(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter.

I'm sticking to the schedule (better not speak too soon.)

Hope everyone is doing okay during this quarantine. I think we're past the worst of it for now.

Enjoy the chapter.

Dave rubbed his brow as he finished reading another statement regarding William Reid's case. He had half an hour to spare, having left Jack with Spencer at the breakfast table while Aaron walked Mudgie. He kept the office door open.

There was just something not right regarding William Reid, other than the fact he was a murderer.

His phone buzzed and Dave glanced down at the text from Garcia. He felt a little guilty having her work on her day off.

He unlocked his phone and read the message.

'The report from Ashley's mother's death is attached to this message. You're right. There is something up with this all. Do you want me to find messages exchanged between her and William?'

Dave glanced at the file he'd been reading before starting to type.

'She was definitely involved. I was reading the file on the loansharks and her name cropped up in one of William's messages. Thanks, Garcia.'

Dave turned off his phone, turning his head at the sound of a giggle from the kitchen.

"One last look," Dave muttered, picking up his phone, planning on opening the file Garcia had sent.

"Do you know who you're meeting today?" Aaron smiled across at Spencer as the small boy picked at his Cheerios. Spencer popped another one in his mouth and crunched thoughtfully.

"Um... miss JJ?"

Aaron nodded, sticking a spoon into his own cereal.

"Who else?"

Jack was watching Spencer excitedly, wanting to answer the question for him.

Spencer picked up a Cheerio, biting his lip as he looked through the small hole.

"Um... Henry?"

"Yeah, and Michael!" Jack said, sticking a spoon full of milk and fruit loops into his mouth. "They're bwothews, li' us!" he said with his mouth full.

"Finish your food before you talk, buddy."

Jack swallowed and grinned at Spencer. "We're gonna go to the park, Spence!"

Spencer grinned, pushing away his Cheerios and starting out of him chair. Aaron quickly put his hand on Spencer's shoulder to stop him. He pointed to the bowl. "Ten More Cheerios at least, Spencer. You need your energy today."

Spencer swivelled back around, his lips a little pouty. He stared at the bowl which had at least thirty Cheerios inside.

He looked up at Aaron who was watching him sternly, his hand still on his shoulder.

Spencer looked down into his bowl and slowly dragged a cheerio out and put it into his mouth. He felt Aaron's hand fall off his shoulder and he glanced up to see him looking back with an approving nod.

"Ya know, Spencer," Jack said, swallowing a big spoon. "Milk makes it taste great."

Jack leaned over and lifted Spencer's glass of milk.

"Jack, don't-"

Jack had already tilted the glass up and poured milk into Spencer's bowl.

He looked back at his dad innocently. "What?"

"Spencer doesn't like it with- Jack, why did you interfere?"

Jack shrunk back into his chair. "I just want him to see how good it is," he grumbled. Aaron sighed and reached toward Spencer's bowl.

"Sorry, buddy. Shall I get you some more?"

Aaron looked over at Spencer only to find the kid had a raised spoon of milk with a single cheerio in the centre. He carefully lifted the spoon to his mouth, leaning right over his bowl when the spoon dripped.

Aaron watched with raised eyebrows as Spencer slurped what was on his spoon and he chuckled when Spencer raised his own eyebrows.

Jack perked up in his chair and watched Spencer who was licking his lips and dipping the spoon back in awkwardly.

"Like it, Spencey?" Jack asked with a happy grin.

Spencer nodded, shoving another spoonful past his lips, not as careful to stop the dripping milk this time.

Once breakfast was done and Dave had finished his reading in his office, the four of them were getting into the car.

Dave and Aaron glanced at the backseats as they drove to the park. Spencer was extremely nervous. He was shifting in his car-seat, glancing out the window, then across at Jack and then down at his red boots.

Dave was starting to regret agreeing to taking Spencer to see JJ and her boys.

Spencer hadn't even been with them a week... Dave pressed his forehead into the window and sighed. What were they thinking? He turned his head when a hand touched his knee. Aaron rubbed his thumb against Dave's knee, taking his eyes briefly off the road to give him a reassuring smile.

Aaron glanced up at the rear-view mirror and saw the way Spencer was irritably moving his hands. Aaron had told Spencer to leave Gary at home since he still needed to go to 'bear hospital' for an 'operation,' (which he fully intended to be taking the bear to Garcia's for her to wash, re-stuff and sew up.) But he had encouraged Spencer to take his new bear instead, which Penelope had gotten him. It sat firmly in Spencer's lap but it seemed to make no difference to the boy's anxiety.

Jack seemed to also sense Spencer's nerves because he looked over at him with a furrowed brow.

Spencer swallowed thickly and dropped his head, his hands clasping in his lap.

Aaron was watching him, he saw the small boy's shoulders slump suddenly and he thanked god they got to a red light otherwise he'd have braked in the middle of the road.

"Spence?" Jack whispered.

Spencer shook his head, a breath rattling past his lips.

"Go back," he murmured, before taking a gasping breath. "Back, please."

Dave glanced at Aaron before turning in his seat. "It's okay, Spencer," he said. "It's not going to be scary, I promise."

Spencer shook his head, his breath hitching. "Nooo," he whined, the word coming to an abrupt end when Spencer made a retching noise. "Back," he begged.

Dave stammered for words. "Calm down, kiddo, it won't-"

"Nooooooo, p-please-" Spencer clutched his stomach, rasping painfully.

"Aaron."

"I heard him, David."

Aaron flicked on his indicators, turning away from where they had been heading. In was another quick turn and they were turned back toward home.

A harsh gasp rose from the back seats and Dave turned around fully in his seat.

"Spencer?"

"Please. Go back."

"Alright," Dave said, reaching out and touching Spencer's leg. The boy sobbed at the contact, pulling the teddy bear to his chest. "Bad idea," Dave said, looking over at Aaron who was nodding.

"Too soon?"

Dave nodded. "Too soon. I'll call JJ."

Dave turned back to Spencer, his hand still on the boy's leg. "Hey buddy, breathe with me, okay? Slowly, in and out. Look, Jack's doing it."

Jack started to animatedly follow Dave's instructions and Spencer's dewy eyes peered across at him.

"That's it. We'll go home, kiddo. We won't go out, alright. Maybe another time. Keep doing that, Jack, we'll be back soon."

Jack nodded. He shimmied against his seat to get closer to Spencer. "It's okay, Spencey. We can play legos at home. That'll be cool, right?"

Spencer hiccuped but managed a slight nod, his arms suffocatingly tight around his bear.

In the front, Dave had his phone out and he was mumbling apologetically to JJ. Jack glanced their way but turned back with a smile at Spencer whose face was wet with sweat and tears.

"Sometimes things get scary," Jack said wisely. Spencer sniffled loudly but continued to watch Jack, not flinching away from his touch. "Henry and Michael are super nice, but we don't have to see them yet. Dad says people scare you sometimes. I'd be pretty scared if I was meeting two strangers." Jack shrugged. "Wanna make a fort when we get home?"

Spencer held his teddy bear tightly, listening to Jack as he did. He still felt sick. He needed to be outside soon so he could breathe properly. He wanted Ashley. She'd know what to do.

"That's a great idea," Aaron said from the front. He glanced at Dave and muttered "how'd it go?"

Dave glanced up from his phone which he quickly stashed back away. "She understands. She suggested..." Dave lowered his voice. "Maybe a play date at our place in a week. He might be more comfortable there."

Aaron noddd and turned his focus back on Jack. "We have lots of blankets in the cupboard you boys can use."

"Can we use every pillow in the house?!"

"Umm... not all..."

Spencer had calmed significantly once he was back inside the house. He instantly grabbed Gary from where he'd been left on the coffee table. He then huddled against the wall opposite and stayed there, rocking himself silently.

Jack watched him before he grabbed some of the pillows from the couch.

"Come on, Spencer," he said, reaching a hand out toward Spencer. "I need help."

Spencer glanced at the extended hand with sad eyes but he didn't move. Jack waited a few more seconds before dropping his arm miserably.

Aaron knew his son was patient but he had a limit and Aaron could see he was coming close to it.

"Jack-o, go grab the blankets, okay? I'll move the couch, Spencer can join us when he's ready."

Jack glanced up at his father before shrugging and dropping the pillows. He started toward his bedroom for some blankets.

Aaron turned to Spencer who was rubbing his eyes quickly, his rocking slowing.

Aaron got down to the floor slowly, resting against the wall beside Spencer.

"Fancy a blanket fort?" he asked. Dave passed by with a glass of water. He sat on the floor wearily, the two of them sitting either side of Spencer. He nudged the glass close to Spencer.

Spencer glanced at the water and reached out gingerly. Dave helped raise the glass to his lips and Spencer took a big gulp.

"Better?" Dave asked. Spencer nodded, taking another long sip before handing the glass back. Dave set it on the floor, his eyes briefly meeting Aaron's.

"We were talking about a blanket fort," Aaron said with a smile and Dave matched it's intensity.

"Oh, right. I think I might recall that suggestion. I take it that's where Jack's gone?"

"Yea. So how about it, Spencer?"

They both looked at Spencer who was fiddling with his two teddy bears. He let out a long breath, pressing the one eye Gary had left into his hand. "I'm sorry," he whispered finally. His lip trembled once the words left his mouth and he lowered his head but Dave was quick to grab his chin with gentle fingers.

"No, kiddo," he said. Spencer looked at him, his eyes bloodshot and wet. Dave shook his head with a fond smile. "Don't apologise, bud. We rushed. I'm sorry."

Aaron reached over and put a hand on Spencer's knee.

"He's right. We should have let you settle here first," he said. Spencer blinked at Aaron before he looked down at Gary.

"I... I wanted to meet them," he mumbled.

Dave chuckled. "Oh, you'll meet them soon, kiddo, they're desperate to meet you."

Spencer frowned. Why would anyone want to meet him? "Me?" he asked and Dave gave an eager nod.

"Who else, kiddo? They don't want to see me."

"Why?" Spencer whispered, he looked over at Aaron who had a grin on his own face. He turned back to Dave, his brow stretched into a frown.

"Because," Dave said, giving Spencer's cheek a soft pinch. "You're family now."

Spencer stared at Dave as the words slowly sank in. Family? But Ashley and daddy were his only family... which meant he didn't have family anymore. Dave saw the way Spencer scowled so he quickly added. "We don't have to share blood to be family, buddy. What I mean is, we don't have to be related. You only have to be loved."

Spencer squeezed his teddy bears hopefully. So... so that meant... that meant... they loved him?

While the monumental notion of being loved by someone other than his sister sank into Spencer, Jack came running back in. He smiled widely when he saw Dave and Aaron ready to help.

"Blanket fort?" he asked hopefully, holding up the blankets he'd collected from around the house.

Aaron got up from the floor, grunting as he did. "Come on then, where do you want it?"

Jack dropped the blankets, hopping over them and pointing at the TV. "We want the TV in it, right Spence?"

Spencer looked at the TV and gave a small nod.

Aaron shook his head but relented, heading to the dining table. He looked back at Spencer. "You coming, Spencer?"

Spencer looked at him. He gave Gary a hug as Dave stood up on his other side and offered his hand. Spencer set Gary and his other bear against the wall before putting his small hand inside Dave's.

Jack managed to find flashlights which he bundled into the fort along with every stuffed animal he and Spencer owned (the latter only having two.)

"This is awesome," Jack said when he finally crawled into the fort, Spencer following timidly behind him after receiving a nudge from Dave.

Rossi waved from the opening, grinning at the boys. "Don't get lost," he called as if they were far away.

Jack laughed, Spencer giggling quietly beside him.

"Come on too, papa. Dad!" Jack called, patting the floor.

Rossi laughed then and shook his head. "No, kiddos. We can't all fit. You two enjoy yourselves. Call if you need us."

Dave's head disappeared and Spencer self-consciously reached for a stuffed animal.

Jack leaned back into the pillows, stretching his legs out. "Ah," he sighed. "This is the life."

Spencer watched him and carefully mimicked his action, lifting his arms behind his head.

He sat like that for a minute before peeking at Jack. "What do we do now?" he asked bravely. Jack opened one eye and suddenly remembered what they were doing.

He looked around at his stuffed animals. "We need to make sure everyone's here."

"Huh?"

Jack looked up at Spencer's confused little face before motioning to all the stuffed animals around them. "The teddy's." He looked out at the opening with a grimace.

"There's a snow storm out there, we can't leave anyone behind."

Spencer squinted at the opening, imagining heavy snow clogging up the entrance and a blizzard shaking the blankets around them. Without further hesitation, Spencer reached forward shakily and gathered a great armful of stuffed animals.

"Okay," he called out over the pretend wind howling around them.

Jack gave him the thumbs up and they started to count and name each animal.

On the other side of the fort Aaron and Dave were watching with smiles of their own.

So Spencer wasn't ready for more people. This would do for now.

I know this chapter took a turn. I was writing it and thinking, Spencer is not having a good time and I just let the chapter take its own route. Plus, I thought a blanket fort would be cute.