When I forgot to bring my gym shoes today, I sat out in gym. Over the radio I heard "White Christmas" and this came to me. Just to get you in the Christmas mood. Oh, also, my blackberry randomly stopped working...why does Blackberry and RIM hate me? So now forever lost are the next 8 chapters to "If He Had Known" plus the story I wrote for the CCOAC Christmas exchange :P I stole my mum's android to email this to myself :D
Another note, my writing style may change a little. I'm taking composition class right now and I'e been "writing the wrong way" so yeah. And this story tales place Christmas 2011 assuming Reid and JJ got together after the football game.
"That one Daddy!" 4-year-old Matthew Reid exclaimed, pointing at a toy in the crowded toy aisle. Reid picked up the toy, which was Rapunzel from Tangled. "Do you think Maddie would like it?"
"She'll love it," Reid said, knowing how much his 3 year-old daughter loved Rapunzel. "Are we all done now?"
"Nope. I gotta get Mommy something," Matthew said. After they left the toy department, Reid lifted Matthew onto his shoulders. As long as he's worked at the FBI, he knew that busy supercenters were where unsubs were waiting for unattended kids to kidnap.
"What do you want to get Mommy?" Reid asked.
"Coffee cup since I broke her's," Matthew said. Reid nodded and started walking towards the display of coffee cups. Matthew pointed at the coffee cup he liked and Reid grabbed it.
"Okay, let's try and get out of here alive," Reid said. He walked to the long self checkout line. While waiting, his phone rang.
"Hello?" Reid answered.
"Madison and I are all finished up. We're waiting for you two at Starbucks right now," JJ said.
"Okay. We're in line now. After this we're done though," Reid said.
"Hurry up," JJ said.
"I would if I could. This lady is making like 15 transitions and there are 3 more people in front of us," Reid said.
"Okay. I love you and Madison said she loves the two of you," JJ said.
"We love you too. Bye Jenny," Reid said. Finally, they opened more lanes and Reid walked over to one as soon as he could.
"Daddy, why do you and Mommy always put us on your shoulders or in the shopping carts?" Matthew asked.
"Because if we don't, bad guys might try to take you. We wouldn't want that to happen, right?" Reid asked.
"Right," Matthew said. For being 4 years old, Matthew was very smart. He had taken after his father in looks as well. His younger sister, Madison, was also smart, but took after JJ in looks.
"All done kiddo. Ready to go meet Mommy and Madison?" Reid asked.
"Yeah!" Matthew exclaimed.
"Alright," Reid said. Once they got outside, Reid let Matthew walk to the car, holding his hand. Reid buckled Matthew into his booster seat and got behind the wheel. He started the car and started to drive. 'White Christmas' started playing on the radio and Reid noticed Matthew's face drop.
"What's wrong buddy?" Reid asked.
"It's Christmas Eve and there's no snow," Matthew said. "There's always snow."
"I know kiddo. I wish we were having a white Christmas too," Reid said. It hadn't been a good December for Virginia. They hardly got any snow. Reid pulled the car into Starbucks and got Matthew out of the car. They walked in and were engulfed with a hug.
"I missed you Daddy," Madison said.
"I missed you too Princess," Reid said.
"Mommy!" Matthew exclaimed, giving JJ a hug.
"Hey baby boy," JJ said. They all sat at the table and talked, Madison and Matthew enjoying hot cocoa while Reid and JJ enjoyed their coffee.
"Do you guys know what we're doing when we get home?" JJ asked.
"I know! We're makin' cookies for Santa! And we read Christmas book, open one gift, and watch train movie!" Madison exclaimed.
"Exactly. Finish your cocoa and we'll get home," Reid said. They finished the last of their cocoa and returned to their home. They went into separate rooms and wrapped the Christmas Eve presents. After that, they placed the presents in front of the fire place and went into the kitchen, where JJ had cookie dough and sprinkles set out.
"Okay, pick your cookie cutter and sprinkles," JJ picked the Christmas tree shaped cookie cutter and Matthew picked the snowman shaped cookie cutter. The young Reid's cut the cookies and put them on the cookie tray, cover the kitchen and themselves with flour, dough, and sprinkles.
"I'll clean the kitchen and you clean the kids," Reid said.
"Deal. Then we can sit around the fire, open a present, and read. Then it's off to our room for a movie," JJ said.
"Okay," Reid said. He cleaned the kitchen while JJ gave Matthew and Madison baths. She put on her pajamas and dressed Madison in her new Rapunzel pajamas and Matthew in his Toy Story pajamas. Reid was already sitting in front of the fire with the book on his lap.
"Youngest gets the first gift," JJ declared, passing the gift wrapped in pink Disney Princess wrapping paper to Madison. "It's from Matthew." Madison unwrapped the gift and found the new Rapunzel doll.
"Thanks Matthew!" Madison exclaimed, giving her brother a hug. JJ passed the next gift to Matthew.
"This is from Madison," JJ said. Matthew opened it to find a plush Woody from Toy Story.
"Thanks Maddie," Matthew said, hugging Madison. JJ handed Reid a box.
"It's from me," JJ said with a smile. Reid opened it and pulled out a shirt that read 'World's Best Dad'.
"Thanks Jenny," Reid said giving her a kiss.
"Keep going," JJ said. Reid lifted the tissue and found an ultrasound picture marked 'Baby Reid #3'. His eyes grew huge as a smile formed on his face. He pulled JJ into a hug.
"How long?" Reid asked.
"8 weeks," JJ said. He gave her a kiss, receiving gagging noises from their kids.
"Should we tell them?" Reid whispered. JJ nodded. "Well, Mommy has a gift for all of us this year."
"What?" Matthew and Madison asked.
"Next Christmas, you two will have a little brother or sister joining you two," Reid said.
"I get to be a big sister?" Madison asked.
"Yeah Princess," Reid said.
"Mommy, you didn't open yours," Matthew said. He slid the small box to his Mommy. "It's from Daddy." JJ opened the box to find a necklace. 'Spencer + Jennifer 10-10-05' was engraved on the back.
"I love it Spence," JJ said, tears welling in her eyes. Reid wiped them away and kissed her.
"Christmas book," Madison said. Reid smiled as they pulled away. He picked up the book as he and JJ started reading.
"'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…" Reid started.
After the cookies were made and they were set out with a glass of milk, Madison and Matthew climbed into bed with their parents. Reid turned on 'The Polar Express' and sat on the bed with his family.
"Daddy," Matthew asked sleepily.
"Yeah kiddo?" Reid said.
"Is there really a magic train that takes kids to the North Pole to meet Santa on Christmas Eve?" Matthew asked.
"If there is, I don't know about," Reid said. Matthew nodded and snuggled into Reid's side, his new stuffed Woody in his arm. Madison was fast asleep with her Rapunzel doll in her arm. The movie ended and JJ and Reid carried the sleeping toddlers to their bedroom. Reid and JJ met in the hall, giving each other a kiss. Reid put a hand on her still flat stomach and smiled.
"Another baby huh? That's an unexpected Christmas Eve gift," Reid said.
"Well we are good at making beautiful, intelligent babies," JJ said. Reid kissed her one more time.
"That we are," Reid said with a smile.
Christmas Day
5:42 am
"MOMMY! DADDY! SANTA'S BEEN HERE!" Matthew and Madison exclaimed, jumping on the bed. Reid and JJ pulled the hyper toddlers into their laps.
"Well I say we go downstairs and see what you got," JJ said. They all went to the living room. Matthew looked out the window and saw all the snow that was falling. A nice sheet of it had already fallen that night.
"Daddy! Snow!" Matthew exclaimed.
"It's a white Christmas after all," Reid said.
"Mommy, what's a white Christmas?" Madison asked.
"It's when it snows on Christmas," JJ said. Madison nodded and pulled Matthew from the window.
"Come on big brother, we got presents to open!" Madison said. JJ smiled as Reid wrapped his arms around her.
"Are you ready to tackle 3 kids now?" Reid asked.
"Matthew's going to kindergarten next year and Madison's going to preschool. I say we can do it," JJ said. "Are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be," Reid said.