Bright lights and voices welcomed Aaden as she regained consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open. She was in a soft bed. An annoying beeping noise made her believe that she wasn't dead. Her head ached and every breath she took made her want to cry, but she was alive. She was also alone. The white room was empty.

Aaden sat back. By know she realized that she was in the hospital. Images flooded back into her mind, her mother standing over her, beating her. Would she have to go back to that? Would she have to face that monster she used to love and call her mother?

***/**/***

Morgan sat in the waiting room. What was he doing, he didn't know the girl, so why was he going through this much trouble?

She had no one. Her mother and father had been brutally taken away from her. Garcia had checked for relatives, but came up with nothing.

A young nurse came in and called his name. She smiled when he stood up, "Agent Morgan? Aaden is awake if you would like to see her." Morgan nodded and followed her to the little room.

"I'll leave you guys alone for a while, if you need anything just call down the hall." The nurse turned into another room.

Morgan entered, "Hey Kiddo." He said. Aaden looked up. Her eyes widened when she saw his face.

"You're alive!"She exclaimed. A smile grew on her beautiful face.

"And so are you! How are you feeling?" Morgan sat in the chair beside her bed and crossed his legs. Aaden didn't reply for a moment.

"Do I get a name?" Her smile widened.

"Derek Morgan," He did a comic bow and laughed, "Now are you going to answer my question?"

Aaden sighed and frowned, "Ok, I guess. Can I ask you something?" She asked, her blue eyes prickled with tears.

"Anything," Morgan gave her an encouraging smile.

"Do you love your Mother?" Morgan was puzzled by the strange question.

"Of course I do."

She looked at her hands, "Would you blame me if I never wanted to see mine again?" a small tear fell from her eye. Morgan brushed it off her cheek.

"What do you mean?" he asked. His eyebrows creased together.

"In the shed, that man ordered her to beat me." Aaden flinched as she recalled the incident.

"Sweetheart, I'm sure she was just trying to keep you alive." Aaden shook her head before he finished.

"No. She enjoyed every minute of it. She kept telling me that she hated me. That she never wanted me." By now Aaden was sobbing. All Morgan could do was hold her in a gentle embrace. What kind of a mother did that her daughter?

"Aaden there are a few things we need to talk about." He said letting her go.

***/**/***

"Where has Morgan been?" Emily asked Garcia when she arrived for work on Tuesday morning. They'd gotten the entire weekend off and Morgan hadn't shown up for work that Monday.

Garcia frowned, "I haven't got a clue, the last I heard from him was when he left us at the airport."

"Oh, yes, why did he stay there?" Morgan hadn't returned with the team. He claimed that had business to attend.

Reid passed them in the hall, "Good Morning, did any of you bother to watch Halloween last night on the television?" He looked at them hopefully.

"No, but have you seen Morgan?" Emily asked.

Reid shrugged, "Hotch said he was coming in this afternoon." Reid took off to get his caffeine fix while the two girls conjured up different scenarios as to why he was coming in so late.

***/**/***

"Aaden, you'll be fine! I swear they will love you!" It was around noon. Morgan was going to work, just as he promised, but he was brining over a little surprise.

"What if they don't? I'm nervous Derek!" She balled her hands into fists and shoved them in her sweater pockets.

"You'll be fine!" He repeated. The SUV pulled into the parking lot. The tall building stared down at Aaden making her stomach knot.

Morgan parked the SUV. Getting out he crossed over to the other side and gently helped Aaden out of her seat. She winced slightly when she twisted out of her seat belt.

The elevator seemed to take hours. Finally they reached Morgan's level. Guiding her into his department, Morgan spotted the team in the bullpen. It was the perfect moment.

They walked over to the room and Morgan knocked on the open door.

"Morgan, were have you been?" Garcia shouted giving him a grin. They hadn't noticed her yet.

"Actually, I have someone I want you to meet." Morgan moved out of the way to reveal a very nervous fifteen-year-old girl, "This Aaden, the adoption papers are coming in next week."

How