Title: Vanished
By: realityaskew
Pairing: Prentiss/Hotch
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Rating: PG-13
Warning: WiP
Disclaimer: I own nothing belonging Criminal Minds.
Summary: Young children are being adbucted but no bodies have turned up. Can the BAU catch the unsub in time before anymore children vanish?

***

Chatting with the other mothers, Lisa Fine wasn't paying any attention to her six year old little boy wondering around the playground. When they first arrived at the park she had plunked him down in the sandbox and expected him to stay there but he was a curious young boy and had crawled out of the red wooden box as soon as her attention was elsewhere. As Lisa complained about her new next door neighbors dog keeping her and her husband up all night she didn't notice as her son wondered past the swing set to a normal looking man with a small puppy.

"Oh and you wouldn't believe how rude the wife is." Lisa said throwing her hands up in the air for emphasis. "When they first moved in I brought over a dozen roses and all that woman did was look me up and down like I was trash and say 'didn't I meet you before.' How unbelievably rude is that!"

The rest of the women shook their heads in agreement. A tiny little girl in big braided pigtails came wobbling over to her mother and pulled on her skirt. "Mommy I wanna juice box."

"I should probably give Timmy his snack no too." Lisa said reaching into her big bag. She pulled out a plastic bag full of crackers and a small juice box. "Timmy!" She called out turning to the sandbox but finding it empty as all the other children ran over to their mothers for a snack. "Where did that boy go? Timmy!" Lisa stood up and looked around the small park not seeing her son anywhere. "Timmy!" She yelled out with panic in her voice.

"He went with the man who had the puppy." The tiny girl with big braided pig tails said as she took a sip of juice."

"He what?" Lisa asked, her face turning a ghostly shade of white.

"There was a man with a puppy and Timmy went with him." The little girl explained. "It was a real cute puppy."

Lisa jumped up off of the bench dumping the food onto the ground and frantically began looking around the park. "Timmy! Timmy!" She yelled out for her son but it was no use he was already gone.

Emily Prentiss flipped the page in her book and curled up into the sofa. She was so engrossed in the novel she didn't even hear the knock at the door. After a few more pounds she was startled out of her own mind and dropped the book. "Coming!"

She looked through the peephole and saw it was Hotch. Ever since he divorced Haley she and Hotch had become closer. They actually hung out together and treated each other as friends and equals. She figured that Hotch needed somebody and the truth was she needed somebody too. She unlocked the door and let him in. He was still wearing his suit so he must have come straight from work.

"Hey what are you doing here so late?" Emily asked as she closed the door behind him.

"I was at the office I figured I'd stop by and see if everything was ok."

Emily smiled at this. Lately Hotch had been looking out for her more than he usually would. He'd call her up to see how she was doing and to make sure that she was fine. It was sweet and she didn't mind.

"Everything's fine but it's kind of late I sort of pegged you as the early to bed early to rise type of guy."

"Well I was but ever since the…"

"Divorce." She finished for him and felt bad saw the depressed look on his face. "Sorry." She apologized.

"Don't worry about it." He waved it off

"What were you up to before I intruded?" He asked.

"Just reading and I was about to watch the news."

"The news?" Hotch smiled. He thought it was cute. He only read the newspaper once in a while. He got enough information about what was going on in the world at work.

"Yeah except for my work I'm a pretty boring person."

"You're not boring." He corrected her.

"You're free to come in and watch with me." She offered.

Hotch though about it for a moment. "Sure." He took off his suit coat and Emily hung it on the back of one of her kitchen chairs. For the first time in a long time Hotch actually felt welcome and comfortable.

Emily sat next to him on the couch and flicked on the TV. The first 20 minutes was the usual doom and gloom and then a male reporter standing in the middle of a park came on. "This is Bret Rayne reporting live from Jefferson Park. Early this afternoon a young boy was abducted. All that it known is that it was a man who looked to be in his mid thirties who was walking a small puppy. This is the third abduction in the last three months parents beware…."

Hotch flicked off the television and looked at Emily sadly. "It looks like we have a new case on our hands."

***

JJ handed out the flyers of the three missing children and Emily's stomach turned and twisted. They were so young and innocent. She hoped that they were all still alive but in her line of work she was unfortunately always skeptical about those types of things.

"Brian Adon, 4 years old went missing from a shopping mall when his mother's back was turned. Andrew Bellview, 5 years old was snatched in a supermarket when he was with his father. Jason Rye, 5 years old was taken from a gas station and now Timmy Fine, 6 years old was recently abducted from Jefferson Park by a man who lured him away from his mother with a puppy." JJ said handing the last of the flyers to Morgan.

"Okay so we know our unsub likes little boys all ages 6 and under." Morgan said turning to face the rest of the team in his seat.

"He used a puppy to abduct Timmy fine which means he could have used the same ploy to abduct the other children." Emily said.

"Most pedophiles use things that would attract children like candy and cute animals. My guess is our unsub will isn't above using every single trick in the book to get these kids away from their parents." Reid said putting the flyers down on the table.

Rossi studied the face of Timmy Fine before looking up at the team. "I caught a kidnapper pedophile back in 87."

"The 'Candyman' right?" Reid interjected.

"He abducted eight children and sexually molested and murdered them within 24 hours after he had them. So far no bodies have turned up, we don't know if this guy is keeping them or not. For all we know this guy could be a repeat offender who just got out. We won't know too much until a body shows up." Rossi said shrugging his shoulders in a defeated manner. "The clock is ticking."

"All right I want you," Hotch pointed at Morgan, "to take Reid and talk to Lisa Fine and the other mothers who were at the park. See what you can find out. Rossi and Prentiss I want you to go through the computers and check on all sexual predators who have been released from jail in the past....five years. See if you can find anything. JJ you have to work with the press. Put an alert out there for parents and let them know what we're dealing with."

The team all agreed and went their separate ways. Emily noticed Hotch's strict and uptight manner and decided to go against her better judgment and see what was wrong. She softly knocked on his office door and he told her to come in.

"Hey Hotch are you all right?" She asked.

"Yes I'm fine." He lied. He paused for a long moment knowing that she probably knew the truth. "I'm just thinking about Jack. I don't know what I would do if anything like this happened to him. I want this guy found and I want those children to be ok."

"We're going to get him Hotch, we always do." She assured him. "Hey listen you have Jack tonight right?" An idea suddenly popped into her head.

"Yeah, why?"

"How about you two come over to my place tonight and I'll make dinner for us all. I can't guarantee I'm the best cook but I can try."

Hotch smiled. "Sure."

Emily took the last of the take out of the bag and placed it on the kitchen counter just as Hotch was knocking on the door. She ran to the door and opened it only to have Jack jump on her and give her a big hug.

"Emily!" He shouted with joy.

"Ever since I told him we were coming to see you he's been going nuts." Hotch said letting out a little laugh. Since he and Emily had been seeing each other more often he had been bringing Jack along with him some of the times and the little boy had fallen in love with Emily.

"Hey Jack." Emily hugged the little boy back and ruffled his hair playfully.

"Can I watch the TV?" He asked tugging at his father's pants.

"Sure." Hotch said prying him away from Emily. "What smells like it's burning?" Hotch asked.

"Um that would be dinner." Emily said a bit embarrassed. "I ended up ordering out I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." Hotch laughed. "I'm not the best in the kitchen either."

"Hey Jack you want something to eat?" Emily called out to the little boy. When she got no answer she went over to the couch only to find the TV on and Jack passed out.

"He must have had a busy day he's out like a light" Emily said smiling down at Jack.

Hotch walked over and took off his suit jacket draping it over Jack. Jack curled up under it and let out a little sigh. Hotch affectionately rubbed his son's shoulder and smiled.

"He's a great kid." Emily said and then looked up noticing Hotch was staring at her.

"He really loves you, you know." Hotch said not taking his eyes off her.

"I really love him too."

Hotch slowly leaned in closer and then his cell phone went off startling the two apart. Emily jumped back embarrassed and looked away.

"Hotch it's JJ the local police found something. I'm calling Emily you better get in quick."

***