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

Wow! Thank you guys so much for all the support. I can't believe we got to 700 reviews! I'm beyond disbelief so thank you so much! I used to get excited by reviewing one review on my old stories and now... I have no more words.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. That includes; laileyspenstar, ahowell1993, lilyflower101, Diana, Ash59, Hippiechic81, Emobunnyme, Guest, fishtrek, Rookblonkorules, Ludub, and Guest.

And pechika who was literally the 700th review!

We're also super close to 150 followers! I really love writing this story and as long as I know you guys enjoy it I'll keep going.

Alright, I'll stop going on. Enjoy!

Previously:

"If she's running out of time then he has to go see her. He'd regret it if he didn't, but I know he'd want to."

"You want me to tell him?" Rossi asked and Aaron shook his head no.

"It's probably best if I told him."

Rossi sighed and pulled his file back open. "Kids not having much luck is he."

When Aaron and JJ got home hugs and kisses were shared along with excited babble from the boys about all the cool things they did with their uncle as well as his awesome apartment where they'd been promised sleepovers, something which was clearly non-negotiable.

After dinner and baths the small family gathered in the front room. The boys were all in their pyjamas and each had one of their stuffed animals accompanying them. The evening had started off pleasant but it was interrupted by JJ's ringtone.

Hotch had Jack and Spencer tucked under either arm while JJ argued with Will on the phone. Henry was stood at her side whining about wanting to speak to his father.

"Henry, stop. Why? Because he wants to speak to his waste of space father and- oh really? He's a better father to him right now," JJ spat into the phone while Henry desperately pulled on her blouse.

"Everything okay?" Hotch called as he glanced over his shoulder at the hall, keeping the two other boys at his side.

"Fine, Aaron," JJ quipped before turning her back and pointing Henry to the front room. "Go!"

Henry stormed away from her and towards the living room where he kicked a cushion in frustration.

"What's wrong, Henry?" Jack asked in a wistful voice. Hotch's arm wrapped around his shoulders a little tighter; a warning to keep quiet.

"None of your business," Henry quipped. Jack just shrugged and turned back to the TV which made the younger boy huff. "Mommy won't let me talk to my dad," he said.

Jack raised an eyebrow but didn't look too surprised. "I know why," he mumbled.

"Oh, yea?" Henry retorted and Jack leaned forward, pulling out of his father's embrace.

"Your dad's a deadbeat ," Jack said.

Henry gaped at his older brother despite only half understanding what he'd said. "No, he's not!"

"Then where is he. My daddy is better than yours because he wouldn't leave me."

"Jack," Hotch hissed as he tried to pull his son back.

"My daddy hasn't left me!" Henry snapped.

"He's leaving you for his girlfriend," Jack grunted and Hotch gazed at the boy, wondering where he'd gotten that information.

"Shut up!" Henry screeched and he leapt forward and hit Jack, landing his open palm on the boy's chest.

"It's true," Jack yelled as he hopped off the couch and shoved Henry back. He quickly jumped on top of him and wrestled him to the ground.

"Ah!" Henry made a battle cry and scratched at Jack's face.

"Stop it," Hotch growled, sitting up and inadvertently pulling a sleeping Spencer with him.

"Take it back!"

"Never!" Jack snarled as he pushed Henry's arms above his head. Henry screamed loudly and kicked his knees up into the older boy.

"Boys!" Hotch yelled and everyone, including JJ, turned at the noise. Spencer raised his head and looked up at Aaron. Hotch glanced down and a pang of guilt hit his gut when looking over the child; he still had to figure out how to tell the boy about his mother, he'd already booked the flights.

The boys continued fighting so Hotch got up and yanked Henry away.

"I've gotta go, Will. It's your son! Because of you- you know what, I'm not having this argument right now." JJ hung up the phone in the hall and hurried over to the boys, pulling Jack to his feet.

"He started it!" Henry bickered, lunging his feet out at Jack.

Hotch glared at Jack and he shook his head. "You didn't have to say anything, Jack."

"But he's always moaning! My mom lives somewhere else but I don't go on and on," grumbled Jack as he pulled himself from JJ's hold.

Jack shuffled back onto the couch beside Spencer who was rubbing sleep from his eyes. "And he started it," Jack added. "He hit me."

"Henry, you know not to hit," JJ chided.

"Jack gave as good as he got," Hotch muttered as he released Henry who seemed to have calmed.

Spencer let out a yawn as he looked at a seething Henry. "S'goin on?" He whined. Henry looked around at his younger brother and folded his arms.

"It's not fair! Spencer has both of you, why does my daddy have to move far away?!" Henry wailed, wiping his eyes to banish the tears; he was not about to show Jack he was weak. However, Jack noticed the large crocodile tears and shifted uncomfortably on the couch.

"Your daddy's girlfriend has a new job far away. That's why, Henry. And as for Spencer he also has a parent who lives far away," Hotch said softly, looking over at the groggy toddler. "Spencer's real mommy lives far away and she's not very well she's-"

"Aaron," JJ cautioned, motioning to Spencer who was blinking at him.

"Anyway, me and Spencer are going to visit his mommy soon, you'll be able to do the same, Henry."

"Visit?" Spencer mumbled after another small yawn.

"Uh... Yes," Hotch muttered. "I need to talk to you about that, buddy and seeing as these two are having a time out," Hotch grunted. Both boys groaned loudly. "Go on. 10 minutes in time out and then you can go to your rooms and no talking to each other either."

"And stop scowling at each other," JJ quipped when they sent each other vengeful looks. "You can both apologise to each other later." She led the boys out of the front room, leaving Hotch stood in the centre, and Spencer squinting at him from the couch.

"We'we going to see my mommy?" Spencer asked in a croaky voice. He cleared his throat as his cheeks brightened. "My mom," he corrected quickly.

"Yes..." Hotch mumbled.

"My mom," Spencer repeated in a whisper and his face contorted into one of great sadness... as if he'd forgotten.

"She's not doing very well as of late," Hotch continued while Spencer gazed down at the tiny, stripy slippers on his feet.

"But she'll get bettew. She always does," Spencer whispered, his deep brown eyes looking up into Hotch's hopefully. The older agent blanched momentarily.

"She... they said she's deteriorating rapidly," Hotch added with a hard gulp. Spencer stared at Aaron, his eyes wide, and scared.

"Tan we go see hew?"

"Yes, I've already booked flights," Hotch said quietly. He gazed into Spencer's terrified eyes, trying to gage what he was thinking. Suddenly they began to well up with tears and Spencer tore his eyes away in shame and wiped his nose. A sob stuttered past his lips and Hotch instinctively fell forwards and pulled Spencer into his arms.

"I-I don't want hew t-to die!" He wailed miserably, rubbing his wet face into Aaron's shirt. Hotch gripped him tighter and pressed a kiss against his temple. He began to sway gently as Spencer cried. Jack and Henry, who were sat in the dining room with their chairs facing the wall, exchanged a quick, guilty look.

"I know, buddy. I know. It's nearly her time," he whispered. Spencer withdrew a little with puffy red eyes gaping up at Aaron.

"I'm not weady!" He cried before collapsing back into Aaron's hold.

"I know you aren't, but maybe your mom is. Maybe she's ready to go-"

"No!" Spencer screamed into Aaron's shirt and the older man clutched onto him harder. Spencer felt selfish for thinking only for himself. He cursed himself mentally at his lack of understanding for his own mother, the real sufferer, the true victim in this situation yet here he was trying to make the subject about him. Maybe she was ready to go; the rational part of Spencer's mind was happy to let her be at peace to end her endless suffering that had plagued her mind since she was young. But the sensitive part of Spencer, the part he was now more in tune with as a child was begging him to hold onto his mother (or what was left of his mother that dementia and schizophrenia hadn't ravaged) and keep her from going. The toddler he had become was in total denial. People didn't die... the very notion was too great for such a little person to cope with.

Hotch rocked them gently back and forth, managing to shift Spencer into a half sitting half laying position in his lap while he cried.

One thing that Spencer could decide on, that conjoined his adult and child mind, was that none of this was fair. He hated to quote Henry but, it was "so unfair."

Aaron and Spencer boarded the airplane a few days later after hugging their family goodbye. Hotch had given JJ a long kiss causing the boys to make faces at them.

When they landed Spencer was asleep and Hotch had to carry him and their luggage all the way to the taxi.

He'd booked a hotel room closest to Diana's facility and they dropped their things off there before Spencer grabbed his rabbit and stood patiently at the door.

"You ready?" Hotch asked as he pulled on his coat and picked up Spencer's. He helped the little boy into his red dufflecoat and Spencer turned to face him.

"Weady as I'll evew be," Spencer murmured.

Spencer held Aaron's hand tightly as they walked down a corridor to Diana's room which had been moved to a more secure ward. They got to room 38 and Spencer shifted on his feet nervously. Hotch gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and opened the door. Once open, he stepped inside, pulling a less than eager Spencer with him. They both gazed at the frail woman lay in the only bed. Spencer looked away when he saw the bed, it looked too much like the ones they had in the hospital.

Diana's head turned slowly like a clockwork doll and her eyes settled on Aaron. She opened her mouth and her tongue roamed for a moment as if she was trying to remember why she'd opened it in the first place.

"Hello, Diana," Aaron said clearly, holding Spencer's trembling hand tighter.

"'Lo," Diana rasped into the room, her eyes no longer lingering on Aaron. "'Lo!" She called again. There was panic in her voice and she panted heavily, her hands twisting over each other.

Hotch stepped closer, dragging Spencer with him; the small boy hid his face behind Aaron's pant leg. "I'm here, Diana," Hotch said loudly, waving at Diana to catch her attention. The woman found him with clouded eyes and narrowed her eyes at him. "Remember me?" He asked.

Diana nodded slowly and tilted her head at Hotch "Dad?" She whispered. Hotch could feel Spencer tremble harder beside him and he wished he could just scoop up the child and take him away.

"No, I'm Aaron Hotchner, I'm your son's boss," Aaron corrected calmly. Diana glared up at him and shook her head.

"Don't leave, Dad!" Diana cried, reaching out for Aaron.

"I'm not your father," Aaron insisted but Diana didn't seem to understand him.

"Father, are you taking me home," she asked desperately. "I don't like it here."

Spencer took a deep breath and stepped out from behind Aaron's leg and looked up at his mom. She stared at him before her look turned sour.

"Who's that, Dad!" She yelled as she glowered at her son.

"This is Spencer. You know Spencer-"

"Get him away!" Diana snapped, her body twitching erratically. "He works for the government. Sent to kill me!" She screeched, trying to push herself away from the scared little two-year-old.

"Mommy!" Spencer wailed. He took a step forward with fat tears in his eyes which totally obscured his vision. "I'm youw son, p'eas mom!" He begged.

"Dad! I don't like it! I want him to go!" Diana cried as she lunged an arm out at Spencer. Spencer gaped up at his mother as a sob trickled through his tightly shut lips.

"I love you, mom," he whispered as the woman's face contorted and she attempted to scratch Spencer with her weak arm. Spencer turned to Aaron, his tears plummeting fast to the floor. The father in Hotch didn't hesitate, he bent down and scooped Spencer up, holding him to his chest while he sobbed again.

"You better get some rest, Diana," Hotch said, a little more shakily than before as he carded his fingers through Spencer's hair.

Diana stopped snarling like a rabid animal and sat back normally once more. She looked inquisitively at Aaron. "Nurse?"

"No, I'm Aaron Hotc-"

"I think she was referring to me," came a voice from behind and sure enough Diana's scarily blank eyes were focused on someone behind. Aaron spun around and almost fell backward; he held Spencer tighter to him, keeping the boy's face on his shoulder.

William Reid has a tight lipped smile and a tray of food sat in his palms.

"Is that breakfast, Doctor?" Diana asked politely as William stepped forward and laid out the tray. Aaron checked his watch, it was 2.30.

"Yes, it is, Diana, just what you asked for," William said soothingly. He handed Diana a plastic fork and opened one of the containers before he turned back to Aaron.

"Agent Hotcher," he said cautiously, his hands connecting nervously behind his back. "Are you with Spencer?"

Hotch shifted Spencer in his arms and bit the inside of his lip hard. Spencer had wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and was thinking fast. He slowly looked around at William until their eyes met.

"Your son?" William asked absently. Spencer gazed at his father and William shifted uncomfortably under the toddlers stare. He glanced back at the child when something clicked. He left Diana to eat her food while he stepped closer, his eyes engaged on the little boy, on his height, on his features, on the way his unruly hair stuck out randomly in whisky curls.

"It..." William gasped, reaching out a hand to touch the boy. Spencer flinched and clung to Hotch. William withdrew his hand but continued to gape. "Spencer?" He whispered.

Oooo, damn! That cliffhanger! Yes! I'm finally getting my mojo back! I'm working on stories all day today, and I've gotten a couple chapters complete so far. I just need to proof read all of them.

I've mentioned it before but my grandfather suffered from dementia so I have an understanding of how some people act with the disease and at my nan's funeral my grandad had called her mum over and over despite the fact they were husband and wife. Near the end of his life he didn't really speak much, and anything he did say didn't make much sense. In this story, Diana is near that final stage. I know at times it may not seem it, but I'm really trying to make her character and her dementia as realistic as possible.

Thank you all for your constant support. Please review!

See ya in the next chapter.