(A/N: So what'd you think of the last chapter? Did you see it coming? To warn you…this stuff may start coming fast. With all of the shows ending for the summer I'll have lots of free evenings. I hear Criminal Minds will be just as heart stopping as CSI…and will have an equally angering cliffhanger. Well, here we go with chapter 4. Still in Reid's POV.)
Chapter 4: Speak His Language
"He was unconscious when they brought him in." the doctor said calmly. "Discoloration around his mouth suggested some sort of poison, so we pumped his stomach."
"But he's," Annabelle was crying, "he's alright?"
"He's going to be fine. He'll be a little queasy from the meds we gave him to eradicate the rest of the poison and he's understandably upset, but with some rest and the love of his parents, he'll make a full recovery."
"Can we see him?" Greg asked anxiously.
"Certainly," the doctor said reviewing Alex's chart, "but I do have one question. How are Alex's language skills?"
"His language skills?" Annabelle asked confused. "Fine, above average actually. Why?"
"Well, when he first woke up the officers who brought him in tried to question him, hoping he'd remember something about the kidnapper, but he didn't speak. After we contacted you I told him his mom and dad where on their way and he said nothing."
"It is likely," I interjected, "that he is suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. It can cause a person to withdraw and isolate themselves. The feelings of fear and hopelessness can continue long after the event is over." I looked at Annabelle hating to be the bearer of bad news. "It could be much worse on him being separated from Caroline. If he has asserted himself as her protector then he will feel like he has failed. Feelings of guilt are usually observed in children around the age of three."
"So what do we do?" Greg addressed his question to me instead of the doctor. "How do we help him through this?"
"It's important at this point to just show him you care. Reassure him that this is not his fault and that he did his best. Now, usually its best to give someone with PTSD space; to show support, but try not to push. However, at Alex's age that could do more harm than good. Children who are kidnapped often feel that their parents abandoned them. You need to reassure him that this was not the case. He needs to see how worried you were about him and how worried you still are about Caroline. Don't be afraid to show your emotions, it will help him deal with his."
Annabelle took a deep breath. "We'd like to see him now, doctor." He motioned for them to follow him. "Spencer, would you come please?"
I nodded and followed nervously behind them.
There was surprise on Alex's face when his parents walked in. It was almost as if he didn't expect them to come.
Annabelle and Greg ran to the boy showering in with hugs and kisses.
"Honey," Annabelle said through tears, "are you ok? Mommy and Daddy were so worried."
He nodded his little head.
"We tried to find you," Greg said also in tears. "We looked so hard."
The boy said nothing. He just looked around the room then made the shape of a 'C' with his hand and placed it over his heart.
Greg and Annabelle looked at each other in fright.
"What is it?" I asked confused.
"He wants to know where Caroline is." Greg said taking his son's hand. "We don't know yet. We're still looking for her."
Alex shifted, turning his face away from his parents and closing his eyes.
Greg tried to comfort his wife whose sobs had returned.
"We taught them sign language," Greg said preempting my question. "All of the studies said it would make them less irritable. If they knew how to express what they wanted to say, even before they could say it, they would be able to convey their emotions better. Not to mention better language skills, a higher capacity for learning, and bonding time with the parents. We were pleased with the results, it turned out to be everything they said it was and more but…"
"…but?" I prompted.
"About four months into it, just after they were a year old, they started making signs we didn't understand. They would sit in front of each other for hours and sign."
"Were they picking up more advanced signs," I asked confused.
"No," Annabelle answered, "they were creating them."
"Creating?"
"They all had roots in signs we'd taught them, but they were varied or conjoined. They were would still communicate with us through the set signs, but when they spoke to each other, it was always their own."
"You're talking about idioglossia," I said amazed.
Annabelle nodded. "Twin speak. We did research once we realized what they were doing."
"How advanced is this language?"
"Very," Greg answered. "We could keep up at first, but the older they get the more it develops. They keep changing it and adding new words. At this point we can only understand a few words."
"Like 'Caroline'," Annabelle said repeating the sign Alex had done. "And Alex." She closed her fist, into what I recognized as the sign for the letter 'A', still over her heart."
There was a knock at the door and JJ slowly stepped in.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," she said, "but CSI Grissom just called. He'd like one of you to come to the scene where they found Alex. He said that it will only be for a minute and then you can come right back to Alex. He just wants to see if anything stands out as familiar to you."
"I'll go." Greg said standing. "You stay with him." He kissed Annabelle then bent to kiss a sleeping Alex.
"CSI Willows is waiting for you at the nurses' station," JJ said excusing herself from the room.
Stopping in front of me as he passed, Greg's eyes met mine and I saw the depth of his fear.
"I know you're supposed to be working the case," he said, "but would you mind staying with Anna and Alex?"
"Not at all."
"Thanks. Anna was right about you. You're a good friend."
After Greg left we sat there in silence. Annabelle just looked at Alex.
"It's amazing," she said, "how much he looks like Greg." She was right. Alex was a carbon copy of his father, except for the red hair.
"Two years ago when Greg was caught up in that beating I sat by his bed and watched him. I remember being so afraid that the doctor's weren't telling me the whole story. I kept thinking he was going to fall asleep and never wake up." She touched Alex's face, run her fingers gently near the corner of his mouth where some discoloration remained. "I shouldn't have to do this." She cried. "We've already been through so much. I shouldn't have to watch my little boy suffer. I shouldn't have to wonder where my little girl is…if she's..." She stopped unable to speak. Turning quickly she fell against my chest and wept violently.
"It's going to be ok." I said in my best attempt to comfort her. "I promise you. I promise we will find her. Whatever it takes, I will bring her back to you."
"I wish I could believe you," she said drying her eyes.
Then suddenly she looked pale and unstable on her feet.
"Are you okay? Do you need to sit down or have a glass of water?"
"Yeah," she said weakly. "Just a little dizzy. I haven't gotten much sleep and I don't remember the last time I ate something."
"Do you want me to go get you something? Your only choices are a vending machine or the cafeteria, but it's better than nothing."
"You don't have to," she said sitting down in the chair next to Alex's bed.
"It's nothing. I'll be right back."
When I returned with Annabelle's food I noticed JJ hanging up her phone.
"Any new news?"
"No," she said. "Mr. Sanders didn't find anything out of place at the scene. CSI Grissom confirmed that it was similar to the other scenes except for Alex. The girls were all wrapped neatly in pink blankets out of site of the road. Alex was just lying there in plain sight. As if the unsub didn't care if he was seen."
"Well," I shrugged, "It holds to the MO. Wrapping the girls shows care and remorse. There is affection there. The lack of attention to Alex's scene shows that Caroline was the true target. The unsub didn't care about Alex."
"How is he?"
"It's PTSD for sure. He is still really scared and shaken up. He still won't speak, not even to Greg and Annabelle. He's not using words anyway."
"What do you mean?"
"Alex and Caroline have an idioglossia."
JJ looked confused.
"A twin language. Greg and Annabelle taught them sign language as babies and they developed their own signs to communicate with each other. The only thing he has said so far is 'Caroline'." I said mimicking the sign.
"Wow, their own language at three years old."
"Most idioglossia are developed at a young age and forgotten by the time the twins reach adolescence. Around the time they begin to interact with other children."
"Too bad no one can speak his language. He might talk to us like that."
Just then it hit me.
"That's it! JJ, that's the answer! Here," I thrust the food at her and darted off in the other direction calling back, "Give that to Annabelle. Tell her I'll be right back."
(Sorry to stop there, but if I go on much longer I'll never stop. Chapters have to stop somewhere. I promise to update soon.)
