I do NOT own criminal minds or any characters you may recognize to belong to the series.

Jack is 6. Haley died two years ago.

Chapter one

*Hotch*

On my way to pick up Jack I thought about the day's events. Emily Prentiss is 'dead'. At least in the eyes of the government and everyone who knew her; minus JJ and I. Emily told us to lie to the team. She wanted us to tell the team she was dead. She thought it would be safer for everyone. I knew eventually the team would heal, but what I was really worried about was telling Jack that 'Emmy' was not coming home.

Since Haley died Emily had started hanging around a lot more. She was helping me out, and Jack had gotten really very attached. He started asking when Emmy was coming over. He would talk with her on the phone for hours if you let him, and Emily never seemed to mind.

When I pulled into the driveway I sat in the car for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts. I stepped out of the car and walked the ten feet to Jessica's door. I opened it and walked in.

"Jack? I'm here!" I called and I hear his little feet on the floor. I hated to have to tell him, but I knew he would notice that Emily wasn't with me today like most days. I saw him come sliding on his socks around the corner. He was carrying that little teddy bear that Emily had given him about a month ago before she started to act different. He took that bear everywhere with him.

"Daddy!" he yelled as he came around the corner. He stopped for a second before continuing to me to give me a hug. Yep he noticed. "Daddy, where's Emmy?" he asked. Jessica came around the corner in time to hear his question. I looked up at her and she shook her head. I nodded my head answering the silent question in her eyes. She wiped a tear away from her eyes and walked away. She had become pretty good friends with Emily and the other girls from the BAU. Jack brought me out of my thoughts when he spoke again. "Daddy, where's Emmy?"

"Umm, I need to talk to you about Emmy when we get home." He's a smart kid though. Perceptive. I knew he wasn't about to let me not tell him until we got home. He knew something was wrong.

He leveled a glare at me that rivaled the ones I used. "What happened to Emmy?" he demanded. He hugged the teddy bear closer to him while he waited for my answer. My god, how do I tell him? I feel like when I had to explain Haley's death all over again.

"Umm, well buddy, a bad man hurt Emmy real bad and she turned into an angel like mommy did." I hoped he would take it as well as with Haley. He seemed to understand the gunshots and the bad man Foyet in the house meant something bad happened, but right now he looked like he didn't believe me.

"No, no, not Emmy, Emmy is always okay! You lying daddy. Lying is bad you said so!" he turned and ran towards the back door. I heard it open and slam shut. "Jack!" but he didn't answer. I ran out the back door to find him. He was up in the tree house. He loved to be up high. He felt safe up there. I climbed up there and sat with him for a minute.

"Jack-Jack-." he cut me off

"Don't call me that! Only Emmy can call me Jack-Jack." His sentence trailed off and he started crying. I gathered him up and set him in my lap. He never let go of that teddy bear. "I want Emmy daddy." He cried. "I know buddy. I do too."

I started thinking about the things I had never told her. Like how I was head over heels in love with her.

The next 3 days where hard, Jack woke up multiple times a night with nightmares crying for Emily. Last night was the hardest yet.

*The previous night*

I was awakened by crying from Jack's room. I rolled over and saw it was about five thirty. I got up and hurried down to his room. When I opened the door I saw he was tossing and turning. I went to his side. "Jack, buddy, wake up, it's just a dream."

When he sat up he looked around a little panicked. "Where's Jester?" he asked between sobs. I looked around and I saw the little teddy bear Emily gave him. I handed to him and he squeezed it and Emily's voice rang out 'I love you Jack-Jack' it alternated between two different recordings.

"I want Emmy. Please daddy. I want Emmy." He cried over and over. I wanted so bad to just pull out my phone and call her emergency number. I knew I couldn't do it but it was killing me to watch him like this.

"I know buddy. I know. I wish I could get her for you." I gently rocked him back and forth until he fell back to sleep.

This is much different than when Haley died. He was four when that happened and it was hard. He had nightmares, but not near as bad as these. He had attached himself to Emily and she became his mother figure but why would losing her be more traumatic than losing Haley?

*End flashback*

When I think about it, it makes sense now. I can't believe I didn't think of it. The loss of another mother or mother figure was too much for his little brain to handle.

He hasn't said three words since last night. It worries me. When he walks into the kitchen this morning he is still clutching his bear. "Hey buddy, what do you want for breakfast?" he just shrugs and sits down.

"I need you to eat something buddy." "Kay" is his reply so I make some pancakes in hopes of tempting him to eat. He took a few a bites, just picking at it.

The next few days continue like this. He's not eating or talking or playing.

Ten days after Emily's 'death', I have a meeting with Strauss to take some more time off to be with him. I got up and got him dressed in something comfortable to take him to stay with Jessica for a few hours until I was done.

"Come on Jack lets go see aunt Jessica." He just nods and grabs his bear. We walk up to the door and push it open. Jessica meets us in the foyer, "Hey Jack, how are you?" she asked. He didn't answer, he just shrugged his shoulders.

Its 7 in the morning, so if I leave here now I can be back before lunch time, "Okay, I have to go Jack, but I promise I will be back by lunch time. Love you buddy." I give him a big hug and he hugs back whispering his first words in days "Love you too daddy." What I didn't know when I left him there was that someone was watching.

*Jessica*

About ten minutes after Aaron left theres a knock on the door. I go to answer it and when I do a man with grey blue eyes pushes back into the house at gun point. I was about to scream when he knocks me over the head with the butt of the gun. "Aunt Jessica!" Jacks scared voice is the last thing I hear before I lapse into unconsciousness.

*Emily*

Its 3 in the afternoon here and I want out of this hospital. I want to go home to my family, my job, my bed, Sergio. Its six hours ahead here so Hotch, Morgan, JJ, Garcia, Reid and Rossi should be at work by now.

I've been here for ten days and yet the doctors tell me I'm not allowed to leave for another 5 days. I start thinking about Jack. He thinks I'm dead and it's my fault. I told them to lie to everyone. I love that little boy. He is the sweetest kid I have ever met. I loved getting to go with Hotch to pick him up after a case. He's such a pick me up. I understand why Hotch and JJ go rushing home after a case all the time. Kids chase away the demons with their innocence, even if only for a few precious moments.

I hear my computer notify me that I have a new email, I open it and I don't recognize the email address. Inside there's a picture attached. I click on the picture before even bothering to read the message. Inside I find a picture of Jack; he's huddled in a corner with the bear I gave him. He looks so scared, I scroll down quickly to read the message.

"You didn't think you could fool me that easily, did you Lauren? If you want him back alive I suggest you meet me in our old bunker, you have until 9pm tomorrow night or you'll never see him again."

TBC