Once the interview was complete, the door opened to Angela's office and Aiden stepped out. Angela, Hodgins, and Grace were sitting nearby talking as he waved and walked over. "I think we have what we need."
"Harding called when you were in there. He said that he has all of Melody's information from CPS and that he and a social worker will be over in a little bit." Angela said, watching Aiden nod. "He said it took them a few hours because the paperwork had literally gone through on Friday, and it was in someone's inbox, so nobody could locate the file."
"It's fine, as long as they found it." Aiden nodded.
"How is Toni? Is she okay?" Grace asked, glancing to the room, noting that her sister still hadn't made an appearance.
"She had a little bit of a moment, but she did great too. She's just exhausted." He said, glancing to the room. "We have some pretty good descriptions of the suspects, and about what happened. She is a very brave little girl." Aiden said, glancing to the office again as Antonia appeared at the door with Melody holding her hand. She looked to Aiden and smiled slightly. "Ace will be here soon with a social worker."
"They're going to take her?" Antonia asked, glancing to Grace and Angela.
"They might. It all depends on the situation." Aiden said, watching as the little girl let go of Antonia's hand and ran to grab Aiden's hand, hiding behind his leg for a moment as he looked over at Hodgins.
"This is Uncle Bugs." Antonia signed to her, smiling at her eyes peeking around from behind Aiden. "He is very nice."
Hodgins crouched down and held out his hand, waving to the little girl with a smile. He looked up at Ant, and she showed him her fist with a smile. Hodgins balled his fist up and held it to her, watching as she swung around Aiden's arm, quickly bumped knuckles with Hodgins and hid back behind Aiden's leg. Hodgins laughed. "Looks like you have a new friend there."
"Melody is a flirt." Antonia teased, lifting her eyebrow at Aiden as he let out a laugh.
"I can't help being charming and handsome." Aiden said, watching as Antonia rolled her eyes and reached for the little girl's hand. She stepped out from behind Aiden, and took Antonia's hand, and Antonia lifted her into her arms.
"I think we'll go wait for Ace in the office." She said, watching the concern in Angela's face when Melody set her head on Antonia's shoulder and cuddled her. She gave her a slightly impatient look, and then glanced to Aiden. "Are you sticking around, or are you going home?"
"I'm sticking around." Aiden said.
"I'm going to head back to work, finish off my shift." Grace said, leaning her head to look at the little girl, Melody lifted her head. "It was nice to meet you." Grace signed to her, smiling at the little girl.
"Nice to meet you, Grace." She replied. "Thank you."
"If you guys are free for dinner tonight, we can get together." Grace said to Aiden and Antonia.
"I'll let you know how to meeting goes." Antonia said, watching her sister's nod, as she made her way out of the lab. Antonia then turned sharply with Melody, and quickly made her way toward the office.
"Hey, hey…" Aiden said, running after her to keep up. "What's the rush?" He said as he slid into the office, closing the door behind him as he watched her sit down in her chair with Melody still in her arms. The little girl sat comfortably on Antonia's lap, watching as Aiden stood nearby as if he wanted to say something.
"No rush." She said, setting the little girl to the floor, she took her hand and turned her around. "Wait." She signed, watching Melody turn and face her, she tilted her head. "Can you read lips?" She asked, speaking the words out loud so that Aiden could understand.
"Yes." She said, nodding her head, a slight smile on her face. "A little."
"Let's keep that a secret between you, and me, and Aiden for now, okay?" Antonia said, looking up to Aiden, who tipped his head curiously, she turned her attention back to Melody.
"Why?" Melody asked.
"Because adults don't always speak when children are around, and sometimes they lie. If they think you can't read lips, they are more willing to speak the truth in front of you." Antonia explained, watching the little girl watch her curious.
"Antonia." Aiden said, shaking his head. His voice was deep and unsure, and he watched her eyes lift to his.
"What? Her ability to read lips is a tool, Aiden. Just like my knowledge, and your people skills are tools. She can use that tool to her advantage, and I need her to know that." Antonia explained, standing up to look into his eyes.
"It's dishonest."
"It's not dishonest, Aiden." She said, shaking her head. "I remember when I was her age, when I refused to speak." She said softly. "I went days, weeks without uttering a word, and it got to the point where all of the adults around me, they just forgot that I was there, or that I could hear anyway. You never hear the raw, honest truth when you're a kid, Aiden. This was the only time as a kid, that I can remember that I was not mollycoddled into some sticky form of the truth. Melody's life and future is on the line here, and she is at an extremely sharp disadvantage." Antonia said, watching his eyes soften a bit. "Just let her have this for a little while, until things settle down, until she knows what's going on with her life, and where she's going to end up, and who she can trust."
"Okay." He nodded, looking to Melody, who had been watching their conversation carefully. She hadn't caught all of it, but knew that they were discussing her, and seemed vehemently protective. "I understand." He looked to Melody and smiled, watching as her concern turned to a grin. He made a face at her and she bashfully looked away as Antonia shook her head.
"Alright, alright…" Antonia said, kissing him on the cheek, she walked to the couch and sat down, beckoning Melody to come near, the little girl turned and walked to her, standing in front of her as she looked into her eyes. "The man from this morning, you remember him?"
She scowled slightly at Antonia's question, her signing a bit sharp as she responded. "The man with the gun." She replied.
"Yes. He will be coming to see you soon. His name is Ace."
"Ape." She signed, scrunching her nose as Antonia let out a laugh.
"What was that?" Aiden asked, seeing the joy in Antonia's face, he looked confused.
"I told her his name was Ace…" She said, watching Aiden nod. "And she replied 'Ape'" She laughed, watching as Aiden laughed as well. "Call him what you want, you have to be polite." She signed to Melody. "He is a nice man, he wants to be your friend."
"Ape was not nice to me."
"He feels sad that you don't like him." Antonia said, tilting her head, watching as Melody considered Antonia's request. "He is bringing someone with him who wants to talk to you." Antonia said, watching the girl's eyes narrow.
"Are they taking me back to that house with the other children?" She asked, seemingly panicked in her question, she hopped on her toes a bit, looking to Aiden. "I don't want to go. I want to stay with you."
"I know." She responded, looking up at Aiden.
"What's wrong?" Aiden asked, sensing Melody's panic, he could see the fear in her eyes.
"She doesn't want to go back to foster care." Antonia said, sighing heavily. "I don't know what to tell her. I don't know what to say." She looked up at Aiden as Melody took her hands, watching her pleadingly.
"Tell her that we will do what we can to keep her safe." He said, watching her nod her head. "We can't make promises, and promises can only lead to pain." He whispered, watching as Melody watched him, she turned back to Antonia.
"Aiden and I will protect you." She signed to the little girl. "I cannot make a promise to you that I cannot keep, it isn't fair. But I promise that we will protect you." She said, watching the little girl's solemn nod.
"Thank you." She signed, watching the tenderness in Antonia's eyes. "Thank you for saving me."
The conversation was interrupted by a knock at the office door, and Aiden opened it to reveal Ace standing awkwardly at the door.
"Hey." Antonia said, looking into his concerned expression, she could see a deep sorrow in his eyes.
"Well, she cleans up nicely." He said, the sorrow disappearing, and was replaced by a smile. "You look very pretty, Melody." Ace said, as Antonia translated for her.
Melody watched Antonia, and looked to Ace, and then back again. "Say hello to Ace." Antonia whispered as she signed to her.
"Hello, Ape." She signed, a sly smile on her face as Ace watched the sign, and narrowed his eyes. She turned her head to Antonia's smile and Antonia reiterated that she needed to be polite.
"I think she's ready to talk to the social worker." Antonia said. "Does the social worker sign?" Antonia asked, standing up.
"She does." Ace replied with a nod. "Fitz, bring Melody into the conference room when you get a second, we're going to meet in there."
"You got it." Aiden said, watching as Ace left the room, he turned to Antonia. "Do you trust me?" he asked, watching the confusion in her eyes as she tilted her head.
"Of course." She responded.
"Good." He said. He held out his hand to Melody, who quickly attached herself to his hand, glancing to Antonia.
"Be a good girl." Antonia said to her, watching as a flicker of mischievousness appeared in her eyes.
With a bubbly giggle that seemed to escape from deep in her chest she poked her finger in the air in long circles. "Always." She smiled, as Aiden dropped a kiss on Antonia's cheek, and disappeared out of the office with Melody.