Tuesday Midnight Hours
It was just after midnight on Tuesday morning and the lockdown had yet to be lifted. Not that it made any difference at that point. The baby's head was visible on Reid's last check and there was no way Erin could be moved now. David was doing his best to sooth her as much as possible given the circumstances. He was sitting behind her, his legs on either side of the cot. He pressed a cool cloth against her forehead as she rested against him.
Reid pushed the blanket up over her knees. "It's time to start pushing on the next contraction, Chief Strauss." he told her. "A few steady pushes and his head should crown."
"I believe we're well past titles at this point, Spencer." her breathing was short and uneven.
He nodded. "As you wish, Ma'am."
"Mmm." she breathed out. "None of that either. Erin will do just fine."
"Erin." he repeated. "Just try to relax as much as possible until the next contraction."
David pressed a kiss to her temple. "You're doing great, love." he whispered. "You've been so strong and brave today."
"Because you were here with me." she told him. "I couldn't have gotten through this without you." she knew the contraction was coming, she could feel it in her heart. And as much as she wanted to push and get it over with a part of her wanted to hold out for as long as she possibly could. "I love you." her grip on his hand tightened. "Spencer."
Reid's hand gently pushed back her left knee. "That's it." he encouraged her. "Strong, steady pushes." he advised. "Keep going."
David pressed into Erin as she pushed as hard against the contraction as she possibly could. "You're going great, babe." he told her. "I'm right here with you."
"Full head of dark hair." Reid announced as he suctioned out the baby's mouth and nose. "Okay, Erin, little pushes." he instructed. "I'll help maneuver him out."
Erin did just as Spencer asked and within moments healthy cries filled the room. She exhaled heavily and fell back against David. Reid placed the flailing newborn on his mother's stomach. "Congratulations." he told them. "He's perfect."
David pressed a kiss into her hair. "You did it, Erin." he wiped the tears from his eyes. "We have a son." So many emotions were swelling up inside of him. He had never experienced a love so innocent and unconditional. And his love for Erin only grew because of it.
"Oh, David, he's beautiful." she picked the baby up and cradled him against her chest. "Absolutely beautiful."
"He looks like you." he caressed the smooth skin of the baby's back. "And you've never looked more beautiful than you do right now." he told her. "You've given me more than I ever imagined."
Tears stung her face. Happy tears. Welcomed tears. Everything she had been through in the past few years had led her to this moment. As hard as it had been the payoff was immeasurable. "I love you, David." she whispered through tears. "When you said we were going to have a new beginning I never imagined this. Him. He's worth the struggle I went through. And so are you."
Reid wiped at the own tears in his eyes. He clamped the cord in two different spots. "Would you like to cut the cord, Rossi?"
"Yes."
He handed him to scissors. "Right between the two."
David reached around Erin and cut the umbilical cord. He still couldn't stop the tears from flowing. "This is amazing." he whispered. "I'm the happiest man in the world."
Reid placed a towel over the baby. "He certainly has a healthy set of lungs." he smiled. "Does he have a name yet?"
"We're still working on it." David said, never taking his eyes off his son.
"And we're open to suggestions." Erin added. "Rossi isn't the easiest last name to pair something with."
"I like Sebastian." Reid offered up.
/
Reid took the baby to give him a thorough looking over and get him bathed. David helped Erin get cleaned up and changed into his freshly laundered gym clothes. She settled back into fresh sheets on the cot. "Feeling okay?" he pulled the blanket up over her. "Can I get you anything?"
"I'm a little sore but it's not too bad." she told him. "The baby is healthy and I'm so happy, David."
He pressed a kiss to her lips. "I'm happy, too."
Reid brought the baby back over to them. "And baby's happy too." he told them. "I'm not a pediatrician but to me everything looks great." he handed the baby over to David. "I'm going to leave you guys alone to enjoy a little family time. "
"Spencer?" Erin called after him.
"Yes, Erin?"
"Thank you." she smiled. "You were amazing."
He smiled back. "So were you." he said. "We made a pretty good team today."
David shook his head. "It's more than that." he told him. "We're a family here at the BAU."
He nodded. "And now we have a new member with this little guy."
"Sebastian." Erin told him.
Reid arched his eyebrow. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." she confirmed. "It suits him perfectly."
He smiled at the three of them. "Congratulations." he said. "I'll give the good news to the rest of the team." he quietly closed the door behind him, leaving the new family to get better acquainted.
David pulled a chair over next to the cot and sat down. "I think you just made that kid's day."
"It was an excellent suggestion." she told him. "I love it."
"It's the first name we've ever agreed on." he said. "So Sebastian William for the Senator?"
Erin watched David with their newborn and she couldn't ever remember seeing him happier. "My family has a long line of William's." she replied. "I was thinking maybe we could go with James."
He looked up at her. "James?"
"My children all have their own first names but family middle names. Grace has mine, Dashiell has my grandfather's, and, Olivia has Grant's mothers. It's only fitting that I continue the tradition."
David was still a bit taken aback by her gesture. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
He smiled. "I think it's perfect." he looked down at the baby. "Welcome to the world Sebastian James Rossi."
-Finished