Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing. Feel free to read and review, but please don't copy.

AN- I've decided to try my hand at writing titles for the chapters.

FYI- This is the last part of the Matt case. I just had to get one of the siblings in for a talk. After this chapter, its back to the team antics!

Previously on Criminal Minds- "Otay" Spencer said. He waited for Hotch to open the door and then toddled out. He couldn't wait to talk to Matt!

What Makes a Loving Family

CM

Spencer and Hotch started for the interview room Rossi was using only to stop as an officer across the room shouted Hotch's name. Changing directions, the duo went over to the front desk where an African American teen was impatiently waiting. Aaron eyed the seemingly angry youth for a moment before turning his attention to the veteran officer that had called him. "Officer Byrd?" he questioned.

"This kid wants to talk to that Matt boy." the grey haired cop replied, pointing at the youngster. "He says it's important."

Hotch stared at the muscular young man. "And you are?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Matt's big brother" the teen responded. Seeing the man's expression falter, he added, "Please, I just wanna make sure the kid's alright."

Hotch studied the boy's body language carefully and then nodded. "Come with me." He instructed, ignoring the insistent tugging on his pants' leg. The profiler lifted the latch and pushed open the small door beside the desk for the youth. Once the teen trudged through it, Aaron spun on his heel and led the way through the station to the interview room. He knocked before opening the door and stepping inside with his entourage. "Matt, there's someone here to see you." he softly said.

Matt looked up, eyes widening at the sight of his oldest brother. "Dennis? Wh-what are you doing here?" he asked.

Dennis stuffed his hands in his pockets as he shuffled from foot to foot nervously. "I umm, I came with mom. When she came out and told me what happened, I knew I had to come and talk to you. So I asked if I could stay, and after a little discussion, she agreed." he explained. Leaning closer to his brother, he whispered, "Are they treating you okay?"

Matt nodded.

Dennis sat down beside his little brother. "Why'd you do it, man?" he questioned.

"I, I ne-needed their, their he-help." Matt stammered, dropping his gaze to the floor.

"Why them? Why not ask one of us?" Dennis inquired.

"You guys were, were b-busy." The twelve year old replied. "And I need, needed a mo-adult. I'd watched them in the park with their k-kids the past couple of weeks. They were so loving with their…"

"At the park?!" the older teen shouted. "You've been sneaking out of the house and going to the park without telling anybody?! Were you trying to give mom a heart attack? She would've freaked and you know it!"

Matt snorted. "Like she'd notice" he scoffed.

Dennis frowned. "Kid, I know things at home have been a little rough lately." His grimaced at the pointed look his statement received. "Okay, really rough but it'll get better. I promise." He assured his brother. "We've all had bad times before and mom always gets us back on track. You know that."

Matt shook his head.

"Yes you do." Dennis insisted. Getting another head shake, he sighed. "This has something to do with what Adam said to you doesn't it? I know what he said hurt you and he never should have said what he did but you know how he is. When he gets really angry, he strikes out; says things to hurt you because he's upset. He didn't mean it. Honest."

"So it's otay fow his big bwofew(brother) to bully him?!" Spencer incredulously asked.

"Adam's no bully." Dennis defended.

"Yes he is." Reid argued. "Bullys awe people who huwt tids smallew fen femselves tause fey have been huwt or tause fey awe angwy at the ofew child."

"Adam isn't a bully." Dennis angrily reiterated. "He just has a lot of problems, that's all. He was abused for years before he came to mom."

"Oh, so it's otay for him to huwt his little bwofew tause he was abused." Spencer replied before rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, by youw way of finting all abused childwen should be allowed to bully or huwt ofews tause fey have been abused. So tell me, awe all the tids in youw family bullies?"

"I didn't say that!" Dennis growled, jumping out of his chair. Seeing his little brother flinch at his actions, the teen quickly calmed down. He reclaimed his seat and turned to the younger boy. "Sorry Matt" he apologized.

Matt nodded even as he scooted over in his chair. Hunching his shoulders, he withdrew into himself. He didn't like all the yelling and arguing especially when it was because of him.

The sudden change in his sibling caught Dennis' attention. He mentally kicked himself for scaring the twelve year old. He'd come to help Matt, not upset him. Wanting to get rid of the feds so he could talk to his little bro alone, Dennis decided to try a tactic that had worked for him before. Leaning back in his chair, the angry teen crossed his arms and glared at the young agent. "Look, I don't have the time or the patience to explain things to you where you'll understand so why don't we just drop it?" he ground out. "It's not like you'd understand anyway."

"I know mowe fan you fint." Spencer threw back, refusing to let the teen intimidate him. "I know how hawd fings awe fow an abused tid. I know about the feaw and the pain and the wondewing about what you did…"

"Shut up! Just shut up! How the Hell would you know anything about kids like us?!" Dennis sneered. "I bet you had the perfect childhood with the perfect family."

Spencer smiled sadly at the enraged boy. "I'm afwaid you'd lose fat bet."

"Oh really? And just what happened in your wonderful childhood to make it so awful? Daddy dearest refuse to get you a pony or something?" Dennis scoffed, giving the profiler a smug smile.

Reid scowled. "Try daddy dearest came into my room in the middle of the night for a little playtime. Then when I got too old to bofew wif, he left. At ten I was left to cawe fow my stizophwenit(schizophrenic) mofew who didn't always wetognize me as hew son." He ground out through clenched teeth. "And fen fewe was tool. I gwad'ated high tool at twelve so I know 'xattly(exactly) what Matt went fwough. I was bullied welentlessly evewy day. Fewe was no pace to hide. And when beating me up wasn't enough fow fem anymowe, fey decided to up the ante. Fey, fey…" Spencer's eyes slid to Hotch and Rossi before shifting back to the brothers. "Fey did somefing howwible to me. It, it toot me houws to fwee myself aftew fey finally left me alone. By the time I made it home it was almost midnight. Mom had been having an episode so she hadn't even noticed I was missing. Fat was one of the lowest points of my life. I, I sewiously fought about tommiting suicide fat night. The only fing fat stopped me fwom going fwough wif it was the knowledge fat my mom wouldn't have anyone to tawe fow hew if I did. Tell me what did Matt have? What did youw mom do to ensuwe he wouldn't twy again?"

Dennis gaped at the thin agent before him. He'd been so wrong about the man. The dude was like them! He'd endured just as much or even more than they had! He was, was…Hearing the man mention his brother and mother snapped Dennis out of his thoughts. "My, my" he stammered. "My, our mom was there for him. She took him to the school and let the principal have it before she pulled him outta that school and set him up in that internet homeschooling group. She started to discuss what happened with him too but then the hospital called about our sister Jessie and she had to leave. But he had me there with him and Joe was just a phone call away. And Matt had his diary."

"A tomputew teachew and a diawy!" Spencer hollered incredulously, holding back the wince when a tear trickled down Matt's face. He knew the discussion was hurting the boy but he had to make the big brother understand. Matt needed to stay in contact with at least one family member otherwise he'd always wonder what he did like he had with Gideon's disappearance. And Reid wasn't about to let that happen. So he kept pressing. "Fat was hew solution! Matt needed his family to love him and hold him and tell him evewyfing would be otay not some tomputew and a daiwy fat may or may not be read! Whewe's the human intewaction?!"

"And before you say it, we already know about Matt helping his sister with her walking after the accident. And while that's good for both of them, it doesn't count. That's Matt helping his sister. We're looking for the family helping Matt." Rossi clarified.

Dennis glared at the old profiler. "You talk like our family hung him out to dry. We didn't. We helped him deal!" he shouted. "We, we…" the teen froze as he realized that while he could recall numerous times their family had rallied around Adam and Jessie and even himself, he couldn't remember a single time they had done the same for Matt. In fact the only thing he could recall from the boy's latest trouble was the family's anger over Matt striking out at Adam. They had turned their attention to Adam then and the whole bullying/suicide problem of Matt's had been swept under the rug. The family had even refused to allow Matt into the help Adam circle because Adam was unsure around him. That didn't really track either. When Matt was frightened of him because he reminded the boy of the bullies, their mom had made sure Dennis and Matt were around each other so Matt could get over his fear. His eyes misted over as more and more memories came. Overwhelmed by the depth of the family's neglect of their youngest member, the muscular teen dropped to his knees in front of his little brother. "Matt, I'm so, so, sorry." He cried, pulling the stunned twelve year old into a tight hug. "We've been so…I didn't watch out for you; didn't help you! I knew you were hurting but I just, I…"

"It's okay." Matt whispered, latching onto the back of his big brother's jacket as tears began streaming down his face. "You, you guys had Jessie and A-Adam to worry about. They're more important."

"No they're not!" Dennis denied, shaking his head vehemently. "You are every bit as important as them! Yes, you are! You are my little brother and I, I, I love you!"

Spencer swiped a hand across his eyes as he watched the scene play out before him. After all the childhood memories the conversation had dredged up, he wanted nothing more than to run to Hotch and Rossi and be enveloped in a comforting hug like Matt. Knowing that wasn't possible right now, the youngster settled for stepping closer to his protectors and discreetly reaching up and grasping their hands.

Aaron and Dave looked down at the sudden touch. Seeing the baby of their family trying and failing to hold back tears, the two men glanced at each other. They shared a look and a nod before focusing back on the two teens who were pulling away from each other.

Dennis lovingly looked down at his little brother. "Hey Matt, I think maybe I should go with you to this new place." he suggested, pulling the youngster into another hug.

Matt shook his head even as he fisted his big brother's jacket. "You can't. M-she'll be mad if you don't go home. Adam needs you."

"Yeah, well I think you need me more." Dennis countered, rubbing his trembling brother's back. "Come on, let me go with."

"No, you, you should go home. She likes you." Matt sadly whispered.

"Mom likes you too, kiddo" Dennis assured. Getting a head shake, he frowned. "Yes, she does. I know she does."

Any reply Matt might have had was prevented by the door to the room opening and a short, rotund woman peering around it. "Gentlemen, Matt and I need to be going soon." She informed the group.

Nodding, Hotch held up a finger for her to wait. That coupled with his signature stern expression had the social worker quickly ducking out of the room.

Once she was gone, Dennis gazed back down at his grieving brother. "Come on man, let me go." He quietly begged. "You need me. Mom can handle the others."

Matt's hold tightened as he shook his head once more. "You, you can't. If you don't go back and, and h-help A-A-Adam, mo-Ms. Pr-Pringle will ha-ha-te me more than she already does." He replied, his voice breaking.

Wanting to give both boys what they needed, Rossi quickly offered up a solution. "Why don't you let Dennis ride to your new home with you?" he suggested. "He could check the place out and help you get settled before leaving with the social worker."

"Yeah, and then I can come visit cause I'll know where you live." Dennis happily said. Feeling the younger boy tense, he swiftly added, "I'll come by myself. Promise. I won't even bring Penny with me. Not unless you ask me to. So, what do you say? Can I go?" He bent down and looked at Matt, his eyes begging the boy to say yes.

Matt smiled up at his brother. "I think I'd like that." he answered.

"Time to go!" the social worker cheerfully called as she waltzed into the room.

Still holding onto his big brother's jacket, Matt started towards the door. When he got even with the profilers, he stopped. "What, ummm, what if my new foster m-mom pretends to like me and then throws me away like Ms. Pringle did?" he apprehensively asked.

"Then you call me." Dave replied, handing the teen one of his cards after scribbling his cell number on it. "I will personally see to it that you are moved to a decent home even if I have to ship you to DC to stay with me."

"You mean it?" Matt said, the awe clear in his voice.

"You better believe it." Rossi answered. He affectionately tousled the boy's hair. "Go on son. Go with your brother."

"Thank you!" Matt exclaimed. He gave all three agents a quick hug before latching back onto his big brother and following the social worker out the door.

"Do you fint he'll be otay?" Spencer asked after a moment.

"Matt's going to be just fine." Aaron assured the worried youngster.

"I'd listen to your old man if I were you. He's actually right for a change." Dave teased. "That doesn't happen very often."

Spencer giggled. The expression on Hotch's face was priceless! He just wished he had…he startled as a cell phone was slipped into his hand. Grinning, the little boy hurriedly flipped it open and snapped a picture. He had to quickly jump back to prevent Hotch from snatching the phone out of his hands. In an unusually childish display, the tiny profiler stuck his fingers in his ears and stuck his tongue out at his father figure. Seeing Hotch reach for him again, he shrieked and raced out of the room.