Spencer is curled up beside Hotch and wakes suddenly. There's someone outside of their hut. Spencer looks around for Maeve and sees that she's asleep in her bed. Spencer gets up and sneaks to the door of the hut. This isn't a tribe he recognizes. They're sneaking around and speaking in a language that he doesn't recognize. These aren't Hotch's people.

They're close to David's hut. Spencer scampers back to Hotch and shakes him. "There are people outside," he tells him in a hushed tone. Hotch gets up and sneaks to the entrance. He watches them look through the first hut. "Take Maeve and go through the woods," he says. "What about Prentiss?" He asks. Hotch bites his lip. "Can you lift her?" Spencer nods.

"Go hide. We will come get you when it's safe. If you don't see us by daylight don't return until nightfall," Hotch says. He kisses Spencer quickly. "One," Hotch smiles sadly. "One," Spencer says tearfully. Hotch pets Maeve and helps him escape through the back of the hut without being seen or heard.

Hotch goes to Derek's hut and enters through the back to wake him. Spencer gets into Dave and Prentiss' hut. "David, wake up," Spencer begs. David and Prentiss blink at him blearily. "There are men outside. Hotch is waking Derek. He said to take Maeve and Prentiss into the woods."

David gets up quickly and checks outside. He curses and looks at Prentiss. He walks back over and kisses her. Spencer exits the hut quietly and David helps Prentiss hold onto Spencer's back. He covers them in a blanket and tells them to be safe. Spencer holds onto her legs and runs quietly into the woods. He places her inside of a hollow tree he remembers from childhood.

He pushes rocks in front of the entrance and slinks in beside her. It's cramped but it's safe. In the dark, especially. They're the closest thing to invisible. He covers the three of them in the blanket and holds them close.


Hotch wakes Derek and repeats the words Spencer had told him to memorize. "Intruders. Quiet," he says. The words feel weak on his tongue. Derek looks outside and sees the large group of strangers. "Spencer?" He questions. "Spencer, Maeve, Prentiss safe," he says. Derek gets up and they leave through the back. They get to David's hut and see that he's exiting it as well.

"What are we going to do?" David asks. "Should we talk to them? If it turns ugly they outnumber us," Hotch says. Derek looks confused. "Home or safe," Hotch says simply. Derek bites his lip. "Home," he finally says. Hotch turns to David. "Home," David says. Hotch nods and they walk out in front of the hut. The intruders notice them and raise their weapons.

Hotch raises his hands. "Friend," Hotch says. The other tribe looks around. They don't understand what he's saying but they understand the body language. The opposing tribe takes some food and they get back on their horses and ride away. Hotch lets out a deep, shuddering breath. He hadn't been this scared in a long time. He hadn't felt so weak in a long time.

They're about to go find Spencer and Prentiss when the tribe returns. They have a wounded young woman with them. The leader holds the girl out to them. Hotch lifts her in his arms and lays her out. "I think she was poisoned," Hotch tells David. Derek looks at her face. "Hold on. I know where to get something," he says. David and Hotch lift an eyebrow.

"Stay," he says and gets up. He runs into the woods and looks along the ground. There was an herb they used as kids when someone would eat something bad. He searches long enough that the moon changes positions in the sky. He finally finds it. He digs it up into trembling hands and runs back.

The girl has vomited a couple of times. Hotch his holding her up and David is dripping water into her mouth. The other tribe is waiting. Some are pacing. Derek brings the herb and they all watch him expectantly. Derek takes a dagger and cuts the herb before putting it in her mouth. He pours water in next and they wait. She begins to shake and vomits it back up. He puts another piece in her mouth and follows it by water.

This time though the girl jumps up in Hotch's arms. She's gagging and coughing. The leader of the other tribe begins to speak to her. She responds in a hoarse voice and the leader man hugs her close to him. He hugs Derek and Hotch and David before helping the younger woman onto the horse. They bring a horse over and offer it to Hotch.

He refuses but they offer again until he takes it. They are on their way again after that. The three of them go into the forest now to call for Spencer and Prentiss.


Spencer is wiggling his toes to try and get circulation in his feet when he hears his lover call his name. "They're back," he tells Prentiss. Spencer pushes the rock from the tree and helps his friend up. He sets her on the stone and calls out for Hotch. They wait only a few moments for the men to find them. "What happened?" Spencer demands.

"One of their young had eaten something poisonous. Derek saved her," Hotch explains. Spencer smiles. David lifts his lover and Spencer walks near Hotch. Derek walks back with them and they all retire to their own huts to finish sleeping.


Derek and Spencer are sitting together in the morning. They're about to go collect some fruit for breakfast. "Do you think last night will help my case?" He asks Spencer. "I think you acted quickly and bravely. There's no way they didn't see that." Derek smiles. "Do you want me to talk to Hotch about it?" He asks. Derek shakes his head. "I'll wait to see for myself."

They return to the huts and find that Hotch and Maeve are away. Prentiss is half-awake and blinking profusely. David is likely still in bed. Spencer passes out food with Derek. They set some aside for David. Spencer takes Maeve and begins to feed her. "Can you ask Derek to show me the root he used on that girl?" Hotch says. Spencer turns to Derek. "Hotch wants to know if you would be willing to show him the root you used on that youngling last night." Derek smiles. "I'd be happy to." Spencer nods at Hotch.

They set off together and it makes Spencer's heart feel happy. He doesn't know why it matter so much to him. Hotch is, by all means, still the leader of the people that killed his tribe. He's the man that abducted him and kept him hostage... But he's also the only one that treated him nicely. He's the man he has feelings for. He's never felt for anyone else the way he does for Hotch.

David wakes and Prentiss hands him his breakfast. They share a kiss and speak softly to one another. Even with the heartbreak... This could be a family. This could be a home.