10 YEARS LATER...

Spencer Reid sat there on his couch, stunned. He really didn't want to relive those memories from his childhood, but there was nothing else to do. He already read enough books to fill someone's personal library, and he couldn't stand another episode of 21 Jump Street.

It was Friday. 19 year old Spencer had gotten home from school an hour ago. He found his friend Woody inside the apartment playing some game with Spencer's three-year-old sister, Carly. He had originally asked Enrique to watch Carly while he was at school, but Enrique had twin siblings, so that was a no. He was so lucky when Woody overheard them and said he'd watch her.

Woody was sitting on the floor with her. "Okay, next question. Where did the Wright Brothers, Disney, and The Ramones first start?"

Carly thought for a moment, clapped her hands, and fluently said, "A garage.". She started talking fluently when she was 18 months old. Spencer was always proud of her for that. Spencer had thanked the medical doctor for his help, and Woody left to go work his shift at St. Kathleen's Hospital.

Spencer continued to play the game with Carly, then after a whole five rounds, they talked about what was happening in school. Carly went to Woodward Elementary while Spencer was enrolled in the FBI Police Academy.

"How'd your day go?" Spencer asked.

"Puzzles, blocks, crayons. Too easy. I'm wrecked." she said, taking a bite out of her candy bar.

"Same thing, except I had to hit someone with the blocks."

"Self-defense training?"

"Yep.

"Oh, by the way, here."she took a piece of paper out of her pocket and put it on the kitchen table they were sitting at. "My teacher wants to see you again."

"Again?" he asked, picking up the paper. He had gotten numerous calls regarding Carly's...high intelligence. She was at an advanced level, another thing Spencer was proud of, but they always caused problems at school. The pictures she drew really set it off. She mostly drew faces, but in good detail, at a 5th grade level.

"What'd you draw this time?" he said after looking at the paper.

Carly opened her backpack and took a piece of construction paper out of it and gave it to Spencer. It was a comic strip titled The Sparza Deficiency. It was actually pretty funny. "I really don't see what the problem is. It's just a comic." Carly said.

"That's just it. It's a comic strip. No one expects a comic from a toddler. To them, it just disrupts the balance of nature." Spencer said.

"Was it like that when you were in school?"

"Oh, yeah. The idea was to keep me in a normal environment as much as possible. Actually, I think it still is today."

Carly thought for a minute. "I don't like that idea."

"Me either, kid."

They talked some more, then Carly went upstairs for a nap, leaving Spencer alone with his thoughts. Deciding not to think about his audition, he went over the sequence of events leading to Carly's birth.

Father had come for no apparent reason.

Fling with mom.

Pregnant.

Birth.

Mom couldn't take care of her.

Spencer took care of her, even though he was only sixteen.

Had mother commited at eighteen.

Child Protective Services found out.

Threatened foster care.

Moved to New Orleans with his band, the Jackson Friends, and the person who was always there for him, who encouraged him on every choice he made. Michael.

Struck out as a solo artist.

Movies.

TV.

Stage.

Stopped.

Enrolled in academy.

Here now.

"Yep." Reid thought as he sat back in his chair. "I really did have a life." He closed his eyes and images of his youth appeared. He sat back and relived them once again.