A/N- Flashbacks don't lie *takes off sun glasses* People do.

Hotch waited for Alex Newman to get to the station, going through the previous conversation in his head. He hoped to god he hadn't gotten spencer in trouble trying to give him that clue. He was furious. He wanted to be angry with Valencia, angry with her for threatning the life of one of his men... But the truth was, she was just a kid. Hotch couldn't say for certain that given her life he wouldn't have broken down too. It was all Newman's fault. Not only had he hurt her in an inconceivable way but he had convinced her that it was someone elses fault. That single idea had put her in an institution and now Reid's life was at risk because of it.

He was going over case files Garcia had sent him when Frank's deputies had arrived with Newman.

He walked through the door causing a fuss. At first he was shouting about his rights, saying he didn't do anything, but now walking into the cafe and eyeing the guns and heavy law enforcement, he shut up. Then he spotted Agent Hotchner.

He laughed a pathetic laugh. "Agent Hotchner!" He yelled, as one might yell as they saw an old friend. "I should have known this was you. What's the deal here, come to ruin my life a second time round?"

"Nobody ruined your life but you Newman. Take him to the interrogation room." He said to the deputies, pointing to a staff room which they had set up earlier.

Once in there, Alex started to lose his cool. Even though his life seemed to suck, it could be worse. He could go back to jail.

"Valencia Porter." Said Hotch who was sitting on the other side of the table. It wasn't the first time he heard that name this week.

"What about her?" Alex said trying to seem nonchalant.

"What about her? You went to jail for molesting her. The name doesn't ring a bell?"

Now Newman looked annoyed.

"I didn't..." He began to yell, but then he stopped, speaking calmly. "You know what? It doesn't matter, because I've been singing the same tune for almost nine years and nobody. ever. listens."

"I'm listening, Alex. I'm listening to how you can explain the photographs. I'm listening to why you spent so much money on your business partner's prepubescent child. I'm listening to why..."

"Look." He said matter of factly. "The toys, the books, the trips to the zoo and to the park... I felt sorry for her alright? You know my history. Drunk father, dead mother. I related to her. Dean Porter wasn't a drunk but he wasn't exactly a great father either. He was dissmisive. She was lonely, smart and she had no friends, she never talked to anyone but me..."

"And the photographs Alex? Was that just your way of 'getting close'?" Hotch spat with disgust.

"I've been in jail for five years. I know this is the oldest one in the book...but I was framed..."

Hotch laughed.

"There's no other explanation!" Alex shouted.

"Yeah, accept that you groomed her and raped her! Did you like it Alex? Like the way she screamed?"

"Stop it!" Yelled alex. "If I'm this big bad monster you make me out to be then why has Valencia never changed her story? Why has she always claimed I was innocent? My only supporter has been my supposed victim! How about you explain that!"

Hotch paused while Alex just looked down at his hands.

"Always? Never changed?"

Alex's heart sped up but he didn't say anything.

Softly, hotch questioned; "Have you seen her?"

Alex stayed silent.

"Have you seen her!" Hotch yelled with fury.

"Yes! yes, yes... She came by alright! Four days ago... She said she was sorry! That she would fix it! I told her to leave, but..."

"You didn't think of calling someone?" Said Hotch incrediously.

"Oh yeah." Alex said sarcastically. "Get both of us in trouble once again. Great plan, why didn't I think of it?"

"Valencia is out there right now" he pointed outside "'Fixing it' with a gun!"

"Oh god, oh god..."

"Tell me everything!" Yelled Hotch, slamming his fist on the table. It made Alex jump.

"Okay, It was like this..."

Four days ago

Valencia looked at the map she had downloaded off the library computer. She remembered Alex's old house. It was big and beautiful. This was, in a word, awful. Rubbish lined the streets. Groups of boys young and old loitered around the front, eyeing her. She thought that perhaps they expected her to be scared. They didn't know what scared meant.

She walked past them and entered the complex. The walls were moldy and the paint chiped off the walls. She made her way up the stares, hoping they didn't break beneath her.

24, 23, 22... 21.

She looked at the writing on the door in red paint. Pervert.

She looked down with guilt.

Yep, this was the one.

Knock knock.

Alex Newman answered the door with great caution. He'd answered it once and got hot water thrown at him. He was lucky it wasn't acid. Agent Hotchner had ruined his life. People knew who he was now. It didn't matter where he went, they would always know. They always found out. He would always be a child molester to the world.

He opened the door very little, and seeing a young girl stand awkwardly in the doorway, he knew he wasn't in trouble. He opened it wide now.

He looked at the girl for a second before it hit him like a freight train.

"Valencia," he said. It was a whisper. It was the hair that gave her away.

She looked at him with her big hazel eyes that were now watering up.

He wanted to say so many things, but all he could say with a gulp was; "You shouldn't be here Valley."

"Do you hate me?" she asked, barely audible. It was clear she wasn't going to leave.

"Of course not. I know it wasn't your fault. " He said with truth but also pity for her. "Come in." he said, opening the door.

She sat down on the couch while he just stood looking at her from the door.

"I told them, I told them so many times Alex... I said it was him. They wouldn't listen to me. I'm so, so sorry." Tears streaked her cheeks now.

He moved to sit next to her. He thought about pulling her in for a comforting hug, but thought better for it.

"Did you get my letters?"

"What letters?"

She shook her head in dissaproval. She'd spent a long time writing those. Now was not the time to worry about it though.

"It doesn't matter."

He spoke now. "The last I heard you were, in a..." What was the right term?

"Nut house?" She asked, smiling slightly. He smiled too.

"Yeah, well, I was until a week ago. I kind of... escaped" she said, risking a look at him.

"Valencia..." He said with uncertainty.

"Yeah, I know, I know." She said. "I just want you to know I'm going to fix it. He's going to pay for this and the rest of us are going to get justice."

"So you still think it was..."

"Daddy dearest?" She said with spite. "I don't think. I know." Softer now, she said; "You believe me, don't you?"

"Of course I do Valley." She smiled at two things. The first was the use of her childhood nickname. People didn't call her that anymore. The second was how good it felt to hear those words. Nobody ever believed her.

"But..." He said

"But what?"

"Well, you're not going to..."

"Kill him?" She finished off his thoughts. Alex frowned.

"No. That would be to easy."

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Now it was Alex's turn to cry. A single tear fell down his face. He couldn't move, he didn't want to do anything that might be misconstrued as something else. Valencia stood but Alex just stared into space.

"I'm sorry it turned out this was for you Alex. But this... It's all going to get better for us. I promise."

And with that, she left.

On her way out of the building, a man approched her. "Hey sweetheart." He said with a creepy smile. "Looking to do any business today? I got some H, White Lady, Beat, Tina, Eckie, Special K... You name it, I got it."

Valencia didn't know what half those things meant but she fingered the money she had stolen earlier in her pocket. She hated stealing, but surely the person she stole it from would understand if they knew why she needed it. A thought came to her.

"How about a gun?"

Now

"And why should I believe that?" Asked Hotch.

"It doesn't matter..."

"And I suppose you're going to tell me why Alex?"

"How many hours of interrogation do you think the two of us have had together Agent Hotchner?"

Hotch didn't answer.

"All I've ever told you with the truth. And all you've ever done it not believe me. You think I'm going to start caring now? Go to hell Agent."

Agent Hotchner got up and left, passing the deputy who was manning the door. He didn't like this. It couldn't be true... Could it? No. He didn't put an innocent man in prison. Did he? No. Newman must have planned the whole thing. Probably gave her a gun too, where else could she have gotten it?

Off any street corner, Aaron.

Hotch put his hands to his head. This was going to be a long day.

He walked over to Emily who was going over old case files.

"Emily, I'm going to see Dean Porter."

She looked up at him inquisitively. "What, now? You can't send a deputy? Me?"

"I have to do it myself, besides, i need someone here I can trust. I'll have my phone on me. Call me if anything- I mean anything changes."

"Of course Hotch, but shouldn't you take someone with you?"

"Already on it. Have Garcia text me the number for Detective Maggie Odette."