Think Again

Looking down at the picture in front of me, my heart sank. A small boy with short brown hair and big eyes looked at me with white skin and dirt covering him. He couldn't be more than five years old, and there he was, laying dead in the woods. Across the table, JJ set the paper down and looked away with tears in her eyes. I took a deep breath and moved to the second picture, and then I lost it.

"I can't look at this," I said, closing the folder.

the second picture pulled out on the body, showing that the boy lay on his stomach... his head twisted around. Spencer took my hand and gave it a squeeze, trying to comfort me, which I shouldn't need. My mind went to the parents of this poor boy and of how they must be suffering. My heart went out to them.

"How long has he been dead in this photo?" asked Emily.

"Forty six hours," replied Garcia, "He's the first victim in this area, however, he might not be the first victim." clicking a button, on the remote in her hand, the screen lit up with the image of a young man laying in the same position. Like the small boy, this man had brown hair and big eyes, and he too was found in the woods.

"His name was Robert Herman, he was found ten years ago, outside of St. Louis on the Illinois side."

"And the boy?" Asked Rossi.

"Henry Jones, he's four years old. He was found two days ago by two teenagers who were going to camp a few miles further; that trip of course was canceled once they found the boy. He's in the same area as the first victim."

Hotch looked at the two pictures, frowning so hard I thought it would become permanent. Finally he said, "Okay... wheels up in thirty."

We all moved, JJ hanging behind to talk to Hotch while we all went to gather our belongings. I walked to my desk and found a go bag sitting under it. Spencer grabbed it and smiled.

"I um... brought it with me yesterday just in case we had to leave today."

I smiled, "Thank you, Spencer." I looked through the windows of the round room and found JJ nodding at Hotch, "Is JJ okay? I've never seen her like this."

"I think it has something to do with Henry... her son."

I looked up at him with big eyes, "She has a son?"

He nodded, "He's three, so.... I can only imagine that she might be thinking of him when she looked at the boy."

I nodded and watched as Hotch and JJ left the room, JJ pulling herself together before leaving to her office. I thought of how she acted around me when Jack and I hung out when he was around. No wonder she thought I had kids, she was a mother herself. And if there's anything that I learned from my mother, it's that once you're a mom, you can always tell when someone else was.

I should remember that the next time I go to visit my friend and his brother.

Spencer and I stood quietly for a moment, then Emily joined us, "So who's sitting where?"

I looked at her, not sure what she was talking about.

Her face dropped a bit, "You still car pool, right Reid?"

Spencer nodded, "Oh! Right."

"Is it alright if I tag along?"

We nodded and smiled. The three of us left, meeting Derek, JJ, and Rossi at the elevators. Hotch was in his office making arrangements for Jack. We all rode down and split up into the two black SUVs waiting for us. I sat in the back with Spencer while Derek drove and Emily sat in the front. JJ and Rossi were hanging around for Hotch. Arriving at the air strip, the four of us climbed into the jet and were settled in. Spencer and I moved to the back for coffee.

"So... where are we going for our date," I asked as I held out my mug to be filled. In my mind I need to remember to thank the pilots for preparing the coffee along with everything else.

Spencer looked at me and gave a small smile, "It's a secret."

I smiled and moved to sit down, him taking the seat across from me. Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a pile of mail and my copy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World. Setting the book aside, i shifted through the mail, all where letters from back home. My mother no doubt had told many people about my poisoning. I pulled out the names of people's I wanted to read first, then came across a name I was not familiar with.

A Michael Screen.

I frowned and opened the letter:

Dear Kelsie,

Your mother told me about your accident. I'm sorry something so terrible happened to someone so beautiful. I'm rather good friends with your mother, so when she got the call from Virginia, I asked her if it would be alright if I sent her little precious a 'get well' card.

Hope you don't find this as an invasion of your personal space. But according to your mother, you're a strong fighter. How fortunate.

Get well soon.
MS.

I frowned as I reread the letter, not entirely sure how I felt about it, but I put it back in it's envelope as the plane took off. Once we were in the air, I read through the rest of the letters and then turned to my book.

~Spencer's P.O.V~

Kelsie was focused on her book while she sipped from her coffee. I found that I couldn't focus on my book while she sat across from me.

Not that I'm complaining.

Watching her read this book was different than when she read Jane Austen. Instead of the smile that flirts with the corners of her lips, her brown was furrowed in a mixture of confusion or of shock. Her eyes flew across the words with excitement, that of which I could feel the thrill of through her.

I smiled as she read something funny and went to sip my coffee when Hotch came over, "Reid, may I talk to you for a minute?"

Looking up I nodded an followed him to the back of the plane.

"What is going on between you and Kelsie?"

I was quiet for a moment but managed, "Um-"

"If something romantic is going on between you two, you need to let me know."

"I um... I asked her on a date this weekend... and .... We um... we k-kissed when we were in California."

Hotch nodded, "Okay. If you get distracted, either of you... I'm reporting this to Strauss."

I nodded and let him slide past and back to his seat, sitting in mine, I picked up my book and began reading, afraid to look at Kelsie. I didn't want Hotch to get any ideas.