DISCLAIMER:

I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS! Nor do I own any other copy-righted things mentioned, ex. The Chronicles of Narnia, mentioned in said story.

The pitter-patter of feet nearly made him double over. Why on Earth had he agreed to do this? A little girl bounded into the room and said, "Reid?"

"Thanks for doing this Reid," a voice said.

Spencer Reid lifted his head to see Penelope Garcia. Reid shook his head and said, "No problem Garcia. Any idea—"

"They said a week from now," Garcia interrupted him. "I really hate doing this to you."

"No its fine. You guys just sort everything out," Reid said giving her a forced smile.

She knelt down beside the little girl. Reid eyed the little girl. Her hair had a slight curl to it. It was a honey blonde going down to the middle of her back. What caught his attention were her eyes…her identically colored hazel-brown eyes. Garcia rubbed the girl's back encouragingly.

"Perdie this is your Uncle Spencer. Spencer…this is your niece Perdita," Garcia said.

Reid almost vomited on the spot. NIECE? Garcia didn't mention that on the phone!

"N-n-niece?" Reid spluttered.

"Yes Reid…I don't know how to put this lightly," Garcia said. "It turns out you have a sister."

"Huh?" Reid said suddenly feeling dizzy.

"You have a half-sister. Apparently your father had an affair after he left you guys," Garcia said. "He left them as soon as your sister was born. She knew about you because your father left some pictures of you behind. The rest of Perdie's family…."

"Momma?" Perdita questioned.

"Momma is in the hospital…recovering from the burns. Perdie here was lucky enough to have snuck downstairs for a glass of water. She followed the unsub out the door," she said.

"It's not Perdie. It's Perdita," the girl protested.

"What's her name?"

"Who's?"

"My sister's."

"Clarice… Clarice Neumburg."

With that, Garcia left the two alone. Reid looked at Perdita and she returned his gaze.

"So you don't like to be called Perdie?" he said nervously.

"No. Daddy called me Perdie," Perdita said. "I don't like Daddy. He agreed with Grammy that you shouldn't know about us. Your mommy's brother…why doesn't Grammy like you?"

"I-I-I don't know Perdita," Reid said. "I didn't know you were my niece."

"Uncle Spencer?" Perdita asked.

"Yeah….Dita," Reid answered slowly.

"Don't you have a family?"

Reid paused and looked to the small girl, her big eyes boring into him. Reid looked away and twiddled his thumbs. He looked back at Perdita and said, "You are."

Perdita looked at him and asked, "What happened to your mommy?"

"My mommy's sick," Reid found himself saying.

"Oh…well did your daddy leave you too?"

"Perdita…did your daddy leave?"

"Yep," Perdita said. "He yelled at mommy and told her she shouldn't try to talk to you. Then he left the house screaming that he'd take me away if she did."

"Dita…did you see someone pouring stuff on your house?" Reid asked her.

Perdita shook her head and said, "He was wearing a mask. I didn't know his voice. He was grumbling, mad about something. He didn't see me. I hid in the bushes."

"Perdita how old are you?" Reid asked.

"Seven…" Perdita said. "Do you wanna make a fort?"

"Huh?"

"A blanket fort….don't tell me you've never made one," Perdita said.

"I-I-I haven't made one," Reid admitted.

"WHAT!" Perdita cried.

She raced forward and grabbed Reid's hand and started pulling on his arm.

"Come on!" Perdita said. "I'll show you how. Get two chairs."

Reid got the chairs while Perdita found the blankets. She draped the blanket over the chairs. She smiled and put pillows down on the floor. She crawled in and pulled his arm.

"Come on!" she chirped.

He sat in the little make shift fort. She pulled out a book and put it on his lap.

"The Chronicles of Narnia?" he said in surprise.

"Will you read me 'The Horse and His Boy'?" she asked looking at him.

Reid nodded and opened the book. He began to read to Perdita, who rested her head on his lap. Reid looked to see her listening intently. He thought, maybe this wouldn't be so bad.