Disclaimer: see my profile
A/n hey all, here's the first chapter of my sequel to "The Last Viable Donor." Please enjoy and thanks to my great beta for all her help.
"Honey... Don't get up. I'll get him." Emily put a hand on Reid's shoulder.
"No… You were up with him at two am. It's my turn. You have a big day today. I want you to rest and enjoy it fully."
He rolled over and reached for the lamp on one of the two matching night tables on either side of their bed. The light that flooded the room was dim was the lampshade was a heavy cream material. The lamps were squat, round, and painted light blue. He squinted a bit against the low light as he got up and pulled on the robe he'd thrown over a wooden chair that stood in one corner of the room.
"It's only six am Spencer…" Emily tried again.
"I know… Go back to sleep." His voice was husky from disuse and she shivered.
His long, lanky body, that she'd only see fully unclothed once, had a strength that wasn't readily apparent unless you took the time to look beyond the obvious. His face had been sculpted by a talented angel that knew looks are deceiving. Add to it the brilliant mind, and wavy golden brown locks, and you had an amazing combination.
"Just because the girls are dragging me away for a shopping day, doesn't mean you have to go all "Mr. Mom" on me." She tried again while watching him tie the belt on his old, raggedy brown robe.
"I want you to have the whole day to relax. I'll get him this time. Go back to sleep."
"Okay, but one day your puppy eyes won't get you what you want."
"Hasn't happened yet." He winked at her.
"Cute," She tossed a pillow at him as he left the room.
The baby's room was dark except for the small night light at one end of the room. The baby monitor threw a little glow into the room that illuminated the dresser and changing table. Reid turned on the light and went to the crib.
"Hey little man… It's too early for all this fuss."
Aaron cried as though someone was running him through with stick pins. Reid lifted him out of the crib and paced around the room a bit, rocking the baby gently.
Aaron proclaimed his displeasure at this course of action. "Hm… I think someone might be hungry."
The light was still glowing next to their bed and Emily was sitting propped up on her pillows.
"I think he's hungry."
"I told you to let me get him." She gently scolded.
"I know… I just wanted to hold him."
He could make her cry at the most surprising times. Despite all they'd seen and done at the Bureau, in many ways he was as innocent and guileless as the child in his arms.
He gave her Aaron and lay down on their king-size bed to watch her feed the baby. She shifted her tee shirt that said, "World's Hottest Mommy." Reid had bought it for her from one of those novelty stores at the mall. She refused to wear it anywhere but bed.
Aaron immediately latched on to her breast and suckled with great enthusiasm. One of his tiny hands reached up and rested against the side of her breast. It was a gentle, innocent touch that made Reid's eyes tear up.
"Hey… What are you thinking?"
"That I have the most beautiful family in the world. Thank you for picking me Emily."
"I didn't pick you, Sophie did," She teased.
"Really?"
"You're so easy to tease Spencer Reid."
He made a very rude gesture at her and she laughed quietly. "Seriously though, I made a list and when it came time to decide, Sophie walked out of the room and left it up to me."
"Smart cat!"
"Smart-ass cat is more like it."
They sat looking at each other in the low light of the room as the blackness out the window turned to a deep purple with the coming of morning.
"What's it like?" He asked suddenly.
"What's what like?"
"That," He pointed at the nursing baby. "What's it like to nurse him?"
"I can't describe it." She said looking down at the dark wavy hair that was so like Spencer's locks, except for the color which matched hers.
"Try," He asked again.
"It's primal I guess. Women always say that they can do anything a man can do and I believe that, but this is something you can't do."
"So you're saying it makes you feel powerful."
"I guess, but like nurturing, not overpowering - does that make sense?"
"Yeah… I guess it does. I wish I could fee like that."
"It's not a contest Spencer. You have other gifts that Aaron needs. You have compassion that I don't have even though I try so hard to have it."
"That's not true!" He argued.
"Yes it is… You're brave, resourceful, and you can make intuitive leaps in cases that none of us ever see coming. That's going to come in very handy with Aaron when he's older if you can see him objectively.
"We only have a few years with him and then he'll be out in the world. We have to prepare him for that," Reid said as he reached out and touched the top of Aaron's head. "Help me with him Emily. I don't want to be like my dad."
"You won't," She assured him.
"If I ever get stupid and decide to leave, promise me you'll call Garcia."
Emily began to chuckle softly so as not to disturb the suckling baby. "Why her?"
"Because she'll erase my existence and I'll have to come back to get her to restore it."
"Well that's weird logic that makes sense in a very strange way. Still, I don't want you back if the only reason you come back is to have your life un-erased.
"You know I love you," Reid said.
"Then there's no reason for you to leave."
He opened his mouth and then shut it again. Then he opened it again. "Okay, but if I did leave -"
She reached out her free hand and put it over his mouth. "Shut up Spencer."
Aaron was nearly asleep when he'd eaten his fill. Spencer took him and walked back to the nursery after Emily burped him. Reid took him over to Emily's rocker glider and sat down.
The baby was down for the count in a matter of minutes after Reid began to rock him. His little face was calm and relaxed except for his little mouth that made small sucking movements.
Did babies dream?
He'd read somewhere that they did. He'd also read a study that said they weren't capable of dreaming before the first year.
If they dreamed, what would it be about? Did they dream about eating, or about sleeping in the womb where is was warm, wet and dark? Did they dream about their parents? He wished he could ask his little man.
"Hey…"
He looked up to see Emily standing there in her robe. "You've been in here for awhile. Come back to bed."
"I can't… He's so beautiful. I can't fully believe that he belongs to us. I'm in complete awe of him."
"Oh… he belongs to us." She came into the room and stood next to the glider. She put a hand on Aaron's head. "I see you every time I look at him. It's thanks to you that we have him."
"We did this together." He corrected her.
"Yeah…" Emily softly stroked the dark wavy hair on the top of Aarons head.
"I'll put him down." Reid yawned.
He stood slowly, careful not to jostle his son. The little guy slept on as he put him in the cradle and adjusted his blue and white starburst pattern blanket. Every time he had to relinquish his son to someone else or his crib, it hurt his heart a little.
He adjusted the volume on the baby monitor even though it was the perfect level.
"Stop fussing around Spencer."
He took her hand and went back to their bedroom.
"He adores you." Emily said as they took of their robes and got into bed.
Reid snuggled up close to Emily. She wrapped her arms around him and put her head on his shoulder.
"I adore both of you." She whispered, making the hair stand up on his arms.
"I love you so much." He said.
She kissed him.
"Are you sure we have to wait another two months." He asked when she let them come up for air.
"Don't pout…"
"I'm not pouting!"
"Yes you are. Trust me! The very minute I get the go ahead from my doctor I'm going to…"
She whispered in his ear and his heart rate skyrocketed. "Really?"
"Oh yeah… I can't wait to try it out with you."
Reid pulled out of her arms and left the bed.
"Where are you going?"
"I need a very cold shower."
---
Helga had arrived by the time Emily came down the stairs. She had been lured down by the smell of her favorite chocolate chip pancakes.
A round wooden table ruled the kitchen from it's center position. Morgan had redone the cabinets from the same type of wood as the table, which was oak. They'd been left unstained and all the appliances were stainless steel. The tiles on the floor were blue-green and matched the paint on the walls.
"How is my Liebchen?" Helga asked her when she came into the room.
"Which one?"
"Both of zem," Helga said as she flipped over the first of the pancakes. Them she turned her attention to some fresh ground sausages she'd molded into patties.
"They're fine. Aaron is sleeping. Spencer is getting dressed."
"Ah gutt… He needs some of zis gutt food. He is still too skinny."
Emily was biting her bottom lip to keep from laughing when Reid walked into the kitchen.
"Dr Reid?" Helga exclaimed.
She pushed him down into the chair across from Emily. "Sit! I vill make you a plate when ze sausages are ready, ja?"
Emily snickered into her dark blue coffee mug.
"Make her stop!" Reid mouthed at her.
"I can't," She whispered back.
"Emily!"
"There you go Liebchen." Helga placed a plate full of pancakes, sausage patties, and scrambled eggs in front of him. "Eat!" She ordered him.
"Yeah Spencer, eat!"
"Shut up!"
She grinned at him and buttered a biscuit fresh from the oven.
"You like the pancakes, ja?" Helga was hovering over Reid again.
"Yes ma'am."
Helga beamed at him and ruffled his hair.
He glared at her once her back was turned.
Emily laughed and then choked on the biscuit.
"Stop it!" Reid hissed.
Helga set a plate down in front of Emily and patted her shoulder. "Ze sausage was too spicy." She indicated Emily's plate, which had pancakes and eggs, but no meat. "Ze tiny Liebchen must not get a sick tummy."
It was Reid's turn to smirk when Helga's back was turned
Sophie ran into the room at that moment and began rubbing up against Emily's leg.
"Oh zat cat is back begging." Helga clucked.
Sophie hissed at her and hid under the table.
Emily giggled while Reid fed the cat scrapes every time Helga's back was turned.
When they had finished the feast that Helga called breakfast Reid thanked her. "You're welcome Liebchen. I vill clean up and let you know when Ms. Garcia comes."
"You don't have to do that Helga. It's supposed to be your day off."
"I vill leave when Ms Garcia comes." She repeated.
Reid escaped as soon as he could with Sophie hot on his heels. They made their way upstairs together and found Emily in the bedroom.
"Are you sure we have to keep her." He asked
"Spencer Reid!"
Reid perched on the edge of the bed. Sophie jumped into his lap. "She agrees with me." Reid said, scratching the cat behind his ears.
Emily pulled off the tee shirt she'd been wearing to sleep. Reid stopped scratching the cat's ears to stare at her bare chest.
"Spencer!"
"What?"
"Stop drooling and cool your jets, or you'll need another cold shower."
"Not funny Emily."
"Yes it was. You should see your face." She threw her shirt at him and went into the en-suite.
"Your owner isn't funny at all." Reid said to Sophie.
The cat only looked at him.
---
Emily had just finished dressing Aaron in a white onsie with little puppies sleeping on the front when Reid walked into the nursery.
"You look so handsome" She cooed. "Just like daddy."
"I don't wear puppies on my clothes."
He kissed her fore head and then leaned in to kiss Aaron's head.
"No you don't, thank God." She said. "Aaron still doesn't like his bath very much."
"No… but Dr. Johnson said he'll appreciate it in a few weeks. Won't you little man?"
She picked up Aaron and followed Reid into their bedroom. The doorbell rang and they looked at each other. "She's here!"