To the End of the Road
Chapter 1
Trust Me On This One
Hotchner voice over
"We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love-first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage."-Albert Camus
"Haley is not taking custody of Jack, Aaron! She was cheating on you, bringing strange men into your house with your kid here. No judge in Virginia or DC would grant her custody." Esther shouted, her voice going slightly hysterical. There was no way that she was going to let her brother throw his life away because he didn't want to upset the wife who had betrayed him. She had moved all the way here to take care of her nephew. Esther was facing her own fears doing this, and she wasn't going to let her brother give up on his life like she had been trying to all these years. Esther leveled her brother with a glare, showing him that he wasn't the only one who could look intimidating in this family. There was no way that she was going to give up on this, Esther would fight her brother on this until the end.
Aaron sighed, he was to tired to really want to have this conversation right now. Especially not in his office, with his team right outside in the bullpen, probably listening to every word. Sitting back in his office chair he put his head in his hands. After all the stuff going on with Haley, he really wasn't up fighting with his sister now.
"I really don't want to talk about this, Essy. Not in my office, and not today. Haley isn't getting custody, i've been trying to tell you that for 20 minutes. Jack is at daycare, I need you to pick him up when you leave. Now that you're listening can you do that?" He asked her humorlessly. Aaron stood up from his desk, smoothing out the wrinkles in his suit pants. He walked over to Ester and put his hand on her shoulder. Ester leaned into him, wrapping her arms around her brother. Aaron didn't normally show this much affection, especially not at the BAU, but it seemed as if they both needed a little bit of physical comfort right now.
"I just dont want you to lose Jack. Haley is a vindictive bitch, who won't listen to reason if it means she gets her way. If she gets Jack hurt, every FBI agent in the country won't be able to keep me from ripping her apart. At least if he's with you we can all have the peace of mind that he's safe." Esther told her brother softer, breathing in a deep breath. She rubbed his back, tears gathering in her eyes when Aarons back began to shake. She wished there was something she could do, wished she'd told Aaron about her suspicions of Haley when she was younger.
"It's okay, it's okay. Everything's going to be ok, Aaron. I'm gonna get Jack-Jack and you're going to finish your paperwork. You're gonna stay at the apartment, and I'll make you a nice meal. Take a few days off work, spend some time with your son. I'm sure you have enough sick leave saved up." Esther told her brother soothingly, pressing a kiss to the side of his face just like she'd done when she was little and he was comforting her. She smiled when he hugged her tighter, his body shaking now in silent laughter.
"How do you always know how to make me feel better? Wasn't it just 10 years ago I was doing the same thing?" He asked her, pulling back and cupping her face. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, hugging her one more time. A fond smile was on his face, he remembered the day his sister had graduated college. A little genius, two Ph Ds at 16, 5'3 and couldn't weigh more than 100 pounds, his baby sister had come to him crying about how she was terrified about asking the boy she like out. Aaron had comforted her, and told her that everything was okay. Just like she was doing for him now.
Esther laughed at him, her mind going back to the moment she knew he was talking about, a blush covered her face when she remembered the whole event. "I'm married to him now. Why must you continue to embarrass me about it?" She asked him teasingly, a pout on her face. Esther's face was bright red, to this day they all teased her about it. Even if it had all turned out for the better. She had been 16 for God's sake! Any 16 year old girl genius would be nervous about going on a date. Especially with the boy she had been living with since she was 12. They were close, and she hadn't wanted to mess it up. He meant so much to her then, and he still did. Just in a slightly different way now, she thought with a smile.
"We'll never stop teasing you about this, Essy. It was the most hilarious thing i'd ever seen. Scraggly and all of 16 years old, you must have weighed a 100 pounds soaking wet and there you were, curled up and crying because you were terrified that Spencer might reject you if you asked him out. You had nothing to worry about, of course. That boy was enchanted with you from the second he saw you. Goddam, he was just as nervous as you! Just the week before he called me on the phone and begged me to let me take you on a date." Aaron told his sister, laughing at her gaping expression. Esther had obviously not known that her husband had done that. She had probably thought she was the only one with a nervous laugh and sweaty palms. When in reality they had been two teenagers in love, who hadn't really known how to react. Aaron had never been more happy than when he had walked his baby sister down the aisle to marry that great man. The only event that surpassed that in amazement and happiness was his son's birth.
"He never told me that! That bastard. I was so nervous! UGH!" She exclaimed, huffing out a breath of air. A pout began to form on her face again, and Aaron had to stifle his laughter. Esther always got like this, her behavior modeling that of an angry hissing kitten. Then he remembered, Jack needed to be picked up and his face went grim and slack. He hoped that what Hayle was pulling wouldn't affect Jack. That Esther being here would distract him from his mother leaving him.
"I hate to break this up, Essy. But Jack needs to be picked up and I have paperwork I need to do. I'll meet you at the apartment when I'm done. On your way out, tell Reid he needs to go with you." Aaron told her, pulling her in for one last hug. Esther smiled at her brother reassuringly, pressing a kiss to his cheek again. She hoped to convey all the things she was feeling right now. How much love and support she had for him. Esther wanted Aaron to know that everything was going to be alright, that life would go on. That he and Jack would be happy. Everything was going to be okay, it was going to work in their favor.
"Anything you want. I think i'll make lasagna for dinner, so bring an appetite. And I'll make Jacks favorite dessert. You two will be alright Aaron, even if we have to scratch, kick and bite our way out of this mess." Esther comforted her brother. She truly believed everything would be fine. Hayle had made her childhood hell, the woman had resented the fact that Aaron was her guardian, that he took care of her. She was done letting Hayle win, this time she would fight. There had been nothing she could do when she was younger, at that time Aaron had thought the sun shone out of the blonde she-devils ass, but now that he was wiser to her ways. Now that he had his baby son to think of, she knew that he was finally ready to confront what had been going on for years. Esther just hoped that this stayed relatively calm, that nothing got in the way of the happy ending her brother deserved.
Saying one last goodbye to her brother, she opened the door to his office, stepping out onto catwalk. The office was silent, and everyone who was below was staring at her. Esther flashed a smile at the Agents, her eyes zeroing on Spencer. The stares continued as she walked down the stairs and into the bullpen, heading straight for Spencer. The stares didn't scare her, nothing really scared her anymore. At least, not anything in social settings. After being a 12 year old in college, nothing about stares and whispers got to her anymore. Stopping in front of Spencer's desk, a fond smile made its way onto her face. He was engrossed in the paperwork he was doing. The only one in the room not making a spectacle of her. Esther cleared her throat.
"Doctor Reid?" She asked, getting his attention. The astonishment on his face was hilarious, and Esther had to use all her self control to not laugh out right at him. "I'll need you to come with me Dr. Reid. Its of the utmost importance, Special Agent Hotchner had already given me permission to take you off the premises." Esther told him, standing back from his desk so that he could stand and leave with her. The whole of the bullpen was still staring, except now they were whispering quietly to each other. All probably wonder what a mysterious pregnant woman could possibly want with the awkward young doctor.
Spencer nodded, his face dumbfoundead. He stood up, picking his messenger bag up on the way. The two left the bullpen quickly, both almost speed walking out of the office. Leaving behind the stares and whispers. Once out of the office, their steps slowed. However, they didn't slow down to a normal speed until they were completely out of the government building. Once Esther was sure none of the agents were watching them anymore, she began to giggle. The whole situation was making her more emotional the the pregnancy itself was. Once getting to her car, she began to laugh outright, leaning against Spencer in a hug.
"That was the most hilarious thing i've ever done. Funnier than the time we blew up the science lab at MIT. Oh my God Spence, Aarons going to tease me about that for forever." She told her husband, her laughter over taking her. Spencer began to laugh too, his arms coming around her in a hug.
"You've gotten so big, Essy" He said, his voice filled with wonder. Esther pulled back, looking into his face. It was filled with wonder as he stared at her stomach. The sight of the happiness and amazement on his face made her want to cry, her emotions suddenly choking her. Esther remembered that this was the first time in three months they had seen each other. She hadn't seen her husband since she had told him she was pregnant in the first place. Spencer had seen pictures of course, and they had a private video chat date set up once a week. But, this was the first time he had seen her in person, in all her six months pregnant glory.
"Of course!" He said suddenly, his face going panicked. "Im not saying your fat, or, or like anything bad. I meant, uh, you're just. Pregnant. Beautiful and pregnant. With our baby, my baby." he said, the wonder slipping back into his voice. Esther smiled blindingly at him, reaching her warms up to wrap around his neck and pull him down for a kiss. They kissed lazily for a few seconds, smiles playing on both of their faces. When the kiss broke Esther stared up at her husband, a dazed smile on her face.
"Its so good to see you Spence, and i'd really like to continue. But I promised Aaron we'd pick up Jack from daycare and bring him home. And we've got to stop at the shops on the way home, i'm going to make us a nice home cooked meal." She babbled to her husband. A fond smile on her face at the thought of cooking for her family for the first time in forever. After living in California working for Cal-Tech for five years, and only seeing Spencer, Aaron and Jack when ever she could get away from her work. Days which had been far and in-between, a smaller number than she really wanted to admit.
Spencer nodded at her, confirming that this was fine. He moved to open the passenger door for her, and she handed him her keys so that he could drive. Once they were in the car, Esther took his hand before he could shift the gears and drive off. They shared a look between them, smiles still plastered on their faces. Esther signed contently at the warmth holding Spencers hand brought her. She leaned over the counsel for one last kiss before they drove off toward Jacks school. For such a bad start to her day, it was really starting to look up. Now that she was finally back with her family, Esther finally felt whole. For the first time in five years she felt truly happy.
Esther voice over
"The most important thing is to enjoy your life-to be happy-it's all that matters"-Audrey Hepburn
TBC