Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing. Feel free to read and review, but please don't copy.
AN- Thank you to everyone still reading the story and a huge thank you to the reviewers. Y'all make my day!
FYI- the sign at the rest area is real but I saw it in Florida not North Carolina.
Previously on Criminal Minds- Aaron took a deep breath and released it before delivering the bad news. "Gideon's dead."
CM
A stunned silence enveloped the room as the members of the small family attempted to absorb the terrible news. They couldn't believe one of their own was gone. Gideon may have left them years earlier but to the agents he was still a part of their family and the thought that he…the clatter of silverware snapped the adults out of their shock. They looked towards the source of the noise just in time to see Reid slide out of his chair and race out of the room.
"I've got him." Emily called as she hurried after the toddler.
Hotch gazed at the empty entryway for a moment before taking a step in that direction. "I should go…"
"Aaron, h-how, what ha-happened?" Rossi stammered, stopping the younger man in his tracks.
Hotch turned back to the table and sighed. "It was a drive by shooting. The information the director was given was that Jason was killed protecting a young woman in a grocery store parking lot. He had evidently spotted the suspect's car just as the teen held the gun out the window. The woman parked beside him hadn't noticed the impending danger so Jason did what any of us would have in that situation; he tackled her to the ground and shielded her with his body. Because of his quick thinking, she wasn't harmed. Gideon, however, was shot in the forehead. He was killed instantly."
Garcia burst into tears at the news.
Hearing his godmother's distress, Henry stopped eating and glanced over at the crying woman. "Auntie Pen sad?" he asked.
"Yeah buddy, Auntie Pen is sad." Will answered. Knowing JJ was fighting not to cry in front of their son, he stood and picked the boy up. "Henry, let's go play in Reid's room for a while so Auntie Pen and mommy can talk."
"Auntie Pen be otay?" a worried Henry questioned, still staring in concern at Garcia.
Penelope managed a small smile. "I'll be, be okay, Sweetness." She assured the toddler.
Henry didn't seem convinced by his godmother's declaration. He gazed at her worriedly for a moment before turning to his mom. "Mommy, mate Auntie Pen bettew?" he asked.
JJ let out a strangled sound. "Yes, mommy will make Pen feel better." she replied, palming her son's cheek. "Go on with daddy. Mommy will handle this."
"Otay" Henry happily agreed.
Once Henry and Will left the room, JJ's smile crumbled and the tears she'd been fighting began rolling down her cheeks. "I can't believe he's gone." She softly murmured.
"Me either" Garcia seconded, wiping her eyes.
"As hard as it is for us to accept, it's gotta be ten times harder for Reid. Gideon was his mentor and father figure for years. He was probably the only family the kid had besides his mom until he came to us." Morgan said. "How's he going to handle this?"
"Not very well if the running out of the room is any indication" Rossi answered.
Hotch nodded. "We'll have to keep a very close eye on him while we're traveling."
"Traveling?" Derek repeated. "We're going to the funeral?"
"Yes, Jason requested you, Dave, and myself be pall bearers." Aaron told the others. "Apparently, he had written his final wishes years ago and left it along with his will with his attorney."
"Good thing he didn't request Reid." Morgan muttered.
"Actually, he did. But after I informed the director of Spencer's illness, he agreed to contact Stephen and let him know he'd need an alternate." Hotch explained.
"Illness? Reid isn't sick." JJ pointed out.
"I know but I couldn't exactly tell the director Spencer couldn't help carry the coffin because he's a toddler." Aaron answered.
"True that" Morgan said, frowning as he recalled something. "Wait, you mentioned Stephen. Gideon was back with his son?"
"Yes" Hotch simply responded.
"That's going to make things worse for Spence. He always felt insecure where Stephen was concerned. I think he believed that if Gideon ever reconciled with Stephen, he'd drop Spence." JJ said.
"Which is exactly what he did" Dave huffed, crossing his arms.
"Going to the funereal is starting to sound like a bad idea." Morgan grumbled.
"Nevertheless, we have to go." Hotch countered.
Rossi ran a weary hand across his face. "So, when do we have to leave?"
"I thought we'd head out after lunch. It's about an eight hour drive to Franklin." Aaron replied.
"We're not flying?" Dave asked.
"No, we don't have use of the jet. I thought about booking a flight but I decided against it. I don't think Spencer could handle being trapped on a plane with a bunch of strangers." Aaron explained.
"I hadn't thought of that." Rossi admitted. Sighing, he glanced at the clock and then his friend. "If we're going to be ready to leave at noon, we better hop to it. We have a lot to do before we can pull out."
"Yeah, there are bags to pack, trucks to load, and calls to make." Morgan ticked off.
"We better get started." JJ surmised.
Dave nodded. "What do you want us to do?" he asked.
CM
"Shhh Spencer, I've got you." Emily soothed as she sat down in the rocking chair and started rocking the sobbing boy.
"He, he's…" Reid cried before burying his face in his friend's shoulder.
"I know, Honey, I know." Prentiss whispered, kissing the top of the distraught boy's hair. "I'm so sorry about Gideon. I know how close the two of you were."
"G-G-Gid'on was the, the fiwst pew-pewson fat tweated me li-lite a hu, human being in-intead of a, a wobot ow, ow a fweat(freak)." Spencer stammered out through his tears. "H-he t-t-tawed(cared) 'bout me; twea-ted me li-lite a, a son."
"I remember." Emily agreed.
"I, I always f-fought fat he, he'd figured fings ou-out and, and tome bat." Spencer broken heartedly revealed. "I, I know fat's tu-tupid but, but…"
"No, it's not. There is nothing stupid about wanting your loved ones near you." Prentiss gently chided.
"She's right, Love Bug. All of us wish our loved ones were closer to us." Penelope softly said as she walked up to the two. "And it's okay to miss them, too." Seeing the crying youngster reach for her, the tech analyst quickly scooped him up, enveloping Spencer in a warm hug.
"H-He's gone Gawcia! Gid'on's gone!" Spencer wailed.
CM
Morgan trudged to Will's XTerra and shoved the pink suitcase in his hands into the trunk. "That's the last of them." he proclaimed with a sigh.
"It better be. Anymore bags and we won't have room to sit." Will grumbled, slamming the trunk door.
Derek nodded. "That does seem to be a few too many bags for just a couple of days." He agreed. "Then again with all the stuff Reid, Henry, and the girls need, it looks about right."
Will rolled his eyes. "You've been around the ladies too long, my friend." He teased.
"You're just now figuring that out?" Rossi questioned as he closed the trunk of Morgan's Jeep.
Morgan chuckled. "Cute, Rossi"
Will shook his head. "I think I'm gonna go tell the others we're ready." He said, starting for the house.
"Hmmm, do you think it was something we said?" Derek asked before busting out laughing.
"Nah, I think he just didn't want to listen to your long list of conquests." Dave countered, smirking at the indignant look he received. Glancing towards the house, he turned serious. "I hope we're doing the right thing by going to the funereal. Spencer's had more than his share of hurt recently."
"I know what you mean. The kid's always been a trouble magnet but it seems like his tiny size is making him an even bigger one." Morgan related. "He's not going to make it to Christmas at this rate."
"He'll make it. We just have to be more careful." Dave advised. Seeing Hotch and Will coming down the porch steps, he sighed. "And that starts with taking it slow and easy on the mountain roads. I wanna get there in one piece."
"Don't worry about that. I wouldn't risk gunning the engine on those roads for a million dollars." Morgan assured his friend as he walked over. He opened the back door for Hotch and then hurried around to the driver's side and climbed in.
Once everyone was buckled into their respective vehicles, Will and Morgan started the trucks and the family set off for Franklin, North Carolina.
CM
A blaring horn jolted Reid out of sleep. He sat straight up in his seat as his eyes snapped open. Clutching his Ewok tightly, the little boy frantically glanced around the interior of the truck until Hotch came into view. "What, what's going on?" Spencer asked, sleepily fisting his eyes.
"It's nothing, buddy." Aaron assured the toddler. "Some idiot just cut off a semi on the other side of the interstate. Go back to sleep. We still have a long way to go."
Reid scooted up in his chair and peered out the window instead. Sticking his thumb back in his mouth, he watched the cars and trucks fly by as he wiggled around attempting to find a more comfortable position. "Whewe aew *yawn* we?" he questioned.
"We just passed the exit for Dinwiddie." Aaron informed him.
"We haven't left Viwginia yet?" Reid asked, still moving around.
"No" Hotch answered with a frown. "Spencer, do you need to go to the restroom?"
Reid shook his head. "I'm good." He replied, stilling his motion. He turned and gazed back out the window to distract himself but it wasn't long before he was squirming in his seat again.
Spencer's answer was a clear sign to Morgan that something was bothering his friend. Glancing into the rearview mirror every couple of minutes, he kept a wary eye on the boy. When the wiggling renewed, the big brother quickly spoke up. "What's with all the dancing, Pretty Boy? You practicing for a dance contest or something?" he joked.
"No Morgan" Reid responded, rolling his eyes.
"Then why the wiggle worm impression?" Dave inquired as he turned around to face the youngster.
"It's, I, umm, I'm tinda sowe." Spencer stammered. Blushing, he hid his face in his stuffed toy.
"Sore?" Aaron mumbled. His brow furrowed in confusion before the realization of what the boy was referring to hit him. "I'm sorry buddy. I totally forgot about our little discussion earlier this morning. Would you like to get out and walk around for a while? It might help."
Spencer contemplated the offer for a few moments and then nodded. "Yes, please" he answered.
"There's a rest stop about two miles up the road. Can you hold out that long, youngster?" Morgan relayed.
"Fat's fine." the toddler replied. Propping his head on one hand, he scooted down as far as he could in his seat
"Hey, kid did I ever tell you about the first time I met Baby Girl?" Derek called, attempting to distract the boy from his uncomfortable position.
That had Spencer sitting up. He'd always wondered about their first meeting but whenever he broached the subject, Morgan would just shrug it off. "No, what happened?" he excitedly asked.
"Well, you see it was like this." Morgan began. He then proceeded to describe the meeting from beginning to end in minute detail. Pulling into a parking space at the rest area a couple of minutes later, he smiled back at the boy. "And that's the truth no matter what Garcia says."
"Uh huh, sure it is." Rossi stated. He unfastened his seat belt and looked back at Reid. Winking at the boy, he added, "That's not the way I heard it." before exiting the vehicle.
Morgan's eyes got saucer wide. "What?! What'd you hear?" he exclaimed, following the smirking man out of the truck.
Hotch chuckled. "Come on, son. We don't want to miss all the fun."
"Yes!" Reid cheered, unbuckling his seat belt and climbing out of his seat. Jumping out the open door, he obediently took Hotch's hand and the two strolled down the walkway towards the fairly large brick building. Noticing a fenced off pond, he started pulling Hotch that way. After a few feet, a posted yellow warning sign stopped him in his tracks. "Loot! It says fewe awe poisonous nates(snakes) in the pond!"
Hotch swiftly stepped back taking the toddler with him. "Let's go in the building, Spencer. It's too cold to stay out here." He suggested.
Reid looked skeptically at his father before nodding. "Otay" he agreed, grinning mischievously. "I need to talt to Mowgan anyway. Fewe's somefing I want to tell him."
"Spencer" Aaron playfully warned.
"What?" Reid innocently answered.
"What are you up to?" Hotch asked even though he already knew.
"Nofing" Spencer blurted out.
Aaron eyed the boy and then shook his head. "I'm not so sure about that." he disagreed as a smile broke out across his face. "I think we should head back to the truck. It'll be safer there…for me."
"I've got a bettew idea." Reid countered.
"Really? What is it?" Aaron asked.
Dropping Hotch's hand, Reid starting running to the building where the rest of the team were. "Tatch(catch) me if you tan!" he hollered over his shoulder.
CM
Eight and a half long hours later the group finally rolled into the parking lot of the local Microtel Inn. A road weary Hotch climbed out of the Jeep and stumbled into the lobby to check in. He returned a few minutes later, keys in hand, and directed Morgan to the parking spaces at one end of the building.
The group made quick work of unloading the trucks. After securing the vehicles, they trudged to the side door. Prentiss used her key card to unlock the glass door and the family proceeded into the building. They slowly climbed the stairs to the second floor. Shuffling down the hall, they found their rooms half way down on the right. They then sorted the bags, bid goodnight to each other, and went into their respective homes for the night.
Aaron locked and bolted the door before plodding over to the bed. He turned down the covers and gently laid his sleeping charge in the middle of the mattress. The exhausted father then unzipped the little boy's go bag and sifted through it until he'd found the items he was looking for. Setting the clothes on the bed, Hotch swiftly changed the toddler into his pajamas. After tucking the blankets around Spencer and his Ewok, he leaned down and kissed the youngster's forehead. "Goodnight Spencer. Sleep tight." He whispered. Aaron stood and watched his son sleep for several minutes to ensure that he was sleeping peacefully before grabbing a change of clothes and going into the bathroom. Finishing his nighttime routine in record time, he hurried back out to the main room. Pulling back the covers, he carefully slid into bed beside Spencer. Aaron smiled as the boy immediately snuggled into his side. Wrapping an arm around his son, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.