Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing. I do not own anything you recognize.

Previously on Criminal Minds- "Spencer!" Aaron exclaimed. Seeing tiny hands reaching for him, he dropped to his knees and opened his arms wide.

CM

Spencer sighed. Wrapped in his daddy's embrace, he felt safe for the first time in three days. Content he snuggled further into the hug, whimpering as the contact hurt his boo boos.

Aaron immediately loosened his grip. He gently grasped his son's upper arms and pushed him back a little. What he saw took his breath away. The four year old's lip was split, one of his eyes was swollen completely shut, the cast on his arm was cracked to the point it was barely hanging on, and there were bruises peeking out from under the collar and sleeves of his shirt. "What happened to him?" he ground out, trying with all his might to keep his temper under control. Spencer was supposed to have been safe at that group home dammit.

"That's what we'd like to know." Officer Jefferies tossed back. He crossed his arms and glowered at the young man in front of him. The man had looked surprised and shocked by the boy's injuries but he knew better than most how looks could be deceiving.

'Wh-what? Wait! You think I did this?!" Hotch exclaimed, horrified at the thought.

"You tell us daddy." The policeman sneered.

Seeing fury flash across Hotch's face, Rossi quickly intervened. "Gentlemen, how about we take this somewhere a little less crowded?" he calmly suggested. "This is not the appropriate place to discuss something of this nature."

"Alright" Jefferies partner Dudley agreed. "We can talk about this at the police station."

Dave shook his head. "I was thinking more along the lines of one of the empty rooms over there." he replied, pointing to the row of doors along one wall.

"I'd prefer if we discussed it in the car on the way to the hospital." Aaron said. "Spencer needs to be examined and treated for his injuries."

Officer Dudley stared curiously at the agent. Something just wasn't right about this situation. "You want us to take the kid to the hospital?" he questioned.

Aaron's look said it all. "Of course I want Spencer to be checked out. He's hurt." he snapped.

"Riiight" Jefferies sarcastically responded. "Because all child abusers want their kid to be healthy."

"I AM NOT…"

"Hey! You got the little man back!" Richards hollered, walking up to the group and causing a much needed distraction. "Don't tell me CPS finally came to their senses and agreed you and Hailey would be a better placement than that group home they took him to."

"Group home?" Officer Dudley repeated, scratching his beard. "What are you talking about? Isn't Agent Hotchner here the little boy's father?"

Aaron shook his head. "Biologically no" he told the policemen. "Spencer was taken from his biological father due to abuse. My Uncle Jack and Aunt Mary were fostering him until Mr. Reid broke into their house and…"

Wait! This is the kid Jackson took in?" Dudley questioned.

"Yes" Dave simply responded.

"So you're Jackson's nephew?" the officer inquired. "The one he was always bragging about being some head honcho in the FBI?"

Hotch nodded a smile gracing his face. "That would be me." He said.

"Well, why didn't you just say so?!" Officer Dudley exclaimed, slapping Hotch on the back. "Jackson and I go way back. He was one of the men that trained me. He's a real standup guy. It's a shame what happened to him. How is he by the way?"

"He's hanging in there." Aaron replied. "He's still unconscious and his injuries are severe but his doctors believe he will recover."

"Thank goodness" Officer Dudley muttered before breaking into a smile.

Jefferies cleared his throat. "Now that we have that settled, can we please get back to the matter at hand?" he growled. "I wanna find out what daddy dearest here knows about the kid's bruises and what the boy could have done to deserve to be beaten black and blue by the man that's supposed to protect him."

"Now wait just a minute!" Rossi ground out. He stepped towards the officer positioning himself protectively between the man and Hotch. "You have no right to accuse Agent Hotchner of…"

"I have every right!" the fed up policeman hollered. "I've got a beat up kid and a man he calls daddy! It ain't too hard to put two and two together and come up with the right conclusion!"

"Really?" Dave scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "So the fact that Spencer has been in a group home the past three days and hasn't had any contact with Agent Hotchner doesn't matter!"

"No, it…wait! What?" Officer Jefferies stuttered. "The kid's been in…he hasn't seen…" the policeman's eyes grew saucer wide as he realized his mistake. "Why was he in a group home again?"

"I was only made his emergency guardian because of the situation with his father. Once that was resolved, CPS decided they wanted him placed in a group home until they could find a credited foster family to take him in." Aaron explained.

"Should've just left him with you" Dudley observed. "He'd have been safe there."

"That's something my lawyer will be taking up with CPS." Aaron said. "They have a lot to answer for starting with how Spencer was injured."

"And why he was running around by himself in a not so nice neighborhood." Jefferies added.

"That to" Dave agreed. "But I think the most important question right now is how badly is he hurt."

"That's what I'm about to find out. I'm going to call Spencer's doctor and let her know what's happened and that I'm bringing him in." Aaron told the others. "I'd appreciate it if you gentlemen would follow us over. The injuries need to be recorded and a police report taken."

"Gladly" Officer Dudley replied. "I'll even call Officer Smith and have him meet us there with his camera."

"And we'll check our computer for any Amber alerts; see if anyone has reported the little guy missing yet." Jefferies added. "Plus we'll need to call Ms. Robesh from CPS and let her know where we're headed. We called her when we found Spencer and she was supposed to be meeting us here."

Hotch's lips thinned. "I'd rather she wasn't involved." He declared.

"Ms. Robesh is okay. Yeah, she works with CPS but she's not like most of them. She genuniely cares for the kids and tries her darndest to get the best placement for them." Dudley explained. "She's the one we always call when we're sent on an abuse case. She'll treat you right. I can guarantee you that."

"I hope so." Aaron said. He then turned to his friend and colleague. "Dave, would you mind calling Hailey and explaining what's happened?"

"I'll do you one better. I'll go to the house, pick Hailey up, and bring her to the hospital." Rossi offered. Glancing at Spencer, he grimaced at the sight of the boy's torn and filthy clothes. "We'll bring Short Stuff a change of clothes while we're at it."

"Thanks Dave" Hotch muttered. He then looked to the waiting policemen. "Let's get going. The sooner we get there, the sooner we'll find out what's been happening to my son."

The group hurried out of the building. Separating in the parking garage, they swiftly made their way to their vehicles and drove out of the concrete structure to begin their missions.

CM

Helena Robesh threw her satchel strap over her shoulder and hurried into the hospital to meet Officers Dudley and Jefferies. The traffic jam caused by a tractor trailer overturning had made her irritating late; something she intensely hated. Being late reflected badly on CPS, an organization that already had a less than stellar reputation. She was trying very hard to correct that. Helena strode over to the bank of elevators and stopped behind a mother and child to wait. While she waited, she went over her conversation with Dudley. He hadn't really given her much information. He'd only said that they had found a young boy on Telfair Street and that the child, who was no more than three, had a black eye, a split lip, and a multitude of bruises. She had initially agreed to meet the officers at FBI headquarters but Jefferies had since called and changed the meeting place to a pediatrician's office. Ms. Robesh wondered if that meant the boy had been more injured than the cops had suspected. She hoped not. She hated seeing little ones hurt. Hearing the ding that announced the arrival of the elevator, Helena straightened up and donned her professional persona. She had a job to do.

After a quick trip up to the sixth floor, Ms. Robesh walked off the elevator and down the corridor to room 625. She took a moment to prepare herself for what she might find and then yanked open the door and strode inside.

"Ms. Robesh" Officer Jefferies greeted, shaking her hand.

"Oliver, I'm so sorry I'm late. A major accident on the interstate had traffic backed up for miles." Helena apologized.

"No problem, ma'am" Jefferies told the young brown haired beauty as he began leading her towards the door that led to the examination rooms. "I think it actually worked out better this way. Tommy and I were able to find out some of what was happening. Turns out the father and mother aren't to blame for the boy's injuries. They aren't even his biological father and mother; they were his emergency foster parents. He hasn't even been…"

"Emergency foster parents?" Helena questioned with a frown. "Are you talking about the Hotchners?"

"Yes ma'am" Oliver replied, knocking on the door to exam room two. Hearing his partner yell come in, the officer opened the door and escorted the CPS worker inside. "Agents Hotchner, Dr. Sweeney this is CPS worker Helena Robesh."

"Good morning Mr. Hotchner, ma'am" Helena greeted. She smiled at the tiny boy on the bed. "And you must be Spencer. I've heard a lot about you."

Spencer's response was to scoot over on the table and hide behind his protector.

Ms. Robesh wasn't put off in the slightest. Most abused children were extremely skittish and with good reason; children who told on their parents and weren't taken away were usually made to pay for their honesty. And since a CPS worker had taken Spencer to the group home where the abuse allegedly happened, it was no surprise that the little boy wasn't being exactly friendly. She had to get him to talk though. She needed to know what happened to cause the injuries she could clearly see. "Spencer honey, I know you're scared but I really need your help. I need to know who hurt you." she softly stated. "Do you think you can help me?"

Spencer shook his head.

Deciding to help, Aaron sat down on the exam table and carefully settled his son in his lap. "Spencer, it's okay. You can tell Ms. Robesh." He assured the youngster.

Spencer shook his head once again.

Aaron frowned. "Why not buddy?" he asked. Spencer mumbled something so low that Hotch could barely hear it. Leaning down, he asked the four year old to repeat himself.

Spencer glanced fearfully at the stranger before looking up at his daddy and whispering, "I don't wanna talk to her. She's gonna take me away like Ms. Somers did."

"Oh Sweetie, you don't have to worry about that." Dr. Sweeney broke in. "Nobody's taking you anywhere. You're going to stay here for a little while. And your daddy is welcome to stay with you."

Aaron's brow furrowed. "I thought you said Spencer had escaped any major injuries; that he was only bruised."

"Oh, I ummm, I did say that. However, some of the worst bruises are over the area around the kidneys and I think it would be best if he stayed here a few days for observation." The physician fibbed.

Ms. Robesh gave the doctor a pointed look but said nothing. If letting Spencer believe he wouldn't be taken away again got him to talk, so be it. Besides, if the abuse did happen at the group home, the hospital might just be the safest place for the boy. Smiling brightly at the child, Helena tried to get the information once again. "See Spencer? I'm not going to take you anywhere." She told the youngster. "Your doctor won't allow me to."

Spencer peered up at Dr. Sweeney. "I stay here?" he inquired.

"Yes, Spencer you're going to stay here. I promise." Dr. Sweeney replied, ruffling the boy's hair. "Now think you can tell me how you got all those boo-boos."

Spencer looked to his daddy.

"Go ahead buddy. It's okay." Hotch encouraged.

Spencer glanced around at all the grown-ups in the room, snuggled into Aaron's chest, and began his tale. "The, the big boys did it. They, they pushed me and hit me and, and they t-t-tore up my, my bear." He revealed as the first tears spilled over and ran down his cheeks.

"Spencer, did they hurt you every day?" the physician asked even though she already knew the answer.

"Uh huh" Spencer answered.

"What about the adults at the house? Didn't they say anything to the boys?" Dudley questioned.

"No" Spencer mumbled, hugging himself for comfort.

Ms. Robesh's eyes narrowed. There was no way the adults in that house could have missed the bruises on the four year old. They had to have seen what was going on and yet they did nothing. But why? She would definitely be finding out the answer to that question and several others but first. "Spencer, what made you run away from the home?" she inquired.

Spencer swallowed hard. He didn't want to tell them. He didn't even want to think about it. He knew he had to though. If he didn't, those boys would just keep hurting kids. So, Spencer screwed up his courage and spoke. "The big boys pu-pulled me off the, the steps and they, they made a circle around me. I tr-tried to get away but they, they kept pushing me and hitting me. And then Billy, he, he punched me in the face and my glasses fell and I fell, too. They all laughed at me and called me names. I tried to, to get up and r-r-run but Benny grabbed my arms and pulled them back and it hurted." He explained with a sob. "And, and then Billy said I, I looked like a, a pretty little girl and that he was gonna, gonna show me what happened to pre-pretty girls and, and he reached for the but-ton on my, my pants. A, a girl in a tree on the other s-s-side of the fence yelled at them and Benny dropped me and I r-r-ran. I had to run a-away. Billy was gonna do what, what my real f-f-father used to, to…"

"That's enough buddy." Aaron broke in, his voice breaking. Picking up his son, he wrapped him in loving embrace. "You don't have to say anymore."

Helena put a hand over her mouth. She'd been expecting a tale of boys rough housing or maybe an adult that took discipline a little too far. Bullying and assault, especially an attempted assault of that nature, was the furthest thing from her mind. Something was very wrong at that group home if that was going on; not that she hadn't figured that out already. After all no one had even reported the four year old missing yet. Pressing her lips together to keep several unladylike words from escaping, Ms. Robesh made a snap executive decision. "Mr. Hotchner, I am reinstating the emergency foster parent orders for you and your wife. Spencer Reid is to be placed in your custody effective immediately." She stated. "And he will remain in your care until a full investigation of the group home and the CPS workers running it can be completed."

Aaron's mouth dropped open. "He's, he's…" he stammered before breaking into a huge grin. "Spencer, did you hear that?! You're coming home! Daddy's taking you home!"

CM

"Dave, this isn't the right place." Hailey huffed as they stepped off the elevator. "This is the sixth floor. Jackson's on the eighth floor."

"I know but Aaron is supposed to be interviewing a witness on this floor before he goes to see Jackson." Rossi fibbed.

"Dave, this is the pediatric wing." Hailey pointed out.

"So it is." Rossi agreed, biting back a smile at the woman's exasperated expression. "I guess I forgot to mention the witness was a child. I think you can really help Aaron with this one. See, the little witness is a shy little fellow. He could really use a…Well, what do you know? There he is. Hey Aaron!"

Hailey looked down the hall, her eyes widening as she saw her husband walking towards her with… "Spencer!"