Chapter 7:
AN: I still seem to have writers block with this story so I'm not sure how good this chapter turned out (I know; I'm really selling it for you guys aren't I). Thanks for all of the reviews and follows. Please enjoy this chapter.
"You and Mom are both being so bullheaded about this, you really need to talk things out." AJ told Spencer as he sat next to him. Spencer turned and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Right now, we don't need to be talking about this. You're the focus at the moment." Spencer told the boy. They were both sitting right outside the principal's office waiting to be asked in. AJ had gotten into a fight at school and JJ was in a meeting that she couldn't leave so Spencer had offered to go get him, speaking to her for the first time on a non-work related subject since the fight that had happened almost a month ago.
"I was just saying, you guys aren't going to get anywhere if you don't talk. Communication is key." AJ told him, getting an incredulous look from Spencer.
"AJ, you do realize you just got in a fight right. That is the exact opposite of communication." Spencer told him just as the door to the principal's office opened and Spencer and AJ were asked in.
"Hello, my name is James Clark." The principal said, introducing himself to Reid.
"I'm Spencer Reid." Reid told him avoiding the hand the principal put out to shake.
The principal slowly pulled his hand back before speaking, "It's a pleasure to meet you although I do wish it were under better circumstances." The three guys moved from the doorway into the actual office and sat down. "Well, from what I have heard about this fight, from both teachers and students who witnessed, was that the fight was started by Michael. That being said it is protocol that anyone involved in a fight is suspended for at least three days, Michael is going to get that along with a week of ISS, Anthony will be getting the three days of suspension but that is all."
"Wait, so this Michael kid attacks someone six years younger than him and all he gets is three days of suspension and a week of ISS?" Reid asked, not believing what he was hearing. "Where is this kid anyways?"
"Michael is in the nurse's office, getting his injuries looked at." Mr. Clark explained.
"Was AJ sent to get his injuries looked at?" Reid asked as he looked at the boy who had a black eye and a few cuts on his face and arms, Reid's biggest concern, though, had to do with the boy's hands. His knuckles on both hands were bruised and busted which was expected, but most of AJ's left hand was swollen along with his wrist.
"No, we wanted to keep the boys separate and Michael's injuries seemed to be a bigger concern." The principal told him and noticed something as he looked at both of them, "Anthony, this is not something that you should be smiling about or proud of, Michael had a few severe injuries."
The sentence did nothing to stop the smirk on AJ's face, "Sir, I know that fighting isn't right and isn't tolerated here, but don't you think it's a little funny that Michael started a fight with someone half his age and lost severely." The principal just gave him a look and shook his head.
"Alright well if that's it I'd like to take AJ to the hospital to get his injuries assessed, goodbye." Reid told him, coming off somewhat cold. The principal nodded and the duo walked out.
"You're not serious about taking me to the hospital are you?" AJ asked, he had hated going to the doctors since he was five.
"AJ, your hand is extremely swollen, it looks like either a severe sprain or a fracture, and I'm leaning towards the latter. On top of that, your eye is swollen and bruised, you could have a concussion based on how hard that hit looks like it was. So yes we're going to the hospital, although I should probably go back to work to get your insurance from your mom, that is if she still can't take you herself." Reid told him firmly.
"I don't have a concussion, if I did I would have a severe headache and I would be tired, I know the symptoms. Unlike you I think my hand isn't that bad, it might possibly be sprained but probably not, if it's a sprain all they will do is get me something to immobilize it like they did when I fell out of the tree. I can do the same thing with an ace bandage if it's necessary." AJ argued as he denied the painful headache he was feeling.
"Okay, I'll make you a deal, I won't take you to the hospital, emphasis on the "I", I don't speak for your mom. Anyways, I won't take you to the hospital if you can open your hand fully and close it again." Reid told him getting a deadly glare from AJ. AJ sighed before trying to move his hand and succeeding in moving it out a centimeter before the pain was too much and he couldn't move it anymore.
"Fine, you win. Are we going straight to the hospital or your work first." AJ asked him through clenched teeth.
"Work. I need to let JJ know what's going on and she is in a meeting that will hopefully be over by the time we get there." Reid told him. The rest of the car ride was quiet and soon enough they were at the FBI building. They got to the BAU floor and noticed that JJ wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Is JJ still in her meeting?" Spencer asked looking around for the person he was about to have an awkward exchange with.
"I think so; she hasn't shown up yet." Morgan answered before turning to his nephew, "You okay little man?"
Garcia, who had just entered the room came rushing over to gush over AJ's injuries while he just gave him a smirk before answering, "You should see the other guy."
"My man." Morgan exclaimed reaching over to high five him, AJ high fived with his right hand, not taking his left out of the pocket in his hoodie which it was hidden in.
"Derek Morgan, don't be encouraging him. AJ what were you thinking getting into a fight, the youngest people in that school are five years older than you." Garcia scolded the boys lightly as she continued to check all of AJ's injuries.
"It's not like I started the fight, I just defended myself. By the way this guy was six years older than me and I won." AJ's smirk grew as he explained the situation.
"That's pretty impressive, I mean I don't approve of you getting into a fight but that's still impressive." Emily said as she joined the conversation.
"I'm pretty sure I broke his nose. I feel kind of bad about it, but honestly, he really deserved it. Also, Spence, I don't think I really need to go to the hospital. Aunt Pen seems to be able to handle this."
"You're going; by the way you shouldn't feel bad about breaking his nose. Just look at what he did to your hand and eye." Spencer told him, making everyone wonder what had happened to AJ's hidden hand, even Hotch and Rossi who had just walked into the conversation.
"Technically, I did the hand thing to myself, I may have been punching harder than necessary. But yeah the eye thing was a cheap shot, that was the first hit I took." AJ explained refusing to show the team his hand. Before he could be forced JJ walked through the doors and saw her son.
"Oh my god, baby are you okay? What the hell were you thinking getting into a fight? Who did this to you, you are supposed to be safe at that scho..." JJ rambled through questions and comments before being cut off.
"MOM! Calm down I'm fine." AJ told her.
"No you're not AJ, show your mom your hand." Spencer ordered sternly. AJ slowly pulled out his fragile hand.
"Oh my god, we're going to the hospital. Hotch, am I good to leave?" JJ asked looking to her boss.
"Yeah, of course. AJ I hope you feel better and don't get into any more fights young man." Hotch said directing the last part to his nephew.
"Um, JJ do you, uh, do you mind if I go with you?" Reid asked stuttering on his words, he felt awkward in the situation, but he really wanted to be there to know exactly what was wrong with AJ.
"Uh, yeah I guess." JJ said, she was a little unsure of the idea but figured that Spencer wanted to make sure AJ was okay. Spencer looked to Hotch who nodded and the trio set off on their path to the hospital. Once there, there was a long wait and multiple test and x-rays before they could determine all of AJ's problems.
"Hello, Mrs. And Mr. Rodriguez and Anthony." The young doctor started getting everyone in the family's names slightly off as he had only looked at AJ's paperwork which had his first and last name on it and made the assumption.
"Actually It's Ms. Jareau, and this is Dr. Reid." JJ explained getting a small apology from the man.
"You can call me AJ." AJ told him, not used to being called by his real name.
"Okay, so AJ, what does that stand for?" The doctor asked him.
"Anthony Joseph, or is it Anthony Jr., oh my god mom help me I'm having an identity crisis." AJ exclaimed playfully looking at his mom with a fake shocked expression. She just rolled her eyes before turning to the doctor who was smiling at the boy's antics.
"I'm Dr. Jones, I was given all of AJ's results and we are pretty certain that he doesn't have a concussion, if he does it is mild and not something that you need to worry about much. His hand on the other hand, was fractured in multiple places, his capitate, which is the bone in the middle of the small bones on the hand along with the metacarpus and proximal phalange of his middle finger which are the bones right before and after his knuckle were all fractured. Whatever you did, it did a number on your hand." Dr. Jones told them.
"Were going to cast it, which should take about twenty to thirty minutes, and then I'll write a prescription for some pain medication for him and you guys should be good to go." Half an hour later everything was handled and AJ had a brand new dark blue cast covering the lower half of his arm.
An hour later The three of them along with Henry were relaxing at the house after what had been a very long day. "I can't believe they were more concerned about this sixteen-year-old than my ten-year-old." JJ said shaking her head as she continued hugging AJ close to her, Henry was on the other side of AJ having fun with his brothers cast and a package of markers.
"He was hurt worse than me, mom, and he was bleeding a lot." AJ told her as he looked at the abstract art that now covered his left arm. "What is that Hen?" he asked his little brother as he tilted his head to make sense of it.
"It's a dragon, do you like it bubba?" The little boy asked hopefully, always looking for the approval of his big brother as most younger siblings did.
"Of course I do buddy, it looks great." AJ told him enthusiastically.
"Hey, AJ would you mind taking your brother upstairs for a while, I need to talk to your mom." Spencer asked as he finally got up his nerve.
"Yes, my captain." AJ told him giving him a fake salute with his left hand and hitting his head with the hard cast in the process. "Ow, darn it, sometimes I wonder how I was classified as a genius." AJ told them jokingly as he rubbed his sore head. He grabbed his brothers hand and the two were soon out of sight.
"What did you want to talk about Spence?" JJ questioned quietly, she had an idea what this was about.
"I want to talk about us. Today I realized something, when I found out that some kid had hurt AJ, I was furious, I was furious in the way that a parent would be. JJ I love you and your family, and I want nothing more than to be a part of that, I'm still not completely over everything that happened but I do want to be with you and I want to be a part of this family. You gave me time to think and I want to for us to work things out." Spencer told her sincerely.
"You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that, Spence I love you more than anything and so do the boys, even if we weren't together you need to know that you will always be a part of this family. I love you beyond what words could express and I want us to be able to work through everything and be our happy in love selves. I know that what I had to do hurt you and I know it takes time for you to be okay with what happened and truly forgive me but I do want this to work out and I'm willing to work for and wait for that day where you do forgive me." JJ told him in the same way he had expressed his feelings.
"So were back together?" Spencer asked leaning towards her.
"I really hope so." JJ told him, prompting him to lean further in and kiss her lightly.
"Yeah, were back together." He told her before leaning in again letting all of his emotion escape in this kiss.
AN: thank you guys for reading please comment on what you thought about everything. I am working on another story so please be on the lookout for that one, it is going to be a Willifer story. Thank you.