Halloween. Allhalloween. All Hallows' Eve. All Saints' Eve.A holiday that was celebrated as much as Christmas in the Reid- Jareau household. Spencer had loved Halloween ever since he was a child, as it was the only day that he could dress-up as someone other than him and he could be something other than the genius everyone labeled him as. But as years passed and he got older, he began to enjoy it for the festivities and all the fun things we would do with his friends. And when he had his own family, Spencer was delighted that his own children loved his holiday as much as him.
JJ's favorite holiday was Christmas; the house being decorated from the early days of December and a big dinner being prepared every Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for them and the team. Sandy Jareau's favorite holiday was Easter and she and her husband had made it a tradition to visit their daughter and grandchildren every Easter to spend these holy days together. But Spencer's Halloween preparations were sometimes even more extravagant than these of the two women.
"Spence, I don't think we need that many pumpkins." JJ noted as Spencer lit up the pumpkins he had placed on the lawn of their yard with LED lights. She had pointed out the same thing when she realized that them having two trick-or-treating eligible kids meant that he would go even more out of his way to make it the best holiday to date.
"There are only 15, JJ. Besides we do have a lot of lawn space that we can't just leave empty. And Jason loves it, don't you?" The blonde toddler looked up from the toy he was playing with and turned to look at Spencer. He giggled and Spencer smirked. "See? He does love it. And Henry chose them with me so you are outnumbered."
"I think it's time we get some more ladies in this house. To even out the score." She told her husband with a half-humorous tone, which caused Spencer to lift his eyebrows. A conversation for later indeed. "But for now I think I should get to making the frosting for the cupcakes before Henry comes back from Adam's house. Wanna help, little one?"
"Yes mommy!" Said Jason as he managed to get up on his feet and walk over to where JJ was sitting on the marble steps of their porch.
"Good job, Jason!" She stated softly and pressed a kiss on her son's head, his Reid genes making everything so much faster in terms of intelligence and growth. "Do you want to help too, Spence?"
"I would love to! I'm done here anyways." He stood up and looked at his accomplishment, every single pumpkin dimly lit and looking extra spooky under the darkening sky.
The rest of the porch and front yard was also decorated appropriately, with fake spider webs placed on the trees and the beams and a fall leaves garland above the door. JJ had embraced Spencer's love for Halloween for a long time now and she actually found herself excited to have painted pumpkins with him and the kids which they used to decorate the entryway. Another thing that they had been doing since Henry was little, was cooking cupcakes and other sweets, like they did for Christmas. It had been a way for all of them to bond a bit more and Spencer taught JJ some of his tricks over the years so she would nail a layered "spooky" cake that the boys (including their colleagues) loved!
Penelope had come over the other day, making cookies with her nephews and so did Derek, Savannah and Hank, who loved spending their day with their extended family. Needless to say, more of the cookies were eaten, either by the sneaky Henry or… Henry's sneaky mom.
The cupcakes were cooling by the time Henry returned home, hugging his mom and dad, saying hello to his brother… and then asking if the cupcakes were ready to be eaten. Spencer and JJ laughed and after Henry took a shower, he did get his cupcake and the family sat to watch… The Nightmare before Christmas; another Halloween tradition. Little Jason was asleep half an hour in and Henry did manage to stay awake until the end of the movie, before collapsing on his mom the moment the credits rolled, mumbling: "I want to be Jack for Halloween please."
The next day as soon as Henry sat down for breakfast Spencer smiled at his son; ready for one of his favorite activities on the Halloween preparations.
"So, have you decided on a costume, buddy?" He asked Henry as the boy started eating the cereal Spencer had prepared for him.
"I don't know, I want to be so many things. I want to be Poe from Star Wars, oh, or Cassian! Maybe I can be Star Lord!" Henry started rambling and Spencer laughed.
"What happened to your declaration that you are going to be Jack Skellington that you made last night?" JJ teased her son as she walked in the kitchen with Jason in her arms. She bent and gave Henry a kiss on the head before giving Spencer a kiss too and handing him their youngest son.
"Hey, Jacey. Morning." Spencer told the little boy who giggled and gave his father a tight hug.
"I don't know, mom. I want to be so many things. What are you going to dress up as?" He asked her as JJ poured herself a cup of coffee to boost her Sunday morning, thankful there was not a case that Sunday.
"I think I may be going as Black Widow this Halloween." She smiled at Spence, who was probably thinking about the super-heroine's distinctive outfit.
"Cool! What are you going as, dad?"
"Probably Captain America. Wouldn't want anyone else to be the other half of that dynamic duo." He explained to Henry and handed his a napkin to wipe the milk from his top lip.
"Thanks." Henry said and Jason giggled on Spencer's lap as his father fed him a banana which JJ had but in pieces so he could chew them easily. "But why are you dressing up as heroes, you already are. That's what Mrs. Smith told me when I told her what your job is."
"We aren't heroes, Henry. We just protect people and save them." Spencer was ready to slap himself. Well that was a poor choice of words.
"Sounds like a hero to me, dad." Henry said and JJ smiled at her husband as he sat on the chair next to his. "I have an idea!"
"Let's hear it, baby."
"You will be Black Widow, dad will be Captain America, I will be Iron Man and… do you want to be Quicksilver, Thor or Hulk Jacey?" The blonde hair little boy looked at his brother, confused.
"Quilver?" He questioned and looked between his two parents.
"Quicksilver, okay thank you Jacey. His hair is almost white too! Do you like my idea?" JJ looked at Spencer and smiled.
She remembered her husband being so excited every year for Halloween and trying to get everyone as excited as him (to no avail) and little Henry wanting to dress up like him in Halloween. They had both been so scared when Henry wasn't in the mood for celebrating his father favorite holiday. Spencer was filled with guilt, but after Henry insisted he dressed up like his dad, all was well.
So, of course they weren't going to deny Henry anything and the memories they would make with their boys would be too precious… which resulted in the Reids showing up to Penelope's Halloween party dressed as a super-family.
Well… a more super family than they already were anyway.