Sorry for the wait for a new chapter. My little one had the flu. Yuck. He's all better now though.

Anyway, so my goal is to do at least one chapter a month at least, but likely more. I appreciate any feedback or suggestions.

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Spencer could tell Ava was just as concerned as he was. The moment all four children were in bed her smile faded. She poured herself a half glass of moscato d'asti and finally she said what they were both thinking.

"Something's going on with Matt." She sat down on the couch next to him and set her wine glass down. "Tell me you see it too."

"I have noticed as well," Spencer said. "He was so excited for the new Minecraft game but I don't think he's touched it all week."

Ava nodded. "I know! He just seems so sad lately but when I ask he says it's fine." She sighed and rested her chin in her hands. "What can we do if he won't tell us?"

"Maybe his teachers know something," Spencer said.

"Do you think something is going on at school?"

"I hate to think of it but it is the most logical conclusion." Spencer couldn't help remembering his childhood experiences with bullies and wondered if Matt was enduring the same thing.

"I'll call the school on Monday." Ava moved closer and put her arm around him. "We'll get this figured out."

::::::

Spencer made himself a cup of coffee and checked his phone. Ava was supposed to text him once she had been able to talk to someone at the school. He knew he was being impatient, but he was also very worried. That morning Matt had tried to play sick to get out of going to school. Matt normally loved school. Like his father, if a subject interested him he would fixate on it and seek to learn all he could.

Spencer had to bring his mind back to work as he headed into the briefing. He picked up his copy of the case file and tablet.

J.J. began to explain the case at hand. "We're heading to Charlotte. Just this morning there was a workplace massacre with seven victims."

"That's a high body count," Prentiss commented.

"Were there no security cameras?" Reid asked.

"It's an older building with none installed," J.J. replied.

"The typical workplace shooting is perpetrated by an individual who is a breaking point, so suicide by cop is a common part of the equation. So where is our unsub?" Rossi mused.

"He must not be done yet," Hotch said. "We'll leave out in fifteen minutes."

The timing worked out perfectly. Spencer's phone buzzed just as he was walking out of the briefing. "Hey. What were you able to find out?" he asked.

"The principal swears there's nothing going on," Ava said. "They have a zero tolerance policy on bullying."

"You don't sound like you believe them," Spencer said.

"Well, do you?" Ava asked.

Spencer had to reply honestly. "No."

"I'll keep trying to find something out," Ava said. "I emailed the teachers, it's just a matter of waiting for a response. Maybe they'll be honest."

"Let me know. I'm not traveling far so I should be home tonight. I love you."

"Love you."

Reid hung up and saw Rossi was standing nearby. "I couldn't help overhearing," he said.

Reid sighed and slid his phone into his pocket. "I think my son might be dealing with a bully."

Rossi frowned. "I hate to hear that."

"He won't talk to us," Reid said. He didn't mean for his voice to tremble and he knew Rossi caught that.

"He will when he's ready. You and Ava are excellent parents. I have no doubt that he trusts you both," Rossi said.

"I wish he'd tell us," Spencer said.

"When you're a parent there's nothing worse than something you can't shield your child from," Rossi said.

Reid nodded and headed out to the vehicles waiting to transport them to the crime scene.

:::::

Matt stepped away from the lunch line with his tray. As he was walking, someone knocked it from his hands. He turned to face the person. "Dillon, please stop."

Dillon and his friends just laughed. Steve stepped towards Matt. Matt hurried to back away and slipped on the food on the floor. That just made them laugh harder. Matt stayed on the ground. He hoped that if he didn't put up any resistance they would get bored.

Dillon opened the carton of milk in his hand. "Open up, loser."

Matt didn't say anything. He looked down and tried not to get upset as milk was poured on his head. Other kids were laughing too now, he could hear them.

"Are you crying?" Steve shouted. The trio laughed and people started to gather around.

"What a loser!" Eric opened another carton and splashed it on Matt. "You're not gonna do anything, are you? Just gonna sit there like a little bitch."

"He probably likes it," Dillon declared.

Matt curled up into a small ball. He was trying his best to stop the tears. He hated feeling so helpless. He wished they would just stop.

"He does like it," Eric said.

Matt was shaking. He didn't know how much more he could take. He hoped a teacher would come soon. Surely they'd notice the growing crowd of people watching and laughing.

Steve started to pour another carton of milk. "He's just gonna sit there and take it."

"He's a pussy!" Dillon chuckled.

Matt didn't know what came over him. He was tired of them and how they just wouldn't stop, how no one was stopping them. He wasn't even aware he was moving until he was. He launched himself at Dillon's knees, knocking him down flat on his back. He pinned Dillon down by kneeling on his chest and just started swinging his fists.

"Teacher! Teacher!" Steve yelled. "Help!"

Matt didn't stop. He couldn't see or hear anything. He fought as hard as he could when someone pulled him away, it took a moment before he realized it was the teacher.

:::::

The team arrived at the building. Three different news crews were there filming. Spencer put on his sunglasses to help hide his face. He really didn't want to be on camera.

The scene inside was haunting. The blood was still drying on the carpet. Morgan began walking through the scene, thinking out loud about the order in which the people had been shot.

Spencer went to the desk of the presumed shooter, the only worker in the office who wasn't accounted for. There was no personal touch to the desk, no pictures or decorations. It was neat and organized.

Spencer's thoughts were interrupted by his cell phone buzzing in his pocket.

:::::

Ava nearly ran into the school. She hadn't been given details on the phone, just that Matt had been in a fight and she needed to get there. She had called Spencer while on her way. They were both worried. Matt was not a child that got aggressive.

She hurried to the principal's office. She saw Matt sitting on the bench outside and rushed over to him. He started to cry and apologize as soon as he saw her.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he whispered. "I didn't mean to...I'm so sorry."

Ava pushed his hair out of his face. It was damp and smelled like milk. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"It's my fault, I..." Matt put his hands over his face.

Principal Turner cleared his throat as he stepped out of his office. "Mrs. Reid, thank you for arriving so quickly."

"What happened?" Ava asked.

"Matt attacked another student," he replied. "We will need to discuss appropriate discipline for his actions."

"What? That doesn't sound like you, Matt. Tell me what happened, honey."

"Dillon, Steve, and Eric were dumping milk on me," Matt said. "I hit Dillon. And I...I know it was wrong, I'm sorry."

Ava's heart broke for her son. "Oh, honey...I'm not mad if you were just defending yourself."

"We have a zero tolerance policy for any acts of violence," the principal chimed in. "You may excuse his actions but we will not."

Ava stood to look the principal directly in the eye. "It sounds like my child was just defending himself because no one at this school would do anything. Just this morning you claimed nothing was going on! Surely someone saw it happening or is it just normal for three students to be pouring milk on someone?"

"I understand that you're upset, but please lower your voice."

"Lower my voice?" Ava asked incredulously. "Pardon me if I'm a little heated right now. This is absolutely ridiculous!"

"Again, our policies remain in place regardless of your feelings," Principal Turner said.

"What punishment are the other boys getting?" Ava asked.

The principal looked around uncomfortably. "Well, they won't be punished as severely of course since they did-"

Ava raised a finger to silence the man but bit her tongue before she said what she was really thinking. Once she had calmed a bit, she spoke. "I'll be withdrawing my son from school today. This is unacceptable."

:::::

Matt sat on his bed. He had been sitting there since his shower. A soft knock on the door startled him.

"Dad? I thought you had work," Matt said.

"I came to make sure you were okay," Dad said.

"Mom told you then..."

"She did."

"I'm sorry." Matt wanted to say more but he didn't want to cry.

"I'm sure she also told you that we're not angry," Dad said.

"I still feel bad," Matt mumbled.

"I know how you feel," Dad said. He sat on the bed next to Matt. "In fact, I want to tell you something...When I was in school, I was bullied. They did something to me one day and...I felt so helpless in that moment." Dad put his arm around Matt. "I just want to be sure you're alright."

"I think so," Matt said. He leaned against his father. "I just...when they were standing there and pouring milk on me and saying those things...it reminded me of when I was little. I didn't even know what I was doing..."

"Matt, I just wish you would have told us," Dad said. "Why didn't you?"

"I was afraid... I thought I was just being stupid for getting upset."

"You weren't being stupid at all. If anything like this ever happens again, please tell your mom and I. We want to help you."

"I don't want to be a problem."

"You'll never be a problem to us," Dad said. "Matt, adopting you changed my life for the better."

Matt hugged his father tightly and shook a bit as he finally let himself cry.

"We ordered your favorite pizza," Dad said. "Let's go pick a movie before it gets here."

Matt wiped his eyes and smiled. He didn't know why he'd been so afraid. He knew he was safe.