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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello readers! Here's the next chapter of my story. Hope you like it. It's kind of a slow fluffy chapter but it will heat up in a while if you're patient. The next chapter may have a small time skip. I'm also working on another Criminal Minds fanfic so feel free to give it a look! Please Reid and reveiw.

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Chapter 2: Bonding

Spencer was the first to wake up the next morning. Riley was splayed out next to him snoring lightly. He eased his way out of bed, careful not to wake up his friend.

He wandered out into the hallway and tiptoed past the master bedroom where he knew Garcia would be sleeping. When he reached his destination he smiled.

The office was very roomy and there were bookshelves on every wall. Most of them were filled with technical books on psychology, sociology, and statistics. There were also several collage textbooks on law and criminal justice. He also noticed a group of books written by David Rossi. He paused wide eyed. Had he really met a well praised writer and didn't even know it?

He scanned the next book case and found a collection of poems, short stories and essays by various authors. Proust caught his eye. This was the book Alex had read to him in the hospital. He picked it up and hugged it to his chest while he continued looking.

He was also impressed by the variety of fantasy and sci-fi novels. It made him wonder who all contributed books to this library. Surely they didn't all belong to one person. By the time he was done he'd carefully selected 4 more books before setting his limit.

He thought about going back to Riley's room but the welcoming room he stood in quickly changed his mind. Two comfortable looking chairs sat by a window and on the opposite side was a large desk that was neatly organized. As nice as the room was, it was clear that it wasn't quite finished yet. There were stacks of books on one side of the room and paintings leaning against a shelf on the floor.

Spencer gently set the books he'd selected down and knelt on the floor to take a closer look at the paintings. The first few were beautiful sceneries painted with calming colors. But the last one he came across was different.

It was wild and expressive. When he looked at it, he could almost the battle taking place before his eyes. Four small birds were fighting a vicious looking snake that had coiled around their nest. The snakes mouth was open wide and it looked ready to strike with it's sharp fangs. Spencer felt anxious just looking at the picture. He felt that it somehow spoke about his life.

"John James Audubon." said a voice from behind him.

Spencer quickly looked up to see Matthews standing in the doorway in his PJ's.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Matthews said with a kind smile.

Spencer smiled back and then gestured to the painting.

"Oh." Matthews came forward and sat on the floor next to Spencer. He was surprised and pleased that the boy stayed put and there were no visible signs of anxiety. "This is a print of the Northern Mockingbird. It was made in the early the 1800's by a wildlife painter named John James Audubon. He loved to study birds, all kinds of birds really, but this one really stuck with me." He picked it up and held it out, admiring it.

"Why's that?" Spence asked. "Well…" Matthews started. "Partly because it was a gift from a very dear friend of mine. When he gave it to me, he said that no matter how small we may feel, we're powerful when we stand together. He helped me to be brave and eventually, how to trust people. He was kind of like a father to me."

"Where is he now?" the boy asked. The man sighed and set to picture down again. "I don't know. He left a few years ago. I always imagine him happy somewhere, but I don't know where he went. Or even why he left." Silence lingered for a while.

"My dad left too." Spencer said. "He didn't even say goodbye." Matthews looked down at him sadly.

"You know," Matthews started. "there's still a chance we can find your dad. Garcia is really good at finding people." Spence froze at the thought. "Even when they don't want to be found?" he asked. "Yeah, even then. Maybe you haven't lost him forever."

"Yes I have…" he said quietly. "He doesn't love me anymore. He won't want me." Matthews frowned. "What? Why would you think that?"

Tears started to form in Spencer's eyes but he quickly blinked them away. "Because that's what he told me. He stopped being nice."

Matthews had decided not to question Spencer about his father until he felt more comfortable. But seeing that the boy had been opening up to him, he decided to ask, "Spencer… did your dad ever hurt you?"

Spencer nodded. "He had problems. He drank a lot." He paused for a moment as if contemplating telling the next part. "Yelled at me. Sometimes he hit us. Then one day he just left."

Matthews sighed. "I'm sorry Spencer." Spencer looked up at him. "I'm sorry for you too."

After a few minutes of looking at the picture together, Spencer asked a question in a quiet voice. "Do… Uhmm.. Do you think the birds survived?" He was curious about his interpretation of the painting.

Matthews looked at the boy and nodded. "I do. I think that even though they were probably terrified, these birds stuck together and fought to protect their family and their home. And when I imagine what happens next, it's calm… and beautiful. "

Matthews then asked. "What about you Spencer? What do you see happening?"

Spencer had a very different interpretation. In his mind the snake sunk it's teeth into one bird, killing it and throwing it down. Leaves and feathers fell as it snatched up the next bird and devoured it. The eggs were crushed, the sparrows were demolished and all that remained was that wicked snake. It was like the story of his life.

Finally Spencer shook his head. "Everything good disappears. Only the bad is left." Spencer stood up and sighed. "The birds are dead. In my case anyway."

Matthews looked up at him, seemingly concerned. "What do you mean in your case?"

Spencer considered not answering the question but he decided to explain.

"All the good things… they're gone forever. My parents. My friends... Even myself. People think I'm stupid because I don't talk very often and I don't show my personality. I get scared all the time, and sometimes I have these fits, but… I can't help it…" He paused to think about how to explain the relevance to the picture. "Nice people stop being nice and mean people just get meaner. The birds are dead and only the snake remains. Bad is all that's left."

Matthews got off of the floor and stood next to Spencer. "Hey. There is good left. I know it seems like things can never get better, but they will. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but we're gonna work really hard to make a better life for you and Riley okay?" He gently placed his hands on the kids shoulders, making sure to exaggerate every move. "You can be yourself here Spencer. No one is going to punish you or hurt you in any way. And we will never stop treating you with kindness."

Spencer met his eyes.

"I know you don't believe me right now, but that's okay. Trust takes a long time and a lot of work to build. But you'll see. Despite the bad things, there is so much good left for you Spence."

Spencer just nodded his head, acknowledging that he heard and understood what was said. But Matthews was right. He wasn't ready to believe it.

"I see you chose some books." He picked them up and looked at them before handing them to Spencer. "You're quite the reader aren't you?" he asked. Spencer nodded.

"Well you're welcome to read any books you want. Garcia and I will use this office for work sometimes but you boys are always welcome in here, whether it's for reading, homework or just to hang out."

"Homework?"

"Yeah. We'll start you two up in school after you're settled. You don't have to worry about it right now though, okay? We have time."

Spencer smiled. "Okay." Aside from the occasional run in with bullies, Spencer really enjoyed school. However, in his most recent years he hadn't felt challenged at all. He hoped that would change this time around.

"Good morning boys." Garcia chirped from the doorway. Riley stood behind her rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He saw the books in Spencer's arms and smiled. "Back at it again with all the books huh?" Spencer smiled and nodded. "What did you get?" Riley asked, walking over to him.

Garcia pulled Matthews out to the hallway while the boys talked. "He was talking to you?" she whispered.

"Yeah, he really opened up after a while. It's gonna take some time but I think he'll be able to trust us eventually." They peeked in at the boys and saw that Riley was looking for a book to read himself. Spencer held one up to him and they both laughed at the title. It was the most relaxed they'd seen them since the beginning.

"We're actually doing this... OMG this is gonna work!", she whispered excitedly. She gave him the happiest and most beautiful smile Matthews had ever seen. He smiled back at her before nervously clearing his throat. The thought of actually having a real family, after so many years alone, made him feel like flying. It felt impossible but also invigorating.

Garcia saw Matthews start to blush and swiftly rose up on her toes and kissed one of his flushed cheeks. She giggled at his shocked expression before bouncing over to the door. "Well I don't know about you but I'm ready for breakfast. Wanna help?", she asked.

The boys were now sitting in the two chairs by the window. Spencer was sliding his finger down each page before quickly turning it. She wondered what he was doing, but before she had the chance to ask, Riley popped up from his chair. "I'd like to help." he said. "Hush is gonna read for a while."

"And I'm gonna go take a shower and call Blake." Matthews said, dismissing himself. "I'll be down after that."

"Okie dokie." Garcia gestured for Riley to follow her and the two headed down the stairs. "Do you like pancakes?" she asked. "Not especially. I haven't had them for a long time but they always seem to turn out too flat and kinda plain." Garcia laughed. "Well I'm about to show you how to make the sweetest, fluffiest, most buttery pancakes you'll ever eat."

Together they gathered ingredients into a bowl and Garcia had Riley whip the pancake mix while she made hash browns.

By the time they started flipping pancakes, Riley's demeanor changed. "Something wrong?" Garcia asked. Riley shook his head. "No… Yeah… I just, really miss my dad." Garcia smiled sadly.

"We used to make pancakes all the time." He huffed a laugh. "They were always gross. We never got the mixture right so we always ended up at this old diner. They had the best milkshakes." He went quiet and placed another finished pancake on the serving plate.

"I just don't understand why my dad died, and people like Rick are still alive. Good people die all the time and wicked people just go on living and destroying everything and everyone in their path." He slammed the spatula down.

Garcia fully understood his anger. "I know it's not fair Riley. I felt the same way when I lost my parents and it still hurts. Just know that there are still good people out there. And you know what else?" She turned him to look at her. "There are lots of people that make it their jobs to stop the bad people. Like my team. Our team."

"We never had good foster parents. The only people that ever cared about us are gone. I just… what if you decide you don't want us, and then you're gone too?"

"Oh honey.. We would never ever do that. I know it's scary but this is just the beginning. Just give us some time and you'll see that you have a real family. We're here for you. You're okay now."

"Spencer acts like he's okay, but he's not. Neither of us are." He whispered.

"You will be." Garcia knew there was nothing else she could say. So instead, she pulled him close and wrapped him in a hug. After their long embrace, Riley looked at her with teary eyes and forced a smile. "Thank you. For taking us in I mean." He picked up the spatula and put the last pancake on the plate.

"We're never gonna let you down you know that? You're stuck with us, forever." Garcia playfully bumped Riley with her hip and giggled. "Come on. Let's set the table so we can eat."

By the time everything was done, they had buttery pancakes, hash Browns and eggs loaded with bacon and veggies.

"Blake will be over in any minute. Wow!" Matthews said as he entered the room. "When you said you were making breakfast you really meant it." Spencer silently entered behind him, fully dressed in new black jeans and a white t-shirt. He closed the book in his hands and held it at his side when his eyes locked on the pancakes.

"Well we are still celebrating aren't we?" Garcia said with a grin.

Matthews made a beeline for the coffee and the boys sat next to each other at the table. Just then Blake entered the house with a call of, "Hello!" a few moments later she emerged from the hallway. "It smells amazing in here." She said. Spencer smiled at her. "Sure does.", said a deep voice behind her.

Spencer's smile slowly faded when a man entered the room and stood next to Alex. He was somewhat tall with an average build. He had brown hair, peppered with grey and his smile seemed genuine. The kindness in his eyes surprised Spencer.

"James, good to see you again." Matthews stepped forward and they shook hands. "Thanks, you too. Hi Garcia, I see you went all out this morning."

"But of course! My family deserves the best.", she winked.

Alex took her husband's hand and looked to the boys. "Spencer, Riley, this is my husband James." Riley stood from his spot and greeted him with a handshake before sitting back down. Spencer remained seated and said nothing. It was clear that the boy wasn't sure what to think yet. James smiled at him and gave a small wave, knowing not to touch him unless he initiated the contact himself.

"It's nice to meet you both." He said as he sat down.

They all talked about this and that while they ate breakfast.

When finished, Garcia and Riley excused themselves to go get dressed for the day.

Matthews cleared the table and stared loading dishes into the washer, leaving Alex and James at the table with Spencer.

Alex discretely looked to James, encouraging him to say something. Not knowing what to say, he asked, "So Spencer, how do you like it here?"

Spencer thought for a moment and opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. So instead of answering, he shrugged uncomfortably and rushed to the living room. Alex and James shared a sad glance with Matthews before following Spencer.

He was sitting in the corner of a large armchair with his knees nearly to his chest. His fingers slid down each side of the open book he was holding before turning the page and doing it again. The couple sat on the couch across from him and watched silently for a few minutes.

James glanced at his wife before speaking up. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Without looking away from the book, Spencer quietly said, "Reading."

"Oh.." James mumbled. "You're making pretty quick work of that book. What's it about?" 'Must not be too interesting if he's just flipping pages', he thought to himself.

"I read pretty fast. This one's about a boy that runs away from home to find a better life. He gets lost in the woods and falls in a hole."

"That sounds kind of scary. Are there any pictures?" Alex asked.

"No. There's no pictures, but I can see it. When he wakes up he's in another world. It's kind of like a dark version Peter Pan. The world he falls into is scary, but it's not bad like where he was before." Spencer closes the book and looks at the couple. "Besides, he has the power to make it better. At least, I think he does." He mumbled, looking down at the book. "I haven't finished it yet."

"From the looks of it you'll be done pretty quick." Matthews said entering the room and sitting in the chair opposite Spencer. "Didn't you just choose that book this morning?" he asked. The boy nodded hesitantly. "And when you" Matthews imitated the way Spencer slid his fingers down the pages. "Can you actually read that fast?"

"Our conscious mind can process sixteen bits of information per second. Our unconscious mind however, can process eleven million." Spencer watched anxiously as the others in the room exchanged questioning looks. His felt less nervous when he saw Riley peek around the corner and smile at him. He decided to answer the question differently. "Yes, I… I can actually read that fast."

Riley entered the room and stood next to the chair Spencer was sitting in.

He greeted the others with a wave before asking, "Already on your second one huh?" He took the book from Spencer's hands and looked it over. "Did you like the first one you read?" Spencer smiled and nodded. "This one looks cool. Can I read it when you're done?" Riley asked, handing the book back to his friend. "Yeah. I'll be done by tonight. I think you'll like it.", Spencer answered.

"That's a pretty incredible skill you have kiddo." James said. "Can you remember everything you read?" Spencer nodded. "I remember everything." 'I can't forget even when I want to.', the boy thought.

"Sounds like you may have an eidetic memory. Or photographic." James stated.

"Have you ever had an IQ test?" Matthews asked.

Spencer shook his head no. "I don't believe that intelligence can be accurately quantified. Besides, like I said earlier, most people think I'm stupid, so why would anyone test me?" he asked.

"You're not stupid Hush. You're brilliant." Riley said firmly.

"You very well may be a genius." James added.

"I'm not a genius. I'm not even smart." Spencer said quietly.

"Yes you are honey." Alex said sweetly.

Spencer looked at her nervously. "You don't…. You don't think I'm… retarded."

Riley looked down at him sadly.

She gaped at the question. "No. I don't, not at all." She shook her head. "I know people treated you like you didn't understand things, but that's because they didn't know you. And they weren't able to see what was really going on." She explained. "We know you're smart, you're brave and you're so strong." He smiled at the complement.

"We'll get you both tested before we put you boys in school okay?" Matthews asked. "See what's going on in those big brains of yours." Spencer looked at Riley and thought for a moment before nodding his head. "Okay."

"Oh! My sweet boys bonding!", Garcia exclaimed.

Alex cleared her throat and Garcia grinned at her. "And girl."

The rest of the day was much the same. The new family talked and bonded over stories and sweets until dinner time.

After eating, Alex and James said their goodbyes and headed home. They already felt a strong connection to the kids. So they were both excited to be moving into the back house soon. Alex felt happy tears in her eyes at the thought of having kids so close to her heart. "Ethan would've liked them.", she whispered.

"I know honey." James kissed the side of her head and guided her to the car. "They would've liked him too."

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