Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.
When it comes to being September 11th tomorrow/today, I ended up brainstorming this short and sweet little one-shot because of our favorite four-year-old second-grader Diana Reid would have learned about 9/11 in school.
This takes place between chapters 47 and 48 of The Profiler and the Nurse (If you never read my Spencer/Clarissa Hotchner series yet, please read Friends, Lovers, Husband and Wife, to Parents and up to chapter 47 of The Profiler the Nurse first). Diana is four-years-old and Spencer's still on medical leave from the injuries he sustained in Minimal Loss.
I was a seven-year-old second grader when 9/11 happened, and even though its been 17 years since I was in second grade I can still remember my teacher telling my classmates and me about the terrorist attack and to think about the second graders who lost their parents and the parents who lost their second graders that day like it was yesterday. Thank you to every person who has risked their lives to save as many people of possible that day and the men and women who work hard to protect our country today.
Spencer was sitting at his desk in his home library working on his BA in Philosophy when Diana who was doing her own homework at her own desk looked at him.
"Mrs. O' Conner told us about the terrorist attacks that happened in New York City, The Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania seven years ago today, daddy," said Diana.
Spencer looked at his four-year-old daughter who had her long curly brown hair pulled into pigtails, her purple glasses perched on her nose, while wearing a pair of overalls and a purple t-shirt.
"And?" asked Spencer.
"What were you doing that day?" asked Diana.
"I was in my first class of the day at MIT when a student ran into the room and announced that a plane crashed into the World Trade Center causing my professor to quickly put on the news. A few minutes later mommy called me crying because she was upset about all the kids that were on that flight," said Spencer.
"What did you do?" asked Diana.
Flashback
Spencer quickly ran into the room where a crying Clarissa was watching the news with all of the other students.
"Clarissa," said Spencer.
Clarissa shot up from her spot and quickly ran over to her boyfriend and landed into his open arms.
"I'm here, Clarissa," said Spencer as he wiped his girlfriend's tears.
"Let's go to my dorm," said Clarissa.
A few minutes later Spencer and Clarissa were in each other's arms on the futon in Clarissa's dorm when Clarissa looked at her boyfriend.
"It's horrible that kids died in those four plane crashes today," sobbed Clarissa.
"I know," said Spencer as he rubbed Clarissa's back.
Clarissa kissed her boyfriend's cheek.
"Thank you for driving here since all flights are currently canceled," sobbed Clarissa.
"I'm upset about what happened today too, and what happened is another huge reason why I'm joining the FBI because of the possibility of stopping possible terrorist attacks from happening," said Spencer as he continued to comfort a sobbing Clarissa.
Flashback ended.
"Daddy?" asked Diana.
Spencer quickly broke out of his flashback.
"You wanted to know what I did?" asked Spencer.
"Yes," said Diana.
"Because of all the flights in this country were canceled, I quickly got into my car and drove to New Haven so I could comfort your mommy in person instead of comforting her over the phone," said Spencer.
"I'm glad you went to comfort mommy," said Diana.
Spencer smiled at his oldest daughter.
"Good," said Spencer before becoming serious, "September 11th is one of the reasons why I took the oath to serve and protect this country as an FBI agent because I wanted to help prevent other terrorist attacks like 9/11 from happening," said Spencer.
"I know that you saved a lot of mommies like mommy and kids like Bridget, Jack, Evan, and me from a big fire last month, but did you help prevent other terrorist attacks like September 11th from happening since you joined uncle Aaron's team?" asked Diana.
Spencer froze as he thought about the time that he, Gideon, and Emily went to Guantanamo Bay to prevent anthrax from being released in the new USA Mall in McLean, Virginia back in November of 2006 and the bombing of a New York City hospital nearly four months ago.
"I have," said Spencer.
Diana got off her chair and walked over to the chair that her daddy was sitting in while thinking about the still healing scar from the surgery her daddy had for internal bleeding four weeks ago while his cracked ribs were still healing.
"Are your abdomen or ribs in too much pain for me to sit on your lap?" asked Diana.
Spencer smiled as he realized that his oldest daughter was following the rules about being careful around him as he recovered from surgery.
"Not at all, so please come sit on my lap," said Spencer.
Diana climbed onto her daddy's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Thank you for protecting this country, daddy," said Diana as she kissed her daddy's cheek.
A/N: The episodes I reference is Lessons Learned and Mayhem.