"Morning, Reid."

Prentiss smiled as she sat down at her desk.

"Morning Emily." He smiled in return, handing over a Styrofoam coffee mug to her.

Her eyes widened in delight.

"Oh, have I ever told you how much I love you?" She grinned, gratefully taking the cup from him.

Reid gave a knowing smile.

"Once or twice."

"How was your evening?" She asked casually as she started up her computer.

"I was busy prepping for the seminar on Friday. Hotch has put me forward as a guest speaker."

She looked surprised. Reid typically hated public speaking. It seemed a little premature.

"Are you okay with that?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

Reid shrugged.

"I hate seminars. But it's part of what we do. I actually volunteered."

"Why on earth would you volunteer?" She shook her head with a laugh of disbelief. No one ever volunteered for those things.

Again, he shrugged.

"Why not?... Be grateful. He was going to send you." He said with a smug smile.

She looked at him with a combination of admiration and concern for a few moments. He was clearly trying to prove himself; Prove that he was still able to do the job. But no one on the team doubted that.

Perhaps it was a healthy step forward or even a progression. A strength he had found since his trauma that would continue to grow and create a more confident person.

Or perhaps it was an insecure move from someone who felt they needed do everything in their power to show that they were still capable.

Whichever it was, Emily wasn't going to interfere.

"Coffee and rescuing me from a seminar? What did I do to deserve you, Dr. Reid?" She smiled again.

Morgan was suddenly at his desk, looking to Hotch's office to see if he'd been spotted.

"You're late." Reid said, not looking up from his paperwork.

"Say it louder, Reid. I don't think Hotch heard you." He rolled his eyes and slammed his phone down on the table.

At this, Reid glanced up, surprised at his tone.

"You alright, Derek?" Prentiss asked, seeing how flustered the man appeared.

"I'm fine." He snapped, sitting himself down in his chair.

Prentiss looked to Reid, raising her eyebrows. Reid just took his gaze back down to his paperwork, his brows furrowed in concern.

They all sat in silence for a long time, making their way through their paperwork. After an hour or so, Prentiss stood.

"Do you guys want coffee?"

"Hmm, please." Reid nodded and smiled.

Morgan hadn't looked up.

"Derek?"

"What?" He snapped again, clearly irritated to be pulled out of his paperwork.

Trying not to take offence, she put her hands up innocently.

"Just asking if you want a coffee."

His brows furrowed.

"Oh, err, no... Thanks." He said, just about remembering his manners.

Reid watched Prentiss leave for the kitchen, then he turned to Morgan. He looked tired and incredibly stressed. Reid noticed his eyes appeared somewhat bloodshot. He wasn't sure if he had been crying. His gaze softened as he looked upon his friend.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly. Morgan's jaw tightened. When he received no response, he tried again. "You seem... tense."

"I'm fine, Reid." He said firmly. A clear warning to back off.

Reid didn't heed the warning.

"Do you want to talk?" He pressed gently.

"Don't you have enough on your plate?" Morgan bit back cruelly.

Reid's features twitched. That comment stung a little.

He dipped his gaze back down to his paperwork and picked up his pen, knowing not to push it any further.

"You know where I am." He mumbled quietly.

Morgan could almost feel the electrical impulses in his body firing. His irritability was getting the better of him today.

Pushing his paperwork across his desk, he turned his chair away from Reid and Prentiss as much as he could. He just couldn't cope with them bothering him today. Every time they spoke it was like nails on a chalkboard.

The move didn't go unnoticed and Reid had to admit he felt a little hurt. But he knew when Morgan was stressed about something he had a tendency to lean more on the aggressive side in order to push people away. Still, he hoped that after the past few months, if anyone could get through to Morgan, it would be him.

Sighing, Reid decided to leave it alone for now. He would try him again later when he had perhaps calmed down.

Prentiss returned with his mug of coffee, giving Morgan a quick glance, she grimaced. No one liked Morgan when he was in a mood. It was like dealing with a petulant teenager.

Shooting a look at Reid, she sat down and continued with her work.

By the time lunch came round, Morgan had barely spoken a word to anyone. He had a quick chat with Hotch in his office regarding some paperwork from a previous case, but he made no attempts to make conversation. Even Garcia had spotted his mood and made the seemingly wise decision to steer clear for now.

Spotting Morgan getting up from his desk and leaving the bullpen, Reid made the decision to follow him. He'd been on his mind all morning. He hated seeing him like that. Especially after all of the support he had given him recently. If he couldn't return the favour when Morgan was clearly struggling, what sort of friend was he?

He grabbed his bag and followed Morgan out of the double doors. When he reached the elevator, he finally caught up with him.

"Hey." He said quickly. "Do you want to go for lunch? My treat." He smiled a little, the only tell that he was nervous about the reaction was the way he grasped his messenger bag tightly at his side.

Morgan didn't look at him.

"Not today." He said simply.

Reid's eyebrows twitched, trying to find the correct words to use.

"Well I was thinking we could go to that burger place you really like. They do that special on Wednesdays and I was thinking-"

This time Morgan looked at him. Pure irritation was in his eyes.

"Reid, I said no."

Then he turned away, tapping his foot, clearly wondering why the elevator was taking so damn long. Undeterred, Reid put his hand out to grab Morgan's forearm.

"Derek-"

Morgan pulled his arm away.

"Don't."

Reid furrowed his brows and tucked his arms around his waist.

"What's going on?" He asked, his voice concerned.

The door to the elevator opened and Morgan entered, completely ignoring him.

"Morgan! Please talk to me." Reid followed him.

"Reid, I am not in the mood." Morgan said through gritted teeth.

"Morgan, I just want to help. I don't like seeing you like this." He said in a soft voice. Seeing Morgan's shoulders slump a little, Reid reached out to grab his hand like Morgan would with him. "Morgan-" As soon as his fingers touched he was shoved back hard.

"Don't fucking touch me!"

Suddenly Reid was against the wall of the elevator, one hand was tangled in his cardigan and a fist was held up and aimed directly at his face. His eyes squinted as he looked at the fist and the anger in Morgan's features. He couldn't help but flinch from the action.

As Morgan realised what he had done, he stepped back, his hands going to his head, horror in his eyes.

"God, I'm sorry." He gasped out.

Reid wrapped his arms around his waist again and slid towards the elevator buttons. His gaze dipped to the floor.

"No, I'm sorry." He said quickly. "I shouldn't have pushed you."

Reid pushed the ground floor button over and over, seemingly trying to get the elevator to speed up.

"Reid-" Morgan reached out to him now.

"It's my fault, Morgan. I should have left you alone." He said, twisting to dodge his friend's reach. As soon as the doors opened he was out of the elevator and heading towards the stairs to take him back up to the BAU.

Morgan watched as Reid practically ran away from him. He was absolutely devastated with himself.

"Dammit.' He muttered under his breath as he watched Reid disappear onto the next level.


Reid quickly made his way back to his desk, keeping his gaze down.

He sat down in his chair and stared at the paperwork in front of him.

Prentiss was just returning from the kitchen with her lunch, as she placed it down on her desk with a thud, Reid jumped slightly.

Her head quirked a little to look at him.

"Hey, you okay?" She asked curiously.

"I'm fine." Reid said quickly.

Noticing how pale he looked, she moved round to his side of the desk and knelt down next to him.

"Reid, you're shaking." She said gently.

"Emily, I'm fine, honestly." He said, not looking at her.

"Where's Morgan?" She asked mostly to herself as she looked around. She clearly felt Reid could do with his support.

"I- I haven't seen him." Reid responded, his voice shaking.

"Do you want me to call him?" She asked kindly.

"No!" He answered a little too quickly. She eyed him carefully. "Emily, honestly, I'm fine. I just need a minute."

She gazed at him for a few moments then nodded.

"Okay. Well take some deep breaths. I'll get you a coffee."

"Thank you." He gave a small smile.

As she left, he let out a shuddering breath.

His heart was fluttering in his chest. He was so frustrated with himself for not leaving Morgan alone when he asked him to. He should have known better. Just because he depends on Morgan, it doesn't mean that Morgan feels the same.

He felt so stupid for trying to grab his hand. Of course Morgan wouldn't appreciate something like that. He only does that for him because he needs it. Someone like Morgan doesn't need someone holding his hand when he's upset. He just needs to be left alone to deal with it. Morgan probably thought he was completely pathetic now.

His mind flashed back to the anger in Morgan's face and the fist that was held up to his face. Morgan was going to hit him. He'd annoyed him that much that he was actually going to hit him. His breathing picked up and he found his chest tightening.

I can't do this here. Please not here.

Prentiss was suddenly back at his side.

"Reid. Breathe." She said soothingly putting a hand to his back. "Just take some deep breaths."

He nodded closing his eyes, following her direction.

"Just in... and out."

After a couple of minutes, his breathing was calmer and his colour was looking better. She rubbed his back comfortingly.

"Better?" She asked kindly.

"Better." He nodded, swallowing thickly.

"Here." She moved a coffee in front of him. "Drink this. I put some extra sugar in it for you."

He gave a small smile, his cheeks reddening a little.

"Thank you."

He nervously tucked his hair behind his ear and directed his attention to his paperwork as Prentiss made her way to her own desk.

"If you need anything, let me know. Okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks." He said quickly and self-consciously. After a few moments of thought he shot her an embarrassed gaze. "Erm, Emily? Could you not mention this to anyone... please?" He gave a small, pleading smile.

She gave him a kind wink.

"Our secret."


Morgan had returned from lunch around an hour later. Prentiss automatically noticed a tension between the pair, but didn't mention it.

Reid seemed to be purposefully not looking up from his paperwork and Morgan had lost his previous state of irritation. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it had been replaced with. Embarrassment? Shame? There was definitely still an air of anger, but it seemed to be directed inwards now.

"Coffee anyone?" She asked, trying to break the tension.

Morgan looked up for a moment, almost sheepishly.

"Please."

"Reid?"

His focus was so much on 'focusing' on his paperwork that his brain left no room for spontaneous reaction.

"Earth to Reid!" Prentiss called out.

His brows furrowed and he looked up.

"Coffee?" She said, waving around her mug.

"Uh, sure." His hands groped around his desk for his mug, looking but not really seeing. Prentiss reached across and grabbed it from the corner of his desk and waved it at him. Reid nodded, embarrassed. "Thanks."

As soon as Prentiss left her desk, Morgan's eyes were on Reid.

"Reid. Can we talk?" He asked gently.

"Um, I'm kind of busy." Reid responded quietly.

"Please."

Something in Morgan's voice made Reid's stomach flip. There was so much emotion.

Reid turned in his chair and looked to his friend. A slight look of fear crossed his features. This didn't go unnoticed by Morgan.

"Could we go in the conference room? I don't really wanna have this conversation out here." Morgan said, his gaze dropping self-consciously.

"Erm..." Reid looked unsurely to the conference room and then around the room.

"Reid. You're safe with me. I promise." Morgan's eyes were apologetic and pleading. He was so angry with himself that he was even having to use those words with Reid after everything. And it was no one's fault but his own.

Reid looked at him, slightly wide eyed. He nodded, swallowing thickly.

Morgan smiled a little, relieved that Reid was still entertaining him. He stood and Reid followed gingerly. He led him into the conference room and closed the door behind them then went to close the blinds.

"What are you doing?" Reid asked nervously. His arms automatically wrapped around his waist again. He hated his sudden nervousness around his friend, but he couldn't help it. His hypervigilance was kicking in hard. It was unfamiliar feeling this way around Morgan.

"Just want some privacy." Morgan said with a sigh. Then he sat down in a chair and gestured to the one next to him, inviting Reid to sit down.

Reid looked at it just a second too long before moving.

"Reid, I'm so sorry." Morgan said, dropping his head into his hands on the table. "I just got so frustrated. You were pushing me and I really just didn't wanna talk and-" He cut himself off before he made any more excuses. "That never should have happened."

Reid nodded, seemingly in understanding. He still hadn't sat down.

"You have to know, I never would have hit you."

Reid nodded again.

"I know." His voice sounded small and unsure.

He finally sat down next to Morgan. He couldn't bear seeing him with his head in his hands any longer. He went to grab his wrist to get him to look at him, then thought better of it.

"What's going on?" Reid asked gently.

Morgan sighed. He hated himself for feeling so vulnerable right now. He had no right. After how much Reid had been forced to open up in the last few months, to him especially, and not once had Reid reacted in the way he had. Not when his mind was present anyway.

Reid hadn't been given a choice about keeping his dignity. It was never an option. If he wanted to return to work, he had to open up. He had even pushed Reid until he did.

"Carl Buford." Morgan pretty much spat the name.

Reid's mouth dropped open. He was suddenly more lost for words than he had been before.

Morgan looked at him, a pained expression in his eyes.

"This is always a bad date for me." Reid's brows furrowed, not fully understanding. Morgan continued. "It's when he first... happened."

Reid's mouth snapped shut and tears sparkled in his eyes. He looked down.

"I'm sorry."

Morgan just shook his head.

"I'm not normally this bad. I haven't been for a long time. But I dunno, I guess with... everything that's happened... it's hit me a little harder this year."

"That's understandable." Reid nodded.

"I've been having nightmares." Morgan's voice was frustrated. "After all these years. I'm still having nightmares. It's makes me angry, man!" He slammed his hand on the table.

Reid started.

Morgan put his hand on Reid's forearm and felt a shudder run through his friend's body.

"I'm sorry." He breathed out, trying to calm himself.

"You don't have to apologise." Reid said in a croaky voice.

"Yeah I do, Reid. Because it shouldn't still be this way. Whenever he gets under my skin I become the same angry teenager that I used to be." He shook his head. "I hate that he still has this effect on me."

"I'm so sorry, Morgan. I wish I had known."

"It's not your fault, Reid." He squeezed his forearm.

"I shouldn't have tried touching you. I didn't have the right. I'm sure I just made it worse."

Morgan just sighed.

"Do you remember that day when we first went to the park, and those kids?"

Reid suddenly looked very embarrassed and nodded.

"And the conversation we had when we got back? About sexuality?"

Reid's foot was now starting to tap anxiously. That was a conversation he hoped would never be brought up ever again.

"Well I used to feel exactly the same way." Reid's eyebrows raised and he looked at Morgan in surprise. "I used to wonder if I was gay. I was sixteen and had only slept with one girl. Then he happened, and it left me wondering what the hell it meant for me. There were times where I almost enjoyed it. My body reacted too. And I didn't know what that meant."

Reid looked at him confused.

"Why didn't you tell me this before? When we were having that conversation."

"Because I'm a coward, Reid. I couldn't say it. You have no idea how much it's taking for me to say this now even. I'll admit, I became almost homophobic in my late teens. If a man even so much as looked at me a certain way then I would flip. Never mind a man touching me or... holding my hand."

Reid swallowed.

"Sorry." He said gently. "I will stop."

"No, Reid. No. That's not what I'm saying. It brings you comfort and I would never want you to stop doing anything that makes you feel better. It's just, for me, back then I felt I had something to prove. And when I find myself slipping back into that headspace, it's really hard to get back out."

Reid nodded in understanding.

"Did you ever speak to anyone?"

"Only after it all came out here. I pretended for a long time that it never happened. I never really 'dealt' with it. Not until then."

Reid went to place his hand on top of Morgan's, then stopped himself.

"Reid. Please... don't be nervous of me." He nodded to his hand, inviting him to touch him.

Reid gingerly placed his hand on top of Morgan's.

"I'm sorry." Reid said in a broken voice. "In all of this, I never stopped to think about how it might be affecting you. I'm really sorry for that." He looked down to the floor ashamedly.

"Don't." Morgan said firmly. "Don't do that. It was over twenty years ago now, Reid. Any issues I still have with it are my own. You do not have to feel guilty for anything. Do you hear me?"

Reid didn't respond.

"Do you hear me?" He repeated with more force.

Reid nodded, a tear running down his cheek.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you, Morgan."

Morgan smiled a sad smile.

"You too, kid... You too." He leaned forward and took him into a hug. Reid automatically responded, putting his arms around Morgan's back. They held each other tightly for a good ten seconds as they bonded in their shared pain.

Morgan released the hug first and looked at Reid.

"How do you do it?"

Reid looked confused, wiping the tears away from his cheek.

"Do what?"

"Not get angry. Not want to just destroy the world and everyone in it?"

An introspective look took over Reid's features for a few moments and then he looked at Morgan, his gaze unflinching.

"I guess I'm just more apathetic about myself." Morgan wondered if he'd used the correct word there. "Getting angry isn't somehow going to make me whole again. There's no point. It's too late for all that."

Morgan looked at him with concern.

"But do you never feel angry with him for doing it to you?"

Reid just shrugged. Morgan figured he either wasn't being truthful, or worse, apathetic was exactly how he felt about himself. The chances of Reid using a word incorrectly were slim to non-existent.

"Anger isn't a bad thing. It means you have respect for yourself." Reid reassured him, slightly dodging the question.

"And... you don't?" Morgan said with concern.

Reid sighed. He wasn't going to escape this one.

"We are different types of men, Morgan." Reid said with a breathy laugh. "You're an alpha male. You're strong, you're proud, you can defend yourself, you're used to being in control in most situations. I'm not. And there's a certain amount of acceptance that has to come with that. I have always relied on my mind and it has gotten me out of many situations. But if that fails, there's not much else to fall back on. If I spent my life getting angry about every time that fact has become painfully apparent, well, I'd never get anything done." He said with a shrug.

"So you just accept that people are going to do stuff to you? Reid, that's insane."

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results... I do different things, but it invariably ends up the same way. I accept the fact that the results are always the same. If I didn't, then I would be insane."

Morgan just shook his head, he was now feeling angry for an entirely different reason.

"Morgan." Reid said softly. "Everyone reacts differently to things. Anger isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's part of who you are. It's what makes you an excellent profiler. You're passionate, caring and you hate injustice. You've honed that anger into something that helps people. It's made you relentless in the job and honestly, the BAU needs that. Don't ever be ashamed of how you feel."

Morgan gazed at Reid, slightly stunned at the depth of feeling in his words. All these years on and Reid could still surprise him.

"You know, kid, if someone had told me a couple of years ago I'd be sitting here having this conversation with you, I never would have believed them." He said with a smile. "There certainly is more to Spencer Reid than just an encyclopaedic knowledge and an eidetic memory." He squeezed his arm fondly.

"Don't tell anyone." Reid said with a small smile.

Morgan took a deep breath. The weight that had been on his shoulders earlier was starting to lift and he was beginning to feel more like himself again.

"Do you wanna come to mine tonight? We can watch some movies and order that burger you were talking about?" Morgan asked, hopefully.

"Um, I have some seminar stuff to do." He saw the disappointment cross Morgan's face. He was reaching out to him for support. Now was not the time to reject him. "But I suppose I can look at that during the movies." He shrugged.

Morgan smiled.

"Thanks, kid. It's a date." He said with a smile.


A knock came on Hotch's door.

"Come in." He called out.

The door opened and SSA Nick Field entered. Hotch's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Nick." He exclaimed, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.

"Agent Hotchner." He responded respectfully. His expression was grim.

Hotch stood to greet him, taking a glance out of his window to see Prentiss, Morgan and a nervous Reid eyeing the Agent stood in the doorway, clearly intrigued by his presence.

Nick moved into the room, closing the door behind him. He shook Hotch's hand and gestured to the chair opposite him.

"May I?"

"Of course." Noting Nick's demeanour, Hotch frowned. "Is everything alright?"

"There have been developments, and I need to discuss them with you." Nick said, his voice laced with apprehension.

Hotch sat down resting his forearms on his desk.

"I have received a report from one of my undercovers that there has been a leak. Classified FBI information has reached the hands of the trafficking ring."

"Classified information?" Hotch questioned.

"Namely, the video of your agent with Jason."

Hotch felt like he had been punched in the gut. He stood suddenly and closed the blinds, blocking out the prying eyes of his team.

"What?" Hotch said, a hint of anger in his voice. "...How?" He was somewhat lost for words.

"We are looking into it as a matter of priority." Nick said. "I can only suspect it has come from my department." Disappointment crossed his face.

"What does this mean? Why would they want that footage?"

"At this point I can't say for sure." Nick shrugged, the frustration in his voice was clear. "It could be a warning. It's possible that they are aware we have undercover agents within the organisation and this is simply a warning to show us that they can get to us too."

Hotch paced furiously.

"We are doing everything within our power to track down the source of the leak." Nick added quickly.

"Is Reid in danger?"

"I don't think so. I think this is directed more at our investigation than at one particular person."

"But there is a chance that he could be?" Hotch stopped his uncharacteristic pacing.

"There is a chance." Nick said, unable to completely rule it out. "Full disclosure, the head of the ring, John Maloney, is Steve's brother."

"Steve? The other man that assaulted Reid?"

Nick nodded. "Like I say, I have no evidence to suggest that this is remotely personal and it's a well known fact within the organisation that Steve was killed by Jason."

"This is not good." Hotch said grimly, sitting down. "What can we do to help?"

"Honestly, Agent Hotchner, I am only here as a matter of courtesy. The Director is aware of the situation and has ordered no BAU involvement. If it was up to him you wouldn't even know. But I promised I would keep you updated."

"I appreciate that." Hotch nodded. "I will keep it quiet. I can get my Analyst, Garcia to look into the leak? She's one of the best."

"I would be very grateful for that, but I'm under strict orders. No outside interference until we have located the source of the leak. I am to keep it contained."

"Keep it contained and flush it out." Hotch nodded in understanding. "Well if there is anything we can do to help, you know where I am."

"Likewise." Nick responded. "And if you could not share this with your team for now, I'd be grateful."

Hotch's frown deepened.

"I'm not sure I can do that, Nick. If Reid needs protection then he's going to have to know."

"He is safe. There is no suggestion that there is any threat to his life. If I hear any different then of course, you'll be the first to know. But for now the Director wants this kept private and things to run as normal. If the organisation have someone on the inside and they see us changing behaviour then they will know we have inside intel. We have to play this very carefully."

Hotch nodded. Clearly unhappy, but understanding of the position.

"I will be between here and D.C. for the next couple of days working closely with the Director, so you will be seeing me around."

"Thanks, Nick. Please keep me updated."

"I will." They shook hands again and Nick left the office. Hotch followed him to the door and watched as the team's eyes followed the man across the bullpen and out through the double doors. Morgan's hand went to Reid's back as they did.

Suddenly three questioning pairs of eyes were turned towards him.

"What was that about, Hotch?" Morgan asked directly.

Hotch eyed the three carefully, the look in Reid's eyes set him on edge. He could see the sense of dread in their expression.

"Nothing. He was just letting me know that he's in the area for the next couple of days so if we want any updates on the trafficking investigation then he's free to talk." Hotch said calmly.

Reid nodded and looked away, clearly not keen to go down that avenue.

"That's good." Prentiss said. "I'm glad the investigation is still ongoing."

Morgan eyed Hotch appraisingly. His eyes boring holes into the man's soul. He knew there was more to it. Hotch met his gaze seriously for a few moments, then withdrew into his office.


The team were sat in the conference room having lunch together, as they sometimes did when they didn't have an active case dragging them out of state.

"So you seriously think that women like that kind of thing?" Prentiss asked with a laugh.

"Of course they do. It's all about the chase, Emily." Morgan grinned. He was in a much better mood after spending the evening with Reid. They had 'put the world to rights' in many ways and it had felt like a huge relief to him.

JJ groaned.

"The chase." She mimicked, rolling her eyes.

"Well he must be doing something right." Reid said thoughtfully, forking at his food. "He's never without a date."

"My man." Morgan put his fist out to Reid to 'bump'. Reid just looked at it and then him, furrowing his brows. "Never mind." Morgan said with a smirk.

"That may be true, but how many stay past the first night?" Prentiss asked, teasingly.

JJ laughed and bumped fists with Prentiss. They nodded at each other knowingly.

Seeing Morgan's scandalised reaction, Hotch smiled.

"Hey.. woman! Sometimes it's better just to have only a taste. Ain't that right, Rossi?" He winked at the man.

"After three failed marriages, I feel I can only agree." He said with a knowing smirk.

"Yeah but who says it's your choice that it doesn't go any further?" Prentiss teased again.

"Oh, I can assure you. I always leave the ladies wanting more." Morgan winked.

Reid looked up and smiled. It was good to see Morgan back to himself again. The world was right when Morgan was joking and smiling.

Hotch's phone rang, he picked it up and checked the screen. A curious look crossing his face.

"Garcia?" He answered.

The team all quirked their eyebrows at him. She was only down the hall. Why on earth was she calling?

Hotch's face dropped into a frown.

"What is it?" Hotch asked.

The team were all silent now, trying to work out the conversation.

Hotch stood, moving away from the table to prevent eavesdropping.

"Okay, I'll be with you in a minute." He cancelled the call and turned to his team.

"What was that?" Morgan asked, clearly worried. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine. Don't worry. It's just something she needs to show me. I'll be back shortly." He spoke and then left the room.

The team all exchanged uneasy glances.

"That was odd." Reid said, confusion marring his features as he took another bite of his lunch.

"Do you think she's okay?" JJ looked around the table.

"I'm sure she's fine." Prentiss waved her concern away. "She's probably just come across something juicy on the Internet." She said with a smile, completely oblivious to how correct she actually was.


"I can't take it down. It's out there and people are sharing it. They are sharing it, Hotch." Her voice was full of panic.

"How did you come across this?" He asked, his brows tightly furrowed.

"I'm part of a file sharing chain. I keep an eye out for anything that might be considered 'icky' or illegal and put flags into our system so they can be tracked."

"Can you track where this is coming from?"

"I am trying, Sir but I seem to be getting blocked." Her words were coming faster and faster.

"Show me again."

Garcia pulled up the video again. It was footage from a basement. He recognised the basement. And the two people stood in the centre of it. One held at gunpoint, the other groping his hands around the other's body. There were also five bodies he recognised, holding weapons at the two in the centre. All faces were pixilated, but there was no mistaking it. This was the 'take down' of Jason Turner.

He felt sick.

"Why would someone release this?" Garcia asked, tears now running down her face.

Hotch shook his head. The footage was essentially telling the FBI that there is an inside man. One who has access to their classified data. If it was a warning, then it was certainly an effective one. There is nothing scarier to an establishment like the FBI than a security breach.

"Oh my god, Reid. He cannot see this." She shook her head frantically at Hotch. "What are we going to do?"

Hotch put his hand on her shoulder.

"He wont see it. We're going to deal with this before it gets that far."

"But Sir-"

Hotch held up his hand, effectively silencing her. He was already dialling Nick.

"We have a problem."


"Reid" Hotch stepped up to Reid's desk and Reid looked up at him expectantly. "How are your plans for the seminar coming along?"

"Good. I think I'm pretty much ready." He nodded.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to put a hold on it." Hotch said strongly.

Reid's brows furrowed. Prentiss and Morgan now looked up.

"We've got a case?" Morgan asked.

"No." Hotch frowned, still not entirely sure how he was going to handle this. He really didn't want Reid out of his sights right now, despite Nick's assurances that this wasn't a personal issue. "It's been cancelled."

"Oh." Reid looked a little disappointed but also confused. "I've not been sent a cancellation." He said, looking at his computer for any update. "There's nothing on the website either."

"No, I just had a phone call."

Prentiss smiled.

"Looks like you're off the hook there, Reid. Lucky you." She laughed.

Reid shrugged a little.

"I didn't mind doing it." Hotch felt awful. He knew Reid was disappointed. It was another step towards him getting back to himself and taking that away felt cruel. But he just couldn't risk it.

He put a hand on Reid's shoulder.

"I'll get you on the next one. Save it for next time."

Reid smiled a little and just nodded, taking the papers in front of him and putting them in his drawer. They clearly contained his speech.

Morgan examined Hotch. Something really didn't feel right. Between the sudden visit from Nick, the call from Garcia and this apparent cancellation of the seminar, something was wrong.

He caught Hotch's gaze for a split second but Hotch dodged it.

Morgan sat back in his chair not taking his eyes off his boss. Hotch then headed back to his office, closing the door behind him.


The next morning, the team were in the conference room. The mood was beyond tense. Hotch held his forehead in his hand.

"What was I supposed to do, Morgan?! Tell him? I was assured they would keep a lid on this!"

"Yeah, tell him! Hotch, you know how keeping secrets from him has hurt him for god's sake!"

"So he's at a seminar and has no idea about any of this?" Prentiss asked, her voice concerned.

Hotch's attempts to curtail Reid's attendance at the seminar had been unsuccessful.

"Hotch? Do you have a minute?" Reid stood at his office door.

"Sure." Hotch gestured for him to enter.

Reid took a step into the office but didn't come in any further.

"I just received a call from Alice, the seminar coordinator confirming my place for tomorrow." His tone phrased it almost like a question, but there was a hint of accusation in there.

Hotch grimaced.

"I wouldn't normally question you when you say something is true but between Alice, the website and the lack of notification of cancellation, I can only assume for some reason you don't want me to attend." Reid's eyebrows twitched uncomfortably. He licked his lips. "I know you probably think that I'm not capable of doing this at the moment, but I want to assure you that I am."

"No, Reid it's not-"

"I appreciate the concern but in future I would ask that you speak to me when you have doubts about my capabilities, before making decisions concerning my professional choices." There was thinly veiled anger in his voice. "As it's less than twenty four hours before the seminar I have informed them that I will be attending so don't expect me in until around 11am tomorrow... Sir." He said firmly. Then walked out of the door, leaving Hotch reeling.

"When did you find out?" JJ asked.

Garcia shifted awkwardly.

"I found it yesterday. Only a few people were sharing it, but it was out there."

"And now it's viral." Now it was Morgan's turn to put his head in his hands. "This is gonna kill him."

"It is censored. The identities are not known." Rossi reassured.

JJ was on her phone then stood up, switching on the television.

"Guys." She gestured to the TV. Her face had gone pale.

A female news anchor appeared on the television.

"... questions being raised around the effectiveness of FBI information security. A seemingly classified video showing a tense confrontation between an alleged criminal and an FBI team of armed agents has been leaked. The video shows the criminal holding another man at gun point and sexually assaulting him in front of the FBI agents. The video has been censored, removing the sound and hiding the identities of those involved. Sources claim that the victim of the assault may also be an FBI agent who had been held captive. It is unclear at this time whether the stand off ended peacefully. The video has been shared widely across social media platforms. Sources have been unable to identify those involved in the video with the FBI Director, Jack Fickler refusing to comment this morning."

A band across the bottom of the screen was displayed reading:

'Jack Fickler – FBI Director'

He was walking quickly into the building as he was accosted by multiple news outlets. Questions were being thrown at him from all directions.

"Sir, sir, does the video belong to the FBI?"
"Who were the persons involved?"
"What does that mean for information security?"

"No comment." He answered firmly, not stopping to speak.

"Can we trust the FBI with our personal information?"
"Sir, do you know which department the leak came from?"

"No comment."

"What happened to the agent in the video?"

He pushed through all of the media angrily, finally reaching the safety of the building. "No comment."

The news anchor continued.

"Other FBI representatives were also approached but remained tight-lipped."

The band appeared again:

'Special Agent Laura Richmond - Sex Crimes Division'

She had clearly been giving a press conference of some sort, no doubt related to a case she was working on when the media had turned a tidal wave on her.

"Was the viral video leaked by someone within the FBI?"

Her expression tightened.

"No comment."

"Do you know the people involved in the video?"

"I'll be taking no further questions at this time. Thank you."

The band on the screen flashed up once again and a familiar face appeared on the screen. The team groaned. The press had obviously taken advantage of their invitations to the seminar. Something that under normal circumstances, would only attract the odd local newspaper.

'Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid - Behavioural Analysis Unit'

"Oh no" JJ put her head in her hand looking at the screen through her fingers.

"What are your thoughts on the footage that has been leaked by the FBI?"

"I'm not aware of any footage." He said simply, shaking his head.

"It is a classified FBI video that has been leaked showing the assault of an FBI agent-"

"I am unable to comment on something I am not aware of."

He said diplomatically.

"What does this mean for FBI security protocols?"
"Do you know the agent involved?"

The team recognised the split second look of feeling overwhelmed before it was masked with professionalism.

He took a step back from the podium and gave an anxious wave.

"That's all the questions I'll be taking for today. Thank you."

The report returned to the news anchor again.

"Despite the apparent reluctance of the FBI to claim knowledge or ownership of the footage, it has not stopped people speculating about the source of the video and what this could mean for information security."

The band popped up again displaying another name:

'Paul Lostock – Federal Information Security Expert'

The team rolled their eyes.

"A leak such as this, where classified information has reached a public platform is an incredibly serious breach of FBI security protocols. There will no doubt be panic among those in charge and internal investigations will take place to find the person or persons responsible. It raises the question, if they are unable to keep their own personal information secure, how can they be trusted with-"

"How long have you known?"

They all whirled round to find Reid stood behind them looking incredibly pale, hands shaking slightly.

Garcia reached out to his hand, "Reid-"

He pulled his hand away, dodging Garcia's grasp and looked directly at Hotch.

"How long?"

"Yesterday afternoon." Hotch said, his gaze unflinching.

"That's why you didn't want me to do the seminar."

"No." He answered quickly, "Well, yes but at the time I didn't realise how much traction it was gaining. If I'd realised the media had picked it up-"

"Would you have told me?"

They all looked at Hotch. He looked conflicted.

"Hotchner?" Reid never used that name. He was clearly angry.

"If I could have avoided it, no." Hotch answered honestly. His face wearing a tight scowl.

Reid tightened his lips and nodded.

"Sounds about right." He backed up and left the room.

Hotch looked down at the table regretfully for a few moments.

No one followed Reid. No one knew what to say.

"This is gonna set him back." Morgan said, his head still in his hand.

"Who the hell is responsible for this?" Prentiss asked, looking at Hotch. "And who the hell are the 'sources' telling them that it's an FBI agent?!"

"We don't know. The Director is heading an internal investigation. He's... not happy, to put it mildly."

"This could have only come from someone within the Bureau. Of all the things to release, why this? Why Spence?" JJ shook her head.

Hotch's jaw stiffened. He knew this information would not be well received.

"There is a concern that this might be linked to Nick Field's investigation into the sex trafficking ring."

"No Hotch, don't say that." Morgan looked at him desperately.

"A warning?" Rossi thought out loud.

"It's possible." Hotch nodded grimly.

"A warning for what?" Morgan looked irritated.

"To tread carefully."

Garcia looked horrified.

"But- but if they have this footage then that means they have-"

Hotch nodded, his scowl deepening. "They have the rest."

"Oh my god. This is bad." Garcia gasped.

"It's not good." Hotch conceded. "I have a call with Nick Field later. He clearly suspects the leak has come from somewhere within his department."

"No shit." Prentiss said sarcastically.

"So are we going in there?" Rossi asked.

"No. The Director wants us no where near it. He didn't even want me speaking to Nick, but Nick himself pushed for it."

"So what? We just sit back and wait for another video to be released?" Morgan spat.

"We don't know that's what they are planning" Hotch said cautiously.

"Or, God forbid, we wait for the media to identify who we all are." JJ added.

"The Director is working directly with the media after this morning's circus to try and keep a lid on it. He doesn't want this getting any worse than it already is."

"What does this mean for Spence? Is he not safe? His name is supposed to be classified! If someone within the Bureau has access and has been leaking this information then doesn't that mean he could be in danger?" JJ asked, the worry clear on her face.

Morgan shook his head in denial. He looked out into the bullpen and saw Reid sat at his desk staring down at his hands.

"Honestly, I don't know. Hopefully it is just a warning to the FBI as a whole. But until I speak to Nick again I know as much as you do." Hotch said, clearly not happy with the current state of play.

"Why would they risk exposing their inside man? It doesn't make sense." JJ queried.

Having heard enough Morgan aggressively pushed out of his chair, stood up and walked out.

"Derek?" Garcia stood and went to follow, Rossi grabbed her arm.

"Leave him."

He rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.

"I can't believe this is happening." She said emotionally. Rossi put his arm around her shoulders.

"What time is your meeting with Nick?" Rossi looked to Hotch.

"2pm"

"I'll join you."

Rossi wasn't asking. Hotch furrowed his brows deeper then looked away.

"Fine."


Morgan approached Reid, eyeing him carefully.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine." He answered quickly, picking up a file and opening it, feigning interest in its contents.

"You sure?" Morgan asked, sitting down on the corner of his desk. "It's okay to be upset about this."

Reid swung himself away turning his face further into his file.

"What is there to be upset about? Half the internet has seen me held at gun point and groped in front of my team. Sounds pretty standard for me these days."

Morgan winced.

He lowered his voice. "No one knows it's you, Reid."

"That's alright then."

He routed in his bag then slammed some sheets of paper down in front of Morgan.

"How long do you think that will last?"

He stood and walked quickly out of the offices.

Morgan looked down at the sheets in front of him. They were printed comments sections from various sources.

He picked up the first one.

10:28 PinkyLooLoo United States
These people get paid to protect us? They can't even keep themselves safe. How are we supposed to trust them with our data?

10:29 BigGuns27 United States
This is what happens when you let weak men into law enforcement.

- 10:31 salsthename United States
BigGuns27 U r right. That little b**** needs a proper man 2 show him wats wat

10:30 letmeentertainyou United Kingdom
Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity? Looks more like Fondled, Battered and Incompetent. And they say our police force is a mess.

-10:31 BeckhamsLeftFoot United Kingdom
letmeentertainyou LOL. Agreed.

10:31 k1ngplaya69 United States
Plz sum1 find out who that agent is n fire him. Id b dead b4 i let a man touch me like that.

-10.34 OnIt2000 United States
k1ngplaya69 yeah, wtf he is just standing there

-10:35 sally4kev_ United States
OnIt2000 He had a gun to his head and is covered in blood. I don't think he was a willing participant. He might be dead for all we know. So sad.

-10:36 Milly1997MA United States
sally4kev_ if he isn't he'll probably wish he was if his name ever gets out! poor guy 😭

-10:38 sympathy4thed3v1l United States
Milly1997MA if his name does come out, he'd better watch his back. There will be a lot of people wanting to finish what this guy started. Me included. F*** the Feds!

-10:39 Milly1997MA United States
sympathy4thed3v1l You are sick!

-10:41 sympathy4thed3v1l United States
Milly1997MA F*** you. But I'd rather f*** him. Fed pigs!

-10:45 Djrobinhood United Kingdom
sympathy4thed3v1l You've got problems mate

-10:50 jekyllnhyde65 United States
sympathy4thed3v1l Youre right. This guy is f****d. There's a lot of us waiting 👿

10:31 ElvisLives United States
Leaks inside the FBI?! But they want us to trust them with our information? F*** the government.

10:31 spinspinspin Canada
GAAAYYYY!

10:31 LadyMuck$$ United States
I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED NEXT! This is like the worst cliffhanger ever!

10:32 papa-dont-preach United States
This just goes to show that we can't trust the government with any of our information. They will do an 'internal investigation' and find it was a 'clerical error'. What a f****** joke.

10:32 mrshitchens United States
This is so sad. I hope that agent is okay. If not then RIP 🙏

-10:34 GryffindorGal United States
mrshitchens so horrible. RIP.

-10:35 satansfreak United States
mrshitchens This is so fake, don't be stupid.

10:32 0123$456$ United States
That was HOT! I hope they release the full video!

-10:35 sadinvite United States
0123$456$ Cue the FBI porno! We're all ready and waiting! 🙈🙊

10:32 RampantDuck United States
Give that guy a medal! Release the agent's name and let nature take its course.

Morgan's stomach flipped. He scrunched up the piece of paper angrily and held it in his tightly clenched fist. His whole body was tense.

He didn't know whether to punch something, cry or be sick after reading the comments. And that was only a few minutes' worth of public commentary. Reid had printed many more sheets than that and had no doubt read them all.

It was times like this where he wondered what the hell he joined the FBI for. Did any of these people actually deserve to be protected?

"Derek?" Rossi was now stood next to him. "You alright?" He could see he was physically shaking with unshed emotion.

"Not really, Rossi, no!"

He shoved the crumpled piece of paper into his colleague's hand and then moved to sit down in Reid's chair.

"People are sick, man. Really fucking sick."

Rossi scanned the piece of paper, trying to keep his expression neutral but unable to do so at some of the more unsavoury comments.

"Cowardice is the mother of cruelty." Rossi said thoughtfully. "He's read these?" He was unable to mask the concern in his voice. He picked up another sheet. If his face was anything to go by some of the comments on there were even worse.

"He showed them to me." Morgan rubbed a hand over his scalp.

"Accidenti." He said under his breath taking in another comment. Rossi shook his head and slumped onto the corner of the desk where Morgan had previously been perched.

"What are we gonna do, Rossi? If his identity gets leaked..." He trailed off. He couldn't finish that thought as the next words were way too dark.

For once, Rossi was lost for words. They knew so little at this point it was impossible to reassure. Of course, the Director would keep the media at bay. And of course, there would be an investigation into who had leaked the video in the first place. But until they knew more it was pure speculation as to why this had been done.

Rossi was not confident enough to even guess at the motives of the person(s) behind the leak, never mind their next move and much, much less reassure Morgan that their next move wouldn't be to expose Reid's identity to the world.

Rossi sighed, placing the papers down on Reid's desk, face down.

"This isn't going to be what you want to hear but, we wait."

Morgan raised his eyebrows at this, anger flickered across his face.

"There's nothing we can do. Not until we have more information. The best we can do is support the kid and keep his head above water."

Morgan's tension lessened.

"And keep his eyes away from these comment sections." Rossi said, firmly.


Reid returned back into the office after getting some fresh air. It hadn't helped. If anything it made him more paranoid. He was sure everyone was looking at him knowingly.

They knew. They all knew. It was obvious.

If they didn't know, they suspected. Who else would be weak enough to get themselves in that position?

This is what happens when you let weak men into law enforcement.

He walked back into the office with his head down, ignoring glances from others who were either concerned or just nosey.

His hands would not stop shaking. His whole body felt like it was full of butterflies flitting around. He tried his best to push the sensation down. If he didn't he would either end up throwing something or breaking down into a mess on the floor. Neither sounded like a good idea.

His legs felt like jelly.

He looked up just in time to dodge two colleagues who were stood having a conversation. Clumsily swerving to avoid them, his leg collided with a desk making an almighty thud, he caught himself but was unable to stop a pile of files from cascading down to floor.

"Hey, you okay?" Asked Anderson, looking at him curiously then down to his papers.

"Sorry!" Reid answered quickly, feeling extremely embarrassed.

Now everyone was definitely looking.

As Reid bent down to pick up his mess, his mind swam and he found himself gripping the side of the desk instead.

Anderson was suddenly up and beside him.

"Woah, steady." He put a hand to Reid's shoulder trying to help stabilise him.

It turned out this was the wrong move as Reid jumped, yelping slightly as he did so. He lost his balance completely and toppled sideways into the desk again. This time the desk moved with him, painfully scraping the floor as it did so.

The whole office at that point was like a mob of meerkats, heads up, looking for the source of the noise.

The team's eyes surveyed the commotion through the open blinds of the conference room.

"Shit, Dr. Reid, I'm sorry!" Anderson said taking a step back, holding his hands up innocently.

Voices could be heard.

"What happened?" One colleague asked.

"He just freaked." Another said.

Faint laughter could be heard. Other scandalous murmurs filled Reid's hearing as he looked up at Anderson not fully present. He was like he was submerged underwater.

Suddenly, his hearing cleared and the silence of the bullpen echoed all around him.

Reid scanned around the room, mortified. Fight or flight kicked in.

Get away. Get away. Get away!

But his body wouldn't move, slowed by anxiety.

"Reid?"

Hotch was now kneeling in front of him.

"Reid? Look at me."

Reid turned his wide eyed gaze to his boss. His face was stern.

"My office, now."

Reid looked at his boss, his mouth dropped open.

"No, I'm- I'm okay."

Hotch put his hand out to his youngest colleague to pull him up. Reid reluctantly accepted it. "It wasn't a request." He said as Reid came to his feet. He gestured for him to follow. "Now." He said firmly.

Sufficiently cowed, Reid dropped his head again and followed his boss to his office, careful not to make eye contact with anyone else in the room.

Hotch closed the door behind them.

"Sit down."

Reid looked at him, the embarrassment was plain on his face but there was also a hint of anger.

He obeyed the order and looked down to his hands.

Hotch walked around the desk, not taking his eyes off his youngest subordinate then sat opposite him on the other side of the desk.

"I just wasn't looking where I was going." Reid supplied as an explanation, still slightly breathless.

Hotch sighed. Reid closed his eyes.

He's disappointed in me.

"I'm sorry." Hotch said, his eyes full of regret.

Reid opened his eyes and looked at Hotch in surprise.

"I should have told you."

"It's okay." Reid said quietly.

Reid found himself responding before he'd even given himself time to process his feelings. It wasn't 'okay'. He didn't feel 'okay' with it. He was pissed.

His calm facade was only betrayed by the tightening grip of his hands on each other. Something that didn't go unnoticed by Hotch.

"Your body language tells me otherwise." He looked down to his hands.

Reid followed his gaze and then released his hands and hid them under his thighs, effectively sitting on them. His leg began to tap up and down nervously.

"I've upset you and that's not okay."

Reid laughed slightly.

"I'm a grown man, Hotch." He said sarcastically. "I'll get over it."

"I promised you I would always be honest with you. That's why I told you the truth when you asked me if I would have told you. I didn't want to lie to you."

Reid's jaw tightened.

"But you had already lied to me. You didn't tell me."

This time Hotch avoided eye contact, dropping his gaze to the desk.

"I know."

"Just like when you didn't tell me Jason had escaped custody."

Hotch sighed again.

"You promised, never again, Hotch."

"I know." He snapped, his guilt getting the better of him. "And I'm sorry. This whole thing has affected all of us. And all any of us want is for all of this to go away, to stay away and to never hurt you ever again." Hotch said angrily. His voice then calmed.

"When I heard about this, I didn't know what to do. I was scared for you. And instead of trusting you, I wanted to protect you. I was a coward."

Reid stared at Hotch. This was an unexpected turn of events. Hotch was rarely this candid with anyone.

He smiled a little. Sometimes it was easy to forget that whilst he had been Jason's primary target, the team had been a target too. And the whole thing had brought them to their knees.

"Thank you." Reid said softly, feeling a lot calmer now. "I understand and I do appreciate it, honestly I do. But you can't protect me from this." Reid took a deep breath. "It's out there now, there's no taking it back."

Hotch nodded sadly.

"What do we know?" Reid's professional mask had slipped back on and Hotch had to admit, he was impressed with his young colleague's composure and maturity.

"At the moment, not a lot. The Director is working with the media to keep it under control and is heading an internal investigation to locate the source of the leak. I will be having a chat with SSA Nick Field at 2pm to get any information from him that I can."

Reid nodded. His mind flashing back to the day where Field took his statement all those months ago. That was a bad day. But he knew of the man's reputation. If anyone could help with this, he was the one.

"Do you think the leak has come from his department?"

"It's possible." Hotch nodded. "More than possible actually. Likely, I would say."

Reid brought his hand up to his mouth and started chewing at his thumb nail, deep in thought. Hotch watched him with concern.

"So this could be linked to their investigation." He said, it wasn't really a question.

"We don't know yet, Reid." Hotch said gently. "That's what I want to find out."

Reid nodded silently.

"The Director doesn't want us involved, but I promise you, I will do everything within my power to make sure that this doesn't get any worse." Hotch reassured with an authoritative tone.

"Bit difficult when we're being kept away from it." Reid said frankly. "You will tell me what Nick Field says? Even if it's something you think I don't want to hear?"

Hotch looked uncomfortable.

"Yes. I promise. I will gather the team after the meeting and we can go through what we have."

Reid nodded, his stomach was in knots.

"Thanks, Hotch."

Hotch's phone rang.

He looked at the phone and put a finger up to Reid. "Sorry, I need to take this."

He moved to the corner of the room away from Reid and answered.

"Director"

"Aaron, I have spoken with the media after the almighty mess of this morning and thought I would give you an update."

"That's appreciated."

"They have agreed to keep any further details they receive out of the press and will be cooperating with our investigation to locate the source."

"That's good. Have they been able to shed any light on the source they mentioned in the report?"

Reid looked over to him, watching his reactions. Hotch turned away a little.

"They all received an anonymous letter. They have been surrendered to evidence and are going through forensic examination as we speak. It's not looking hopeful though, Aaron."

"Right. And what about the source of the video?"

"Analysts are working to trace the location of the IP that originally posted it, but again, it's proving difficult. These guys know what they are doing and they're not making it easy for us."

"I can get Garcia to look into it, if anyone can find-"

"No, Aaron. I do not want any of your team on this."

Hotch appeared frustrated.

"Sir, with all due respect-"

"My decision is final. Your team is emotionally involved and we need clear heads on this. We need to deal with this very carefully."

Hotch sighed. "I understand, but my team have proven-"

"Aaron." The voice over the phone was suddenly extremely serious and sombre, silencing Hotch immediately. "Your team needs to focus on supporting your agent. He's going to need it."

This left Hotch speechless. He glanced over to Reid, who was still staring questioningly at him.

"What does that mean?" Hotch questioned carefully.

"His name is out, Aaron."

"Oh no." Hotch turned his back to Reid and put his hand to his mouth in concern.

"It's not in the media and it won't be. But you know as well as I do, in this day and age of technology, that doesn't mean anything."

Reid was looking at Hotch with major concern now. He knew this was bad.

"Right." Hotch replied, unable to find any other words.

"Focus on your team right now, Aaron. I will keep you updated with any developments. We will do all we can to make sure this goes away quietly."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Take care of your agent. This could get a lot worse before it gets better."

The phone call ended leaving Hotch stood in the corner of the room in shocked silence.

"Hotch?" Reid asked gingerly. "What's happened?" He was wringing his hands nervously.

Hotch turned, a severe scowl on his face. He really didn't want to tell him this. He closed his eyes.

Panic shot through Reid.

"What? What is it?"

"Your name has been sent to the press. They have agreed not to release it. But..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

Reid felt the ground move underneath him. Hot, white panic ran up his back and over his shoulders and his vision started shaking from side to side. He gripped the arms of the chair as the room spun.

Hotch watched the colour drain out of his colleague's face. He moved quickly over to Reid as his head dropped forward as he breathed heavily.

Hotch took Reid's face in his hands and looked him in his dazed eyes.

"It's all going to be okay. We will find whoever this is, I promise you. It will all be okay."

Reid shook his head, his eyes wide in horror. He pushed himself away from Hotch and brought himself unsteadily to his feet and stumbled towards the door, pushing himself out.

"Reid?" Hotch called out.

His chest clenched tightly. He practically fell out of Hotch's office and onto the mezzanine, his feet just managing to catch him. Rushing down the stairs with seemingly blind eyes he collided with Morgan who turned and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Reid? Are you okay?"

Reid's non-seeing eyes darted around the room. It was clear he was suffering a major panic attack. He fought against Morgan's grip to continue on his way to who knows where but Morgan held him steady.

"Reid? You need to sit down."

Prentiss seeing the situation in front of her went to grab a chair.

Before the chair reached him, Reid's legs gave out and he slumped to the floor. Morgan followed him down, supporting his weight.

He was hyperventilating painfully.

"Reid, you're safe. You're safe. Here's my hand, squeeze it. You need to take deep breaths."

Reid was completely lost, pulling his hand away from Morgan and desperately trying to give himself some space. He practically crawled away from him falling onto his hands and knees.

Recognising the manoeuvre, Morgan looked to Prentiss.

"Pass me the trash can!" He said quickly.

She grabbed it and threw it towards Morgan and he swiftly placed it in front of Reid just before he was violently sick.

Morgan rubbed his back, looking to Hotch questioningly.

"Okay, nothing to see here." Prentiss put her arms out to shoo away anyone who was moving closer to get a better look at what was going on.

Reid wiped his forehead as the retching came to a stop and sat backwards on his heels. He lost his balance and his back hit the desk behind him.

Morgan moved to his side.

"Okay, just breathe, kid." He pulled Reid's legs out in front of him and he sat like a rag doll on the floor, back propped up against the desk.

Garcia was suddenly as Prentiss' side.

"Oh my god, is he okay?" Prentiss just grabbed her hand and led her away from the view.

"Let's give them some space."

The rest of the team were now down in the bullpen essentially forming a barrier between the two agents and the rest of the office.

"Is he okay?" A female colleague asked.

"He's just fine. Nothing to worry about." Rossi said, redirecting her away from the area giving an eye roll to Hotch.

Morgan kept talking to his friend, taking his hand again.

"Reid, breathe. You are safe. Take some deep breaths, nothing is going to harm you."

"I'm not safe. I'm not safe."

Reid repeated back, his head frantically shaking.

"Yes, you are." Morgan said confidently. "I need you to breathe for me, Reid."

Reid closed his eyes, the panic starting to form a lump of emotion in his throat.

Suddenly a loud sob burst forth and his head dropped as he broke down, violently shaking.

The team exchanged concerned and sad glances at the sound. It felt like a long time since they had heard him cry like that. They had hoped they would never have to hear it again.

A tear slipped down Garcia's face. All she wanted to do was grab him into a hug, but Morgan was always the best to help Reid through these scenarios.

She grabbed JJ's hand tightly.

People around the office were still looking to see what was going on.

"Focus on your work." Hotch said sternly.

This couldn't have happened in a worse place.

Morgan did all he could think to do at that moment and took Reid into a tight hug. His friend just sobbed into his shoulder and Morgan held him, soothingly stroking his back.

"It's okay. It's okay. It's all gonna be okay." He said calmly.

After a few minutes of soothing, Reid had seemed to calm down. He felt limp in his colleague's arms, the odd shiver the only thing telling Morgan that he was still with him.

He pushed Reid away from him to look at his face. His eyes were puffy and red, she shied away from eye contact, clearly embarrassed.

"Kid, let's get you out of here and somewhere more private."

Reid just nodded depressively.

Morgan looked over his shoulder to the team.

"Guys, we're gonna move to the conference room."

Rossi moved in to help Reid up.

"Andiamo, figliolo." He said gently.

He pulled him up with Morgan and guided him up the stairs to the conference room. They practically held him up as they walked, his legs were like jelly.

The team moved a protective circle around him to block him from view.

They reached the room and closed the door behind them.