"...Yees, I have returned! Hopefully updates will be pretty basis, but who knows? :) *smirks. R&R...? Oh, and I wasn't going to post this so soon, but I realized that CM WAS NEW TONITE and just had to!

White Light- Prologue

Homecoming

16 Years Ago...

The young child read the letter, heart-broken over every single word of it. It didn't make sense to him; how could his own father write such horrible and hate-filled words? His shaky hands dropped the letter as he stumbled down his mother's staircase. He barely even recognized that he was walking; his mind seemed to be in a daze that he couldn't fight. As much as it scared him, it numbed his thoughts and protected it from the letter. As he walked out of his house, he started crying, realizing that he should have realized his father felt that way about him a long time ago.

Dear Son ,

I thought you should know that I never loved you- never planned on having you. It wasn't my idea to have a child, and it wasn't my idea to keep that child. I couldn't stay and live in a house with someone I hated. It had nothing to do with not loving, well, you know who. I will always love them, but I could never love a monster like you. You ruined my life, and for that I will never forgive you. Do the world a favor: disappear, forever. And, if you are as smart as everyone thinks you are, you'll know just what I mean.

-Your Loving, Caring Father

Present-Day

"Children between the ages of eleven and seventeen are 'committing suicide', at least one a week. Local authorities have reason to believe that our UnSub has been killing for a while. They managed to trace back at least 10 other children between this age range who fit the same victimology as the other children." JJ started.

"What's the victimology?" Reid asked.

"Each child has been a reported prodigy in advanced classes at the same schools. They each only have one parent, and they have all been through mandatory therapy- either from their school to make sure the children are stable enough to handle the expectations of their school or from court therapy." JJ answered.

"In other words, to see how well they are handling the divorce?" Morgan asked. JJ nodded in clarification.

"Well, we're lucky that the local police were smart enough to realize that these weren't suicides and that they needed help. Chances are that we're dealing with a pedophile who gets off on death." Hotch commented.

"JJ, where is the case?" Prentiss asked, suddenly realizing that she never had said. When he eyes quickly darted to Reid, she had a feeling she knew the answer.

"The kids who are supposedly killing themselves are from Spence's old school district- Las Vegas Public High and Las Vegas Middle School."

Reid let out a sigh and rested his head against the table. He should have known that he had gone to long without a case becoming personal and dangerous for him.

"Reid, if you want to stay back, no one would think any less of you..." Morgan hinted.

"No, I want to work the case. I'll be fine." he said as he raised his head.

"Are you sure-" Hotch started, but Reid stopped him.

"I'm not a child, Hotch. I really do appreciate how protective this team is of me, but I need to be able to treat cases that may become personal to me just like everyone else on the team does. Please, I think I've earned the right to be treated like an adult." Reid replied, toward the end looking accusingly at Morgan, who gave his 'pretty boy' a small smile.

"Well, I apologize." he smirked. Reid gave him a similar smile before looking back toward his case file.

Hotch allowed himself a brief smile as he took in one of the many precious moments that he got to witness with his team. Every case, they became even more connected and even more family-like. It was one of the few aspects of his jobs that he still loved, and he savored the moments like this.

"Wheels up in 20." Hotch finally said, back to 'team leader' mode. After an understanding nod from the teams, they stood up and went to gather their things, ready for a new case.