Hey guys. This is another story that is in the series starting with Long week. Still trying to think of a good name for it. Many people have asked for a Demily baby, but I'm not ready to give them one just yet, not a biological one anyways. I know some of this might be a bit of a stretch as far as legal things, but I like the idea and I hope you do too.
Anyways, this story basically follows Emily, Derek, and a little boy named Caleb. Hopefully Declan will appear later as well as the rest of the BAU fam. Hope you like it.
This case was close to home. A family had been found only a few blocks from the house Emily and Derek lived in. The parents had been brutally stabbed. It was the third couple that had been found in the past month, forcing the detectives to call in BAU the minute they got the call.
The family had been new to the neighborhood, only living there for about a week before this happened. No one really knew them very well, but a neighbor had gone over to deliver a "welcome to the neighborhood" cake and had seen the man lying in the entry way covered in blood. She had immediately called the police.
The team arrived only about an hour after the police. When they got there, they found the lead detective on the case holding a little brown haired, blue eyed, crying little boy.
Emily immediately looked at the little boy with compassion. She and Derek had been trying to have a baby since they had gotten married three months prior, but hadn't succeeded yet. Every child remined Emily of this.
"I'll show you the crime scene as soon as I find someone to take this little man," the detective said to Hotch.
Only Hotch, Emily, Rossi, and Alex Blake, the team's newest member, had gone to the scene.
JJ, Derek, and Reid had gone to the station to start working on other things.
"I'll take him," Emily said, looking to Hotch for approval.
"Alright," Hotch said, seeing the agent's look, "Go ahead Prentiss."
Emily took the little boy.
"His name's Caleb," the detective said, "He was in his room sleeping when we got here. He wants his mom and dad."
Emily nodded understandingly. "Hi Caleb," she said, looking at him, "I'm Ms. Emily." His cries quieted almost immediately as she stroked his hair gently.
"I want Mommy," he said, looking at her with sad, blue eyes that reminded her of Declan's when he was young.
"I know," she said, holding him close and knowing a crime scene was a bad place for a child, "Are you hungry?"
He nodded, looking up at her. "Mommy didn't make brefast totay," he said, "I'm very hungy."
"I have some treats in my bag," she said, heading to the SUV, "Would you like one?"
"Pwease," he said as she opened the trunk and sat him on the flat surface as she grabbed her purse from the back seat. She pulled out a chocolate chip granola bar she kept in case she got hungry while they were on the road. She opened the wrapper and gave the bar to the little boy. He took it happily.
"Mommy gets dese," he said, taking a bit of the bar.
She smiled at him. "How old are you Caleb?" she asked, sitting down next to him.
"Free," he said, holding up three fingers, "I just had a birfday."
"You're a big boy," she said, smiling, "I have a boy too who is eleven."
"He's weally big," Caleb said, finishing the granola bar, "Can I see Mommy and Daddy now?"
"No," Emily said, knowing this little boy was in for a hard time, "Sorry. I know you miss them."
"When?" he asked, climbing into her lap.
"I don't know, Caleb," she said, feeling tears in her eyes.
He sighed, putting his head on her chest the way Declan did when he was little.
"Can I have my blankie?" he asked, looking at her again.
"In a little bit ok?" she said, hugging him.
"Ms Em'ly," he said, "Why you at my house?"
"My boss told me to come here," Emily said, hoping this would satisfy the little boy.
"Why?" he asked. "I needed to look at something," she said, knowing that wasn't a lie.
"What?" he asked, "Like when the man fixeded the baf tub?"
"Kinda," Emily said, smiling at the little boy.
"Ok," he said, smiling.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Emily asked, trying to gain insight into this little boy.
"Mommy's gonna have a sister fur me," he said, smiling.
Emily felt her stomach turn and almost reject her breakfast when she heard this.
"Ms Em'ly," he said, looking at her with worried eyes as he felt her tense up.
"I'm alright," she said, smiling at him as she swallowed the nausea his last comment had brought on, "So you have any grandparents?"
"Nana died," he said, looking at her, "Her was old. Papa died too."
She nodded. "Do you have any cousins?" she asked, hoping to maybe find a contact to get this boy a family.
"No," he said, shaking his head.
"How about an aunt or uncle?" Emily tried.
"No," he said, shaking his head again.
"Ok," Emily said, "What's your favorite thing to do?"
"Pway soccer wif daddy," he said.
Just then, Hotch, Rossi, and Alex came around to the back of the SUV. Caleb buried his head in her chest, not looking at them.
"Looks like you made a friend," Alex said, smiling at the two.
"Yeah," Emily said, "Are we going?"
"Yes," Hotch said, "And the lead detective asked if we could take him back to the station with us. They haven't found any family for him yet."
Emily nodded, looking down at Caleb.
"Hey Caleb," she said, speaking softly to the frightened boy,"How would you like to come to the police station with me?"
"I want Mommy," he said, looking at her.
"I know," she said, "But I need you to come with me."
He nodded, letting her set him down so she could get up before picking him up.
"Hey Hotch," she said, "Could we maybe get his blankie from his room? He left it."
"Of course," Hotch said, going back into the house.
"He's adorable," Alex said, looking at the little brown haired, blue eyed boy, "What's his name?"
"Caleb," Emily said, smiling at the boy as he peeked his eyes to look at Alex, "This is Ms. Alex."
He waved before burying his head back into her neck.
"Won't he need a car seat?" Alex asked.
"Yeah," Emily said, "I bet there is one in the car in the garage. Could you check?"
The garage was open for accessibility purposes so Alex walked in and opened the door with gloves on, carefully removing the child seat from the back before putting it in the SUV and securing it.
"Thanks," Emily said, shifting Caleb's weight from one hip to the other.
"Here it is," Hotch said, handing the blankie to Caleb, who took it immediately, rubbing his face into it, "Ready?"
"Yep," Emily said, buckling Caleb into the seat before climbing in the middle, allowing Alex to sit beside her. Rossi and Hotch climbed in the front as Hotch started the car and they drove off. Emily kept an eye on Caleb the whole ride, hoping the little boy was alright.
When they reached the station, she got him out of his seat, carrying him into the station.
"Ms. Em'ly," he said, looking at her, "I hafta go potty."
"Alright," she said, walking to the bathrooms, "Can you go by yourself?"
He nodded, going in as she waited outside the door.
"Hey," she heard a familiear voice from behind her, startling her out of her thoughts about Caleb.
"Hey," she said, smiling as her husband walked over.
"What are you doing?" he asked, looking a bit confused.
"Wait," she said, knowing Derek needed to see for himself.
A few minutes later, Caleb came out of the bathroom and ran to Emily, wrapping his arms around her legs.
"Derek," she said, picking Caleb up, "This is Caleb. I went to his house this morning to help and we became friends."
"Hi Caleb," Derek said, smiling and waving at the boy in his wife's arms.
"Caleb," Emily said, "This is my husband, Mr. Derek."
"Hi," Caleb said, smiling at Derek a little before burying his head back into her shoulder.
"Were his parents…?" Derek asked, not wanting to say the words.
"Yeah," Emily said sadly, "But Caleb and I are hanging out today."
"You're a lucky dude, Caleb," Derek said, smiling as the little boy lifted his head, "I love hanging out with Emily."
"You need to get back to work," Emily said, looking at Derek.
"I do," he said, giving her a quick peck as they walked back to the room that had been set up for them. Emily stopped at the door, not wanting Caleb to have to see the pictures inside. JJ looked up from her file as Derek walked in. It was then she saw Emily with Caleb.
"Emily," JJ said, getting up, "Is this Caleb?"
"Yep," Emily said, "I'm guessing Hotch filled you in."
"Alex actually," JJ said, "But close enough. He's adorable."
"Can you say hi to Ms. JJ," Emily asked Caleb who waved at the blonde agent shyly.
"Social services was called and they are coming to get him in a few hours," JJ said, looking at the little boy sadly, "They will put him in temporary care until his family is contacted. Garcia is looking for them now."
"Alright," Emily said, stroking Caleb's hair, "I can watch him until then if it's ok with Hotch. Could you get him for me please?"
JJ nodded, going back into the conference room they had set up. Hotch came out a few seconds later.
"Sir," she started, "I know I am supposed to be working this case but…"
"I understand Prentiss," he said, looking at the three year old, "He needs someone and he seems to have latched onto you. Keep him entertained until the social worker gets here."
"Thank you sir," Emily said, holding Caleb close to her chest.
"I think there might be an empty conference room you could take him to until then," Hotch said, turning to go back to the rest of the team, "Go ask Detective Hanson, the detective we met at the house."
Emily nodded, heading over to the red-headed detective's desk where she was working.
"Detective Hanson," Emily said, tapping her shoulder.
"Agent Prentiss," the detective said, standing , "What can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if you had an open conference room or some other space I could take Caleb here to hang out?" Emily inquired.
"Of course," Detective Hanson said, leading Emily down a hallway, "Right in here."
"Thank you so much," Emily said as the detective opened the door.
"Just let me know if you need anything," Detective Hanson said, leaving.
Emily looked around the room, then down at the boy in her arms, realizing she needed to tell him the worst news of his young life.
How will Caleb react to the news? Will his family be found? Is this story even worth continuing? Thanks for reading. Reviews and constructive criticism always welcome.