All Or None (Criminal Minds Fanfic) #Wattys2017

Chapter 6: Answers

Morgan paced around the hospital waiting room, silently cursing under his breath every time the hands on the clock on the wall moved. It was just another second, another hour, that Spencer wasn't back yet. They had wheeled him into surgery immediately, refusing the agents the right to see him beforehand. Now, all that was left for the team to do was wait.

Rossi repeatedly walked up to the counter, asking over and over on the condition of his teammate, while Hotch stared at the floor while sitting in the farthest chair. J.J. and Emily sat side-by-side, but didn't speak. No one did. Not even Garcia, who was known for making people smile on a daily basis.

They all passed time, by sleeping or pacing or even by crying, they waited. J.J. pulled herself together. She was the only one who didn't let herself cry. Even if Hotch had quickly wiped his eyes, she still counted it. She stood.

"Anyone want some coffee? Something to eat?" She asked, though it came out as a whisper. But since it really was so quiet in the room that they sat in, they still heard her.

Garcia stood, nodding silently. Hotch stood, glancing at Rossi, who was stopped pacing long enough to think. Then, he nodded too. Emily sighed, pressing her lips together. Morgan was conked out in one of the chairs, and not even Hotch could wake him up.

They made their way downstairs, paying for their snacks and drinks. They came back to the waiting room, and Morgan woke to the sound of footsteps.

"No food for me?" Morgan tried to joke, but no smile appeared on his lips. Garcia handed him a hot dog and a cup of Mtn. Dew, smiling slightly. They all sat down.

After everyone was done eating, they were all almost asleep when the doctor came out.

"Spencer Reid?" He asked, and J.J. immediately shot up out of her chair, waking Emily beside her. Morgan, Rossi, and Hotch got up slowly, as if they moved too fast, it would all come crashing down above them. Emily and Penelope stood too, and the doctor continued.

"I can only allow two people at a time to go, since he is in critical condition. We have him stabilized, but he could fall into a coma at any time." The doctor explained, a sympathetic look on his face.

The team thought this over, but J.J. spoke first.

"I want to go last. I don't think I could handle seeing him right now."

Morgan wrapped an arm around her, and Emily nodded too. "Us two will go last. Let the men have their time."

Penelope grabbed Morgan's arm. "He's my exit buddy."

Rossi nodded. "Me and Hotch will go first, then."

The doctor nodded, leading them out of the waiting room, and out of sight.

J.J. had to sit down, while Emily just stood. They had their own ways of coping. Emily would just stare into space, while J.J. shut down completely. Sometimes they would cry, but in both of their minds, crying was a sign of weakness. And right now, Spencer needed anything other than weakness.

Morgan was consoling Garcia, but wasn't crying, either. It seemed like she was just . . . asleep with her eyes open. She wasn't speaking, nor moving. She just sat there, a lot like Prentiss, who was doing the same thing.

They had lost all recollection of time, and it felt like forever until Hotch and Rossi came back with the doctor.

Penelope and Derek stood, following the doctor back out. Emilya and J.J. watched as they walked out as well. Rossi and Hotch kept their faces fixed on the wall in front of them, and the girls were fine with that. They didn't want to know what was going on with him either.