A/N: My muse decided to cooperate and I wrote two chapters back to back. Charmony got them edited and now you're getting chapter 7 not too long after chapter 6. (And 8 is in process) Tooker86: I'm glad you're liking my take on the show. LaRieNGuBleR: Emily was already in the show when I first started watching it so I had to go back and revisit it. I always felt like she was overly confident and that she had to be more nervous than she was letting on since Hotch and Gideon didn't seem to know she was coming. So that's how I wrote it. Stephanie: Here you go. Ahowell1993: You'll have to wait and see. Charmony: Thanks for all of your hard work even while trying to write your own stuff. Love you sister.

Y'all know I don't own 'em so let's just get on with the story ok?

Spencer froze as the film canister landed on the floor at Hotch's feet. Garcia, Prentiss and JJ, spotting the stern look on his face, quickly scattered as the unit chief approached.

"Reid, we've talked about this," Hotch said warningly.

"Yes sir," Spencer answered sheepishly as his boss dropped the canister on his desk.

"You know you're really getting some distance on these things." Hotch winked in conspiracy.

Spencer flashed a relived grin as the unit chief walked away.

"That was close," JJ remarked as the three woman regathered around the young doctor.

"Yeah, maybe we shouldn't be encouraging you," Prentiss added.

"It wouldn't be the first time I've gotten in trouble with the boss," Spencer quipped.

"Spence!" JJ laughed. "We don't want a repeat. Even if the boss is your dad."

"Shh. JJ, you're not supposed to announce it all over the place."

"Sorry," the blonde apologized. "I don't think anyone noticed what I said." She squeezed the younger agent's shoulder. "Will you ever explain how you do that?"

"Nope. A magician never reveals his secrets." A chorus of laughter followed his statement as all of the agents got back to their work.

Spencer shifted as Whitney snuggled closer to him. The redhead was dozing after three particularly grueling shifts, her head pillowed on her boyfriend's chest as they lay curled up on the couch.

"You know dumping a helicopter out of a plane like that would inevitably lead to a crash. There's no way the engines could start fast enough and get the lift they need to avoid it."

"Spence? Forget the physics of it and just enjoy the movie. It's James Bond for heaven's sake. Most of it is implausible anyway."

The young doctor laughed softly as he kissed the top of her head. "So do you think Daniel Craig can replace Pierce Brosnan as Bond?"

"Who knows? He's a good actor, but it will be weird seeing Bond as a blonde for the first time." Whitney stretched to push herself up as the credits began to roll on the screen. "What do you want for supper?"

"Tandori chicken?" Spencer suggested deadpan.

Whitney shook her head as she padded barefoot into the kitchen. "You know, for as well as the people in your family can cook, you have way too large an obsession with take out."

"What can I say? Cooking isn't exactly a skill I've even remotely mastered." Spencer frowned as his phone began to buzz. "Oh nuts. This isn't going to be good."

Whitney came back to the living room as he answered the call. "You guys caught a case?"

"Yeah, it's an emergency recall. I've got to go." He grabbed his keys, coat and wallet. "Listen, I'll let you know what's going on as soon as I can. I love you."

"Love you too." She caught him in a quick kiss before he rushed out the door. "Be careful!" she called after him.

"I will," he called back as he unlocked his car. Whitney watched as he pulled out of the parking lot before closing her front door.

"You have got to be kidding me. Morgan? Arrested for murder? He's an FBI agent for heaven's sake!" JJ's calm voice was uncharacteristically irate as the rest of the team stared at Hotch and Gideon.

"Who do they think he killed?"

"A teenager named Damian Walters. I don't know what the lead detective has to make him think Morgan is the killer, but we're going to do everything in our power to prove him innocent and find the real killer."

"Hotch, what if we can't find the real killer?" Prentiss asked, voicing the thought that everyone was thinking.

"That's not even an option," Gideon replied grimly. "One way or another, we are getting Morgan out of this."

A tense silence settled over the jet as the pilots made ready to land in Chicago. Once on the ground the team quickly made their way to the precinct where Morgan was being detained. The lead detective quickly introduced himself.

"Stan Gordinski. Thank you for coming."

"You can't honestly believe that Derek Morgan is your killer," Hotch demanded, in no mood for pleasantries.

"I have all the evidence I need. In fact, it even fits the profile that you people sent me last year." The detective smugly handed Gideon a familiar brown folder.

"I profiled Morgan?" Gideon took the folder, flipping through it in disbelief. "This doesn't fit him at all. He would have been just a couple of years older than the first victim and he doesn't have a criminal record."

Gordinski smirked. "I guess you don't know your pal Derek Morgan very well at all." He handed another piece of paper to the agent.

Gideon stared at the words in stunned disbelief before handing the report to Hotch.

"What is this?"

"A serious problem," he replied quietly. "Gordinski has always suspected Morgan and he's using our profile to support his conclusions. We've got to get to the bottom of this and quickly."

Hotch's eyes widened as he stared at the paper in his hand. "Get Garcia digging into this; we need more information and fast."

"Tell me about this." Hotch dropped the file containing Morgan's criminal record on the table.

"What about it?"

"Why didn't you tell me about it when I asked you if there was anything I needed to know?"

Morgan frowned. "Because this doesn't exist. It was expunged."

"It doesn't matter. You should have told me about this. The only way for us to clear you is to set up an accurate victimology profile."

"Don't profile me Hotch!" The anger rolled off the dark skinned agent in waves.

"Morgan…"

"No!" Morgan shut him down before he could start. "I'm entitled to some semblance of privacy."

Spencer sat in the corner of the room studying the file Gordinki had complied on Morgan over the years. He glanced up at his father handed him more papers.
"What's this?"

"Information Garcia found out about Morgan. It explains why his juvie record didn't show up."

The younger agent frowned as he studied the printout. "This isn't adding up. We're missing something here." He leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "Is Hotch still talking to Morgan?"

"He's just about the head back in. Why?"

"I want to watch the conversation."

Gideon nodded as his son headed down the hall toward the interrogation room.

"Good luck Spencer," he muttered under his breath.

Hotch took a deep breath as he slipped back into the room. He sat down in the chair as Morgan continued to pace. "Morgan, I'm trying to help you. Tell me about Carl Buford."

Morgan sighed and dropped back into his chair. "He became like a second father. He introduced me to football and he still runs the youth center. He was my mentor."

Spencer watched through the window, analyzing Morgan's body language. He knew there was something wrong, but he was having trouble putting his finger on the issue.

"What's bothering you?"

He turned to look at his dad. "I'm not sure. He's hiding something and he's defensive about his juvie record. There's something that he doesn't want us to find."

Gideon put his hand on his son's shoulder. "You'll figure it out."

"Are Prentiss and JJ back from talking to Morgan's mom?"

"Yeah, Prentiss made a stop at a youth center to talk to someone named Carl Buford. Turns out the man was here with the victim's mother." Gideon frowned as he thought. "He seemed strangely antagonistic toward Morgan too. Like he believed everything Gordinski told him without question."

"Carl Buford?" Spencer's gaze sharpened. "Where's Emily? I need to talk to her." He hurried past his dad, searching for the brunette until he found her in the squad room. "Emily? What did you find out about Carl Buford?"

"He practically raised Morgan after his father was killed. Mrs. Morgan said he used to take him on fishing trips to his cabin."

A sudden horrifying thought struck Spencer. "Dad, I want to talk to him."

"To Buford?"

"No to Morgan. I think I know what he's hiding and if I'm right then I'm the only one who can help him."

Hotch suddenly appeared. "He's definitely hiding something. But he's not willing to talk to me so I don't know how to help him."

"Reid, see if he'll talk to you." Gideon shot his son a look. "I have a feeling that your hunch is right."

Morgan looked up as the door opened, framing Spencer in the opening.

"What? Hotch thinks that because you're a kid, I'll open up to you?" he asked sarcastically

"I'm not here because of Hotch. I'm here because I want to tell you a story," Spencer said quietly.

"Get out of here kid. I know all the tricks."

"This isn't a trick and I'm not leaving." The young man sat down, keeping his eyes on his friend. "See, I want to tell you about this little boy. He was five years old when one night his world was turned upside down."

"He lost his security blanket?"

"No. He was kidnapped by a pedophile and lived through the worst kind of hell a child could go through. It lasted for almost a week before he was rescued, but that was just the beginning. Even after the rescue, he was afraid of strange men and afraid of the dark. His family was destroyed so he ended up in foster care. He had nightmares about what had happened to him and he thought he was alone. But then he found out that there were other kids that had been hurt just like he was. He found the courage to tell a judge what had happened to him and the man went to jail."

"That's a great story Reid, but what does that have to do with me?"

"You're just like that little boy in the story. Except instead of a stranger, it was a man close to you who used his position of trust to hurt you. He made you promises, and he told you that the only way he would keep his promises was if you allowed him to continue hurting you."

Morgan's body deflated. "What do you want from me Reid?"

Spencer closed his eyes, knowing he had broken through his friend's stubbornness. "I want you to help stop him. Stop Carl Buford from hurting someone else."

"I can't do that from in here."

"I know. I'm going to get Hotch." Spencer stood up and left the room. As he closed the door, he grinned at Morgan. "You'll be out of here in no time."

Morgan smiled slowly as he realized that the young doctor hadn't latched the door completely. It was the work of a moment for him to slip out into the hall and out a back door.

At the same time, Spencer returned to the team and nodded to his father. "I was right, and I know where to go to end this."

Gideon nodded "Gordinski? We need to get to the youth center."

Several days later, Spencer glanced up at the quick knock on his door. Laying aside his book, he glanced out the peephole before opening the door as he recognized his visitor. "Hey Morgan."

"Hey pretty boy." Morgan leaned against the door frame. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Spencer stepped aside to let him in. "How was the rest of your trip? Everything go alright after we left?"

"Yeah. We finally finished the headstone. Mama came up with the idea of dedicating it to all the missing children who are never identified."

"Sounds fitting. So what brings you over here at nine o'clock at night?"

The dark skinned agent shifted, suddenly seeming strangely nervous. "I never thanked you."

"For what?"

"For giving me the courage to face my past."

"I didn't do anything. You made the decision on your own. I just let you know that you weren't alone."

Something in the younger man's voice gave Morgan pause. He narrowed his eyes as a sneaking suspicion that had been growing ever since Reid walked into the interrogation room came to the forefront of his mind.

"Hey Reid? That little boy in the story. What ever happened to him?"

"He was adopted by a great family and when he grew up, he decided he wanted to make sure that other kids wouldn't be hurt the way he was."

"So he became a cop?"

Spencer smiled faintly. "No. Actually, he became an FBI profiler just like his dad."

Morgan grinned. "I knew it. You're the little boy in the story."

"Yes I am, and Gideon was the man who rescued me. I latched on to him and he took care of me. Then Diana asked him to raise me and that's when the adoption was finalized. After that case in California when I was a teenager…."

"You mean that one where the boys were being kidnapped, molested, and then returned a week later?" Morgan interrupted.

Spencer nodded as he continued. "Yes. That's when I realized that I wanted to join the FBI. Dad tried to dissuade me but I wouldn't budge."

"And now you're part of the BAU."

Spencer nodded. "Just like you." He took a deep breath. "Derek, I won't push you, but if you ever need to talk, I'll listen. I know exactly how you feel because I've been there."

"Thanks kid. I appreciate that." Morgan smiled, realizing for the first time that the wound deep inside was beginning to heal.