I don't own Criminal Minds or the characters.

This chapter is a little happier than the others, there is some angst though. Hope you all like it.

The credits rolled following a show that Morgan hadn't even watched. He had been staring at the TV for the past thirty minutes trying to think of something to help with Spencer. It was Saturday morning and Mrs. Carrington had left the night before to spend the weekend with a friend. Morgan knew it her way of letting them bond without her there for Spencer to run to when he didn't want to talk to him.

Spencer had cried and begged her to stay. Morgan saw the tears in her eyes as she left the house. Spencer refused to eat dinner after she left and went straight to his room, where he cried himself to sleep. Mrs. Carrington had only been living with them for three days, but Spencer relied on her for everything. It made Morgan feel useless and unwanted.

It was still early in the morning; he didn't need to wake up Spencer yet. So here he was staring at the TV and trying to think of something to bring the kid out of his shell with him.

The next show started up and he started to watch it. It was a reality show about a street magician contest. Four contestants all tried to bring in the biggest crowd with the best magic. The first guy was a total bust, he was cheesy and not very good. The woman next was really something. She was doing some pretty cool looking card tricks, he had never been a real fan of card tricks but she was really good.

"How did she do that?" a small voice asked.

Morgan just barely managed not to jump at the sudden voice.

"Hey buddy, you like that?"

Spencer nodded his head and climbed up on the couch.

"She's a magician?"

"Yep, she's a lot better than the last guy."

"What is this?"

"Some show were four street magicians compete against each other. I've never seen it before."

"I want to do magic," Spencer said, looking at Morgan with big brown puppy dog eyes.

"Spencer, magic isn't real," he said as gently as possible.

Judging by the look Spencer was giving him, his low expectation of Morgan just got lower.

"I know that. But the tricks are real. I just want to know how to do them." The boy started to slide of the couch in a huff.

"Spencer, I'm sorry. You're right, I bet there are books about magic tricks at the bookstore. If you would like to go to the bookstore we could… Where are you going?" he yelled after the boy as he jumped off the couch and started running to the stairs.

"I have to get dressed, I can't go to the bookstore in my sleep clothes," the boy yelled back before rushing up the stairs.

Morgan looked down at the t-shirt and sweatpants he was wearing. He guessed they were going to leave now; standing up he stretched out before heading up to his room to change. After climbing the stairs he paused in front of Spencer's room, the door was wide open. Looking in he saw the boy throwing clothes from his closet on the bed.

When Spencer moved in Morgan had modified his closet. He lowered the hanger rod so Spencer could hang his own clothes up and pick them out. He could hear the boy muttering about which shirt he should wear. It was the first time Morgan had done something that made Spencer happy, he didn't want to let him down now.


Spencer was so excited; they were going to the bookstore. Not only that, they were going to get magic books. He had only seen one magician in his whole life. It had been at his t-ball teammate, Ira's birthday party. Everyone else just wanted to jump in the bounce house. Spencer couldn't take his eyes off the man doing all the cool tricks. Since he was the only one paying attention the magician talked to him and showed him how he did some of the tricks.

Now he was going to get his own books, his mommy only liked read the books she liked. When he stayed with Coach Lou he would take him to the library and the bookstore. At the library he could get only educational books, which wasn't a problem he liked them. But he sometimes he wanted to read things that would be fun with no educational value.

He looked over the clothes he had pulled out of his closet. Derek had gotten him a lot of shirts that had pictures on the front of them. He had no want to wear a shirt with a racecar or basketball on the front of it. He was glad the man had gotten him some normal clothes. He put on a green turtleneck and brown pants. Ms. Penelope had gotten him lots of socks, socks of every color of the rainbow. He grabbed a purple sock and an orange one.

"Are you ready, pretty boy?" Derek asked from his doorway.

"Can we eat at a restaurant? I always wanted to go to one."

"We absolutely can. Do you have place you want to go?"

"Umm… I don't know," he said quietly. Maybe Derek wouldn't take him because he didn't have a favorite. Sometimes all the other kids on his t-ball team would go out to eat pizza together. He always wanted to go with them but his mommy brought him back home. Then when she was too sick to go his daddy and Mrs. Susan wanted to go back to her house. They went upstairs to talk while he and Riley watched TV and ate sandwiches.

"How about this, we go to the diner near the bookstore. It has a pretty good breakfast selection."

Spencer was so excited he jumped a little. He was going to the bookstore and he was going to a diner for the first time in his whole life. There was only one thing that would make today better. His mother.

They sat in small corner table by the window. Spencer was on a booster so he could reach the table. Morgan was in awe of how much the little boy ate. He had eaten three pancakes with a side of hash browns. The boy only stopped talking to chew and swallow. He talked about books his mother read to him, books he read himself, and books he wanted to read.

"In a little over half a year you'll get to start kindergarten. Are you excited?"

"Yes, I can't wait to go to school."

"What do you want to learn there?"

"I hope we talk about Beowulf's origins. I wonder what my teacher will think."

"Buddy, I think Beowulf might be out of most kindergarteners' comprehension."

"Oh," Spencer said sadly, deflating.

"Monday I'll look into other kinds of schools. It looks like public school might not be the best place for you. First though I guess we'll need to get you tested to see where best to put you."

Tears started running down Spencer's face. "I don't need books, I'm sorry. Please don't make me leave."

Morgan was gobsmacked. What had just happened?

"You're not going anywhere Spencer. I just meant we need to find out what school would be best for you. I've not letting you go, we're family now."

"And Mrs. Carrington?"

"And Mrs. Carrington," he agreed.

"Is my mommy better now?"

"I'm sorry, she's still real sick. Your uncle Daniel has moved her to a facility in Virginia, when she does get better she'll close enough to see regularly."

"C-Can I write her? Maybe that might make her better."

"That's a wonderful idea. Finish your drink, we need to go buy us some magic books. We need to learn how to wow the ladies."

Spencer giggled. "Ms. Emily is a lady."

"Yes, she is." Spencer's little cheeks reddened.

"She's perfect," Spencer said dreamily.

"Okay, Casanova, let's head on out. No dating until you're older."

"That's not a given time, I'm older now than I was ten seconds ago."

"True. Let me ask you, why do you like Emily so much?"

"She's so smart."

"And pretty?"

"I guess."

"You just guess?"

"Well, she is pretty, not as pretty as my mommy though. She's not as colorful as Ms. Penelope, not as nice as Ms. JJ. But she's really smart. My mommy said that looks come and go its brains and heart that really matter."

"You're mommy sounds like she is a very smart woman."

"Oh, she is, she's the smartest, prettiest woman in the world."

Sometimes when Spencer talked it was hard to remember he was only four. Then he would just say something that you would expect from a four year old, like now.

Morgan's phone started ringing while Spencer finished his apple juice.

He answered without checking who it was. "Morgan."

"Hi, baby."

"Mama, why are you calling so early?" He always worried about his mom and sisters.

"I was wondering if I could visit you this weekend."

"This is short notice, but of course. Is everything alright?" His voice taking on a slight edge to it.

"I'm fine, I just need to talk to you about something important. I would just rather do it in person, you know."

"Yeah, I understand. When does your flight get in?"

"Actually, I arrived earlier. I just stopped at that diner near your house to grab something to eat."

"You're at Ruby's?" He was at Ruby's.

"Yes, I just parked my rental car. Are you at home – oh." Morgan looked up and saw his mother stop at the entrance of the diner. He had been so wrapped up in the call he didn't notice her get out of the car even though he was at the window.

"Mama," he called, standing up. Morgan rushed to his mother and wrapped her up in a tight hug.

"Baby, what are you doing here? I would think you wanted to stay home and lounge around it being Saturday and all. I can't believe I've seen you twice in two months now, it must be a record or something." She laughed lightly.

"I missed you. I'm sorry I couldn't stay your whole trip."

"It's okay, I understand how important your job is."

"Yeah, but it's still not an excuse for leaving you all alone for almost the full week. What's going on? You worried me on the phone."

"Ah, can we go back to your house? It's going to be a bit of a talk."

"That doesn't sound good. But I need to talk to you too. Wait here." He turned around to get Spencer. He looked at the table they had been sitting at, but it was now empty.

"Spencer!" he yelled, running over to the table. The boy was nowhere in sight. He looked to the older couple in the table beside his. "Did you see where the little boy went?"

"I think he went to the restroom," the older woman said pointing to the corner where the restrooms were. Morgan ran to the bathroom and checked the men's room. Spencer wasn't in there. "Mama, can you check the women's for a little boy, I'll explain later."

His mom rushed into the bathroom but came out shaking her head. It was then he noticed the door that led outside right near the woman's restroom.

"Oh, god, no." He pushed open the door and ran outside. Spencer was nowhere in sight. What if Jenkins had found them and took Spencer when the opportunity opened up? What if some pervert grabbed him when he saw him alone? Morgan's stomach cramped up at the thought.


Spencer picked up a pretty book with a magician with a cape on it. He took the book to the chair and climbed up to sit down, opening the book. He wondered when Derek would get done chatting with the lady. Spencer didn't get a real good look at her because one of the walls in the diner was blocking her from his view. Derek had called the woman mama, which must mean it was Derek's mommy. He had been worried that now they weren't going to go to the bookstore like promised. So when Derek was busy talking to her he just headed over himself. He had to cross the street but all he had to do was wait for the sign to change. He hoped Derek wouldn't be too long.

Oh, this book has rabbits.