Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing.
Warning- Some places, dates, and events have been changed to fit the story.
Previously on Criminal Minds Feeling better than he had in a week, Spencer pulled his cell from his ear and punched in another number. "Yes, I'd like to book the next available flight to Vegas."
CM
David Rossi stepped off the elevator feeling lighter than he had in years. His son, his baby boy, was alive and well! He still couldn't quite believe. James was actually among the living. And since the boy worked with him, Dave could talk, touch, or hug him anytime he felt like it. Or he would be able to once Reid, James!, warmed up to the idea. And he would. It was just going to take time. Rossi was certain of it. In the meantime he would just have to settle for keeping an eye on his son and letting the boy know he would be there whenever Spencer was ready. He just hoped that would happen soon. The newfound father wasn't sure how long he'd be able to contain himself. It was already taking most of his self-control to keep from racing into the bullpen and hugging the stuffing out of his kid. His kid…that had such a nice ring to it. Smiling at the thought, Dave sauntered into the bullpen and headed for Reid's desk. While he'd promised himself he wouldn't push the boy, he needed to check on him; make sure he was okay after the stunning revelation last night. Making to the desk, the empty desk, he nodded to the two profilers eyeing him before scanning the room for any sign of his son. "Morning guys" he distractedly greeted, frowning at the lack of the one person he wanted to see. "Where's Reid?"
Morgan shrugged. "Dunno" he answered. "He wasn't here when I came in and he always beats me to work."
"Yeah, this is unusual for him. Reid's always an hour or so early." Prentiss agreed, absentmindedly twirling her pen. "I asked JJ about him but she said she hadn't seen or heard from him since they dropped him off at his apartment last night."
"Maybe Hotch knows something." Derek threw out.
"Maybe" Rossi muttered. Giving the others a worried look, he spun around and hurried over to the metal staircase. After bounding up the handful of steps, he grabbed the doorknob and threw open his boss' door, barging into Hotch's office without so much as a knock. "Where's Reid?" he demanded.
Aaron lifted his gaze from the report in his hand; his eyes softening as he noted the fear and worry in his friend's face. "He's in Vegas." He replied. "He called me about half an hour ago and informed me that he was taking a week of emergency leave."
"And you just let him?!" Dave fumed.
"I didn't have any choice. Reid was already in Vegas when he called." Hotch explained. "I asked him if he was alright and if there was anything we could do to help. He said he was fine. That he just needed so time alone to think."
"He couldn't have done that here?" Rossi angrily questioned.
Hotch shot a pointed look at his longtime friend.
Dave deflated. Dropping into one of the leather chairs, he sighed. "Yeah, okay so going away for some alone time was a good idea." He conceded. "But did he have to go to Vegas?"
"He wanted to spend some time with his mother." Aaron replied, knowing that bit of information was sure to set the senior profiler off but also knowing lying about it wasn't an option.
As predicted Rossi went from resigned to furious in a millisecond. He leapt out of his chair and slammed his hands down on Hotch's desk. "James went to her! He went to the bitch that helped steal him from his family!" he shouted.
Aaron, for his part, remained calm. "Sit down, Dave" he ordered, using the tone reserved for victim's families. He waited for the angry man to take a seat and then pressed on. "First, it's Spencer, not James." He held up a hand to stop the older man's protest. "You may have named your baby James but Reid has gone by the name Spencer since the day he went home from the hospital. Don't expect him to change that overnight."
"Fine" Rossi grumpily responded. "But he still shouldn't have gone to that, that witch! She and her no account husband are responsible for this and I plan on seeing to it that they both pay for kidnapping my boy!"
"Dave, Mr. and Mrs. Reid had nothing to do with the switch. They're just as much victims as you and Carolyn are." Hotch told his friend. "Garcia and I spend yesterday investigating the incident and it was nothing more than an accident."
"Maybe" Dave grumbled, crossing his arms. "But then again it might not be. The doctor or nurse or whoever conspired with them could have forged the records to make it look like an accident. The police will have to investigate it to be sure."
Aaron shook his head. "If you do that, you're liable to lose Reid for good. He adores his mother. You accuse her of a crime and he'll never forgive you. You know that." He reasoned. Seeing that he wasn't getting through to his hardheaded friend, he added, "Is proving whether or not it was an accident important enough to you to risk losing your son forever?"
"No of course not! But"
"Let it go, Dave." Hotch advised. "It's in the past. Nothing you do will change what happened. Forget about waging a vendetta against whoever screwed up and just concentrate on catching up with your son."
Rossi sat and mulled over the younger man's advice. Aaron was right. He could pour all his energy into finding out exactly what happened but even if he was able to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mr. and Mrs. Reid were in on the plan, Ja-Spencer would never believe it. And worse still the boy would turn his back on him. Heck, knowing Spencer, the hardheaded kid would quit his job at the BAU and move back to Vegas just to get as far away from Dave as he could. And that was something Dave couldn't allow to happen. He'd lost his son once. He refused to lose him again. The senior profiler ran a weary hand down his face. He was in for a long hard week. "Alright, I'll let it drop." He finally mumbled. "And I'll let him have his week of space. But just a week and that's it. Any longer and I'm going after the kid myself."
Hotch quirked a smile. "I thought you'd see it my way." He stated. "Now go get to work. It'll take your mind off Reid being gone."
"I highly doubt that." Dave grumbled even as he stood. He trudged to the door, grasped the handle, and opened the door. Stopping in the doorway, he glanced back at his friend. "Hey Aaron, you didn't happen to come across any pictures of the kid when he was younger while you were researching, did you?"
"I found a few." Aaron admitted. "I'll have Garcia send them and any others she has to you."
"Thanks" Rossi said, returning the man's smile. Maybe this week wouldn't be so bad after all.
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Spencer walked through the heavy wooden doors of Bennington with a sigh. He had gotten more and more relaxed the closer he got to his mother and now stepping up to the desk he felt the remaining tenseness disappear. In some ways it felt a lot like coming home. Seeing Dr. Norman waiting for him, he went over and extended his hand. "Morning Dr. Norman" he greeted with a smile. "Thanks again for giving me the okay to stay with mom overnight."
"It was my pleasure." The doctor replied. "It will do Diana a world of good to spend some quality time with her son. You're all she talks about especially since she found out you were coming. I think she's asked the staff about your arrival every hour on the hour since then."
Spencer snickered. That sounded like his mom. "So, she's doing well then?" he questioned as the two started to walk down the corridor.
"Yes, I've been very pleased. The new medicine seems to be agreeing with her. She's lucid for the majority of the time now." Dr. Norman reported. "She's even starting to interact with some of the other patients and nurses."
"That's great!" Spencer exclaimed. "I was hoping the new medication would have that result!"
Dr. Norman stopped at the door of the day room. "Hopefully, the effect will continue instead of tapering off. There's been no long term studies on this particular medication." He advised before smiling. "But we'll worry about that later. You're here to enjoy time with your mother; not discuss treatments. Go to her. We can talk later."
"Thanks again Dr. Norman" Spencer said before turning and walking into the well lit room. He scanned the room, quickly locating his mother over in the corner sitting with a thick tome in her hands. Grinning from ear to ear, Reid hurried over. "Hi mom!" he called with a little wave.
"Spencer!" Diana exclaimed. She rushed over to her son and enveloped him in a bone crushing hug. "Oh my sweet baby! I've missed you so much!"
"Me too mom! Me too!" Spencer muttered, returning the hug just as fiercely.
Diana and Spencer stayed wrapped in each other's arms for several minutes, each drawing comfort from the other. It wasn't until some of the staff started giving them looks that they reluctantly ended the hug. Mrs. Reid kept her hands on her son's arms though. "Let me look at you." she said, turning an appraising eye on her little boy. She frowned. "You're too skinny. And the bags under your eyes are big enough to hold all my belongings." She observed. "That job of yours isn't good for you. You're wasting away!"
Spencer rolled his eyes. "I'm alright mom. Honest." He assured the worried woman. "I just need a little break. That, that last case was really, really bad."
"I know Spencer." Diana replied. Taking his cheeks in both hands, she drew him to her and kissed his forehead. "But momma is going to make it all better. I've set up some activities for us to do that should take your mind off that horrid case."
"Activities? What kind of activities, mom?" Spencer warily inquired. That didn't sound like his mother. She didn't do activities of any kind.
Diana smiled at the expression on her son's face. It was a look she knew well. The boy had been a worry wart almost from the time he was born. "Well, for starters we are going to a painting class." She informed her son.
"Painting?" Spencer repeated, wondering if the meds were messing with his mother's thought processes.
"Yes painting" Diana answered as she took the young man's hand and started leading him out of the day room. "It's one of the activities they have here to keep us entertained. Normally, I just ignore the so called classes but I remember how much you used to love to doodle when you were little. It'll be fun to sketch and paint like we used to. Don't you think?"
Spencer couldn't help but grin. It had been a long time since he'd seen his mother like this; like the mother of his early childhood. "I think that's a perfect idea, mom." He said.
"Then let's go! We need to get there early so we don't end up with the broken down easels." Diana warned. Smiling, mother and son walked out of the room and started down the hall to begin their first day together.
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JJ rapped on her boss' door before opening it and peeking inside. "Hotch, we've got a case." She announced.
Aaron lifted an eyebrow. "I thought we agreed not to take on a case until Reid came back." He pointed out. He had no desire to go into the field down one agent and with another there in body only.
JJ stepped around the door and into the room. After closing the door, she strode over to Hotch's desk. "We did but we don't really have a choice. It's either take on a case or stay here and let Rossi drive us all insane."
Aaron chuckled. Dave had been a little aggravating in his quest to learn anything and everything about his son. The other team members had been nice at first, relating several stories of cases past or downtime fun. But by day three the group was clearly tiring of it. And this morning, Hotch had overheard Morgan threatening to barricade Rossi in his office if he didn't cease and desist. Dave of course, hadn't been intimidated in the least. He'd continued his quest for all things Reid. Aaron had a feeling if something didn't change, they wouldn't make it to Day Five. He nodded. "Okay JJ, tell everyone to meet in the conference room in five."
"You've got it." JJ replied, smiling. "Thanks Hotch"
Aaron waited for the media liaison to leave and then leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. He hoped he wasn't making a big mistake. Taking on a case when they were effectively two men down could be a disaster. Then again, the case could be just the thing to get Rossi's mind off Reid for a while. There was really only one way to find out. Taking a deep cleansing breathe, Aaron stood and headed for the door. He had a briefing to get to.
