Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.

Since a bunch of readers told me to write a prequel and sequel to Children, I decided to write this prequel which starts four hours after the end of Revelations. Here's a heads up that instead of Ian Doyle going to prison in North Korea, he tried to attack Emily during his arrest only to be executed on the spot.

I decided that Spencer won't get addicted to Dilaudid in this story because I lost my favorite aunt to a Heroin addiction over two and a half years ago. Even though Spencer won't develop an addiction to Dilaudid, he'll still deal with post-traumatic stress disorder.

I use Grammarly as my beta reader, but I use the free version instead of the premium version because of not being able to afford the premium version. If any of you are willing to be a beta-reader for this story, please send me a private message.

Spencer woke up in a hospital bed and as soon as he had his glasses on he saw Emily studying the track marks inside of his inner elbow, "What are you doing, Emily?" asked Spencer.

"How are you feeling?" asked Emily gently.

"Sore and nauseous," said Spencer.

Emily took hold of Spencer's IV free hand, "I know that you were drugged with Dilaudid."

Spencer glared at Emily, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"While you were missing, I talked to Hankel's sponsor and learned that he had a drug addiction. When the team and I found you, I saw your dilated pupils before I witnessed you taking something from Hankel's pocket and did one of your sleight of hand tricks to hide what you took. When you were having a CT scan, I convinced the nurse to let me go through your clothes only to find the bottles of Dilaudid and gave them to your doctor and privately told Hotch that you were drugged against your will," said Emily.

Spencer glared at Emily and snapped, "You had no right to do that."

Emily gave Spencer a look, "As someone who watched a friend struggle with addiction when I lived in Italy," said Emily as her good compartmentalization skills failed as she released a few tears," I don't want to watch someone I'm falling in love with die again from a possible overdose."

Spencer's eyes went wide, "You're in love with me?" asked Spencer quietly.

Emily nodded, "I've started developing feelings for you ever since that film canister hit me in the forehead and we started spending time together outside of work."

"I've been falling in love with you since that day too," said Spencer.

Emily then gave Spencer a firm look, "Your doctor decided that you'll have to go through withdrawal here because of the seizure you had while you were held captive. When you're discharged I want you to stay with me until we agree that you're ready to live on your own again."

"I understand. When I'm not looking like I've been beaten up and have a few sessions with a therapist, I'll take you on a date," said Spencer.

Emily smiled a bit, "Which I'll be looking forward to because I'm getting tired of my mom pressuring me to settle down and give her grandchildren."

Spencer nodded, "My mom's been asking for grandchildren too," said Spencer before he thought about the date he tried to take JJ on, "Just please don't bring another teammate along on our date."

Emily gave Spencer a confused look, "Why would you think that I would bring one of our teammates along on our date?" asked Emily.

"For my 24th birthday, Gideon gave me two Redskin tickets and told me to ask JJ to go to the game with me. I asked her to go to the game with me, only for her to decide to bring Garcia along since thought that the three youngest teammates should hang out together more often."

Emily gave Spencer a sympathetic look, "Did she realize that going to that football game was supposed to be a date?" asked Emily.

Spencer nodded, "She eventually did when she realized that Hotch and Morgan gave me tips and she apologized for messing up the date. I did forgive her, but I didn't ask her out again since that supposed date made me realize that she rather be friends."

Emily nodded before she convinced Spencer to tell her everything that happened during his captivity so she could start her game plan on helping him recover.

Two hours later Emily was sitting by Spencer's bedside watching the man she loves sleep just as she felt a hand on her shoulder causing her to look up at Hotch.

"How is he?" asked Hotch quietly.

"I think that he's eventually going to be OK because I told him that the two of us know about the Dilaudid and I convinced him to let me help him," said Emily.

"Did you admit your feelings to him as your way to beg to him to let you help him?" asked Hotch quietly.

Emily looked at Hotch in shock, "How did you know?" asked Emily.

"I've noticed the looks you two have been giving together since your first case. Reid told me that you two have been hanging out outside of work after the first time you witnessed him doing physics magic in the bullpen," said Hotch.

"You don't mind us being together?" asked Emily.

Hotch gave Emily a small smile, "I just care about you two being happy."

"What about Chief Strauss?" asked Emily.

"She has a soft spot on Reid and would care about his happiness," said Hotch.

Emily lightly laughed at the thought of the woman everyone hates having a soft spot on Spencer while thinking back to Hotch showing a sense of humor the first time she witnessed Spencer doing physics magic in the bullpen, "He sure has the effect to make everyone develop a soft spot on him."

Hotch nodded just as Spencer moaned in discomfort and pain in his sleep while his closed eyelids fluttered rapidly causing him to start rubbing one of the pressure points on Spencer's wrist, "We both know that the next couple of months will be rough for all of us as we watch him recover from what happened to him," said Hotch before he noticed that Spencer has calmed down in his sleep causing him to stop rubbing Spencer's wrist.

Emily nodded, "I already told him that I'll stay by his side as he goes through withdrawal and be a sounding board as he recovers," said Emily before smiling a bit, "After Spencer has a few weeks to recover, we'll go on our first date as boyfriend and girlfriend."

Hotch nodded his approval before thinking about the last time Spencer tried to date a teammate, "Please don't break his heart."

Emily nodded, "Spencer told me about his failed date with JJ, so I promised myself and him that I won't break his heart," said Emily before looking at Hotch, "Can you stay with Spencer while I go get some sleep?" asked Emily.

"Sure," said Hotch.

A/N: I'm ending chapter one here, and I'll update this story as soon as possible since I have a bunch of appointments with a prosthesis for new Ankle Foot Orthotics and a physical therapist because of me dealing with complications of being born with severe bilateral clubbed feet again.