165A/N: Welcome to the second installment of the "A Tangled Web" (ATW) series. Thank you to all of the readers, reviewers and friends that I had through the first story. This sequel picks up approximately three years after the ending of ATW and will explore more of Spencer's childhood. Again this story is still AU and this one more so than the first section. Now even though this is a new story, it's a sequel so I'm going to exercise my right as the author to send some shout outs to the people who reviewed the last chapter of ATW. They are Pippinheart, Bella-chan16, Sue1313, Lyonhaerte, Reina13, and Whatif-ifonly. Whatif, sorry if your looking for some vengeful recompense for Michaels and Porter, you going to have to keep waiting. As always thank you to my amazing and wonderful beta the incomparable Charmony. Thanks for not only encouraging me to take this crazy ride but for being right there in the front seat as we scream our fool heads off.
I don't own Criminal Minds. It all belongs to CBS and the Mark Gordon Company.
Warning: Near the end of the chapter, there is parental spanking of a minor child. If that bothers you, please skip that section.
Chapter 1- An Unwelcome Visitor
"Trish, I'm home!" Spencer called as he hurried through the door.
In the three years since his abduction, the little boy had gradually overcome his fears and had begun to show his true potential. Testing had revealed an extraordinarily high IQ as well as a phenomenal reading speed. However it had also shown what Dr. Norman had suspected; at six and half, Spencer had been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, bringing with it a whole new set of challenges. Gideon and Trish had done their best to make certain that the child's routine remained the same day in, day out, and Spencer had flourished under their care.
The healing process had been aided by the fact that Porter had plea bargained in exchange for a lesser sentence and Michaels had been convicted on all counts. Shortly after the verdicts, Gideon's petition to officially adopt Spencer was granted and the little boy was thrilled to learn that although Diana would continue to be involved in his life, he could never be taken away from the man that had become his lifeline.
"Hi sweetie, how was school today?" Trish smiled at her nephew, even as her hands remained busy in the bowl before her.
"Good. Miss Phillips thinks that I'll be ready for seventh grade by the end of the semester. What are you making?"
"Pie crust for the apple pie I'm baking for dinner."
"Are we going to have ice cream too?" Spencer pulled up the stool specifically made for him and stood next to his aunt as she worked.
"Yep. What do you think of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and creamed corn?"
"Yummy." Spencer's eyes sparkled at the mention of some of his favorite foods. "Can I help?"
"You bet. Go in the pantry and get the bag of apples and start rinsing them off for me."
"Yes Ma'am." He jumped off the stool and scampered into the pantry, returning quickly with the bag of apples that the three of them had picked over the weekend.
"Spencer, did Jason tell you we are having company for dinner?" Trish asked as he began placing the fruit carefully in the sink.
"No. Is it Uncle Dave?"
"No, it's a friend of your dad's. Sarah and Jason knew each other in college and she recently moved back here." She kept her voice level, trying to hide the frustration building inside. She had hoped that Jason had already talked to the child, but obviously he hadn't.
"Trish, is something wrong?" Ever observant, Spencer turned his big brown eyes toward her.
"No honey; nothing's wrong. I was just surprised that he didn't say anything to you." She leaned over him to wash the dough off her hands before giving him a quick hug. "I love you so much."
"Love you too, Trish." Spencer grinned mischievously up at her before slinging the water from the apples into her face.
"Hey!"
"I gotcha!" he crowed as he danced back out of her reach. He exploded into furious giggles as she chased him around the kitchen, her own hands wet from the faucet. He shrieked as she got close enough to dribble water down the back of his shirt before he scrambled under the table to get away. Panting, he backed further away only to come up short as Gideon suddenly swept him into the air, mercilessly tickling him until he was howling once more.
"What are you two silly gooses doing, huh?"
"It's geese!" Spencer gasped out between peals of laughter. "The plural of goose is geese!"
"Somehow 'silly geese' just doesn't sound right," his father said laughingly as he set his son back down on his feet.
"Spencer, can you make sure that your books are put away in your room before Sarah comes over?" Trish asked, ruffling her young nephew's hair. She favored him with a loving smile as he grinned up at her and scurried out of the kitchen. She waited until she heard his footsteps heading down the hall before she turned to the agent standing beside her.
"Jason, you have got to tell him about Sarah before she gets here. He's smart, and he's going to figure out that the two of you are more than just friends very quickly. When he does, he's going to be upset, confused and angry and he is going to act out."
Gideon shook his head dismissively. "He'll be alright. Like you said, he's smart."
"Jason, he idolizes you, and he's going to feel threatened by anyone else who shows you that kind of attention!"
"Spencer can handle it, Trish," he answered as he turned away.
"You know for a profiler, you're being awfully stupid. Just don't blame me when you end up having to deal with your son tonight," Trish snapped softly before returning to her cooking. She sighed as her nephew's measured steps left the room. She looked down at the fruit resting in the sink and whispered a prayer that everything would go well that evening.
"Wow, Trish, this is absolutely amazing. You are a terrific cook," Sarah said as she took a bite of the apple pie that had been baked earlier.
"Thank you Sarah," Trish replied with a smile. She returned to her seat as she watched the child to her left out of the corner of her eye. Despite the fact that he loved apple pie, he was simply pushing the dessert around the plate with his fork. His gaze was focused on the table in front of him, but his shoulders were stiff and tense. He seemed to be ignoring the conversation going on around him.
"May I be excused?" he suddenly interrupted his father.
"Spencer, you're interrupting. You need to wait until everyone is done eating," Gideon replied.
"Why? I don't want to talk to her," the little boy muttered resentfully.
"Spencer, that wasn't nice. Now apologize to Sarah," his father said firmly.
"No, she's your friend not mine." Spencer crossed his arms over his chest and blinked fiercely, trying to keep the tears at bay.
"That's enough." Gideon stood up and knelt beside his son's chair. "You know how to act better than this."
Spencer licked his lips and shook his head without looking at his dad. "I don't want her here."
"Spencer, if you can't behave, then it's time to go to your room."
"Yeah, cause you like her better than me," he whispered angrily. He jerked away from the hand Gideon placed on his shoulder.
"Spencer…"
"Leave me alone!" Spencer clenched his hand into a fist and punched his father's upper arm before bolting down the hall and up the stairs to his room slamming the door in Gideon's face. He turned the lock and curled up on his bed, burying his face into his pillow and bursting into tears.
"Spencer, open the door!" Gideon called, knocking on the wood. "Open this door, right now!" he called again when there was no answer. Reaching up, he retrieved the key from the top of the door jamb, trying to keep a handle on his anger. His hands were shaking slightly as he fumbled with the lock.
"Spencer! You do not want me to have to unlock this door!"
"Jason, stop." Trish placed a gentle hand on his arm and took the key from his hand.
"Trish, he deserves to be punished," he hissed, his eyes blazing.
"Yes, he does. But if you go in there right now, as upset as you are, you will end up doing something that you will regret. You cannot discipline Spencer in anger, or you will hurt him." Trish stood up to her full height of five feet two inches and leveled a firm glare up at her nephew.
Gideon held her eyes for a moment before he looked down. His shoulders wilted as the rage abruptly subsided. "You're right," he sighed, running a hand over his face. "Maybe you can get him to open the door." He turned away and disappeared into his bedroom as Sarah came down the hall. She followed him into the room and sank down on the bed next to him.
"Are you okay?" she asked as she put her arm around him.
"No. Trish told me Spencer would do this and I didn't listen, and now my son hates me."
"He doesn't hate you, Jason. He just thinks that I'm going to take his place. He doesn't understand that you can love both of us at the same time."
Trish smiled as she listened to their conversation before knocking softly on the child's door. "Spencer, I'm coming in." She unlocked the door and slipped inside, sitting down on the bed next to the sobbing little boy. She pulled him into her arms, rubbing his back and soothing him for several long minutes.
"Why doesn't he want me anymore?" Spencer whimpered as he clung to his aunt, his tears soaking into her shirt. "What did I do wrong?"
"You didn't do anything wrong, baby."
"Then why doesn't he still love me?" the little boy wailed.
Trish swallowed the lump in her throat as she rocked him. "Sweetie, I promise you; just because he's falling in love with Sarah, does not mean that he loves you any less."
"Yes it does," Spencer contradicted her, his voice breaking as he sniffled repeatedly.
His aunt took a deep breath as she tried to think of a way to help him understand what she was telling him. "Spencer what does 'adopted' mean?"
"There are several meanings according to Webster's dictionary. The most popular definition is to take by choice into a relationship. This is most often used in reference to children." Spencer recited automatically. He paused as Trish held up her hand.
"Think about what you just said. Adoption is a choice and Jason chose you. Nothing and no one is ever going to change that."
"Not even Sarah?" he whispered plaintively, his eyes huge in his small face.
"No, sweetheart, not even Sarah." Trish pulled him close and kissed the top of his head. Spencer wrapped his arms around her and slowly relaxed into her embrace.
"Trish?" His voice was muffled slightly. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"
"Yeah baby, unfortunately you are," she said as she continued to hold him close.
A few minutes later, a visibly calmer Gideon opened the door to see his son still cradled in his aunt's arms. The boy looked up at him and took a deep breath before pulling himself out of Trish's embrace. She gave them both an encouraging smile before slipping out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Spencer wrapped his arms around his middle and stared at the floor as his father sat down on the bed beside him.
Gideon broke the uncomfortable silence. "I'm sorry Spencer. I should have talked to you about Sarah before tonight and I didn't. I was wrong and I'm sorry." He looked over at the child next to him who was still staring at the floor. His tears had started again and were sliding silently down his pale face. "Come here, kiddo," he said softly, pulling the little boy into his lap.
"I was scared Daddy. I was scared that you were gonna send me away!" Spencer cried into the agent's shoulder. "I thought you didn't love me anymore," he gasped out between sobs.
"Spencer, I will never stop loving you. You're my son and nothing will ever change that."
"But…she's…What…about Sarah?" Spencer asked as the flood of tears began to slow. "What if she doesn't want me around?"
"Then she won't have any place in my life either. Kiddo, Sarah knows that you and I are a package deal. If she wants to be with me then she's going to have to accept you too. If she can't, then she won't be staying."
"You promise?" the child asked wide eyed.
"I promise," Gideon replied, pressing a kiss to the boy's forehead before enveloping him in a hug. He sighed after a moment, dreading what he had to do. "However, we do need to talk about your behavior. You were extremely rude to Sarah, and under no circumstances are you allowed to hit me."
"I'm sorry Daddy," he whimpered.
"I know you are, but that doesn't change the fact that I have to punish you."
"I know," Spencer murmured in a tearful voice. "Are you going to spank me?"
"Yes, and then I want you to apologize to Sarah."
"Yes sir," the boy whispered as he was turned over his father's knee. He closed his eyes as the first swats began to fall and he whimpered as his backside started to sting. It wasn't long before he was sobbing for all he was worth. Gideon stopped his spanks and gathered his son close, rubbing his back and murmuring words of comfort in his ear.
"Shhh. It's all over. It's all done." He held the little boy, rocking him back and forth until his crying had slowed to the occasional hiccup. "I love you Spencer."
"I love you too." Spencer sniffled. He lay still for a little longer simply taking comfort from his father. He closed his eyes and relaxed into the safety of Gideon's arms, secure in the knowledge that while the discipline hurt, his father would never deliberately mistreat him.
"Don't go to sleep on me yet kiddo. You still need to apologize to Sarah."
Spencer sleepily opened his eyes. "Do I have to?" he whined.
"Yes. You were extremely rude to her." Gideon replied firmly, even though his eyes smiled at his son.
The boy sighed and shifted closer to his father. "Okay," he sighed, his lower lip pushed out in a pout; however the pose didn't hold under his dad's scrutinizing gaze and he dissolved into giggles. Gideon smiled as well before pressing a kiss to the top of his son's head.
"Let's go wash your face before we go back out to the living room." The agent led the boy into the bathroom before wrapping an arm around his shoulders as they returned to where Sarah and Trish were waiting. Spencer stood before Sarah with his head down as he fought through the fear of having to face her. He finally lifted his gaze to find her watching him with a gentle look in her brown eyes.
"I'm sorry for being rude to you," he whispered. A smile crept across the woman's features.
"I forgive you. I know it must be scary having a strange woman suddenly invade your house, and I'm not mad at you, okay?" she replied softly. "Can I give you a hug?"
Spencer bit his lip before hesitantly nodding. Sarah gathered him close and kissed his forehead. She blinked in surprise when his arms snaked around her waist and returned the embrace. Trish slipped across the room to her nephew's side.
"Looks like you were able to reassure him."
Gideon smiled. "Yes, and you were right. I'm sorry for not listening to you."
Trish grinned back. "You're forgiven. Just don't let it happen again."
"Yes ma'am." He gave his aunt a one armed hug as he watched his son continue to cuddle with his girlfriend.