A/N ONESHOT – Aaron and Haley fight for Atlas now that the unsub has been caught and he is no longer in danger.
Despite their best efforts in trying to keep Atlas with the Hotchners, because he was technically in the country illegally, social services had no choice but to take Atlas into their centre so that everything could be sorted out. Thankfully, they weren't so cruel as to deport the child back to Spain. They had investigated the boy's family and came up with the same conclusion that there was no one to take him in.
Rather than send him back to an orphanage in Spain, they were ready to place him into a foster home. There were quite a few families in the state that would be a good fit for the boy, and while there were whispers that the FBI agent that had taken him in wanted to adopt the boy, they still had to play by the rules.
From what they understood, the Hotchner family needed to finalise the foster home process before they could be a serious candidate for the boy. However, the goal is to place him in just one home; bouncing around different foster families is not ideal.
It was a sad day in the Hotchner household. Whilst they were happy that Anton and his cohorts had been apprehended at last, it did mean that Atlas' placement with them would now be in question. Atlas had been moody all day, not wanting to talk to anyone, not wanting to eat or play with little Jack. The adults were at a loss. They knew in their hearts that the boy was theirs, but social services were correct all those weeks ago. They can't just take him in; they must go through the adoption process properly.
They knew that a social worker would soon be coming to pick up Atlas, so Aaron and Haley pulled him aside.
"Little one, I know you're upset that you will be leaving us soon for a little while, we are too, but we promise that we will do all we can to make sure you'll return to us as soon as possible." Assured Aaron.
"Why are you even going through so much effort for me? You hardly know me…." Replied Atlas despondently.
"Atlas," Aaron got the boy's attention. "As soon as I saw you, I knew I would do anything to ensure you were safe. As soon as you told me your parents were gone, I knew I wanted to ensure you were taken care of once we escaped from that cell. As soon as I held you, I knew I only wanted to take you home and care for you as a dad could."
"As soon as Aaron shared your story, I knew that you were someone special. When I saw you sleeping that first night in the hospital, I knew I wanted to be your mom. At that moment, Aaron and I knew that we wanted to adopt you, and when you wanted to call us mamá and papá, we knew that you were our son, our little boy and Jack's big brother." Continued Haley.
"But why, though? I don't deserve it; I don't deserve nice things, parents, brothers, or anything!" Hiccupped the boy.
"What? What makes you say that, little one? That is in no way true."
"But-"
"Nope, don't want to hear it. You deserve a family; you deserve love; you deserve everything." Replied Haley.
They could tell it would take more than words to convince the boy that he was very much wanted and loved. But they had time for that later. For now, they needed to work on getting approved to be a foster family.
Thirty minutes later, a social worker has come by to pick up their boy. The Hotchners had packed some clothes for him and added all of his medication. Aaron pass his little boy's crutches over and Atlas once again cursed his younger mentality as he started to cry as the worker pulled him away.
Haley and Aaron watched with their hearts breaking at their little boys' cries, their tears threatening to fall.
Samuel and Rachel Cooper are a young couple who had decided that they would prefer to foster and maybe adopt children rather than have their own. It was something they both agreed on reasonably early into their relationship. So, when they moved to Virginia, they started the process of becoming a foster family as soon as they could, and when they finally got the call that they had matched with a little boy, they were ecstatic. They were told about the kidnapping and child abuse up front and were in no way put off. They just knew that they had to help the poor thing.
The first meeting between Atlas and his foster family went about as well as anyone could expect. If by that, it's meant that Atlas took one look at them and decided he didn't like them.
As Atlas was held by his tiny hands, the social workers knocked on Rachel and Samuel's door. With his large, sorrowful eyes and voice shaking, Atlas clutched onto one of the social workers, unable to let go. He seemed dissatisfied with the new turn that events had taken, and this was obvious.
Rachel and Samuel greeted the social workers with kind grins as they entered the cosy and welcoming house, doing their utmost to make Atlas feel at home. But Atlas showed his resistance, his arms folded, his expression pouty. The social workers gently knelt, reassuring Atlas that Rachel and Samuel were there to look after him and offer a secure and caring home. But, disoriented and perplexed, Atlas remained doubtful, his melancholy casting a shadow over the space.
Atlas tightened his hold on the social worker's hand as they got ready to go. His little voice was filled with terror and sorrow as tears flooded his eyes. He begged them, his words pulling at the hearts of everyone in the room,
"Please don't leave." He whimpered.
Samuel and Rachel exchanged knowing looks as they realised the suffering and agony Atlas had gone through. They approached him, murmuring their assurances of love and security as they gently hugged him as the social workers left. Although it would take Atlas some time to adjust, Rachel and Samuel were adamant that they would be the dependable rock-solid supporters he required.
Every minute that passed next, Rachel and Samuel sincerely tried to cheer Atlas up by including him in amusing activities. In the living room, they created a little play area with brightly coloured toys and books in an effort to bring out the child's enjoyment. But Atlas' response remained reserved. Even though he knew in his heart it was impossible, he sat in a corner with his attention fixated on the door as though hoping for the return of the familiar.
Atlas had been with his new foster family for a few days, and he overheard how the woman wanted to start the adoption process. Which he found stupid as they barely knew him (he ignored the fact that Aaron and Haley only marginally knew him better than these people.)
Atlas knew he didn't want to give these people a chance at adopting him, so he channelled some of his 'Harry' sass and essentially became a little shit. Nothing to get him in trouble with the law or anything, but just anything that would annoy his foster family.
Of course, he utilised his magic where he could without it being overly obvious, but enough to make an impact. He also didn't want to hurt the couple. They were kind, honest and open, but no offence to them, they just weren't Aaron or Haley.
After being bounced around foster homes in Spain, he knew the drill. He would do it if he could; be difficult enough to force the couple to call social services to come to get him.
His first attempt was just a simple 'run away from home' instance. Which sounded great on paper, but in reality was a nightmare since he was essentially handicapped with his hip. In the dead of night, he wrote a note that said "thanks but no thanks" in his barely legible five-year-old scrawl. He left it on his pillow for Rachel and Samuel to find.
Consumed by the longing to be with Aaron and Haley, he limped out of the house under the cloak of night, his heart pounding with anticipation. With each pained step, however, he realised the daunting reality of his situation. He had no idea where he was or how to reach Aaron and Haley's location. Out here, in the dead of night, is no place for a child. He had no money, no food, and no water. Nothing.
"Death?" Atlas whispered.
"Little Master." Came Death's voice.
"Help?"
"With what, little one?" Death asked amusedly.
All of a sudden, five-year-old Atlas retreated, and nineteen-year-old Harry resurfaced. "YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU BLOODY MENACE! Can't you just, like, send me back to the Hotchners?"
Death seemed to contemplate for a second before he answered. "Hmm, I could….but I won't." He grinned.
"What? What do you mean you won't?!"
"Atlas, you know you're my only source of entertainment, and you deciding it was a good idea for you to just run away in the dead of night isn't MY fault."
"Why are you such an asshole?"
"Hmph, that's not the kind of language a five-year-old should use." Death pouted. "Anyway, if I did as you asked, I'd have to alter memories, forge documents…the works. To be honest, I'm too lazy to do it. So…bye for now!"
With that, the deity disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving an annoyed Atlas behind. He huffed before he started walking again, still not giving up and refusing to return to the Coopers.
Despair washed over him as he came face-to-face with the daunting truth. Lost and disoriented, Atlas found himself wandering through unfamiliar streets. His stomach growled, reminding him of his dire need for sustenance. His hip was protesting the amount of moving he did and he just knew he made a bad choice.
Atlas was worn out and frustrated as he understood the gravity of his situation. Unaware that he had effectively circled back and arrived back at the Coopers, he was seeking safety when he happened onto a backyard and automatically sought shelter. He withdrew from view behind a bush, hoping a lucky break would bring him nearer to Aaron.
When Rachel and Samuel went outside as the sun rose, they were shocked to see Atlas hidden in the bushes.
"What on earth?" Samuel exclaimed, his surprise evident in his voice.
Rachel, equally puzzled, approached Atlas gently. "Atlas, what are you doing here? Are you okay?" she asked, concern lacing her words.
Atlas was confused and dejected when he realised that his attempt to flee had been unsuccessful and that his foster parents hadn't even been aware of his attempt to leave in the first place.
Meanwhile, Death watched from his domain and snickered as he watched the little one end up back where he started.
Instead of trying to flee after his unsuccessful attempt, Atlas devised scenarios that would eventually make the pair tired of him.
Atlas decided to use his magic to play a game of hide-and-seek with the couple's possessions since he was feeling mischievous. To annoy Rachel and Samuel, he would employ a spell to make objects vanish and then place them in unexpected locations throughout the house.
The couple noticed their possessions appeared to be moving independently as they went about their daily activities. Samuel couldn't find his wallet, and Rachel couldn't see her keys.
"I swear I left it right here," he muttered, frustrated.
Atlas stood back and tried to contain his laughter while observing. He concealed the items in areas where they were visible, but the pair wouldn't ordinarily look. He delighted in watching Rachel and Samuel becoming more agitated and agitated.
"Have you seen my keys anywhere?" Rachel asked Samuel, starting to get worried.
Samuel shrugged. "I haven't seen them since this morning. Maybe they're in the car?"
Atlas kept shifting their possessions as the day wore on. There would be a book on a shelf that wasn't there before and a mug on the windowsill. Although perplexed, Rachel and Samuel had no idea that their foster child was utilising magic to get into mischief.
For his next plan, Atlas decided to use his magical abilities to create an eerie atmosphere in the house, making Rachel and Samuel believe it was haunted.
Strange creaking noises echoed through the hallways late at night as the couple got into bed, and everything appeared to move. The pair was confused and uneasy as Atlas, who was concealed in the shadows, quietly altered the environment with the help of his magic.
Holding Samuel's arm tightly, Rachel whispered, "Did you hear that? It sounded like footsteps coming from the empty hallway!"
Samuel's eyes widened, his heart racing. "I did. But...it can't be. There's no one else here, and Atlas is asleep."
Atlas restrained his amusement as he watched from a distance. He had specifically anticipated the couple's terror as their response. He kept up his magical tricks, making the doors open and close mysteriously and the lights flicker while avoiding detection.
The following week, Rachel and Samuel were more and more certain that their home was possessed. They looked at each other nervously as they looked for reasonable reasons but came up empty-handed. The paranormal occurrences were too frequent and unsettling to be explained away as coincidences.
"I don't know what's happening, Rachel," Samuel whispered, his voice tinged with unease. "But it's starting to feel like we're living in a horror movie. This can't be a coincidence."
They were reluctant to discuss it with Atlas for fear of frightening him. They were forced to stop ignoring the weird occurrences, nevertheless. They decided to confront Atlas and enquire with him about the situation.
Despite his best efforts to appear innocent, Atlas couldn't help but smirk. When Rachel and Samuel noticed the smirk, they realised he was somehow connected to the 'haunted' house. Atlas continues to deny any participation even after they requested an explanation.
Over the next few weeks, Atlas continued using his magic to marginally inconvenience the couple in their everyday routines. Instances where their ensuite toilet would become blocked too often to blame themselves, were commonplace.
One time Samuel was having a hot shower before the temperature would suddenly become frigidly cold before he let out rather loud expletives that drew his wife's attention.
"Honey, what's wrong?" Asked Rachel.
"Did you or Atlas just use the hot water in the kitchen?"
"Uh, no? We were out in the backyard. Why?"
"Never mind."
Other unexplainable things seemed to happen, and while they didn't necessarily think Atlas was responsible for any of it, it did seem weird that these things only happened once Atlas had come to stay.
Atlas was running out of ideas, he didn't want to hurt the couple, but they still didn't seem to connect the strange happenings with him. The only thing he could think of was maybe disobeying them or giving them attitude.
One day, when Samuel asked Atlas to tidy up his room, Atlas responded smirkingly, "I'm sorry; I had no idea that I had been hired as your maid. Maybe while I'm about it, I could don a pretty apron and bow." Samuel forcefully admonished Atlas to obey authority after being shocked by the brazenness.
Another time, Samuel requested Atlas to assist with the dishes after dinner. Atlas exhaled loudly in response, "I guess I'll simply give up on my dreams of being a famous chef and spend the rest of my life cleaning dishes. Chef Samuel, I appreciate the inspiration." Samuel forewarned Atlas about the dangers of disrespect when his sarcastic tone offended him.
Samuel tried to explain the situation, but Atlas kept making snide remarks. Atlas rolled his eyes and joked when Samuel asked him to take out the trash: "Oh, I guess I'm now also the garbage man? I didn't see that my birth certificate refers to Atlas as "The Extraordinary Trash Disposer." Samuel gave a last warning, clarifying that snarky behaviour would not be accepted since he had had it with it.
Unbeknownst to Atlas, Rachel and Samuel thought they had bitten off more than they could chew with Atlas. Whilst the attitude of late was somewhat expected, the strange happenings around the house were starting to take their toll. No one was thankfully harmed, but they couldn't ignore the fact that these things had only seemed to have started once they took the boy in.
The instances have been ramping up in intensity lately, too. Things were going missing, random doors opening on their own, lights flickering on and off, appliances suddenly stopping from work. Nothing nefarious, but very frustrating. They had started to confront Atlas about these things again, telling him they weren't angry, but they just wanted to know what he did and were asking him to stop. Atlas denied all accountability and was quite put out that they would blame him.
"We must have a serious discussion about Atlas, Sam. Although difficult, I don't believe we can continue to be his foster parents." Whispered Rachel as they were sitting on the couch late one night. Both were not realising Atlas had snuck out of bed and was standing just out of view.
"Rachel, I've been contemplating the same thing. Even after months, we cannot provide Atlas with the stability and support he needs." Replied Sam.
"He's been acting out more frequently, and it's taking a toll on our family dynamics. We've tried to be patient and understanding, but it's clear that we're not the right fit for him."
There was a slight pause before Atlas decided it was time to put his acting skills to the test. "What are you talking about? You don't want me anymore?"
"Atlas," said Samuel softly. "Please come here. We want to talk to you honestly about how things have been going."
Atlas shuffled over to the adults, looking despondently at the two. "Are you going to send me away? Nobody wants me. I've tried my best but always mess things up." He sniffed, willing tears to well up in his eyes.
"Oh, sweetheart," cooed Rachel. "It's not about you being unwanted. We care about you deeply, but we've realised that maybe another family out there can better meet your needs."
"The social worker will come soon to talk to us all. They'll work with us to find a better match, a family that can give you the love and support you deserve. We want what's best for you, Atlas. Please know that we'll always care about you and want you to be happy." Said, Samuel.
Knowing this was precisely what he wanted, Atlas didn't try to convince them to keep him, so he stared at the floor.
"Atlas, we understand how hard this is for you. It's okay to feel upset and angry right now. We'll do everything we can to support you during this transition. The social worker will work with us to find a family that will embrace and cherish you as you are." Said Rachel gently.
Pretending to look overwhelmed, Atlas quietly retreats to his room, tears streaming down his face. Rachel and Samuel share a pained look, knowing that this decision is breaking their hearts too. They know that finding the right family for Atlas is the best choice, but it doesn't make it any less difficult for them to say goodbye to the little boy.
The next day came quickly for all three members, and the social worker arrived with little fanfare. The adults spoke briefly before asking Atlas if he wanted to take anything with him, to which we shook his head.
Rachel and Sam looked at each other before kneeling before the boy. "Are you sure you don't want to take any of the toys we got you?" asked Rachel.
"No, thank you," whispered Atlas. "I want to gift them to your next foster child."
"Oh, Atlas, you don't need to do that but thank you. We'll make sure that if we adopt a child, they'll know it came from the kind boy we looked after for a little while." Sniffed Rachel, feeling even worse now that they saw the boys' sweet side.
Both adults hugged him before letting the social worker take his hand and led him to their car, Rachel and Sam silently crying that their first foster child didn't pan out as they had hoped.
Meanwhile, Atlas tried not to smile, but he did feel a little bad at making them cry. The social worker looked at him from her rearview mirror and noticed that Atlas didn't particularly look that sad about it.
"Atlas, we have another family ready to take you in. We're meeting them at my office. The Coopers told us about some things that happened during your stay…." She left her sentence open, hoping for a reply. Atlas just shrugged.
"Ok, well, I must mention it to your new foster family."
Again, Atlas shrugged.
All too soon, they arrived at the offices. His case worker took him to her floor and left him sitting on the sofa outside what he assumed was her office. Luckily. He didn't wait long before the door opened, and she returned to his side, followed by the two people he wanted to see most.
With a cry, he stood up and lept into Aaron's arms as he and Haley held him close and slowly sank to the floor.
"Papá! Mamá!" the little boy cried out.
Aaron and Haley started crying as that was the first time their boy consciously called them that.
"Ssshh, we're here, little one, we're here." Soothed Aaron. "We're so sorry it took so long to get you back." He whispered.
Haley wrapped her arms around both her boys, whispering words of comfort to both.
After a few minutes, Aaron stood up with Atlas safely tucked to his chest, and Haley turned to the social worker to ensure everything was in order for them to go home.
"You're free to go now. We will arrange house visits over the coming months to ensure everyone is settling in." the case worker smiled as she noticed the little boy had cried himself to sleep. The couple and their new foster child left the office with a bounce in their step, and she watched as Mr Hotchner passed the little boy to his wife.
She, of course, knew all about the Hotchners and the little boy in their arms, and perhaps it was a bad idea to send him into a foster home when she knew that they were trying to get him back, but orders were orders, and she was tasked with placing him somewhere.
She was also tasked with telling the Hotchners about Atlas' behaviour and also the accusations from the Coopers concerning the strange things that were happening in the house. She also knew that Atlas wasn't particularly happy there either, based on her mandatory house visits throughout the stay, so she hoped that Atlas would be happier now. That's all that matters.
Haley quickly buckled her boy into the car seat in the back of Aaron's SUV before climbing in on the other side to hold his hand. She couldn't believe he was finally back with them. The last few months were horrible without him. It was like a piece of them left with Atlas. During the ride back to their house, she just watched the little boy sleep peacefully, Aaron checking on them in the rearview mirror occasionally with a small smile.
"I can't believe he's back with us." Whispered Haley happily.
"Me too, baby," agreed her husband. "I've missed him so much."
In the last few months, they had to go through the foster home application process, which was long and tedious and included training for such instances. But in the end, it was all worth it. As soon as they could, they would apply for adoption. Aaron still had some lawyer friends from his prosecution days that would be willing to help speed things along.
Jack had also missed his friend Lassy, and they were sure he would be over the moon to have his best friend back.
Arriving home, Aaron parked the car before getting out and moving to get Atlas out of his car seat. The little boy woke up just as he was being lifted from the car and promptly broke into tears once he saw Aaron's face again.
"Daddy! I missed you so much!."
Aaron hugged Atlas tight and whispered back to him. "I missed you too, little one. So, so much. And do you know what? Jack and Haley missed you just as much."
Atlas just nodded before reaching out to Haley, who took him into her arms before making their way into the house.
Jack was ecstatic to see that Lassy had returned and, over the first few days, refused to let him out of his sight and would follow Atlas around like a little duckling. Their parents found it endlessly amusing.
One of the first things the new foster parents tackled was the report from the Coopers and the social worker concerning the issues the other parents had when dealing with Atlas.
"Atlas? Can you come here, please?" asked Aaron softly.
Atlas and his shadow, Jack, wandered over to Aaron and Haley before tilting his head in askance.
"Yes?"
"You're not in trouble. But we want to ask what the Coopers had to say about you." Here Aaron paused for a second. "You were very rude to them or outright ignored them. I know you didn't want to go, but I would have thought you would have at least tried to make things work?"
Atlas thought about replying with something snarky about the couple who tried to adopt him but thought better as he knew Aaron would send him to his room or a corner in the living room for a time-out.
Instead, he whispered, "They weren't you."
Aaron and Haley sighed before they let it slide. "You know that if you try that with us, there will be consequences, right?"
"Yes," Atlas replied. He had no intention of acting as he did with the Coopers.
Haley then approached with the next issue. "They also mentioned things that would happen around the house…."
Atlas sniffed before tears unexpectedly welled up in his eyes. He wasn't sure why since he concocted all those issues himself and on purpose. "I-I don't know! Th-they just started to blame me for everything when something h-happened!" Atlas hiccuped.
"Shh, shh, it's ok, Atlas; if you say you didn't do anything, we believe you. Shhh, calm down." Cooed Aaron, not realising that Atlas hadn't denied anything.
Over the next three months, the little family settled in, with Aaron returning to work after the first, having taken leave to organise everything. They got back into the routine they created those weeks ago including dealing with the ups and downs of Atlas's health.
Haley would enjoy having the boys to herself during the day before Aaron would come home, and if he were out of town, Haley's sister Jessica would often come over to play with her nephews. Jessica had accepted Atlas into the family as soon as he came home after the hospital, and they all got on like a house on fire.
Atlas enjoyed having an Aunty that wasn't cruel like Petunia, and Jessica was fun! He hadn't met Aaron's brother yet but was sure he would at some point. Hopefully, his uncle was a better one than his last.
The couple endured the social worker visits and were often questioned about Atlas' attitude or whether things would happen in the house that they hadn't noticed before. They were able to report that no such things occurred.
When Atlas spent time with his case worker, she immediately noticed how much happier and more energetic he was with them. She would be pleased to report as such once it came time for the adoption process.
"Hi, Atlas! How are you doing today?" asked his social worker during her last visit to the family.
"Hi! I'm really good! I like living with Aaron and Haley." He replied. He knew he was overdoing it a little, but nothing he would say would be a lie.
"I'm glad to hear that, Atlas. It's been a few months since you moved in with them. Can you tell me more about how you're feeling?" she asked.
"I'm much happier now. Aaron and Haley are nice to me. They give me hugs and play games with me. I feel safe with them."
"That's wonderful to hear, Atlas. Can you tell me what you like to do with Aaron and Haley?"
"We go to the park and play on the swings. We also have a lot of fun drawing pictures together," he word vomited. "Haley is really good at drawing animals. Sometimes, Aaron helps me build things with Lego. I like it when we do things together."
"It sounds like you have a lot of fun with them. How do you feel about staying with Aaron and Haley?" she continued to collect notes from Atlas' responses.
"I want to stay with them forever! They make me feel loved. They're like my family now. I don't want to leave them." Replied the little boy.
"It's great to hear that you feel so connected to them, Atlas. And I know you have a little brother, Jack. How do you like having him around?"
"Jack is really cute! He's my little brother, and I like taking care of him. Sometimes, I help feed him and play with him. We laugh a lot together. I like being a big brother." Atlas laughed.
"That's so sweet, Atlas. It sounds like you have a special bond with Jack. What's your favourite thing about being a big brother?"
"I like making him smile. When I make silly faces or tickle him, he giggles a lot. It makes me happy to see him happy. We're like best friends. And he calls me Lassy." He giggled.
"You've clearly formed a strong attachment to Aaron, Haley, and Jack. They care about you a lot, too, Atlas. We'll make sure to keep that in mind when we discuss your placement. Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?"
Atlas shook his head. "They're the best. I really, really want to stay with them forever."
"You're welcome, Atlas. It's my job to make sure you're in a safe and loving home, and it seems like you've found that with Aaron and Haley. We'll do everything possible to support you and ensure you can stay with them." With that, she ended the interview before saying goodbye to the rest of the little family.
"Ok, we shouldn't need any more follow-up visits, but if you go the adoption route, the judge may wish for further checks. We'll let you know if that happens."
The adoption process after that was simple and painless. It was apparent to the case worker that this would be the best fit for Atlas. When the judge in charge of this case asked for the report on the parents, she was more than happy to provide it. Within seven months and the adoption was finalised.
It was a bright Saturday afternoon, and the Hotchner home was buzzing with expectation. Aaron and Haley had been working on a very special plan for Atlas, and they were eager to see how he would respond. Even the BAU team members, who had grown to be like an extended family to them, had been invited.
Atlas was taken to the park by Aaron and Haley. He was told that they were going on a nice picnic and that he would receive a surprise. Atlas was quite eager to find out what it was. When they got to the park, he was astonished to see a gathering of people gathered around a table with food and decorations.
"A-are all these people here for me?" Atlas stammered, his heart racing with a mix of emotions.
Aaron stepped forward, his voice filled with love and pride. "Yes, Atlas, they're all here for you. Because today, we have a very special announcement to make."
Haley joined in, her eyes shimmering with tears of happiness. "Atlas, we want you to know that you've become an irreplaceable part of our lives as soon as we met you. You've filled our hearts with so much joy and love. We want you to be our son, forever, officially."
Looking across the crowd, Atlas saw the happy smiles of the BAU team and their friends, and tears welled up in his eyes. The amount of love and support around him left him feeling happy.
"Is it true? It's official now?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Aaron knelt in front of Atlas, his voice filled with emotion. "Yes, Atlas, with all our hearts. We want to be your forever mamá and papá."
Atlas launched into Aaron's open arms, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I want that too! I want to be your son!"
As the BAU team hugged the small family they had come to love, cheers and happy tears were shed by everybody. Even little Jack joined the celebrations, even if he didn't understand what was happening. All he knew was that his friend was happy. Aaron and Haley hugged Atlas, vowing to take him on a lifetime of adventures, love, and support.
At that very moment, Atlas realised he had finally found his forever home, surrounded by a family that had chosen him, loved him, and would support him at every turn. The adoption reveal was more than simply a celebration of formalities; it was also a symbol of the extraordinary strength of family and the unbreakable links of love.
"Atlas, have you decided what your full name will be?" Asked his papa.
Aaron had given Atlas a choice of names to put on the adoption forms, including extra middle names if he wanted.
"Yes, I loved my madre and padre. But I think they wouldn't mind if I took the name Atlas Marcaunon Hotchner."
