Note: Looking back, I realize that I forgot to mention at what point in the series this takes place. When I started writing this, I wanted this to take place early season three, so after Gideon left, but before Rossi. I don't feel ready to write Rossi yet.

Also, the explanation for how Reid ended up this way has not come yet. I believe I said this before, but I do know how it happened and the explanation will come, but I can't say when it will.

And a huge thank you to Dextolan for reviewing last chapter!


"Where's the baby?"

Morgan covered his eyes with his palms.

"There he is!"

Spencer shrieked with laughter on the couch, tumbling over onto his back.

Morgan went in for the attack, tickling the child under his armpits and the shrieks continued. "Who's got you? It's Uncle Morgan! That's who!"

Garcia perched on one of the dining room chairs, watching the whole thing.

"Careful, Derek," she admonished, her eyes on Spencer. "You're going to give him whiplash."

"What?" Morgan looked up at her, pausing. "Nah. I don't think so. The kid's made of sterner stuff than that." He looked back down at Spencer. "'Aren't you? Aren't you? Yes, you are!"

He puckered his lips, bringing them down to Spencer's stomach and blowing hard against the boy's bare skin.

The child giggled, curling in on himself in an attempt to get away.

"You're taking it well," Penelope observed.

For the second time, Morgan responded with a, "What?"

"Reid," she answered simply.

"Baby Girl, I see nothing to tell me this is Reid we've got here. For all I know, Reid could come walking in here any second now wondering what the heck the joke is. Or maybe he's in on it. I don't know. But I do see is an incredibly cute baby who needs some loving from Uncle Morgan."

Garcia rolled her eyes and huffed. She should have known Morgan wasn't going to accept this. Not without some help.

But she had no idea how she was going to accomplish that.

"I thought you had accepted it."
"Nope. I accepted no such thing."
"But you said…"
"I asked if this was a dream. It was a pretty normal question for someone in… this situation."
"Morgan, how do you even know what's normal to ask in this kind of situation?"

Morgan ignored the question.

Instead, he picked the child up in his arms, tossing him lightly in the air.

The boy's hair bounced and he giggled.

Garcia leaned forward, anxiously gripping the chair a little tighter. "Careful!" she admonished.

"Easy there, Mama! Don't be such a worry wart!"

Now, if Morgan had been in his right mind, he would have never dreamed of calling Garcia a "worry wart."
As it was, afflicted with addle-brained behaviour of one exposed to a child so young, he missed the dangerous expression that flitted across her face.

"Alright, buster!" She stood, hands on hips. "I will kick you out! Don't think I won't!"

Morgan looked at her, bewildered. "What are you talking about? What did I do?"

Spencer used the distraction to roll away from Morgan's hands.

Startled, Morgan lunged to grab for him and came up short, his hands grasping nothing but empty air.

He tumbled off the couch, landing on his hands and knees and scrambled away on all fours.

"He's a little Houdini!" Garcia jumped up from her perch, making her own go at grabbing for the baby.

She was more successful, catching him around the waist and hoisting him high in the air.

"Noooo!" Spencer wailed, frustrated that his escape had been thwarted. "Down! Down!"

"Sorry, my little man, but we can't have you wandering all over the place, now can we?" Garcia said.

"It's not that big," Morgan said. "It isn't like there are many places for him to go. It can't hurt to let him wander."

At Garcia's look, he threw up his hands. "It's not like he can get lost!"


Later in the Day:

JJ frowned as they reached the apartment building. She had never visited Penelope at her home before.

It wasn't what she had expected.

If she had ever tried to imagine what kind of dwelling a creature like Penelope Garcia resided in- and she wasn't admitting that she had- she would have dreamed up some sort of cottage, bright purple with a thatched roof and lace curtains and, on the inside, posters of comic book heroes, various unusual odds and ends lined up on shelves. Not to mention the endless computer screens.

Something with waterfalls and rainbows in the backdrop.

And maybe the faint scent of lemon and roses.

This seemed so… normal.

Something no mortal could ever make the mistake of assuming Penelope Garcia was.

Of course, they had yet to go inside.

Hotch hadn't come with them.

He had his own family to consider after all.

Neither one of them had argued with him.

"Well… it's not much," was the first thing Emily said, tilting her head back to fully observe the building.

JJ smiled, ignoring the fact that that had been her own initial impression. "Don't you think it's strange?" she asked, choosing to ask her own question, rather than respond to Emily's statement.

"Hmm?" Emily looked at her, her attention reluctantly pulled from the highest heights of the building.

JJ gestured to the building as they mounted the steps together. She lowered her voice even though there was no one around to eavesdrop on them. "This. Something's up with Reid and he's staying at Garcia's house instead of his own? If it's nothing serious, he would have wanted to stay at his own apartment."

Emily chewed her lip and the two women shared a wordless look.

Then the two of them darted up the steps.


Emily reached the floor first. Reaching the door, she didn't even bother with the bell.

She just rapped with her fist.

JJ could practically feel the impatience boiling off of the other woman. Not that she could blame her. She was feeling much the same way.

When the door remained closed for the several seconds that passed, Emily let out her breath in a huff and raised her hand for a second rap.

Before it could land, the door burst open.

Unfortunately, Emily's fist ended up striking Morgan's chest.

'"Ow!" Morgan brought his hand to his chest and glared at her. "Do you people have something against me today? That makes the second time!"
"The… second time?" JJ managed.

Emily didn't give either one a chance to continue in that direction as she pushed past JJ.

"Where's Reid?"