Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. No copyright infringement intended. I own only my own characters.
Hi all here's the sequel to my previous story "Not alone anymore". Hope you will like it. I might add on more chapters…..see how it goes……
THANKS mabelreid my wonderful beta reader.
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After spending a month with his newfound family, Reid was happy to be back in his own apartment. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy his stay there, but that he was used to staying alone and fending for himself all these years. He wasn't used to someone waking him - his little siblings, Ivan and Denise - in the morning. He wasn't accustomed to having his breakfast made, or someone making sure that he ate enough healthy food and getting enough rest. He wasn't used to moving around a place and seeing anything in the house but the four walls.
In addition, after his 2 weeks medical leave, he was anxious to get back to work as he missed his BAU family. They had a few video conferences to check on him and during those times, he'd tried to convince Hotch to let him cut short his vacation. Hotch rejected that suggestion outright. He finally gave up when Garcia threatened to hack into his computer and bank accounts.
Sitting on his bed, Reid recalled that the first night in his father's place, Ivan and Denise had insisted on sleeping with him in the same room, but Gordon refused claiming that Reid was still recovering from his injuries and would need plenty of rest. He was grateful that his father done that, as he was very tired. He'd fallen asleep the moment he hit the bed. A week later, the kids requested again to bunk in with him at night and as he felt much better, he agreed before Gordon could refuse them again. Reid really couldn't bear to look at the disappointment in the kids' eyes. Since then, the kids bunked with him every night until his last night with them. They also insisted that Reid read to them before going to sleep.
Besides going to school, Ivan and Denise were always sticking around him. While he was still recovering, they helped Maria take care of him, bringing things to him, making sure he didn't move around too much and had plenty of rest. They made sure he ate lots of healthy food and were always adding food on his plate during meals. However, the worst thing was that they actually restricted his coffee intake. They hid the coffee grounds, and insisted that he could have a maximum of only two cups per day.
Once he had recovered, Ivan and Denise insisted that he teach them magic tricks. They also wanted him to take them out during the weekends. They asked him to take them to the playground and coach them in their schoolwork. Whenever Maria needed to buy something, they would request that Reid go so they could tag along.
It was hard for the kids when he was leaving them that evening. They cried and refused to let him go, asking him to stay with them permanently. It wasn't until he promised to visit them often during the weekends, and call them daily, that they finally let him leave.
The most unforgettable event during this period was their visit to his mom. His father wanted to visit Diana, and Reid was surprised at how accepting Maria was. The visit was pleasant. Diana was able to recognize Gordon and was glad that he and Reid had found each other. She loved Ivan and Denise and seemed to be able to connect very well with Maria. They had even taken photo together. Reid looked at the two new photos framed on his bedside cupboard. One included his mom and dad, the other one was a complete family photo, including Maria and the kids. He wanted to get to know more about his new family, and he made a promise to himself to spend more time with them in the future.
