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

Thank you Sammie050301, ahowell1993, lailyspenstar, Hippiechic81, Ash59, FallWithMeOffACliff, Guest, Rookblonkorules, Daisyangel, Diana, Guest (I wish there was a name so I could thank you properly), and CJFool for your reviews! They really touched me!

It's my birthday today! Woohooo! I was writing my stories at the same time to try and get them out today and I think I did it! I'm 18 which means I can drink and buy alcohol!

Please review! I really love hearing your thoughts.

I think that's it. Okay.

Enjoy!

Previously:

JJ glanced over Henry's shoulder and frowned.

"That's not to Santa," she put in, squinting at the name it was addressed to.

"I finished mine," Henry said and he pointed to an envelope with a scrawl across the front. "This one is for uncle Spence."

"What are we going to do, Aaron?" JJ asked as she lay next to Hotch, his arm around her.

"We'll figure it out," Hotch whispered softly, his lips pressed to her temple. "We can't tell them what happened, it'll badly confuse them."

"Then what do you suggest?"

Hotch paused as JJ revolved her body until their eyes met.

"I don't think we're going to find a cure," she added quietly and Hotch nodded.

"That's not a bad thing."

"No, I know, but what do we tell the boys?"

Hotch sighed and leaned in to kiss JJ's lips gently, brushing her hair from her eyes.

"Okay, here's what we're gonna do."

The next day was Saturday and the team had been given the day to recover from the case.

Somehow Spencer found himself sat cross legged on the front room rug, his little feet touching each other as he watched Jack and Henry make their stuffed animals talk animatedly.

Spencer put his rabbit next to him like the boys had done with their own teddy bears. He was pretty sure they'd set up the 'tea party' for his benefit from the way they were trying to coax him to play.

"Like this, Spencer," Henry instructed, lifting the teacup to Spencer's lips.

"It's empty," Spencer mumbled as he looked down in his cup.

"You gotta pretend," Henry said. He glanced at Jack and rolled his eyes. "Can't we play with Lego?" He hissed.

"No," Jack jibbed. "We never play games with Spencer and my mum says that little kids like to play tea party."

Spencer opened his mouth to protest but Henry pushed a plate into his hands.

"Look, Spencer, it's a big chocolate cake," Henry said in a frustrated voice, pretending to eat his own. Spencer frowned as he accepted the plate.

Henry made sure Spencer was distracted before he spoke. The small boy lifted his rabbit and stuck his head into the teacup and made slurping noises. Is this what they expect, he thought.

"Do you think uncle Spence died-ed?" Henry asked softly, looking over at Jack. Spencer paused in his 'tea party' and looked up at the boy's who had dropped their teddy bears and were looking at each other nervously.

"What if he died-ed, like my goldfish?" Henry whimpered and Jack shook his head. Spencer pretended to talk to his stuffed rabbit while he listened.

"Uncle Reid isn't dead," Jack insisted. "Mum and Dad would've told us." Jack glanced anxiously at his youngest brother who appeared to be listening intently. He carefully put his hands over Spencer's ears before continuing. "He can't be d-e-a-d. He's probably on holiday," Jack said carefully, his eyes on Spencer.

Spencer pouted and tried to pull Jack's hands off his ears when sound became muffled.

"You promise?" Henry muttered. "Because I haven't seen him in ages! A-and I miss him."

"I promise, he's fine," Jack said as he kept a watchful eye on the two-year-old who was mewling in discontent at his brother's hands over his ears. "I miss him too, but we'll hear from his soon. You'll see." He finally released Spencer and the boy grumbled in complaint and got to his feet, pulling his rabbit with him. Jack and Henry watched him go. Henry licked his lips nervously.

"You think he's gonna tell on us?"

"Nah... he doesn't understand what we're talking about, he'll probably just say that I was ruining the game."

Spencer hurried into the dining room and scrambled up on a dining chair, which was much higher than he'd expected. He grabbed a piece of paper and started scribbling down his plan, his rabbit watched from the table as the boy stuck his tongue out in concentration.

Henry and Jack glanced around the door and shrugged, returning to their conversation as Spencer bounced against the chair.

JJ trailed past the kitchen looking anxiously at the boys who were talking in hushed tones. She caught sight of Spencer sitting precariously on a chair and sighed, her eyes flickering to the clock. Spencer's pencil scribbled furiously over the page and his legs hopped against the seat.

"Nap time, Spencer," she called. Spencer continued to scribble, his hair falling into his eyes.

"Spencer. Come on, it's time for a nap," JJ said, waking up to the boy.

The toddler looked up and blatantly shook his head which made JJ laugh.

"You don't have a choice, sweetie," she said, grabbing him before he could escape.

"But, But-" Spencer whined, grabbing his piece of paper as he was lifted into the air.

"No buts, mister."

She threw him over her shoulder and hastened to the stairs.

Henry watched them go before turning to Jack, his expression urgent.

"Can we play with our Lego now?" Henry asked.

JJ sighed as she sat at the dining room table; the boys sat opposite her, watching her patiently. She was going to have to tell them something. Spencer was asleep and out of the way.

"Boys," she started, but Henry quickly cut in.

"Is uncle Spencer like my goldfish?" He asked. JJ's brows furrowed in confusion.

"He means is Uncle Reid d-e-a-d," Jack clarified.

"Oh, no, no. Spence is okay, Henry," JJ promised but Henry looked unconvinced.

"Jack said that too, but then where is he?"

JJ took a deep breath. If Aaron hadn't been called to the office by Strauss he'd be explaining. "You boys know how some bad guys want to hurt us?" She asked and the boys nodded.

"There's a boy in my class called Daniel Taylor and he likes to push the little kids over," Jack put in.

"Exactly. There are some people like that. Is there anyone Daniel picks on in particular?"

"Yea, there's this kid who's the same age as me, but he's short and he's.. um... he's a little bit bigger than me-"

"He's fat?" Henry asked and Jack scowled at him.

"Sort of, but that's mean, Henry. That's what Daniel says to him."

"I wasn't trying to be mean," Henry blubbed.

JJ pinched the bridge of her nose. "Anyway. Daniel likes to pick on this other boy just like some bad guys pick people they want to hurt," she explained.

"What about Uncle Reid? Is someone picking on him?" Jack questioned.

"Sort of. There was a bad man who really wanted to hurt uncle Spence," JJ said, her mind traveling back to Jarvis.

"Why?" Henry squeaked.

"I don't know buddy. It was probably because Spence is a good guy and he tried to stop him doing bad things. You remember how Dad explained how we don't catch all bad guys?"

The boy's nodded solemnly.

"Well, the man who doesn't like uncle Spence got free."

"I know now!" Jack cried. "Dad told me about it! He said that if anything bad happens to us we will go into that thing... that protection thing," he blurted. Henry scowled at Jack in bewilderment.

"Yea, that's right. It's called witness protection."

"What happens there?" Henry asked.

"You have to stay there until the bad guys who are chasing you are caught. Dad said that sometimes you have to become new people!" Jack said excitedly.

"Is that where Uncle Spence is?"

"Yes, Henry," JJ replied. Henry looked down at his hands sadly.

"When's he gonna come back?"

"The bad guys haven't been caught yet," JJ lied, tears threatened the corners of her eyes. It's for the best.

"He might have a new name, Henry," Jack put in. "He's like a secret agent now!"

"Really?"

"Yea! I bet he has loads of missions to fight new bad guys. And he probably has a wicked disguise."

JJ went to argue but stopped herself. She'd let them believe whatever made it easier.

Henry was quiet at dinner and he went to bed at the same time as Spencer.

After he heard Hotch return to JJ and Jack, Spencer threw back his covers and crept out. He peeked into Henry's bedroom where the boy was lay on his front in his bed.

"Henwy?" Spencer whispered and the other boy sat up suddenly and squinted at Spencer through the darkness.

"You're meant to be in bed," hissed Henry as he rolled out of bed and shuffled up to Spencer, taking his hand and leading him out.

"Whats wong?" Spencer asked as they padded along the hall to his room. He gazed up at the older boy curiously.

"You won't get it," Henry grumbled as he pushed Spencer through his door and pointed to his bed.

"You'we sad," Spencer mumbled and Henry sighed. He stepped into Spencer's room and led him to the bed, pulling the covers back and patting the mattress.

"I'm not sad," he whispered as Spencer climbed back into bed. Henry picked up Spencer's rabbit and stroked the soft fur. Spencer reached out with demanding fingers for the stuffed animal.

"Yes, you awe," Spencer said as he hugged his rabbit.

"Go to sleep or mummy and daddy will tell you off," Henry quipped as he stood up. Spencer watched the boy leave and pouted. He grabbed his piece of paper from under his pillow where he had put it during his nap. He nodded at it before settling down again, his mind planning the next day.

In the morning Spencer bounced around the house like a loose firework, hopping from one room to another. It wasn't until he knocked the cereal out of Hotch's hand that he finally calmed down after his scolding he helped scoop up the fallen rice crispies and drop them in the bin, his expression guilty and tearful.

JJ was glad to finally leave the house, dropping Henry and Jack at school and looking back at the last bundle of energy strapped into the back.

"What's gotten into you?" She chuckled and Spencer tapped his nose secretively and continued to grin out of the window.

They got to the office and as Hotch walked into the bullpen he felt Spencer release his hand. The small boy hurried down to Garcia's office, leaving JJ and Hotch behind. JJ held Hotch back who was about to chase after the toddler.

"You don't want to make him mad," she warned. Hotch grimaced and nodded, making his way to his office after exchanging a quick kiss that he knew would annoy Strauss if she was watching the bull pen from her office, and she normally was.

"Slow down, junior-G-man, explain that again," Garcia said as she stared down at the small boy holding a piece of paper out to her.

"Just wite what I say."

Garcia raised her eyebrows but Spencer hopped impatiently from foot to foot. "Peas," he whined.

"Oh, alright," Garcia huffed, pulling up a word document. She couldn't say no to his big brown eyes. "Go on then."

Hotch glanced out of his window as he watched a smiling Spencer bounce into the bullpen with an envelope in his hands. He narrowed his eyes at the toddler. What's he up to? Hotch thought.

It wasn't until later that night when he was going to bed that Spencer was finally able to put his plan into action. As soon as JJ announced that it was bedtime he darted out of the room. Jack laughed aloud as Spencer scurried out of sight and JJ groaned loudly. Spencer got to his bag and whipped out the envelope before JJ caught up to him.

"Spence, I'm tired, you're tired, can you just help me out and come-" JJ paused when Spencer raised his arms for her to lift him up.

"I'm weady," he said. JJ picked him up and frowned at the envelope.

"What's that?"

"Nofing. Tan I go to bed now?" Spencer answered innocently. JJ nodded, lost for words as she walked to the staircase. As they passed by the door Spencer dropped the letter before snuggling into JJ's arms. The bait had been laid.

"Dad?" Jack called as he looked down at the letter. He picked it up and frowned. It was addressed to him and Henry.

Hotch walked around the corner and pressed his finger to his lips.

"JJ's putting your brother to bed; you gotta keep the noise down," Hotch whispered and he started to walk away when Jack caught his shirt.

"What's this?" He asked showing his father the letter. Hotch frowned thoughtfully and took the letter.

"Hmm... I'm not sure," he muttered. He handed it back and started towards the front room. "Come on, let's find out."

"It says it's to me and Henry," Jack added as he walked into the front room. Henry looked up from his Lego curiously.

"What?"

"Well, I guess you two can open it," Hotch said. Jack looked eagerly from his father to Henry before tearing open the envelope.

"Hey!" Henry called, hurrying over to try and get a look at the letter.

"Shhh," Hotch said as he pointed to the ceiling. They all froze and listened carefully. They heard JJ speaking softly, Hotch guessed she was reading a story; it seemed to help with Spencer's nightmares. After another moment Jack shrugged and pulled out the letter.

His eyes wandered down the page to the name typed at the bottom and he gasped. "It's from uncle Reid!"

"Really!?" Henry squealed. He looked down and saw it had been signed 'Spencer Reid'. "Read it, Jack!"

Hotch's brow furrowed for a moment and he thought back to the paper that Spencer had shoved in his bag. He glanced up and smiled. Spencer was still a genius.

"Can you read it, Dad?" Jack asked, offering the letter to his father.

"Sure." Hotch took the letter and cleared his throat.

"Dear Henry and Jack..."

JJ walked in and grinned, leaning against the door frame and listening to Aaron as he read out all of Spencer's adventures now he was apparently an undercover spy. The letter entailed several of his secret missions. These included infiltrating a secret laboratory where a bad guy was trying to make strange conncoctions as well as a high speed chase which sounded oddly familiar to the go karting race between Hotch, Morgan, and Emily at Jack's birthday party.

Upstairs Spencer curled up around his pillow and smiled; they'd probably found his letter by now.

Shorter chapter than normal, sorry. I know it was a bit boring... not much drama, but it is coming soon, I promise. It's almost Christmas in this story! Woohooo! And my birthday is almost over so I need to publish this now! I take back what I said earlier, I've had an awesome day! Just wish I'd had some time to do a bit of reading, but that's fine ;)

Please review.

See you soon.