~Don't own Criminal Minds (obviously)~

When Spencer takes three weeks off in the summer to visit his mom and catch up on things. Hotch thinks nothing of it. Sure, it's quite a bit longer than Reid's normal vacancy, but the kid deserved it.

The kid that wasn't really a kid any more.

The kid who was turning 30.

The kid who had learned to lie since joining the BAU.

Sure, Spencer was going to visit his mom. But that was what the first 5 days were for. The next 2 were to visit Ethan. And the other 14? Well that was his dirty little secret.

After a second opinion on his MRI, a small anomaly was discovered. Further investigation proved that it was…cancer.

After weeks of worrying that he was going crazy, Spencer wanted to feel relieved. Cancer he could deal with, right?

Wrong.

Chemo was scary as hell.

Scratch that. Chemo was hell.

Skinny as he was, Spencer did not need to lose weight.

He lost weight. Lots of it.

The day Spencer was supposed to return to work, he didn't. The possibility of throwing up on the train, or worse, in the office, wasn't worth it. Soon, he'd consider staying in the hospital.

So, after ignoring the phone calls and text messages, Spencer wasn't surprised when Morgan and Prentiss showed up at his apartment. Sure, two agents was a bit excessive, but then again it was SPENCER.

Prentiss was surprised that Morgan had a key. Morgan was surprised that there were dirty dishes in the sink.

Both surprises seemed rather insignificant compared to the shock they received when they found Spencer laying in bed. Bald.

"Hey guys," Spencer said, nonchalantly.

"Hey guys? That's all you have to say? Why are you in bed? Why aren't you at work? Why are you BALD?" Morgan asked.

"I'm not at work because I'm in bed. I'm in bed because I'm bald. I'm bald because I'm sick."

"Sick," Prentiss repeated.

"Yes, I believe cancer is a form of sickness," Spencer deadpanned.

Morgan wanted to scream. Instead, he sadly whispered, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't know how." For whatever reason, cancer was making him brave. He had already faced death, and wasn't afraid to die. This would be the only time he could thank Hankel.

Prentiss quietly exited the room and call JJ.

Hotch and Rossi were standing outside their offices, anxiously glancing at the door. Garcia had come in the bullpen long ago and was sitting at Spencer's desk. JJ burst out of her office, cell phone in hand, crying.

"What happened to my Junior G-man? Did someone hurt him? Who's life do I need to ruin?" Garcia demanded.

JJ shook her head. "Unless you can hack cancer, there's nothing you can do Pen."

"Can-cancer?" Hotch asked, rather shocked.

JJ merely bit her bottom lip and nodded.