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

Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter.

I didn't want you to have to wait for another... mean chapter so to speak. So I thought I'd get all the meanness out of the way. And leaving it where I did was cruel. So you will still have a chapter this coming Friday.

Things get a bit out of hand in this chapter.

Enjoy.

Spencer was up most of the first night. He called his father, something he had tried to resist.

The man had nothing more to say. Spencer explained that the numbers had been Sean and Aaron's and that he'd made a mistake but William promised he hadn't.

Spencer hung his head as he sat heavily on his couch. He rubbed his jaw hard and his eyes burned with the need to cry.

None of the team had tried to contact him. That hurt Spencer more than Aaron's anger. He had considered the team his family.

"You deserve it," he muttered quietly. He had impersonated Aaron's dead brother. Spencer hadn't even been aware Aaron had another brother other than Sean. He'd delved so far into Aaron's personal life that forgiveness didn't seem possible.

Spencer was obstinate at first that he was right but as time passed in his lonely apartment he began to wonder if his father way wrong and if he had encroached on Hotch's life.

Spencer was ready to write Aaron a letter with his sincerest apologies when he decided to look up Hotch's brother.

Myles brought up several articles which coincided with the story William had told Spencer. As he looked deeper Spencer had an idea. An idea that would likely get him into even more trouble. If he was wrong he'd resign from the bureau himself.

Spencer slowly picked up his phone and called Erin Strauss.

Spencer wasn't sure if he'd gone to sleep. A few times he'd felt his eyes closing but he was never sure if sleep befell him or if time had slipped by. He sat quietly most of the next day, waiting for a call or an email.

Strauss had been skeptic too but she'd given Spencer the contact information he needed.

He was thankful the team were on a break after the case. Even on rush a DNA test had a wait time. He had an email Sunday night, the day before the team was due back, that his results were ready to be picked up.

He needed to get to the lab early. Before work. If the result showed him to be right he was going to march into Aaron's office and force the test under his nose. Spencer grimaced at the thought. Aaron would be more annoyed he'd done a DNA test on him. If the result showed Aaron to be right, well, Spencer was going to sneak into work late and leave a resignation on Aaron's desk. And an apology.

Rossi messaged him Sunday which was a relief to Spencer.

'See you tomorrow, Reid'

Spencer senses that it was more of a question so he replied it the affirmative and Rossi replied with 'Good.' That gave Spencer hope.

'Garcia asked if you're okay.'

Spencer smiled at that. He wished she'd messaged him instead of Rossi. He knew they had probably all been speaking over the break which only made him feel more alone. Spencer ignored the message.

On Monday morning, Spencer felt sick with nerves. He went to his bathroom before leaving and brushed his fingers through his hair and washed his face under the cold tap quickly. He looked at himself and grimaced at the old clothes he was wearing. He had been too stressed to do any laundry. He'd pulled on some rumpled clothes from his go-bag and accepted that they would do.

Coincidentally they were the same clothes he was wearing when he saved Aaron's life, he thought bitterly and his jaw locked in his reflection.

He took a deep breath and promised himself he'd work it out. He just had to get Aaron to listen. Spencer had the sick feeling of dread creep up on him when he remembered that there was a possibility his father had fabricated the story. If that was the case Spencer would quit. He couldn't work if his unit chief despised him.

Spencer forced himself to smile and he stared at his wrecked reflection, his weak smile falling.

"You can do this," he whispered and he straightened his back and nodded to his stubborn reflection.

Aaron would understand.

Rossi was the first in. He waited at Reid's desk for a minute or two and looked around waiting for him. He'd hoped the young-man would be the first in so they could have a word. But after a long minute Rossi sighed and slowly made his way to his office. Hotch came in next and Rossi watched from behind his blinds as Aaron walked in with a closed off expression and went straight to his office, shutting his door behind him.

Rossi thought about getting up and marching into Aaron's office and trying to talk him down. But Rossi didn't move. He sat with his chin in his hands and thought hard about the situation.

He knew very well about Aaron's early life. He'd been there when they'd found Ed. It sickened him to remember when they'd pulled the man out and, after asking where his youngest boy was, he'd looked back at the lake and laughed.

It was true they'd never found the child but the currents were strong. Rossi recalled a diver deducing that a body would never be found in such treacherous waters, especially a child's.

So Myles was assumed dead within the first day of searching. Rossi thankfully hadn't had the task of telling Ed's wife and her thirteen and nine year old children. He and Gideon had stayed in the conference room waiting for clearance to leave when the sheriff had sat down the small family.

Rossi remembered seeing Sean after. The boy was wandering to a vending machine, his eyes puffy and red and his expression lost.

Dave never saw what the effect had been on Aaron. But being older he'd probably been devastated.

Rossi couldn't deny that Aaron was hurting. He had been the older brother: the protector. He probably felt like he'd failed his brothers. So Dave understood the anger Aaron had against Spencer's claim.

But Rossi also knew Spencer well. The only thing he lied about was how he was doing. His answer was always "fine" and Rossi could smell the lie instantly.

Rossi sat with his brow furrowed thoughtfully trying to figure out why Spencer would lie now, and about such a personal matter.

Dread began to creep over Dave as he recalled the schizophrenia Reid's mother suffered from. He sat staring at the wall and he could feel himself panicking at the thought of Spencer inheriting the illness.

Then again, Spencer could be telling the truth and Aaron would be too far in denial to accept it.

The rest of the team had arrived by the time Dave had pulled himself from his thoughts. He stepped out of his office as they got comfortable in the bullpen and in the corner of his eye he saw Aaron's door open. He glanced across. Aaron was scanning through bullpen then he looked at the door.

He's not here yet, Dave thought as Aaron saw him and folded his arms.

The others ignored Spencer's absence, although Morgan's eyes did linger on his desk for a moment.

"I take it it's a paperwork day?" Emily called up to the balcony and she motioned with a look of distaste at her in tray. Their trays were all full.

Aaron nodded slowly, narrowing his eyes on the doors.

"Fun," Emily mumbled and she collapsed into her chair and stared at the files with her face scrunched up.

The bullpen was peaceful for a moment and Dave was about to step into his office when he too looked up towards the elevator.

And that's when he saw him.

Rossi looked across at Hotch whose face twisted suddenly from calm to angry. He couldn't have said anything to stop him even if he'd tried.

Hotch felt his blood boil and he shoved past Rossi.

"Aaron," the Italian started, knowing full well where Hotch was going.

Spencer, who had stepped carefully into the bullpen, was about to start towards Strauss' office when he saw Aaron at the top of the stairs.

He swallowed thickly.

"Hotch, I-I-"

"Get out of here!" Hotch bellowed, storming down the steps. Spencer took a step back, he fumbled with his bag, searching for something.

"I-I just-"

Aaron covered the distance between him and Spencer and before the young man could back away, Aaron's fist collided with his face.

The force of the hit knocked Spencer onto his back. For a moment he didn't even know what happened. He couldn't see until he was looking up at Aaron from the floor. He had yelled at some point and as his face broke into sudden, terrible pain, he grunted. His vision doubled and spun for a moment as he lay there. He covered his face and struggled to sit up, groaning as he did.

Aaron had hit him. Spencer couldn't believe it. Neither could Dave who was running over with a horrified look on his face.

Spencer rasped in shock when he saw Aaron's violent expression, it reminded him of another face, one from many years ago.

"What the hell, Hotch?!" Morgan yelled, having jumped out of his seat. He pulled Aaron away but before he could Aaron had landed a solid kick into Spencer's knee. Spencer let loose a cry and reached for his knee, memories of the gunshot he'd sustained there flooded his mind.

The bullpen was full of agitated whispers. Aaron panted heavily but didn't pull against Morgan's grip. Rossi was at their side. He looked down at Spencer who was trembling violently as he clutched his knee. His face was an angry red and blood was dripping from his nose and a gash on his cheek.

"Get him out!" Hotch yelled, his glare solely reserved for Reid at that point. He didn't flinch at the sight of tears peppering the corners of the young man's face.

"Aaron, p-please," Spencer whimpered.

JJ had a hand over her mouth when Spencer looked instead to her imploringly she turned her head to avoid his eyes. He turned to Emily who had a hard stare fixed on him.

"You deserved that, Reid," she muttered and as if Spencer wasn't in enough pain he winced at the agony her harsh words incited.

Garcia, who had been helping Anderson with his emails was gaping on at her team from where she'd been sat. They were crowded around Spencer as he tried to push himself away.

It was a pitiful sight. Spencer pressed his palms into the floor and tried to push himself up but he couldn't get his knee under him. He looked up at Aaron and saw him still glaring at him so he looked back down and whined when he put pressure on his knee. He just needed some ice. Why wasn't anyone getting him ice? Or helping him. Spencer's lip shook as he tried to force himself up under the unhelpful supervision of his team.

Rossi broke the tension with a sigh. He leaned forward and offered his hand to Reid.

"Here, Spencer," he said, grasping Spencer's arm and pulling him to his feet. Reid grasped onto his hand, grimacing and nearly crying out when his knee bent and straightened painfully. Aaron made to step forward but Derek pulled him back. He was looking at Spencer with sad eyes as if he did want to help him.

"Leave it, man," Morgan said, and he gave Aaron a hard tug to keep him back.

Rossi held Spencer up as he tried to balance on his knee.

"I-I came-" Spencer started but Aaron savagely cut him off.

"LEAVE!" Hotch yelled and Morgan felt his grip slipping.

Spencer pushed Rossi away from him so he could get back from Hotch. He reached a shaky hand into his bag and pulled out a plain brown file.

"T-This is ev-"

"Stop it, Spence."

Spencer turned and looked at JJ. He blinked and the tears in his eyes started to fall then.

"Haven't you done enough?"

"But... I... this is proo-"

"What's going on down here?" Strauss, who had appeared from her office at the sound of commotion, stood on the fringe of the group. Spencer gave her a desperate look.

"Dr Reid?" she said in surprise. "What are you... what's happened?" She took in Spencer's bloodied face with concern. His eyes had started to go red and his nose was purple and wet with blood.

"Nothing i-important, ma'am. I...I uhm I l-lost my f-foot-ting at home," Spencer managed to stutter in a small voice. Emily was shaking her head and Spencer realised that she thought he was a compulsive liar. Another tear slipped down Spencer's chin and there was a sinking feeling in his gut. He was just protecting Aaron.

Erin looked at Hotch and then down at his red knuckles. She gritted her teeth. "I can see quite clearly what happened," she ground out. "Agent Reid is here to see me, Hotchner."

"And he's leaving now."

"He most certainly is not."

"Gun and badge," Hotch said, his face a deadpan as he ignored Strauss and held his hand towards Spencer. Spencer staggered away from Aaron's hand.

He opened his mouth but didn't know how he could defend himself anymore, they were adamant.

"He will not be handing them over," Strauss countered. She threw a look at Rossi who silently agreed.

Rossi put a hand on Hotch's shoulder which the younger man instantly shrugged off.

"We need to give the kid a chance to speak for himself, Aaron."

Spencer's eyebrows caved in and he felt the urge to cry or to hug Dave but his whole body ached too much for that.

"I don't care what he has to say. Gun and badge. Now."

A breath caught in Spencer's throat. Hotch was never going to believe him. He'd completely screwed everything up.

He sagged where he stood and started to reach around into his back pocket. Erin placed her hand on his arm gently.

"He may be your superior but he cannot make this decision without my approval. You are still a member of this team," she said insistently, trying to get the young man to meet her eyes and see how serious she was.

"No, I'm not," said Spencer quietly. He dropped the file on his desk and watched it sadly.

"You are. You're an asset to this department. Do not give in your badge, Agent."

"No..." Spencer whispered and he reached into his pocket and fished out his badge. "It-it's okay."

He retrieved his gun from his bag and handed both to Erin.

"Agent Reid, you do not have to do this."

Spencer sniffed and he looked back at Aaron who gave him an uncaring glare. "I do."

Spencer took Strauss' other hand and laid it over his gun and badge before he nodded and turned to leave. He tried his best to hide his limp but it was an impossible feat, so much so that he had to lean against the wall until the elevator pinged.

The team watched as Spencer sent them one last retreating look before the elevator doors shut.

Dave turned to Aaron, his fingers curled around the envelope and his brow set low.

"Why would you do that? You never listen to the kid; when has he ever lied to you?" he said, his voice unpleasantly gruff.

Aaron turned around and stepped menacingly close.

"Myles is dead!" he snapped. Dave took a step back. He gaped at Aaron while the rest of the team stood awkwardly.

Hotch straightened his back and walked away, not bothering to look back.

Dave, on the other hand, grabbed the file Spencer had left on his desk. He glared at Emily and then JJ and Morgan. He held up the file and tapped it.

"Maybe don't condemn a man until he's told his side of the story," he said darkly before heading to his office with every intention to study the file vigorously.

Thanks for reading. Like I said I just wanted a fix where Aaron punched Spencer. Oops.

Stay safe and see you next week.