A/N- This story is fun to write. I usually get fed up after about two chapters.

Dean Porter- Is he really the man Valencia thinks he is? Hmmmmm...

Hotch pulled up outside the Porter house and risked a glance at Maggie. Maggie could see him looking but pretended not too.

"Maggie..."

"Hotch, I said we didn't have to talk about it."

"I know you did. And if I had the time, I'd fight you on it. Right now, I need to save my team member. But I need you to know that I regret how I acted. You were the best agent I ever had and if things had been differently..."

She didn't say anything.

"I just thought we should clear the air before we do this."

"Well come on then," She said, putting on a smile. "Let's go save your agent."

The house was exactly how Hotch had remembered it. The lawn was green and healthy, the paint crisp and white with blue trim. It even had a white picket fense. The American dream.

Hotch and Maggie made there way to the door.

Knock knock

Dean Porter scratched his head. He wondered who was at the door. After what happened to Valencia he had gone back to work. Previously he had worked from home with that disgusting man Alex Newman. He just needed to distract himself. To forget everything that happened. After a while though, avoidance just became a new reality and he opted to sell from home again. He sold computer parts on the internet, fixed computers when he needed some spare change. He thought perhaps one of his customers had had a computer emergency but they knew that saturday was his day off. He opened the door. Maggie noted he was still quiet attractive. Of course she had never been 'attracted' to him, but objectively she could tell that he was very good looking. Though, she had always been interested in someone else.

All of a sudden everything came flooding back to Dean, like a punch in the gut.

He gulped.

"Agent Hotchner? Agent Odette?" he asked dumbfounded.

"It's Detective Odette now actually." she extended a hand and he shook it, but the look of pure shock never evaded his face.

"Is there something... Did something happen to Valencia?" He asked in a worried voice.

"That's what we're here about." Said Hotch. "May we come in?"

"Of course." Said Dean. "Come in."

The house was eerily the same. The same photographs on the wall. It was immaculate, spotless and the furniture from what Hotch remembered was excactly the same in the exact same place.

They sat down in the lounge, Dean in a recliner and Maggie and Hotch on the couch. Dean offered them coffee but they politely declined.

Dean Porter looked nervous. Anyone would be, waiting for news on their child. The agents knew which tact they would take as it was a tact they had used so many times before. Investigation as conversation. Some small talk, making the man feel comfortable all the while gathering information. Now was not the time for chit chat, but from experience, this route got people to open up faster than a night in a jail cell. As they say, you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

"This house looks just the same." Maggie stated with a smile. "I remember how Meredith used to keep it so clean. Are you too still together?"

"Oh, no. The pressure got too much for her I'm afraid. I don't blame her- I was a mess. After everything that happened with Valencia and the police..."

"Of course." Said Maggie, this time a comforting smile. "Mr Porter, When was the last time you saw her? Valencia, that is." Asked Maggie.

Dean thought.

"About three years."

Dean saw the look on his guests faces.

"I know what you're thinking, agents. It's just, she was so wrapped up in her delusions. So wrapped up." He said hollowly, staring into space. "When she was younger and I would visit her, all she would do was cry and scream. She was so scared of me. As she got older, she wasn't scared anymore. She just... Hated me. So filled with contempt."

He paused and no one said anything.

"Do either of it knows what that feels like? For your own child to hate you? And not in a typical teenage way either... In the kind of way that no one should hate anyone. The kind of hate that causes war, death, destruction..."

A tear rolled down the mans face now. He caught it quickly with the back of his hand.

"To have your daughter think you've done these horrible, disgusting things and to know that they've happened to her. I just want to help her, agents. But she wont let me in. And if me being there is going to cause her that kind of pain, then I'm not going to be there. Even if it means enduring pain of my own."

Hotch felt bad, he didn't want to come here. He had interviewed this man so many times. He imagined what it would feel like if Jack thought he did those things. He shuddered at the thought. He knew he had to be here though. If not for the case, for the simple fact that Valencia was a minor and this was her father. Maggie listened to the mans story and felt nothing but sorrow and regret. When things had gone down, Maggie had doubted the mans story. Hotch's words echoed through her mind. Maybe he had been right. Maybe she had only suspected Dean Porter to defy Hotch.

"That's very selfless Mr Porter." Maggie stated honestly. She wondered if her remembered all those years ago when she had asked him if he had molested his daughter. It's not something one would soon forget. If Maggie had been a softer person perhaps she would have apologised.

"Yeah, well..." Dean said with a slight embarrassed smile, wiping his tears away. "I don't mean to be rash, agents, but do you mind telling me why you're here?"

"Of course." Said Hotch. "There has been progression. We've found Valencia, but-"

"Found?" Questioned a confused Dean.

Hotch and Maggie looked at each other. "Nobody told you?" Asked Hotch.

"Told me what?" Deans voice was more stern than confused now as he sat on the edge of her chair.

Hotch thought this truly bizarre. Surely it should have been the first call they made from Saint Mary's. In fact, wouldn't the local police have called Mr Porter straight after Valencia went missing? Hotch hadn't recieved any information about that. He made a mental note to check on it later.

"Valencia... Valencia went missing a little under two weeks ago." Said Hotch

The man gasped. "So that's why you're here? I mean, she's not... She's not..."

"She's alive." Interjected Maggie. "But she's in some trouble."

"What kind of trouble?"

"Mr Porter, time is of the essense. This is a conversation better had somewhere else. Are you able to come with us?"

"Of course, Just let me grab my car keys." Said Dean, getting up

Hotch gave him directions to the Rosebyne police station. It was better there than at the coffee shop- All hell would break loose if Valencia found out he was close.