BAU Headquarters – Morning –

The team had assembled in the large conference room. The bureau had heard about Derek's situation and now the director had made it quite clear that they were not to involve themselves into Derek's situation. In addition, they were ordered to take on a new case immediately, no excuses.

"What are we supposed to do?" JJ asked. "Does the bureau actually expect us not to help Derek?"

"That's exactly what they expect, JJ," Hotch answered. "In fact, our help has been requested in Tucson."

"What about Morgan?" Reid asked.

"Morgan has been suspended until the completion of the bureau's internal investigation."

"Seriously?" Dave was angry now. "What's next? He's already lost everything! Derek is not a drug addict, and he would never put his son in jeopardy!"

"Until the bureau clears him, we are to stay away from this case." Hotch looked around the room before continuing, "wheels up in thirty; we'll brief on the plane."

One by one each of them stood eyeing each other in disbelief. Hondo knew what they were all thinking and feeling; he was thinking and feeling the same. Just before stepping out of the room, Reid stopped him.

"What about Garcia?"

"Garcia will stay and do what Garcia does," then pausing and looking at each of them, "if you think we're going to stop finding a way to help Derek, you're crazy. Garcia is the only one who can look around without the bureau knowing." Then as a last thought, "I've called in a few favors, so what we can't do while we're away, they will be able to do."

Just as he stepped out into the hallway, JJ swore she could see a smile spread across his face. What in the world did he have up his sleeve she wondered; whatever it was, she knew that none of them would see it coming.

Potomac General Hospital –

Derek felt as if he'd been run over by a MAC truck. His head was still fuzzy and his memory of what had landed him in the hospital had not returned. One thing he did remember was that he had lost custody of his son to his former in-laws and that was something he couldn't accept.

The team had been sent off to Arizona, but Hotch had promised that they would not abandon him or Hank. Derek had to find out what had happened and who was responsible. He knew how Charles and Lydia felt about him, but he wasn't ready to believe they would stoop so low as to make such a move against him. Something or someone else was at work here and no matter what the police, or the bureau or the hospital's tests results revealed, he was going to clear his name and get his son back.

Morgan's attention was drawn to the door as it opened and the doctor who had admitted him stepped in and approached his bed. He tried to read her body language and her facial expression; neither revealed anything.

"Good morning, Mr. Morgan."

"Doctor."

"How are you feeling?"

She was stalling and he knew it.

"When can I go home? I need to see my son."

"I'm sure you know that your son is with his grandparents."

"The wrong grandparents. I need to see my son!"

"Please, Mr. Morgan. When you were admitted yesterday, we nearly lost you. The amount of heroin and other things in your system..."

"...I'm not a drug addict! I didn't take any drugs! Someone did this! I need to make sure my son is safe!"

"Calm down, calm down! I believe you."

"What?"

"I believe you."

"Then I can get my son back, I can go home!"

"No, you can't."

Dr. Fryer, and Derek's eyes shifted to the suited men who'd come into the room.

"Who are you?"

Derek's eyes fell to the badges that were being held in the air as the men drew closer.

"I'm Det. Horace Baines and this is my partner Det. Corey Parker. We'll be handling your case."

"You heard the doctor, I'm innocent, I'm not a drug addict who took his son to score drugs! Somebody did this!"

"Our forensics team along with the hospital's lab have been able to piece together what we think happened. Oh, and your nosey neighbor gave us a huge piece of the puzzle."

"Mrs. James, yeah she always seems to appear out of nowhere, but what does she have to do with all of this?"

"I sent an officer to your apartment, and she was eager to share what she'd seen yesterday afternoon."

"Good because I still don't remember anything."

"Your memory is going to be a little fuzzy for a while, but you will eventually remember everything," assured Dr. Farley.

"That's what I'm afraid of," he said under his breath. "What changed your mind about me?"

"The type of drugs, especially the ketamine, the doctor began.

"That makes a person compliant, and it makes you unable to remember things," she added. "There was a small puncture wound behind your right ear; that's probably where they initially injected you so that you would be easy to control."

Penelope was surprised to see the room filled with so many when she returned with breakfast. Hotch had called earlier and informed her of their new case. The bureau chief had ordered her back to the BAU, but she wasn't about to leave Derek without knowing that he'd had a proper breakfast. So, here she was with coffee and breakfast sandwiches for the two of them.

"Wow, it's a little early for a party, isn't it?"

"Detectives, this is my friend, Penelope Garcia; she's also a data analyst with my team."

"Pleasure ma'am," said Baines.

"Ma'am? Yikes, I feel old suddenly."

"Baby Girl, these two detectives are working my case."

"Well, he's not a druggie and he didn't do anything wrong unless you call loving his son, wrong."

"Calm down Baby Girl, they come in peace."

"Really?"

"They've figured out that I'm innocent."

"Good now we can go and pick up little Hank and take you both home."

"It's not going to be that easy, Ms. Garcia." Det. Baines added.

"What, why?"

"First of all, we'd have to convince the judge that Mr. Morgan is not a menace or a danger to his son."

"But you just said..."

"Ms. Garcia," Det. Parker began.

"Penelope, please. Call me Penelope."

"Penelope, no judge is going to return custody of Mr. Morgan's son to him."

"Why? You all just said he's innocent!"

"No, no, I get it," Derek began.

Penelope was surprised to hear what he'd said.

"Derek?"

"Until we find out who went through all this trouble to hurt me, Hank is not safe with me."

Derek collapsed against the pillows.

"I'd feel a hell of a lot better if he was with my family for sure."

"I'm calling Hotch, maybe he can do something about that."

Derek nodded toward her. If anyone could get his son away from Charles and Lydia Hayes Hotch could.

Jet –

"Okay, what's up with you?" Dave demanded as he took the seat across from Hotch.

Hotch looked up briefly then returned to the files on the tray in front of him.

"I'm not up to anything."

"I've known you far too long, my friend. There's one thing I know for sure and that's you would never abandon a team member. So, I'll ask again; what's up?"

Hotch exhaled and closed the file. Before speaking he rubbed his eyes.

"I needed the bureau and whoever has targeted Derek to think that we are going along business as usual; that we believe that he's gone off the rails...that we're not looking for them."

"And are we looking for them?"

"Damn straight we are."

"And who owes you a favor?"

"Excuse me?"

"Who's in Quantico while we're up here?"

Evening -

Emily was exhausted; she'd jumped on the first plane headed to the states after receiving Hotch's call. It had been almost two years since she'd turned the key in the door of her downtown D.C. home. It felt good to be back. She looked around and was glad that the cleaning service was still doing a great job keeping the place clean and fresh.

Emily tossed her suitcase on the bed. Hotch's call confirmed that she had made the right decision to return home permanently; a decision that she had not shared with any of them yet. First things first, she thought. She had to save Derek, she owed him...she owed all of them.