A/N: I am so sorry that it has taken me this long to update this chapter. School has been very trying lately and I was also on vacation with my awesome Beta Charmony. I know I've gotten some new readers and alerts for the story in the last few days and thanks to everyone who has come on board with us. Seacat03: I think pretty much everyone wants to slap Mr. Saunders. LaRieNGuBleR: Thanks for the hint. You are echoing the same sentiments of several others. Pippinheart: This chapter should answer your questions. Maxandkidz: I got some ideas from your review and others so I hope you like the result. Flowerfairy30: Don't ever be afraid to express your opinion. Especially when it comes to something like bullying. I actually added a section based on yours and Max's feedback. Daisyangel: Welcome to the party. I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long. Kc1997kc: You're so right about parents influencing their children. Thanks for the compliment. Wendylee: Thanks for the compliments. Whatif-ifonly: I wasn't sure how far the school actually could go with punishment so I wrote it as best as I knew. I'm glad you liked Spencer getting scared and turning to Sarah for comfort. I was afraid it would make him seem too young. Queen of Confusion: Welcome to my party. Hope you like the next installment. Charmony: There is no way I could have come so far without your help. I am so thankful for you my sister. (and the holiday was a total blast)

Warning: Curse words censored with asterisks and tissues may be needed at the end.

Chapter 10

Spencer took a deep breath as he stepped off the bus in front of the school. Today was the first day that Elliot and his friends were supposed to be back from their suspension. The young boy bit his lip in anticipation of the unknown events of the day. A variety of rumors had swirled around the school throughout the last week speculating on what had actually happened, but no one had said anything directly to him. Spencer grudgingly admitted to himself that he had actually been surprised at the lack of reaction. He belatedly wondered if his classmates were simply waiting for the ringleaders to get back before unleashing their venom on him once more. Worried now, he kept his head lowered as he hurried inside the building, making a beeline for his locker. If he could get to his first class without running into anyone, it would be a miracle. His heart sank as he took in the tall senior leaning against the wall.

"You're not supposed to have any contact with me," he muttered defiantly as he brushed by the young man.

"I know. But I figured this would be my one and only chance to talk to you and really apologize before the teachers start watching me like a hawk." Peter's voice was low and hesitant. "I am so sorry that my friends and I put you through all that." He sighed heavily as he fidgeted with his backpack. "If it's any consolation, I didn't like what they were doing to you. I only went along with it because Elliot has been my best friend since forever."

"You stood up to be counted with the enemy!" Spencer replied hotly. "I don't care what your reasoning was, it was still wrong!"

"I know. Like I said, I'm sorry." Peter pushed off the wall and looked down at the younger boy with sadness in his eyes. "I can't change anything I've already done, but I promise that I won't mess with you anymore." He hesitated as though he wanted to say something more but just at that moment, Principal Thompson appeared at the end of the hall. "I'm sorry, Spencer," Peter whispered once more as he disappeared into a nearby classroom.

Spencer turned back to his locker as the principal neared him. "Is everything alright, Spencer?"

"Yes sir. He didn't bother me, sir."

Mr. Thompson nodded. "I expect you to come to me immediately if something changes, understand?"

Spencer nodded. "Yes sir."

"Better get to class before you're late." The man watched as the young boy scurried off, silently hoping that all would go well throughout the day.

Gideon growled softly in frustration. "What do you mean there isn't enough evidence? I have over two dozen pictures of my ten year old son being held down in the shower by several boys who are obviously older than him. What more do you need?" He leaned back in his chair and rolled his eyes to the ceiling at the answer coming through the phone he held to his ear. Rossi crossed his arms and leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe as his friend's raised voice drew his attention.

"So the mere fact that five teenage boys took naked pictures of a ten year old boy, who is obviously terrified in the shots, isn't enough and I have to find proof of intent before I can press charges?"

Gideon listened for a few more minutes, his eyes hardening as he did. "I don't care if he's the darn President of the United States. His kid took naked pictures of my son against his will and that constitutes child pornography!" He slammed the phone back into the cradle with enough force that Rossi was concerned for the integrity of the instrument.

"What's going on?" the Italian asked, fairly certain he already knew the answer.

"Oh, the DA doesn't think that there's enough evidence to press charges against Elliot Saunders for the pictures he took of Spencer. He's too worried about the impact the kid's dad will have if we pursue this. I guess since his father is a city councilman, Elliot gets a free pass. Gideon leaded back in his chair, shaking his head. "I'm just glad I didn't tell Spencer that I was going to do this. He's been through enough already."

"What more does he think we need?"

"Apparently photographic evidence is not enough. We need to prove that there was malicious intent and it wasn't just the result of a childish prank." Gideon's frown spoke volumes as he glared at the phone on his desk.

"The joys of politics and bureaucratic red tape," muttered Rossi.

"At the expense of a now eleven year old boy, who's been through more than enough with the system already," Gideon added. He sighed as he ran a tired hand over his face. "I just hate the fact that this kid is headed down the wrong path and no one seems to notice or care. He wasn't even sorry until his buddy spoke up and then it was more because he knew he was caught."

"You think we're going to end up chasing him in the future?"

"I don't know Dave, but I hope not."

Sarah stretched as she slowly came awake. She smiled as she felt her husband's arms around her. "When did you get home?"

"Around two. I had an interesting discussion with the DA today and afterwards, I just couldn't focus so I came home."

"Why didn't you wake me up?" she muttered as she snuggled closer into his side.

"You looked too peaceful to disturb. Did you have a good sleep?"

"Yeah, although I still feel like I could sleep for a week. These last couple of shifts have been murder."

Gideon smiled down at her. "Well you can go back to sleep if you want to; I've got dinner already started, and Spencer's holed up in his room with the books that Dave got him over the weekend so there's nothing pressing for you to do."

"Yes but if I continue to sleep now, I won't be able to sleep tonight." Sarah returned his smile. "I'd like to have a somewhat normal sleeping schedule for the next couple of days."

He winked mischievously at her. "Who says I'm going to let you sleep?"

Soft beeping invaded Gideon's restless sleep. He opened bleary eyes to see a nurse leaning over his father's bedside. "Is something wrong?"

The woman smiled gently at him. "No, I was just checking his heart rate and blood pressure since he had some problems earlier in the day. I didn't mean to wake you up."

The agent sat up and groaned as he tried to stretch the stiffness out of his back. The pullout mattresses at the hospital were not made for long term sleeping and he had spent almost every night of the last two weeks curled up on the one in his father's room. "It's alright. I'm used to being woken up in the middle of the night."

The nurse smiled again. "So I've heard. He's been talking quite a bit about you and his grandson. He's so proud of you both."

"Yeah I know. I just wish he hadn't waited twenty years to tell me that." Gideon sighed softly, rubbing his face. Fatigue flooded his body as he stood up. "I'm sorry. You don't want to hear my sob story."

"It's alright. Part of caring for patients is caring for their families too." She squeezed his hand as she slipped from the room.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping in your own bed with your wife?" Matthew wheezed softly into the gathering silence.

"My place is here," his son replied firmly as he moved closer to the bed. "Besides, Sarah's working tonight and Spencer is spending the night with Dave."

"Jason…"

"No, Dad. We've wasted too much time already. I'm not losing any more." Gideon took his father's hand, wincing at the paper thin skin and the hollow face looking blearily up at him.

Matthew coughed harshly. "Jason, face reality. I'm dying, and I don't have much time left."

The younger man swallowed hard. "I know Dad. I'm just not ready to let you go yet."

"I know son." Another coughing fit racked the man's weakened frame. "I wish I didn't have to spend the last few days I have stuck here in this God forsaken place. Nurses and doctors coming in at all hours, poking and prodding and taking blood for this and that."

Despite his sadness, Gideon had to chuckle slightly at his father's show of spirit that hadn't faded even as his health had truly gone downhill in the seven months since his wedding to Sarah. "You never did like the status quo."

Matthew snorted softly, "D*** straight." He continued to hold his son's hand as his breathing slowly deepened and he fell asleep once more.

Knowing sleep wouldn't come again that night, Gideon wandered out of the room and down the hall. He rode the elevator down to the emergency room, thinking over his father's words.

"Hi Agent Gideon." The perky voice alerted him to the fact he had reached his destination.

"Hey, Katie. Do you think it would be okay if I went back to see my wife?" Gideon asked the young woman who was once again behind the triage desk. He still remembered her from the night that Spencer had had his emergency appendectomy.

"Yeah, we're pretty you- know- what right now." He had to chuckle at her refusal to say the word 'quiet' as she let him in through the door. Pausing by the desk, he looked around for a glimpse of his wife's brown curls.

"She just went into the office for a minute. Do you want a cup of coffee?" One of the other staff members, whose name he was just too tired to remember, smiled at him.

"Yeah, that would be great." He sighed as he folded his arms on the counter and rested his forehead against them.

"How's Matthew doing?" Sarah's voice startled him slightly as the scent of fresh coffee caught his nose.

"I don't know. He looks awful. He keeps talking about how little time he has and how he's tired of all the doctors just waiting around for him to die," Gideon grudgingly admitted as if the words spoken aloud made everything more real. He reached out to take the mug she held out to him filled with what smelled like real coffee. "He's complaining about the staff not letting him get any sleep."

A faint smile graced his wife's face. "I can understand that." She quickly grew serious. "Jason, do you think Matthew would be more comfortable dying at home?"

He blinked as he looked into her expressive brown eyes. The possibility hadn't even occurred to him, so he stood there pondering everything he had noticed about his father. "You know, he just might. Do you think it's possible to make that happen?"

Sarah nodded. "I can call in a couple favors. We can put him in the spare room and I'll take some time off to care for him. We'll work it out."

Three weeks later, Gideon sat holding his father's hand in both of his own. True to her word, Sarah had badgered, cajoled and downright shamed enough people that Matthew had been granted his wish to die at home. The agent watched as the frail man on the bed in front of him struggled to breathe, each gasp just a bit harsher than the last. Sarah sat on the other side of the bed, gently running a cool rag over her father-in-law's face, wiping away the sweat that kept beading on his skin. Even Spencer was curled up beside the bed, wrapped in a blanket on the floor. The young boy kept yawning but he was managing to stay awake by sheer will. Trish was downstairs, just a yell away, if she was needed. She had offered to stay with Spencer but he had adamantly refused to leave.

"Jason?" Matthew's eyes fluttered open.

"I'm here, Dad," his son answered softly, standing up and bending over the bed. "I'm right here."

Matthew smiled faintly, his eyes glassy and barely focused. "I…love…you. I…..am…so…proud….of you."

He began to cry, tears flowing freely down his cheeks as he replied, "I love you too, Dad." Spencer scrambled to his feet and came to his father's side. Matthew somehow found the strength to turn his head toward his grandson.

"Promise…me…..y…you won't…..lose….touch…..with….Jason…..like…me."

The child bit his lip, trying to find his voice around the lump in his throat. "I promise Grandpa." He sniffled and buried his face against his father's side. Gideon wrapped an arm around him as he continued to hold his own father's hand with the other. He vaguely registered Sarah monitoring the dying man's pulse as his breaths grew shallower. Finally Matthew's chest fell and didn't rise again. Sarah looked up, meeting her husband's eyes with a shake of her head. She reached over and gently closed the now vacant eyes as Spencer broke into full blow sobs and Gideon knelt to pull the boy fully against him. They clung to each other as Sarah wrapped her arms around both of them, sharing their grief together.