A Second Chance at Childhood
Authors Notes:
This is my first Criminal Minds with little hints of crossovers from other shows/movies and this is my first story I hope you enjoy it. This isn't beta read so there will be mistakes and I apologize for that. Please let me know what you think.
Background info:
Reid will be de-aged to a two year old, but will still work as a genius profiler. Haley will be killed off eventually. Jack lives with Hotch and will be an older brother to Reid. He'll be three years old. Gideon has retired and will make appearances from time to time. Morgan and Garcia together, Will and JJ are together and Henry will be also three. Will works as a Private Investigator from home and does consults with law enforcement. Elle, Kevin, Rossi and Anderson are also part of the BAU team. Anderson is Environment and Geographical Specialist. Kevin helps Garcia with the technological stuff but mainly focus on hacking. Elle is going to be killed off as well or be moving away I haven't decided yet..and Strauss is director. Castiel, Loki and Gabriel make appearances from Supernatural as well and other characters from different shows/movies will appear.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Supernatural or Criminal Minds or the other shows/movies, the only thing I do own is this story. This story is inspired by Mutilated Pancakes FBIs Most Youngest and Turning Back Time by maxandkiz. If you have a sensitive soul, please don't read this. Some chapters contain brutal content.
Chapter One – Warehouse Surprise
"The truth is you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed"
Eminem
It was dark dreary, chilly night. If you looked at the up towards the sky you could the stars twinkling innocently as if to soothe you from the horrors. It was nearly midnight and the BAU team had flown to San Diego from Quantico to help solve a case that involved the victims to be brutally raped with their bodies severed, burned and hung in different parts of city. The Unsub hasn't been caught and it's been three weeks and the body count has gone up. Two black Sequoias drove along the bumpy newly constructed road headed towards the San Diego Police Department in downtown. Reid was staring at the scenery as they were headed to their destination. Lampposts flickering on and off, as they quickly drove past them; Emily was asleep on the opposite side of him, head rested against the slightly chilled window from the air conditioning. Hotch was sitting in the front looking at some of the case files as Morgan was driving to their destination following Rossi who was driving the other Sequoia. An hour and half later they had finally reached their destination. They parked, grabbed some of their equipment and headed up the stairs to meet up with the Captain of the department.
"Thanks for coming, we don't know what to do if you guys haven't showed up to help us. My name is Chief Tony and we have a room set up the way that you informed us it needed it to be. My department will assist you in any way that we can." A man in his late fifties walked over and introduced himself.
"Thank you sir, I'm Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchter. I'm the chief of Behavioral Analysis Unit. This is S.S. Agent Jareau the media liaison and she'll help handle the press. Dr Reid our team's genius, S.S Agent Morgan the bomb tech and my second in command; S.S Agent's Prentiss and Greenway specializing in Linguistics and Sexual Crimes; S.S Agent Anderson he's an Environmentalist and Geographical Study and lastly S.S Agent Rossi our Crime Analysis Specialist." He said as he shook hands with Chief Tony. "What can you tell us about the first case sir?"
"Well we got a call about six in the evening two weeks ago from a man named Jarred who works at the docks where shipments are delivered and then taken to various local businesses. His partner Thomas hadn't shown up and he thought it was a little suspicious that he hasn't shown up for four days. He had a late delivery for a local restaurant because their freezer had been busted so he grabs a new one from one of the warehouses. The warehouses are about six miles away and are isolated. The male who gave us the call drove over there and unlocked the door and entered the unusually chilly warehouse. He opens the storage that held appliances. The light switch wasn't working properly so worker used the flashlight that was on the wall. Flashing the light around he looked for the freezer that he was suppose to pick up. He had noticed this really strong stench of rotten, frozen meat. He looks around and finally notices one of the freezers that looked really busted and had been shut oddly. There was small amount of blood pooling around the area. At first he didn't know it was blood because of the poor lighting. He had tried to get it open but he couldn't. So he found walked around the warehouse and tried to find something to pry it open. Once he found a crowbar he found his partner Thomas severed in half and frozen solid. The only thing was missing where his lower half and his arms." Chief Tony reported.
"Anything unusual about the victims, for us to be called in for these cases?" Hotchter asked.
"We discovered Thomas lower half was hung at the door of where he lived. The only thing that was missing though was his private part had been chained sawed off and burned with chemicals making it hard to identify them and he was also sexually assaulted. We have a total of eleven victims. Most of them were found in appliances that were called in for replacement. Like the other male victims we got calls for they were missing their private parts and had been sexually abused. It seemed like they were chemically burned or sawed off was the pattern but some of the bodies weren't burned off or hanged so it made it hard to find the pattern. The female victims they were also sexually assaulted with their private areas burned and breasts had been sliced off. Not all the females were severed in half like the males; most of them were buried with chemicals that eroded the bodies. It was also found they had marks on their arms with their eyes super glued open. They victims tried to fight back before breaking their limbs and sawing them off." Chief Tony explained.
"Alright we're on it. We'll find what we call an UnSub or Unidentified Subject the person who is the started all of this. JJ work on the media coverage. Anderson and Elle talk to the vics family and see what if you can find a pattern. Rossi go with them and look around the homes of the victims maybe you can see how and if these cases are connected. Morgan, Emily and Reid come with me to where the first victim Thomas first half of the body was found."
"You got it boss man" "Yes sir" "On it" Anderson, Elle and Rossi replied. They went their separate ways, leaving the rest of team to check out the scene of the crime.
*~*~*~*Crime Scene the next day*~*~*~
"Morgan Emily check around the perimeter to see if someone broke in or they had the key to the place. Reid come with me to look around inside. Weapons out guys we don't know if the Unsub returned or if someone else is here along with us. I have a bad feeling about this."
As Morgan and Elle walked around they found one of the doors in the back of the warehouse. They looked at each other and caution walked inside. They found a room full of drugs and pictures of all of the victims. With the amount of money each person had owed. It seems like they were in a drug ring. Meanwhile Hotch and Reid were inside looking at the storage units. After looking in a few storage rooms, they finally reached where Thomas upper half was found. It was in the end of the warehouse where there was a few windows at the top that were broken into and a few more doors that seem like they were more places to stash appliances. Reid slowly went inside first to check out the room. He found a light switch at the far end of the room. He turned it on and the lights flickered on. It had seemed that someone had replaced the lights or the UnSub had unfinished business. Looking around some more he located another door. He went inside and found that it was chemical lab. He went to the table and poked around to see if he could get any idea of why these victims were chosen. Suddenly the door bang shut and Reid quickly turned around but then he passed out as gas was quickly filling into the room. Reid then tried to cover his mouth but found that he was too late and the room was spinning, slowly he closed his eyes to the darkness not knowing what was going to happen. Meanwhile Hotch heard the loud bang coming from the inside and he rushed inside. He found the door Reid was trapped in. He looked through the window of the old rusty door trying to get Reid to open his eyes. Failed attempts after failed attempts of trying to get through the door. The only way you can get inside is if you had a key. All of a sudden the room that Reid was stuck in became pitch black. Hotch panicked even more trying to get to the young adult he considered as his second son. After giving up he slid down the door as tears dripped down his eyes. What he didn't notice was the UnSub hidden away in a dark corner with a remote controlling the doors of the whole building.
"I'm so sorry Reid, I didn't mean for this to happen to you. I should've come in with you, but something was off when made it to where Thomas upper half was found. I found evidence in the next room connecting all the victims to a drug cartel. They had cross one another and the price to pay was for them to be treated like this. He was going to use parts of the body UnSub sawed off as bombs. Don't you worry son I'll get you out one way or another." Wiping his tears after he confessed, Hotch wobbly stood up and tried to shoot the door open for his last attempt at opening the door.
"I wouldn't try that if I were you. The door isn't going to open unless I decide it will be. Don't worry your coworker or son as you call him, whatever he is will be fine. He's just taking a little nap. He inhaled some experimental drugs that will turn him into a two year old. If he survives that is." UnSub explained with a crooked grin on his face. Walking towards the man with so much confidence in his stride, uncaring to what is happening to him or his victim in his room. Holding a gun his hand and remote in his pocket he faced the man taunting him, "I dare you to try and shoot me. I won't open that door willing unless you get me what I want."
"Let him go!" Hotch yelled, pointing the gun at the man in front of him.
"Why should I? I could train him to be my lackey if he wakes up or survives. If not then I can dispose of the body for you." UnSub said cackling evilly. Not noticing that Morgan and Elle had creep up behind him. Guns out pointing at the UnSub in front while trying not to draw attention to them, they signaled Hotch that everything will be all right and they'll be able to rescue their baby boy.
"You won't get away with this! I'll book your ass in jail for life. I'll shoot if I have to!" Hotch continued to yell after getting the signal from Morgan and Elle. In his mind he sighed with relief. Now all he had to worry about was his surrogate son inside.
"Yeah and what you gonna do about that?" the UnSub taunted once more. "There's no one here to save you. It's just you me out here and pretty boy in there. Who knows if he's alive. I wouldn't worry so much if I were you."
"He's got me, you asshole." Morgan yelled. Moments after he said that shots were fired.
Bang Bang Bang
"We got him Hotch. You okay? We got the remote so you can baby boy out of there and get him to safety" Morgan told Hotch while him and Elle attempted to hold down the UnSub. The Unsub was shot twice. Once in the shoulder, and again in the thigh, preventing him from escaping. "I'll call for backup."
"Yeah, I'm alright. He tried to shoot me but I dodged it." Hotch replied while running inside the now open door. Once he was inside he was shocked at what he saw. Reid was now a two little boy and barely breathing. "Reid, Reid everything will be alright. I've got you son. You'll be okay. I'm here now I promise. Nothing bad is ever going to happen again." Hugging the barely conscious boy to his chest and running out the building to the parked car.
"Hwtch? Is fwat you? I'm twied, I was to swleep. Hwed (head) hwuts. " Reid muttered. Eyes barely kept open.
"Hey buddy, you can't sleep you we gotta find what you inhaled. Come one keep your eyes open a little longer and help will be here." Hotch said and tears once more fell down his eyes. While trying to desperately shake Reid awake. He texted everyone the situation; Rossi, JJ, Elle and Anderson were on their way. Kevin and Garcia were going to fly out first thing in the morning. Strauss had thankfully had given everyone temporary time off since a member of their unit had been injured. Once Captain Tony informed her of the situation she decided to give them some time together since she didn't know if her agent was going to survive or not. As harsh as it sounds she couldn't afford to show emotions or attachment the best thing she could do was give time off without it making it feel like anything. "Please God, anyone please answer me. Please let my son live. I know he had a horrible childhood and he isn't really my son but I consider him like one. He isn't related by blood but that doesn't matter, but if I'm given a second chance I'll try to change that. Just please let him live!" Hotch cried hysterically while hugging a lifeless looking Spencer Reid in his arms. Then suddenly a bright light had flashed by the car.
"You wish for him a second chance?" A deep voice said. A man appeared in a trench coat and white wings. Two more men appeared but they had darker wings.
"Who are you?" Hotch said in a protective voice while trying to shield Spencer from the newfound danger.
"I am Castiel an Angel of the heavens above us and many more. Along with my Brothers Gabriel and Loki two of the many brothers and sisters I have. We have heard your wish and watched what happen. I am sorry I couldn't interfere earlier. What is done is done. The little one didn't deserve what has happened to him and my brothers and I wish for him to have a better life. We decided that there is much goodness in his heart for him to change the world. So we will let him live. In the condition that you must give him a happier childhood, fewer endangerments and a solid family that won't abandon him, if you agree we will heal him and release him to you. If you do not we'll take him with us and have him reborn as someone else with memories erased that is if you fail to keep part of deal. I promise I am not to danger him in anyway. My brothers and I are like guardians but he doesn't know of us." As Castiel was talking his brothers Loki and Gabriel were looking around their surroundings. The rest of the BAU team has shown up minus Garcia and Kevin who were also flying in with Will Henry and Jack. Haley, Aarons wife decided she didn't want to waste time with the BAU team so she opted to stay home. Morgan and Elle had handed off the UnSub whose name was Greg to the police that have arrived on the scene. After looking at looking at his team members, Hotch finally decided to say something.
"I don't think I'm cut out to be a father to Reid. I mean look at me, I'm barely a father to my own son Jack. I think the other members of the BAU team should get the chance to be Reid's parent instead of me." Hotch said while shaking as tears to once again being sliding down his face. All the memories of the past suddenly flooding his mind. Wishing he could change things. If only he was a better husband to Haley and a better father to Jack, they wouldn't be in this situation. If only I had been a better father figure to Spencer instead of being the tough love with subtle hints of affection I would be able to say yes to Castiel and his brothers into taking him, but I'm not good enough. I'm the chief I'm not supposed to show affection or favoritism to others. Yes we can be a family but not like this, Strauss already gives me hell with what's going on in my team. More and more thoughts flew into Aarons mind and stood there with Reid in his arms.
"Hotch whatever you're thinking man quit it. Stop it right now. You're the best father-candidate out of all us." Morgan said standing next to baby bro and his boss. Emily nodding in the background agreeing to what Morgan was saying.
"Morgan's right you're the most fatherly one out of all of us. You discipline when you have to. Care for us when we're sick. Defend us and take most of the blame when Bullhorn Strauss is out to get us. Even when you don't have to you do it anyway. I never really voice out my opinion but you're like the father I wish I had. If I had Spence's place I would switch for his place in a heartbeat." Anderson chimed in.
"I don't really like showing my personal emotions either but I have to agree with the both of them. You're a really great dad. You help us when you're clearly tired and try to get us through the day. So I don't care what you think you're going to be Reid's father." Elle said with a serious expression.
"I don't know what to say guys. I don't want to mess up. It's really great that you believe in me, but do you really think I could do it. I know I'm tough and not so much caring but that's my job as the BAU S.S.A Unit Chief. I'd do anything to protect you guys." Hotch confessed while shifting the little one so that Reid head was resting comfortably against his shoulder instead of holding him in his arms. Several moments have past. After thinking bit more he finally agreed. "I'll do it. I promise to be the best father to Jack and Spencer. Everyone believes in me and I'll do my best." With his response everyone in his family cheered or smiled. Some even cried but they tried to hide it.
"Very well then, I will heal him. Remember these last few things. Young Mr Dr. Spencer Reid will retain all of his memories. His father the abusive drunk is still out there and I trust that you will do your best to protect him. I understand his mother is in a nursing home for Alzheimer's but she will soon no longer remember that she had once had a son. Reid shall continue to be the genius that he is, but he will have to grow up like once again like every other child out there. It is hard, we're from way up north and understand the situation perfectly. We will check on him every often. IF we find that he is not having a better childhood from before we WILL take him away and erase his memories. He will reborn as someone else. Your memories will be erased as well and it will be as if he ever existed." Castiel said in his deep voice, while walking slowly to soon to be newly father and son. Stopping slightly in front of them the touched Spencer forehead and closed his eyes. Beside him he heard Gabriel and Loki whispering a spell of protection and healing along with him. Soon enough a bright light once again appeared and Reid very carefully opened his eyes.
"Hwoch? Wats Ewerion (everyone) doin hwre?" Reid asked sleepily. Fisting his eyes while lifting his head slowly.
"Hey buddy. Do you remember what happened?" Hotch asked is a gentle voice. After seeing his newly found son nod he continued, "These three people here the one with wings saved you from the UnSub." Smiling at the fact that they waved at him and Spencer's reaction was to snuggle to his father because he was a little shy. Continuing on the conversation, "They healed you and decided that you should try and have a new life. According to them Dianna and William will biologically be your parents but legally they'll never be able to get you. You will now be known as Spencer Caleb Reid Hotchner. The younger brother of Jack Dylan Hotchner and is now one of my two sons. Everyone on the BAU team will be part of your family. You have two brotherly suppose to be uncles Morgan and Anderson, three sisters like aunts Elle, Garcia and Emily. You'll also have Motherly figure JJ and Grandpa Figure Rossi. You've also gained an Uncle which is Will, JJ's husband and a cousin, Henry, whom you know as their child or your godson." Hotch finally finished.
"Though they feel like brothers and sisters, when out in public you must refer to them as auntie and uncle to avoid any mishaps while working for the FBI's BAU Unit. As a special present from my brothers and we'll give you tickets to the local Balboa Parks Museum and tickets to the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park and to many other Amusement parks and Entertains found here in San Diego. Your boss has given you as week off. So try to enjoy it. Your brother Jack is on the next flight here with Garcia, Kevin, Will and Henry. They'll be able to join you. Unfortunately Aaron it seems your wife didn't want to come. I apologize for that. When you check into the hotel you'll find that you have supplies for both of your sons along with a new camera to record new memories. If you ever need us think of us in your thoughts really hard and we'll try to pop in." Castiel said in his deep voice before disappearing with a flash. "We're watching you" Loki said before glaring disappearing as well. "We're the tricksters brothers we'll pull horrible pranks on you if we find out anything." Gabriel warned before he too left along with his brothers.
"Well that was weird. Let's head to the hotel and begin our adventures tomorrow." Rossi suggested while heading to his respective car. Everyone agree while walking along with him. When they reached the Sequoias they were surprised to see two car seats in one car and one in other filled supplies for the young boys. Smiling at each other they quickly settled and drove off the road to their hotel waiting for the adventure tomorrow.