(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or it's characters)

Trying to keep my promise on an update.

Thank you for your reviews on the last chapter!

Thanks to Astrahan, lailey. spenstar, FallWithMeOffACliff, Hippiechic81, Ash59, E. J. Morgan and the two guests.

Oh, and of course Spencer already knew Haley, but he's never had a proper conversation with her so he's bound to be shy. Jack thinks Spencer doesn't know her.

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Enjoy!

Previously:

"BOYS!" He shouted, glancing over his shoulder. Jack looked out from the front room with the TV remote in his hand.

"Huh?" He mumbled. Behind him, Henry was craning his neck from his seat on the couch.

"Are Henry and Spencer with you?" He asked breathlessly.

"I'm here," Henry called from the couch.

"Spencer!?" Hotch yelled; there was no answer.

"SPENCER!"

Spencer hurried along the path, wiping tears from his bloodshot eyes. He watched his feet as he walked, squinting at them as vision blurred dangerously from tears.

No one wants you, Spencer thought to himself, gritting his teeth angrily. Dad didn't want you.

He didn't want to be a burden anymore. He was going home.

"Spencer!" JJ Screamed, standing at the end of the path. "SPENCE!"

Haley rushed beside her and look up and down the path. Hotch sprinted past them both and to the left. He looked back as JJ went to follow him.

"Wait there! I'll find him!" He yelled before turning back and running down the path.

Spencer knew the way to his apartment from looking over maps of Virginia, but it would take him an estimated 5 hours by foot and that wasn't counting his slow pace.

He'd get home, make himself a coffee (because no one could tell him otherwise), and call JJ to tell her where he'd gone. He thought of JJ and started crying again; he missed her already.

JJ whipped her head back and forth looking for any sign of Spencer. Haley stood awkwardly on the path not knowing what to do. The boys were peering from the doorway.

"Mommy?" Henry called out tentatively. JJ turned quickly praying that Henry had found Spencer. She saw his worried face but no sign of Spencer. Biting her lip harder, she hurried over to Henry.

"Go back inside, sweetheart," she said calmly, glancing around him for the 1-foot toddler.

"Where's Aaron and Spencer?" He asked shyly.

"They're coming now. Let's go inside and wait for them," she implored, taking his hand and ushering the boy's from the doorway.

"Spencer!?" Hotch yelled, coming to the end of the path and glancing left and right. His head snapped back to the right when he saw a little figure staggering along the path, using the fencing around the houses to keep him balanced.

Hotch sighed with relief and darted down the path.

Spencer's small fingers brushed against a chain fence and he whimpered at the chill that went through his fingertips. He held onto the metal to help him with his clumsy steps. All of a sudden he felt something warm blow onto his fingers and he yanked his hand away instinctively. He slowly looked up expecting to see some kind of monster watching him. He wasn't far wrong and he squeaked with shock.

The big Rottweiler lifted its head which was scarred with long tooth and claw marks, its right ear was mangled and bent as if it had been a chew toy. It's black shark-like eyes rolled around as if it were blind before landing on Spencer and narrowing menacingly. Spencer gaped back at the animal, its teeth bared and a low rumble echoing from its throat.

Spencer frowned at the dog which had started to crouch a little. He knew that was a sign of submission which made him wonder if the 'Reid effect' was still a thing.

He stepped closer curiously and the dog released a terrible bark as it lept up from its position and slammed into the chain fence gnashing its chiseled teeth ferociously. Spencer jumped back in terror, falling for the second time on his backside.

I guess that wasn't submission, he thought frantically.

He crawled backward from the psychotic dog, his breath catching in his throat. The dog jumped against the fence again and cracked its teeth together hungrily at the small boy and Spencer felt sure that it would break free and tear him apart.

He covered his eyes in sheer panic, scrambled to his feet and started to run, trying to ignore the dog's threatening yapping and get away as fast as he could; he didn't care where his legs took him.

He suddenly felt something grab him and he screamed out. He imagined the dog's teeth around his waist piercing voluptuously into his soft flesh. He swatted whatever had grabbed him and cried out desperately, his breaths coming in spasmodic bursts.

"Spencer. It's okay, it's me. It's Hotch," Spencer stopped screaming but he continued to pant fearfully. He looked up at Hotch's worried eyes and felt more tears rolling down his red cheeks. He wrapped his arms around Hotch and let out a relieved sob.

"H-He's goin t-ta e-eat me!" He managed to get out through terrified sobs. Hotch rubbed his back and quickly moved away from the dog.

"No, he's not. I've got you, you're alright", Hotch patted his back as he sobbed. "Why did you leave like that?" He asked carefully, worried that the boy might go into a full-blown panic attack.

"I-I-I was g-goin' t-to my a-apaw-apawtment...y-you Don't w-want m-me-me," he sobbed, smacking away his hot tears. Hotch shook his head, rubbing a hand down Spencer's shaking back.

"That's not true. Of course, you're wanted! The whole team offered to have you," Hotch said in a calm voice and he started walking back down the path.

"B-b-but I-I Don't w-wanna be-be a b-buwden," Spencer stammered his tears soaking Hotch's shoulder.

"Spencer Reid," Hotch stopped and looked into the small boy's hazel eyes. "You are not a burden. Don't listen to Haley," Hotch thumbed away a tear trickling down Spencer's cheek. "Now listen to me; you never leave without us again, Okay? You scared us half to death. What if you got taken or hit by a car?" Spencer hiccupped and averted his eyes from Hotch.

"S-sowwy," He murmured.

"How would you feel if Henry or Jack ran off like that?" Spencer pressed his face into Hotch's shoulder and mumbled another apology. "Just don't do it again," Hotch warned, hurrying down the path. He caught sight of Haley and felt his frown fall into place.

He got back into the house and JJ stood up and rushed up to them. Spencer saw the fear in her eyes and he burrowed his face into Hotch's neck guiltily, trying to control his sobbing hiccups.

"Where did you find him?" JJ asked, pulling a soft blue blanket off the couch.

"Down the next avenue, he had a run in with that dog that barks at you on a run," JJ held up the blanket to take Spencer and Hotch leaned in and whispered what Spencer had told him and she felt even worse.

Hotch unlatched Spencer's fingers from his neck and handed him to JJ, who smothered him in the blanket and held him close to her chest.

"Don't ever do that again," she warned, pressing her lips to his sweaty forehead. He went to reply, but only a small sob escaped him and he buried his face in the blanket.

"S-sowwy," came his eventual muffled reply.

Hotch watched them anxiously until JJ gave him a reassuring smile. He turned and saw Haley hovering at the doorway.

"Aaron-" she started but Hotch sent her a deadly look that stopped her in her tracks.

"I don't need your opinion again. You can pick Jack up on Monday," Hotch deadpanned. Haley paused by the door and decided it was her cue to leave.

"Just think about what you're doing," she mumbled as she stepped onto the path. Hotch shut the door and quickly locked it, putting the keys on a ring that he was sure Spencer couldn't reach. He made his way back to the front room where JJ was still rocking a trembling Spencer.

Jack and Henry were quietly watching the TV but their nervous glances backward every so often proved that their focus wasn't on the screen.

It took a good half an hour for Spencer to stop shivering and to control his violent hiccups. He kept peeking up at JJ to see if she was mad and each time she had a contented look on her face and she'd stroke his hair down and offer him a warm smile.

When the next cartoon ended Hotch heaved himself to his feet and let go of JJ's hand which he had been holding.

"It's lunch," he mumbled, looking up at the clock and then indicating to his stomach which chose that precise moment to make itself known. Spencer giggled, but quickly stopped himself and held tighter to JJ.

"What do you want, Spence?" JJ asked, trailing a finger over his pink cheek. He shook his head.

"You've gotta have something," Hotch implored, but Spencer continued to shake his head, knowing he didn't deserve food. He just wanted to sleep.

"How about some warm milk?" JJ asked. Spencer's only reply was to snuggle further into the blanket. She looked up at Hotch and he nodded.

"Just get the boy's sandwiches. There's some in the refrigerator that I made last night," JJ called, gently stroking Spencer's cheek as his puffy red eyes drifted shut.

Hotch came back a few minutes later, balancing two plates of sandwiches along his right arm, chips in his hand and a sippy cup of milk in the other. Henry recognised the cup as his but seeing how upset his new brother was he didn't say anything.

Spencer frowned at the cup.

"After the milk disaster you made earlier, I think this will be safer," Hotch chuckled. Spencer reached out and took the cup, taking a cautious sip. The warm liquid danced along his tongue and he curled up once more to drink it. Hotch rolled his eyes at JJ when Spencer wasn't looking and she winked. He tossed her a packet of Cheetos and her grin widened.

Henry flicked the channel over from the wrestling Jack had been watching to an animation of talking dogs. Jack went to grab the remote when Hotch cleared his throat loudly. Jack glanced back and with a sigh, took a bite of his sandwich and conceded to Henry's choice.

Spencer closed his eyes slowly, letting the warm liquid sooth him to sleep.

Spencer was quiet for the rest of the afternoon. All of his energy seemed to have leaked out of him and been absorbed by Henry who ran back and forth through the rooms, a blanket tied around his neck acting as his cape. Jack pretended to shoot him down with his nerf gun, but Henry argued that his suit deflected bullets. Spencer watched them from the couch, with his thumb in his mouth for comfort.

Jack shot at Henry again when he glanced at Spencer who was curled up on the arm of the couch, watching quietly. Jack knew what it was like to be in trouble so he picked up the to remote and offered it to Spencer. Spencer looked at it in bewilderment.

"You can use this to watch TV," Jack explained, but then something dawned on him. "Wait, you're too young to know how it works," Jack muttered, recalling how Henry used to press every button. He still occasionally did when Jack left the remote unguarded. JJ had taught him which numbers to press to get his favourite channel up and Jack wasn't happy about it.

"I'll go through the channels and you tell me when to stop," Jack offered. He went to the baby channels first and slowly went through them. He was tempted to just stop on a random one, knowing that it didn't really matter because Spencer was too young to understand.

He flicked back over the channels for kids and Spencer sighed inwardly, knowing he had little choice. He saw a picture of a dolphin fill the screen and he squeaked for Jack to stop.

"This one?" Jack asked and Spencer nodded eagerly. Jack picked up his nerf gun again and started pelting Henry who was zooming back into the room.

Spencer ignored the obnoxious high pitched voice of the presenter explaining to kids how fish can swim, instead he gazed at the animals, watching their every move.

Hotch looked around the door of the front room and chuckled at the number of nerf bullets peppering the floor. He saw Spencer cwtched up on the couch, sucking his thumb with his bunny pressed against his face and his eyes glued to the TV screen.

"It's dinner time, guys," Hotch clapped his hands together to call the boys to attention. Henry slung his cape to the floor and slipped past Hotch. Jack shot his last bullet at his dad, before skidding through the other door so Aaron couldn't get him.

"Spence?" Hotch called. Spencer pulled his focus from the TV screen and looked up at Hotch.

"Hmm?" He mumbled, through his thumb.

"We have spaghetti," Spencer smiled and jumped down from the couch.

Hotch managed to grab Spencer's head before it fell into the remains of his spaghetti.

"I think it's time for bed," Hotch chuckled, pushing Spencer back so he didn't hit his head on the chair.

"Can we watch a movie?" Jack asked, trying to hide a yawn.

"No way. You two go and get your pyjamas on; we'll come tuck you in in a minute," JJ said and both boys started to whine.

"Do you two want to help clean up?" JJ asked. It seemed work when they lept from his chair and sprinted for the stairs. Henry wasn't far behind.

JJ rolled her eyes and lifted Spencer from his chair.

"I guess I'm cleaning up then?" Hotch smirked.

"How nice of you to offer," JJ laughed, skipping away to the stairs as Spencer slept contently in her arms.

Hotch sighed and collected the empty dishes. He finished and leaned on the sink, deciding to leave the mess of soft bullets for the morning. A smile broke across his face when giggling wafted downstairs.

"Boys!?" He called and the giggling quietened and the floorboards creaked.

"You better be in bed when I get up there!" He yelled and he began climbing the stairs menacingly. He heard a sequel and quickly slipped into Henry's room. The duvet was thrown over two shaking lumps and Hotch rolled his eyes.

"You have 10 seconds to get in your bed," Hotch warned. The duvet shivered as the boy's laughed.

"10."

"9," the duvet shuffled around with giggles.

"8."

"7, 6, 5, 4," Jack ripped the duvet off himself and tore across the floor, narrowly avoiding Hotch and darting into his room.

"You two better be in your own beds by the time I get back," Hotch didn't catch Henry mumbling that he didn't want Aaron tucking him in.

He sidestepped into the guest room where a soft light was casting over the walls from the small nightlight. He leaned over JJ and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Garcia and Emily just text me," JJ said as she tucked the blanket under Spencer's chin and brushed his hair from his eyes.

"Oh, yea?" Hotch raised his eyebrows as JJ pulled him from the room and shut the door quietly. "What does she want?" He mumbled as he planted a soft kiss on her warm lips.

"They want to go to the mall."

I'm not too confident with this chapter, but I just wanted to get it out there.

Please leave a review and share your thoughts with me!

Thank you and I will see you in the next chapter!