Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing. I do not own anything you recognize.

AN- , thank you for your reviews. (your private messaging is turned off so I couldn't send you a personal thank you.)

Previously on Criminal Minds- An incessant ringing noise woke Derek. Glancing at the numbers on the clock on the nightstand, he groaned. Phone calls at three o'clock in the morning were never good. Snatching his cell off the wooden stand, he swiftly flipped it open. "Mor*yawn*gan" he answered.

"We've got a case."

CM

Morgan stepped onto the plane behind Rossi. Stowing his umbrella in a compartment by the door, he pushed his hood back off his head and turned to find all eyes on him.

"Where's…"

Putting a finger to his lips, Derek slowly pulled one side of his coat back, revealing a peacefully sleeping Reid, his thumb firmly stuck in his mouth. Frowning as a chorus of "aww"s from the girls elicited a whimper from the youngster in his arms, he glanced down at the boy. Spencer 's eyes scrunched and he wiggled restlessly before turning his head away from the noise. The littlest agent hugged his Ewok tighter and snuggled further into Morgan's chest, stilling once more. Satisfied that his charge hadn't been awakened by the disturbance, Derek breathed a sigh of relief. Leveling a glare at the ladies, he let Rossi help take his jacket the rest of the way off and then crossed the cabin and took a seat beside Hotch. The profiler gently settled the sleeping toddler in his lap and grabbing the seat belt, fastened it around both of them.

The rest of the team followed suit, taking their usual places and readying for take-off. In deference to their slumbering colleague, the group stayed silent as the jet taxied down the runway and soared into the early morning sky.

Once the jet leveled out and it was safe to move about the cabin, Morgan got up and shuffled to the long couch. He carefully laid his friend down and slid off the boy's shoes and hoodie. Taking the blue blanket JJ was holding out to him, Derek gently covered Spencer with it. After tucking the little boy in, the muscular man crept back to his seat. "What have we got?" He asked Hotch.

Sighing, the BAU leader passed out the folders detailing their latest case. He gave his agents a moment to look over the information before speaking. "In the past two and a half weeks, three children have gone missing from the Las Vegas area. The police…"

"Three kids are missing and they're just now calling us in?" Morgan growled. "Why weren't we called in earlier?"

"They didn't know the cases were connected. The first two abductions occurred in different small towns, one on either side of Vegas. There had been a vicious custody battle a few months prior in both cases leading the police to conclude that the children had been abducted by the noncustodial parent, neither of whom could be located. It wasn't until the bodies of the fathers and sons were found in their town cemeteries that the various police stations started communicating and realized that the two disappearances and murders were actually the work of the same person." Hotch explained. "When the latest victim, Stanley Pierce, was taken from his home in Vegas under the exact same circumstances as the others, the three departments decided it was time to call for reinforcements."

"Hotch, what were you thinking bringing Spencer on this case? The victims are all around his age! He'll be a walking target out there!" Emily angrily voiced.

"Reid will be safe. He'll stay at the police station or the hotel and he won't go anywhere without one of us." Aaron assured.

"That may not be enough. All the victims were taken from single parent homes with the mother being that parent. The unsub could see Spencer with one of the ladies and target him." Dave pointed out.

All eyes shifted to the innocent toddler sleeping on the couch.

"Dave's right, Hotch. It's too dangerous for Spence." JJ agreed.

"I understand your concerns however we need his insight on this case. We have an extremely small window to identify and capture this unsub before he kills his latest victim. It's going to take all of us to accomplish that." The BAU leader informed the team. "We'll just have to take steps to ensure Spencer stays safe while we're working."

"That's not gonna be easy." Derek muttered.

"I know." Aaron quietly confessed, running a weary hand across his face.

"Guys, come on! We can do this!" Garcia cheerleaded.

"Garcia's right. Between the six of us we can keep an eye on Spence. It's not like we don't do that anyway. He's always been a trouble magnet. At least this time we'll have the advantage. He can't go off half-cocked with us watching him like a hawk." JJ added.

"Like it or not, Reid is coming on the case. Deal with it." Rossi grumbled, surprising the rest of the team. "Sorry"

"Look, we're all tired and irritable right now. How about we get some sleep? Go at this later when we have a clearer head." Hotch suggested.

"That's the best advice I've heard all night, I mean morning." Emily said. She got up and shuffled over to the short couch in the front of the plane. "Night"

"Night Em, guys" JJ quietly called as she made her way to her usual resting place. Dropping into the seat, she settled her legs onto the chair beside her, closed her eyes, and drifted off.

Yawning, Morgan stood and stepped over to Garcia. He took the tech analyst's hand and helped her up. "Baby Girl, you take the other couch." He instructed. "I'm gonna bunk with the kid."

"Don't you wake my sweet baby up" Penelope warned, shaking a finger in the tired man's face.

"I won't Mama" Derek replied, crossing his heart.

"Morgan, you can have my spot. There's no reason to bother Reid." Rossi offered.

"Thanks but I'll pass. Spencer doesn't sleep well when he's alone." Morgan explained.

"Nightmares?" Aaron guessed, propping his feet up on the seat across from him.

Nodding, Derek wearily trudged to the couch where the little boy was sleeping. He tossed the blanket to the end of the couch and gently picked up the toddler. The profiler slowly lowered himself to the couch and stretched out. Reaching down, he grabbed the edge of the blue blanket. After carefully wrapping it around Spencer, Morgan leaned back against the arm of the couch and closed his eyes. He was asleep in minutes.

CM

"Reeeid, wake up sleepyhead" Morgan called, shaking the youngster's shoulder.

"Go 'way, leepin'" the toddler mumbled, batting at his friend's hand.

"Spencer, it's time to get up." Derek prodded.

"Ti'ed" the little boy grumbled, turning away from the profiler.

"Tough" Morgan replied, nudging the boy once more. "Come on, kiddo, up and at'em!"

"Mooowwwgan" Spencer whined, cracking one eye open to glare at the smirking agent.

"Spennncer" Derek whined right back, ruffling the boy's hair. Laughing at the disgruntled huff his actions caused, the profiler patted the toddler's back. "Come on, it's not that…oh no you don't! Open those eyes back up, youngster!" Sighing when the boy's eyes stayed firmly closed, the handsome agent thought for a moment before smirking mischievously. "Alright man, you asked for it. If you're not up by the time I count to three, I'm sending the ladies in here to get you."

"I'm up! I'm up!" Reid squealed, sitting straight up so fast he almost toppled off the couch.

"I thought that would get you. Now, come on let's…"

"What awe we doing in the jet?" Reid broke in, knuckling the sleep out of his eyes.

"We've got a case. Hotch called us in about three o'clock this morning." Morgan relayed, helping the toddler change into underoo's and a pair of khaki pants.

"Whewe awmmmmh wu" Spencer's muffed voice floated from the pajama shirt covering his head. Shaking his head free of the heavy clothing, the toddler tried again. "Whewe awe we?" He asked as he struggled to button his dress shirt.

"We're in Vegas." Morgan informed the tiny agent. "Welcome home, kid."

AN- Longer chapter coming this weekend!