Title: Not Quite Babysitting

Author: A.M. Glass

Copyright: Dec. 26th – Dec. 31st 2007

Ratings: (USA) K+ (UK) PG (AUS) PG

Spoilers: "Lucky" and "Penelope."

Summary: Garcia gets taken care of.

Show Disclaimer: The characters from "Criminal Minds" were created by Jeff Davis. The following companies produce the show: Touchstone/CBS Paramount Network Television, The Mark Gordon Company, ABC Studios and Paramount Network Television. The Executive – Co–Executive producers are: Gigi Coello-Bannon, Deborah Spero, Edward Allen Bernero, Debra J. Fisher, Mark Gordon and Jeff Davis.

Author's Disclaimer: Let's face it, I don't own "Criminal Minds" or any of the characters, back story, etc. I'm not making a cent from it – if I did, I'd buy a new computer and some other things. The story; along with any original characters are mine though… I think; pesky copyright laws.

Author's Notes: I wasn't exactly sure where I was going with this, but I like it, I hope you will too.

Garcia quietly walked over to her couch – she stopped at the armrest and watched as he tossed and turned trying to get comfortable. She smiled briefly. This was going beyond the call of duty, let alone friendship, yet, here he was.

"I'm sure you have better things to do," she whispered as not to wake him before heading to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

She absentmindedly rubbed her stomach; the surgeon had done a great job as far as she was concerned. Her stomach didn't hurt, it simply felt better to her when she either kept her hand on it or rubbed it a little.

She reached up and let out a yelp as another arm reached over hers and took the glass down off the shelf.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he said.

"Thanks," she said as she took the offered glass. "Give a girl some warning next time," she said jokingly.

"Are you okay? You're not in any pain are you?"

"I'm fine," she held up the glass, "Just thirsty that's all. Go back to sleep," she told him as she took a sip of water after filling the glass.

"I'm not really tired."

"I didn't mean to wake you," Garcia said.

He shook his head, "You didn't, I can't sleep. Don't let me keep you up."

"Oh," she exclaimed, "You're not," she told him. "Hey, you wanna watch a movie?"

He shrugged, "Why not."

She smiled, pouring the rest of the water out, she placed the glass in the dish rack. She linked her arm through his, "Come on Genius, let me see what I can corrupt you with," she said laughing.

Spencer followed Garcia out of the kitchen and back into the living room where she gently pushed him onto the couch. Morgan had asked him to keep an eye on her while he and the rest of the team went to Detroit.

The only reason he hadn't gone was he had suffered a concussion after falling down a flight of steps; he hadn't watched where he was going and tripped. The doctor at the emergency department had advised him not to fly for a few days.

Morgan had used the opportunity to enlist his help keeping Garcia company while she continued to recover from her own injuries.

Of course she didn't want him to "baby sit" as she called it.

"Technically, it's not baby sitting," he began as he stood in the doorway of her office once he'd explained what Morgan had requested. "One, you're not a child and two, I'm not being paid. I consider this keeping an eye on a friend more than anything else. Did you know," his eyes lit up and his hands began to flutter somewhat as he recalled some information. "That the average wage for baby sitting is six dollars and two cents? In Oregon, it's less, its two dollars and ninety cents, while in New York you could charge eleven dollars and eight cents."

He was going to continue but decided on a strategic retreat was in order after he saw Garcia fold her arms across her chest and begin tapping her foot. In the back of his knowledge filled mind an alarm went off – his baser self was screaming at him to shut his mouth if he wanted to live to see the sun rise tomorrow.

He closed his mouth with an audible snap. "I'm going to go," he told her as he made a hasty exit.

He barely made it to his desk when he saw Morgan foolishly smiling as he entered Garcia's office.

The only thing he heard prior to her door closing behind Morgan was, "I'm sorry baby girl... Garcia, please..."

He didn't want to think about what could possibly be happening. He did look up from a file he had been working on when the door opened and Derek had a dazed look on his face with Garcia smirking behind him.

"Hey Genius! Come by around 7pm, I'll have dinner ready," she called out.

"Oh... okay."

She turned around and went back into her office.

"Derek?"

Morgan shook his head, put his hands on his hips, glanced behind him to Garcia's office and smiled. "I'll talk to you later Reid," he said as he left.

That had been two nights ago, they had talked, rather Garcia made him talk, leaving him wondering if she wouldn't be more suited for interrogation rather than a technical analyst. He wasn't worried that she would ever tell anyone else what they spoke about, it had he realized gave him a new perspective on things – seeing them through someone else's eyes.

He knew their relationship had changed and he wouldn't want it any other way. She'd made him laugh more than he had in a long time and he appreciated it, she would never know how much.

"What are we going to watch?" he asked as Garcia looked through a stack of DVD's she owned.

"Oh you'll see... you'll see," she called out over he shoulder. "Here we are," Garcia turned around. "This," she stressed, "is from my secret stash," she exclaimed as she took the disc out of the case and put it into the DVD player.

Reid smiled, "This isn't something you'd share with anyone is it?" he asked as she sat down next to him.

"Nah, just you Genius..."

Garcia's smile was infectious as he found himself doing the same thing. He took the case from her and was puzzled. He'd never heard of the movie before, "Santa Claus versus the Martians?"

"Yes, now shh," she told him as the movie started.

He chuckled to himself as Garcia immersed herself into the movie, going as far as to sing, "Hooray for Santy Claus..."

He had to admit, it was an interesting movie he thought as it ended.

Garcia sighed as the credits rolled, she grabbed the remote and turned off the television and DVD player. "I'm going to bed, thanks Spencer," she whispered, placing a kiss on his cheek. "Good night."

"Night Garcia," he replied once he absorbed the knowledge she'd kissed him. He waited until she closed her bedroom door prior to putting his hand on his cheek. "Hmm, good night Penelope," he said quietly.

The End.