(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or it's characters)
Sorry for the long delay, I had scholarship exams yesterday and one of them was on creative writing so I've been focusing most of my writing into that at the moment. I will try to be more organised I promise.
Thank you as always to everyone who reviewed. That includes, E. J. Morgan, Dez, Astrahan, poorbear123, K, fishtrek, laileyspenstar, Diana, Guest, and GoodGodHenry.
So I said a while ago that Spencer and Henry's birthdays are both on the 28th of October and I think Jack's is the 9th of October. Therefore, this story is an alternate timeline so I have moved Henry's Birthday a bit earlier so their birthdays don't clash.
Enjoy!
"Go-karting?"
Go-karting," JJ confirmed. Rossi rubbed his neck nervously.
"Yea... I'm not sure I'm up for that," he chuckled.
"Aw come on, uncle Dave!" Jack whined, pulling on the Italians arm.
"You have to have a go!" He pleaded.
Henry hadn't wanted a simple 'at home birthday party' like Jack. He told JJ that they had to do something 'awesome' for his birthday. His initial plan of paint balling had been quickly shot down, but go-karting had remained on the table. So the party had been organised and Henry had sent invitations to all his friend, but JJ forgot to specify to the team that they would be go-karting as well.
Imagine Garcia's surprise when she arrived in typical sparkly high heals, a body slimming dress and her hair in perfect curls only to be handed a grubby helmet.
"Come on!" JJ called. "Kids first and then it's our turn."
Rossi laughed but JJ looked deadly serious.
"Aaron's not going," Rossi groaned.
"I'm paying," chuckled Hotch.
Rossi glanced around for some kind of excuse and his eyes fell on Spencer who was standing quietly, craning his neck to see the track. Rossi took Spencer's small hand and stood him in front of the height chart. Spencer looked up at him in bewilderment and peeked at the height chart which he fell short of.
"Oh no, would you look at that! Spencer's too small. It wouldn't be fair for him to miss out; I guess I'll stay with him," Rossi said quickly before anybody could argue.
"Chicken," Morgan sneered.
"I believe the word you were looking for is chivalrous," Rossi corrected, pulling Spencer with him to the side lines. Spencer huffed at being used as a get-out-of-go-karting-free card and was even more irritated when he could no longer see the track. He kept in mind the rules as he tugged on Rossi's sleeve.
"Uncle Dave, I tan't see," Spencer mumbled. Rossi's face broke into a smile and Spencer felt his cheeks blush.
"Don't worry about that, Kiddo," Rossi exulted, lifting the boy easily into his arms and perching him on his shoulders. Spencer gasped at the sudden change in altitude and in his panic his arms wrapped around Rossi's face to keep upright. He swallowed thickly when he realised how high he was.
"Hey, kid, I can't see," Rossi Laughed. He pulled Spencer's arms from over his eyes and the boy yelped in fear.
"No, uncle Dave, I'm gonna fall!" He cried; tears threatening to fall.
"No you won't; I've got you. You can let go," the Italian promised. Spencer looked back down and whimpered fearfully, but managed to release his death grip on Rossi.
"There ya go," Rossi cheered.
"Woah. I tan see evewything!" Spencer gasped. Rossi caught Morgan watching him and winked. He had the perfect excuse for not participating.
Henry came off the track with a group of boys similar to his age and they watched in fits of laughter as their parents and the team got onto the track.
"Who do you want to win?" Rossi asked the boy on his shoulders who had become fearless with his constant wriggling and shifting, which had started to worry Rossi.
"Uh... Mummy!" Spencer said; a huge smile over his face.
"Me too!" Added Henry who smiled fondly up at his younger brother.
"My moneys on Emily," Rossi said.
"I kind of have to root for my girlfriend," Hotch said with a smug grin of his own.
"What about me?" Morgan yelled from the kart he was squeezed into.
"I think you'll win, Derek!" Jack called back and Morgan gave him a thumbs up.
"He'll pwobably get distwacted," Spencer whispered in Rossi's ear; his small finger pointing to the lady holding the starting flag. Her shirt was tight and the buttons clung to the fabric over her breasts. Rossi laughed aloud and shook his head.
"Good point, Kiddo."
Garcia was sat in one of the back cars her fingers unsure about what to touch or hold.
"You got it, Baby Girl?" Morgan asked.
"I'm fine... do I...What do I pull again?"
Morgan was about to show her but the traffic lights changed, the flag went down and they were off. Garcia squeaked and slammed her heel into the accelerator, crashing straight into Emily.
"Hey!" Emily laughed.
"Sorry, Sorry!" Garcia apologised; her inexperience fingers dancing over the steering wheel as she tried to work the miniature vehicle out. She slowly pressed her foot on the accelerator and the car chuffed to life again, nose diving into a set of tyres. Garcia cried out and took most of her weight off the accelerator so she inched along the track at an agonisingly slow pace. She gasped when Morgan zoomed past her, closely followed by JJ.
Garcia sighed as the other parents flew by.
Spencer watched Garcia stuggle and he put his hands over his mouth and shouted to her.
"Go, Auntie Pen!"
Garcia looked up and saw the small boy on Rossi's shoulders, waving and smiling profusely. His smile was contagious as one quickly appeared over her own face.
"Come on, slow coach," Morgan laughed as he passed her again.
"You're going down," Garcia said with a determined look and she pummelled the accelerator, sky rocketing forward and surpassing Morgan's little blue kart.
"Woah, Mama!" Morgan yelled over the roar of her little engine.
"Woooo!" Spencer cheered as Garcia swooped around the track like something possessed.
When everyone had had a few goes on the go-karts, excluding Spencer, Rossi, Hotch, and some older parents, the staff announced that food was ready.
Henry made a mad dash for the large table and grabbed the chair decorated with checked flags and a banner with his name on. He saved the two seats either side of him for his brothers and instructed his friends who tried to sit by him to find another seat.
Spencer scrambled onto his chair, but his head eyes barely skimmed over the table edge.
Hotch couldn't help smiling at the sight
"Need a boost?" He asked. Spencer pouted up at him and nodded slowly. Henry was already making a grab for the fresh hot dogs on the table and Spencer could only lick his lips at the delicious smell wafting down to his disadvantaged position.
"Morgan, pass me your coat," Hotch said. He folded his and Morgan's coats to create a makeshift pillow which he slipped under Spencer. Although the small boy wasn't much higher, at least he could reach his plate. Taking pity on him, Morgan reached out and handed him a hot dog.
"Fanks, Dewek," Spencer sighed, taking the food gratefully and sinking his teeth into a well deserved bite.
The girls sat chatting, watching the kids finish their dessert before hitting the track again. JJ nudged Garcia and flicked her head to a woman a few seats down from them with a small boy in her lap. He looked miserable and was struggling silently to get out of her lap. She was patting his head like a dog and yabbering on to the other mothers.
"That's Annalise," JJ hissed.
"That's her?" Garcia gasped. From JJ she'd heard many stories about Annalise, otherwise known as 'the mother from hell.'
"Yup," JJ frowned at the other mother with a mixture of jealously and disgust.
"She seems fine," Emily said. Garcia and JJ whipped their heads around at the brunette who threw her hands in the air as if they'd pointed guns at her instead of dark glares.
"You say that now," JJ muttered. She stopped suddenly and a false smile plastered her face. Annalise had finally released her younger son and was making her way over to the girls.
"Hi, Jennifer!" She said in a high pitched whiny voice.
"Hi, Annalise," JJ sang through gritted teeth.
"You don't mind if I sit here do you?" Annalise asked; she pulled up a chair before the girls could answer.
"Help yourself," Garcia said sweetly.
"I'm sorry if Moses doesn't look as if he's enjoying himself; he's not used to go-karting," Annalise grimaced at the cars racing around the corners.
"No, he's into horse riding. We hope to have him competing in dressage later this year; youngest in the whole state from what I've been told."
Emily laughed with Annalise and look a sip of her drink finally reaslising what Garcia and JJ had been talking about.
"That's...great," JJ said.
"Yes, well he follows after his sister, Catherine. Once she got on a horse you could barely get her back off it," Annalise chuckled.
"What about your boy? And Aaron's Son? Do they ride?"
"No, Jack's into soccer and baseball and Henry wants to join the junior baseball team," JJ replied.
"Oh, is he slower than the other children? He's starting quite late isn't he?" Annalise queried smugly. Emily almost choked on her drink and had to cough loudly as not to cause a scene.
"No, not at all, it's just been hard on both the boys, what with me and Aaron splitting with our old partners and starting a relationship together," JJ said as calmly as she could muster.
"Of course, of course," Annalise muttered, looking back at the boys.
"And what with the adoption," Garcia put in. Annalise's brow furrowed as she looked back at them. She reminded Emily of a sniffer dog, gossip being the drug she was tasked to sniff out.
"Adoption?" She asked.
"Oh Yea," Emily added. "Didn't you hear. JJ and Aaron decided to adopt," she pointed at the small boy sat beside Henry, showing him origami he had made with a napkin.
"Oh, I assumed he was yours," Annalise said, pointing to Garcia who laughed aloud. "He seemed clingy to you."
"No, no, I wish he was."
"Spence," JJ called. Spencer looked up sharply and hid his origami behind his back.
"Come here, sweetheart," she called. Spencer glued anxiously and slipped off his seat. He tiptoed up to the group of women who smiled oddly at him.
"Spencer's almost two now," Garcia said, ruffling Spencer's hair, determined to out do Annalise.
"Oh, so young," Annalise said, her teeth gritting with annoyance.
"Is he potty trained yet? Moses was out of diapers at 1," she said proudly. Spencer blushed and backed up into Garcia out of pure embarrassment.
JJ rolled her eyes as Garcia gave Annalise a false smile. With the girls distracted Spencer hurried back to the table and tucked into his bowl of ice cream again.
"Of course he is."
Annalise's smile fell slightly and she pulled Moses towards her. His dark blue eyes met the strangers and he looked away shyly.
"Say hi, sweetie."
"Hi," Moses mumbled, lifting his small hand to wave. Garcia had to admit that he was rather cute with his green checked shirt, chinos and mostly straight black hair that had an adorable little flick just above his brows.
"Hi, Honey," Garcia said and her smile became genuine.
"Moses is getting really good at counting. Aren't you, baby? Can you show us?" Annalise folded her arms smugly as Moses stared up at her uncomfortably. He held out his fingers and carefully counted them.
"One... two... twee... um..." Moses looked up at his mother who's eyes widened.
"Four," She hissed and Moses quickly carried on, getting to 10 and smiling sheepishly.
"Well isn't that... delightful," Emily said sarcastically. "Spencer, come here, sweetheart."
Spencer was in the middle of his bowl of ice cream and he looked around with melted vanilla goodness peppering his lips. He whined quietly, having had just sat down and jumped down from his seat, licking his lips quickly to make himself more presentable. Annalise smirked at the messy child and patted her clean son on the head patronisingly.
"Yes, Autie Em?" Spencer said sweetly.
"Spencer likes maths too," Emily said.
"Oh really? Can he count to three already?"
Garcia gritted her teeth and smiled painfully.
"He's much more advanced," Emily chuckled. Annalise joined in doubtfully.
"Really?"
Spencer's brow creased in confusion and he looked up at JJ.
"Mummy?" He asked. JJ winked at him but he still didn't understand.
"Spencer. Honey. Can you do some maths for us?" Garcia asked. Morgan who had just stolen another hotdog without Hotch noticing, leaned in to the conversation and shook his head.
"O-otay... um... what sowt, auntie Pen?"
"How about eight plus three?" Annalise put in. She lent back and tapped her fingers against her knees patiently.
"Dats eleven," Spencer answered.
Annalise hesitated and narrowed her eyes at Spencer.
"That was a bit easy," she said.
"What about 18 times... 3," Annalise folded her arms again and winked at her son who didn't seem to understand.
"Fifty fouw," Spencer replied absentmindedly, his eyes drifted over to his ice cream which was beginning to look sad as it melted into a soupy mess.
Annalise froze and Garcia had to hide her giggles. After a moment she recovered and gave JJ a sympathetic glance.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realise. He's autistic isn't he?" She said.
"What!?" Garcia gasped.
"No, he's not," JJ hissed through her tightly gritted teeth.
"You really must get him tested. He probably has Aspergers."
"Excuse me-"
Spencer sighed as the women started bickering over them. He glanced at Moses and gently took the older boy's hand.
"Would you like to p'ay?" Spencer whispered. Moses looked back at his mother and then at Spencer and he nodded eagerly.
Spencer took him to the track, but Moses had other ideas. The establishment was huge and the track only made up 1/3. Moses pointed to a small arcade in the corner. Spencer shrugged and decided to entertain the young boys whims, not that he had much choice as the boy pulled him into the arcade.
"Loot!" Moses cried, pointing to a motorbike. He hurried over and managed to clamber on. Spencer struggled onto the one next to moses and held the handles tight. He carefully searched his pocket for money, but realised his pockets were too small to house anything anymore.
Spencer glanced at the other boy and raised his eyebrows. The older boy was rocking the motorbike and making engine noises with his mouth.
"Come on, Spencer!" He encouraged. Spencer rocked the bike halfheartedly, his cheeks burning red when some passing adults cooed the two boys.
After 30 minutes of jumping from one game to another Spencer was ready to drop off.
"Come on, look at all the toys!" Moses cried. Spencer groaned as he was pulled away to another machine. He didn't know how to lightly tell the older boy that he was bored out of his mind. He scoured his head for an excuse.
What do kids my age do? He thought and an idea dawned on him but he didn't like it. That was until Moses tried to yank him onto a dance pad and Spencer decided he'd had enough.
"I-I want to go now," Spencer whispered. Moses glanced down and frowned at him.
It's now or never, Spencer thought and he jutted out his bottom lip and forced out crocodile tears.
"Oh...Uh..." Moses mumbled, looking around nervously to see if there were any adults to help him.
"Do you want youw mummy?" He asked and Spencer nodded and wiped his face, relieved that his plan had worked.
"Come on then. I'll find hew," Moses said, taking Spencer's hand and guiding him from the arcade.
As they made their way up to the dinner table Spencer caught sight of Hotch sat with JJ talking to the abominable Annalise. He released Moses' hand and scurried over to them, burying his face into Hotch's leg and sighing happily.
"Where did you guys get to?" Hotch asked, stroking a hand through Spencer's soft brown hair. Spencer shrugged, pressed his face into Hotch's knee and closed his eyes. Hotch's hand moved softly over Spencer's back.
"We went to the Awcade!" Moses chirped, causing Spencer to jolt awake barely realising he'd nodded off.
"Did you?" Hotch said in an animated voice. He carefully lifted Spencer into his lap so he didn't fall over.
"Yea! We went on the bikes and then the shooting game then-"
"Shooting game!?" Annalise snapped.
"Uh Huh. We pwetended to shoot the bad guys," Moses said proudly.
"I suppose that was Spencer's idea," Annalise hissed. JJ kissed her teeth and glared at the other mother. Hotch's eyes widened but he continued to stroke Spencer's back. The small boy had already fallen asleep in His lap.
"And what makes you think that?" JJ retorted angrily. Moses' smile fell and Hotch understood why the boy was always so quiet and shy.
"You and your FBI boyfriend probably have guns around the house; he probably learnt it off you," Annalise growled, JJ's face contorted in anger.
"He's two, for crying out loud!"
"Well, like you said: he's advanced for a two year old."
"Mummy..." Moses whispered, but Annalise was in full rant mode.
"I will not have my children playing with violent kids!"
JJ laughed aloud and motioned to Spencer who was nuzzled against Hotch's chest.
"Does he look violent?"
"Mum..." Moses Mumbled. "It was-"
"Not now, Moses. I'm sorry, Jennifer, I just can't let your son manipulate mine-"
"MUMMY!" Moses yelled and both mothers turned towards the young boy.
"I wanted to play the shooting game," he whimpered.
"You what?"
"It was my idea, Mummy. It was weally fun!"
Annalise paled and she grabbed Moses arm while JJ looked on angrily.
Annalise left soon after.
Morgan jumped into a go-kart and motioned Hotch to join him.
"I'm paying for this; I'm not obliged to join in," he said.
"Oh, come on, Hotch," Morgan called from behind his helmet.
Emilyrolled her eyes, grabbed a helmet and stepped into the go kart beside Morgan.
"You and me," she chuckled.
"Oh, you are so on, Princess!"
"Okay, okay," Morgan whined, covering his ears irritably.
"I want to hear you say it, Morgan!" Emily demanded.
"Fine!"
"Go on then," Hotch deadpanned.
"I will just-"
"It's two words!" Garcia interrupted.
They stopped in front of the teams cars and they all turned to face Morgan.
The parents had already left with their kids and the team had just been waiting for Hotch to pay the extras.
The sky was dark and Hotch could barely see to unlock his car and he struggled one handed with the keys.
"Say it!" Emily chided.
"Guys," JJ whispered motioning to the two sleeping boys in her and Hotch's arms. JJ shifted Henry on her hip and his eyes rolled sleepily as he clutched tightly to her arm. Spencer, on the other hand, was out for the count. His head rested on Hotch's shoulder and his arms hung tiredly around Hotch's neck.
"Oh, right, sorry," Emily mumbled. She narrowed her eyes at Morgan and he let out a defeated huff.
"Well done, Emily," he muttered. Emily beamed back at him.
"What for?" She asked innocently.
"You know..."
"I need to hear it," she added.
"Well done...for...for winning-"
"And beating you," she finished.
"I'm not saying that," Morgan grunted.
"We all know it's true," giggled Garcia. Morgan sent her a grumpy look which only made her laugh louder.
"Who's the better driver?" Emily asked, putting her hand to her ear and leaning close to Morgan.
"You wait, Princess. Because-"
"Payback's a bitch," Emily, Garcia and Rossi interrupted in unison.
Jack looked up in shock and Hotch attempted to cover his ears with one hand while still holding Spencer.
"It's on," Morgan added before getting into his car.
"Does this mean I get to drive the SUV instead of Morgan?" Emily asked.
"I don't see why not," Hotch shrugged as he opened the door to their own car and pretended to not hear Morgan's loud protests from inside his car.
Once again, I'm sorry for the delay; I have no idea whare the time goes. And I'm sorry if this wasn't that great a chapter, in the end I just really wanted to give you something, anything.
I haven't been very motivated to write lately, but I will try to be better.
Next chapter will be definitely be up sooner than this one.
Things that are coming up is Spencer's birthday but before that something... big may happen.
Anyway, thank you for reading and reviewing.
Please review this chapter, share your thoughts and feelings with me and I will hopefully see you really soon!