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- I'll have an update for The Little Lost One next. I just wanted to finish this little bit first. There's more little Spencer in this one so hopefully, you'll enjoy this chapter more than the last one. I got the feeling a lot of you either didn't like that one or you're tired of this story.
Previously on Criminal Minds- Dave swiftly walked around the table and pulled the boy into an embrace. "Shhh Matt, it's alright." He whispered, rubbing the teen's back. "You're going to be okay. I promise."
CM
Reid turned away from the touching scene on the other side of the mirror. He felt horrible for Matt. The poor kid had been taken from parents who abused and neglected him only to be placed with a foster mother who did the same. Actually the foster mom was worse. While his real parents never seemed to bond with Matt, Ms. Pringle made Matt think that she cared and then withdrew her affections. Plus there was no rational reason for her to treat her youngest son that way. Claiming her other kids needed her was not a valid excuse. He had seen many large families where all the children were well cared for and everyone was treated fairly. Drugs may have interfered with the boy's natural mother taking care of him but the Pringle woman didn't have that excuse. No this woman chose to treat her youngest that way and that ticked Reid off. People like her made his blood boil. He'd love to interrogate her. He would have no trouble playing bad cop. In fact, he was certain he could…
"Spencer, calm down son." Hotch ordered, placing a hand on the shaking boy's shoulder.
Reid quickly focused on calming his anger and regulating his breathing. Once he had his feelings under control, the tiny profiler looked up at his boss. "Hotch, I want to be the one to intewview Matt's mofew."
"I don't think that's wise." Aaron told the youngster. "You're too close to this one. You identify with Matt."
"Yes I do." Spencer admitted. He turned his attention back to the scene in the next room. "If fings had gone diffewently…if someone had found out about my mom, I tould have ended up lite Matt."
"Which is why you need to stay away from this one" Aaron said.
"I don't agwee. My expewience and my tonnection wif Matt mate me the pewfe't pewson to tatle(tackle) his adopted mofew." Reid countered. "She needs to heaw fwom someone who knows what Matt's been fwough; someone who's undewgone similar pwoblems."
"Spencer, you don't have to…
The door to the room flew open and slammed against the wall before an irate police officer stormed into the room. "WHERE IS HE?" the older man angrily demanded.
Aaron rounded on the cop. Seeing the man's badge, the federal agent glared at the policeman the ladies had told Rossi about. "Officer Ramiro, go wait in the sheriff's office. One of us will be with you shortly." He sternly ordered.
Officer Ramiro shook his head. "No, I wanna know what that little brat's saying?" he growled.
Reid sized up the angry officer. One glance at the name tag was all it took for him to put two and two together. Keeping his expression neutral, the little agent swiftly cut off the lighted mirror and the speaker so that the officer couldn't see or hear what was happening in the interview room. "What Matt is telling Agent Wossi is none of youw business." Spencer ground out.
"Like Hell it isn't!" the Italian shouted. "That kid's mother is one of my dearest friends. She's lived next door to my, my wife and I for years. I've watched her kids grow up and blossom."
"Exactly" Hotch calmly said. "You're a friend of the family and as such you are too close to our suspect."
"Think again" Joe spat. "I'll admit I'm close to Ms. Pringle and some of her children but not that twerp. He was okay when he was little but as he's grown, he's been nothing but trouble. He's always doing something to try to get her attention; take her away from the other kids. Did you know the brat beat up his older brother? Adam's never done anything to him. He's a good kid. He's always helping someone. Adam helped me through my wife's suicide. He stayed with me; made sure I ate and things like that. Then that little shit goes and beats the crap outta Adam for no reason whatso…"
"Telling him he desewved what fose high tool tids did to him isn't a weason!" Spencer hollered, surprising everyone in the room including himself.
"You mean the supposed attack?" Ramiro inquired, looking put out.
The man's nonchalant attitude only infuriated the tiny profiler more. "Supposed?!" he fumed. "It was on video?!"
"So the older students got a little carried away." Joe replied with a shrug. "That's what happens when smart little brats get moved up to high school."
Hotch threw out an arm to prevent Reid from attacking the idiot. Though he'd like nothing better than to knock some sense into the man before him, he knew that would do nothing but cause more problems. That didn't mean he wasn't going to ensure that the officer got what he deserved. After all, there was more than one way to skin a cat. For now however, he needed to focus on getting the jerk out of the room before Spencer pounced on him. "Officer Ramiro, sheriff's office now!" he angrily ordered.
Joe glared at Hotch for a moment. "Fine" he huffed. Turning around he stomped out of the room.
Aaron waited for the door to slam shut before shifting his attention to his charge. "Spencer?" he called.
"I'm alwight, Hotch" Reid assured his boss. He dropped his gaze to his shoes. "Sowwy, I didn't mean to get tawwied(carried) away. I jut touldn't tand hewe and let him bad mouf(mouth) fat little boy."
"I know." Aaron replied. "Just try to rein it in a little, okay? Morgan will be heartbroken if you steal his bad cop routine."
Spencer giggled. "I was good, wasn't I?" he bragged.
"Yes, you were." Hotch answered, ruffling the boy's hair.
The door opened a fraction and Emily stuck her head in. "Hotch, Ms. Pringle is here." she announced.
"Put her in interview room two. I'll be there in just a minute." Hotch instructed. Looking down at his son, he held out his hand. "Come on, kiddo. Let's go have a discussion with the monster mother."
Reid's whole face lit up. "Weally? I tan help?" he questioned.
"Absolutely" Aaron responded.
"Yes!" Spencer whooped. Jumping off the chair he'd been standing in, he grasped the older man's hand and the two headed out to set Ms. Pringle straight.
CM
Ms. Pringle glanced at her watch for the third time in as many minutes. Huffing, she tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for someone to come talk to her about her youngest. She didn't know what he could have done to warrant a trip to the police station but she was going to find out and when she did, Matt was going to be in for it. She checked her watch again. She didn't have time for this. Adam needed her. He was spiraling after what the bullies and his brother had done and he needed her to get him through it. He was so close to the edge. If she wasn't careful, he'd fall over it and she couldn't have that. She looked at her watch once more. Standing, Ellen started for the door. She didn't have time for this.
Hotch opened the door to interview room two and stepped aside for Spencer to pass. Following the boy inside, he had to grab the tiny agent's shoulders to keep him from toppling over.
"Sorry" Ellen apologized. "I didn't see you."
"Fat's otay" Reid replied, running a hand down his shirt to straighten it.
"Have a seat, Ms. Pringle." Hotch politely ordered.
Ms. Pringle reluctantly reclaimed her seat. "What's this all about?" she inquired. "What could my son have done that was so awful that the FBI is involved?"
"Your son Matt was found with the two missing women." Aaron explained.
"He was with" Ellen broke off, eyes widening as realization sunk in. "Matt kidnapped those women?!"
"Ms. Pringle, please lower your voice." Hotch advised.
"I don't believe it! I do not believe it! Matt knows Adam's having trouble right now. He knows his brother needs me and yet he goes and pulls a stunt like this!" Ms. Pringle hollered. "How could he do something so stupid?!"
That was all it took to set Reid off. Getting up on his knees, he slammed both hands down on the table. "It wasn't tupid! Matt was twying to get what he so despewately needed; what he didn't get at home!" he growled.
"W-what?" Ellen stammered before turning angry once more. "Matt may not have all the latest gadgets and clothes and he may not have every material thing he wants but my son has everything he needs! I assure you of that!"
Reid shook his head. "No, he doesn't. Matt doesn't have the one fing he needs most…his mofew's love."
Ms. Pringle stared at the young agent. "What the Hell are you talking about? " she shouted. "I give all my children love. They all know I love them."
"Weally?" Spencer asked, cocking his head to one side. "And jut how does he know fat?"
"I show my children I love them every day." Ellen countered. "I feed them and clothe them and take care of them when they're sick or hurt. And when problems from one of their pasts come back to haunt them, I spend extra time with that child, helping them work through whatever's wrong."
"Wiiight" Reid scoffed. "Awe you telling us you wew fewe fow Matt when fose high tool boys huwt him?"
"Yes, I was. I took him to the school as soon as I found out. I showed the principal the video and had a long talk with the jerk before pulling Matt out of that school." Ellen smugly responded.
"What about his suicide attempt? Where you there for him after that?" Aaron questioned.
"Of course I was!" Ms. Pringle answered, looking offended at the question.
Spencer jumped on the woman's response. "You tall banning him fwom youw fwiend's house and putting him on lot down helping him?" he ground out.
Ellen glared at the boy. "I, I talked to him too." She defended. "I would have done more but one of my other children got hurt and I had to rush to the hospital to be with them. Besides, it's not like he was really going to kill himself. Matt's a genius. He knows better than that."
Reid jumped up and stood in his chair. "Oh, well fat mates evewyfing otay fen." He scoffed. Crossing his arms, he took a deep, steadying breath. "Lady, you'we a weal piece of wowt. I was a child pwotege lite Matt. I gwad'ated high tool at twelve and I tan't tell you how many people I've met fat wewe jut lite you. You all fint we'we intellectually matuwe so we'we otay; fat we tan handle ouwselves. But you'we wong. Matt may be intelle'tually matuwe but he's till only twelve. His physital matuwity is fat of a twelve yeaw old which means he isn't big enough ow twong enough to fight bat. And betause of his weal pawents' abuse and neglet when he was youngew, his emotional matuwity is even lowew. He may seem fine but he needs mowe pawental suppowt and guidance fan nowmal children his age." Spencer explained. "Unfowtunately, he ended up wif a pewson fat fints he should be otay betause he is mawt.(smart)"
"Now wait just a minute! Before you go accusing me of neglect, you should get all the facts." Ms. Pringle countered. "I have five children, all of whom were foster kids at one time. They all have various problems they came to me with and I deal with them the best I can. Now I may have left Matt to deal with some things by himself but that's only because I know he can handle it. The boy is beyond smart. He can…"
"Fat's bull!" Spencer broke in. "You tan't blame youw a'tions on having five tids. You chose to adopt fem. And if you fint Matt tan handle fings on his own, you don't know youw son at all."
"Yes I do and yes he can." Ellen argued. "He has a diary he writes in all the time. That's how he gets his feelings out."
"Yeah, tause fat's the pewfe't substitute fow a pawent." Reid muttered.
Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose. Talking to this woman was like talking to a brick wall. Nothing they said was getting through. Recalling something Matt had said in Dave's interview, he resisted the urge to smirk. "Ms. Pringle" he voiced, interrupting the two combatants' argument. "You said you help all your children, did you not?" He waited for her to nod before continuing. "Then can you explain why you didn't talk to your son after his brother told him he deserved what the bullies had done to him?"
"I did talk to him." Ellen replied.
It was Hotch's turn to shake his head. "Yelling at him for hitting his brother is not the same as talking to him."
"He didn't just hit his brother. He beat him." Ms. Pringle corrected. "His brother Adam was severely abused by his parents. After that incident, Adam regressed back to his old ways. He's been getting worse and worse no matter what I or his brothers and sisters do. He's even tried to kill himself. That's why I was leaving when you came in. I don't want to be away from him too long because I'm afraid of what he might do."
"I tan't believe you!" Spencer shouted, startling the no account mother. "Youw youngest twies to till himself and you bwush it off but youw favowite does it and you'we on him lite white on wice! You awe the wowst tind of mofew! I'm glad Matt isn't going home wif you!"
Ellen gasped at that announcement. "What? You, you mean he's going to be taken to a juvenile facility?" she inquired.
"No, there's no reason to. The women that were taken are refusing to press charges. In fact, they both say there was no kidnapping; that they willingly went with Matt." Hotch told Ms. Pringle. "And considering the Barkers' status, I'm certain the incident will swiftly be swept under the rug."
"I don't understand then. Why wouldn't Matt…" Ellen trailed off as the answer hit her. "Now wait just a minute. Matt is my son. You have no right to keep him away from me."
"We may not but the tase wowkew peating(speaking) wif him does." Spencer said, flashing a smug smile.
"Case worker! How dare you! You had no right…"
"We had every right, not to mention an obligation to inform social services of our concerns." Hotch interrupted, allowing a small smile to grace his face.
"They won't take him away. They know me." Ellen argued.
"I'd fint again if I wewe you." Spencer said. "Between Agent Wossi's wepowt and the tatements of Mws. Bawtew and Mws. Hamilton, I fint I tan safely say Matt will not be going to youw home anytime soon."
"We'll see about that!" Ms. Pringle growled. She gathered her things and stomped out the door.
Spencer let out a relieved breathe. He hated people like that. His childhood had been filled with people just like Ms. Pringle. They just didn't understand that having a high IQ did not mean you were a mature human being. He was glad Matt wouldn't have to go with Ms. Pringle today. Then again…he looked over at his surrogate father. "Hotch, do you fint she'll get Matt bat aftew the 'vestigation?" he asked.
"No" Aaron honestly answered. "I can't imagine social services sending the boy back to Ms. Pringle after at least three suicide attempts, especially since she only knows about one of them."
"I hope you'we wight." Spencer whispered.
"I'm always right." Aaron replied. Picking the youngster up, he tossed Spencer into the air before setting him on his feet. "Come on buddy, let's go tell Matt the good news."
"Otay" Spencer said. He waited for Hotch to open the door and then toddled out. He couldn't wait to talk to Matt!