Thanks everyone for the nice reviews and story alerts. It was great to see that you liked the beginning. I hope the following chapters will not disappoint.

xxx

When Hotch arrived at the police station he was lucky to spot Captain Williams right away. After a short conversation the Captain went to get Reid but came back only five minutes later with a slightly amused expression, "Your boy doesn't want to go. Said I am supposed to tell you to 'go away'."

"What?" Hotch asked raising an eye brow, "This is ridiculous. Can I talk to him?"

"Sure. Just follow me …," the Captain good naturedly agreed.

When they came to the holding cells Hotch was glad that Reid was in one of his own. He didn't want the kid to get harassed by some of the rough looking men in the nearby cells. Seeing the dissheveled younger man sitting hunched over on the bench the unit chief figured he'd try to be gentle, "Hey Spencer."

Reid didn't even attempt to look up at his boss. He just stared despondently at the floor and mumbled, "I don't want to go."

"Reid, what is going on? Why do you not want to go?" Hotch tried to reason.

Tears welled up in the kid's eyes and he angrily wiped them away, "I don't want to go with you."

"I know …" Hotch responded trying to ignore his own hurt feelings, "… but this is the best I can do right now."

Without another word Reid turned further to the side. For a moment Hotch was at a loss what to say. Then Reid started to cough – a deep rasping cough that immediately awakened Hotch's fatherly instincts. He stepped closer and squatted next to the young man. Reid jerked away when Hotch put one hand on his forehead to feel his temperature. But the older agent held on to his upper arm and pulled both of them to a standing position.

"Reid, we need to go get you out of here." Hotch said urgently.

The young man started struggling, "Noooo …" he whined, "… I want Morgan."

"I am sorry but Morgan isn't here. Now stop making a scene." Hotch's voice turned stern. Apparently the gentle approach wasn't working so he might very well move this along.

Reid did not stop struggling so Hotch got close to his ear and whispered sternly, "Reid, if you don't stop it right this instant I will sit down on that bench, take you over my knee and give you a spanking right here. I don't think this is something you want."

Frantically shaking his head Reid stopped pulling away and allowed Hotch to escort him out of the cell.

They went back to Captain William's office.

"I was led to understand that Dr. Reid is not being charged with anything?" Hotch wanted to make sure that there'd be no formal consequences for the kid.

"No he is not. He was acting odd in an area with high drug traffic but there is no proof that he did anything illegal. He could have been out of here last night if he'd bothered to tell us his name and called someone to pick him up." The Captain confirmed.

Hotch glared at Reid to make sure he understood that he needlessly spend a day in jail. But the kid did not seem the slightest bit surprised by the information.

Turning back to Captain Williams Hotch thanked the man and made his way to towards the door with Reid in tow.

"Agent Hotchner!" the Captain stopped him and added kindly as Hotch turned his head, "Good luck with your boy there. I hope whatever it is it works out. I remember how much help he was last year when we worked that strangler case."

Hotch nodded and proceeded to guide Reid towards his car. Outside the kid started struggling again, "You can let go of me now."

The older agent did not respond only to hear Reid in a near whine, "Really Hotch. I can go home on my own. You don't have to go through any more trouble."

Hotch stopped walking with Reid's upper arm still firmly in his grasp and turned the kid so that they faced each other. With an incredulous expression he looked Reid up and down to see if he seriously thought he'd be going to his own apartment. Realizing his bosses intend Reid tried to defend himself, "You heard him. I wasn't charged with anything. I should be allowed to go home."

Apparently he'd have to spell it out for the wayward young man, "Reid, you left the office yesterday even though I clearly told you that you had some consequences to face for your behavior in Boston. You went to a known drug area for who knows what reason, get arrested and don't bother to call anyone. In fact you did everything you could to actually stay in custody. On top of it you look like you haven't properly eaten or slept in weeks. You aren't going anywhere but home with me. And all of this will be much less painful for both of us if you just tell me what is going on because right now I don't even begin to have a clue."

Reid was temporarily stunned into silence and just looked at the ground. Sighing Hotch pulled him the last few feet to his car and put him inside. Feeling the need to deter Reid from doing something stupid he buckled the young man in and growled, "Don't even think about getting out of this car until I tell you to."

Apparently Reid got the message and just sat there with his arms crossed glaring out of the window. After letting him sulk for about 10 minutes the older agent decided to start a new approach to get some answers out of him.

Gently he said, "Look Spencer, I know the last few weeks have been hard on you. I … we all … are worried about you…"

"Nobody asked you to worry." Reid interrupted him in a tone he wouldn't have dared to use when Gideon was still around.

"Well that doesn't really change the fact that I do worry," Hotch said patiently, "and it also doesn't change the fact that I'd like to help you. But I need you to talk to me. Tell me what is going on."

"I don't want your help and I don't need it." Reid spat.

Hotch sighed. This was going to be hard. To try and keep the young man calm for the time being he just said neutrally, "I am not so sure about that. But we don't have to figure it out right now. Right now I am taking you home and you can get some sleep."

But the young agent wasn't done fighting yet, "I don't want to go with you. I want to go to my apartment. You have no right … ."

"Spencer, stop it," Hotch interrupted him sternly, "There will be no discussion about this. Things need to change and that starts now. You can make this easy on yourself or you can make this hard but either way we are getting to the bottom of this."

Reid just mumbled, "Whatever" and turned his gaze back out of the window again.

The unit chief sighed and left him to his thoughts on the way back to his apartment. During the drive some of Reid's anger seemed to drain away and by the time Hotch parked the car he noticed his charge looking utterly spent and depressed. He wasn't sure if he preferred this over an angry Reid.

Before turning the engine of Hotch turned to the young man and said, "Listen Spencer, I know you are hurting and I really want to help you. Please allow me to. But for tonight I promise you that you will not have to do anything besides take a shower, eat and sleep. Everything else can wait till tomorrow, ok?"

Either the use of his first name or the gentle tone brought tears to Reid's eyes again. In a similar reaction to earlier that only seemed to make the young man angry. He wiped the tears away quickly and got out of the car without another word.

Hotch frowned but followed him. Up in the apartment he said, "Why don't you put your stuff in the guest room and take a shower while I figure out some dinner? I just grabbed your go bag from the office. If there isn't anything comfortable to wear in it you can just borrow something."

But Reid wasn't going to comply that easily. Keeping his emotions under control for the moment he tried to sound reasonable, "Hotch, this really isn't necessary. I can just go home."

The unit chief briefly closed his eyes and silently prayed for patience before answering in an equally reasonable voice, "Not a chance Reid. I am not leaving you alone."

"Can't I go to Morgan's then?" now Reid's voice turned more into a whine, "Don't you have enough on your plate without me here?"

Now Hotch actually had to fight a smirk, "Nice try Reid. But no, you can't go to Morgan's. For one he is in Chicago with his family and even if he was here I think you and I need to work out some things. Is it really that horrible to be here? You have slept here before."

Realizing that he was beat but not ready to admit it, Reid just spat, "Yes, it is that horrible. And I am not hungry." before stomping off towards the guest room like an angry teenager.

Hotch just looked after him shaking his head. This was going to be difficult. But when he heard the shower going just a few minutes later he decided to work on some dinner anyway hoping that the young man would calm down by the time he got out of the shower. Parallel he send Morgan a message that things weren't exactly good but under control for the time being and that he would call in the morning.

Twenty minutes later pasta was ready and Hotch went to check on Reid who he found sitting on his bed obviously still sulking.

"Come on. Let's get some food in you so you can go to bed." Hotch coaxed him in a tone that would have fitted Jack more than a young brilliant federal agent.

"I am not hungry and I am not sleeping either." was the response in a tone that certainly reminded him of a child – and a cranky one at that.

"Reid!" Hotch warned.

"No!" was the defiant answer.

Not in the mood to drag this out any longer Hotch closed the distance to Reid in about two steps and pulled him to a standing position before turning him sideways and landing a few solid smacks on his backside. Sternly he said, "I have had enough of this. Stop arguing. You will eat and you will sleep. Your only option is to do as you are told or do as you are told with a smarting backside. Am I making myself clear?"

Reid glared at him angrily for a moment before grudgingly giving in, "Fine, I'll eat."

"Good. Now loose the attitude." Hotch scolded before guiding Reid by his upper arm to the kitchen.

As if on cue Reid's stomach started to growl loudly when the older agent placed a plate of pasta in front of him. "Not hungry, huh?" the unit chief tried to lighten the mood.

Apparently seeing a little humor in the situation Reid just shrugged and grimaced before starting to eat. For a while the two men ate in silence and Hotch noticed that the kid's mood seemed to be improving a little. He still looked tired and sad but not angry or desolate as he had in the car.

The unit chief figured this might be a good moment to ask him something that had been bothering him all evening, "Listen Reid, I know I said you would not have to talk today but there is something I need to know and I want you to tell me the truth. This is important, ok?" Reid looked up at him with a guarded expression and nodded slightly so Hotch took a deep breath and continued, "Did you bail on Friday and then not call me from jail because you were afraid of being punished? Did I … did I hurt you last time?"

He wasn't sure what he expected but certainly not the reaction he got. Reid immediately jumped up from his seat pushing his food away yelling furiously at his boss, "I might not be you or Morgan but I am not so much of a wimp that I am afraid of a stupid spanking."

Without another word Reid stormed out of the kitchen. Completely taken of guard by the outburst Hotch took a couple deep breaths before getting up slowly to put their dishes away – his own appetite completely spoiled. He felt terrible. This wasn't the Reid he knew. Hotch allowed himself to acknowledge what he had tried to ignore all evening – the kid was going through withdrawals. He must be using again. The unit chief was tempted to slap himself. How could he not have seen it before now? All the anger and pain – this was exactly the Reid he'd encountered right after the kidnapping had gotten him addicted.

To his dismay Hotch realized that he was thoroughly out of his element. Back then Gideon had been Reid's main support and had gotten him through it with his own unique mix of patience, love and discipline. Hotch wasn't confident that he was capable of doing the same for Reid but he knew that he'd do everything he could for the young man that had always had a bigger place in his heart than he ever let on. And luckily Morgan would be there every step of the way to support his 'baby brother'.

After a couple more minutes Hotch took a deep breath. Nothing was going to be solved before the kid got some sleep. For tonight all he could do was to keep him save. So he took a bottle of water and went to Reid's room hoping he'd calmed down a little by now. He found the young man lying in bed facing the wall. Placing the water on the bedside table, Hotch sat down and gently asked, "Spencer, please look at me."

But Reid just kept staring at the wall pretending Hotch wasn't there.

"Alright, at least listen then. I asked because it's important that you understand that when you are being disciplined it is because we care about you and I need to know if … well if you feel more than just punished. I didn't mean to imply that you were scared or anything of that sort."

The kid still did not show any reaction and Hotch got the distinct feeling that he held his breath to avoid crying. Not wanting to further overload the obviously exhausted young man Hotch just rubbed his back a few times to give him some comfort before saying, "Okay Reid, I guess we'll talk about it tomorrow. Just get some sleep now."

The older agent got up and turned the light off before leaving. Shortly afterwards he went to bed thoroughly exhausted himself - not knowing yet that he'd be woken up again rather abruply just thirty minutes later ...