Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing. Feel free to read and review, but please don't copy.

AN- This story grew from Sue1313 whose request was: I would love to see adult Reid getting sick and wanting to be taking care of and he asks Gabe to make him little again so Hotch will take care of him.

I hope I did it justice.

CM

Reid let out a sigh as he closed the door to Morgan's home. He set his messenger bag on the shelf by the door and then trudged into the living room and dropped onto the recliner. Only then did he allow himself to massage his aching forehead. What had started as a small ache had grown exponentially during the drive home. He swallowed wincing as he was painfully reminded that his headache wasn't the first symptom he had noticed. No, that had been a tickle in his throat that had now blossomed into a throat that felt like he'd been gargling ground glass. Stupid germ filled school. He knew the minute Hotch informed him that he would be speaking to several third and fourth grade classes that he'd end up sick. Luckily for him, the early symptoms hadn't started until an hour or so before work ended today. Spencer had been able to easily hide his blossoming ailment from his friends. And since it was Friday and Morgan was off throwing in his words the ultimate bachelor party weekend for one of his friends, Reid would be able to keep his illness a secret. He could lay on the couch, eat ice cream, and drink his coffee without anyone hovering over him or ordering him to bed. There'd be no taking away his coffee or feeding him disgusting medicine or deciding he is too ill to watch the Dr. Who marathon he had planned. Nothing but Reid, Clooney, and Chester and hours of the best of Dr. Who. Which reminded him…he hadn't been greeted with the sloppy kisses Clooney and Chester were quickly becoming famous for. Worried about what the two were up to, Reid drug himself off the couch and shuffled through the living room and into the kitchen. He opened the back door and hollered for the dogs who stopped whatever game they were playing and bounded across the yard.

Clooney and Chester pranced into the house before attacking their favorite chew toy.

"Yeah, yeah, I love you, too." Reid said as he patted the overexcited dogs' heads. "Come on guys. Calm it down a little. I can't get your food if you're jumping all over me." Seeing that his words were getting him nowhere, he pointed to the ground and sternly commanded, "Sit!"

Both dogs immediately sat down.

"Good boys!" Spencer praised. "Now stay." He picked up the dogs' dishes and quickly poured out the recommended amount for each one before setting them down in front of the two obedient pups. "Okay guys, dig in."

Clooney and Chester promptly buried their faces in their bowls and began chowing down.

"Now to see about something for me." Reid muttered. He sifted through the cabinets discounting foods as he went. Finding nothing even vaguely appetizing, he made his way to the fridge. Unfortunately, that search proved fruitless as well. Everything was either not appealing or took longer to fix than he felt he could remain standing. That left just one place to check; the freezer. Spencer opened that door and glanced inside. Nothing good or easy there except…the profiler pulled out the tub of strawberry ice cream. "Guess this will have to do." He told himself. Smiling, he scooped out an extra-large helping and then after putting the carton away, tromped back into the living room and flopped onto the couch. Reid picked up the remote and flipped through the channels. Finally settling for a nature documentary, the ill young man leaned back against the sofa and settled in to watch.

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Reid groaned as he was pulled from a restless slumber. His head was pounding and his throat felt like it was on fire. And he was hot; extremely hot. He needed water. "Mor" he began only to stop as he remembered his friend wasn't there. Sighing and wincing as that aggravated his already inflamed throat, he struggled into a sitting position. Once that Herculean feat was accomplished, he took a moment to rest and then slowly levered himself up to stand. He had to grab a hold of the back of the couch and close his eyes to keep from falling as dizziness assaulted him. When he opened his eyes a few minutes later to find the room still lazily spinning, Spencer decided the water wasn't worth the half a day trek it would require and plopped back down on his sofa. He laid back down on the comfortable piece of furniture and closed his eyes.

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The next time Reid woke it was to a gurgling stomach. Realizing what was coming, he rolled off the couch and staggered to the nearest bathroom making just as his make shift supper decided to make a reappearance. He leaned heavily against the commode as wave after wave of nausea assaulted him. It felt like his stomach had been turned inside out causing him to expel everything he'd eaten the past day and then some. He endured round after round until finally after what seemed like a lifetime later, the heaving stopped. Exhausted from the intense experience, Reid slowly lowered himself to the floor. He wrapped his arms around his aching stomach with a sniff. He knew he was grown man and it was silly but he wanted his dad. He longed for Hotch's strong arms to wrap around him; for him to hold Spencer and rock him and tell him he was going to be alright. He wished he was still little.

"Wish granted" a soothing voice called.

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Hotch pulled to a stop beside Morgan and Reid's vehicles and cut the engine. He knew it was the middle of the night or more like morning and that it was too early to be visiting anyone but he just couldn't help it. He had the terrible feeling that something was very wrong. And that feeling had grown into all out panic when he hadn't been able to get Reid on the phone. The boy never failed to answer his cell. Something was definitely wrong and Aaron was bound and determined to find out what. The worried father yanked open the driver's door and climbed out of his truck. He then hurried up to the porch and began pounding on the front door of Morgan's house. Hearing the bark of the boys' dogs but nothing else, Hotch pulled out the key Morgan had given him. He swiftly unlocked the door and stepped inside. "Reid! Reid, its Hotch!" he called as he petted the agitated dogs. "Where are you son?"

The profiler was answered with silence.

That along with the bowl of ice cream spilled all over the floor sent Hotch's daddy radar into overdrive. Taking out his gun, he stormed through the house searching for his youngest. After a thorough search of the kitchen, backyard, and mud room yielded no results, Hotch started for the back rooms. He made his way to the small cupboard under the stairs and reached for the handle. He froze as a low groan reached his ears. Spinning around, the agent hurried towards the sound. He skidded to a stop at the bathroom door. Putting an ear to the door, he listened. Hearing another groan, he swiftly threw open the door and entered gun aimed directly in front of him. He was shocked when instead of an intruder holding a grown Reid, he found a toddler Reid laying on the bathroom rug with no one else in sight. Aaron rushed forward. Scooping up the youngster, he hugged the over-heated child. "Aww buddy" he whispered, brushing the sweat soaked bangs from the boy's face. "Why didn't you tell me you were getting sick?"

"Don't feel good daddy" Spencer rasped, weakly clutching his father figure's shirt.

"I know buddy." Aaron replied as he slowly stood and walked the few steps to the medicine cabinet. He took out the little Reid first aid kit and then hurried to the boy's bedroom. Knowing that Spencer tended to be clingy when sick, Hotch sat down on the bed and gently settled his son in his lap. "Shhhhh Spencer, I've got you. Daddy's got you." He soothed as he placed the temporal lobe thermometer and pressed the button. Checking the readout a moment later, he winced. Knowing it was far too early to call Dr. Sawyer, Hotch resolved to at least get the boy's fever down. He sifted through the contents of the first aid kit until he found the children's Tylenol and then picked up his little one and made the trek to the kitchen for water. After filling a sippy cup with the refreshing liquid, he carried his charge back to the bedroom and settled both of them on the bed. He set the cup on the nightstand long enough to pop open the bottle of fever reducer and shake out a tablet. "Spencer, I need you to chew this up for me, alright?"

Reid pried his eyes open and took the medicine from Hotch. He quickly chewed it up and drank a few sips of his water before leaning back against his father figure's chest with a sigh.

Aaron smiled down at the thumb sucking toddler. "Go to sleep buddy. Daddy's got you."

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Aaron carried a still sniffling Spencer into the house. He helped the boy take off his jacket and then settled the youngster on the couch. Taking the camouflage blanket off the back of the sofa, he gently tucked it around his son. "I'll be right back buddy. I'm just going to fix some soup for us." He explained.

"O *yawn* tay" Spencer sleepily answered. He popped his thumb in his mouth and closed his eyes.

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Spencer woke to a hand rubbing his back. "Daddy?" he hopefully called.

"Right here buddy" Aaron replied, leaning over so that he was in the youngster's line of sight. "Do you think you could handle some soup now?"

Spencer crawled into the man's lap and leaned back against his chest. "I'll twy."

"Good man" Aaron praised. He picked up the little boy and took him into the kitchen. Holding the ill youngster in one arm, the father grabbed a container of chicken noodle soup and placed it in the microwave. While he waited for it to heat up, he busied himself with setting out a bowl and a sippy cup of the boy's favorite juice as well as a glass of juice for himself. He refused to drink coffee around the ailing coffee monster. He finished setting the table just as the microwave alarm went off. After getting the hot can out and allowing it to cool, Aaron poured a small amount into the bowl and sat down at the table settling Spencer in his lap. "Here you go, son" he softly said, holding up a spoonful of the soup.

With Hotch's help Reid managed to down half the soup. Turning his head, he pushed away the full spoon headed for his mouth. "I need to *yawn* go to the, the bafwoom." He announced.

"Alright" Hotch said. He scooped his son up and hurried to the bathroom. After helping the boy take care of business and wash his hands, he carried Reid to his bedroom and settled him in bed. Or at least he attempted to.

Spencer fisted the collar of Aaron's shirt. "Tay wif me" he pleaded. "Peas"

"I'm not leaving you Spencer." Aaron assured the sick boy. "I just need to put you down for a moment so I can take off my shoes."

"O *YAWN* tay" Spencer agreed.

Hotch swiftly toed off his shoes and climbed into bed. He wrapped an arm around Spencer and snuggled him into his side before pulling the blankets up around the both of them.

Needing more contact, Spencer crawled onto Hotch's chest and laid down with a contented sigh.

Smiling, Aaron protectively placed both arms around his Spencer. Reassured by his son's even breathing, he closed his eyes and joined the youngster in dreamland.