Once Upon a Target
Summary (cause it got cut off): A young Aaron Hotchner gets a summer job and has an odd encounter.
Authors note: OKAY This takes a bit of an explanation, I work in a Target Cafe. SO I wrote this......on the back of receipts. Yes. I did. xD SO HERE IT IS!
It was summer, and Aaron Hotchner was wondering why on earth he'd agreed to take a summer job at his Aunts in Las Vegas. It had seemed like a good idea when his mother and Aunt proposed the plan; he'd go to Aunt Caroline's house for the summer and get a job. She had a small apartment over her garage he could stay in, so it'd be closer to living on his own...in the “real world”. It had sounded awesome, he'd never gotten a chance to spend much time on the west coast; living in Virginia could do that. So the idea had been to see more of the country and take a step even closer to being “independent”.
This is how a 20 year old Aaron Hotchner found himself standing behind the counter of the cafe at their local Target. He was alone, bored, his feet hurt, and he still had 4 hours of his shift left. He'd lost count of the times he's thought, “Minimum Wage, so isn't worth this.” But he needed the money to pay the “rent” to his aunt; also Haley was coming for a week and Aaron wanted to be able to afford to have fun on his week off. So he was in no position to complain really.
The thing about the Target Cafe was that no one actually bought anything, with the exception of a fountain drink every now and then. Which meant Aaron's job was mainly cleaning, re-cleaning, randomly taking the temperature of things, and cleaning again. It was tedious, redundant, and the thought of 4 more hours spent doing this was torture.
As he took the temperature of yet another hotdog and recorded it he glanced up to check on the tables, and realized they weren't all empty any longer. The was a small boy sitting at one of the tables that had been barren before; he had chestnut hair and very large brown eyes. But what really stood out to Aaron was the expression on his face. The boy couldn't be more than 7, yet his expression was so seriousl and resigned it more resembled something Aaron's late step-father would wear instead of his 10 year old brother Sean. Aaron shook his head; it wasn't unusual for parents to park their children in the cafe while they shopped, so really Aaron just hoped the boy didn't make trouble like some of the hooligans did.
So Aaron cleaned, sold a few drinks and cleaned some more and before he knew it, it had been 2 hours. Aaron looked up again and was perplexed to find the boy still sitting there alone, it looked like he hadn't moved at all. The boy hadn't made any trouble at all, but at the same time there was no sign of an adult to claim him. Aaron blinked for a few minutes before making a conscious choice to walk over, the boy glanced up at him blankly as Aaron crouched beside his chair. Aaron tried to smile. “Hey, is your Mom or Dad on their way? Did they say what time they'd come by to get you?”
The boy just gazed at him for a moment, before sighing in a way that made a small part of Aaron's heart sink. “She's probably forgotten me again.”
“So you don't think she's coming?” Aaron knew he probably looked stupid, blinking at the boy but he didn't care.
The boy sighed and shook his head in an almost apologetic way, “Probably not.”
This of course lead to Aaron having to call his LOD (Leader on Duty; they got very upset if you called them managers for some odd reason that Aaron couldn't understand), which lead to the Executive Leader (That'd be Store Manager to non-Target lingo speakers) being called. Suddenly Aaron found himself standing in the middle of a bustling, frustrated adults. And Aaron found himself growing a bit protective of his small companion, and he laid a hand on the boys shoulder.
The boy looked up at him, and Aaron bent down “Hey, guy do you know your address or phone number?”
The boy nodded solemnly and proceeded to tell them all his address and number, the Executive manager beamed at Aaron, “Good job! We'll have his parents on the phone right away. You keep an eye on him here.” And once again they were left alone in the barren cafe.
He turned back to the boy with a smile, “So I never actually got your name.”
The boy blinked up at him in that serious way that Aaron still found increasingly odd, “I'm Spencer Reid.”
“Well Spencer Reid, I'm Aaron Hotchner.” Aaron smiled down at him, “You want a hotdog and an icee?”
He proceeded to ignore the meek protests the young boy gave, as he set about making the boy a hotdog and an icee then paid with the $5 in his pocket. Finally Aaron sat down next to Spencer and watched him eat in that same quiet, serious way. He started to wonder if the boy could smile and decided to challenge himself to make it happen.
Aaron proceeded to tell the boy every single funny story he could think of, well the ones that were appropriate at least. It took longer than he'd expected, but finally the boy gave him a small almost shy smile and then an all out grin and then before Aaron was really aware of it they were both laughing. And that's how the next 2 hours were passed, every once in a while Aaron would have to pop up to serve someone who wanted pop-corn or a soda or a hotdog. But he was focused on Spencer and making sure that expression didn't return.
Aaron was almost surprised when his LOD showed up to inform him that his shift was over, and that she'd take over watching the boy. He swallowed thickly at the thought of leaving the boy behind, and the almost sorrowful look that crossed the boys face didn't help. It wasn't long before the familiar tinge of resignation began to spread across the young face and Aaron made up his mind. He clocked out and emptied his locker before returning to the cafe, and taking his seat again. He smiled up at his LOD who had a soft smile on her face as well, “I'll hang out with him until his parents show, it's no trouble.”
“If you're sure you don't mind, Aaron?”
He nodded and she nodded before turning to leave. Spencer was still gazing at him in abject shock, Aaron smiled and bumped his shoulder against the boy. “You aren't going to get rid of me that easily.”
Suddenly Spencer was beaming up at him again and Aaron knew it'd be worth it. An immeasurable amount of time pasted with them just sitting, Aaron listening to Spencer talk about his books and the things he'd apparently learned recently. Aaron was shocked by how intelligent he was for someone so young, but he found the enthusiasm refreshing and was genuinely enjoying himself. Which was why when a slender, harried looking man rushed over to them he was fairly shocked to realize just how long had passed.
They watched as the LOD lead him away to “discuss” the “incident” in private. Aaron held back a wince as the now familiar resignation crossed the boys face again, he felt himself sigh. “So Spencer, does this happen often?”
The boy sighed in return, “Not too often, but this isn't the first time.”
Aaron winced, “Maybe it wont happen again.”
“It will.” Spencer sounded resigned, “But next time I probably wont be as lucky. Normally I just sit there with nothing to do.”
Aaron thought for a moment, “Well why don't you just bring a long a backpack from now on, with a few books in it. Just in case?”
Spencer thought for a moment before smiling again, “I will; Thank you.”
Aaron smiled and ruffled his hair softly, “It's the least I can do.”
He watched the tall man and Spencer walk away and he was again left alone in the cafe. He sighed and gathered his things to leave wishing he could do more for the small boy. Aaron didn't see Spencer or his father again that summer, but he often wondered about the solemn boy over the following years.
Years later n Spencer's first day at the BAU, the younger man showed up and it took Aaron less than 10 minutes to figure out who he was. He didn't say anything, he just smiled and shook his head at the way life worked at times.
3 years later Aaron was laying in bed looking down at the man who'd put his heart back together after Haley had torn it apart. He let a hand stroke the soft cheek and smiled softly thinking of the small boy he'd once met, wondering if Spencer remembered that day. And if he did, did he realize it had been Aaron? But Aaron never asked.
It was months later, and they were having a fight and Spencer had stormed ou of the apartment for and Hotch was sure he wasn't coming back. But it didn't take moments for Spencer to come bursting back into the living room. Aaron looked up in shock, “I thought.....”
Spencer sneered, “You aren't getting rid of me that easily.”
Aaron fought the smile that threatened and he folded Spencer into his arms, it didn't matter if Spencer remembered (although after that comment he was fairly sure his partner did) because in it's own odd way life had a way of throwing them together. And Aaron wasn't going to question that.
