(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or it's characters)

Sorry, I had to reupload this due to an error with my broadband. It's all fixed now.

Thank you guys for your reviews. Thanks to Hippiechic81, AZCatmom, Ash59, Rebecca1, E.J. Morgan, and Daisyangel.

Please review! Help me get to 200 reviews. I'm not sure if I can achieve that before 2018, that's up to you guys.

So in this chapter, I thought I'd address the elephant in the room. As you can tell, the team haven't actually discussed what happened to Spencer so I think it's high time that he talks.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please review!

Enjoy!

Spencer woke up in his bed and whimpered when he realised he'd been sleeping on his broken arm. He sat up and held the purple casted arm to his chest, waiting for the pain to subside.

He paused for a moment and listened to the quiet house. He smiled when he realised that he must have woken up early.

He slid off his bed a little unsteadily and crept to his door. He pulled it open a crack and frowned when he saw that Henry, Jack and JJ and Hotch's doors were all open and the sun was shining within them all.

Spencer scratched his head and took a step into the hall. He pulled his Scooby Doo pajama pants up so that they weren't dragging along the floor.

"Hello?" he called out in a scratchy voice. He heard a noise in the kitchen and he peered down the steps.

"uh...Daddy?" he mumbled awkwardly, in case Henry and Jack were close by. Hotch appeared at the bottom of the stairs and smiled up at Spencer.

"Have a good lie in?" he asked, making Spencer blush.

"Sowwy."

"You don't need to apologise. Besides, you really need rest," Hotch added, climbing the stairs until he was towering over Spencer.

"Whewe is evewywon?" he asked, glancing around the silent house.

"JJ took the boys to the mall to help with the shopping."

"Oh," Spencer mumbled.

"Why don't we get some breakfast?" Hotch suggested, holding his arms out to pick Spencer up. Spencer nodded and leaned into Hotch's arms, allowing him to carry him into the kitchen and help him into the high chair.

"What do you want?" Hotch asked as he rifled through the cupboard.

"I'm not hungwy," Spencer murmured with a shrug. Hotch hesitated and turned to the boy, who was resting his chin on his hand and looking at Hotch sadly.

"You can't have nothing."

"A'tually, Hotch, I was wondewing if...if I 'tould talk to you," Spencer said barely above a whisper.

Hotch put the cereal down and took a seat in front of Spencer.

"Only if you're ready, Spencer."

"I am," Spencer mumbled bravely. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Okay, start wherever you like."

You'wr huwting me," Spencer whimpered as Eton gripped his hair.

"Results are inconclusive," he muttered into the dictaphone.

"I'm not an expewiment!" Spencer shouted, yanking his head out of Eton's grasp. The doctor pressed a button on his device and the red light died away. He glared at Spencer as he set the device down.

"I-I'm a pewson," Spencer said weakly, his courage draining as Eton grabbed his chin between his fingers and gripped Spencer's face painfully under his fingertips.

"You are what I say you are," Eton growled, squeezing Spencer's skin and making him yelp. He released the boy's face but continued to stare at him.

"You lost the right to call yourself a human when Jarvis changed you," he grunted. Spencer whimpered, tears falling down his cheeks as the words berated his fragile mind.

"I-I wanna go home," Spencer murmured, a silent sob shivering past his lips. Eton smiled down at him, appreciating the tears running down the side of his subject's face.

"This is where you belong; you are an experiment; a subject; nothing more."

Spencer sniffed and wiped at his eyes, making sure Hotch didn't see him cry.

Hotch shook his head in disbelief and reached forward, taking Spencer's hand in his and forcing the boy to look up at him. Spencer's eyes traveled away from Hotch's chocolate brown ones.

"Look at me, Spencer."

Spencer found Hotch with his hazel eyes and he couldn't stop a tear falling past his cheek.

"You are so much more than that and you know it. Do you understand? You are an amazing person, Spencer," Hotch said, staring hard at Spencer.

His breath hitched and he nodded weakly.

Hotch palmed Spencer's cheek gently, making him look up again.

"We love you, Spencer. You better start realising that."

Spencer stared back at his boss; all words seem to have left him and his mouth bobbed open and close as he searched for a way to express his gratitude.

"H-Hotch-"

"You know you don't have to call me that anymore," Hotch smiled fondly at his surrogate son

"T-thank you, H-...A-Aaron," Spencer whispered and he leaned forward and Hotch caught him in an embrace. Hotch hid his disappointment. He didn't understand why he felt so crestfallen because his colleague hadn't called him Dad. True: Hotch had always seen Spencer as a second son, especially now, but Spencer had been abandoned by two of his father figures so he could understand why the boy wouldn't be ready to open his heart up out of fear of abandonment.

Hotch knew that he had to be patient, Henry still hadn't accepted him and he and JJ had been together for almost 14 months.

"That's okay, son. You can carry on...if you're ready," Hotch said. Spencer took a deep shuddery breath and continued.

Spencer heard Eton leave the room and he opened his eyes. Pain radiated through his body and he glanced down at his arm which was bent at a strange angle. He tried to move it but cried out in agony. His fingers tingled strangely as he breathed through the pain.

"Come find me," He prayed, closing his eyes and imagining his team bursting in and arresting Eton. He imagined JJ throwing her arms around him and holding him close to her. He would bury his face in her neck and breath in her smell. He wouldn't let her go; he wouldn't let any of them go.

Spencer explained what happened after Eton injected him; he described the fear and the pain in excruciating detail and Hotch watched as he cringed and panted. He told Hotch everything.

JJ pushed the door open with one hand, calling the boys in after her and setting her bags on the counter.

"Thanks, boys," she said as they left the bags on the kitchen counter and scrambled upstairs to play with their Lego.

"Aaron?" She called, gazing around the empty kitchen.

"Spence?" She trotted through the hall and frowned when the only sound she heard was Henry and Jack arguing upstairs. She turned the corner and entered the front room, stopping herself from calling out again. She folded her arms and grinned at the sight ahead of her.

Hotch was sat on the couch, his eyes closed and his mouth parted in sleep. His arm was outstretched and wrapped around Spencer who was snuggled up beside him, his small arms grappling Hotch's shirt, and his face rising and falling with Hotch's breathing.

JJ carefully shuffled up to them and lifted a blanket, draping it over them. Hotch's eyes opened and he squinted at JJ, a smile covering his face as she blew a kiss in his direction.

"You're back," he mumbled, shifting carefully when he noticed the sleeping boy beside him. He glanced at Spencer and moved his arm, causing the boy to whimper in his sleep.

"Shh," Hotch Hissed and Spencer quietened, his thumb drifting into his mouth.

"I see you've been busy," JJ Chuckled. She wiggled next to Hotch who threw his free arm around her and pulled her closer.

"Spencer told me."

"Told you what?"

"What happened with Eton."

JJ stopped tracing circles in Hotch's top and stared up at him.

"He did?"

Hotch nodded.

"Tell me later. Are you going to tell the team?"

"He asked me to. I don't think he can go through it all again. It was hard enough for him telling me, I'm glad he fell asleep, he was close to a panic attack."

"Dad!"

Hotch whipped his head around as Jack marched in.

"Dad!" He shouted and Spencer snapped awake. "Henry took my Lego Batmobile," Jack said.

"Jack, Spencer was sleeping. You didn't have to shout," Hotch chided. Jack grimaced as he saw Spencer fisting his eyes sleepily and lifting himself up off Hotch.

"Sorry, Daddy," he mumbled apologetically.

Spencer made a soft sound before falling back into Hotch's side and breathing in the detergent smell in Hotch's clothes.

"Sorry, Spence," Jack added before he went back to the issue. "Please, can one of you get it for me."

JJ sighed and began to struggle off the couch.

"I'll sort it," she mumbled.

"No, you've had them all morning. I'll sort them out. You relax," Hotch insisted.

"What about Spence?"

"He's awake anyway. Best case is that he falls asleep on you," Hotch nudged Spencer who groaned and squeezed his eyes shut tighter. He stood up, lifting Spencer with him before handing him to JJ.

Spencer yelped when Hotch's warmth vanished and he was left feeling cold and alone. He opened his eyes and saw JJ and he quickly cuddled up beside her, embracing her warmth and gripping the front of her top. He closed his eyes again and sighed past his thumb contently. He felt JJ's arm slither around him and he murmured something sleepily, curling up closer to her. He hummed in delight when JJ's soft fingers stroked his back gently.

Hotch followed Jack up the stairs and into Henry's room. Henry looked up and scowled at the two Hotchners.

"Go away!" He snapped, waving them out and hiding his Lego from Jack.

"Look, Dad! It's there," Jack pointed to the Lego car behind Henry and stepped forward to take it. Henry grabbed the car and hurried to the corner.

"No, it's mine!"

"Is not!"

"Is!"

"Is not!"

Jack lunged forward and the two boys grappled for the car, squabbling and shouting over the toy.

"Boys!" Hotch Groaned, stepping forward to separate them. Jack yanked the car and the bumper fell off. Henry fell back into the wall and looked at the bumper in his hand.

"Jack!" Hotch pulled the boy away, who was staring at his broken toy.

Henry's lip trembled and he burst into tears. He threw the broken slice on the floor and rubbed his stinging back.

"You broke it!" Jack gasped, looking down at the bumper and his car. Tears welled up in his own eyes.

Henry sobbed louder and pushed himself off the floor, knocking Jack roughly as he rushed by.

"Henry, stop. Wait there," Hotch called, but Henry wasn't listening as he barrelled down the stairs.

Spencer had just fallen asleep again when Henry stumbled into the front room, fat tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Mommy!" He cried and Spencer jolted awake for the second time.

JJ was about to shush Henry, but he collapsed into her legs and bawled.

"Jack broke m-my toy!" he sobbed. Jack staggered in and marched up to JJ, showing her his car.

"It's mine, not his!" Jack grunted, handing the toy to JJ for her inspection. Spencer sat up to allow JJ the space she needed. He shivered a little at the loss of contact.

"Sorry, JJ, I tried to sort it," Hotch grimaced. JJ waved away his apology offering him a sympathetic smile.

"Henry, did you ask Jack if you could play with his toy?" JJ questioned and Henry sniffed and shook his head.

"B-but he wasn't using it," he murmured. "And then he grabbed it and broke it," Henry explained and Jack shoved the boy angrily.

"You broke it!" he yelled. Henry gritted his teeth and pushed Jack back as hard as he could.

"Boys," JJ and Hotch chided.

Hotch grabbed both Henry and Jack's arms and pulled them from the room and into the hallway. He fixed them with his serious gaze that he saved for work and they squirmed beneath it. Jack stopped complaining and stared back at his father.

"Do you want me to give you both a time out?" He growled.

"No, sir," both boys whimpered.

"What have we told you two about sharing?"

Jack and Henry looked at their feet guiltily.

"If you can't share your toys then we will take them all away."

"No!" Jack cried. Henry gulped nervously and continued to look down.

"I'm not saying that we will. But if I have to deal with something like this again I will be giving all of your toys to...to Spencer," Hotch threatened. The boys gaped at Hotch in disbelief. From his seat on the couch, Spencer smirked at the clearly false threat.

"But he's still a baby! He'll break them," Henry whined. Spencer frowned and looked at JJ for reassurance that he was not 'a baby.' JJ had her own smug smile written on her face.

"I don't care. If you two won't share ten that will be the consequence."

Henry opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it. They're stood in silence for a moment before Hotch continued.

"Do you understand?"

The boys nodded.

"I can't hear you."

"Yes, sir," they both said quickly. Hotch sighed in relief and let his face relax.

"Can I have a hug?" Hotch asked and Jack practically fell into his arms.

"Sorry, Dad," he mumbled. He handed his car to Henry who accepted it quietly.

"Sorry, Henry."

"Sorry, Jack," Henry muttered back.

Hotch went to stand up, but before he could, he felt Henry's arms around his neck.

"Sorry, Aaron," he whispered. Hotch returned the hug and smiled at the boy when he finally let go.

"Can you two play nicely now? And share?" He questioned, raising one eyebrow.

"Yes!" Henry and Jack said in unison, exchanging a grin with each other.

Spencer was watching sleepily from the couch and smiled at Hotch as he reentered the front room.

"What shall we do now?"He asked as he plonked beside JJ on the couch. From the looks of Spencer's wild hair and wide excited eyes; sleep was out of the question. Spencer whipped his head around from where it had been resting and gave Hotch a toothy grin.

"Tan we watch Doctow who?"

Just a short little chapter, I really haven't been paying attention to the time and it just slipped by without me noticing. Whoops...

Please review, I love to hear what you guys think and I'm always open to suggestions.

See you guys in the next chapter.