Alex's P.O.V

"I probably won't be home when you get home, so Amy is going to come over," I said handing Josie her school bag.

"But you are coming home right?" she asked putting her bag on her back.

"Yeah, but it won't be until after dinner," I said "you better go before you miss the bus," she smiled and gave me a hug before bounding down the front steps. I smiled at her innocence and watched as she walked down the street to her bus stop. Emma woke up her siblings and I called Amy she was going to stay with the Jenkins until I got home. She drove me to work with Emma, Gracie and Kyle in the back seat. They all smiled and waved as I got out and walked towards the entrance of the building. I took the elevator to the BAU and smiled as the familiar sight greeted me. But it was really empty. No Reid with his head in a book. Emily wasn't swinging in her chair and trying to hold a conversation with Reid. Not even Morgan leaning against the side of one of our desks talking about some random nonsense. JJ's, Morgan's, Hotch's and David's offices all sat empty blinds closed and lights turned off. But I still walked past my desk to Garcia's tiny little lair she greeted me with a warm smile and moved so that I could sit in her spare seat beside her instead of behind her.

"The Parkinsons will be here at midday," Garcia said as I sat down beside her and put my knees to my chest

"what can you tell me about the family," I asked spinning myself on the chair.

"They're clean as a whistle, never got caught on the wrong side of the law, apart from Mr. Parkinson when he as 13 he got arrested for unruly disturbance of a small suburban street oh and the son Jayden Parkinson has recently been suspended for beating a fellow classmate he claims that he was protecting his seven year old sister, who was getting picked on by the class mate whose name is Bailey Hatford," Garcia read of her computer screen pulling up documents and photos of the family and Bailey Hatford. She found another document from the school that Jayden was a part of "but this bailey character is probably at fault it says here that he has been this is the second time he has been suspended this semester, and transferred to DC private school after getting expelled from his last three schools in Alabama and his father sent him here to live with his mother as a positive role model for him, that's what the father said any way."

I was surprised to hear that the Parkinson's children went to the same school I went to and the same school that Josie goes to. Now that I think about it I have heard of this Bailey Hatford guy before as well he picks on a couple of Josie's friends from time to time but never Josie I guess word has spread about who her godfather is. Famous author and FBI agent would have friends in high places don't want to get on the wrong side of them.

Hours past slowly as Garcia worked on the current case. This case was kind of a hard one. 3 couples had been hit by trucks on back roads of Sherwood Nevada. Only the car crash is only a forensic counter measure. The women have all been raped and Beaton while the men have had nothing but bruising on their wrists and ankles as a sign of ligature marks both the women and the men have died from blunt force trauma to their temples.

I had left the little lair to get some coffee for Garcia and I. an agent had come up behind me "Miss Stedler, there is a couple here said that they were here to meet with you." He said in clear tone. I jumped at the sudden voice speaking to me but I hid it as best as I could.

I turned to face him. He worked in the bull pen as well he seemed nice he had a picture of his wife and kids on his desk but I had never worked with him directly. "Can you send them into the round table, I mean conference room, I need to give this to our tech analyst Penelope Garcia," I said holding up her bright pink coffee mug. I walked into her lair and put her coffee on the desk "I will be back soon the Parkinsons are here, "I said before turning around.

"Alex, play nicely, they do seem like good people that made a bad decision," Garcia smiled she could always find the good things in people unlike me she can't hold a grudge. But me I've held a grudge for almost thirteen years now. And I'm not likely to un-grudge that grudge.

I walked into the round table room and three faces smiled at me. "Hello my name is Alexandra Stedler, you must be the Parkinsons, am I correct?"

The oldest of the men smiled back, "my names Lukas this is my wife Annabelle and our son Jayden," I took a seat as did the family. I may not need crutches any more but my leg still hurts if I stand on it for too long. "I couldn't help noticing that you are so young, I mean you look younger than Jayden," Lukas Parkinson said as if not trying to offend me.

I looked to his son Jayden I recognized him instantly he was one of the boys that was in my form class while I was in elementary and most of middle school. Jayden Parkinson, more commonly known as Jay. His pale red hair and green eyes is what I remember most. He was one of the only people who talked to me after Stephanie's death I felt as if everyone else blamed me for her death. We were friends before her death and he wanted t remain my friend but I pushed him away I pushed everyone away I grew up lonely never interacting with the people my own age. I wish I could go back in time to repair the damage stop myself from pushing away the only person who cared for me. Now we sit across from each other like strangers. The Parkinsons looked at me expectantly wanting an explanation of my age.

"I'm guessing Jayden and I are about the same age, I'm not an agent with the FBI I am an intern. interns range from 16 until 21 and go for three years the only criteria is you have already graduated high school and because my godfather is an agent here he managed to get me in without very many questions asked against my word of course, I am only 16 one of the youngest interns the FBI has seen since it started the program so I'm used to being asked that question," I explained before asking "do you know why you are here?"

"Yes, Miss Penelope Garcia informed us last night on the phone," Mrs. Annabelle Parkinson said with a bit of a grin that soon left because of the memories, "because I am the god mother of Kimberly Jenkins children," she had tears brimming in the corner of her eyes but she quickly blinked them away "how did she die it must have been bad for the FBI to get involved are Emma and the twins alright are they safe?"

"Kimberly Jenkins was murdered by her childhood neighbor ad older sister, her children are safe they were wrongly placed in foster care but Emma ran away and came to me because one of the older boys were beating on her and Gracie, all three children were removed from the care of that family and because they were neglected it becomes a federal case. They are now with one of my friends who take care of my sister when I have to go out of state."I explained

"When can we see them," asked Annabelle she was eager to meet the children.

"Tomorrow at the latest, you just have to answer a few simple questions, if that's okay," I replied in a way I just wanted to talk to Jayden apologize for pushing him away. Apologize for treating him like dirt when he actually cared. People used to say we were like brother and sister but now we sit here like strangers.

"Okay go ahead," Luckas Parkinson spoke for the first time since he introduced so I started with him

"It says in my notes here that you were arrested when you were thirteen, can you explain what happened," I asked

"oh wow that's a dip into history um well I can barely remember it now, I guess I went to my friends party and we went a little bit crazy when one of the girls down the street told us to shut up I shoved her a little too hard and she fell to the ground and broke her leg I am ashamed of what I did and when the police got bought into it I knew I would never be able to live it down." He hung his head "I was young and foolish that was my only run in with the law though.

"I knew all the facts I wanted to find out how you felt about your actions," I turned to Jayden "It says here that you were suspended but does not say why, can you enlighten me," I knew I was being up front about it all but in a way I wanted this interview to be over so that I could talk to Jayden as me. Not as Miss Alexandra Stedler the FBI intern.

"I was suspended for bashing one of the guys in my class, he was picking on my little sister and her friends it had been going on for a while but the school wouldn't do anything unless they caught him in the act. I told him to back off but he didn't so I hit him, I have had enough of his bullshit,"

"So you were defending your sister, did she ask you to hit him or anything?" I asked testing my boundaries

"She didn't ask me to hit him no, but she did ask me to tell him to rack off, she was scared of him, don't you remember being that age being scared of any bigger and older than you," I smiled at his sudden hint of remembering me

"I have one final question for you Mrs. Parkinson, did you and Kimberly Jenkins talk much the few months leading up to her death?"

She sighed and closed her eyes before answering, "Not as much as I would have hoped we've been best friends since collage but I moved to DC when Jayden was 5 because Lukas got a promotion into head office meaning we would have to move, we kept in touch using Facebook and other social media. We always tried to catch up for a couple of days when one of us had holidays, but as time passed we were working more and more often and losing chances to see each other," she rested her head in her hands and started to cry . I stood and got the box of tissues from the back of the room so that she could dry her eyes.

I escorted the family out of the building "I will be in contact with you later this afternoon let you know whether the Jenkins will become part of your family or not," I regretted say the last part as soon as the words left my lips. "Thank you Miss Stedler," Jayden said extending his hand I shook it. He pressed a small piece of paper into my hand. I shook hand with Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson after pushing the note into my left hand and walked back to Garcia's lair. On the way back to the lair I read over the note about 20 times.

Lexa.

If you remember me. Call me

Jayden.

On the back of the note was a mobile phone number written in his messy scrawl. But the name the note was addressed told me he did remember me he was the only one who called me Lexa. When I had introduced myself to him I mumbled me name so all he heard was Lex. When I corrected him I put too much emphasis on the A. So it became "it's not lex it's A lex," he started to call me Lexa to annoy me it soon became his nickname for me.

That night I called the Parkinsons and told them that they were eligible for the care of the Jenkins I told them that I would be in touch to make sure they are happy and not getting neglected. After picking me up from work at 8:30 Amy drove us around to the Parkinsons with Emma Gracie and Kyle. Josie was in the seat at the very back of the car and was going to climb over when we got to the house I walked the Jenkins to the front door and Emma immediately recognized Mrs. Parkinson. I was asked inside for a cup of coffee but I had to decline.

"I'm sorry; my sister is in the car and wants to go home," as I turned to leave I heard tapping on glass I turned to see Jayden face peeking out of the upstairs window making the call me sign with his fingers. I smiled waved and gave him a thumbs up. As his face disappeared from the glass.