Mind the warnings in chapter one.

Chapter Four

When It's Bad News

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He could hear people speaking, voices murmuring around his head, but he couldn't make out the words. It sounded like he was underwater; but at the same time he felt like he was floating somewhere above himself. His head felt heavy, but also like it was full of cotton.

"Sir? Sir, can you hear me?"

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Are they talking to me?

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"Sir, can you open your eyes?"

Slowly, Spencer tried to pull his eyelids open, just a sliver. He was immediately assaulted by too bright lights that were invading overly dilated pupils. He quickly clamped his eyelids shut again, hissing at the pain brought on by the action and clenching his teeth.

Too heavy.

His eyelids were too heavy.

He took a deep breath and attempted to open his eyes again, slower, just a crack.

All of a sudden, the sounds surrounding him came rushing forward and assailed him full on. The volume was heightened exponentially and he crashed his lids shut once more in an effort to keep out the noises attacking his head. His head was pounding, he couldn't think straight.

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God, what's happening?

Where are Aaron and Jack?

What happened…?

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After a few more moments of confusion, Spencer finally came to.

He attempted to open his eyes one final time. This time he was successful in keeping them open, the lights seemed less intrusive.

He noticed paramedics and realized he wasn't in the car anymore.

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Was I in the car?

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He was lying on his back on a gurney surrounded by strangers.

His heart was frantically pounding in his chest and he felt like he couldn't catch his breath. It sounded like chaos around him. "W-What h-happened?" His voice trembled. It was hoarse and his throat was sore.

A female paramedic answered him. She had a kind face as she looked down at his. Her eyes were warm brown and her face was framed by chocolate bangs and a pony tail. Her voice remained steady and calm as she spoke, "You were in a car accident. A truck hit the passenger's side of your car. Just lie back and try to relax. We'll take care of you and get you to the hospital, ok?"

He gave a small nod in understanding.

She smiled slightly, "My name's Lexie. Can you tell me your name, sir?"

He swallowed, licking his lips before he answered, "S-Spencer. My n-name's Spencer Reid."

"Ok, Spencer. Is there anyone we can call for you?"

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Aaron.

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"Wh-where's Aaron…?" his voice trailed off from the sheer exhaustion of trying to speak.

"Was Aaron in the car with you, Spencer?"

He was so confused. "N-no…no?"

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Was Aaron in the car?

No…wait.

Oh God...

Aaron called and asked me to pick up Jack.

I need to pick up Jack….

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"Aaron H-Hotchner….he's my partner." Spencer was beginning to feel drowsy, but he needed to let Aaron know he hadn't picked Jack up. "He needs to pick up our s-son. Our son, Jack. Please, let him know he needs to get Jack…." his voice broke as a sob wracked his body.

Lexie looked to her partner with a grim expression. "Spencer, Honey, was Jack in the car with you?"

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Was Jack in the car?

No?

He wasn't.

He had been alone in the car...hadn't he?

Oh no.

No no no no.

Jack wasn't with him.

He wasn't...

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"Spencer, there was a boy in the front passenger's seat. About ten years old? Is that Jack?" Lexie asked again.

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Was he?

Did I pick him up?

Yes….I did pick him up.

Oh god, we were going home.

He was in the car!

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Spencer couldn't keep the tears from welling up in his eyes. He couldn't see through the misty aura as he let out an anguished sob, "Yes. Y-Yes…J-Jack was in the car. Is h-he ok? Pl-Please tell me he's ok."

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Please!

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Lexie placed his hand in hers, gripping it firmly. She spoke softly as she answered him, "Spencer, honey, he's on his way to the hospital already."

"So she says that I'm too high maintenance. Can you believe it?" Rossi chuckled and turned to walk back to his office as Hotch's phone rang.

Smirking at his friend's comment, Aaron answered the call.

"Hotchner."

"Is this Aaron Hotchner?" a female voice asked.

"Yes. May I ask who's speaking?"

"This is Irene Hooper at Sentara Medical Center. I have a Dr. Spencer Reid here. He was involved in an automobile accident this evening. He asked us to call you."

Aaron's breath caught in his throat at the woman's words. He placed a hand on his desk to steady himself. "Is he ok?"

"He's pretty banged up, but he'll be ok," she answered.

There was something in her voice….he knew there was something she wasn't saying.

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Where's Jack?

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"My son was supposed to be with him. Is Jack ok?"

Hearing those words, Dave walked back into the Unit Chief's office, eying Hotch with a wary look. He pulled out his cell and swiftly dialed Garcia.

"Hola, my Sexy Silver Fox! How may rock your world today?"

He rolled his eyes. "Garcia, get a hold of JJ, Morgan and Callahan," Rossi murmured to the tech analyst, "then head over to the bull pen. I think something might be up."

Garcia's voice took a serious tone as she replied, "Yes, sir. Right away. Is everything ok?"

"I don't know." He hung up and glanced back at Aaron. He was still holding his phone to his ear.

"Sir, we'd like you to come down to the hospital to be with Dr. Reid. We can give you more information when you arrive. Do you have someone who can drive you?"

Aaron didn't know what to think. They told him how Spencer was over the phone. Why not Jack? What weren't they saying? He tried to keep his composure.

"Sir? Are you still there?"

"Yes...um, yes," he stammered, "I have someone. I'll be there soon."

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This isn't happening.

This can't be….it's not happening.

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JJ walked into the office at that moment with some papers for Hotch to sign. She immediately sensed something was wrong when she saw the usually stoic and reserved Unit Chief glance up at her with tear streaked cheeks and cloudy eyes.

He looked distraught as his eyes met Rossi's.

"Can you drive me to the hospital? Jack and Spencer, they were in an accident."

In a hail of rushing footfalls and thundering hearts, the entirety of the BAU, minus their resident genius, stormed the ER of Sentara Medical Center. All six members were flashing their badges and demanding answers.

Rossi spoke for the group when they arrived at the admittance desk, "Spencer Reid and Jack Hotchner. How are they?"

"Are you family?" the woman sitting at the desk inquired.

"Yes!" JJ and Rossi exclaimed in unison; they were not about to tolerate another discussion about only giving information out to family members. This team was family.

Aaron looked up and met the woman's gaze.

"Jack, he's my son. And Spencer's my partner. Please, where are they?"

Recognition dawned on the woman, Irene, when she realized this man was the one she'd called for Dr. Reid. She stood from her desk and shuffled them down the hall and into a private family waiting room.

"You can wait in here for the doctor," she began, "and there's coffee and snacks down the hall and to the right. Feel free to help yourselves. Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No, I think we'll be ok," Garcia answered in a soft, hesitant voice.

"Ok. Dr. Wilson is the doctor on call tonight. He was here when they were brought in. He should be by to talk with you shortly." With a sympathetic smile Irene walked back down the hall, leaving the frazzled FBI profilers in silence.

The group looked around the room, taking in the surroundings. There were two lamps on either side of a row of cushioned chairs. The lamps were blanketing the room in a soft glow. It was a stark contrast to the blaring fluorescent lights in the hallway. A coffee table stood in the center of the room, several magazines littered its surface. There was a TV mounted to a wall in the corner that showed a news broadcast on mute. It appeared that the setting of the room was an attempt to calm any poor souls who were unfortunate enough to inhabit it.

It wasn't working.

Aaron sat down and took in the environment.

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They only put you in these rooms when it's bad news.

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I've been put in those kind of rooms before...and it sucks.

Sentara Medical Center is an actual hospital in the Quantico vicinity.