Alright, so I used some medical terms and stuff in this chapter, and honestly I have no idea what any of it means, it just sounded scientific-ish, so don't judge me! Also, thanks everyone who favorited, followed, reviewed, etc. It means so much to me and always puts a smile on my face!
So, without further ado, chapter two of Little Reid!
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"I just thought, when I saw the needle..." Emily trailed off, looking at JJ.
"I know what you mean," JJ nodded. Hotch looked at them. He hated to ask the question, but he needed to know.
"JJ, is Reid clean?" He asked.
She sighed, "I think so. I mean, he's been a lot happier lately,"
"And not such a jerk to me," Emily added. Hotch shot her a look and she shrugged.
"Yeah, but can you imagine a three year old detoxing?" JJ asked, "Adults can barely do it, but a toddler?"
"If that happens, can we just hand baby Spencer off the Morgan for a few days?" Emily asked, watching as Morgan paced back and forth through the hospital waiting room, anticipating word on his friend.
"No, I'll take him," Hotch said, "I have the most experience with toddlers,"
"Yeah," Garcia said, walking up behind them with a bottle of water in her hand. She handed it to JJ, "But JJ needs the practice,"
"I don't think babysitting a genius three year old is the same thing as a newborn, Pen." JJ said.
"Do you think he can read?" Garcia asked, plopping herself next to Emily on the waiting room bench.
"I wouldn't doubt it," Emily responded, "There's that same nurse from when we came in," She nodded her head in the direction of a corridor. Rossi was already walking up to the nurse, talking quietly with her.
They all stood up, but Hotch, being the team leader, was the only one to make his way over to Rossi and the nurse. Morgan, who was on the far side of the waiting room, eyed him anxiously.
"Agent Reid, right now, at least, is a completely healthy little boy. We would age him at about two to five years,"
"Two to five years? That's quite a gap," Rossi mused.
"He's very small, but his bone density gave us reason to believe that he was older than we originally thought."
"And we have no idea why he's like this?" Hotch asked.
"None, whatsoever. I wish I could tell you something different, Agents,"
"Where is he? Did he say anything? Does he remember anything?" Morgan asked, walking up behind them.
The nurse shook her head, "No, that's another thing, he hasn't said a word to anyone."
"Can we see him?"
"I'll bring him out in a few minutes," The nurse nodded, "He's going to be put into your custody, correct, Agent Hotchner?"
"Yes, that's correct," He nodded.
"I'll go get the paper work and Spencer as well, then." She nodded, turning around and walking down another corridor.
"Thank you," Hotch called after her.
"So?" Garcia asked.
"They have no idea what's wrong with him," Morgan said, sitting down next to Garcia. She put a comforting hand on his arm.
"They'll figure it out,"
"How? We don't have any samples of the serum that was injected into Reid, we only have Green's notes and experiments."
"I don't know, Morgan, but we'll fix this. Reid will be back to spouting random facts and watching Doctor Who in no time," JJ smiled at him.
Even so, her smile was tense, and Hotch could tell that she didn't necessarily believe in what she was saying.
"Guys, I brought Spencer," the nurse's voice called. It was slightly higher than it was before, and she was speaking in a kind tone. The team looked at her, then down at the boy who was lingering behind her in a hospital gown.
"Hey, buddy," Rossi said, kneeling down. Spencer came out from behind the nurse, slowly walking forward, "How're you feeling?"
Spencer frowned, and then shrugged. Hotch knelt beside Rossi, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Are you hungry, Spencer?" He asked him. Once again, Spencer only shrugged, looking at the ground.
"Here, let me try," JJ said, gently pushing Rossi out of the way. Spencer looked up at the woman in curiosity, then reached his arms out towards her, "You want me to pick you up?" He nodded. She smiled at him, grabbing him under the arms and holding him close to her.
Even as an adult, Reid buried his head in the crooks of people's necks when he hugged them. What Hotch found endearing when adult Reid did it, he found it adorable when young Reid did it.
Spencer hid his face from the team, gripping JJ's shoulder with one hand, and the other was clutching onto a section of her hair.
"Is he...tired?" Morgan asked. Garcia shook her head.
"I think he's scared," She replied quietly.
"I would be scared as well," Rossi said. Spencer looked up from JJ's shoulder, directly at Rossi.
"You would?" Spencer asked, surprising everyone, including Rossi.
"Well...yeah. You're being a brave boy, Spencer," Rossi did his best to give the boy a reassuring smile.
"But, being scared is for babies," Spencer said, a look of confusion evident on his face.
"Who told you that?" Rossi asked, taking a tentative step towards JJ and Reid.
"My dad," Spencer whispered, burying his head in shame.
"Well, he's wrong. Even the bravest men get scared, Spencer," Rossi said, rubbing the boy's back in an attempt to be comforting.
"Really?"
"Really." Rossi nodded. With that, Reid reached out his hands towards Rossi. Rossi looked at JJ, who smiled at him, handing over the child.
"Um...Okay. Are you hungry, buddy?" Rossi asked. Spencer shrugged, "Oh come on, you gotta be hungry," Spencer responded by snuggling himself into Rossi's chest.
Which made Rossi's heart melt, but he would never tell the rest of the team that.
"Are...are you tired?" Rossi had no idea to speak to a child or what they liked or disliked. He knew the basics from parenting books, but those were from the early eighties at the latest.
Spencer nodded into Rossi's chest, clutching onto his shirt. Rossi felt a sense of relief, now knowing what the child wanted.
"Alright, let's go get him to bed," Hotch said.
!
"These are some of my son's clothes, I hope you don't mind," Hotch said, helping Spencer put on his shirt.
"Where's your son?" Spencer asked after his head finally (He had been having troubles, which is why Hotch decided to help him. His arms seemed to always go through the wrong holes) went through the head hole of the shirt. The clothes were a bit too big for the boy, but they would do for tonight. Jack's shirts would fit Reid just fine, albeit they would be baggy, but they would have to go get pants and shoes for the boy, seeing as Jack's wouldn't fit him.
"With his mom. He's probably sleeping by now," Hotch didn't want to get into the story with the child, afraid that Spencer would ask too many questions.
"Oh. My mom is in Nevada."
"Is she?" Hotch asked him, kneeling in front of him. It was the first time the boy was talking about his memories, which would hopefully give the team an indication of just how old Spencer was now.
It appeared that he didn't have any memories of his adult life, but only of his younger life, when he was a toddler.
"Yes. She's a fifteenth century liter-literature professor," Spencer struggled over his words, which Hotch found adorable.
"Oh? Does she read to you?" The boy nodded excitedly.
"Yeah, but sometimes I read to her."
"You know how to read?"
"I've known how to read since I was two,"
"How old are you now?" Hotch asked, looking at the child. Spencer held up three fingers and produced a toothy grin.
"Three? That's pretty old." Hotch said with a deadpan expression. Spencer giggled.
"That's what momma says! Well, when she's feeling well," Spencer kicked his legs out anxiously, looking at the floor, "I have to take care of her when she's sick. Dad just gets angry at her. But she can't help it. It's who she is,"
Hotch took Spencer's tiny hands in his own, "You're a very good boy, Spencer. You know that, right?" Spencer shrugged, "Can I have a hug before you go to bed?" The child nodded, wrapping his arms around Hotch's neck. Hotch kissed the top of Spencer's head, smoothing out his messy hair in the process.
"What's your son's name?" Spencer asked as he laid back in the bed.
"Jack,"
"I like that name,"
"I do too."