Hey everyone, here is the next chapter for you all. I hope you like this chapter. I've made a little decision and I hope those who read Permanent will accept this. I'm going to update that now every two days for at least the next week or so as I need to sort out a few things and I'd also like to spend some time on my personal writing, I'm trying to write a book and I feel I've neglected it slightly. This story will still be updated daily as this is my main fanfic. A day or two with my personal writing and then I'll go back to normal and post some new fanfic projects. I hope this is okay with you all. Permanent will get updated tomorrow. I just need to clarify something. William Reid isn't dead as some of you thought. Rossi shot him in the leg before Hotch could pull the trigger on his own gun. Reading it back, I don't think I made that too clear. Sorry about that. Also for this story, William has a brother.
Enjoy and I'd love to hear what you all think of this chapter.
Thank you so much for all the reviews, you really make me smile and I love you all! Thanks!
Enjoy and please review
All mistakes are my own
Hotch went with the paramedics as they loaded Spencer into the ambulance. He caught a brief glimpse of William Reid being dragged to the other ambulance. He knew why Rossi had pulled the trigger and shot William in the leg before he had gotten a chance to pull his own trigger. Rossi didn't want William to get away with it so easily and Hotch knew that too. Spencer had suffered unimaginable abuse for most of his life, there wouldn't be any justice with William Reid being allowed to die and escape punishment. The doors closed and the driver began to drive to the hospital. Hotch wanted to hold Spencer's hand but they'd been covered with plastic to lower the risk of infection to the burnt flesh. He was helpless as he listened to Spencer's harsh breathing and the small heart monitor attached to him. The paramedic increased the oxygen flow to the mask over Spencer's mouth.
Panic ripped through Hotch as he watched Spencer's body began to buck and shake uncontrollably. "What's happening?"
"He's having a seizure," the paramedic said. "He's showing signs of intracranial swelling."
"Stop it then!"
"I can't," the paramedic snapped as he placed a small injection in Spencer's cannulae. "He has to ride it out. I don't have the proper medication to stop the seizure in the rig."
Hotch paced around in the waiting room. He'd been pushed away when he had tried to follow Spencer's gurney and got told to wait. Hours had passed since he had seen Spencer and he had no idea whether he was alive or dead. Garcia was waiting with him along with Emily and JJ. Morgan, Rossi and Gideon were cleaning up the area where Spencer had been kept, making sure not one piece of forensic evidence was left undocumented. William would live and Hotch couldn't wait to get a piece of the bastard.
"Spencer Reid?" a doctor called causing him to look up.
"Is he okay?" Hotch asked. "I'm his guardian. You can speak in front of us all."
"I'm Dr Stone. Spencer is alive but he received a massive beating from his attacker. His right eye is swollen but it'll heal, I don't foresee any permanent damage to his eye sight. Two broken ribs, three cracked ribs. He had internal bleeding but we've repaired the damage. Broken ankle, a broken arm and fractured wrist. He has severe bruising all over his body. His hands got burned, we suspect by a lighter, we've seen burns like these before. He won't need a skin graft but his hands will scar. He has a very nasty head wound and some swelling to his brain. We're giving him medication to control the swelling and it should go down soon. Luckily, he isn't showing signs of being in a coma but I doubt he'll wake for at least two days. We're giving him a blood transfusion, he lost some blood due to his multiple injuries. He's in a private room."
"Can we see him?" Garcia asked.
"Yes but please prepare yourselves for what you see. For a boy of only fifteen, he's injuries are significant. He's a strong boy though to have held on through all of it. Follow me."
Hotch walked over to bed slowly, his eyes wide as he took in the small figure in the bed. White casts and bandages covered Spencer's small frame. He came to the side of the bed and brought his hand up. It hovered above Spencer's hair before gently coming down and brushing his hand through the hair. The doctor left leaving JJ, Garcia, Emily and him alone. He leaned down and kissed Spencer on the forehead like he did with Jack. "I'm so sorry I failed to protect you. When you wake up, I hope you can forgive me. Thank you for listening and not giving up back there."
"Oh, Spencer," Garcia said before her eyes teared up. She came forward and shook her head as she watched his chest rise and fall. "How could he do this to you?"
"Physical injuries heal," Hotch said. "His mental ones are going to take longer to heal. I can't imagine how scared he was when his father began to bury him. How does anyone ever get over that? Your own father trying to kill you."
"We'll help him," JJ said as she stepped to the bottom of the bed. "His father will pay and we'll give him a good life."
"He looks so much younger than fifteen," Emily shook her head as she looked to the heart monitor and then back to the bed. She brought her hands to the blanket and pulled it up further.
"Garcia, call Spencer's social worker and make her get the papers so William can sign away his rights."
"Why?" she asked Hotch.
"I don't want him having anything over Spencer and I want her to start proceedings for me to permanently take custody of Spencer," he said as he sat on the edge of the bed.
"Hotch, are you talking about-" Emily began to ask Hotch before he interrupted her.
"Yes, I want to adopt Spencer. We're the best home he has ever known and after this, I want him to know that no-one will take him away and hurt him again. Garcia, please. Can you do this for me?"
"I'll go back to the police station and start straight away," Garcia nodded quickly.
"I'll help," JJ offered.
Two days later
Spencer heard voices in the distant darkness that surrounded him. He felt a slight euphoria around his body. A kind of euphoria that wasn't natural but made him feel better. The voice he heard began to sound more familiar. He sluggishly opened one of his eyes and his vision blurred. It cleared after a moment. He looked to the bottom of his bed, trying not to look at all the casts and bandages. Why were they there again? He ignored the pain in his head.
He felt like crying when he saw Hotch and Morgan talking at the bottom of the bed.
"Hotch," he whispered. His guardian quickly looked to him.
"Oh, thank god," Hotch said, relief filling his voice. He made his way to the side of the bed and Spencer felt safe as he saw Hotch's face. His eyes burned but he ignored his body trying to control him.
"Good to see you awake, kid," Morgan smiled as he came to the other side of the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Why aren't I dead?" he quietly and fearfully said as his mind clicked and remembered what had happened. "Why aren't I in pain?"
"We found you and we saved you. Your dad is under arrest and he is never going to hurt you again," Hotch explained. "Rossi shot him in the leg. We almost lost you but you're so strong. You listened and you didn't give up. You're on a morphine drip to help with the pain."
Spencer remembered sobbing and pleading for his father to stop shovelling the dirt.
"Hey, don't cry. It's okay. You're safe now," Morgan said as he grabbed a tissue and very gently, wiped the tears from Spencer's eyes.
"I-I was awake w-when he put me in there. T-Told me I was a mistake a-and that I n-never made him proud. He was going to s-start a new family and have a son who could make him proud," Spencer cried. "I tried to b-beg but he hit me with t-the shovel. I thought about Jack and how I wasn't going to stay and h-help him with the Lego. I begged my daddy."
"Shh...," Hotch said as he put his hand gently on Spencer's forehead. "You're still here and you can still help Jack. It's my fault he got you. I'm supposed to protect you and I didn't at the funeral. I hope you can forgive me one day."
"Not your f-fault," Spencer said. "D-Don't think it ever was. He's evil but I-I never thought he'd g-go that far. P-please don't leave me a-alone."
"I won't," Hotch smiled. "I've even started proceedings so that when you leave here, you can have a proper home. One, that you'll never have to leave. If you agree, I want to try to adopt you. Jack would love a big brother and I already love you as a son."
A small sob came before a small smile appeared on Spencer's face. "Really?"
"Yes, it might take a while but I want you to have a family. I want you as a part of my family. I'll help you get a good education, give you a good home and make sure that no-one ever lays a hand on you again."
"Yes please," Spencer said before he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, his head going back against the pillow.
Hotch looked down at Spencer and was thankful for the morphine going through the young man's body.
"He's a special kid," Morgan mused as he placed another blanket over Spencer.
"He sure is," Hotch nodded.
William crossed his arms as Gideon stepped forward with the papers for him to sign. "I'm not signing them."
Spencer's social worker was present and had agreed to both of Hotch's requests once she had heard what William had done to his own son. "Mr Reid, it's best for Spencer if you sign these papers. This is only a small part of what needs completion. You've lost the right to Spencer and you'll never see daylight again. I can overturn that piece of paper but that would need some digging into your past and I don't think you want me doing that. Sign the paper, Mr Reid."
"Why should I make it easy for you all?" William said. "I have a brother living in Canada. I'm sure Spencer would love to go there."
"We looked into your brother's records and there is no way in hell I would ever give Spencer to him."
"No, you gave him to a stranger instead, stupid bitch."
"Please say another insult because I am just dying to have a reason to knock your ass out," Rossi growled, his cold, stoic eyes stared at William. He watched the man cower just a small amount. Rossi smiled inside at the ability to scare the man.
"Your brother is on probation and Spencer will stay with Agent Hotchner indefinitely," the social worker said. "Sign the paper or I'll make sure every inch of your life is probed and that if any more crimes are found, they're added to your current charges."
William took the clipboard and signed the document. He tossed it to the bottom of the bed. "He was a useless shit anyway."
"He's a wonderful young man," Gideon snapped. "He deserves a better life and he's going to get it. He isn't useless, he's brilliant."
Garcia was gently combing Spencer's hair and humming.
"You hum beautifully," Spencer sighed as he gently opened his good eye. "Was I dreaming before? Is Hotch really adopting me?"
"It wasn't a dream," she said gently. "He's already started the process with your social worker."
"I guess some dreams come true," he said.
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