A/N: So, this grew even more uncontrollably than my first CM fic... I'm estimating that it will end up at maybe 16k words, depending a bit on whether I add in some additional chapters. It will be at least eight chapter, seven and a half of which are finished and only in need of some editing and polishing. So I should have them up within a few days of each other. I decided to divide the story into chapter partly because I change POVs (honestly, I managed to get the whole team except Prentiss and JJ) and partly because it's a bit long to be posted as one long one-shot, imo. Besides, I like getting reviews. :)

This story is also slightly AU, depending on how you look at it, in that Gideon is around. He still left, but he got in touch with Reid again a bit later and when the story takes place (beginning of season 5) he still travels around, but he returns home every so often and he's a part of the BAU family. Why? Because I rather like him and Reid needs a father.

WARNING! Spanking of adults, some language, possibly allusions to child abuse.

The fic begins immediately after Rossi's and Morgan's conversation at the end of the episode.


Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.
- Brad Henry, American politician


"So what do you want me to do?"

The defeated note in David Rossi's voice was uncharacteristic and to be entirely honest it made Morgan uncomfortable. If anyone had asked him just a few months ago if he thought it would be amusing to see the older man at a loss, he would have said yes without hesitation. But now, with Aaron Hotchner in the emotional turmoil that he was, Morgan realized that he, in some subconscious way, had relied on Rossi to be there to fix the unit chief. But Rossi wasn't doing anything, just watching Hotch self-destruct, and it actually pissed Morgan off slightly.

"Something!" he retorted, anger creeping into his voice again. "Hotch needs you, Rossi."

At that Rossi sat down heavily and closed his eyes, looking old and weary. Morgan almost felt bad about arguing with him; he knew how hard the last month had been on the older profiler. Rossi hadn't only taken care of Hotch; he'd acted as the temporary boss of the team and also, though Morgan didn't like admitting it, as the father of the small family that they were; listening to everyone's sorrows and offering advice. It couldn't be easy.

Rossi spread his hands in defeat. "I'll talk to him", he said.

Morgan seriously considered leaving it at that. It wasn't really his place to push further. The dynamics of their makeshift family weren't very clearly defined, but it was clear that Hotch was in charge and that the only one allowed calling him on his behavior was Rossi, and to a certain degree Gideon. But since Rossi apparently had no intention of doing so, Morgan felt that it was his duty as whatever he was to Hotch to make Rossi realize that what Hotch needed right now was someone to tell him that despite that his world had crumbled he still had people who cared and who he was responsible to.

"I think you should do more than that", he said, bravely meeting Rossi's eyes and trying to ignore the nervousness that made him want to fidget. The older man frowned in confusion for a moment before he caught on to what Morgan was talking about.

"You think I should spank him", he clarified, eyebrows raised and his tone slightly accusing. To Morgan's annoyance, Rossi had a way about him that made it very difficult not to react when he used a certain tone of voice, and he had to steel himself not to go on the defensive.

"Yeah, I do", he said, "You know it's what would happen to Reid or me if we did anything like it. And it's what you would have done before Foyet."

"Exactly", Rossi retorted sharply, "Before Foyet. He's been through a severe trauma! Things aren't the same as they were before. He needs time."

Morgan shook his head in disbelief. "You were the one who gave him the dressing down of his life for being an idiot after Kate died and told him that no matter what he'd been through he couldn't endanger his well-being and I'm pretty sure you spanked him for it. Why is this so different?"

"Because the trauma is considerably more severe and…", Rossi began, but then suddenly broke off and gave Morgan a hard look, frowning, "Wait a minute; how do you know what I told Hotch?"

Despite the seriousness of the situation Morgan gave a small chuckle. "If you want to yell at someone in private a hotel room really isn't the way to go. I think you really freaked Reid out."

The frown on Rossi's face lifted and he smirked slightly, "Kid never heard anyone chew his hero out before, huh?"

Morgan shrugged, not bothering to answer. "Mind if I sit down?" he asked instead, and at Rossi's inviting gesture he did so, leaning back comfortably in the chair in an attempt to establish control over the situation. Rossi, ever astute, seemed to realize Morgan's intention, if the smirk and the raised eyebrows were anything to go by, but didn't comment. "So, what's different?"

"I thought we didn't do inter-team profiling", Rossi replied, carefully studying Morgan for his reaction to the statement.

It was true, Morgan supposed, but this wasn't really profiling. This was two concerned friends discussing the best way to help a third friend. Family discussing how to keep the rest of the family safe and intact.

"You know this isn't like that, Rossi", he snapped, hating the older man for his ability to swerve around the subject, "I'm just trying to do the best I can to keep my family together."

Rossi's face softened considerably at that, a small smile on his lips, and an almost proud look in his eyes. Morgan normally didn't like talking about how much the team actually meant to him, but he figured that Rossi really could use a reminder right now.

"I know that, Derek", Rossi replied gently, "and I respect it. But I'm not sure discipline is what Hotch needs right now."

"Well, I am! Hotch isn't the only one concerned, you know. You think it doesn't affect the rest of the team when their leader acts like this?"

In a way, that was just as worrying to Morgan as the threat to Hotch's own safety. Prentiss and JJ he knew could handle it. They were both concerned, of course, but they had always known that Hotch was human and they had faith in the strength of the team's ability to help him. Reid was another matter altogether. First of all, the realization that Hotch wasn't invincible had hit him hard. The young man had a both endearing and unsettling tendency for hero-worship. Gideon, Hotch and Rossi were all unbeatable and superhuman in his view of the world. Secondly, Reid had little experience with family and probably didn't trust their bonds to hold through difficult times.

Then there was Garcia. The tech was fiercely protective in her own way of the entire team, and she hated seeing any of them in pain. That it was Hotch only made it worse, since she didn't know how to comfort him. Gideon was probably concerned as well, but Morgan didn't consider him his responsibility.

"Of course I know it affects them", Rossi replied, "I just think that Hotch can figure this out on his own."

Morgan frowned. "Why should he have to?" he demanded, "We're family. He isn't supposed to have to deal with things on his own."

With a pained grimace and a deep sigh, Rossi leant back in his chair. "You're right, kid", he replied quietly, "You really are. It's just…"

He trailed off, apparently uncertain whether this was something he wanted to share with the younger man. Morgan sympathized; it couldn't be easy baring one's heart to a subordinate.

"Just what?" he prompted anyway, somehow sensing that Rossi needed to talk about this and since there was no-one else there he might as well be the one he talked to.

"When I decided to come back to the BAU", Rossi began, absentmindedly looking out the window, "I gave my relationship with Hotch some serious consideration. I was his mentor, y'know. He's my kid, I guess. But it couldn't really work like that if he was to be my boss, so I decided I'd treat him as an equal. And I try to do that. He gets away with stuff he wouldn't have ten years ago and I don't boss him around. Except… well, I can't really ignore that he's still my kid. I mean, he's a great unit chief and he's an exceptional agent in every way. All grown up, y'know? He even has a son. But I guess that I just can't stop feeling like he's my responsibility."

Normally Morgan would have been incredibly amused at hearing the stern unit chief referred to as "all grown up", but as it were he simply filed it away for possible future teasing.

"Sure", he agreed, "so act like it! He isn't really acting grown up, is he? He's being a jerk to everyone and he's self-destructing. He needs someone to snap him out of it, and I don't really give a damn how it affects your relationship with him!"

Rossi frowned and glared at Morgan, who met his gaze steadily with an almost defiant posture. After a moment, the older man nodded slowly.

"Again, Derek, you're right", he said, heaving a deep sigh. "But I have to ask myself if it's really a spanking he needs. He's a grown man, and I can't keep treating him like a kid forever."

That caused Morgan to frown. He hadn't really considered that part of the issue. The knowledge that you probably couldn't keep disciplining someone forever had been there, somewhere in the back of his mind, but he had always assumed that one would know when it was time not to act as a disciplinarian. Apparently, it wasn't all that easy.

"All right, I get that", he conceded, "But like I said, before Foyet, you would have spanked him, right?"

Rossi raised his eyebrows slightly. "Probably, yeah."

"But now..? Is he more grown up, or what?"

"No, he's not", Rossi conceded, "But for the last month, I've been treating him a little like a kid, to be honest, 'cause of his injuries and I don't want to upset the team dynamics even further."

Morgan had to suppress a smirk. Hearing the great David Rossi admit that he was concerned about the team's dynamics was a far cry from what he had expected when Rossi first rejoined the Bureau, mostly because the older man seemed to try his best to give the impression that he didn't care, and it still gave him some satisfaction to watch Rossi's façade slip.

"You won't", he assured the man, "We all know how it's like between you and Hotch. We're cool with it; even Reid."

Rossi closed his eyes with a deep sigh and leant back in the chair.

"Okay", he said, "You win, kid. I'll talk to him tomorrow, and depending on what he says I might or might not do more. That all right with you?"

The question was, of course, dripping with sarcasm of the usual Rossi brand, but what had come before it had been said in all seriousness. Morgan nodded.

"Yes", he said. Rossi sighed again and brought a hand up to massage his forehead.

"I should demand extra pay for this", he muttered, then looked up and shot Morgan a glare, "Now get out."

Morgan, not entirely sure whether the older man was annoyed for real or not, did as he was told. When he reached the door and turned to say good night, he noticed that Rossi had pulled out his phone. Curious, he raised his eyebrows in question.

"Who you calling?" he asked. Rossi simply looked at him for a while, seemingly debating whether to answer or not.

"Confirmation I'm not gonna screw things up by doing this", he then said, and pushed a few buttons on his phone, raising it to his ears; a clear dismissal. Morgan resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the obvious power-demonstration, but he did leave. He had no doubt this was a personal call; partly considering the probable subject of it and partly considering the fact that it was almost midnight, and he believed in respecting people's privacy, for the most part.

He was almost already down in the bullpen when Rossi called out to him.

"Derek!" he said, and Morgan turned to be met by a small but genuine smile entirely without irony. "Thanks."


A/N2: Is there any interest in hearing Rossi's phone call? It's with an OC who he worked with in his early FBI days and who he sort of considers as a brother. If so, I will try to get it written up fairly quickly and posted as the next chapter.

Thank you for reading and please review!