I stand by the window and look out at the park we took Henry to last time. He's such a sweet little boy, he doesn't deserve any of this, whether he's just witnessed Tracy's assault or- I push it to the back of my mind when my eyes start pricking
"Henry, this is important." Spencer's stern voice fills the room and I turn to face the two of them again. "What do you mean he's rough?"
Henry's eyes move slowly around the room, observing every corner before staring my boyfriend in the face again. "Some times, when he gets mad, he's rough." he finally says innocently.
"What does he do when he gets rough?" Spencer pushes and Henry sighs loudly.
"Spence, he looks fine-"
"Jennifer." he warns me off using just my name and a glint of malice lacing his words.
He grabs Henry's shirt and pulls it over his head to reveal deep bruises covering his torso. Some of them worse than others, but all equally as enraging.
I gasp and Spencer stands straight to his feet, looking me dead in the eye before leaving for the living room. I want to chase after him because I know exactly what is coming, but- Henry.
"Hey buddy, how are you?" I ask, it's a stupid question because I know he's probably super worried right now. When children are being abused, their abuser often does what they can to make sure no one finds out.
"Is mummy going to be ok?" he asks quietly and a small tear rolls down his cheek. I pull him tightly into my chest and he cries loudly as a crash sounds from the other room.
Spencer's POV:
I swing the door of Henry's room right open and dickhead looks up from his seat.
"Get out." I state and he frowns. "I swear to fucking god if you don't get out of this apartment I will beat the shit out of you right here." I continue through gritted teeth.
JJ told me that we could only work if I stopped beating people up, but this guy fucking deserves it. He stands slowly, finally clicking on to what we were inevitably going to find out.
My eyes move to Tracy who is still sat down. "You're a disgrace... doe it make you feel good hitting a fucking kid?" the rest of the question is directed at dickhead and Tracy gasps. "Don't act like you didn't fucking know, he was kicking the shit out of you on a regular basis. How long till Henry got it to eh? You stupid bitch."
Dickhead still hasn't removed himself from my apartment, so I take it upon my self to grab the bastard by his collar and do it myself.
"What are you doing?" he calls when I allow him to crash into a small table containing a vase of flowers. they're obviously from Jake, so I might as well get rid of them while I can.
I push the man through the door to the concrete ground of the hall. He falls backwards and lands on the ground with a thud. I follow him shorty after, colliding my fist with his jaw, once, twice, three times and then a snap.
He calls out in pain multiple times, but I just can't stop myself from hitting him. "Spencer!" JJ's voice fills my ears and I pull myself off of the man lay on the ground, covered in a puddle of his own blood.
I turn to face Jennifer, her face is red, her cheeks are wet and Henry is hiding behind her legs. "Jayje, I'm so sorry." I breathe while looking down at my busted knuckles.
"I can't believe you just did that!" she cries again and remorse fills every cell in my body.
He deserved it, he hits Henry. My subconscious reminds me and half of the unfamiliar feeling washes away.
I look to the left of me and find three of our neighbours peeking out of their doors, one of them on the phone.
Ten minutes later, paramedics and the police are here and dickhead is being put on a stretcher.
"Mr Reid?" a man about as tall as me places his hand on my shoulder and I turn to face him.
"You're under arrest for-"
"I'll handle this one." a familiar voice sounds from behind the paramedics and Morgan approaches us. A feeling of relief sweeps over me as the other officer lets go of my body.
"What's going on? Are you damned stupid Reid?" he asks while pushing me away from the paramedics working on Tom. "He could die, he could die and you could be done for it." he growls am his fist meets the wall behind me.
Two officers look in our direction, both Morgan and I frown and they back down.
"Derek?" JJ joins us half way down the hall and my eyes instantly move to her face.
"Jayje-"
"Leave it Spencer." she cuts me off and grabs Morgans arm, pulling him slightly out of my hearing range.
Henry is still stood by the door, topless and bruised, also crying with wet cheeks. I'm desperate to tell him I'm sorry, but the fear in his eyes tells me I should wait.
He looks to Tom on the stretcher, then to his mother who's kneeling beside him holding his hand and then to me. How can Tracy be so heartless? She's just found out that her son has also been being abused, but she's knelt beside the abuser holding his limp hand.
I snap out of my thoughts an Henry wipes his eyes while still looking at me. He's so vunerable, he needs his mother but she's not there.
"Reid?" I look back to Morgan who's frowning. "I need to take you down to the station. You're gonna be in a cell for the night until we can talk to your victim-"
"Victim? fucking victim? Morgan, he's been abusing that kid over there. Fucking Henry, and you're telling me he's the victim?" I almost shout and Morgans eyes fill with sympathy. I know why happened to him when he was younger, so I also know that dickhead is lucky Morgan didn't get hold of him before I did.
He pats my shoulder, pulls put a note pad and goes with JJ to talk to Henry. The rest of the police men escort me to their car and drive me to the station.
JJ's POV:
"Now Henry, I need you to tell me what Tom does to you." Morgan sits on the sofa beside the small boy and clicks his pen ready to write things down.
"Sometimes he hurts me."
"And how often does he hurt you?" Derek asks and Henry frowns. "is it a lot, or only a bit."
"When he's mad."
"When is Tom mad Henry?"
"A lot, he hurts mummy most though." Henry's bottom lip trembles and I can feel mine going with it, he doesn't deserve this. "he sometimes his mummy with stuff."
"Stuff?" Morgan repeats and Henry nods.
"Not his hands like uncle Spencer did. He used my bat once."
Morgan inhales sharply and I can feel my eyes pricking. "What does he do to you Henry? does he use his hands to hurt you?"
"Mostly, but sometimes other things too."
A tear rolls down my cheek and Derek suggests I get Henry a drink, obviously knowing I won't be able to to cope with what ever Henry tells us.
I oblige and grab a pyjama top for Henry too. When I return Derek is almost done talking to Henry and once I've put the drink on the table, he pulls me to one side.
"Spencer is going to be in a cell for the night, it depends on what Tom says whether he gets charged or not. I'm pretty sure after what Henry has told told me, Reid might get let off as it was jut protection. That Tom is a horrible man, I'll make sure he's well away from both Tracy and Henry after all of this." he rubs my shoulder softly before leaving the apartment.
I look at Henry and his big eyes look back. "Don't be sad." He tries to smile and more tears roll down my cheeks.