(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters)
Thank you ncisducky4ever, fishtrek, emobunnyme, Marytag, Guest, pechika, Ludub, Daisyangel, Yeegaber, Guest, and Rookblonkorules for reviewing. 800! wooo, thank you guys so much! I love writing this story so every review has been a motivation.
Guest- Thank you for reviewing. I might just throw a puppy and kitten in sometime to ease the pain ;) But I'm glad you're enjoying it so far, I can't wait to update with more suspense.
Please keep reviewing.
Enjoy.
Previously:
Kieran had his gun poised once again at Spencer's head and Aaron shook his head slowly...
"We don't need him alive, Agent Hotchner. An autopsy would work just as well."
Aaron glared at them as he panted and he looked down that the phone in the young man's hand.
"What do you want me to say?"
JJ pulled out her go bag from under her desk when she heard a soft buzzing. She stood up too quickly, hitting her head on the underneath of her desk. "Ow," she grumbled as she rubbed the back of her head. The buzzing continued and she looked down and saw her phone vibrating on her desk. With one hand still cradling the forming lump on the back of her head she snatched up the phone with the other. She smiled at the contact name and picked up.
"Aaron."
"Jennifer. I just picked up Spencer."
"That's great, Hun... did you get our messages? I didn't try ringing in case you were driving. We're about to leave for the jet," JJ said, holding the phone between her shoulder and her ear as she pulled her go bag onto her shoulder. She brushed a hair from her eye and took the phone back into her hand. "How fast can you get here? We'll wait for you on the jet but not for long."
Aaron took a moment to answer and JJ's fingers started to drum on the desk.
"Yea, that's why I'm calling..."
"Aaron? Is something wrong?"
"No... well-"
JJ gripped her phone tighter and looked over to Morgan who was adjusting his bag strap. "What is it? Is Spencer okay? Did he have a bad day- wait, it's not Jack again is it? Please tell me he hasn't hit someone again."
"No, Jen, nothing like that. Spencer was sick at daycare. He's got a high fever. I-I'm driving us to the hospital to be sure, his temperature is over 103 degrees."
JJ reached her hand up to her head and she pushed her fringe off her suddenly cold forehead. "Why did you say no!? Something is really wrong... Oh god, oh, I'll come back home. I can't leave if Spencer's sick. Oh, he's really sick too! What hospital are you going to?"
"JJ don't, please, I'm handling the situation. He's not that bad, but the staff at daycare suggested I bring him in, just to be sure."
"You can't look after him alone. I'll tell Emily that-"
JJ found herself cut off yet again by Aaron's quick interjections. "The team can't be down two members, not to mention Spencer not being there. They need you on this case. I-if Spencer's better and you're still out there I'll come help."
"No... no, Spencer needs you."
"Just don't panic, okay, I'm going to pick up the boys after I take Spencer in. If they want him to stay in hospital I'll have Sean get them."
Garcia paused on her way toward the elevator to wave the team goodbye. She watched JJ press her hand to her forehead and nod slowly, an expression of worry filling her face. Garcia hurried over and whispered, "what's wrong?"
JJ turned to her and smiled tightly. "Spence has got a fever. Aaron's gotta sit this one out."
"Oh, my poor baby," Garcia muttered.
"He's still awake, right? Can I speak to him, make sure he's alright?"
"Uh... he's..." Aaron stuttered for a moment before finding his words. "He's napping right now. He cried himself to sleep."
"Oh... Okay, just let him sleep, but I want to talk to you both tonight."
Garcia raised an eyebrow and leaned in to hear what her boss was saying.
"I will."
"And you're sure you can take care of them all, maybe it would be better for the boys to stay with Haley or Sean, just until Spencer's better. Has he got his rabbit? He's breathing okay, right?"
"It's alright, Jen, I'm with him, just try and focus on the case, Okay?"
JJ breathed uneasily into the receiver as Garcia sent her a sympathetic look. "Okay."
"We'll see you soon."
"I love you. You and the boys; make sure they're okay."
"I will. Love you too."
JJ pushed her phone into her jeans pocket and put both hands over her face to groan.
"Is he okay?" Garcia asked nervously, she looked over at the doors where the team was now waiting, throwing looks of concern their way.
JJ shook her head. "Aaron's taking him to hospital."
Garcia's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh god. Maybe you should stay."
JJ sighed and adjusted her bag. "Aaron's right, we're already down him and Spencer, Strauss won't let me miss this one too. We don't have much choice. Just... do me a favour and check on them tonight, please. Aaron won't tell me how bad it is so I need your eyes too."
"I can do that... I-I could go at lunch. Or now, I could go now?"
"And have Strauss on your case too? Do it later. Spencer's with Aaron right now so he's safe."
Garcia nodded and JJ smiled and started toward the team. "Wait." JJ turned just as Penelope sucked her into a hug.
"For good luck. You'll be back in no time and I'll check on your boys."
"Do you think they bought it?" Kieran asked as Scott pocketed the phone. Scott looked over at Aaron who was staring at the young boy, whispering assurances.
"It'll give us some time at least."
Aaron's brother Sean had asked far too many questions but Scott was surprised with how well the older man answered. They wouldn't have anyone on their tracks for quite some time. They didn't need much of it, just enough to get the formula from the de-aged boy.
"Let's go," Scott muttered and he turned away from the strong father behind him who's mask had just started to crack.
Spencer woke up slowly. It started with an ache in his neck. He shifted and tried to pry his eyes open. They eventually managed to flutter but the bright light above him forced them shut once more. He groaned quietly and attempted to shield the light from his eyes, but his hands didn't move any further than an inch.
He heard a familiarly deep voice close by and he whimpered.
"D-Daddy?" he croaked, swallowing what saliva he had coating his tongue to bring some moisture to his dry throat.
He tried to see again and this time, by wrenching his head to the side, he was able to pry one eye open. He stared into the room's whiteness before his eye fell on the metal tray beside him and the instruments set upon it. He licked his lips nervously as his eyes skimmed over a syringe and various tubes.
"Spencer."
The voice was clearer now and Spencer turned his head to the other side. There was a counter on this side with strange machines here and there. He caught sight of someone and he pulled open his other eye.
"D-dad?" he whispered. His mind was still rigged by sleep but he could just make out Hotch's shape as it blurred and cleared slowly. Aaron's arms were behind his back; attached to a chain that was secured to the counter. His legs were also tied.
He suddenly realised that they weren't in a good situation. Spencer gasped and looked downwards to find his small body restrained to a metal table. He cried out and pulled against the restraints.
Hotch also struggled. "Hey, hey, buddy, calm down. Okay, you're alright. We're going to be okay, just calm down." Spencer let out a frustrated whine and he looked over at Aaron his chest rising and falling fast.
"Breath with me, bud. Like me. That's in. Slowly. Slower, Spencer."
"What's going on?" Spencer asked in a quiet voice after several moments of his stuttered panting. Aaron licked his chapped bottom lip. He didn't want to scare Spencer with what he already knew.
"I... I'm not sure, buddy. But I'll get us out of here. They're not going to kill us."
"H-how tan you be suwe?"
Aaron paused and turned his head away. "I won't let them," he murmured.
Spencer nodded weakly.
Aaron couldn't look at him but luckily the boy couldn't see much from where he lay. When he finally turned he saw Spencer gazing around at the lab and Aaron simpered. "It's alright."
Spencer's breath shuddered but he managed to find Aaron's eyes.
They were interrupted by the squeak of hinges. Aaron looked over at the door where two young men had entered. One he recognised as Kieran, his blonde hair was pushed back off his face, the other was new, and had brown hair and soft features. Both wore pristine white coats under which were light blue scrubs. Aaron didn't speak as they walked in. He strained his neck to see what was behind them which was just a bland corridor.
He looked back when he heard Spencer whimper.
Spencer couldn't see much but what was above him and close to him so it wasn't until the two strangers stood over him that he noticed their presence. He looked over at Aaron, tears rolling effortlessly off his cheeks.
"What are you doing!?" Aaron yelled as Kieran and the other young man loomed over Spencer while the boy sniffled and tried desperately to hold eye contact with Hotch.
The green-eyes young man handed Kieran a syringe over Spencer and Aaron practically growled. Spencer's lip trembled and he forced himself to steady his breathing.
"It's just a blood test, Mr. Hotchner. We need to see how he's functioning." The young man tied off Spencer's shaking arm before Kieran slid the needle into the pale skin. Spencer bit out a yelp and he started to cry in abject fear. Though he couldn't see him, Aaron started pleading for his son.
"He's just a kid. Just leave him alone. Let us go home."
The men ignored Aaron as they worked. They withdrew the blood sample. The one man pressing a plaster to Spencer's skin while Kieran walked over to the counter and carefully laid the sample into some kind of machine.
Aaron looked over at Spencer who had his eyes squeezed shut, tears still trickling from them.
"It's going to okay, Spencer."
"I w-wan-na g-go home," came Spencer's butchered reply. "I'll n-nevew wowt a-again, Daddy, I p-pwo-omise." Spencer hiccuped violently but only Hotch seemed to care. A tear of his own had formed as he watched Spencer sob.
He was about to reply with some kind of reassurance when the door opened and the leader, Scott, walked in.
"Ah, I see you're both getting settled, wonderful." He clasped his hands together and beamed as Aaron glowered at him, his tears evaporating, replaced by anger.
"Have you done the bloodwork? Jeremy?"
The young man, Jeremy, replied with a quick nod, motioning to Kieran who was still fiddling with the machine.
"Excellent."
Scott stepped forward but Aaron shifted and managed to kick out at one of Scott's shoes.
Scott tutted and gave Aaron a measured kick.
"Now, now, no need for violence."
"Why are you doing this?" Aaron asked in a broken voice. Scott grinned.
"Why does anyone do anything, Aaron? For money. For recognition. Spencer holds the solution to aging. Do you have any idea how desirable his body is from a scientific perspective?" He sighed with a smile still on his lips. "He is the future. It was selfish for you to not donate him to science sooner."
Spencer whimpered and clenched his jaw. He really wished he had his rabbit or something to hold at least. "But it's not just money and science, Aaron. No, no, it's more than that." Scott stepped out of the doorway then. Spencer raised his head as much as he could to see.
"It's also for revenge," Scott concluded and just as he delivered the words Debra walked through the threshold.
She smirked at Spencer and ran a hand through her regrowing hair, the smirk transforming into a nasty smile. "Hello, Agent Hotchner. So nice of you to bring Dr. Reid with you today."
Debra Whinton's entrance seemed to wind Aaron all of a sudden and he shook his head in denial.
Spencer, on the other hand, felt his eyes roll back as unconsciousness claimed him once more.
Thanks for reading! Sorry, too short? I just needed to establish the whole kidnapping first. The next chapter will be more in depth.
Please review!
Again, I'm sorry for all this drama (I know some of you live it really) ;) well I like some drama at times.
Anyway, I'll see you next Sunday!