Derek closed the door as the stranger scampered down the steps. Fran reached her son just as he pulled an official looking paper from an envelope.

"What is it, Derek?"

"Charles and Lydia are suing me for custody of Hank."

"No! They can't take your son from you! Why would they do such a thing?"

"They've never approved of me; you know that Ma."

Derek, still looking at the paper walked toward the couch and plopped down as if the wind had been knocked from his body. Fran took the space next to him placing her hand softly on his shoulder.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know but I'll be damned if I let them take my son from me!"

The Estate of Charles and Lydia Hayes – Boston, MA – Afternoon –

"Do you think he knows yet?"

Charles checked his watch before answering.

"It's almost twelve-thirty so yes, I'm sure he's been served. Art said he'd have him served before lunch."

Lydia began pacing the floor of the large kitchen.

"What if we lose, what if we don't get custody of Hank?"

"Stop worrying, honey. We have the best attorney in the country! If anyone can get our grandson away from that low class idiot, it's Art."

"You heard him! Derek's a veteran, a federal agent; everyone sees him as a hero!"

"Relax, honey," then pulling his wife into his arms, "have I ever let you down?"

Lydia shook her head, no.

"Well, I'm not about to start now. Consider little Hank your Christmas present!"

Temporary Home of Derek Morgan –

The apartment complex that Derek had found for himself, and Hank was nothing to brag about. One thing it did have was a state-of-the-art gym. Derek sent his fist into the large bag that hung from the ceiling. Sweat dripped from his body, nearly out of breath, he sent his fist into the bag again. He couldn't believe that Savannah's parents would try to steal his son but that was exactly what they were doing.

Fran was worried about her son and even more worried about her grandson. Derek's marriage to Savannah had been rocky from day one and her parents were not shy in expressing their displeasure in her choice of husband. Still, attempting to take Derek's son was cruel; Fran was beyond angry.

It was an hour before Derek returned, dripping with sweat and exhausted. He could hear his son and Fran in the kitchen; it was lunchtime and he smelled spaghetti and apple sauce. Hank loved spaghetti and apple sauce.

"Hey you two."

"Hello daddy!" Fran answered.

Hank smiled a toothy grin and began fidgeting and reaching for his father. Derek leaned down and kissed his son on the forehead which only made the boy fight harder to get to his dad.

"Go take your shower, I'll have him cleaned up when you come back."

"Thanks Ma."

Derek kissed his son again and rushed from the room. Fran continued to fuss over Hank, but she was totally aware of her son's mood, and she worried that he wouldn't be able to handle losing his son if his former in-laws were successful in gaining custody of Hank. After she heard him turn on the water, she quickly called the team and filled them in. They had to act fast if they were going to help Derek.

Hotch, Dave, JJ, Reid, and Penelope were sitting in his living room when he came downstairs, the handiwork of his mother no doubt. He saw the concern in their eyes; he was concerned too. He knew that Charles and Lydia Hayes were rich and powerful, and their influence was long and wide. Still, he wasn't going to lose his son without a fight.

"I see Ma has filled you all in," Derek began taking a seat at the kitchen island nearby.

"Yes, and we have to act fast."

Hotch held up the legal document that had been delivered to Derek earlier.

"The Hayes' lawyer has been granted a hearing on Thursday," Hotch continued.

"Thursday! I don't even have a lawyer!"

"You do now. I'll handle your case and I have a friend who specializes in Family law who owes me a favor, between the two of us, we'll do everything possible to keep Hank with you," Hotch assured him.

"Thanks Hotch. Charles Hayes has a lot of powerful friends and a lot of them don't play by the rules."

"Let us, all of us worry about that."

Hank began fussing in his playpen next to Fran. Derek jumped to his feet and pulled the toddler into his arms. The others looked on; they all knew that Derek would not survive losing Hank. Fran stood and reached for Hank.

"Let me put him down for his nap."

"No, I'll do it...I need a moment with my son."

Derek pulled Hank tightly against him. Just as he stepped out of the room, he turned back to face the others.

"I'll do whatever it takes to keep my son and if the Hayes want to play dirty, then I will too."

Penelope began to follow him, but Fran stopped her by placing her hand on Penelope's arm.

"Let him go, he needs some space. He'll be okay, he'll be okay."

Once they were sure he was out of earshot, the group turned their focus toward Hotch.

"What's our game plan?" Dave asked.

"We find out why the Hayes' attorney would take a case like this."

"Derek is a great father," JJ added.

"And we all heard what he said, he's not going to let Hank's grandparents take him away," Reid reminded them.

"The last thing we need is for Derek to do something out of desperation," said Dave.

"Why would anyone do this? I know they don't like Derek, but this is too much!" Fran chimed in.

"They blame Derek for Savannah's death," Dave answered.

"But Derek had nothing to do with her murder!" Penelope added.

"We all know that" Hotch began, "they're grieving and they're angry; they need someone to blame."

Derek held his son in his arms. He'd fallen asleep even before Derek had reached the nursery, but he couldn't bare putting him down; the warmth of his small body against his chest brought him comfort somehow. An hour later, Fran found Derek and Hank fast asleep on the small daybed in the nursery. Carefully, she pulled the toddler from his father's arms and placed him in the crib. She didn't have the heart to wake Derek, so she covered him with a large comforter and turned out the lights.

Office of Stokely Ferguson, Private Investigator – Boston, MA – Evening –

Stokely collected the tools of his trade and packed his bag; a camera, binoculars, tracking and listening devices among other things. He had received a call from one of his best customers, Artemis Maker, Attorney at Law. The man was extremely successful and Stokely liked to think that he and his skills played a big part in that success. The attorney had allowed him a wide berth in the way he conducted business, perhaps ignorance was bliss, one thing for sure it paid well, and the good attorney didn't mind Stokely leaving out the nasty details after he closed a case.

Now he was headed to Quantico, Virginia on a custody case. He hated custody cases; no one won and no one's hands would come out clean. He'd learned to not concern himself with feeling one way or another. All that mattered was making his clients happy when he handed them the evidence that would deliver a win for their client.

Stokely took one more look around his office, taking a mental inventory before leaving. Then checking his watch, he locked the door and headed toward the airport.