hey guys, sorry I didn't update yesterday I've been really busy with exams. Thanks for all the reviews they really mean a lot. I hope you enjoy.

chapter 9: some things never change.

Spencer Reid woke up suddenly. At first he'd forgotten where he was and was met by a sudden blind panic. However after sorting through his thoughts, the events of the last 24 hours hit him, they hit him hard. Knowing that he needed to stop breaking down the whole time he decided to get up and go for a walk to clear his head a little. He looked over to the clock by his bedside table which read 5:45. This was good as it meant spencer could take as long as he wanted to sort through his feeling and the team wouldn't even realize that he was gone. Sitting up in his bed spencer looked around him. To his surprise he saw a sleeping lump on the sofa in his hotel room. It was Hotch. That's when he remembered the dream and all the grief, disappointment and shame he felt began to rise up. Spencer, having enough of constantly feeling sad, instantly pushed these feelings back down and got out of bed. Careful not to wake Hotch he quietly went to the bathroom and changed out of the clothes he hadn't bothered taking off last night. He shoved on the first thing he could find not really caring what he looked liked, grabbed his coat and left.

Spencer walked for about half an hour around the streets not going anywhere in particular. Thoughts raced through his mind. He thought about his mum. He wondered if she would be ashamed of him. He thought about how much she had hated him in his dream. He also thought about all the plans he was going to have to make, sorting through her stuff, arranging the funeral and telling people. This last thing was probably the hardest out of all of them. Although his mother didn't really have many friends she did have a few people who cared about her. Having to tell people meant having to recall what happened and he wasn't quite sure if he was ready for that. Then he remembered about his dad. As much as he hated him he was willing to come to some kind of agreement as he couldn't bare to loose another parent. Spencer desperately hoped that Rossi had already called him like he said he would as he didn't think he could bring himself to break the news.

After meandering endlessly for another half an hour spencer found himself at the park he had been to the previous night. Deciding that the team wouldn't probably be up yet he decided to re-visit the chess tables. When he arrived he felt a huge sense of relief as no one was around. Spencer seeing no harm in wasting more time decided to play against himself, just like he did when he was practicing to beat Gideon.

Meanwhile, Hotch woke up aching all over, remembering he was on the young agents sofa he quickly got up. He was greeted with a sudden wave of panic when he saw that Reid's bed was empty. He checked in the bathroom and when he wasn't anywhere to be found he quickly decided to get dressed and search for him around the hotel. Hundreds of scenarios ran through Hotch's head at once as he thought of all the dangerous situations Reid could of got himself into.

What if hes done something stupid. How could I be so oblivious to the fact that he's upset and not thinking straight. It was probably the dream what did it. How could I not realize the state he was in after he woke up. Now it's all my fault if we find him in an alley passed out due to drugs and alcohol. Or even worse what if he turns back to dilaudid, no he can't he's been clean for years.

These were the many thoughts which ran through agent Hotchner brain as he quickly got changed and went to search for the young genius.

Spencer felt a lot better after he channelled some of his thoughts in the long chess game he had just played against himself. Glancing at his watch he realized he'd been gone for two hours and his team were probably up now and extremely worried about him. Spencer reached in his pocket to get his cell phone to call ahead saying he was alright, when he realized that he'd forgotten it. He quickly jumped up heading to the hotel knowing that his team were defiantly panicking and had probably already sent out a search party for him. Grateful he had his eidetic memory he quickly made his way back to the hotel. Grabbing a quick coup of coffee on the way. As much he was in a rush he hadn't had a cup in the last 24 hours and he felt that he had deserved it.

The team stood in the hotel lobby, frantic. Hotch had alerted them that Reid had gone missing and everyone was desperate for him to be all right. The hotel doors slid open and Reid wasn't entirely shocked to see his team gathered there all looking distressed.

"Hey." Came Reid's familiar voice and the entire team turned around at once.

"Where the hell have you been." Screamed Garcia.

"I'm sorry I went for a walk and forgot my cell."

"You bet your sorry." Said Derek angrily.

"Listen all that matters is that he's alright. Next time he decides to take an early morning stroll he will remember his cell phone or at least leave a note to say where he's going. Isn't that right reid." Hotch stated just relieved that Reid was alright.

"Yeah I'm sorry." Reid said guiltily.

"Its fine spence, with everything what's gone on I don't blame you for getting some air." Said JJ softly.

"I see that some things don't change though." Rossi said grinning pointing at the coffee cup in Spencer's hand.

"Seriously reid." Emily laughed. The rest of the team joined in glad to see that spencer was slowly picking himself up. Suprisingly spencer smiled. Everyone acknowledged this and were overwhelmed to see him smile again.