Potomac General Hospital –

Derek was inconsolable. He hadn't said a word since he'd been informed that he had lost custody of his son. Nothing mattered now; his worst nightmare had come true. When Hank needed him the most, he couldn't protect him. Charles and Lydia were right, he wasn't fit to be a parent. His life had come to a predictable end with the demons and voices in his head screaming, we told you so! We told you so!

Penelope was the only one Derek would allow to stay. So, she sat next to his bed while he pretended to be asleep. She knew he was awake being tormented behind closed eyes and his heart was shattered. She had no idea how to help him.

"Why?"

His voice was barely more than a whisper. Penelope wiped her face and turned her attention to him. She saw the tears and the resignation in his eyes.

"I'm right here, Derek."

"Penelope, why did they take my son? He was all I had."

"We'll get him back okay, Derek? We'll find out who's behind all of this and we'll get Hank back."

Hotch and the others had all returned to the Rossi mansion to decide their next steps. Time was of the essence because Hotch knew that once the bureau found out what had happened, they would interject themselves into the investigation, and Derek would have even more problems.

Rossi Mansion – Evening –

Fran heated up the leftovers that had never been eaten earlier and made them all plates. She had to stay busy and focused on something, anything other than her son and grandson. Sarah and Desiree were by her side, and they too needed a distraction.

Derek was the middle child the one who was determined to be the man of the house after their father was killed; the one who'd suffered in silence at the hands of Carl Buford, a pedophile when he was barely in his teens. Struggle always seemed to lurk in the background waiting for just the right time to pounce on his life.

"I know that no one wants to say this, but I have to."

"What is it, Dave?" Hotch asked.

"We need Garcia. We need her to work her magic."

"What about another tech? We all know she's not going to want to leave Derek's side," JJ reminded them. "What about Lynch?"

"Right now, we can't use bureau resources and we don't know who we can trust," Hotch responded. "Garcia can look around without anyone realizing that she's looking around.

"Okay, true but do you really think we can't trust Lynch?" JJ asked.

"I'm saying that I don't want to take any chances. We keep our investigation between us. Maker is good but he has access to places that even he shouldn't have access to, and we can't afford to let our guards down."

The Georgian Hotel – Downtown DC –

Artemis Maker Attorney-at-Law was a man that enjoyed life on his own terms. He hated losing and he hated being denied those things he desired. He'd worked hard, rising from humble beginnings to become one of the most successful trial attorneys in the country. His work had earned him a nice living and a hefty bank account. He took advantage of where he had landed in life, and he made no apologies.

Artemis had grown close to his college roommate Charles Hayes and during their younger days at Georgetown the two were joined at the hip. Medical school and law school had created distance over the years but the two remained in touch and when Charles and Lydia had their only child, he was honored with being asked to be her godfather.

Artemis, moved toward the well-stocked bar and refreshed his drink. He loved how this upscale hotel always accommodated him and his expensive taste. He took a sip from the crystal tumbler and allowed his mind to return to his memories.

He was foolish to think that she would trade in a broken marriage for a man the age of her father. She'd begun confiding in her because she'd grown tired of her parents trying to convince her to leave Derek and move back to Boston. His feelings for the young woman had morphed from fatherly to a lustful obsession; one he could not control.

Artemis agreed with Savannah's parents; she could do better than an over-worked FBI agent. She like her parents was a doctor and had been raised in upper society. Derek Morgan was beneath her and what she had grown accustomed to. He wondered what his old college buddy would think if he knew that he was in love with his daughter. Savannah was that thing that he was willing to risk everything for; his marriage of forty years and his oldest friendship. All he needed was to convince her to do the same.

For three of the four years of Savannah's marriage to Derek, Artemis had remained a part of her life. The two had found time to be together when Derek was out of town and when he'd drag himself home, beaten up and exhausted from running from his demons, Artemis was narrowly escaping out the back door.

Artemis knew that Savannah had grown tired of him pressuring her to leave her husband, but he thought the pregnancy would have changed her mind. Artemis and his wife had not been blessed with children and he'd always blamed himself; he knew his wife did too and the doctor's had confirmed as much. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever expect to father a child.

"I'm pregnant."

It was the happiest he had ever been. Nothing mattered now except being with her and raising their child together. He was going to be a father. He was a scoundrel, the lowest of the low, yet God had found it in his heart to bless him, nonetheless.

Home of Derek and Savannah Morgan – Evening – Two weeks ago...

"Thank you, Savannah."

Artemis kissed the sleeping baby on the cheek and laid him carefully in the crib.

Savannah watched the older man dote over her son. She felt the guilt welling up inside her. There was so much at risk, so much to be lost for a moment of weakness. She knew better, her moment was more like three years and now she was forced to live with the consequences of her wretchedness. Hank didn't deserve it and neither did Derek.

Artemis was smiling from ear-to-ear as he joined her in the hallway.

"Derek and the team have landed; he'll be home soon."

"Okay, okay. Savannah, why do you stay with this man? We could have everything! We can get married and raise Hank, our son together!"

"Artemis, please! I can't talk about this now! You wanted to see the baby, I let you and now you have to leave!"

Without further protest, he stood and grabbed his coat and made his way toward the door. Then before leaving, he turned to face her. There was something different in her eyes; perhaps it had always been there, but he'd refused to see it.

"You're never going to leave him are you, Savannah? "

"Artemis, please, not now!"

He felt a chill and a numbness overcome him and even now he didn't know how his hands found the strength to hit her hard enough to knock her to the floor. Even the wide-eyed look of disbelief could not stop what he did next as he drug her, crying, kicking and screaming to the bedroom.