Here is another chapter of 590 Days!
Firstly, I would like to clear up the confusion/questions surrounding The Sugarless Plum. I will not be adding onto it. However, the stories I write from now on will be in the same universe, except they'll feature Hotch, JJ, Jack, Henry, and the triplets (Tyler, Benjamin, and Grace).
Second, I would like to tell you that the motive for JJ's kidnapping is revealed at the end of this chapter. Thank you to the guest/anon who reviewed about that. It's sometimes tricky for me because as the author, I already know the motive, but you're the readers. You don't know the motive simply because you're not writing. So, thanks!
Last but certainly not least is— HAPPY BIRTHDAY AJ COOK! I cannot believe this woman is 37. I hope her past year was brilliant and that this one is even better. I have made an edit on Instagram ( andreajandersen), if you'd like to check it out.
Here is chapter 8. Enjoy and review!
16 December, 7 months, 29 days since disappearance
"You think she's got hearing loss?"
Reid looked at Hotch with seriousness. "I know she does," he informed. "Look, I'm not a pediatrician, nor am I an audiologist, but it seems like she simply cannot hear."
Hotch scoffed. "She's probably got blocked ears or something."
"Take her to her doctor," Reid said softly. "Just to be safe."
Holding his daughter's hand tightly, Aaron entered the small office with Grace and sat down. The doctor walked in and greeted them, shaking Hotch's hand.
"What brings Miss Grace here today?" He asked, smiling warmly at the 4 year old.
Hotch cleared his throat. "She seems to not hear things, like, she doesn't answer me when I call her, she's got the TV turned up loudly, that sort of stuff."
The doctor nodded. "Well, if we can sit her up on this chair, we'll get started."
"What are you doing?" Grace asked in a tiny voice as she was picked up by her dad.
He placed her on the chair and returned to his seat.
"We're going to see if you have any hearing problems, okay?" He told her loudly, receiving a nod from the girl. "We'll do an audiometry test and see where you land."
Headphones were placed over Grace's ears and the doctor played sounds to see if she'd respond to them. If she heard a sound, she would clap, as it would keep her occupied.
At first, it was successful. She'd clapped a few times, indicating she was hearing the sounds. When she got into the moderate tones, she stopped clapping.
By the time the test was finished, she'd long stopped clapping. She could only the hear the loud tones. Her father was shocked.
"Grace heard only the loud tones," the doctor said.
"So, what does this mean for us?"
"Well," the doctor started, helping Grace off of the chair. "She's lost enough to call it a loss. It's interfering with her daily life, so she may need hearing aids in the near future. We can look at our options for those. As for now, I would suggest being careful around her," the man told them. "Talk loudly around her, allow her to turn the TV up for now."
Hotch nodded as he adjusted his daughter on his lap. "So, will this get worse, or is there a way to somehow reverse it?"
The doctor shook his head. "The loss is permanent. Triplets are already very light to begin with, add the fact they were born at 24 weeks, and their chances of survival are less than half. Out of those, 95% will acquire a disability to some degree, and a third of those people would be severely disabled...such as having profound deafness. There was really no way of getting around it."
"She's not profoundly deaf—" Aaron started before the doctor interrupted him.
"She's not, but the quietest she can hear is 37dB. She's on the verge of moderate hearing loss. I'd say within a few months, she'll progress through and eventually lose all of her hearing."
The words sent shivers through Hotch. His own daughter. The daughter him and his wife wanted so badly. She was losing her hearing. Soon, she wouldn't be able to hear her mother, her father, or her siblings. The world would become silent. No child deserves that.
"I will recommend you to an audiologist," the doctor continued, walking over to his desk. "Set up an appointment, do another couple tests, and work from there."
He grabbed a card from his folder and held it out for Hotch.
"Thank you," Hotch said, catching Grace's hand tightly as his other took the card from the doctor.
24 December, 8 months, 6 days since disappearance
It had been tough for the family to accept the fact that they would be celebrating Christmas this year without JJ. It had been especially hard on Jack and Henry because they were so used to having two parents around. The triplets were confused. They'd only had 3 Christmases, and even though each one had been celebrated with both parents, it wasn't quite something that has stuck in their small minds.
Over the course of the week, Aaron had taken it upon himself to learn about deafness. He spent hours researching different topics, each one having to do with being deaf. It broke his heart to know that his daughter was going through this.
Now he was sitting in the living room with all of his children, preparing for bedtime. On Christmas Eve, everyone wore Christmas-themed onesies, read Christmas stories, and got to open one of their presents.
The present they always opened was the one from each other. They did a secret Santa, where each child drew a name and went out with their father and got a present for said person. They'd started the tradition last year. It worked out brilliantly.
"Is it Christmas or is it cookie snacking night?" Hotch laughed, taking one of the many cookies from the plate in the middle of the floor.
Jack laughed. "Both?"
"I don't think I am gonna be able to sleep tonight," Henry remarked.
Hotch looked up at him and smiled. "Why not? Are you too excited?"
Henry nodded. "Yes! And I don't get to sleep when I'm excited!"
"Hopefully you guys get to sleep tonight," Aaron said, turning towards his 4 year olds.
"Santa doesn't come if we're awake," Grace told her siblings.
"We have to go to sleep now because Santa won't come," Ben suggested, climbing up onto one couch.
Hotch nodded as he stood up, taking the cookies with him.
"Go and brush your teeth and come back down and we'll get settled," He said, walking over to the kitchen. "And, Grace, get your kit."
Once all the children had fallen asleep, it had struck 11PM. Ben and Tyler slept on either ends on one couch, while Jack and Henry did the same on another. Grace got an armchair to herself, and Hotch would take the longer couch.
Aaron was certainly a religious person, but he never showed it. He prayed every night for JJ's return. He prayed that Grace's hearing would miraculously heal, that Benjamin would have perfect eyesight that didn't require thick glasses, that Tyler didn't have asthma. Of course, the triplets being born at 24 weeks wasn't JJ's fault. None of it was. It was just frustrating to know that their children had such difficulties. They'd beaten the odds, like many children do. Their chance of survival was less than half, but their chances of not having some form of disability was less than 10%.
He watched as Grace's small frame moved around in the big, comfy chair, and then he watched as Jack and Henry fought for space while sleeping. He watched as Tyler and Ben moved around under their blankets, and then he looked around the living room.
It was decorated from floor to ceiling with decorations of red and green. The Christmas tree was lit, providing light for the room. It was covered in decorations that the children had made before the Christmas break. He looked out of the large floor to ceiling window and admired the brutal blizzard outside. It was going to be a perfect Christmas...
Except JJ wasn't there.
27 December, 8 months, 9 days since disappearance
Forcing bread into her mouth, Jennifer winced. She felt so ill. She felt useless and hopeless. She felt like she'd been in captivity for years.
As the days progressed, she started wondering what her captor's motive was. He had to have one. He had to have a goal for this.
He had made her miscarry, which JJ didn't think too much of at first. But as time went on, she began to realize that the emotional pain that miscarriage carried was just what he was using to damage her. She'd been at her miscarried child, Charlotte's grave when he kidnapped her, and then he made her miscarry again. It must be his motive.
JJ knew Christmas had came and gone. Her captor had come into her room and told her that her children were opening presents and celebrating without her. That's what hurt the most, knowing she couldn't do anything to be with her family.
Who knows when she'd see them again.
As I always say, please review! It means so much to me. I really appreciate feedback, suggestions, etc.. Whatever you want, send it. I appreciate everything! Have a wonderful week, babes!