... I'd be defending him? You all tell me he did it. You weren't there Aaron! Dr Mack wasn't there! I was! Don't you dare try and tell me what happened to me! To me! I think I'd know better than you!"

"Calm down Valencia, I'm just trying to help..."

"Everyone's trying to help! You're kind of help locked an innocent man in jail for five years! It let a killer go free! How about helping April Dawkins? Or Sarah Felter? How about Dawn Fitzroy?" Her voice calmed again. She spoke softly this time. "What about Catherine Hutchinson? You know she sung herself to sleep every night? Catch a falling star. I didn't get that off television."

Spencer noticed her stare off into space while the other end was silent. Soon Hotch interrupted the silence.

"I'll look into it, okay Valencia? Interview some old witnesses, talk to people involved in the case..."

"You'll talk to my father?" She questioned with hesistence.

"If you want me too."

Silence.

"You need to start compromising..."

"How about this" she said with a lack of patience "How about you fix this and I wont put a bullet in the nice doctor."

Spencer tensed.

"Valencia, listen to me, I know you wouldn't want to hurt anyone. I know that you know there has been enough hurt already. Dr Reid is a human being. He has a job, team mates, friends, a mother..."

Spencers fears were confirmed, but even more troubling, Valencia's whole demeanor suddenly changed. Her face no longer looked worried nor angered. It just looked blank.

"He has a mother?" She said, her voice caught somewhere between apathy and amusement.

"Pardon me?" Asked Hotch.

"I just think it's funny you'd tell me that. I have a mother Agent Hotchner. So do you I imagine, but it's only a wild guess" she said sarcastically.

"I..."

"Don't try and trick me agent Hotchner. Go and fix this. If you call me again I'll know you aren't out doing your job."

and with that, she hung up.

She walked away from the counter and assumed her previous position.

"So, you have a mother." Said Valencia.

Spencer did not reply.

"What is that supposed to mean? Is it some kind of code? A hint?"

Spencer looked at her in mock confusion. "I don't understand..."

Valencia let out a half chuckle.

"My mother, she's very protective. I'd imagine she's outside right now" Spencer lied. "That's why agent Hotchner must have mentioned..."

"Bzzzt." she made a failed buzzer sound. "Incorrect. Try again."

He breifly considered trying to convince her that what he had said was the truth, but he imagined it would only make her more angry.

"Okay, the truth is... It's an FBI code. It means... don't do anything rash."

Much to Spencers dismay she burst out laughing. "You seriously expect me to believe that the FBI has a code for 'don't do anything rash' and that it's 'you have a mother'?"

Crap. She wasn't buying any of this.

"Truth this time sparky."

"I don't know what you want me to say..."

She was angry now. "I just want the god damn truth from someone! For once in my stupid life!"

So Spencer gave it to her.

"I can't be sure this is what he meant... But I think... he was trying to pass on a message... You see my mother..."

"Your mother what?" she asked, now calm.

"My mother had schizophrenia."

Silence.

She looked more visably relaxed now.

"Well, third times the charm." She understood this was the truth. "Thank you for being honest."

Spencer didn't speak.

"It's true. I am. I mean I do... Have it. And I know what you're thinking. But this isn't a delusion."

"I wasn't thinking that." Spencer said gently.

"Then maybe you're the crazy one."