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- For the ones wondering about William seeing Spencer as an adult, you're about to find out why and how that happened.
As to Rossi calling himself daddy, that's how he's starting to see himself.
Warning- Strong language ahead!
Previously on Criminal Minds- Pulling onto the highway, the family hoped that the will reading would go smoothly. They'd had more than enough drama for one day.
CM
Garcia stared thoughtfully out the windshield at the SUV ahead of them. Although she couldn't see Spencer, she knew the boy genius was sitting in his car seat worrying himself silly. Or sleeping she amended, recalling the youngster's droopy eyelids. The day had been tough for all of them but none so much as Reid. Between saying goodbye, the funeral, Stephen's rant, and the confrontation with William the mini profiler had to be about to drop. And now they were headed to the reading of Gideon's will and another round of the blame game with Stephen. Penelope wasn't sure she could handle that. And if she was this worried about the upcoming proceedings, Reid had to be positively beside himself. "Guys, do we have to go to the will reading?" Garcia questioned, unable to take the thought of her junior G-man anywhere around a furious Stephen. "I have a bad feeling about it."
"Me too" Emily agreed, making a face.
"That makes three of us" Dave put in. "But I'm afraid we don't have much choice. Jason's lawyer told Hotch we had to be there for the reading so we have to be there."
"All of us?" Penelope inquired.
"I would assume so." Rossi replied. "Why?"
"I don't think Spencer should be exposed to Stephen and his temper again if we can help it. Can't he stay outside the room with Will and Henry?" Penelope asked.
"That's a great idea, Pen but I don't think you'll get Reid to go along with it. He's bound and determined to see this through." Emily observed.
"But my Sweet Baby doesn't need to be put through that especially when he doesn't have to be. The lawyer will see him as a kid. Everyone else has." Garcia pointed out.
"Which brings up an important question; why did William Reid see him as an adult?" Derek queried.
"I can answer that one." A high pitched Chipmunk like voice called from the dash of Jeep.
To Morgan's credit he somehow managed to keep the SUV on the road. "Gabe?!" he hollered, casting a glance at the cheekily grinning Hula doll. "Don't do that, man!"
"Well" the trickster began, taking a peek under his grass skirt. "Technically I'm not a…mmmmmm"
Morgan swiftly covered the toy's mouth. "Whoa dude! TMI!"
"Mmmmmmm" Loki voiced as he glared daggers at the muscular profiler.
"Alright, I'm gonna remove my hand now." Derek said. "And you're gonna keep it PG, right?"
"Maybe" Gabe hedged.
Fed up with the being, Dave reached over and thumped the hula doll's head with his thumb, making it bobble. "Cut to the chase" he demanded.
The trickster grabbed his hips to stop the movement before glaring at the senior agent. "Fine grumpy" he huffed. "William and his dear Julia saw Spencer as an adult because that was how I wanted them to see him. I wanted him to be able to confront his dad in front of the old man's intended. And I've gotta say, the kid did a rip roaring job of it. He's almost as good at giving daddy dearest both barrels as a certain Winchester I know."
"Winchester? The rifle?" Dave asked.
"No, the hunter" Loki responded. At the confused looks aimed his way, he added with a shrug, "Long story"
"Getting back to the matter at hand" Derek segwayed.
Emily suddenly gasped. "It was you! You told Reid William would see him as a grown up!" Prentiss pieced together. "That's why he went after his dad, right?"
"Actually, he did that all on his own. I didn't tell him a thing." Gabe answered, shaking his head. "I'm guessing the kid was so tired and stressed out that he didn't think about it before he acted."
"Makes sense" Garcia said. "There's only so much anyone can take before they explode and Spencer reached his limit before we even got here."
"I guess you're right." Morgan conceded.
"I can't believe it! The great Derek Morgan said I was right! I think I'm going to faint!" the trickster joked, placing an arm across his brow and pretending to swoon.
"Ha ha" Morgan ground out.
"Geez, tough audience" Gabe grumbled. "I'm going back to the brothers. At least they know how to take a joke."
"Now that's the best news I've heard all day." Morgan teased, smiling broadly.
The trickster glared at the profiler for a moment before smirking evilly. "Have fun with Stephen" he crowed. Turning the plastic body he was in so that it faced the windshield, he glanced over his shoulder. "Oh and Morgan" he called before dropping the grass skirt. "You can kiss my tanned, plastic a**."
CM
"Spencer…Spencer buddy wake up." Aaron called, shaking the little boy's shoulder. "Come on son, we're at the lawyer's office."
Reid came awake with a groan. His little five minute power nap had done nothing to recharge his energy. He was still exhausted. Yawning, he looked up at his daddy and raised his arms.
Aaron gently lifted Reid out of his car seat and settled him on his hip. Feeling the toddler's head come to rest on his shoulder, the father smiled. "I've got'cha buddy." He whispered, kissing the top of the boy's head.
Will held the office door for the others and then followed them inside. He rolled his eyes as he glanced around the sparsely furnished waiting area. The mounted deer head and bass on the wall along with the stuffed raccoon sitting on a bookshelf made the place feel more like a taxidermist's office than a lawyer's. 'Welcome to the South' he mused, plopping down beside Hotch. Pulling his vision from the various animals, he turned his attention to the little boy in his friend's lap. "You wanna hang out here with me and Henry, kiddo?" Will offered, rubbing the youngster's back. "You could catch up on your rest."
Reid shook his head. "Fants, but no. I wanna heaw Gid'on's will."
"Okay, I can understand that." Will agreed. "But if you change your mind, Henry and I will be right here."
"I *yawn* know. Fants, Will" Spencer mumbled around his thumb.
"You're welcome, Squirt" Will replied. "Just do me a favor and try to keep Morgan from exploding while you're in there, alright?"
"Why would Mowgan exp'od?" Spencer curiously questioned.
Stephen chose that moment to storm into the office. He glared at the group of agents before stomping past the receptionist's desk and disappearing into a back room.
"Visual aid" Will teased, motioning towards the area the junior Gideon had just been.
Spencer snickered. "He weminds me of Henwy fat time JJ wouldn't let him have a tootie."
"Yes, but Henry has a valid reason for his tantrums. He's going through the terrible twos. There's no plausible excuse for Stephen to act that way." Aaron concluded.
"Agents" the young raven haired secretary called. "They're ready to begin. If you'll just go through that door and down the hall. The conference room is the last door on your right."
"Thank you ma'am" Hotch replied as he stood. After transferring Spencer to his hip, the father followed the rest of the team through the door. They shuffled down a short corridor before walking through the open door and into the long, narrow conference room. Taking seats on the opposite side of the oak table from the fuming Stephen, the family focused their gaze on the well dressed man at the end of the table. The lawyer's long, graying hair was fastened back in a ponytail that bounced with every movement and the bright blue eyes in his weathered face were full of sorrow. It was clear to the profilers that this man had been very close to the senior Gideon.
Lester Anderson glanced nervously from the group of FBI agents to his friend's son. He knew there was bad blood between the two, at least on Stephen's part and that this meeting could get out of hand very quickly. He just hoped they could make it through the reading without him having to call the law. That wouldn't do anyone any good. Sensing the tension rising in the room, Lester decided to start. "Alright folks, let's begin." He announced. He picked the television remote up off the table. "Jason left a video will. And before you ask" he looked pointedly at Stephen, "the will is iron clad. Jason saw to that. He…"
"Get on with it, Lester." Stephen grumbled.
"Right" Mr. Anderson replied. He strode over to the wall, cut the lights, and clicked play.
The family sucked in a breath as a picture of their friend's smiling face appeared on the screen. He looked just as they remembered him, only happier.
Jason leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Hello, my friends" he greeted. "If you're watching this, then I'm no longer on this Earth." He sighed. "I know in a will you're supposed to state who gets what but when have I ever done what I was supposed to?"
That drew a chuckle from the group.
"The first thing I want to do is say is I'm sorry to my team, my second family. I left you all high and dry with nothing but a Dear John letter and for that I am so very sorry. I was just so…after Sarah I just couldn't do it anymore. I felt so lost and I didn't know which way to turn. But I knew I couldn't stay there. So, I took off; wandered around the country for a while. I bounced around for six months before I got the kick in the a** I needed to set me straight." He paused and rubbed the back of his neck. "See I was in the forest of Washington State near this rushing river when I saw a dad and his two boys fly fishing. They were having so much fun and they looked so happy to just be together. That scene reminded me of what was most important in life. So I packed up my things and came home to my family, my son Stephen."
Spencer felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. All this time, he'd thought Gideon cared about him; loved him like a son even. The man had told him as much numerous times but it was all a lie. Gideon hadn't really cared about him. He'd just humored him because he wanted to use him like everyone else. Burying his face in Hotch's chest, Spencer tuned the rest of Gideon's speech out.
Hotch tightened his hold on the trembling toddler in his lap. He knew Jason's speech about family and going home to his son had hurt Reid. He'd felt the change in the toddler seconds after the remark. Aaron wished he had insisted Spencer stay with Will. The little boy didn't need to…
"WHAT?!" Stephen roared, jumping out of his chair. "NO! He can't do that! They, they don't deserve it! They don't deserve anything! They're nothing but money grubbing…
"STEPHEN MICHAEL GIDEON!" boomed for the screen, freezing everyone in their tracks. All eyes darted to the television to see an angry Jason glaring at them. "Shut your mouth and sit you're a** down right now!"
"But, but dad"
"Don't you but dad me! Sit!" Jason commanded.
Stephen huffed but did as he was told.
"Good, now the divorce and my not being there for you is not my team's fault. That's on me and your mom. They had nothing to do with it. They didn't keep me from you. In fact, they were always urging me to contact you. I was just too afraid of being rejected to do it." Gideon explained, his voice softening. "Aaron, Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope, Derek, and Spencer, my second family, I owe you another apology. You are just as important to me. I love each and every one of you. I should have kept in contact with you, especially you Spencer. You're my second son and I'm so very proud of you. Not talking to or seeing you was the hardest thing I've ever done. But I just couldn't bring myself to call because I knew our conversation would eventually come around to cases and profiling and I couldn't handle that." Jason closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Hearing the sincerity in his mentor's voice, Spencer turned to stare at the screen.
Opening his eyes, Jason released the breath he was holding and smiled at the camera. "I never forgot you though and I never once stopped loving you. You are my son and nothing will ever change that. I was hoping to tell you that in person. My plans were to finish this will, go home and pack, and make the drive to talk it out with you."
Spencer gasped. Pulling himself to standing, he threw his arms around Aaron's neck. "Gid'on loved me! He weally loved me!" he muttered before bursting into tears.