"Aaron?"
Hotch turned his head towards the door and saw a tall, elder gentleman standing at the door. The man gave a Hotch a small wave and entered saying," Hi, my name is Dr. William Ames. I'll be your psychiatrist and therapist while you're here. "
-I don't want him here! I just- The story Allison had told him suddenly came to mind. It had actually never left- his mind seemed to have latched onto the last phrase she had told him, "I know you feel like that world would be better without you…but it actually would be worse for the ones that love you. Think about that." Why can't I believe that?

"You have a big day ahead of you, huh? Family and your teammates are coming today-you get to see the people that love you," Ames said.
"I guess," Hotch answered.
"Ok." Dr. Ames pulled up a chair next to Hotch's bed and sat down." Ok, let's start our first session." He pulled out a pen and scribbled a note down on his notepad. After a minute, he looked to Hotch and pushed his glasses up from sliding down his nose.
"Now tell me about yourself," Ames asked. - You can glare at me all you want, Aaron, he thought.
Hotch paused before saying," I'm an FBI agent. I used to be the Unit Chief of a team in the Behavioral Analysis Unit."

"So you catch what…serial killers?"
"Yes."

"I see. Did you enjoy your job? You know, catching these guys and being a leader?"

"Yes."

"That's always good. Now tell me about your family."

"I have a son named Jack, a brother named Sean, and a sister in law named Jessica."

"No wife?" Ames watched Hotch twitch at the sound of the question.

"No …..we divorced two years ago….and she died seven weeks ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry for your lost."

"Thank you," Hotch answered quietly. Ames looked down to his notepad and began to write down notes. When he finished, he clicked his pen and looked up to Hotch. "Aaron, what happened within the last couple of months? Why are you here?"

"I attempted suicide a few days ago," Hotch answered with a sigh, "in response to a stressful situation with a serial killer named George Foyet."

"What happened?"

"A year ago, Foyet offered me a deal where he would stop killing if I promised not to hunt him. I refused which led to a lot of lives being put in danger including my own. This cumulated in Foyet killing my ex wife Haley and myself killing him."

"Ok...You said a lot of lives were put in danger…. including your own. What do you mean by that?"

"I was attacked in my apartment by Foyet and stabbed nine times a few months ago."

"Wow that must have been frightening! What happened?"

Don't make me go there, Hotch thought."I don't remember."

Ames smiled. "Aaron, just like you, I can catch when someone is lying. You're lying to me."

Hotch only returned with a darkened glare. Ames leaned back in the chair and took the challenge. "I have your medical notes here and they correspond with the report that you were stabbed nine times…..but your emotions tell me otherwise. I think you're hiding something- something you didn't tell the doctors or anyone else. Did something else happen?"

Don't…Don't! Hotch only continued his glare into Ames, praying that the man would back down.

"Aaron? Aaron, don't shut down on me." Ames leaned forward in his chair and looked Hotch in the eyes.

"Aaron?" Hotch blinked, pulling himself out of his glare and whispered, "Don't."

Ames took a breath and asked, "Did Foyet rape you?"
Rossi's mansion
Ring!

Rossi turned his head towards the door at the sound of the doorbell. He sat up from the couch to answer it, but Prentiss put a hand out and said, "I'll get it. It's the least I could do." She walked over to the door as Rossi leaned back into the small warm pillows on the couch next to Garcia.

"Hey, JJ. Come in," Prentiss said as she opened the door for JJ. JJ walked passed her and immediately said to Garcia," Penelope, I was really horrible when we had to come home. I shouldn't have blamed you- I hope you can forgive me."
"Sweetie, it's water on the bridge!" Garcia exclaimed. She walked over and gave JJ a hug." I know you didn't mean it. Everyone has said things in the last few days that weren't meant to be said."
"Thanks. You guys are family- I'm sorry for anything that I said."
"That goes for me as well," Prentiss chimed in.
"I was an absolute gentleman," Rossi joked in a serious manner. Everyone chuckled at his comment including JJ who said," Jessica said that we can't come in to see Hotch for a few hours so what do you guys want to do until then?"
Garcia shrugged and said," I don't know...bookstore?"

West Quantico, Virginia
"Why are we here again?" Rossi asked as he, Garcia, JJ, and Prentiss entered a small bookstore twenty minutes later. Garcia, who had bought coffee on the way, took a sip and said," Because you couldn't think of anything better for us to do."
"I think this is nice," JJ answered, "It'll allow us to-" She stopped short at the sight of Reid. He was sitting quietly in the small bookstore cafe with a sad look on his face. JJ turned to Prentiss, Rossi, and Garcia and said," Reid is here…..I'm going to go over and say hi. I think I should go alone, though- it might be a little rough if we all go together."
"Ok- we'll be walking around somewhere in the store," Prentiss answered sadly. She turned to Rossi," What book should I get?"
"How about a cookbook? The casserole you brought in last week was horrendous," he answered. Garcia linked her arm with Rossi's and said," Emily, he's a cooking god- listen to him."

JJ watched them walk toward bookshelves before turning attention back to Reid. She approached him at his table slowly and said," Hey, Spence."
"Oh, hey JJ. What are you doing here?"
"I'm here with Penelope, Rossi, and Emily just bumming around before we visit the hospital. How about you?"
"Just thinking. I usually come here to think when it's too cold to go to the park..."he trailed off as his eyes fell to the floor.
"Are you mad at me, Spence?"
"No- I didn't know if you were mad at me."
"Oh- I'm sorry I snapped qt you. I'm not mad at you- I was just...everyone has been a little nuts this week."
"That's ok. I feel like everyone has been attacking me on everything that I have said since everything has happened."
JJ sat down at the table." Now you know how Garcia feels right now."
"…I know. I shouldn't have been so mean to her. I'll go apologize."

"Also, Emily and Rossi don't hate you- they, like us all, said things that weren't meant to be said."

"I know."

"Well- why don't you walk around with us-" JJ instantly saw a change in Reid's expression and body manner. He suddenly stood up and answered quietly," Actually, there is something I need to do before I go to the hospital. See you there?"

Reid walked off before JJ could respond. Poor Spence-she thought.

After Reid had left, JJ walked over to Garcia, Rossi, and Prentiss, who were looking at books in the romance section. She chuckled when she arrived and asked, "What happened to cooking?"

Prentiss smiled and shelved a small paperback. "We got a little side tracked. Rossi is just here for the ride. How's Reid?"

"He's upset so I think maybe a little space for him would be nice." Rossi, who was glancing to a top shelf of books, caught her attention. "See something you like?"

Rossi rolled his eyes in response. "Funny, JJ. Real funny."