"Daddy?" Jack hoped his dad was awake and would not be mad at him for this.

FBI Agent Aaron 'Hotch' Hotchner, Unit Chief of the top BAU team in the country, had been sleeping when he was woken by his 9 year old son's small voice. He cracked an eye open to see his son Jack standing in his doorway, something clearly being wrong. He opened his eyes, glancing at his clock to see it said 2am, before sitting up in bed. In the half darkness he could only see his son.

"Buddy, what's wrong? You have another nightmare?"

"No…."

Worried Aaron turned on his bedside lamp to see that from the middle of Jack's pyjama shirt to the bottom of the boy's pyjama pants were soaking wet. There were tears running down his 9 year old boy's face as he stood there with both embarrassment and fear. Aaron had heard of it being common with kids having problems wetting the bed, hell even fellow BAU team member Dr Spencer Reid had wet his bed until he was 15, but Aaron had always hoped Jack wouldn't go through that phase.

"Buddy did you…erm…wet the bed?"

"I didn't mean to dad! I swear! I'm sorry…I don't know what happened."

"That's okay buddy. Accidents happen…"

"But it's never happened before…."

"Why don't you go take a quick shower and put on fresh pj's whilst I change your bed?"

"But its 2am….."

"It's okay Jack. You go ahead buddy."

Jack turned to leave before turning back around.

"I am really sorry though dad…."

"I know you are and I know it was an accident. You just go clean yourself up and I'll deal with the bed…I'm not mad at you Jack honest. These things happen…"

Jack ran off to first pick up fresh pyjamas before running off to the bathroom. Aaron stood up and stretched, knowing he wasn't going to get anymore sleep tonight.

After quickly using his own small adjoining bathroom, he went into Jack's room and saw the soaking wet sheets. He stripped the bed and put fresh clean sheets on Jack's bed. He had just finished making Jack's bed up when the boy walked in freshly showered and in clean pyjamas, and holding his soaking wet pyjama in his hands. Aaron wordlessly took the wet pj's from Jack who still looked upset and fearful of what his father might do, and put the pj's in the pile of wet sheets to take to put for soaking.

"I really am sorry dad. I really don't know what happened. I mean usually I'm so good at waking up…."

"That's okay buddy. It was an accident. All kids have them. Hopefully it was only a one off thing. Did you make sure you used the toilet when you were in the bathroom?"

"Yeah, just now."

"Good boy. Now why don't you get back into bed and try to get some more sleep? You got school in the morning."

"So you're not mad at me for…."

"No Jack I could never be mad or angry at you for something like this. This wasn't your fault and was an accident. You just didn't wake up in time to use the bathroom that's all. Even after this I still love you just as much as I always have buddy. That will never change. Now come on jump back in bed. Everything will be okay. I promise."

"Thanks dad. I thought you'd be mad at me or wouldn't love me the same." Jack wrapped his arms around his dad's stomach in a big hug and quietly sobbed. Aaron wrapped his arms around his sons shoulder's and kissed the top of his head.

"Buddy I understand these things can happen. I'd never be mad at you or love you any less than I always have just because this happened. Your my son and always will be. This was just an accident that clearly wasn't your fault. Now come buddy. You have to be up in a few hours. Climb back in bed and I'll stay with til you fall asleep."

"Thanks dad for not being angry."

"I could never be angry at something like this buddy."

Jack nervously climbed back into his bed and into the clean dry sheets. Aaron turned off the light and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Hopefully this was just a one off thing buddy and won't happen again. But I need you to remember that if it does, I'll still love you the same and would never get angry, mad or upset. You're my son and I'm your dad. Nothing can ever change that. I love you and always will. I'm only here to help you."

"Thanks dad. I love you too. You won't tell anyone about this will you?"

"Of course not buddy. This can be our secret. No one has to know, even your Aunt Jess."

"Thanks dad." Jack yawned

"Remember I'm only next door if you need me again okay buddy?"

"Okay dad. Thanks though. I love you."

"No problem buddy. Anytime. I love you too Jack."

Aaron waited til his son had fallen asleep before gathering up the wet sheets and pj's and taking them into his small bathroom, so that Jack wouldn't have to think about them again when he woke up in the morning.

He ran some water into his bathtub and left the sheets and pj's to soak before heading back to his bed, hoping that this really was a one off and wouldn't happen again. He'd often heard of kids, especially growing young boys around Jack's age starting bed wetting problems and having them every night for months or years even. Only if it happened again would he maybe ask someone's advice about how to handle it. He had never had any problems with bed wetting himself when he was growing up.

Somehow he managed to fall back into a light sleep.

The next morning when Aaron got up, one of the first things he did was wring out the soaking sheets and pj's and put them in the washing machine in their apartment to start the load of laundry. Only then did he have a quick shower and shave before pulling on one of his suits for work. When he woke Jack up at 6.45 to get him ready for school, he acted like the night had never happened. The boy's bed was dry and he ran off happily to the bathroom whilst Aaron went to fix breakfast for both of them. He yawned, still tired from the broken night.

That night, when Aaron got Jack ready for bed at 9pm, he made sure his son used the bathroom just before getting into his bed.

"If the same thing happens tonight buddy, I promise I won't be mad or anything. Hopefully it won't but if it does don't worry just come wake me up and I'll help you clean up."

"Thanks dad. I don't know what happened last night. Normally I'm so good at waking up in time to use the bathroom…"

"I know you are buddy and I'm proud that up til last night you've been so good that way. But listen Jack, these things can happen to boy's your age. I don't think anything less of you for what happened. So please don't worry about it. I'll always love you the same no matter what happens. Please don't think I'd be angry with you for wetting the bed. It's not your fault and it just happens. You wanna know something though?"

"What? Did you wet the bed at my age too?"

"No buddy. Your Uncle Spencer wet the bed every night until he was 15…."

"Really? Uncle Spencer wet his bed EVERY night until he was a big boy of 15?"

"Yep. So please don't worry about last night buddy. Hopefully it was a one off and won't happen again, but even if it does, I won't be mad at you for it."

Jack yawned with tiredness.

"Thanks for understanding. I'm really hoping it doesn't happen again."

"Me too buddy. But I'm your dad and will always understand problems you may face when you're growing up. I love you so much buddy."

"I love you too dad."

"Night buddy."

"Night dad!"

Aaron waited until his son had fallen asleep before leaving his room, leaving the nightlight on. He too was so tired he ended up turning in himself around 10.30pm, hoping last night was a one off.

Jack awoke with a start to find he and his sheets were soaking wet again. Remembering what his dad had told him about never getting mad, he got out of his bed and went to his dad's bedroom to find his dad was fast asleep. He shook his dad's huge shoulders and spoke quietly, still highly embarrassed that, given that he was a big boy, he had wet his bed again for a second night in a row.

"Dad? Are you awake?"

Aaron felt small hands shaking his shoulders and heard a small quiet voice he recognised as his son's voice. He opened his eyes and immediately reached for his bedside lamp, seeing the clock said half 2.

As soon as he turned on the light, he saw his son's tearful embarrassed face and saw Jack standing there in wet pyjamas again.

"It happen again buddy?"

"I don't know what happened…..I'm sorry…" Jack held his head down, clearly highly embarrassed that it had happened again.

Aaron immediately started getting out of his bed. He sat on the side of his bed and put his hands on his son's shoulders.

"Buddy, please don't feel ashamed. It's clearly not your fault."

"But I'm 9. I'm a big boy…Big boys don't pee their bed…."

Aaron took his left hand off Jack's right shoulder and put a finger under his chin, lifting the boy's head up.

"Jack, look at me buddy. I know you're a big boy. These things can just happen. It's clearly not your fault buddy I've heard of A LOT of kids, especially boys your age and a little older even who wet their bed every night. You remember me telling you how your Uncle Spencer wet his bed every night until he was 15?"

Jack could only nod 'yes' whilst looking straight into the caring soft loving eyes of his father, who clearly wasn't mad at him.

"Now why don't you go take a quick shower and change into clean pj's. Make sure you use the bathroom before you go back to your bed. I'll go change your sheets whilst your showering. Okay buddy?"

"Okay dad. And I am real sorry."

"Buddy you have nothing, and I mean nothing to apologise for. This isn't your fault. I still love you the same and I'm not mad. I promise. Now go take a shower and I'll clean up again. Okay?"

"Okay dad. Thanks."

"Anytime buddy. Anytime."

Jack ran out of the room to get fresh pyjamas and to take a quick shower. Meanwhile, after Aaron used his own toilet quickly, he went and put fresh sheets on his son's wet bed again. Clearly something was up with Jack and he'd have to find a solution to help his son.

They went through the same ritual of Jack returning, Aaron comforting the embarrassed boy and talking to and staying with Jack until the boy had fallen back to sleep before he took the wet sheets and pj's to soak in his bathtub.

The next day Aaron was sitting in his office at the BAU, still yawning a little with tiredness from a second broken night in a row, thinking about what he could do to help his son, when he heard a knock on his door.

David Rossi, fellow FBI Agent and BAU team member, and also Aaron's best friend, had stood looking in at Aaron sitting there worried about something, pinching the bridge of his nose. He'd gone back to his office to pick up his half drunk bottle of best scotch and 2 clean glasses before going back to Aaron's office. Clearly the man had something on his mind and needed to talk.

Aaron saw Dave standing in his open doorway holding the scotch and 2 glasses.

"Hey man, something's clearly up…." without being invited in, Dave walked into the office, closed the door behind him and sat on the chair on the other side to Aaron's desk. He poured scotch into both glasses and handed one to the man, who took it wordlessly.

"Come on Aaron, something's clearly up. What's wrong?"

Aaron let out another yawn.

"Late night again? So have you met someone?"

"No, nothing like that…"

"You've clearly had a broken night though. Is it Jack? Is he okay?"

"I think so…"

"You think so? Come on Aaron, has something happened?"

"Well for the past 2 nights he's woken me up about 2, half 2 after…well…having wet his bed…"

"Very common for boys around his age. Even I know that…"

"Yeah well as you can imagine, he's highly embarrassed about it. I mean he considers himself to be a big boy at 9 years old and to have this suddenly happen. I mean the first night it happened he was ashamed and we both hoped it was a one off thing but he woke up wet again last night. And now, if it keeps happening, I'm not sure what I can do to help my son…."

"You have told him that it's nothing to be embarrassed about and all that haven't you?"

"Yeah both nights I've to reassure him that I know it's not his fault, that there's no reason for him to be embarrassed about it, that I'm not mad and I will only help him, and that I've heard of a lot of kids around his age that wet the bed every night, including our genius boy down there. Jack was actually surprised when I told him that Spencer had wet his bed until he was 15! But no matter how much I try to reassure him and comfort him and no matter how little I make of the situation, including soaking his sheets and pj's in my private bathroom so that he doesn't have to see them soaking in the main bathtub, he is still embarrassed and worried about it. I told him I wouldn't think anything less of him, and I would never anyway. I also told him that I would always love him the same no matter what. I even promised that after the first night, I wouldn't tell anyone, including his aunt that he'd wet his bed. But now I don't know what else I can do to help him. But, now having had 2 nights in row, I don't know how to help him unless I ask someone for help."

"Surely there's no stress or worries at home…"

"No. We've not been on another case in over a week and I've been home every night since then. And, apart from the bed wetting, he's a happy go lucky little boy who gets everything he needs and wants."

"Maybe you should get his doc to check him out just in case. I'm sure its just a phase but better to be safe than sorry right?"

"Yeah, was thinking bout maybe trying to get him an appointment after school today. But I still don't know how much more I can do to help him."

"Just be there for him I guess? Unfortunately I've never had any experience of this myself. You clearly haven't have you?"

"No, I never wet my bed when I was I was a kid. Was always dry."

"Maybe you should talk to Spencer. Either that or get Jack to talk to him. At least Jack knows Spencer would understand…"

"Good idea. That might help put him more at ease. Sadly it won't stop the broken nights, although I could never blame Jack for any broken nights the bed wetting causes as it's not his fault and he can't help it."

"Maybe talk to J.J as well, see if she's got any ideas…."

"True…Will have to talk with Jessica anyway as it might happen when we're away and he's staying at her house."

"Oh yeah forgot about that issue…."

"At least if she knows it might happen, she can be prepared and can make sure its no big deal."

They had finished their scotch in their glasses by now.

"I still don't know what I can do to help my son though apart from be there for him and keep reassuring him. I just hate that I have to break his trust to help find him a solution after I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone about it and that it would be our little secret."

"He's a smart kid Aaron. If he knows you only want to help him, he probably won't mind if he knows you were not sure what else you could do for him and needed to ask for help yourself."

"Thanks for the talk Dave. At least feel better having talked to you about it. I just hope it doesn't keep happening…."

"Just be there for the boy Aaron, keep reassuring him and don't' make a big deal out of it. That's all you can really do for your son. That and just get the doc to check him to make sure there's no medical reason for it. But I do think Spencer talking to him might help put the boy at ease about his sudden bed wetting issue."

"Thanks Dave. I'll see about getting Spencer and him to talk. Definitely think it might help him."

"Anytime Aaron. Now I should probably get back to work but remember, I'm here for you and Jack should you want or need to talk again."

"Thanks Dave. Appreciate it."

Dave left his office and Aaron continued to sit there deep in thought. Finally he decided to at least get Jack an appointment with his paediatrician that afternoon, just to make sure there was nothing wrong.

He phoned the doctor's office and spoke to the secretary.

"Dr Frost's office."

"Hi this is Aaron Hotchner. I need to make an appointment with Dr Frost for my son Jack this afternoon."

"Okay, let me check….we have a space at 5. Would that do?"

"That'll be fine thanks."

"May I ask what the appointment would be for. Only I see in his records, he only saw Dr Frost 3 months ago for his annual physical."

"Erm…well he's started to wet his bed and I want to make sure there's nothing medically wrong…."

"Of course sir. I only ask so that the doctor can be prepared. If you'd like Dr Frost has nothing from 5.30 onwards if you'd like a longer appointment so that he can talk to both of you individually? We find that it often helps a lot of our child patients with the same problem if he can spend time talking with them alone, as well as talking to the parent about solutions."

"Sure. That would be great."

"So I'll put Jack in for a longer appointment at 5.30 then Mr Hotchner?"

"Yeah, thank you."

"We'll see you this afternoon. Bye."

"Bye."

He hung up the phone and then decided to ask Spencer if he would at least be willing to talk with Jack. He picked up the phone and dialled Spencer's internal office landline number.

"Dr Reid"

"Spencer, it's me Hotch. Can I see you in my office now please?"

"Er….sure… though I swear I haven't done anything… this time!"

"I know you haven't done anything wrong. I just need to ask you something …."

A minute later Spencer knocked on Hotch's door.

"Come in Spence and close the door will you?"

"Sounds serious Hotch. I swear that last joke was Morgan's doing NOT mine…."

"It's not cos you've done anything wrong Spence. Just close the door and sit down will you?"

Spencer did as asked and sat opposite Hotch.

"So if I haven't done anything wrong, why the sudden need to talk with me boss?"

"Because you have experience of this and can help Jack"

"Jack? What's up with the little guy? He's okay isn't he?"

"Yeah, well I think so. Taking him to get checked over by his doc later to make sure. It's just that for the past 2 nights, he's woken up after having wet his bed."

"Ah, common enough problem. I wet my bed every night til I was 15."

"Yeah which is why I think you might be able to help him. You see, as you can probably understand, he's highly embarrassed that he's started wetting the bed at 9 years old. Even though I've done everything possible to reassure him and help him, he's still really worried and highly embarrassed. I told him that I know a lot of kids his age also wet the bed including his Uncle Spencer who wet his bed til he was 15, which surprised him. I was thinking though that maybe after we get back from the doctor's appointment you could maybe come over and you and he could talk about your experiences of wetting the bed and all that. You could maybe help him see that there's nothing wrong with him, there's no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed or anything and that there are people who both will help him and also people like you who understand what he's going through. That sort of thing."

"I'd be honoured. I do feel sorry for the little guy. So its just happened out of the blue?"

"As far as I can tell yeah. So if I call you once we're home, you'd come over and you and he could talk in private like?"

"Sure. I don't live too far away so I can be there pretty soon."

"Thanks Spencer. I really do appreciate it. And, in return, how about you stay for dinner and I order a pizza or something?"

"Sure. Save another microwaveable meal. Not only will I come over to talk with him later but you can tell him I'll be willing to talk anytime about it if he needs to talk to someone who understands what he's going through."

"Thanks Spencer. I'll let you get back to work now but I'll call you when we're leaving the doctor's office to give you time to get to my place."

"Sure. See you later Hotch!"

Spencer left the office and Aaron decided it might be best to talk to Jessica now in case they had to go away on another case the next day. He called her cell phone.

Jessica was surprised to see it was Aaron calling her on one of her day's off from her job as a nurse.

"Hey Aaron"

"Hey Jess. Wondering if you were free to talk today or are you at work now?"

"No actually I'm at home. Everything okay? You going away on another case again and need me to have Jack?"

"No there's no case. Its about Jack but I need to come over to talk with you now. Would that be okay?"

"Sure. Aren't you at work though?"

"Yeah but I'll get Dave to cover me for the rest of the day. So, see you in about a half hour?"

"Sure. I'll put the coffee on. Bye!"

"Bye Jess and thank you."

"No problem Aaron. See you soon!"

Aaron hung up the phone, quickly gathered his things and left his office and went to Dave's office next door.

"Hey Dave, was wondering if you'd mind me taking the rest of the day off. Gonna go talk to Jess today in case we get another case tomorrow. But thanks for the talk earlier. Got a doc's appointment at 5.30 for Jack and Spencer is coming round after we get back to talk and to have a bit of dinner."

"Sure Aaron. We'll more than cover for you. You just go talk to Jess. And I hope Jack's problem resolves itself real soon. But tell the little guy we're all here for him and also for you."

"Thanks Dave. I'll see you tomorrow!"