(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters)

Hello July! *insert apology for tardiness here* whoops.

Oh, here comes the excuse. I'm back at work... yay. It's nice to be somewhat back to normal, still distanced, still on edge but things are looking up. I hope you guys are safe, and hopefully, to those still stuck at home, not going mad ;)

I don't know about you guys, but I don't really care about Lacey (Caroline's girlfriend) ;D so I'm going to just go over the progress the team are making briefly because it's not integral to the main story.

Thanks to all those who reviewed the last chapter. Keep reviewing.

Anyway, enjoy.

When Hotch and Rossi met Lacey they both knew the young woman was no murderer. They sat with her for an hour as she gave a shaky recounting of the death of the man she cared for.

Rossi mentioned the profile they'd constructed, flimsy as it may currently be and Lacey offered them several names of men she could think of matching a similar description. They came away feeling better about the case, and especially sorry for Lacey's false incarceration.

They got into their car, discussing options they could go through in order to better their profile. Aaron's mind drifted to his kids and JJ and he smiled to himself. He was definitely starting to envy their trip out over what he was having to do.

JJ dragged her boys from the car. Henry was having an argument with Spencer about who was the best avenger. Spencer stubbornly insisted Iron Man was the best while Henry yelled back about Captain America since he wasn't just human.

"Boys!"

"But he's wrong! The captain is so much cooler-"

"Not smartew though," Spencer said pointedly. He smiled sweetly up at JJ who gave his hand a squeeze.

"Is too!" Henry shouted, pulling at JJ's other hand to try and confront the younger boy rather than argue on either side of his mother.

"No, Iron man is! Jack even said so," Spencer said, looking ahead at Jack who had his lips tightly sealed.

"Does not. Tell him, Jack. Tell him!"

JJ shook her head at Jack who had opened his mouth. She reached the door and yanked it open, pushing Spencer inside first before he could argue again.

Henry seemed to forget about the argument when they were inside the building. He looked around, his eyes following the rambunctious kids scattered around the place.

JJ went to the desk, still holding Spencer's hand while Jack and Henry were peering around the corner at the huge jungle gym ahead of them. JJ found them again once she paid and she started toward the entrance.

"This is so cool," Henry said with a hiss, gaping up at the slides on the third level.

JJ grabbed Henry before he could dart into the jungle gym. "Shoes off," she said. Henry sighed but followed the order, taking each shoe off and throwing them onto a mat.

He was about to run off when JJ pulled him back again.

"Mum!" Henry whined.

"Listen, I have some rules for you three," she said. Jack paused, one shoe still on.

Spencer looked up, his hand in JJ's. Henry scowled at his little brother... why was he such a goody-two-shoes? He didn't do it often, but today, Spencer was annoying Henry.

"You two," JJ said, pointing at Jack and Henry. "Need to keep an eye on Spencer please."

"Yes, Mum," Henry said and he rolled his eyes, shooting Spencer a look despite the boy in question not looking so keen on being babysat either. Henry turned to the jungle gym but JJ grabbed his arm, looking down at him sternly.

"I'm serious. Just stay with him, or at least one of you." JJ looked at Jack who gave a sincere nod.

Henry was nodding along impatiently. To prove he'd listened, he grabbed Spencer's other hand. "We'll watch him, can we go now?" he asked. JJ sighed but nodded and she watched Henry tug Spencer to the mat and hand him off to Jack to take their shoes off before he was ducking into the gym.

Spencer started tugging at his shoes a little impatiently, totally forgetting to take the strap off. Jack, however, held him back until he had his own shoes off.

"Jack," Spencer said, looking back with a pout at the older boy.

"What?" Jack turned away from the section of the jungle gym he'd been watching. The girl who had been looking back at him turned away, blushing as she did. Jack looked at his younger brother and his cheeks flushed at the impatient looking on his face.

"Come on," Spencer added, giving Jack's hand a pull. Jack nodded and got up, pushing their shoes to the side before Spencer was pulling him inside. They got through the mesh opening and Spencer stopped. He looked at the three different routes before glancing up at Jack.

"Um... which way?" he asked. Jack was trying to work out which way the girl had gone.

"Let's try there," said Jack and he pointed to the left where there were blocks to get to the second level. Spencer nodded eagerly and started down the passage. Jack grinned and sprinted after him, catching up and pulling Spencer back so he could get to the step first. Spencer was laughing as he grabbed at Jack and scrambled up behind him. Jack made it to the second level first but he turned back and helped pull Spencer up.

"Woah," Spencer said and Jack followed his gaze ahead of them to where two large rollers were stood, a small gap between them for kids to squeeze through. Each corner was much too tight for anyone to get through but in the middle was a wider, squishy gap. "Awe we supposed to go thwogh that?" Spencer asked, his voice heavy with doubt as he gave the contraption a look. Jack laughed.

"Yea," he said, stepping toward it. "Watch." He poked his head through and let the giant rollers guide him through. When he got to the other side he put his head back through and motioned Spencer over. "Come on. It's easy."

Spencer glanced behind to make sure none of the screaming kids they'd avoided on the floor below had followed before he teetered toward the rollers. Jack passed his hand through and Spencer reached up and took it.

"Ready?" Jack called from the other side. Spencer was about to nod when Jack gave him a forceful tug. Spencer squeezed his eyes shut as Jack grabbed his other hand and pulled him all the way through. He was laughing at Spencer once he'd slithered through and was left laying on his stomach.

"See, easy! Come on, let's find Henry."

Spencer opened his eyes and looked around, pleasantly surprised he hadn't got stuck. He glanced back at the rollers with a grin before scrambling to his feet and following Jack who had already walked over a rope bridge.

"Wait fow me!" he cried, tumbling across the bridge. He fell only once but pulled himself back up off his knees and got to the other side. He almost caught up to Jack who was soldiering up another floor to the slides. Spencer paused and looked above him where the floor was made up of a blue mesh. He caught sight of Henry's mop of blonde hair and he set his face with a hard, determined expression and hurried on.

"Jack!" he called, pulling himself up to the next floor on the rope ladder. He glared down at the rope, wondering why the whole gym seemed to be made up of the stuff.

He caught up to Jack who was looking over at the slides where a couple of kids were hanging out. There was another roller thing in their way but Jack pushed Spencer through first and followed.

"Jack, whewe'd Henwy go?" Spencer glanced over his shoulder as more loud kids barged passed, aiming their bodies toward the slide and throwing themselves down like hooligans.

Jack pointed down another long stretch where there were trampolines built into the floor. "Over there," he mumbled and he shrugged. "Come on, let's go on the slides."

Spencer looked over and saw Henry waving out through the roped walls. Probably to mummy, Spencer thought.

"You coming?" Spencer looked back up and saw Jack waiting for him.

"I'll wait fow Henwy," he said.

Jack shrugged. "I'm going then, don't get lost."

Henry bounced and waved through the rope while Spencer waited with his arms behind his back.

After another minute Spencer got bored. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Henwy!"

He jumped out of the path of some more kids who had charged passed Henry. Spencer flattered himself to the wall and tried again. "Henwy!"

Spencer huffed as more kids pushed by. "Hen-"

"Hey!"

Spencer was interrupted by a taller boy. Spencer turned and looked up at the kid's thin face. He took a step back, his back coming into contact with the rope wall. There wasn't just one kid, there were four. Three boys and a girl, gathered around him in threatening stances, towering over the nearly three-year-old.

"Um-"

"Where's your mummy, baby?" the girl said, her hair falling out of a sloppy braid down her back. She folded her arms over her tie-dye dress and smirked down at Spencer who had to be at least four years younger than her.

"My..." Spencer glanced back but couldn't see JJ through the rope. He swallowed hard and looked back at the tall kids. "I'm waiting fow my bwothew."

"Is the baby lost?" the first boy asked and he laughed.

The other boy, only a little shorter than the first, laughed and piped up. "Babies aren't allowed here," he said. He flicked his thick brown hair from his eyes so that Spencer could see how menacing they looked.

"I-I'm not a baby," Spencer stammered, maintaining a frown he often saw his father wear.

All four kids laughed and the first boy pushed Spencer back so he hit the rope again. Spencer reached his hands behind him and gripped the rope, his breathing pitching up.

"Leave me alone," Spencer whispered and the girl grinned wickedly.

"Let's tie him to the rope swing."

"No," Spencer cried and he lurched forward only to be slammed back. The rope burned his back while tears stung his eyes.

"Yea," the third boy, and clearly the heaviest child, spoke up and he withdrew his blue belt slowly, clearly needed to keep his pants around his waist since they didn't seem to stretch around his round belly. "Use this," he said, letting the belt roll to the floor while Spencer stared. A sudden nauseous feeling came over him.

'Look at Reid!'

'Oh my god."

"Hey, Freak!"

"Won't coach see him on the goalpost?"

"Nah, little loser is invisible-"

"Please-"

"Shut up! Nobody cares."

"Yea, no-one cares, right Spencey?'

Spencer gasped back to the present as the third boy took a step forward. Spencer moved as if a spasm took ahold of him and he managed to squeeze through the semi-circle of bullies. He didn't get far when a thick hand was whirling him back and then shoving him so forcefully that Spencer fell heavy on his backside.

"Don't let the baby get away!" the girl cried and the first boy grabbed Spencer's ankle. Spencer was close to tears as he kicked at the hand. He twisted onto his front and tried to crawl away but the kids were pulling him back.

"No!" he cried and an image of a football team popped into his mind, they were all pointing and laughing at him.

"No!" Spencer screeched, his voice barely making it over the screaming of happy kids. These kids in his mind were laughing at him too. Spencer tried to hold in a sob as another hand grabbed him.

"Get off him!"

Spencer looked up to see Henry. The boy stood with his hands clenched in fists at his sides. His eyes were fiery and almost as serious as Aaron's. The hand on Spencer's foot was released and Spencer flipped over and cowered away.

"Oh, it's just another baby!"

Spencer glowered at the girl. Now she was calling Henry names... and that wasn't okay.

Henry was just as incensed. "Shut up," he snapped. He looked down at Spencer and hissed, "run."

Spencer looked back at him and then the four kids and before he could make another choice Henry had run forward and shoved the first boy to the ground. He put his fists up and waved them threateningly up at the other boys.

Spencer, although surprised by his brother's display of aggression, staggered to his feet, turned tail and ran. He saw another set of rollers and he dashed toward them, narrowly avoiding a collision with twins, wearing matching dresses and holding hands, making a fence for Spencer to slide under.

He could hear Henry shouting at the other kids and he glanced around to see if he was following yet. Spencer turned back too late and couldn't adjust his aim through the rollers.

Spencer jumped for the rollers, right at the corner where the gap was the smallest and to his horror he didn't get any further than his middle, his hips getting stuck, his one arm trapped along with them. The kids were still laughing while Spencer kicked desperately, pushing against the rollers to try and squeeze through.

"Henwy?!" Spencer cried, turning his head back despite not being able to see anything. He heard a giggle and his shoulders dropped. "Help me," he mumbled, annoyed at Henry for not coming to his aid much sooner.

Henry walked around, revealing to Spencer that he could have gone around a different way to get away rather than using the rollers. Spencer looked up at Henry, his lips drooping heavily while Henry couldn't seem to let him fall.

Henry stifled a laugh and said, "you stuck, Spence?" Spencer rolled his eyes when Henry laughed wholeheartedly and with no effort to hold back.

"Yea!" Spencer yelled and he kicked out viciously when he heard kids behind them. "Just help me." Spencer made a whimpering sound and Henry seemed to take pity as he took a step forward. Spencer reached up but Henry had paused.

"Alright... I'll help, but-"

Spencer twisted suddenly to give Henry a sharp look. "What?"

"Well, you have to do something for me then."

Spencer frowned, wiggling in aggravation. He was about to call for other help when Henry offered him his hand.

"What do you want?" Muttered Spencer and he stared at the hand just slightly out of reach, waiting for Henry's proposition.

"Say Captain America is better," Henry said, retracting his hand. Spencer looked up at his brother, his mouth open.

"What?"

"Say it and I'll help you out. I already helped you once," Henry said and he grinned slyly.

"No, nevew," Spencer said, glaring at Henry.

"Fine. Stay there! Me, Mummy, and Jack will go home without you."

Henry turned and Spencer was grasped with panic, his body stiffening where it was stuck. He reached out for Henry, kicking his legs desperately.

"Please!"

Henry turned, still grinning, to look back at Spencer.

"If you say that Captain America is the best I'll help you out," he said slowly. Spencer scowled back at him but Henry just stood patiently.

Finally, the younger boy sighed and he looked down at the floor. He crossed the fingers on the hand that was trapped behind his back before he muttered, "Captain Amewica is the best."

He ended the sentence with a hiss and glared up at Henry who was beaming.

"Better than Iron man, right?"

Spencer's glare grew venomous and his fingers crossed even tighter. "Yes," he grumbled and Henry nodded happily.

"Alright," he said and he reached for Spencer's arm and gave it a tug. Spencer managed to pull his other arm out and Henry pulled him through the rest of the small gap.

Spencer smiled when he got feeling back into his arm and he looked up at Henry.

"See, it wasn't hard just to say who is really the best," he said and Spencer smiled sweetly, edging toward the gap where the slides started.

"Oh yea," Spencer said, his voice oozing sarcasm. He turned and hurried toward the slides, throwing Henry a grin over his shoulder. Henry was frowning at him, wondering where he was going. "Iron Man's the best!" he shouted and he nearly tripped over himself to get to the slide before Henry could start charging at him. He was glad of the head start because Henry came right down the slide after him, chasing him and shouting something along the lines of 'traitor.'

Caroline stared at the new vial of the completed batch. She'd already taken the appropriate drops, or at least appropriate to her calculations.

She just had to wait for the painful process of aging-up to complete. She'd watched the mice go through it already without a problem.

She sat for a while watching the purple liquid come to a rest in the vial. She wondered what she'd do if they couldn't get Lacey out of prison. Would she still give them the vial?

It was finished... there'd be no harm in giving it to them, but if Lacey wasn't free their end of the bargain would be incomplete.

Caroline sighed, flexing her fingers where a tingling had started. She was risking her life for these people who she barely knew.

An anger coursed through her suddenly and she was determined to destroy all her research if Lacey was to remain in prison.

Caroline got up from the table when a sudden pain hit her, resonating behind her eyes. She do7bked over, pressing her fingertips to her temples. Some memories shot through her thoughts. She saw her dying mother, clasping her hand across the hospital bed. Her first night with Lacey. Her college laboratory. Spencer's terrified face broke though the jumble and Caroline fell to her knees and cried out when the headache intensified. When the memories stopped so did the pain and Caroline crumbled onto all fours panting. She was staring down at the floor, tears in her eyes and sweat trickling into her eyebrow.

She remained there and tried to catch her breath. She felt disgusted by some of the things she remembered and she had to claw at the tiled floor to keep from slipping down completely.

When she finally managed to stand, she grabbed the vial. She put it into a wooden case and closed it. She knew she'd have to give it to them, despite her feelings.

Her mind was so clouded from bad influences. Her thoughts were never her own anymore. Either Chamberlain's poisonous plans tainted the goodness she tried to grasp onto, or selfishness rooted itself to her thoughts.

Caroline dug her fingers to her temples when another dark thought bloomed in her minds. She heard her fathers voice, she could see him shaking his head. 'So much potential,' whispered his ghostly voice inside her head. 'Wasted.'

"I could," Caroline whispered. "I'll be better."

She... she could keep studying, use this information for better things than sales.

"Like Spencer," she muttered, pulling her hands from her head and giving the case a sideways glance. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Spencer first," she said.

Thanks for reading. Please leave a review to let me know your thoughts.

Hope you're all still staying safe. See you soon.