A big Thank-you to all my kind reviewers, as well as followers. Thanks for reading. Enjoy!

Warnings for mild violence. Kleenex alert. Disclaimer: Don't own Criminal Minds, no profit made.

Chapter 6

"Well, we DO need to know how he knew Spencer was here…." Morgan said to the air. Emily grinned and stepped up to Reid, planting one heeled shoe firmly in William's crotch. "How about it Mr. Reid? In a sharing mood?" she asked as judicious pressure downward was employed.

"Augh, uhhh, you can't do that!" William grunted. "What? Ask a question? I assure you I can. Anyone see a problem with me asking the man a question?" Prentiss inquired. Those present indicated no problem, including hospital personnel. "I'd suggest you answer her 'Mr.' Reid" suggested Nurse Anne in a dangerous tone, taking a step forward.

"Alright, OK! Back off! I'll tell you! It was Thompson, the Paramedic. He called me to represent him when he was arrested. He told me which hospital the brat would go to. Now get off!"

"Noooo, not quite yet," drawled Prentiss. "Not until you tell me the names of who else is in this sick little ring. You obviously know one-another if Thompson knew to call you."

"I only know Scott and his brother Duncan besides Thompson! Let up!" exclaimed Reid. Reluctantly, Emily stepped back, then leant down and snapped handcuffs around William's wrists. She then read him his rights and gestured to the LVPD officers who rushed up "He's all yours boys. Make sure his cellmates know he sold his son to a pedophile, would you? Thanks."

Hotch was already on his cell to Garcia. "Greetings fearless leader, how may I serve?" came the cheerful voice of the Bau's resident computer genius.

"Garcia, get me everything you have on Duncan McCormick, brother of Scott McCormick, including business contacts, the car he drives, and current address. He probably knows we're onto his brother by now-we've got to get to him before he's in the wind." Hotch rapidly directed.

"Already sent to your cells-are you forgetting who you're dealing with? I had him scoped out as soon as he popped up as co-owner of Scott's company. I also kinda did this thing, and let's just say that his credit cards aren't exactly working right now due to 'technical difficulties', his name just appeared on the Federal "No Fly" list, and documentation of his last 3 car payments disappeared so it seems that his car has been repossessed. I guess Mr. Brother of a child molester is having a really bad day."

"How could I have forgotten, Penelope-well done as always. And Garcia, I'd better never catch you doing 'a thing', understand?" responded Hotch, trying and failing to stifle a small smile.

"Oh sir, no-one will ever catch me!" she chirped, "Garcia out".

"I don't know who that Garcia is, but I sure like her." Remarked Ann, as she re-entered the room with Spencer and set him back down in the hospital bed, with a worried look at the blank "not there" expression in the child's big amber eyes. "Wouldn't want to get on her bad side though".

"Me either" quipped Rossi, following behind the nurse. "I like my current credit rating."

Ann turned to the team and asked that they watch the boy closely while she got the doctor to check him over, as he seemed to be in shock after the abduction attempt and she was expecting a strong emotional reaction at any time. Nodding understanding, the BAU grouped around the child that had stolen their hearts, pulling up chairs and settling in. Hotch gently stroked his honey colored curls and softly reassured "You're safe now, he's gone and he will never hurt you again. We are all here to protect you and we'll never leave you alone again, OK? Come back to us buddy-it's safe now. I won't let anyone hurt you again, you're safe now."

"Lie…not my daddy…lie" murmured Spencer, as life once again sparked in his eyes. "What was that buddy" asked Hotch, leaning in closer to hear the boy's whisper.

"Lie!" the child cried out, as he drew his legs up to his chest. "Him not my Daddy. Lie! Lie! Lie!" as tears streamed down his flushed cheeks and he began rocking back and forth. "Not my Daddy!"

Rossi and Hotch exchanged a pained look-they understood. Prentiss noticed the exchange and turned a puzzled gaze on Hotch, who raised one finger to her and spoke to the child. "You were always sure that one day your Daddy would come and rescue you, weren't you Spencer? That one day he would find you and take you home?"

"Yes" the boy quavered, "Waited and waited, but him never come."

"And then this man comes and claims to be your daddy and wants to take you home. Why do you say he's not your Daddy?"

"Him Bill! Him hurt Spencer, him make Spencer do bad things. Him Bad!" the distraught child explained. "Daddy not suppose' to be bad. Daddy suppose' to save Spencer."

Tears filled Hotch's eyes unbidden, and he struggled to keep them unshed. "Spencer, I'm sorry but sometimes parents are bad, and it doesn't mean the child is bad, or that the child did anything wrong. Bill is your biological father, and he did bad things, but it wasn't your fault. Do you understand? Fathers help to make a child, but that doesn't make them a Daddy. Daddies love their child and take care of them. So while Bill is your father it doesn't mean he is your daddy."

"Are you my Daddy?" Spencer said shyly, looking at Hotch with hope beginning to waken in his eyes.

Hotch felt a pang in his heart at that, and the tears threatened to spill as he asked "Would you like me to be?"

"Yes" he whispered, hopefully, as he looked down and hugged his knees tighter. "Eh-run save Spencer, take care of Spencer. Make feel safe. Eh-run nice. Spencer like Eh-run. Eh-run like Spencer?"

"Yes Buddy, I like you. I would like to be your Daddy, but I can't promise to be Daddy forever right now. I will talk to the social workers and tell them they need to let you stay with me until we catch all of the bad guys. Then we need to find your Mommy-your Mommy has been looking for you ever since the bad man took you. Don't you want to be with your Mommy?" Hotch carefully told the boy.

"Mommy sick" Spencer said sadly, head hanging. "Mommy sometimes forget who Spencer is, and tell him go away." He dejectedly gazed at Hotch. "Is OK if Eh-run don't want Boy. Boy just a dirty whore."

The tears streamed down Hotch's distressed face as he exclaimed "No! Spencer, you are a sweet, wonderful, precious little boy-you are not dirty, you are not a whore. What happened to you was not your fault. Bad men did bad things to you, but that doesn't make YOU bad. I do want you as my son, and I swear I will do everything I can to make it forever. I just didn't want to lie to you in case you went to live with your mommy."

"Really?" Spencer asked hopefully, afraid of the answer. "Eh-run want to be Daddy?"

"Yes I do", Aaron assured. "Can I hold you?" And the ecstatic boy launched into his waiting arms.

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