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

Yay! Quick update! I kinda feared for my life if I didn't update ;) yea, sorry for the cliffhangers, no more, I promise. And this drama is killing me! Hopefully, I can get back to fluff soon.

Anywho, thank you for your reviews. Thanks to Reidingrainbow, Hippiechic81, AZCatmom, gublermoods, Dez, Astrahan, laileyspenstar, and Daisyangel. Sorry for the cliffhangers. No more for a while, hand on heart, I promise!

I hope this long ass chapter can make up for it. It's basically the length of two chapters.

I'm hoping to conclude this segment in this chapter.

Please review.

Enjoy.

"Wake up, Spence," Jack pleaded through tears that streaked down his cheeks.

Alan sighed. He'd listened to Harrison car to leave before he tried to uncuff himself. He grabbed a piece of metal he had pried off the laptop and hidden in the disk drive and he tried to jam the flimsy piece into the lock, but as soon as he turned it, the metal snapped.

"Please, let us go," Jack whimpered. Alan glowered at the child who had been watching his useless attempt.

"Unless you can't see, I'm just as stuck as you are," Alan grumbled.

"Can't y-you use the computer to get help?" Jack asked. Alan chuckled bitterly.

"He unplugs the laptop and the internet when he leaves," Alan informed the inquisitive boy. Still, Jack stared at Alan curiously.

"Can't you send a message to the police when you're allowed the use it?"

Alan pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand and sighed deeply. How could he explain to a child that Harrison monitored everything he did and the fact that his bedridden grandmother was locked in her bedroom upstairs?

Just then, a small whine filled the room and they turned their heads towards the source.

Spencer tried to lift his head off the wall, but it fell back painfully. He whimpered and attempted to touch his head when he realised his hands were taped together in a similar fashion to Jacks.

"Spencer!" Jack cried thankfully.

"Mmm.." Spencer moaned and he closed his eyes against a blinding headache that plundered through his skull.

Alan glanced at the toddler and silent thanked god that Harrison hadn't killed him so soon.

"You okay, Kid?" Alan asked anxiously. Spencer's eyelids fluttered lazily and he mumbled something incoherent in response.

"We'll get out of here soon, Spence," Jack promised. Spencer smiled weakly and focused on a part of the floor, trying to ease the nauseating spinning.

"How old are you guys?" Alan asked. Jack looked around and appeared more confident now his brother was awake.

"I'm eight and Spencer is almost two!" He announced proudly.

"When's he two?"

"Tomorrow," Jack replied.

Alan frowned and peeked at his tattered old watch which read 2 am.

"As in the 28th?" He Inquired and Jack nodded.

"Well... happy birthday, I guess," Alan said to Spencer who stared back with a look of confusion.

"We got an identity on the guy who took Jack," Emily turned the laptop screen to Hotch. The unit chief gave the screen a quick look as he walked in and slung his vest on the floor.

"Emily, have you slept?" He muttered. They glanced around the conference room to find Morgan snoozing in a chair and Rossi who had taken the couch and was snoring lightly.

"I tried... What about you?" She whispered and Hotch gave her a small smile of defeat.

"I can't sleep knowing they're in trouble," He mumbled back. He took up the seat beside her and pushed away an oncoming yawn.

"Who is he?" Hotch asked; his eyes and focus switching to the image.

"Gernon and I found CCTV footage from Jack's school and we found this guys car-"

"Gernon?" Hotch's brow pinched together questioningly. Emily also frowned and her mouth opened in an 'o' shape as she realised Hotch had been with the sheriff since he'd returned with Rossi so they hadn't had a chance to speak.

"The analyst they gave us in place of Kevin. Oh, and by the way, Garcia's doing good, they're discharging her soon and Kevin promised to take her to his apartment," Emily explained.

"Good. Okay, who's this guy?" Hotch turned back to the computer with urgency in his voice.

"Lee O'Donnell. He's just your average drug addict with a quaint criminal history," Emily muttered sarcastically.

"Get Gernon back on the line."

Emily pressed the call button and within seconds the live feed of a chubby guy with thick black hair tickling his ears lit up the screen.

"Agent Prentiss?"

Hotch leaned forward to speak.

"This is Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner. I need everything you found on Lee O'Donnell; more importantly, I need any locations you may have in connection to him," Aaron ordered using his 'boss' voice as he had when he caught Jack giving Spencer a boost onto the counter to get a cookie. He couldn't help but smile as the memory played out his mind.

"Boys?" Hotch called. He peeked into the front room where Henry was building an odd looking police station with Lego- clearly he wasn't following the instructions.

"Jack? Spencer?" He backed out of the front room when he heard quiet muttering from the kitchen.

"Boys, we need to start getting ready for bed. You know what that means: bath and pyjamas," Hotch announced as he stepped into the kitchen. He halted in the doorway at the sight in front of him.

Jack was using his hands as a boost for Spencer who had almost wriggled himself onto the countertop. Hotch folded his arms and waited for them to notice him. It wasn't until Spencer was up and had his whole arm stuck in the cookie jar that he noticed Hotch grinning at him from the doorway.

"Uh-Oh," Jack mumbled and abandoning Spencer, he darted out of the kitchen, sliding past Hotch's legs before he could make a grab for him. Hotch didn't bother chasing him and instead cocked an eyebrow in Spencer's direction. Spencer slowly retracted his arm from the jar and had the audacity to pull a cookie out with it. He smiled coyly at Hotch, and he giggled nervously.

"You know the rule: no sugar before bed," Hotch said, trying to imitate his sternest voice he reserved for work. Spencer swallowed thickly and carefully put the cookie back.

"Sowwy, Daddy," He murmured, hanging his head in shame. He started to teeter towards the edge of the counter and Hotch hastened forward.

"Careful! You need to stop climbing on high places," Hotch chided as he grabbed the child before he tried to get himself down.

"Sowwy... we were... we were just hungwy," Spencer whispered sadly. Hotch put the boy on his hip and smiled wearily. Jack peered around the door anxiously; he knew that hiding from his father would make matters worse.

"Tell you what, if you're good for Mummy in the bath and get ready for bed without a fuss, then maybe we can have a snack before bed," Hotch offered. Spencer's face burst into a smile and he nodded happily.

"That includes you too Jack," Hotch added. "But no more cookie heists."

"Hotch?"

Aaron shook his head and saw two faces: one computerized, the other real, staring curiously at him.

"Sorry. What have you got on this guy?"

"O'Donnell doesn't have any significant locations connected to him. He moves around a lot and currently has no home."

"So a dead-end?" Emily groaned.

"Yea, basically," Gernon sighed.

Hotch, who seemed to have gone blind in thought as he stared out at nothing, suddenly grabbed his phone from his pocket.

"There's one more guy!" He cried. He unlocked his phone and pulled up his messages with JJ.

"Who?" Emily frowned.

"Alan Thomas."

JJ crashed backward into the car door and the gun they had been grappling with clattered to the floor.

She gasped and looked around dazedly. A painful burning resonated in her shoulder. She lifted her hand and touched the area which was sticky with blood. Harrison blinked and touched his ears gently.

"You stupid bitch!" He shouted, moving his jaw around to better his hearing. JJ looked down at her hands which she'd managed to pull apart; the tape hung loosely around them after having finally broken after hours of pulling. For a moment, and just a moment, Harrison and JJ's eyes met. In that moment chaos resumed as JJ lunged for the door handle and Harrison grappled for the gun at his feet.

JJ wrenched open the door and slithered out. As soon as she was out on the road she yanked at the tape wrapping her knees together. She made quick work of it when she heard the clicking of a bullet falling into a chamber.

She glanced up in time to see Harrison aiming the gun at her and she rolled to her left just as a bullet pierced the road where she'd just been sat.

"I'll kill them!" Harrison shrieked as JJ rolled to her feet and started running.

Another gunshot echoed from somewhere behind her; the bullet whizzed past her while she dashed for the dimly lit hardware store across the road. She prayed someone had heard the gunshot.

"I'LL KILL THEM!" Harrison shouted again before an engine roared and Harrison's car hightailed it back onto the road. JJ collapsed at the entrance of Lowes and panted heavily.

"You okay, ma'am?"

A young woman pushing a line of carts looked down at JJ with concern in her eyes.

"I need to borrow your phone," JJ croaked.

"Alan Thomas..."

The sound of typing occupied the tense silence within the conference room.

"Look for anyone in the Burlington Area."

"There is no Alan Thomas in that area, Sir; I checked."

"Expand it to parts of Virginia," Emily added. Hotch shot her a look and she quickly explained. "They can't be in this area if they managed to take the boys so quickly. They have to be in between here and Quantico."

"Okay I have a big list now," Gernon said, his fingers trailing along the keyboard as he scanned through his results.

"How big?" Hotch asked, rubbing a hand down his face.

"421."

Hotch leaned back in his chair and kissed his teeth. Just as he opened his mouth to reply the door flew open, crashing against the wall and waking Rossi and Morgan up. They all turned their attention to the sheriff who practically fell in.

"Agent Jareau has been found," he panted.

Hotch's chair rolled back as he shot out of it abruptly.

"Where? Is she okay? Is she hurt?" He demanded.

"Charlottesville, Virginia. They took her to the hospital, but she said she needs you all there; that our guy is in that area."

Hotch grabbed his blazer and practically ran to the door.

"Hear that, Gernon?" Emily asked.

"Checking the Charlottesville area for Alan Thomas."

"Call is when you find anything. Morgan," she called as she shut down the laptop. Morgan rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"Huh?"

"Come on, they found JJ."

Rossi and Hotch were already out the door as Morgan staggered to his feet and stumbled out after them.

"I found him," Gernon said through the car speaker.

"Where?" Hotch asked.

"He lives with his grandmother on 3129 Gutharlic Street. It says that he hasn't been in work for 5 months and that he hadn't handed his notice in; he just stopped going."

"That sounds suspicious," Rossi commented.

"His records clean and he seemed like an all-around nice guy."

"Is he missing?" Hotch questioned as he sped past an amber traffic light.

"Well, if he is, no one's looking for him," Gernon muttered.

"Why would he be helping our unsub?" Emily mused.

"Maybe he's not, or at least not willingly," Morgan suggested. The SUV fell silent for a moment as the team turned the idea over in their minds.

"What would Harrison need with a 36-year-old? He doesn't fit the victimology and he can't be a surrogate for Brand's father."

"What was Alan's job?" Morgan asked from the back seat.

"He worked an office job... Uh, he was pretty advanced in computers and when I say advanced I mean Agent Garcia advanced," Gernon replied.

"Well, that's it then," Morgan said with a wild gesture.

"What's it?" Hotch grunted, slamming his foot on the brake as the lights turned red. He glanced around at Morgan who looked as if he'd been struck by genius.

"Harrison was always in control; he had research on every child he took," Derek paused to wait for the team to get it.

"Someone had to do that research," Rossi whispered.

"Exactly! He's using Alan Thomas for his computing ability," Morgan declared. Hotch tapped a finger against the steering wheel thoughtfully.

"But if he's really doing this unwillingly Why has he not used a computer to report what Harrison's doing?" Emily queried.

"He must have some kind of leverage over Alan."

"And what sort of leverage forces you into aiding someone in killing children?" Emily asked bitterly.

There was a moment of silence before Hotch spoke.

"Family."

Harrison screeched down the road, burning rubber as he spun the wheel back and forth.

Dammit!" He growled as he whizzed past a red light and almost collided with a pickup truck taking its time crossing the junction.

He needed to get away. He had to relocate. There was no way he could stay in Virginia with a whole team of agents looking for him and his face sent to every phone in the state.

Just one more, he thought. Just one more time and then I'm done.

"I need another kid," he mumbled to himself. Then an idea struck him. He had three victims in Alan's basement, one being Alan himself. He already proved that age no longer mattered. He just needed the release. He needed to feel a child suffer the same fate as his siblings and he had two children; their precious bodies waiting for him to defile them.

Hotch slammed through the hospital doors and advanced on the receptionist. He flashed his credentials to show he meant business.

"Jennifer Jareau. I need to see her; it's a matter of urgency," he announced and the nurse, who couldn't speak due to her pinched expression of shock, nodded and grabbed the phone next to her computer.

"Doctor Wills? There are agents to see Miss Jareau. No...he said it was a matter of urgency, sir."

"I'm also her next of kin," Aaron added. The team caught up with him as the nurse set the phone down.

"Follow me, Sir," She squeaked.

Harrison stalked out of his car, not bothering to lock it and he sized up his greasy friend on the porch, smoking a cigarette to the very stub. He marched up the steps and slapped the tiny length from Lee's hand.

"The hell, Brand," Lee growled and he leaned down to pick up the still lit cigarette, pursing his lips around it and sucking out the last of its life. Harrison took this opportunity and smacked Lee with the handle of his handgun.

"NAHH!" Lee cried as he fell face first into the wooden porch. Harrison glanced around at the other houses which remained as barren as they normally did. Luckily, Alan lived in a rough neighborhood so attack's were practically a tradition and the police only cruised by when a murder had taken place and surprisingly, that hadn't happened in almost 8 months.

"Whatcha do that for?" Lee's greasy hair fell in front of his eyes and he touched the back of his head and winced. Still, his hands searched blindly for the cigarette. Harrison caught sight of the stub and on it and snuffed it out with his heel.

"Get outta here. And you talk to anyone about this and I will find you," Harrison hissed.

"What are you talking about, man?"

Harrison cocked the gun and aimed it at his friend who raised his hands instinctively.

"Woah! Calm down! Jesus Christ!" He yelled

"Get out of here. NOW!"

Harrison's finger tickled the trigger and Lee scrambled to his feet.

"I'm going, I'm going!"

He tumbled down the steps; his eyes glued on the gun that followed him.

"GO!" Harrison ordered and Lee backed away faster until he walked into the car door. He turned with panic-stricken fury and jumped into his car. Lee fumbled with his keys and within seconds the roar of an engine broke into the quiet night. As the car pulled away, Lee, whose confidence had been revived, offered a parting gesture through the window with a pleasant 'Fuck you!' complementary to it.

Harrison sighed and tucked the gun into his waistband. He looked up at the sky that had grown lighter; a red tinge melted into the fading dark blue.

He walked through the front door and locked it behind him. From the hallway, he could hear faint voices rising from the basement. He bent his knuckles back with a sickening crunch and marched towards the door.

"Jen!" Hotch gasped as the nurse withdrew the curtain from a bed and revealed JJ sat up, biting her nails furiously.

"Aaron!" She whispered before bursting into a fit of tears. Hotch darted to her side and carefully wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed.

"He's still got them," she cried. "You have to find them!"

Hotch released her and held her face in his palms while he stared deeply into her eyes. He couldn't help but press his lips against hers.

"A-Aaron, there's no time," She panted through the kiss.

"We're trying, JJ. Do you know where he took you?" Rossi asked lightly. JJ's eyes snapped up and she glared at the Italian.

"I tried! I thought he was going to kill me!"

"I know, but do-"

"They're going to kill the boys!" JJ wheezed and she started pulling on the wires attached to her arms.

"Stop, JJ," Hotch said quietly, taking her hands in his as gently as he could.

"No! No, he said he's going to kill them a-and now that I'm still alive he will, he will!" She sobbed. Her head shook from left to right and Hotch lightly caressed her hands to calm her. The skin around her wrists was red raw and a bulky bandage stuck out on her shoulder from benath the hospital gown where the bullet had grazed her.

"He doesn't have Henry. He won't kill the boys when one is missing," Emily assured her but JJ continued to shake her head.

"He doesn't care anymore! He j-just wants to kill them! I could see it. Aaron, you have to believe me," she stared up at Hotch with pleading eyes and he pressed his lips to her forehead.

"I do... I do. Did you see anything that will help us?"

"I-it only took 15 minutes or so t-to get to that hardware store where they found me," she whimpered.

"Get Gernon back on the phone."

"When we get home, Mummy and Daddy will let us have the biggest bowls of ice cream ever!" Jack whispered to his younger brother who was becoming more alert, though he hadn't spoken.

"A-and I got you a present! Dad let me pick it. I hid it under my bed. You can open it when we get home," the young boy promised. Alan was batting away tears as he listened to Jack speak. How could he tell the boy that his brother wouldn't be going home?

"Where's your home?" Jack asked and Alan looked up suddenly.

Huh?"

"Where's your home, Sir?" Jack asked politely.

"Um..." Alan rubbed his neck, unsure of how exactly to put into words that this was his home and that he was a prisoner within it.

"My Dad can get you home," Jack said.

"I'm not sure he can," grumbled Alan.

"Sure he can! Then you can see your Mum and Dad too," Jack smiled widely and Alan looked away guiltily.

"I don't speak to my parents."

"Then who do you speak to?"

Spencer looked up curiously at Alan as he squirmed under Jack's questions.

"My grandmother," Alan mumbled.

"Do you miss hew?" Spencer asked in a small squeak that surprised him more than it did the others.

"Yea..."

"Where is she?"

"Upstairs."

The boys scowled and exchanged a glance.

"Maybe she could help us if we call-" Jack said craning his neck to shout when Alan shushed him.

"No. She's not very well," he muttered. "She can't get out of bed."

"Oh," Spencer mumbled.

"Who looks after her?" Jack added before Spencer could stop him.

"H-Harrison."

"Is dat why you awe stuck hewe?" Spencer asked and Alan nodded.

"You two are pretty smart," he chuckled.

"Told ya," Jack grinned.

The rattling of a key in a lock interrupted them and they all looked up at the door as it creaked open.

Alan simultaneously cowered back in his chair. Harrison walked into the room, closing the door behind him and locking it. Alan held his breath; he knew silence was dangerous.

"I'm leaving," Harrison announced. Alan let out a breath of relief and stood up; his handcuff jingly on the chair handle and pulling him back down.

"Uncuff me. I can sort this out," he offered hopefully.

"It's over Alan," Harrison's voice came out with a steely coolness and it sent shivers through all three of the captives.

"Over? I don't u-understand. Let me and my grandmother go and then you can leave the country. I won't tell the police anything."

"Alan," Harrison sighed deeply and set his keys on the table, just out of the younger man's reach. "There's something you should know..."

Harrison pulled a knife from his pocket and lunged forward, jamming the knife into Alan's shoulder. Jack cried out and averted his eyes while Alan let out a gut-wrenching shriek.

"You're not getting out of here."

"Ahh! Why...w-why would you-" Alan rasped, touching his shoulder where the knife protruded. The flesh mushroomed around the blade and blood bubbled along the handle.

"I need to feel it once more," Harrison muttered and he turned from Alan and looked down at the two boys. "Just two more."

Alan's fingers trembled over the knife and he couldn't bring himself to remove it. He glanced desperately at the boys.

"No! L-Leave them al-alone," he yelled, gritting his teeth against the pain.

"Looks like someone finally grew a pair of balls," Harrison laughed, but he didn't look at the man. Alan realised he wasn't getting through, so he started wrestling with his chair.

"No! They haven't done a-anything!"

Harrison stopped in front of Spencer who could only gape up and suck his bottom lip in nervously.

"The last kid took half an hour," he mumbled cryptically.

Spencer closed his eyes.

"Let's see how long it'll take to finish you."

"I've got something," Gernon declared. Hotch jumped up from the bed, his hand remained clutched to JJ's.

"What is it!?"

"Alan Thomas's house is 20 minutes from where Agent Jareau was found."

"That has to be it!" Morgan cried, leaping to his feet and checking his gun. Hotch whipped around to face JJ who simply nodded and released his hands.

"Go," she urged Hotch leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her warm cheek before he bolted from the room.

"Stop!" Jack cried as Harrison thrust his foot into Spencer's chest. Spencer gasped and clutched his ribs.

"Leave them alone!" Alan shouted. He kicked his table and smacked his feet against the floor. Harrison ignored them and placed his hands on the wall to make kicking the child easier.

Spencer whined as another kick landed on his side. Just as quickly Harrison struck again, catching Spencer's knee at a nasty angle and causing him to cry out.

His pain threshold had definitely increased as a child.

"Doors locked," Rossi muttered and he stepped out of the way just in time for Morgan to kick down the door in one swift movement.

"Not anymore, come on," he grunted, leading the way into the dark house with his gun drawn.

"Spencer said they were in the basement," Hotch said but before they could try to search a small cry echoed from down the hall.

"Move!"

Hotch sprinted to the root of the noise and stumbled to a halt at a tired old door. He tried the handle but as expected it didn't budge. Morgan was already there and he gave the door two hard kicks before it crashed open.

Hotch stormed in and saw a large man who must have been Harrison stood over his surrogate son, striking him repeatedly with an onslaught of vicious kicks that forced rasps and moans from out of Spencer's mouth. Jack was wailing loudly, his eyes too bleary from tears to see his father stagger in.

Hotch saw red, aimed and fired. The bullet gnawed into Harrison's thigh and he fell forward into the wall sending a smattering of blood across the concrete walls. Hotch lunged forward and shoved Harrison to the ground before he collapsed on Spencer who was still curled up in the fetal position.

"Argh!" Harrison hollered and he tried to sit up. His hands grabbed his leg and squeezed it, releasinh out a booming groan as he did so. Emily was on him in a second and was quick to push him back and roll him on to his front, pressing his face into the unkind concrete.

"Harrison Brand, you're under arrest for the kidnapping and attempted murder of Jennifer Jareau, Jack Hotchner, Spencer Hotchner, and Alan Thomas. And also under the suspicion of murder for Lucy-"

Emily went through the long list as she and Morgan cuffed him and handed him over to the police officers who had accompanied them.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Jack sobbed happily. Hotch glanced at Spencer and quickly ripped off the tape around Jacks arms and legs. Jack grabbed hold of his dad and cried into his arms.

"I knew you'd come! I knew you would!" He sobbed.

"Of course I did. I love you both," Hotch mumbled. Tears teetered over his eyelids as he smelled Jack's hair.

"You need to help Spencer," Jack insisted, releasing his dad and shuffling back so his dad could get to his little brother.

Spencer looked up groggily at Hotch but didn't make any effort to move.

"Hey, buddy," Hotch whispered, he touched Spencer's side and the boy yelped loudly and curled further in on himself.

"We're gonna need some paramedics," he said, turning to Rossi who was uncuffing a relieved Alan.

"Yea, here too." He motioned to the knife in Alan's shoulder and the young man smiled wearily.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, Spencer," Hotch mumbled. He carefully put his arm under Spencer leg and back and lifted him into his arms.

"'Top...it h-huwts," Spencer whined. Hotch shushed him and stood up with the boy in his arms.

"Come on Jack. You got him, Dave?" Hotch asked. Rossi looked up at Hotch and the boy in his arms whose eyes were shut tightly against the pain.

"Ya, I'm fine. Get him looked at."

Hotch slowly made his way out of the house with Jack clinging to his leg and Spencer sniffiling in his arms.

An ambulance pulled up to the house and Hotch picked up his pace, abusing Spencer to whimper at the unwanted jostling.

"It's okay, shhh... you'll be okay," Hotch promised. The EMTs saw him and rushed over with a gurney. Hotch gently laid Spencer on it and he started to cry at the sudden absence of warmth and the succession of several hands prodding him. Hitch gathered Jack into his arms and held Spencer's hand so he knew that Hotch was still present. Jack wept into Hotch's shoulder and Hotch felt his own tears dampen his cheeks.

"My grandmother!" Alan cried; he pointed to the stairs and gave Emily a look of pure desperation. "Her room is first on the left. Harrison said he'd kill her if I didn't help him. When I tried to do anything he didn't like he wouldn't check on her."

Alan quelled a sob and pursed his lips.

"Please make sure she's okay. I haven't seen her in months."

Emily nodded and smiled back weakly. Morgan followed her upstairs and as soon as they got to the second floor the smell suddenly hit them. They exchanged a doubtful look before they opened the door to Alan's grandmother's room. Emily turned back and stepped down a couple of steps as not to heave. Morgan took a good look at the corpse.

"She's been dead for a while," he muttered. He shut the door when he felt the urge to gag.

"Looks like that son of a bitch left her to starve," Morgan growled.

They walked out of the house and Alan waved them over hopefully. Emily grimaced and slowly made her way over to the trolley.

"Where is she?" He asked and his smile fell when he caught the sympathetic looks written over Morgan and Emily's faces.

"I'm sorry."

"No!"

"She's been dead... for a while," Emily added. Alan looked away and smacked his hand against his thigh.

"I-I let him kill a-all of those kids a-and she wasn't even alive!"

"You were manipulated," Emily said but Alan shook his head.

"I deserve whatever he gets. I'm just as much to blame..."

"I'm his father; let me in with him," Hotch insisted. He raced after the gurney holding Spencer and pulled Jack helplessly along with him.

"You must stay out of the way," the nurse added and Hotch nodded. He knelt down in front of Jack and embraced him tightly.

"Go with uncle Dave; he'll take you to JJ, Okay. I'll be back soon," he promised, leaving a kiss on Jacks forehead.

"Look after Spencer," Jack added and Hotch kissed his head again, sealing the promise.

"How old is your son?"A doctor asked as he prodded Spencer's chest and the child whined in agony.

"He's 23 month-," Hotch paused as a realsiation hit him. "He's two. Today!" He cried.

"He's a little underweight for a two-year-old," the doctor commented. He pressed on Spencer's chest again and Spencer broke into a sob. Hotch had to hold himself back, wanting nothing more than to rush to Spencer's side and pry the doctor away from him.

"Shouldn't that be the least of your concerns," Hotch hissed, stepping forward threateningly.

"I think it'll be best if Mr. Hotchner leaves" the doctor muttered.

"No," Aaron growled.

"It's not really up to you," the doctor deadpanned and he touched another sore spot and Spencer cried harder.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," the nurse said.

"No! Daddy, no!" Spencer screamed and he thrashed with terror. The nurse held him still while the doctor gave him something to calm down.

Hotch watched from the door as Spencer's movements slowed and he finally fell limp on the table.

The nurse stepped out and gave him a small smile.

"Sir? Is there anyone else here for you? I can take you to the waiting room if-"

"My partner was admitted earlier," Hotch said absently, his eyes still glued on Spencer.

"I could take you to her while you wait."

"I'd rather stay here."

"Um...I'm afraid this isn't really a waiting area," the nurse added sheepishly. Hi5h finally tore his eyes from the window and looked at the nurse.

"She's in room 58" he huffed. The nurse nodded and motioned for him to follow. Hotch took one last look at Spencer who had an oxygen mask over his face and a hospital gown that draped over his small body, before he forced his feet to follow the nurse.

Hotch got to JJ's room and saw Jack sat on her bed, caught in JJ's arms. He quietly stepped in but JJ's eyes were quick to find him.

"How is he?" She asked, her voice was pinched with worry. Rossi and Morgan stood up from their seats and Emily set her coffee on the bedside table.

"I'm...I'm not sure. They made me leave," Hotch muttered with a frown.

"What did you do?" Morgan sighed.

"Why would you think I did anything?" Hotch grunted. Jack sat up on the bed and reached out for his father. Hotch lifted the boy into his arms and stroked his back.

"Because you're in 'father mode'," Morgan laughed, motioning to Jack who had just proven his point.

"They weren't very gently, that's all I've got to say," Hotch retorted. Jack lifted his head and looked into Hotch's eyes.

"I-is that man gone?" He whimpered, his eyes scanned the room for any sign of Harrison. Hotch held him tighter.

"Yes. He will never-ever touch you again," Hotch promised. "You were so brave, buddy."

"I'm sorry," Jack mumbled and he looked down at his arms.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Jack," JJ said.

Jack shook his head and hot tears dripped onto Hotch's shirt.

"I talked to a s-stranger a-and then I-I was supposed to look after Spencer," he stuttered. Hotch wiped his tearsaway and looked at him sternly.

"Look at me," he ordered. Jack lifted his head slowly and Hotch's expression softened. "You are not to blame for this. That man who took you: he was bad. Him and that other man are the ones who did this, buddy, not you. Don't think on it... for one second, that this is your fault."

Jack looked into Hotch's eyes.

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Jack wrapped his arms around his father's neck and hugged him so tight that Aaron could barely breath.

"Aaron Hotchner?" Spencer's doctor walked in and Hotch sat up from the chair he was sat in. Jack was still clung to him like a koala.

"Is he okay?" He asked.

"He's going to be fine. Sore and probably extremely cranky, but fine. He's pretty lucky. He sustained three broken ribs and deep bruising but there were no complications with lung tearing. His left leg is sprained. It isn't severe but we are keeping it wrapped up for a week or two and we advise no walking on it, and from his age and size I doubt that will be a problem."

JJ and Hotch exchanged a quick look; how could a doctor be any more wrong? This was going to be a huge problem.

"He has some more superficial bruising and a small gash on his forehead which has been closed with butterfly stitches, but other than that he seems alright. Oh but he does appear underweight and small for his age. I recommend larger meals, maybe more calorific drinks. Ang questions?"

"Can we see him?" JJ asked.

"I can take you to him now. He's on a light sedative as he got distressed earlier, so he may be a little out of it."

JJ went to stand up from her bed when Morgan wheeled a chair over to her.

"Uh, no," she snorted.

"Pretty sure it's hospital rules," Morgan chortled. JJ folded her arms with irritation.

"Really?"

"Aaron? Would you agree?" Rossi asked. Hotch glanced around, Jack still in his arms.

"JJ, you're using the chair. That's an order."

"Sorry, sweetcheeks," Morgan snickered. JJ stuck her tongue out and sauntered to the chair.

They followed the doctor to the children's ward and he directed them to Spencer who was sat up in bed, gazing around in bewilderment at the colourful curtains and posters around the ward. He was clearly out of it from the delayed blinks that accompanied his curiosity.

"Spencer!" JJ gasped as Morgan rolled her up to the small bed. She jumped out of the wheelchair before Hotch could protest and showered Spencer with happy kisses which caused him to giggle.

"A-awe you otay?" He croaked; his eyes skimmed the bandage on her shoulder and she quickly pulled her gown over it.

"I'm fine, sweetheart. It's you we're worried about."

"I'm f-fine," he whispered, a smile on his lips. JJ sighed and embraced him gently.

"Do they have I-ice cwream hewe?" Spencer asked absentmindedly; his eyes drifted once more to the vivid posters.

"I'm sure I can find some."

"And for me?" Jack asked eagerly, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Of course for you too!" Hotch snickered.

"Happy birthday, by the way," Hotch added. The team all frowned at him until they pieced it together. Spencer also had a confused expression on his face

"It's my birthday?" Spencer asked groggily, cocking his head at Hotch

"Yea!" Jack laughed. "Remember I said earlier that we're gonna have a big party?"

Spencer blinked slowly as if he hadn't heard.

"Did you s-say they have I-ice cweam?" Spencer questioned. Hotch rolled his eyes at the dazed boy.

"What's wrong with him, Dad?" Jack asked, looking up at his father; his face filled with concern.

"He's a bit loopy from the special medicine they gave him," Emily said and Jack mouthed an 'oh' and grinned.

"I-I'll have vanilla, fanks," Spencer mumbled.

"How much did they give him?" Rossi laughed.

"Astwonaught ice cweam has n-nevew been to space," Spencer licked his lips hungrily and the team just shook theirs heads, both in relief and confusion.

Phew! That was a long chapter! I was going to split it, but I really wanted to write Spencer's birthday party in the next chapter. I hope it didn't seem too rushed.

Please review!

See you soon!