The group moved their way outside. They gathered around JJ’s SUV, waiting until Spencer had been strapped into his car seat and tucked in with a blanket before they decided to talk. They didn’t shut the door completely, leaving it open a crack to be cautious, but tried to modulate their voices so that he wouldn’t hear them if he woke up.
“What are we going to do about this, guys?” Emily asked quietly. Her eyes darted toward the window to look at the sleeping toddler in the SUV. “I mean, if he’s stuck like this until eight…that’s a long, long time off. Six years!”
“That freak said that last time it lasted only a year, or six months, right?” Morgan chimed in. When the others nodded, he said “The best we can hope for is that it does with him too.”
JJ chewed at her lip. “But he said he changed it around this time, so it was a different machine. What if…what if he’s always stuck like this?”
Holding his hands out, Hotch gestured for silence. “We have absolutely no idea what we’re getting into here.” He told them honestly. “But let’s not jump the gun with this. At the current moment, how long doesn’t really matter. What matters is the little boy sitting inside of there. We have an almost two year old child that has no paperwork, no social security card, nothing. We need to find a way to take care of him and to cover up where the adult Dr. Reid has gone.”
Silence surrounded the car for a minute. “Dr. Reid can come up missing.” Emily said. “Or request an extended leave of absence, citing his headaches as cause. I’m sure PG could forge some medical papers to say he needs to take time off from work. Months, even.”
“She’d be someone who could help us get all the papers a baby would need, too.” Morgan added in, warming to the idea. “Birth certificate, all that jazz.”
It was Dave who said the most important question of all. “Where’s kiddo going to live? He can’t live alone at his apartment.”
That brought the silence back. Shifting toward the car a little, JJ checked on Spencer, unable to stop herself from trying to make sure he was ok. “Rossi’s right, guys. We’ve got to head out tomorrow for the case, remember? I mean, after that we might be able to swing a team break, but it wouldn’t be able to be more than two weeks. After that we’ll all be back at work and Spence will be left in the lurch again. He can’t be left alone. He’s too small.”
“So who takes him, then? And what do we do with him while we’re on the case?”
Emily’s words traveled inside the SUV where Spencer was lying, awake, listening to them debate. He kept his eyes closed as he lay perfectly still, trying to keep his breathing even. Inside, his heart was breaking. None of his friends wanted him. Oh, he knew they had jobs, knew that they had things they were obligated to do, but he couldn’t help feeling unwanted. A burden.
This wasn’t fair. He’d just reached a place in his life where he was starting to learn how to be comfortable with who he was! He’d made friends, had a job, his own apartment. It may not have seemed like much to anyone else, but it was everything to him.
As he listened to his friends debate where he would go, Spencer felt tears build in his eyes. At least, he’d thought he’d made friends. But it seemed like his friends didn’t want to deal with him either. They were trying to shuffle him off at the easiest place. Just like his dad. A single tear spilled down his cheek. What was wrong with him? Why did everyone always want to bail on him?
“Spence?”
JJ’s gentle voice came into the SUV, drawing Spencer’s attention. He knew it was childish, most likely she’d already seen that he was awake and crying like a baby, but he kept his eyes closed and ignored her. No one else was talking anymore. They were all quiet as JJ opened the door more and said “Spence?” again.
Still he ignored her. Then Morgan’s voice was there, calling to him “Hey, pretty boy, we know you’re awake in there.”
So they knew he was awake, did they? Well, what did he care? “Go away.” He grumbled at them. “Just leave me alone.”
“Hey now, Spence.” JJ spoke in her soothing, mommy voice that she used when Henry was fractious. “What’s going on here? What’s the matter?”
That was enough for Spencer. His eyes flew open, all the tears he’d been holding back were now falling down his cheeks. “Don’t pwetend!” He shouted furiously at her. He wiped the tears from his cheeks as the others watched him in stunned silence. “I heawd you, all of you. You don’t want me? I’m too much of a pwoblem? Fine! I don’t need you! I don’t need any of you! I gwew up on my own befowe and I’ll do it again!” As the tears got the best of him, he turned as far away from them as his car seat buckles allowed.
Outside the SUV, all the other agents were stunned. It was the last part of his speech that had really struck them all. Spencer had practically grown up on his own. No father, caring for an ill mother, being a child prodigy in the school system that bumped him up grade after grade so that he wasn’t with kids his own age. Spencer Reid had been grown long before he ever should have had to.
Morgan was the one to step around the stunned JJ and move into the SUV. Ignoring Spencer’s flailing hands, he unhooked the toddler and put him in his lap, turning them so that they faced outside the car, towards their friends. “Hey, Reid, come on now.” Morgan said soothingly. “We weren’t trying to say you’re a problem for us. Of course we want you. We were just trying to figure out what was best for you.”
The little boy simply crossed his arms, staring studiously at his lap.
“He’s right, Reid.” Emily chimed in. “Of course we all want to help you. We just were trying to figure it out around work and all kind of stuff. I mean, we can’t exactly take you to crime scenes.”
Big, watery eyes darted up to them all, the fury visible even behind the tears. As was the hurt. “You wewe acting like I’m the family dog! Whewe tould we tuffle Weid today? Ovew hewe? Ovew thewe? Like it didn’t mattew!”
“Of course it matters!” JJ exclaimed in surprise. “Spence, we want what’s best for you. Each of us would love to have you with us!”
Morgan brought a hand up, running it over Spencer’s hair. “She’s right, kid. If we could work schedules out right, you’d most likely hear us fighting over who gets to have you, not where to put you. I think each of us wants to take you home.”
That idea hadn’t occurred to Spencer. His little body loosened up and his owlish eyes lifted toward Morgan’s face. “Weally?”
“Really, kid.”
One of Spencer’s hands came up, brushing against his cheeks. He was starting to feel slightly stupid for overreacting like this. He sniffled, trying not to squirm underneath all the eyes locked on him. Embarrassed, he turned his face toward Morgan, trying to hide. It surprised him when Morgan shifted, drawing Spencer in closer and tucking him inside of his coat.
Gosh, but it was warm. Spencer hadn’t realized until then exactly how cold he’d been. He rubbed at his eyes, trying to keep them clear as the others started to talk again. This was something he should pay attention to. They were deciding his future here. He should have some input on it.
Morgan’s hand started rubbing against his leg, a soothing gesture that was bringing sleep closer and closer. In Morgan’s arms, it was easier to relax than he would have thought. But Morgan was a best friend; like an older brother. He’d seen Spencer at his worst moments and had still been there. He heard his best friend whisper “Go on, kid. You’ve had a hell of a day. Just get some sleep, ok? I’ve got you.”
Maybe Morgan was right. Just a short nap, though. Then he’d be back up. If he was lucky, he might be able to see what he could figure out. Maybe he could fix this somehow. The others smiled as he drifted off to sleep.
“Look.” Dave said quietly. “We aren’t going to figure all this standing in a parking lot at a police station. We’ve all got to get back to work.”
“Rossi’s right.” Hotch told them all. “Why don’t you guys strap him in and we’ll head to work. Morgan, when you get there, I’m arranging for you and Garcia to take the afternoon off. Why don’t you two take Reid over to Garcia’s and see what she can do about paperwork? You’ll have to explain the whole thing to her. Then, at the end of the day we’ll get together at my place and have a pow-wow to decide what needs to be done. It’ll give us all a little time to think about it.”
Everyone agreed and they all departed to their separate vehicles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Almost an hour later, Morgan stood in Garcia’s office, his little charge held against his chest. Though he might not admit it to others, except Garcia, there was something amazing about holding this little Spencer close to him like this, feeling Spencer’s hand pressed against his neck, his little fingers twitching a little as he slept. Love and protectiveness welled up inside of him. Was this what a father felt, holding their child?
Garcia couldn’t stop gushing over how cute Spencer was. She’d taken amazingly well to finding out what had happened and, in true Garcia style, had focused on the good in the whole thing. She brought one hand up to brush Spencer’s bangs back from his forehead. “He’s so small!” she whispered to Morgan. “Just look at him! He is absolutely the most adorable little toddler. All those curls, that wispy soft hair.”
“Better not let him hear you talking like that.” Morgan teased. He felt Spencer shift against him and swayed a little to soothe him back down. “He’d have a regular shit fit.”
The smile Garcia wore was bright and full of love. “You going to just hog him there, Morgan, or you plan on sharing?”
The request surprised him. He looked down, amazed at how reluctant he was to pass off his little friend. “I don’t know, baby girl. I don’t want to wake him up. He’s had a long day.”
“Oh, pish posh, you just don’t want to share. Well, too bad. Hand him over.” And with a gesture that spoke of practice, Garcia slid her arms around Spencer and easily made the transfer from Morgan’s arms to hers. The little boy sighed a little and then snuggled on in. His one hand tangled in the large beads on her necklace while his other hand stayed up, his thumb in his mouth.
Morgan gave her a lopsided smile. “You did that pretty slick, girl.”
“I’ve baby sat countless times.” She said with a smile. “Not to mention all the time I spend with JJ and Will and Henry. I’ve had practice.”
“Well, let’s get him to your house and get to work on what we need to do. If we’re lucky, he’ll crash a little while longer. He seems to be a heavy sleeper.”
Together, the two made their way out of Garcia’s office. Diaper bag slung over one shoulder, Morgan moved his other arm around Garcia’s waist, escorting her to the elevator. They made it inside and downstairs before someone stopped them.
Another Agent, Michaels, laughed as he stepped in beside them as they went through security. “Cute kid there, guys. You two got something you haven’t told anyone?” he teased them.
Garcia winked at him as she passed through security. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” Her voice held a hint of laughter to it.
Morgan just rolled his eyes. “We’re just babysitting. Don’t listen to her.”
“Party pooper.” She taunted, sticking her tongue. Laughter followed behind them as they headed to the SUV.