Verecund (Criminal Minds)

Chapter 8

Once the entire BAU team made it back to the police department, they began packing up their belongings and getting ready to leave. However, Reid still couldn't stop thinking about Ash. He didn't want her to be put into an orphanage, he didn't want her to be taken care of by some family who wouldn't understand how to help her, he didn't want to take the risk she would be put in an abusive home. But at the same time, he didn't know if he would be able to take her. His job required too much to be able to watch over a fifteen-year old with PTSD and possible suicidal tendencies.

"Hey, kid," Rossi called gently, breaking Reid from his trance. The doctor realized he and Rossi were the only ones left in the conference room. "I can hear the high-pitched whistling from your IQ from here. What're you thinking so hard about?"

Spencer looked down at all the papers in his hands from Ash's records. "I... I don't want to leave Ash here. I don't think she belongs in the adoption system or the foster care system."

"What are you saying you want then? Would you take her in?"

Spencer hesitated and looked down, blinking harshly as one of his migraine headaches began to grow from the back of his skull again from the stress. "I-I'm not sure. I'd like to," he nodded, "I feel like I should. I can communicate with her, but I don't know if I can give her everything she needs with working the job. She needs special help that I can't always give her if I'm across the country on a case."

Rossi looked at Spencer with a gentle knowing look in his eyes, giving the younger man a soft smile as he nodded. "I know what you mean, kid. If it means that much to you," Rossi paused, shrugging with his hands and giving Spencer another small smile "Talk to Hotch about it. Maybe he can come up with something with you so you can take care of her and work at the same time, if you really want to."

Spencer nodded, his hair beginning to fall in front of his face as the curls were just about to start growing to reach close to his eyes. Rossi nodded back, picking up his last book he had used for research. "Are you going to stay here for another few days?"

Spencer nodded again. "Yeah. I'm going to go see Ash and talk to her. I'm going to bring her back to Quantico if she says yes, and if I can't take her in myself, then at least she'll be in a closer proximity so that she can be under our radar."

Rossi nodded again, smiling at Spencer. "Okay. I'll tell Hotch. Stay safe, kid."

Spencer had made his way to the hospital by the time the rest of the team left, and he used his badge to get through security and talk to Ash- who was still sitting silently in the same hospital bed as she recovered.

"Hey, Ash," he greeted softly, giving the small girl a soft smile. As the girl looked up at him, her short hair was still messy and several strands reached in front of her eyes, which she slowly brushed back with her hands. She didn't reply or sign anything, she only looked back down at her lap stoically. "I brought you something."

The girl didn't move, she only continued to stare at her lap, leaning against the angled bed mattress. Spencer's physics book was lied gently on the small table next to the hospital bed, and his eyes gazed over it before he reached into his messenger bag. He pulled out a rectangular black object and a small pouch, then slowly put it in front of Ash.

A black notebook about half the size of a regular computer paper had spirals holding pages together. It was a sketchbook, filled with several new blank pages. On top, Spencer had put a small black pencil bag, open to show several new graphite pencils inside. Ash hesitated before slowly moving her hands to her lap to hold Spencer's gift to her. "I know you like drawing," he commented softly, "I went and picked that up for you, I thought you would like it."

A smile pulled on Ash's mouth as she gazed at the sketchbook. She moved her hands up slowly to sign Thank you.

Spencer smiled and nodded. "It's no problem. You could use that on a car ride you can choose to take, if you want."

Ash looked up, her slightly questioning face tilting to look at Spencer.

"I want you to come back to Quantico with me," Spencer explained softly to the girl. "Instead of going back to the foster care system, you can come stay with me if you want to. Since you have a very high IQ, especially for someone your age, and you have a lot of talent," he nodded along to his own words, "I might be able to convince my team and our chief to let you be titled as a minor consultant so you could travel on cases with us. Of course, you wouldn't be allowed to go anywhere on your own during cases if you're allowed to be given that title."

Ash looked at Spencer, obviously thinking hard, and Spencer realized this was the first time she had ever looked him in the eye. "Would you like that?"

Ash hesitated, looking out the window on the opposite wall that Spencer was near, taking a few deep breaths, then she looked back at him. The girl paused again, looking at Spencer before she gave a small nod. The doctor gave her a smile, which Ash couldn't help but return as he nodded.

"I'm going to make sure I can get you released. It may take a few days, there will be a lot of paperwork and checks to make sure I can bring you back to Quantico with me, okay?"

Ash nodded, her dark brown strands bobbing in front of her face before she brushed her hair back.

"I need to go talk to the doctors. I'll be right back."