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

Wow. I'm overwhelmed by how many of you guys reviewed. Each time I got the email of a review I would sit down and read them and you all made me smile a lot this week. So thank you to everyone for reviewing.

This chapter is where shit hits the fan. I hope the pacing is okay.

Enjoy

Aaron wasn't sure why he did it. It was unprofessional to say the least. As he picked up Reid's phone he could hear a scolding voice in his head... his mothers... then Strauss'. Curiosity was no excuse but Aaron needed to know. He didn't believe in coincidence very often.

The phone was still lit up with the message that had alerted Aaron and he looked at the number. His number. With his message attached. Aaron looked down slowly at his own phone and saw the same message on his screen.

Aaron wasn't sure what he felt first. He was mostly numb as he realised the gravity of the situation.

Spencer Reid, his colleague and friend, had been sending the sick texts to him and Sean. Aaron stared at the phones as he tried to reason why Reid would have done such a thing. It wasn't true, Aaron knew that. He had relive how he failed his brother every time he visited his decaying headstone. Aaron hadn't noticed but Rossi had started watching him, frowning at the two phones in his hands. Aaron clicked out of Spencer's texts and he saw Sean's number under his own and he sucked in a sudden breath as the pieces slotted together in his mind.

He wasn't sure he felt any emotion when the seatbelt light went off and Reid stepped out of the restroom.

Spencer started to walk down the aisle when he stopped. Aaron stared back at him, both phones in his hand. Spencer's eyes widened and they slowly fell down to his phone in Aaron's hand. Aaron's brow fell and he glared at Reid.

"Uh... you gonna sit down, Reid?" Emily asked. But Reid didn't sit down. He stepped back and away from Aaron who had sealed his fingers around the phones, making a tight fist. Aaron jumped out of his seat as Spencer walked into the arm of a seat.

"Hotch-" Morgan started but Aaron was storming over to Spencer who raised his arms weakly.

Aaron grabbed him by his collar and he could feel Spencer shrink in his own clothes. He released one hand to show Spencer the phone while his other hand remained gripping his shirt.

"It's you!?" Aaron spat and Spencer squeezed his eyes shut briefly.

"I-I-I-"

"Hey! Get off him!"

Rossi pulled Aaron away from Spencer. The seatbelt light flashed again. Spencer stumbled back from Aaron, shakily straightening his shirt and looking between his team members, too scared to look directly at Aaron.

"H-Hotch?"

"You're sick! My brother is dead and you're impersonating him?! Look at me!"

Spencer did but he shrunk back again.

"What's he talking about?" Emily said as Hotch glared at Spencer.

"I-I only found out it was you yes-"

"You've done this before!?"

"No of course not! I-I-"

Hotch shook his head in disgust and advanced for Spencer again.

"No, please!" Spencer said with a yelp as he tripped over his shoes to get away from Aaron.

"Hey, ease up, man!" Morgan shoved Aaron back but the unit chief continued to glare at Spencer.

"Is it true, Reid?" Emily asked and Spencer looked across at her helplessly.

"I... it's... um-"

"Spence?"

Spencer looked across at JJ and saw disappointment in his eyes.

"No," Aaron snapped. Spencer tried to open his mouth but Aaron glared him down. "Another word before we land and I'll fire you right now."

"Hotch, you can't-"

"Stay out of this, Dave." Aaron continued to watch Spencer with a threatening gaze. Spencer shrank into a seat away from them, shrinking away from the disappointment gaze of the rest of the team.

The jet went quiet as the familiar feeling of decent hit them. Spencer kept his head low. He could feel most of them watching him and he couldn't stop feeling ashamed.

When the jet landed he stood up faster than Aaron and grabbed his go bag.

"Reid," Morgan tried to grab his arm but Spencer shrugged him off quickly and went to the slowly opening jet door. He fidgeted for a moment as some workers from outsider pushed the stairs against the door. The rest of the team got their stuff and Spencer was thankful the steps were in place before any of them could join him.

He didn't look back as he strode across the airfield. He hadn't driven. He'd have to get a taxi. Spencer didn't think of that though, his only aim was to get as far away from everyone as he could. His face was flush and his palms clammy. God he was so embarrassed.

"What's going on!?"

Penelope had been waiting at the elevators longer than she had been expecting to so when they opened and Aaron stormed past followed by Rossi and Emily, Garcia just stood there and watched. Morgan went to her, frowning just as hard as Aaron as he followed their backs with his eyes.

"Where's Reid?" Garcia asked, looking back at the elevator and then at JJ who was brushing her fingers through her hair nervously.

"Somethings happened."

"What?"

Morgan glanced at Hotch who had slammed his office door. Rossi opened it without knocking and Morgan grabbed Garcia's hand and led her back inside. JJ followed timidly behind.

"Derek what's going on!"

"I don't know. Something between Reid and Hotch."

"Is he okay?"

"Who?"

"Reid... Hotch? I don't know!"

Morgan ignored her but continued to pull her along behind him.

Hotch's door opened and Morgan stepped back, unconsciously shielding Garcia and JJ with his body as Aaron stepped out. Rossi came out after him and put a hand on his shoulder.

Aaron looked around at his anxious team and he hardened his expression.

"What's going on?" JJ whispered from behind Morgan. Aaron looked around the office and saw a few unwanted eyes watching them.

"Conference room," he muttered. Without another word he turned and walked into the conference room. The team followed and Rossi shut the door behind them.

"Aaron," Rossi started in a calm voice. "I think you better explain. I know it's personal but right now, with Reid involved-"

"Reid is not involved," Hotch snapped sharply. "Reid has nothing to do with me."

"Be that as it may, he has still caused this."

Rossi slowly sat down, watching Aaron as he turned his back on them. JJ and Garcia sat down beside each other, looking at Aaron bewilderingly.

"I could start," Rossi said, with an offering smile.

"No." Aaron turned and faced his team, his expression still hard. "I have two brothers," he said slowly. "Sean and Myles." He took a deep breath before speaking again. "You know Sean but Myles died when he was three."

Garcia gasped suddenly and slapped her hand over her mouth. JJ's eyes fell to the table as she thought of her own sister.

Hotch tried to speak again but his body practically convulsed against his attempt. He only managed to say "my dad," before he stopped and was unable to resume. Rossi thankfully took over.

"I was working here, for the bureau with Gideon. It was early days. Aaron's father was one of our unsubs. He killed a few women before we matched our profile to him. He went on the run with the youngest child- Myles. Gideon and I got to the lake but it was too late at that point. We found Ed but not the child."

"Jesus," Morgan muttered and he looked at Aaron who was nodding along to Rossi's story.

"I'm so so sorry, sir," Garcia whispered but she couldn't meet Aaron's eyes.

"It was a long time ago," Aaron said.

Emily pulled her chewed fingernails from her mouth as she frowned thoughtfully.

"What about Reid?"

"Sean called me," Aaron said quietly. "While we were on the case. He told me someone had text him saying that they were Myles. Then I received the same text earlier today. I responded on the jet and I saw Spencer's phone receive the message."

"So... Reid pretended to be your brother?" Morgan asked.

"My dead brother, yes," Aaron said, grounding the words through his clenched teeth.

"That's... horrible," JJ said, her voice small and meek.

Morgan shook his head. "He wouldn't do that."

"He did! He crumbled when I asked him about it."

"Hotch this is Reid we're talking about," Morgan said, thinking back to their awkward genius.

"It's his number," Aaron said slowly. "Whether you believe it or not, Spencer sent that text."

"But why?" JJ said and she started to shake her head. "Why would he do something so cruel?"

"Maybe we don't know Reid as well as we thought."

Rossi sat back in his chair and listened to the quiet but angry voices of his team. He knew Spencer wasn't a liar. As the team began to condemn their teammate Rossi began to wonder if there was any truth behind Spencer's claim.

William Reid despised prisons. He'd been in plenty due to his job but the atmosphere of the place never ceased to sicken him.

He sat down on his side of the visitors glass but he didn't look up. He looked down at his hands as he heard the guards open the doors and let the prisoners inside. William waited. He could see a flurry of movement in the corners of his eye as someone sat down opposite him. They both sat still until William finally lifted his head and picked up the phone that connected their two realities.

In doing so he saw the familiar face of the man he had come to visit. The familiarity stemmed from the fact that he knew someone who looked much like the man in front of him.

The man smiled and pushed his short wavy hair up from his forehead. His bow-lips formed a sickeningly charming smile and his eyes seemed to gleam as he reached for the receiver.

"Ed," William rasped down his receiver.

The man's smile faltered, falling into a smirk. "First name basis? And I don't even know your name!"

"Reid," William said.

"Is that your first name? Come on, pal... wait let me guess... Stewart? No? Okay, um... Clive-"

"William."

"Billy!" Ed said with a jovial grin. "Or course!"

"You don't know me," William said in a low voice and Ed rested his chin on his hand.

"Don't I? I feel like I've known you forever. So how are you?"

"Shut up and listen."

Ed's smile fell a little and he sat back in his chair, away from the glass between them.

William looked back at the officer in the room with him. When he looked back Ed was smiling again.

"You don't know me but-"

"I figured that one out, pal."

"I wanted to meet the man who-"

"I don't do autographs-"

William banged his hand on the table, earning him a steely glare from the guards.

"Temper temper," Ed said with a laugh. William glared at him. "Go on then, I don't have all day."

William shook his head. "You're abhorrent," he hissed which only made Ed grin more.

"Why did you come, Bill?"

Why was he there? William frowned softly. Why had he gone to see this man? To gloat? Thrust the son William snatched away from him in Ed's face to show he hadn't won?

"I have a son," William said and Ed leaned forward.

"I have two! Hah," he said as if it was a competition and he leaned back and laughed. "I did have three but you can't have everything can you, Bill?"

"Your sons want nothing to do with you," William said and he watched one corner of Ed's smile droop a little.

"That because their mother raised them," he said with a sneer. "Woman aren't good role-models, Bill. Anyone could tell you that."

"My name is William."

Ed's lips curled back and he grinned toothily. "I don't care."

William swallowed thickly, inching away from the glass and the madman behind it.

"You came to see me, Bill,' Ed said deliberately slow. "I think you had better respect me. And don't waste my time."

"You took him out to the lake," William said. Ed closed his mouth and pressed his lips together. He narrowed his eyes at William.

"You shot him."

"It's amazing what they put in the newspaper."

"I didn't read it. I saw it... or at least the aftermath."

Ed's lips pressed together once more and he frowned at William.

"Your third son," William added and he saw Ed's fist tighten on the receiver.

"You never confessed," William said.

"If you're looking for one you'll be disappointed."

It was William's turn to smile.

"No. You and I both know what happened. Why should you admit it now. You were convicted so what does it matter." William paused, glancing calmly at the guards behind William. "Only," he said quietly, forcing Ed to hold the phone closer to his ear. "You didn't kill him."

William felt a swell of pride inside him when Ed's face became blank and pale. William reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a photo. He looked at it with a smile before turning it to Ed who didn't move, except for his eyes which snapped down to the image.

"This is my son," William said. "Adopted son. We changed his name after we found him. He washed up on the lake shore that night. The night you were arrested."

Ed gaped at the photo. The young man was smiling back at the camera. Short, wavy brown hair, brown eyes, sharp jawline, bow-lips... Ed leaned forward. The man looked a lot like himself.

William took the photo away. He slipped it into his pocket and smirked at Ed.

"You didn't win," he said. "You never will." He patted the glass with a grin. "He's a better kid than you'll ever know."

"You're lying."

"He works in the FBI now. Maybe you did influence him. Because now he hunts sick individuals like yourself."

"You're a god damn liar!"

William waved his hand to an officer behind him, signalling he was done. Before he put the receiver back he looked at Ed.

"He's my son," he said. "how does it feel to have no control?"

Thanks for reading.

Stay safe. See you soon.