-o-

Aaron Hotchner did not understand adults. They were strange, foreign beings; far too peculiar to have a reasonable conversation with. They spoke about weird things, and did odd rituals that held no importance in the young lad's eyes. It seemed that adults were just incapable of knowing what was truly significant in life - candy, play time, and coins.

Holding the soft bear that had been given to him an hour or so ago close to his chest, Aaron didn't know why he wasn't more afraid. These people were complete strangers... weren't they? He would certainly have remembered if he'd seen the really colourful woman with the glasses before, right? He knew he hadn't. But, for some reason, he felt like he knew all of the people that kept making a fuss over him.

Biting his lip, he continued to remain quiet. Everyone - even the weird dude with the stupid hair - had all tried talking to him, asking him questions and different things like that. He hadn't answered, of course. Aaron might have been a kid, but he wasn't an idiot. His mom had taught him that revealing secrets to people who weren't family was wrong. His mouth would remain sealed shut, and there was nothing these people could do about it.

-v-

"There has to be another explanation."

Rossi shook his head.

"Morgan's got a point. People don't just... transform back into children," Kate said, glancing through the glass at the boy. Scepticism was written all over her face, but there was a hint of hesitance in her eyes, as though she didn't know what to believe anymore.

"Look," Rossi started, waiting until he had the entire team's attention. He gestured towards the two people sitting in the guest office. "The camera clearly shows Hotch getting hit with whatever it was the Unsub was carrying, and this kid dropping to the floor where he should have been. You witnessed it." He jabbed a finger at Reid.

"Are you telling me that you're lying about what you saw?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the younger profiler in accusation.

"What? No!" Reid exclaimed, tone affronted. His expression lowered in denial. "I just... it doesn't make any sense to me."

"It doesn't make sense to any of us, kid," Rossi said, gaze unconsciously moving back to Garcia and the boy sitting at her side. The frown marring Rossi's face would undoubtedly become a permanent fixture if no one could think up a plausible explanation soon.

But what could explain it? If the kid was an impostor, the Unsub had done one hell of a job at getting the best look-a-like possible. The boy could easily be Jack's brother. He looked almost identical, except with darker hair, a slimmer build, and dimples. Considering they had no photos of Hotch as a child to compare with - the man was far too private for his own good, sometimes - they had nothing but their observations of the boy to go on.

Also, if the kid were faking, then where on Earth was their Unit Chief? People didn't just vanish into thin air. Did they?

"The best thing we can do is get the kid to talk," Rossi said after a moment. He saw Morgan nod out the corner of his vision, but he could still see the disbelief on his face. Heck, the entire team were on the fence about this one.

He sighed, before opening his mouth to address his friends once more. "Anyone care to volunteer?

-v-