A/N: *giggles* I have to tell you the story about the backdrop of this FF. I sent my OK Teach an email with the title "Am I Crazy?" I laid out my thoughts for this story idea. She said, "Run with it." I did.

All rights to the Criminal Minds characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS and ABC Studios. The OC characters are all my own.

Just a heads up. *points to generous supply of tissue boxes* They might be needed. But not how you may think. I throw a mean curve ball.

*Knightly bow*

Chapter 1

Jack Hotchner had a very unsettling ride home on the school bus. He kept thinking back to his school day. And to the very upsetting things that happened.

Since it was a Tuesday, with Cait at the BAU, he walked into an empty home. Bella naturally greeted him at the door for her welcome home rubdown and Jack did his usual after school Tuesday and Thursday routine being home by himself. He reset the alarm and locked the garage door after getting inside. After taking off his winter jacket and hanging it up, he put his book bag into one the kitchen nook chairs. He went to the French door, unlocked the security system for those doors and let Bella out.

While Bella hunted for the perfect place to do her thing, Jack absent-mindedly thought back on his school day. They were not good thoughts. And it was the first time with his growing up freedom and trust from his parents that he wished they were around right now to help him make sense of his day.

An hour later, doing his homework, sitting in one of the nook chairs, Jack heard the garage door go up. He heard Cait happily greet Bella and slid off his chair. He walked into the entryway as Cait hung up her coat. He deeply hugged her. "Hi mom," he said.

Cait hugged him. "Everything OK?"

Jack looked at her with his arms still around her. "Is that a mom thing?"

"Jack?"

"Just knowing I had a sucky day and need you."

Cait smiled, kissing his head. "Yeah, that's a total mom thing," she smiled, getting Jack and Bella into the kitchen. She put down her briefcase and looked at Jack. "Give it up," she smiled.

Jack shook his head. "It's Tate." Cait looked at Jack. "He had a total blowout in class. I've never seen him act like that before. He totally went off on Mrs. Cromwell. And he got after school detention today for what he did." Jack shook his head again. "That's not Tate. Something is wrong with him."

Cait hugged him again. "No it's not," she said, looking at Jack. "Please just keep an eye on him and tell me or dad if anything more happens."

"Mom?" Jack said.

"Just do what I ask buddy and run with it," Cait smiled, kissing him again.

"OK mom," Jack shrugged. "Now you want to help me with my science homework?"

Cait smiled. "After I get my briefcase to my office and get dinner started."

"What's for dinner?" Jack asked.

"Spaghetti." Jack looked at her. "My style not Uncle Dave's. It wasn't a fun day at the BAU today and I need an easy meal."

"I think we all need easy tonight," Jack said. Cait made a mental note heading to her and Aaron's office in their home.

-00CM00-

Cait was curled up next to Aaron in their bed. "Aaron, we need to talk," Cait said.

"About what?" Aaron yawned.

"Jack. And Tate."

"Jack told me what happened with Tate," Aaron said.

"And you don't think that's unusual?"

"Where are you going with this Doc?"

"Aaron, he has a new nanny with Mary Elizabeth back in Ireland taking care of her parents because of their failing health."

"I know babe."

"Aaron, we're profilers. What makes a gentle kid like Tate act out?"

Aaron thought for a second. "I know where you are going with this," he said.

"And you think I'm off my rocker."

"No Doc," Aaron smiled, kissing her cheek. "I think that you did the right thing."

"What's that?"

"Getting Jack on board. Because there is something happening in that home. And Jack will notice it before anyone else."

Cait looked over her shoulder at her husband. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yes Doc, I am. And I don't like it anymore than you. But until we have some proof, we can't do a thing."

"That sucks."

"Tell me about it," Aaron said. He snuggled Cait closer. "I'm not going to sleep any better than you tonight. But let's try Doc."

-00CM00-

Jack looked at Tate getting on the school bus the next morning. He was limping. Jack quickly pulled out his cell to send a text as Tate sat down next to him. Mom something is wrong with Tate. He's limping.

Cait forwarded the text to Aaron. Aaron looked at it and shook his head doing reports in his office. Get Tate off the bus with Jack he texted back.

On it Cait texted back. Please come home early to back me.

Promise Doc.

Cait called Marie, the school nurse, and laid out what she knew and what she and Aaron had deduced. "Honestly Cait," Marie said, "I'm thinking the same thing. Please tell me you and Aaron will take care of this."

"We will. I promise," Cait said. "But we need some buy in from you."

"Name it," Marie said.

The school bus pulled up to the Hotchner driveway. "Come on Tate," Jack said. "You're getting off with me," he said gently pushing Tate up the school bus aisle

Tate looked at Josie the driver. "It's all approved Tate. Get off with Jack."

As they walked up the driveway, Jack noticed Tate limping more.

Cait was waiting in the kitchen for the boys to come in the door. "Jack, I can't do this," Cait heard Tate say.

"Tate, please just trust me," Jack replied, taking off his coat. "Trust us."

"Jack, I'll get in trouble," Tate said.

Bella bounded into the entryway for her loves from the boys. They both gave her a rub and Jack got Tate out of his coat and hung up both of them. "Go in the kitchen Tate," Jack said.

"Jack, I've gotta go home," Tate plead with tears in his eyes.

"Tate, please," Jack said, "just go into the kitchen."

Tate limped into the kitchen and looked at Cait. Cait saw the tears in his eyes and her heart broke. "Tate please talk to me. I'm a mother. And a doctor plus an FBI agent. You can tell me what's happening."

Tate started to sob as Cait pulled him into her arms.

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