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The Green Fairy Bites Back
"Oh, there's my baby star," JJ enthused.
She swayed as she swept Henry up into her embrace when he leapt at her with his arms held wide. She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him close.
"I missed you," she gushed.
"You called him a baby star," Emily giggled. "He's not a star."
She ruffled Henry's hair from over JJ's shoulder.
"He's my baby star," JJ insisted. "Go play with Spence and leave me alone."
Emily rolled her eyes, "No, I wanna play with Henry."
Henry was trying to pull out of JJ's arms. "Mommy, let go." He kicked and twisted in her arms. "Let go."
JJ released Henry with a pout. "What's the matter?"
Henry ducked around Emily and ran to Spencer. He hid behind Reid's legs, peering out around him with a very unhappy expression.
Reid knelt down to Henry's level. "What's wrong buddy?"
"Mommy smell funny," he whispered in Reid's ear. "Don't like it."
"Oh, well, why don't you go in the living room for a minute and play with your blocks. Remember the tower we built last night?"
Henry nodded. "Don't wanna play. Wanna stay here with you."
Reid held onto Henry's shoulders. "I need to help your Mommy. She and Aunt Emily are sick."
"Please Unca Spence." Henry began to cry. "I scared."
"You can stay over here with me." Reid changed his mind and patted Henry on the head. The little boy stayed close to Reid as he went back to the island counter. "Why don't you guys drink your coffee? I'll bet Henry will play with you if you do. He won't be so terrified if you sober up a bit," he asked in a very calm and careful tone that belied his cold, and angry eyes.
JJ tried to stand up. "I'm sorry baby boy." Tears began to rush down her face. "I love you."
"Me love mommy," Henry said, but he stayed where he was at Spencer's side.
JJ stared down at Henry, then back up at Reid. Emily was silent, but she'd begun to sip her coffee, her eyes on Reid, too. JJ seemed to come to a decision as she picked up the mug, and took a couple of sips from her coffee. Her face went white after the second drink and she slapped her hand to her mouth. "I'm gonna puke."
She stumbled in the direction of a small, half bathroom that was just off the kitchen area. She slammed the door, making Reid and Henry flinch. The little boy's mouth began to tremble. Reid picked him up and set him on the counter with his back to Emily.
"Don't worry, buddy. Mommy will feel better very soon. You were such a good helper last night. Remember you helped clean up the mess we made last night with the puzzle?"
Henry nodded, his dark blue eyes stayed glued to Spencer's face. "I help."
"Yes, you did." Reid stroked a hand through Henry's short blond hair. "You were so good last night. I really liked staying here with you."
Henry threw his arms around Reid. "I glad Unca Spence here."
"Me too, buddy," he pulled back from the child and touched his chin with one long finger. "Can you stay here in the kitchen at the table with your crayons and paper while I help your mommy and Aunt Emily feel better faster?"
Henry nodded again with a little smile. "Kay."
Reid lifted him back to the floor and swatted his gently on the bottom. "Why don't I find the picture you were working on last night?"
"Can I color with you?"
They turned to see JJ standing there. She was pale, her hair was in disarray, and some water droplets clung to her face.
"I'm sorry if I scared you," she continued.
Reid observed her closely, noting that her eyes seemed a little clearer than they had when she and Emily had returned.
Henry went to her and grabbed her hand. "I help mommy get better."
"He's so cute." Emily spoke up from her chair. "I want to color too."
She grinned at Henry, who put his face into JJ's shoulder. She swayed at bit getting to her feet. "I like the red crayon best… oh, I don't feel so good."
Reid hurried to her side as she stumbled, then just dropped, passing out cold. He caught her, nearly going down with her. "Stay there, Henry," he gasped. "Aunt Emily's going to sleep for a little while."
He half dragged, half-carried Emily back to the living room. He decided to deposit her on the couch where he'd fallen asleep last night. He put her down, swung her legs up and pulled down the brightly colored knitted throw that hung over the back.
"Hopefully you'll feel better when you wake up."
Henry and JJ were at the table with a huge box of crayons and a pad of paper. Henry was working on the same family picture he'd drawn several hours earlier with Reid. "Looks good," Reid, said.
JJ had a purple crayon in her right hand and she was filling in the outline of what looked like a giant rainbow. "My head hurts," she complained looking up at Reid.
He bit back the urge to say the first thing that came to mind. "I'll get you some Aspirin."
"Uncle Spence, we have breakfast?"
"Okay, give me a second." He said distractedly.
He hurried down the hall to the en-suite bathroom of JJ's bedroom. She'd been very sure to tell him where the medicine cabinet was when she'd left him the night before with Henry. He smiled despite his irritation remembering how she'd gone over every detail including reminding him of emergency numbers, which he already had in his memory. It was funny that she truly thought he couldn't handle a couple of hours with Henry. Of course, it had turned into more, but that wasn't the point now. He retrieved the bottle of headache pills in the cabinet and hurried back out to the kitchen.
"I like blue," JJ was saying to Henry.
"Me too," the boy said, as he chose another color.
"Here, take this until I get a chance to make you a better hangover remedy."
JJ frowned and stuck her tongue out at Reid. "I don't wanna drink anything else. The coffee made me sick."
He sighed, so much for the hope that she was beginning to sober up a little. Maybe now that she'd thrown up some of the alcohol, she'd begin to return to her senses.
"The coffee didn't make you sick. It was something else you drank."
He lifted his eyebrows and glanced over at Henry.
"Want puffs." Henry whined at Reid.
Reid looked pointedly at JJ. "What's that?"
"Coco Puffs silly, its cereal," she giggled. "I want some too."
"Oh no, you can't eat that now."
"Why are you so mean?"
"Where's the cereal?" Reid asked in his most pleasant tone.
She pointed in the general direction of the cabinets over the sink. He was reduced to searching through all of them until he found the cereal, a bowl, a spoon and a cup for some juice.
Henry completely forgot his picture for the bowl of Coco Puffs. JJ sat there with her chin in her hands and watched him like he was the most engrossing film.
Reid kept one eye on JJ and Henry while he put together a hangover remedy that Morgan had taught him once when they'd gone to a bar one weekend. It had been before his Dilaudid addiction and the only time he'd drunk enough to get stupid.
"What're you doin'?" JJ was suddenly at his elbow.
"I'm making something good for you."
"What is it?"
"I found your juicer. I'm making some fresh fruit juice for you," he said as he activated the machine.
JJ put her hands over her ears and shouted. "That's too loud. Turn it off!"
He ignored her as he pushed strawberries, blueberries, kiwi and banana into the machine. JJ glared at him when he finally turned it off. "I don't want it."
"The fruit's very good for you. I'm going to add a little honey and the ginger will sooth your stomach. No coffee for you either now that you've thrown up, because it will just dehydrate you more. You should have a vitamin supplement, but I don't have any available. "
JJ took the glass from him after he stirred in the honey and fresh ginger and sipped at the drink. "It tastes good," she giggled. "I'm sorry I said you were mean."
"It's okay, don't worry about it."
"Unca Spence has some," Henry, piped up from behind them.
Reid turned just in time to see Henry try to get down from his chair with his glass. His bowl overturned with a crash and splash. Milk and Coco Puffs flew across the floor. Henry slipped and fell to his knees. He started to cry. Reid stopped JJ from going to him. "Drink your juice."
He hurried to Henry and picked him up. "Hey, don't cry, buddy. You're okay. "
"I can help." JJ insisted, leaving her half-drunk juice on the island counter.
The doorbell rang as Reid was getting to his feet and reaching for a towel to clean up the mess. "Oh, who's that," he snapped.
"I'll see who it is." JJ started for the front door.
"Oh, no you stay here," he rushed past her. "Watch out for Henry."
"Yes sir."
The doorbell sounded again as he hurried forward. He looked out peephole in the door to see an unfamiliar woman with dark hair and eyes wearing a blue tee shirt and jeans. "Who is it?"
She glanced up with surprise. "It's Katie. Will, is that you?"
He opened the door wishing he had his badge. "Who are you?" He repeated the question with some irritation.
"I'm the babysitter. Who are you and where's JJ?"
"Katie," Henry enthused, running forward to jump into her arms. "Hey little man, how're you?"
"I fine, mommy sick," he informed her.
Reid stepped back to let her in, shutting the door behind her. "JJ and Emily returned home about an hour ago. They had a little too much to drink."
"Oh, you must be Dr. Reid. JJ told me all about you. You're Henry's godfather."
"Yes. I'm sorry you had to arrive in the middle of a mess."
Katie put Henry down when they got to the kitchen. "I've been babysitting for JJ since Henry was born. I think I can handle it."
"Well, why don't you watch Henry and I'll clean up the kitchen?"
JJ's eyes lit up. "Hey, Katie," she rushed forward and hugged her friend.
"It's good to see you too."
"When I'm done, I'm going to see that Emily gets home." Reid told Katie.
"Like I said, don't worry about these two. I can handle it."
"Are you sure, because I can stay -"
"It's fine." Katie still held onto Henry's hand. She stroked his head with her free hand. "You've been here all night I assume. I know JJ really wanted me to help last night, but I had to work late. I'm a nurse. I'm glad I could be here this morning so she can go to this race your friend is in."
"Oh, well, it's okay. I loved staying here with Henry. He's a great kid."
"Yes he is."
"Well," Reid said somewhat reluctantly. "I guess I better go clean up the mess."
