Thank you for all the reviews Dear Readers, I am pleased you are enjoying the story! DISCLAIMER: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the cannon characters, and am making no profit from this story.
Chapter 15-Words and Pictures
"How's the little man?" inquired Morgan as Hotch re-entered the sitting room. "Good; according to Ann he is handling things well and seems to feel safer up here." Replied Hotch. "Another thing though. Those school books you found under the bed at the crime scene? He told Ann he has read them, even the dictionary. You said there was childish handwriting in some of them but the answers seemed correct?"
Morgan nodded and stood, going over to the box of books on the table. "Yeah, I brought them here because of the portraits he drew in them. Here, check it out." Derek opened up the Biology 101 book to the study questions at the end of the chapter on cell metabolism. "This is definitely not grown up handwriting, but whoever wrote this totally understands the Krebs cycle. I don't even totally understand the Krebs cycle. The kid is some kinda genius if he wrote that. And look at those pictures he drew of the women he saw in the basement," Morgan gestured at the case board, "what 6 year old draws like that? I was makin' stick figures at that age."
Hotch looked thoughtfully toward the room, then sighed "I am definitely going to need to get him tested when we get back home…" Hotch took in a deep breath and squared his shoulders. "I've been putting off calling Jack and Jessica about this, but it has got to be done. I'm going in the other room to make the call. Prentiss, I'd like you to go sit with Spencer please while his nurse takes a dinner break. JJ, call Garcia and see if she's heard back from Interpol yet, then tell her to go home and get some rest-I have a feeling this case is going to break soon and we'll need her at her best. Morgan, give the officer on guard a dinner break. Dave, can I ask you to do me a favor? Could you review the adoption petition for me, make sure nothing was missed? I'd like to file the papers in the morning."
"I'd be happy to" drawled Rossi as the team dispersed to their various tasks, "but have you considered what you're going to tell the boy's mother when they ask her to sign away parental rights? And what if there are relatives who want to claim him? I know you already love Spencer, and want him to have a good life. I just need to know if you've considered the other possibilities here."
"Thank-you Dave, for trying to keep me grounded, but yes-I have thought about the possibilities. According to Social Services, Spencer's Mother would not be permitted custody because of her Paranoid Schizophrenia, along with having been involuntarily committed to Bennington's. The only living relative is his Aunt, who has already informed his social worker that she cannot take in the boy because she is already caring for a severely disabled husband. The remaining option is Foster Care, and that is definitely not an option at all."
"Ok, now go tell that to Jessica." Rossi smirked. Shaking his head and lips quirked up in a tiny smile, Hotch left to do exactly that.
"So, do you do that often?" inquired Ann, leaning against the doorframe with an amused smile on her face. "Why, whatever do you mean?" replied Rossi, putting on his best innocent expression. "Uh-huh…whatever you say Yoda." Laughed Ann. "Ok-point me at that Chinese food, I'm starving!"
"Me too!" piped up the officer as he joined them. Rossi gathered up all the scattered takeout containers and put them on the counter of the kitchenette area, next to a couple of unopened cartons, paper plates, napkins, forks, and chopsticks. "There's water, soda, and tea in the fridge. Dig in kids!" Rossi directed, as he walked over and picked up Aaron's packet of paperwork and settled in to read them.
Meanwhile, in one of the adjacent bedrooms, Hotch steeled his nerves and dialed home. His sister-in-law Jessica picked up on the 3rd ring. "Aaron! I was beginning to worry when you didn't call last night. How is the case going?" she asked in a worried tone.
"It's a bad one, but we're actually making headway on it. We've apparently stumbled onto a previously unknown human trafficking ring. We found a young boy at the crime scene that has given us some solid leads and a great deal of assistance."
"What was a little boy doing at a crime scene?!" Jessica broke in. "His father sold him to the unsub when he was 3," explained Hotch, "and he had been kept down in the basement for 3 and a half years. He saw a lot of women brought through that basement and that's how 4 missing women turned into more than twenty. He even drew us pictures of some of them."
"Where is he now? Social services? Are they looking for his mother? Are you going to catch that bastard of a father?" Jessica fumed.
"He is in the hospital, under the BAU's protection. I've been appointed temporary guardian. Actually, his mother is committed to a psychiatric hospital and his father tried to kidnap him last night. Don't worry-we stopped him and he's in jail. But the boy has no other family to take him, and he faces an uncertain fate with foster care. He was abused Jessie-horribly, physically and sexually. He's almost 7 and the size of a 4 year old, and a skinny one at that. He's going to need a loving home that can cope with the special needs he's going to have"
"And you want to bring him home and were scared to tell me" Jessica finished smugly.
"How did you know?" wondered a stunned Hotch.
"Well, first off, you never give me that much information while a case is active, so there had to be a reason for me to know these things, and secondly, your big heart is one of the things my sister loved most about you, even though you try so hard to hide it. So tell me about him." Prodded Jessica.
"Even after everything he's gone through he has a good heart. When we found him he was tied to a bed and had a chain and collar around his neck. As soon as he was released he got across the room, on a broken leg no less, to try and move furniture off the hiding place of one of the missing women. Then he gave her the blanket we had put around him, and tried to share the water we had just given him. Jessie, he was so dehydrated the doctor didn't think he'd had water for at least 2 days, and he had only drank half of it so he could share the rest with someone he didn't even know. And he's brave too. When his father was trying to kidnap him, and had a knife to his throat, he bit that hand till the knife was dropped them started wailing away on the family jewels until we pulled him to safety. Then, this afternoon, during a kidnapping attempt by a trafficker, he kicked him in the crotch and face with his cast and locked himself in the bathroom…"
"Another kidnap attempt?" interrupted Jessica, "That poor baby! Is everyone alright? None of the team were hurt? Oh My God Aaron! Is it always like this on a case?"
"No, it isn't usually like this," Hotch hedged, "but don't worry-the team is ok-can't say the same for the unsubs though. The leader is dead and the other has a fractured testicle I'm told. Spencer kicked hard enough to crack his cast and needed a new one."
"Oh my" gasped the shocked woman, "he certainly sounds like a pistol! I guess Jack will never have to worry about bullies at school with him as a big brother….Now, while I process all this why don't you give Jack the news. I know he always wanted a brother, but there's no way to predict how the actuality will affect him."
"I know" said Hotch ruefully. "I just hope he will be happy about it. I'm kind of counting on him teaching Spencer how to be a child. Could you go get him now? Before I lose my nerve?"
"Hi Daddy! Did you catch all the bad guys yet? When are you coming home?" came the voice of Jack across the phone.
"Hi buddy! Not all of them, but we caught some of them. I hope to be home pretty soon but Daddy doesn't know for sure when yet. I really miss you when I'm away at work. You know that don't you?" asked Hotch, a gentle smile on his face. "Uh-huh, I know. I miss you too Daddy!" responded the young boy. "Well, Daddy has something very important to tell you about that can't wait until I come home. Remember when you were sad because you wanted to have a brother, but Mommy went to heaven so you thought you couldn't ever have a brother now? Well, sometimes there are little boys who don't have a mommy and daddy to take care of them anymore, and they need to join a family that needs to have a new brother. Do you understand Buddy?"
"Did you find me a brother Daddy? Is he a big brother or a baby brother? Is he coming home soon? What if he doesn't like me….but I'll let him play with all my toys, so then he'll like me. Wow Daddy, thank-you!" exclaimed the excited boy. "Aunt Jessie! Daddy's gonna bring me home a brother! And we're gonna play super heroes, and soldiers, and trucks, and make a fort!"
"I'm glad you are so happy. Remember that Daddy still loves you just as much, OK? His name is Spencer, and he is a little older than you, but he is still littler than you, because he was with a man who was really mean to him and didn't give him enough to eat…" "That's OK, I'll protect him! And I'll give Spencer some of my food so he'll grow bigger!" interrupted a thrilled Jack.
"That's OK Buddy, we have enough food for both of you to grow big and strong." laughed Hotch. "But he is going to need you to teach him how to have fun and play, OK? And it's good you want to protect him. You know how very proud of you I am, don't you? And how much I love you?"
"Uh Huh! I love you too Daddy. Aunt Jessie says time for bed now. Good night Daddy!"
"Good night Buddy. Give the phone to Aunt Jessie Please?" responded a grinning Hotch. "Hi, Jessica? So much for all the worry. I know I'm asking a lot of you, and you've already been so good to us….thank-you so much! I'll let you know when we're ready to head home. He's undersize, so he'll fit some of Jack's things from when he was three and four. Haley kept that stuff in the top of the hall closet in a blue storage bin. Do you think we should put the boys in separate rooms or together with bunk beds? There's just so much to figure out now."
"It's going to be ok Aaron, just relax. I'll give it some thought and have recommendations for you when you call tomorrow night. Now get some sleep. You sound exhausted." Soothed his sister-in-law. "You're right, I am" Hotch admitted. "Talk to you tomorrow. Have I told you recently how wonderful you are?"
"You have. Please remember that it is my pleasure to help-you and Jack are family, and Spencer will be too. Now Goodnight." Responded Jessica, as she hung up.