Fade.

Clearity

I've been pacing around the living room for the last hour or so trying to will myself to call Hotch. Reid's been asleep for the last few hours and the sad thing is that'll be the last decent nights sleep he gets for a few days.

I finally grew a pair and dialed Hotch's number. It was only eleven thirty so he's still at the office.

"SSA Aaron Hotchner."

"Hey Hotch, it's Willow. I was just calling to let you know that Reid and I won't be able to come in for a few days."

"Oh? And why's that?"

"He's been really sick all day and I'm thinking it's the flu. I don't want to risk bringing germs in with me and I don't wanna leave him here by himself. He's been pretty bad all day."

"And you're sure it's the flu and not a bug?"

"I'm thinking it is."

He knows something's up but I can handle him. It's JJ I'm afraid of.

"Alright well let me know how he's doing in a few days."

"Will do sir. Thank you. Bye."

Shit. Shit shit shitty shit. He knows and I hung up on my boss. Awesome. I'm so screwed.

"Just go to sleep and prepare for tomorrow. You'll be fine."

I try to reassure myself as I lay down to go to sleep but I can't help but worry about what tomorrow is going to bring.

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I finally fell asleep around midnight but woke up to Reid stumbling to the bathroom and knocking things over. I looked at the clock on the wall. Four thirty in the morning. Here we go.

I got up and walked into the bathroom to see him hunched over the toilet whimpering in pain.

"Spence? You okay?"

He shook his head a second before another bout of toilet hugging reared its ugly head. I sat down next to him and rubbed slow circles on his back.

"Just let it all out. It'll be alright. You'll be alright."

The toilet worship lasted a few hours but after it did I got him cleaned up and back into bed trash can close to the bed for good measure. I didn't leave his side once.

Around nine in the morning he started shivering like crazy and his breathing started to hitch periodically.

"C-can you get me another b-blanket?"

I got up and grabbed one from the pile across the room and wrapped it around him tightly and sat down next to him hoping my body heat would help.

"I-I'm so c-cold."

"I know. I know Spence. It'll go away soon."

The rest of the day was filled with shivering and dry heaving. I didn't force him to eat or drink anything because I knew what would come of it.

About two hours after Reid fell asleep I heard somebody knocking on the door. Shit. It's JJ I might as well jump out the window now and save myself the agony of her mom voicing me to death.

I got up and walk over to the door looking out the peep hole with extreme anxiety. It's only Garcia. Close call.

"Garcia what are you doing here?"

I tried to whisper as I opened the door but that just made me sound angry.

"If it's a bad time I can go?"

"No. I just don't wanna wake up sleeping pukey in the other room."

"He's that bad huh? I brought over some soup for when he can keep it down."

"Thanks Garcia but I don't know when that'll be."

I set the container on the counter and gave a small smile.

"How'd he end up so sick? He has the immune system of a god."

She was staring at the room now with worry chiseled into her face. Thank the almighty donut king she's not a profiler.

"I'm not sure. Yesterday he just started running a fever and coughing a ton and today it's just gotten worse."

She nodded and grabbed the container walking to the fridge when she accidentally knocked over the trash can.

"I am so sorry! I'll pick it up I swe-"

She had kneeled down to pick it up when she froze. The glass. It was all still in the trash can. The shattered needles and bottles.

"Penelope I can explain. I just don't want you gu-"

"He relapsed and you didn't think to tell any of us?"

"He didn't want you guys to know. He didn't want to disappoint you."

She stood back up and walked out leaving me standing there like a moron. I picked everything up and slowly walked back to Reid's room. I sat on the edge of the bed quietly, eyes on my feet unmoving.

"Garcia knows now doesn't she?"

I just nodded and laid down next to him. He was still shivering but not as badly as before.

What the hell are we going to do. She can't keep a secret. She's going to tell somebody wether it's by accident or not. She'll tell.