A/n this story is part of the Footprints on the Heart: Building a Family, or (foth) series written by RK9. She has given me permission to play in her sandbox. I write this one-shot with her express permission. I suggest you read Footprints on the Heart: Building a Family first before reading this or you won't understand this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone associated with Criminal Minds. I also don't own the original storyline, that's the property of RK9 who was inspired by the Mag 7 Little Britches AU.

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Jack Hotchner was making his way back to bed after using the bathroom when he was stopped by a noise. Allowing his five-year-old curiosity to get the better of him he listened intently. After a moment he recognized the sound of crying. It was coming from Derek and Spencer's room where all three kids were sleeping. They weren't ready to deal with being separated even though they would still be in the same house. Walking quietly to the door, Jack opened it a crack. As he looked in he could see Derek tossing and turning in his bed and crying out. "No, don't hurt me I'm sorry. Please don't hurt me." Tiptoeing over to the older boy, Jack whispered.

"Derek?" The boy didn't seem to hear him. Hearing noise Jack turned to see JJ and Spencer climbing out of bed and heading over to Derek's side.

"Derek?" JJ called softly. Derek still didn't respond. Spencer probably wouldn't have done what he did next if he knew what the older boy's reaction would have been. Reaching out a hand, Spencer shook him as he called Derek's name.

"Derek? Derek, wake up, it's just a bad dream." Derek's reaction was instantaneous bordering on violent.

"No! Stay away from me!" he cried as he swung at the air in front of him knocking Spencer to the ground. JJ and Jack stared at each other wide-eyed before JJ knelt to help Spencer to his feet.

"Go get Hotch and Gideon," she called over her shoulder. Nodding, Jack took off out of the room looking for the two men.

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"Daddy? Uncle Gideon?" Jack called fearfully. "Daddy?" Sitting up at the sound of his sons fearful voice Aaron Hotchner rubbed his eyes as he climbed out of bed. He opened the door just as Gideon was opening his and trying to calm the little boy down.

"What is it Jack?" Hotch asked softly.

"Derek haved a nightmare and he hit Spencer. JJ's with him. She told me to get you and Uncle Gideon," the little boy explained as a few tears slid down his face. Pulling his son into a quick hug Hotch placed a kiss on his forehead.

"It's okay, kiddo. You did the right thing." Turning to Gideon, he said,

"C'mon lets go see what's going on." Gideon nodded as he followed father and son to the boy's room.

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The sight that met them broke both agents' hearts. Derek was still crying and JJ was trying to comfort a clearly shaken Spencer. Hotch winced at the bruise that was forming on Spencer's cheek.

"Hey what's going on?" Gideon asked as they entered the room. At the sound of Gideon's voice JJ and Spencer looked up and caught sight of the two profilers.

"Jason!" Spencer cried as he lunged for him. Moving quickly Gideon caught the little boy before he could crash into his legs and lifted him easily into his arms. Spencer burrowed into Gideon's neck still sniffling from fright.

"Shh, it's okay, your okay, kiddo," Gideon soothed.

"What happened JJ?" Hotch asked gently.

"Derek was havin a 'nimare and he hitted Spencer when he twied to wake him," JJ explained through sniffles. Hotch remembered that JJ had trouble pronouncing her words when she was stressed or upset. Gideon reached out and pulled the little girl into his arms. Spencer reached out a hand and JJ clung to it gratefully. Jack was staring at the group with uncertainty in his eyes.

Gideon looked at the three kids who were clearly frightened about the wellfare of the boy laying in the bed in the midst of a traumatic nightmare.

"I tell you what why don't the three of us go down to the kitchen for a snack? I think there are still some of those chocolate chip cookies that Emily made left. What do you say?" Gideon suggested as he looked at Hotch. Hotch nodded as he made his way over to the distressed little boy.

"But what about Derek?" Spencer asked.

"Don't worry Hotch will take care of him," Gideon reassured as he lead the three younger children from the room, closing the door behind them.

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Moving slowly so he didn't startle Derek anymore than he already was he sat down on the side of the bed and called his name softly.

"Derek, its Hotch, wake up, it's just a bad dream." Hotch moved his hand slowly to Derek's head and ran his fingers soothingly through his hair. Derek flinched at first but seemed to quickly recognize the touch of someone he was beginning to trust. Troubled brown eyes opened to Greet Hotch.

"H-Hotch?" Derek asked.

"Yeah it's me, kiddo," Hotch replied. Before he had time to react Hotch had an armful of shaking eight-year-old boy.

"Shh, its okay, it's over now. Your okay, kiddo," Hotch reassured. "You wanna talk about it?" he asked. Derek paused for a moment. The silence drug on so long that Hotch was about to tell him that he didn't have to when the little boy finally spoke.

"It was about Buford," Derek replied. That was all that needed to be said. Hotch could figure out the rest on his own.

"Your safe now, the Buford's can't hurt you or JJ or Spencer anymore. Your safe, Derek," Hotch repeated. As if being told he and his brother and sister were safe was the key to the Pandora's box of emotions that was Derek Morgan he began to sob. Heart-wrenching sobs that shook his slender frame. Taking a deep breath Hotch pulled Derek closer and began to rock him whispering soothing words in his ear. Clutching the unit chief's shirt in an iron grip Derek cried even harder as Hotch rocked him.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Gideon was getting an ice pack for Spencer's cheek. The three children were sitting at the table eating some chocolate chip cookies that Emily had made. JJ began to cry. Jack was the first to notice.

"Why are you crying, JJ?" he asked.

"Cause Derek hitted Spencer and I'm scared," she admitted. Gideon was about to respond but Jack shook his head and gave him a look identical to his father. Intrigued Gideon leaned against the counter after handing Spencer the ice pack preparing to watch what happened. Acting on instinct Jack leaned over and pulled JJ into a hug and began to rub her back.

"Derek didn't mean to hit Spencer I think he was just scared. 'Sides I know that Daddy will take care of him and make him feel better. He does for me," Jack replied as if it were the most logical thing in the world. "I know he'll take care of you and Spencer and Derek cause he loves you and is your daddy just as much as he's mine," Jack concluded. Gideon was in awe at just how big the heart of one Jack Hotchner really was. JJ looked up and nodded as she gave Jack a small smile before turning back to her cookies and milk.

Back upstairs, Derek was beginning to calm down. Looking around the room he noticed that Spencer and JJ weren't there.

"Where are Spencer and JJ?" he asked worriedly.

"Downstairs having a snack with Jack and Gideon," Hotch answered.

"Is Spencer okay, I think I may have accidentally hit him?"

"Yeah you did, but he's okay," Hotch said. "They're scared, but they'll be fine." A horror stricken look crossed Derek's face. He was sure that Hotch would be furious with him, one thing the Buford's didn't tolerate was hitting.

"I'm s-s-sorry I d-d-didn't mean to. What's my punishment?" Derek asked with trepidation.

"Punishment? For what Derek?" Hotch asked in confusion.

"For hitting Spencer," Derek replied. The light bulb went off over Hotch's head.

"It was an accident I know you didn't mean to hit Spencer. Did the Buford's punish you when you hit someone even if it was an accident?" Hotch wanted to know. A slight nod was all he got in return.

"Gideon and I won't punish any of you for hitting someone if it's an accident or if someone's trying to hurt you. The only time you'll get in trouble for hitting is if you do it to hurt someone else because you're angry and even then the punishment won't be anything cruel. At most you may have to not play outside for a few days or not watch TV," Hotch concluded.

"So I'm not in trouble?" Derek asked, wanting to be sure.

"No, your not," Hotch replied. A yawn came from the exhausted boy and he rubbed his eyes.

"Do you think you can sleep now?"

"Yeah, but will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" Derek asked softly.

"Sure I will," Hotch said.

"Tell Spencer I'm sorry, please?" Derek mumbled as his eyes drifted close and he began to drift off. Five minutes later Hotch looked down to see that he had fallen sound asleep. After placing a kiss on Derek's forehead he got up and made his way quietly out of the room. At the top of the stairs he met up with the others.

"Is he okay?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah he's sleeping, and he says to tell you sorry for hitting you. It was an accident and he didn't mean to, so there's nothing to worry about," Hotch told the little boy. Jack turned to JJ.

"I told you Daddy would make Derek all better," he told her. Hotch gave Gideon a confused look.

"I'll explain later," Gideon mouthed back.

"Well, lets get you three back to bed," Hotch said.

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Ten minutes later Hotch was walking to the door to his son's room but was stopped by a question from his son.

"Daddy?"

"Yes Jack?"

"Why did Derek ask not to be hurt anymore when he was dreaming? Who hurt him?" Hotch took a deep breath before answering.

"Before Uncle Gideon and I found them and took them in as part of our family Derek, JJ, and Spencer lived with another family and they weren't always nice to them, especially to Derek," Hotch explained.

"How did they hurt him?" Jack asked curiously. Hotch frowned how do you explain molestation and rape to a five-year-old?

"You remember what Mommy and I've told you about bad touching, don't you Jack?"

"Yes if someone touches me in a bad touch spot I'm 'possed to tell you or Mommy," Jack replied.

"That's right, well the people who wer taking care of Derek and the others did a lot of bad touching with Derek and sometimes he has bad dreams about it. You know how sometimes if your scared about something you may have a bad dream about it?" Hotch tried to explain.

"Yeah," Jack answered.

"Well it's like that," Hotch said.

"What can we do to help him? If I give him my teddy bear will it help? I don't need it, he can have it," Jack said graciously as he held out the worn bear he'd had since the day he was born.

"That's very kind of you, but Derek has the Eeyore that Rossi gave him," Hotch told him. "You hold on to Peter," Hotch said,pointing to the bear.

"Okay, I love you Daddy," Jack whispered as he snuggled into his pillow.

"I love you to, kiddo," Hotch said.

"I love Derek, JJ, and Spencer to," Jack said as he pulled the bear closer.

"'Night, Jack, I'm so proud of you," Hotch replied in a choked voice as he placed a kiss on his son's cheek before adjusting the covers and walking out of the room thinking about just how proud of his little boy he was. If only he could be a quarter of the amount of generous and unselfish as his little boy he'd be a much better person.

Finished