Jack Hotchner, son of Aaron Hotchner, was sitting across from Dr. Spencer Reid as he worked in the kitchen making Thanksgiving dinner. Spencer had given Jack a chunk of dough and cookie cutters shaped like turkeys and leaves. Jack nibbled on the dough edges deep in thought as he cut out the cookies. He looked at Spencer covered in flour and asked, "Since you've been living with Daddy and me for a long time, what do I call you if I don't want to call you Spencer anymore? Daddy is Daddy but what can I call you?"
Spencer stopped trying to baste the turkey and looked over Jack before he asked, "What do you want to call me?"
"You're like my daddy in the way that you teach me stuff and if I get in trouble you help me correct myself but I call Daddy daddy so can I call you Papa?" Jack looked at Spencer and saw his thoughtful look and said, "You don't like it do you?"
Spencer sipped at his wine and said, "No, I really do like it. We wanted you to come to your own conclusion about me and it looks to me like you're ready for me to be a more permanent part of your family. Yes you can call me Papa if you want."
"Well it is Thanksgiving so it's supposed to about family and you've always been family."
Spencer paused again and wondered where Aaron had disappeared to in the house. He felt that Aaron should be here for the conversation as a whole. He asked, "I've always been family?"
Jack smiled and said, "Yes silly even before you started coming to slumber parties with Daddy. You showed me physics' magic and you were there for us when the bad guy got Mommy. You let me cry and talk about Mommy even when you probably didn't want to hear about it. And Daddy always smiled more when you were around and not so sad. Did you hold Daddy and let him cry too?"
"I did." Spencer said as he turned the burners off and moved around the edge of the counter and pulled Jack into his arms not caring about cookie dough and flour or anything else and said, "I love you Jack. I will always love you."
"I love you too Papa." Jack said as he tried out the new title for Spencer.
"I love you Jack. Don't ever forget that."
"I won't Papa." Jack said as he looked at Spencer and said, "Don't cry. Are you sad?"
"No, no, I'm unequivocally very happy." Spencer said as he ran his hands over his face to wipe the tears away.
"That's good Papa." Jack snuggled back against Spencer and Spencer wrapped his arms around his son's eight year old body.
Aaron appeared out of thin air and wrapped his arms around his family holding them close. He kissed Spencer's ear and whispered, "You handled that well Papa. He loves you and I love you and you will never be alone again."
Spencer glanced at Aaron and shed a few more tears and said, "Dinner will be late."
"That's okay."
"I can help you finish Papa." Jack said.
"Thank you Jack."
Aaron looked at the forgotten cookie shapes and said, "While you finish checking the turkey, Jack and I can finish cutting out the cookies for the oven."
"That'll work." Spencer said. He kissed Aaron's lips and then bent down to kiss Jack's hair and whispered, "You're doing a beautiful job Jack. Keep up the good work."
"I will."
Spencer moved Jack's chair back into place and Jack returned to cutting the cookies in odd patterns and Aaron put them on the cookie sheets that were laid out. Spencer moved back around the stove to finish the turkey and he worked on getting the vegetables and rolls in serving dishes to be moved to the table. He made a small batch of stuffing that his mother taught him when he was very young and she was still well most of the time.
A few hours later Jack was playing in his room and his parents were sprawled on the couch enjoying the last of their desserts and drinking wine. Aaron had his arm around Spencer's waist and he said, "I was in the hall hiding while Jack asked you to be his Papa. I know you were looking for me but I knew that you could handle that moment on your own. I have you as my lover and partner and we have Jack, who's been the best son he can be. We are our own little family. I love you."
"I love you too. Jack made this a little easier when he asked me if he could call me Papa. I have a question for you though." Spencer pulled a box out of thin air and opened it. "Will you be my husband Aaron?"
"Yes Spencer I will."
Spencer slid the ring on Aaron's finger and said, "I love you Aaron."
Aaron went to answer but Spencer set his glass on the table and pulled Aaron into a deep kiss until Aaron was a moaning mess and then Spencer pulled away. "We can finish this tonight once Jack is asleep."
"Yes." Aaron said as he tucked Spencer's hair behind his ear and said, "I will always love you Spencer with all my heart, body and soul."
Spencer nuzzled his nose against Aaron's and kissed the tip before he settled down and watched as Aaron played with the light in the room bouncing off the small diamonds in the ring.