A Second Chance

Unfair

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Derek asked.
"I don't know, but I'll do anything if it means I don't have to go back. I have no friends anymore and there's no one for me to talk to," Sophia said.
"That sounds lonely," Garcia said.
"You have no idea. When I was in Juvie the only people I spoke with were the cafeteria lady and janitor. All the other girls there ignored me," Sophia told them.
"At least you didn't get beat up," Dave pointed out.
"In the beginning I did, but then after the first few days, another girl arrived so then everyone picked on her."
"What did you do to pass time?" Reid asked.
"I read nonstop."
"What books?" Spencer wanted to know.
"Textbooks," Sophia stated.
"What?" Derek asked.
"Yeah, I had a whole bunch of mathematics, science, literature and history textbooks. I would read them over and over till I basically memorized them."
"Wow, you must've learned a lot then," Morgan pointed out.
"I did. I love learning new things. I even memorized the periodic table of elements," she told them.
All the agents just stared at her.
"Yeah, I guess I'm kind of a nerd," Sophia said shyly, but that made Reid's smile grow even bigger.
"I think it's cool," he told her.
"No you don't," she said and shook her head.
"No, really I do. I find it fascinating how you spent all your free time teaching yourself new things and using all your time productively. Yeah you have a record and spent time in Juvie, but you also learned so much while you were there."
"All the other kids thought I was weird," she told him.
"I know exactly how you felt," Spencer said.
Sophia shot him a smile.
Reid was about to say something but before he could there was a knock on the door.
"Agent Hotchner, there is a Karen Scott here to see you," a man said. Hotch nodded then walked out. JJ excused herself and left too.
Sophia just continued to talk to Morgan, Reid and Garcia, while Dave sat and listened.

"Hotch," JJ said as she followed him out.
He turned around.
"What's going to happen to her?" the woman asked.
"I'm not sure. She had a long list of offenses and after being caught with the murder weapon, she can't just be put back in the foster system. I bet her social worker is going to either bring her back to Juvie or another correctional facility for her own protection. The foster care system gets sick of difficult children, so they get rid of them."
"But she had nothing to do with the case. And all her other offenses are complete bull. She's not a bad kid," JJ argued.
"Listen, you know that and I know that, but you can't convince her social worker and the system of that especially with all her previous problems."
"So she just going to be tossed back into the cycle?"
Aaron nodded.
"That's exactly why she ran in the first place," JJ said.
Hotch kept walking and when he reached Karen, JJ was still with him.
"Hello, I'm agent Hotchner and this is Agent Jareau," Aaron said and shook the women's hand. The lady smiled and shook JJs hand as well.
"Where's Sophia?" Karen asked.
"She's with a few of our colleagues talking. She's a bright kid," Hotch said.
"I know. But she causes so much trouble and it seems to follow her wherever she goes," Karen said with a light laugh.
"So, where is Sophia going to go after this whole thing is over?" JJ asked.
"Well, I doubt anyone is going to want a child that spent time in Juvie and was a suspect in a murder case. So, I was talking to her parole officer and we decided that if no one wants offers to foster her or adopt her within two weeks, we're going to send her back to the correctional facility."
"You mean mental hospital?" JJ asked.
"We don't like to call it that, but yes. This is the fifth time she's tried to run away, and look where it got her. We sent her there in the first place to learn obedience and I thought spending time in Juvie and the facility was going to help and get her back on the right track, but nothing is. I'm afraid she hasn't changed."
"So what? You're just giving up on her?" JJ asked.
"We don't have a choice. There's already an overpopulation in the orphanage and the halfway house she stayed at, doesn't want her anymore. So the only option is a willing family that is aware of everything she's done, or the facility. It really isn't that bad there."
"She'd be locked up again," JJ said.
"It's a step up from Juvie." Karen informed her. JJ couldn't believe it.