New story for my favorite show Criminal Minds. I came up with this because in the show JJ and Spencer have a brother-sister like relationship and I just added Emily into the mix as their big sister.
"The what-if's and the should-have's will eat your brain." -John O'Callaghan
- Dream Flashback: Wednesday, June 4th, 1986 -
"I'm sorry, kids. I simply can't find a foster family for all three of you." The social worker told the Reid siblings "I'm so sorry. I never wanted to separate you three, but I also knew that the coming of this day was inevitable."
"No!" Seven year old Jennifer Joyce, or JJ, as she is more often called, and four year old Spencer Emilio Reid cried as they latch onto their big sister.
Fifteen year old Emily Diane Reid picked up Spencer, then stepped back from JJ, and placed a reassuring hand on her little sister's shoulder, "JJ, I know this is hard. I know you don't want to leave me, but I need you to be a big girl. I need you to look after Spencer for me. He's too little. He'll need you."
"But…" JJ started to protest as she sniffled "But I need you now, Emmy."
Emily gave a nod as Spencer clung to her tighter. She squatted down and wrapped her arm around her little sister's shoulders and whispered, "I know, baby sis, but I'm going to be sixteen soon. I'll try to get emancipated and then I'll fight for you and Spencer. Soon we can hopefully be free. I just need you to hang on and look after Spence for me in the meantime. Okay?"
"Okay Emmy." JJ replied "I will. I promise. I'll look after Spence and protect him."
Emily forced a smile, "That's my girl. Do you still have the phone I gave you?"
JJ gave a nod in the affirmative.
"Good." Emily responded "Use it to call me anytime and don't let anyone find it."
"I know, Emmy. I won't." JJ assured her big sister
Emily pulled her little sister in close and hugged her, "I love you, baby."
"I love you too, Emmy." JJ said as she hugged her big sister back
Then in a matter of minutes, Emily is watching as her baby brother and sister walk away from her hand in hand. With her baby brother looking back at her and crying out 'Mimi! Mimi!'.
- End of dream flashback -
Tuesday, October 14, 1986
The now sixteen year old Emily is jolted awake and gasps for breath. For the last four months, she has been plagued by nightmares of the day she had to say goodbye to her baby brother and sister. The most important people in the world to her. Her reason for living, and her reason for staying alive even in their absence.
Emily looks out the window. It's still dark. She glances at her clock. It's only 3:10 am and she sighs. There's no way she'll be able to sleep now. She's never able to sleep after waking up from her nightmare. Her real life nightmare.
"I'll get you back, my babies. I promise." Emily said to herself.
Emily gets out of bed, grabs her backpack, and then walks out the front door of her group home. She was only halfway down the block, not even to the corner, when he phone rang.
"Hello?" Emily answered "Hey baby girl, what's wrong?" She assumed it was JJ.
"Mimi! Mimi, it's all my fault!" The almost five year old Spencer almost sobbed
Emily held her breath for a moment, "What's wrong, baby? What happened? Where's JJ?"
"I had a bad dream, Mimi. I…I just wanted water." Spencer cried "Then he caught us. He's hurting JJ, Mimi."
"Okay bubba, I want you to listen to me. I need you to hang up and then call 911. Okay?" Emily instructed "Can you do that for me, baby?"
Spencer sniffled, "Yes Mimi, I can."
"And another thing, Spence." Emily added "When the police come and an ambulance takes JJ to the hospital, don't leave her side. Stay with JJ and have the doctor call me. Then I'll be there as soon as I can. I love you, baby, and I'll see you soon."
"Okay. Love you, Mimi." Spencer replied before hanging up and then dialing 9-1-1.
In a little over an hour, Emily arrives at the hospital and Spencer runs to her crying. She scoops up her baby brother and hugs him tight, while he wraps his arms around her neck.
"It's okay, baby. I'm here now. Mimi's here." Emily assured him. Then she looked up and walked to the receptionist's desk, "Um….I'm Emily Reid. I'm here to see my sister JJ…uh I mean Jennifer Reid."
"She's in room 210. It's down the hall and on the left side." The receptionist informed the teenage girl
Emily nodded and gave a grateful smile, "Thank you."
Emily walks down the hall and keeps her eyes peeled for the number 210. When she found the room, she walked in and saw her little sister laying in the hospital bed. Eight year old JJ had wires and tubes attached to her, and she was in a medically Induced coma, but she just looked like she was sleeping. Emily broke down in tears seeing her little sister like that. She sat Spencer down on the bottom of the bed and then wiped her tears before placing a gentle kiss on her little sister's forehead.
"I'm so sorry, JJ. I should have been there to protect you. This is all my fault." Emily cried as she thought, 'It should be me in this bed.'
Spencer crawled over and held his big sister's hand, "It's not your fault, Emmy."
"Spence, you're too little to understand. JJ is only like this because I told her to protect you." Emily explained
"But she's alive." Spencer added "If JJ didn't protect me, I might be dead."
Emily gasped and took a breath, "You're so right, bubba, and I'd be just lost without my baby boy."
"Mimi, you should call mommy. She should know about JJ." Spencer stated. He knows about his mother, because Emily would take him and JJ to visit their mother every weekend.
Emily took a breath, "Um Spence….about mom. I went to see her last weekend, just like always, but mentally she…she's gone. She's not our mom anymore. She's having more episodic moments. She didn't even know me, or you, or JJ. She doesn't remember us anymore. She asked if I was a student from her lecture coming for office hours. I'm sorry, bubba."
Spencer looked down sadly, "Oh."
"I'm so sorry, baby." Emily apologized
"It's okay, Mimi." Spencer told her "We knew this day would come." He had read many books on schizophrenia.
Emily forced a smile, "You're so smart, baby."
Spencer pursed his lips and stared blankly like he did when he was thinking, "Mimi, when do you think JJ will wake up?"
"I don't know, bubba." Emily responded with a soft sigh
"Faith in confidence what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." -Hebrews 11:1
Hope you enjoy. Comments are greatly appreciated.
What would you like to see happen next?