A/N: I've recently started playing the game: Layers of Fear and its DLC: Inheritance, and while I was writing this chapter I kept thinking about that game, its eerie soundtrack especially.
My Life Had Stood
Chapter 57: Finding Jemma 8
Las Vegas:
"That's...?" Rossi's words caught as he saw the child that was clinging to Spencer. His eyes teared up a bit when Morgan nodded, and he quickly approached with his arms outstretched.
"Preliminary DNA testing shows her to be a match for the DNA found on the sheet with the earlier victim. She's definitely James' and Alsie's daughter." Morgan replied while Rossi beamed over the girl - his grandchild.
The senior agent pushed some of Jemma's hair from her face and peered into it, smiling. He started to say something in Italian and repeat it in English - along the lines of 'my beautiful granddaughter', but froze noticing the bandage on her arm.
"What's this? What happened?" Rossi asked immediately, his eyes livid. The thought that Linnet may have hurt Jemma sparked a protective anger.
"It's a sprain. Jemma apparently fell and injured it shortly before we arrived to arrest Linnet." Spencer replied, shifting his hold on his niece so that Rossi could better see her. Ever since he'd picked her up at Linnet's, and started speaking to Jemma about her mom, the girl refused to leave his arms. Even while the doctors and nurses examined her arm and ears.
"Who said that...?" Rossi glowered, questioning the truth behind that assumption.
"Jemma did. She fell off the couch while Linnet was in the basement with his latest victim." Spencer replied, while patting the girl's head. He gave a small smile when Jemma yawned and her eyes fluttered closed despite her effort to stay awake. "She didn't say victim, but referred to the woman her 'papa' brought home."
"Her..." Rossi clenched his teeth and took a deep breath. "That bas...Linnet passed himself off as Jemma's father? She thinks he...?" Rossi glanced at Jemma, instinctively lowering his voice seeing her eyes shut in sleep.
"...it sucks but, we knew from the start that that was a likelihood. Her abduction did profile as a paternal desire based one." Morgan said, his arms crossed. He grimaced and shook his head as he noticed the volume change to Rossi's words. "Ros..."
"You don't have to lower your voice at all, Rossi." Spencer interrupted Morgan, his own expression mixed with frustration and sadness. Before the senior agent could say anything else or do more than question him with a look, Spencer continued. "The hospital ran tests, and Jemma has profound hearing loss in her right ear and moderate to severe hearing loss in her left."
"...What?" Rossi narrowed his eyes, glancing from each agent and Jemma, then back.
"Jemma can read lips and has a decent spoken vocabulary for a three year old, so it's likely her hearing loss started recently. In the past six or so months." Spencer replied, his expression mirroring Rossi's though much less intense. "Hotch and SSA Aderhold said they'd get Linnet to explain what happened."
"The bastard better." Rossi muttered, before calming himself and gazing once more at Jemma. The three year old had fallen asleep in Spencer's arms and was so adorable, her small hands clinging to her uncle's button up shirt.
Morgan watched as Spencer and Rossi fawned over Jemma. He smiled, quietly hanging back so the two could have a moment. Both deserved the respite, after everything that happened. "I'm going to go see if agents Fitzgerald and Crabtree need any help going through the evidence found at Linnet's."
"...all right." Rossi spoke as he took Jemma from Spencer after finally managing to loosen the child's grip on the genius' shirt without waking her. He smiled at the adorable three year old, his eyes moist as he thought of everything he'd been through since that case in western New York. When he found out the truth about James.
"...um..." Spencer grimaced sadly as Jemma transferred to Rossi's arms. He hadn't wanted to let go of his niece, and if anyone other than Rossi had tried to take her, he would have refused.
"Don't worry, kiddo. I'm not taking her anywhere." Rossi chuckled after noticing the forlorn look in Spencer's eyes. "She's your niece, not just my granddaughter."
Spencer smiled at Rossi's words, but it was a slightly pained one. "...yeah...my niece..."
Rossi tilted his head, concerned by the less than exuberant response from the young agent. It took only a few moments and reading the look on Spencer's face as he watched Jemma for Rossi to realize why. He sighed. "Ah, kid. I know things aren't exactly how you hoped, but...you gotta take what life gives you..."
Spencer swallowed, then cleared his throat. "I know...it's just, sometimes I wonder if I'm ever going to get to be a father..."
"Reid, you..." Rossi started, but trailed off.
"...what hurts the most about finding out Alsie's my twin isn't losing her, but rather losing out on being a father to Jemma..." Spencer chewed on his lip, arms crossed. His lips trembled slightly as he cleared his throat, his conscience gnawing at his stomach. "I...while the hospital was running tests on Jemma earlier, I thought about what if...what if Alsie has to stay in the hospital and can't raise Jemma...then I'd get..." Spencer swallowed, glancing at the small child before shifting his gaze down in shame. "...it's a pretty selfish thought..."
Rossi sighed. "Yeah. But, kid, everyone's allowed selfish thoughts now and then. It's part of being human. And, to be honest, the same thought's crossed my mind."
Spencer absorbed Rossi's words, and flashed a small and slightly reassured smile. He was still unconvinced though, that his selfish thought wasn't horrible. It didn't help that the uneasiness he'd felt back at Linnet's still lingered, not allowing him to be as relieved at finding his niece as he thought he would be. Nor did it help that his selfish thought, that if Alsie had to stay in the hospital then he'd be able to take custody of Jemma, was an actual possibility.
He wouldn't feel so horrible if the likelihood of Alsie having to stay in the hospital was zero.
"We should head to the hotel, get some sleep." Rossi spoke, cutting through the silence. "Now that Linnet's in custody, all that's left is to interrogate him and go through the evidence collected from his house. SSA Aderhold assured Hotch that her team can take care of things from here. We can be on our way back to Quantico first thing in the morning."
Spencer opened his mouth as though to protest, but closed it again. He glanced at Jemma sleeping in the older man's arms, and understood. Even if they had been needed to remain on the case, neither of them would - not when it would delay reuniting Jemma with her mom.
"Do you think it's possible to arrange an earlier flight? Before the morning?" Spencer asked instead, chewing on his lip. "...Jemma wants to meet her mom and Alsie...Alsie hasn't had the chance to see or hold Jemma yet. I..."
Rossi simply nodded and took out his cell, while allowing Spencer to hold Jemma once more.
x
"So, do you two need any help?" Morgan asked as he approached the work-space where Cam Fitzgerald and Crabtree were going through some of the things found at Linnet's.
"We already processed the physical evidence of Linnet's crimes. Blood, body tissue and the utensils used to torture the victims were all bagged and cataloged. So not really." Crabtree replied from where he sat at the table, filling out some final paperwork. He seemed exhausted and ready to call it a day.
Cam, however, was engrossed in a pile of papers in front of her, and barely glanced at Morgan. Nor did she bat an eye when Crabtree mumbled something about grabbing a coffee and left.
"So, what's got your attention?" Morgan asked after giving Crabtree a look as the man exited the room. His eyes quickly returned to the papers Cam was sorting through. When he saw what they were his eyebrows rose. "...drawings?"
"Child drawings." Cam corrected, while putting the drawing she was currently gazing over into a pile to her left. She looked up at Morgan before he could interrupt. "I know some of these are likely Jemma's. I already separated some of those that look like a three year old's skill level." She gestured toward the pile on her left. "But some of the other drawings appear to be done by an older child. One with more developed motor skills."
"What?" Morgan mumbled, picking up one picture from each pile and holding them side by side. His eyes widened as he noted the differences. Cam was right, the difference in skill was noticeable. "...damn."
Cam grimaced, not needing to voice the question that had prodded her brain since she first started sifting through the drawings. She could tell from Morgan's reaction that he feared the same as her: that Jemma hadn't been the first child Linnet had taken.
"Mor..." The younger agent started to speak before being distracted by the approach of footsteps. Her heterochromatic eyes shifted towards the sound. She smiled weakly as Spencer entered the room holding a slumbering Jemma, and she caught a glimpse behind him of Rossi talking on his cell.
"Hey, Morgan, Fitzgerald." Spencer greeted briefly. "Rossi's arranging an earlier flight to bring Jemma to...to her mom...soon...sooner..." He fumbled over his words as his gaze shifted to the piles of child drawings on the table. A few seconds later he was right at the table, staring at one of the piles.
"...We have things covered here, Reid, you should bring Jemma to the hotel to sleep while..." Morgan's response tapered off and concern filled him as he noticed the expression on Spencer's face. "Reid, what is it? What...?"
"...these were found at Linnet's?" Spencer asked, picking up the top drawing, though it sounded more like a statement.
"Yes. Um..." Cam replied, glancing from Spencer's face to the drawing he held. It was of what appeared to be two children sitting at a table in a park. Her brow knit in curiosity and she opened her lips to speak but faltered.
Spencer drew in a breath as he put the first drawing down and his gaze shifted to the next one. This one was similar to the first but had an additional figure, who seemed to be pulling one of the children away.
'...Alsie.' The uneasiness that had been gnawing at his stomach since entering Linnet's house earlier intensified as Spencer stared at the drawing. It was the day he and Alsie met as children that was depicted in the top two drawings. He knew it. Even without going through the rest of the drawings, he knew. His gut knew the moment he entered Linnet's house.
Alsie had lived there as a child. His sister had lived there, in that house as a child.
A house that was less than ten minutes away from his childhood home.
A house on a street that he'd pass by everyday on his way to or from school.
He swallowed and hugged Jemma, trying to chase away the guilt gnawing at him. Guilt he knew was unreasonable - he had been a child and couldn't have been expected to find or protect Alsie. But the idea that Alsie had been, even temporarily, so close by when they were children and that he never realized...nor helped her...
"Reid? What...?"
"...it's no...nothing." Spencer cleared his throat, averting his gaze from both his fellow agents and the drawings. He couldn't deal with this, not now. Kissing Jemma on her head and holding her more firmly, he mumbled a reply before leaving the room.
He passed by Rossi on his way.
"Hey kid, what..." Rossi started to speak as Spencer passed him, the younger agent barely took a moment to reply.
"I'm going to the hotel room to put Jemma to bed." He mumbled without more than a glance at Rossi.
"Wait...Reid?" Morgan stared after the younger man, his eyes a bit widened in surprise.
"...what was that about?" Rossi asked, concerned by the drastic shift in Spencer's demeanor. Just moments ago, before Spencer approached Morgan and Cam, he'd been content if not happy. The prospect of reuniting Alsie with her daughter had given the younger man a sense of relief, of focus that was calming. But within seconds that had changed.
"I'm not sure. Something about the drawings in that pile got to him." Morgan replied, indicating the pile Spencer had been looking at. He cocked an eyebrow when he saw Cam had picked the top two drawings up and was studying them.
"Drawings?" Rossi shifted his attention to the drawings on the table, he drew in a breath as he recognized them as child drawings. "...did Jemma...?"
"We think Jemma drew these here. They're the skill level that you'd expect of a toddler." Morgan indicated the first pile. "But these other ones seem to have been drawn by an older child with more developed motor skills."
"These two drawings are what Reid looked at before leaving." Cam interrupted and held out the two drawings to Rossi. She chewed on her lip as she studied the senior agent's face. "They seem to depict two children at a table in a park or playground. Somewhere outside. And one of the children was taken away by someone in the second. I..."
"...A park?" Rossi took the proffered drawings, Cam's words triggering a memory. His eyes widened as he gazed down at the two drawings, the sketched scene echoed what Spencer had told him a few days ago.
"...we think Linnet may have taken another child before. One who drew those pictures. But there was no sign of another child in the house when we searched, so..."
"That's because she's already grown up." Rossi replied, studying the two drawings side by side. He paused and glanced at the next drawing in the pile.
"'She'? We don't know the other was a girl..."
"Yes, we do. Reid told me he and Alsie met as children once in a park and played a game of chess." Rossi said while holding the two drawings so that Morgan and Cam could see them. "Until Leah Crawford dragged Alsie away."
"Rossi, those drawings..." Morgan shook his head, not at all wanting to believe what the older man implied. Though it being true would answer a bunch of questions. "They could be of anyone. You can't even tell if that's a chess or picnic table..."
"Reid obviously recognized it." Rossi countered, though he too realized how little the drawings proved. He gave the younger man a look, and caught a glimpse of Cam diving into another pile of papers.
"Ah...ok. It resembles his memory, and that's why Reid reacted as he did. But that doesn't prove the child who drew these was Alsie. It could've been a child who witnessed the encounter or..."
"...I think Rossi's right." Cam butted in, her hands filled with drawings from a third pile. These were ones she couldn't categorize initially and had put aside to dwell on later. "These drawings here. They seem to be just of evenly spaced spots, that become random. I was going to look at them later and try figuring them out, but..." She handed the drawings to the two men. "I initially thought of checkers seeing the one drawing where the dots are lined up like on a board, but...it could be a simplified depiction of a chess game."
"...seriously?" Morgan gaped, feeling the last tendrils of denial fade.
"We'll need to show these to Reid so he can confirm, but..." Rossi trailed off, wondering if they should. How Spencer reacted to just seeing the two park drawings was worrying enough, if he saw these others and recognized it as the chess game he and Alsie played...
"...you could send photos to Garcia and have her show Alsie instead, right?" Cam suggested, her eyes darting from Morgan to Rossi to the drawings then back. She grimaced, as though having been scolded, once she saw the look Morgan and Rossi shared. "...What?"
"If we show these to Alsie and it turns out she did draw them, that's going to open some horrible memories. What she experienced from the Crawfords is likely nothing compared to what she may have experienced while in the care of a man like Linnet. The guy's a sexual sadist."
"He also had no qualms about torturing and killing his victims in the same house he kept Jemma." Morgan refrained from adding that it was lucky Jemma hadn't been able to hear the screams of the women Linnet tortured. "Just witnessing the kind of torture he inflicted on the women he murdered would be enough to traumatize an adult, but if Alsie witnessed it as a child..."
"I...I understand." Cam replied, shifting her gaze back down at the drawing piles on the table. She took in a breath, bracing herself with her arms on the table, and glanced at the box of files on the original investigation twenty-four years ago.
"I'll go talk to Reid. You two go tell Hotch and Aderhold about this discovery. If we can get Linnet to admit to having Alsie in his care as a child, we might not need to talk with Alsie about this." Rossi said, glancing at the drawings a few more seconds before heading toward the exit.
Morgan sighed, watching the other man leave.
A/N: There's still going to be more chapters to come since I plan to wrap up this part fully before switching to part two. I'm not sure how many chapters it will take. But I'm gunning to finish this fic by chapter 60.
I've been playing around with an idea to write an AU to this story in which Spencer was the child the Crawfords took rather than Alsie. What do you readers think?