(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or it's characters)
The next couple chapters will be powered by fluff, but as soon as the team gets back to work I have something planned...I won't say anything more just yet, I just thought you guys should know.
Thank you to E. J. Morgan, Guest, Astrahan, poohbear123, laileyspenstar, K, and Sarry22 for your reviews and constant support!
Sorry this took so long. It's a much longer chapter.
Previously:
"Garcia and Emily just text me," JJ said as she tucked the blanket under Spencer's chin and brushed his hair from his eyes.
"Oh, yea?" Hotch raised his eyebrows as JJ pulled him from the room and shut the door quietly. "What does she want?" He mumbled as he planted a soft kiss on her warm lips.
"They want to go to the mall."
JJ peeked into the guest room and saw Spencer sleeping on his side, the large bear Garcia had got him was squashed under him, his arms gripping its ears and his thumb in his mouth. She pulled the door to and checked on Henry who was also still asleep. Jack's room was empty, but from the quiet noises drifting up the stairs, she was sure he was watching the rest of his wrestling.
She tip-toed downstairs and into the front room where Jack laid in front of the TV gazing with wonder at the wrestlers.
"Is that Seth...uh Reigns?" She asked and Jack snapped his head up and frowned at JJ.
"No! That's Seth Rollins! There's a difference. Seth has half blonde hair and half black and Roman's hair is all black. They have different wrestling moves as well," Jack explained with an air of impatience.
"Right," sighed JJ, rolling her eyes. Jack returned his focus to the TV and cheered when the Seth guy slammed his opponent into the hard floor and held him there, offering a sadistic smile to the camera. JJ shivered, hoping Henry would never get into that sort of stuff. She already knew Spencer wouldn't.
She turned to go into the kitchen and walked straight into Aaron. He caught her in his arms and turned the blunder into a clumsy embrace.
"You need to stop sneaking away from me," he chuckled, kissing her lips lightly. JJ returned the kiss and gracefully spun out of his arms.
"Things to do, places to be, my love," she giggled, trotting towards the kitchen, knowing Hotch would follow like a lost puppy.
"I text Morgan and Rossi about going to the mall, but Rossi said he had a better idea," Hotch announced. JJ reached up in the cupboard and Aaron placed his hands on her waist and kissed her neck gently.
"And what does he suggest?" JJ asked, shivering at the teasing presence of Hotch's moist lips on her neck.
"He said it was a surprise," Hotch added with a shrug.
Hotch woke Spencer up half an hour later and gave him a bowl of cheerios with a sensible amount of milk. Spencer tucked in sleepily as JJ cleaned up from Aaron, Jack, Henry and her own breakfasts. She kept glancing back and catching Spencer rubbing his eyes.
"I think a bath might wake you up," she said and Spencer mumbled something through his cheerios.
"Aaron?" She called. Hotch jumped through the doorframe and raised his eyebrows.
"I'm going to run Spencer a bath. Make sure he finishes and keep an eye on him," she ordered. Hotch saluted her as she glided past him and he rolled his eyes, causing Spencer to choke on his milk.
Hotch sat beside the boy and took in the new pair of pyjamas that Garcia had bought him. They were from a cartoon that Henry occasionally watched. An animated dogs face adorned the short sleeve top and the navy pants were covered in the dog's collar tag with the initials SD.
"What awe we doing today?" Spencer asked after swallowing his mouthful of milk.
"The girls are going to the mall and Rossi has a surprise in store for us," Spencer groaned and scooped up the last few cheerios.
It wasn't long before JJ hopped back in and grabbed Spencer before he could even drop his spoon.
"Enjoy!" Hotch called after them with a smile on his face.
Spencer straightened his checkered shirt and pulled up the loose jeans. He was about to pull his socks up further when the doorbell rang.
He pounced to his feet and raced to the door. Unfortunately, Jack was faster than him, no matter how fast he willed his legs to run and Hotch was faster than the both of them. He was still nervous with Spencer around doors.
"Bossman!" Hotch was pulled into an involuntary hug and wished he'd just let Jack answer the door.
"Aunt Pen!" Jack cried and Garcia let Hotch go and lifted Jack off his feet and into a bear hug. Henry was also clambering into her arms and so Spencer stood back, not wanting to interfere. When Garcia finally released them she saw the much smaller boy looking up at her anxiously.
"Hey there, sweetie," she pulled him up into her arms and planted a firm kiss on his blushing cheek.
"'Top," he murmured, wiping at his cheek.
"I have every right to give my baby boy a hug and a kiss," she insisted, peppering him with kisses to prove her point.
It wasn't long before Emily and Rossi arrived and Morgan made his traditionally late entrance.
"Okay, will you tell us the surprise now?" JJ asked, despite the fact she was uninvited. Rossi replied by holding up tickets to a baseball game.
"Cool!" Jack gasped, grabbing one and examining it closely.
"Dave, you didn't have to do this," Murmured Hotch, taking Jack's ticket and looking over it.
"I hear Jack is a big fan so-" Rossi was cut short by Jack barrelling into him.
"Thank you, Uncle Dave!" He hummed.
Rossi ruffled Jack's hair and chuckled breathlessly from the impact. Just then, Spencer trotted out from the front room, his shoes tied, shirt tucked in and his messy hair looked as if he'd tried to run a comb through it to make it look neat. Clearly he was trying to look smart, but the laces on his shoes were in a very lose haphazard bow which looked more like a knot. His shirt was stuck out at the back where he had difficulty reaching and, in all honesty, his hair couldn't ever be considered neat. He caught sight of the tickets in Rossi's hand and felt excitement bubble up inside him.
"Ready to go, boys? Game starts in 2 hours and it's a fair drive from here." The three boys nodded eagerly.
"What is it?" Spencer asked, squinting at the tickets.
"Don't worry about that, you're going to love it," Rossi offered his hand to Spencer but was intercepted by a swat from Garcia.
"Sorry, bub, my little snuggle muffin is coming with us," Garcia interrupted.
"Huh? He doesn't want to go the mall, Garcia," chuckled Rossi, but Garcia held a hand up to silence him.
"This is non-negotiable."
Spencer gaped up with disappointment. True; he didn't want to go to either place, he'd rather stay at home with his team, but if he had a choice, he'd go with the boys, that looked more exciting than shopping.
"Give the kid a break," added Morgan.
"We need him to try on clothes. How else are we gonna know what size he is?" Emily shot back.
"But I want Spence to come with us!" Henry mumbled, giving his best pout and wrapping an arm around the smaller boy.
"You can take him to the next one, but he is needed in our mission," Garcia said. Spencer looked at Garcia and Rossi, hoping one would back down soon (he also prayed that it would be Garcia.)
"You'll bore him to death!" Laughed Morgan. JJ and Hotch exchanged a quick look and tried to keep straight faces.
"Tan't I just 'Tay hewe?" Spencer asked. He was replied with a resounding "NO" from his whole team.
Spencer stood back and sat on the stairs, realising although the discussion regarded him, he had no say in the matter.
The next thing he knew he was strapped in his car seat by a smug Garcia and heading off to the mall.
He folded his arms and pouted the whole way there.
JJ parked the car and helped Spencer out of the car and steered him to the trunk.
"What awe we doing?" He asked as JJ sat him on the edge of the trunk and gave him a look that didn't mean anything good. He could see Emily struggling with something behind JJ, but her firm blue eyes kept his focus directed at her. He gulped nervously.
"There are a few ground rules we need to introduce," she informed him.
"Lite what?"
"Rule one," she held up her pointer finger. "You are not allowed to call me JJ. That also means you can't call Emily or Garcia by their names." Spencer scowled and opened his mouth to protest but JJ pressed her finger to his lips. "You are to call me mummy, Garcia; Auntie Pen and Emily; Auntie Em." Spencer's mouth dropped open.
"Rule two."
"Wait!"
"Look, Spence, people will think it's strange if you go around calling us by our first names. Rule two," Spencer huffed and listened discontentedly.
"You can't leave any of us. Not even for a second. Rule three. Don't say anything...that you would normally say," Spencer looked up with confusion. "Just try to act like a 2-year-old."
Rule four," Garcia added before JJ. "You have to take a nap when JJ asks you to."
"How tan I take a nap?" Spencer grumbled.
"That's where rule 5 comes in," Emily said with a grunt as she finally finished setting up the stroller. "You have to sit in this."
"No way."
"Yes, way!"
"No!" He cried, though he knew he had no choice.
Emily pushed the stroller with a very unhappy Spencer buckled in, his arms folded tight over his chest. Garcia saw a pair of shoes and as if it were a magnet and she was metal she floated over to them, pressing against the glass longingly.
"We're going in here first!"
Spencer groaned and fiddled with his shirt buttons.
He watched Garcia and Emily try on dozens of heels and boots, with JJ indulging in the comfier looking footwear. They left the shop with 5 bags between them.
Spencer kicked his feet against the footrest irritably.
"I'm bowed!" He announced.
"Just a few more, Spence," JJ promised as she pushed the stroller. Emily and Garcia skipped ahead and darted into the next clothes shop.
After 7 more shops, Spencer felt his eyes drooping a little.
"Please can we get this for him!?" pleaded Garcia as she held up a bear onesie.
"Just put it in the basket and don't tell him," JJ hissed. She peeked at Spencer who was struggling to keep his eyes open.
"Come on, Spence lets go try this stuff on," Spencer groaned, sitting up and sighing. "These are the last ones, I promise and then we'll get some lunch."
"Pwomise?"
"Promise," she unstrapped him from the stroller and guided him over to the changing rooms.
"Dey're too big!" Spencer grunted, trying to hold the pants up. Emily frowned.
"They're age 2."
"Do you guys need help?" An older woman came over and smiled at the toddler.
"You don't happen to have kids trousers any younger than 2 years?" Emily asked.
"I think we group everything under 24 months in the baby section," Spencer's cheeks burnt red. "I can go check now if you'd like."
"That would be great, thanks," JJ flashed her best smile.
"Try this on while you wait," Garcia gave him the onesie hopefully and he shook his head.
"No!"
"Come on! Please." Spencer saw some women stood waiting for their friend to get changed glance at him and he swallowed thickly.
"No, auntie Pen. I don't lite it!"
"I'll get you some jello," she bribed and with one last huff Spencer took the onesie and drew the curtain back.
"Uh...mommy...," Spencer called anxiously after a minute. JJ rolled her eyes and pushed through the curtain laughing when she saw Spencer had his legs in the armholes and his arms in the leg holes. She managed to fix it and nudged him past the curtain to show Garcia.
"Aw! We have to get that!" She cried. Spencer glanced up at her with small brown ears and fluffy brown feet and she awed louder.
The older staff member came back and cooed at the sight of the toddler adorned in a bear onesie.
"He's adorable," she said, giving JJ a selection of pants in various sizes.
"I know."
"Mommy, when tan we have ice tweam?" Spencer moaned, hopping from one foot to the other.
"I don't recall offering ice cream," JJ laughed. The assistant smiled at the small boy before returning to her post.
"Just try these on; if they fit we know what size to get you with the rest of the pants." Spencer snatched the pants grumpily and stalked behind the curtain.
They finally left the shop with another bag full of clothes that would actually fit Spencer.
Spencer held Emily's hand and shuffled along beside her. He'd refused on going back in the stroller and had squirmed too much in her arms.
"Shall we just go to McDonald's?" Emily asked, slowing her pace for Spencer to catch up. He was trying to avoid the cracks between the floor tiles which was slowing them down even more.
"Come on, Em! There's a Chili's right there! How can you say no?" Garcia implored, tugging on Emily's other arm. JJ was pushing the stroller, their bags were the current passenger, but from the look of Spencer fisting his eyes they wouldn't be for long.
"Urgh, fine," Emily sighed and Garcia whooped loudly, catching several passersby attention.
They walked into the restaurant and Emily couldn't be bothered to pull Spencer along anymore so she scooped him up with one arm. They halted at a podium where a girl was filing her nails, boredom etched in her youthful features.
"Table for four, please," Garcia chirped and the teen looked up in surprise.
"Sorry," she pulled out four menus then saw the toddler looking about the place in the raven-haired woman's arms. She exchanged the fourth menu for a kids activity menu.
"I'll get you a kids seat now," the girl said as she deposited their menus on the table and scurried away. JJ parked the stroller next to the table and put the break on. She took Spencer from Emily who was trying to push the extra chair away.
"Here you go," the girl pushed the high chair into place and grabbed the spare one. "I'll be back soon to take your orders."
"Thank you." JJ sat Spencer in the high chair, ignoring the scowl he gave her.
"I need a drink," Emily said, licking her lips and flicking through the menu.
Spencer looked at the menu and saw how few options he had compared to the adult menus. He sighed inwardly and skipped to the desserts.
JJ leaned in a little, pretending to point to something on his menu and whispered. "Remember the rules; try and act like a two-year-old." She straightened and smiled down at him.
"What do you want, sweetie?" She asked.
"Dat," he pointed to an ice cream sundae and grinned mischievously at her.
"Uh, Spence, You can't just have ice cream for lunch."
"Why?" Spencer whined. If she wanted a two-year-old, he was going to make sure she got a two-year-old.
"Pick one of these," she insisted and Spencer shook his head. "You can ice cream after if you do." The corners of his mouth lifted and he pointed to the hot dog and fries, and then to the chocolate milk.
"What are you two having?" JJ asked the girls.
"Burger and fries," Emily drooled.
"I think I might have buffalo wings...no wait, that chicken burger looks good," mused Garcia, tapping her fingers thoughtfully against her lips.
"I'm having ribs." JJ set down her menu and rolled her eyes at Garcia, who was scanning the menu hungrily. "Hurry up, Pen. I'm calling her over," she warned, glancing around for the waitress.
"Hold on! Hold on..."
"Tome on, Auntie Pen!" Spencer giggled.
"Ahh! Stop distracting me with your cuteness!" Garcia cried.
The waitress saw JJ looking around and hurried over, pulling a pad and paper from her apron.
"What can I get you guys?"
JJ rattled off her and Spencer's orders and let Emily do hers next. Garcia ended up blurting out a meal that she knew she'd probably regret.
"I'll get those orders through now. Is there anything else I can get you?" The waitress asked with a weary smile.
"Ice tweam!" Spencer shouted and JJ quickly shushed him.
"No we're fine, thank you." She said hastily, putting her hand in front of a giggling Spencer's mouth.
"I'm bowed!" He whined after he'd calmed down a bit. JJ grabbed his menu and put it and the crayons front of him.
"Do some colouring in," she suggested, eliciting another long whine from Spencer.
"But dat's bowing," he muttered, but JJ wasn't listening anymore.
"So, Pen, how are things with Kevin?" JJ asked, turning her attention away from Spencer. He stared at her in surprise. He wanted her to pay attention to him, which was strange considering he never liked attention before.
"Just...great."
"Uh, why the sigh?" Emily raised her eyebrows.
"I dunno. He's a bit full on and I'm not sure I'm ready."
Spencer turned his focus on the menu, deciding it was more interesting than the conversation the girls were having. He managed to guide the crayon slowly across the page, sticking his tongue out to try and keep his hand steady.
He finished colouring in the chili and sighed in frustration. His hands were not cooperating well and the crayon danced over the lines ruining the overall picture. He was about to start on the carrot when a plate was placed in front of him.
"There you go, little guy," the waitress offered the confused toddler a grin before placing his chocolate milk down. Spencer looked down at his hotdog and then around at the other meals the girls had ordered. They were all much bigger than his. Emily was already tearing into her burger like a wild animal.
JJ started to cut his hot dog into bite-sized pieces. He gave her a strange look.
"What awe you doing?"
"This will be easier for you to eat, honey," JJ explained, she held up a piece and Spencer took it cautiously, rolling it in his hand before eating it.
"Good?" She asked. Spencer smiled with puffed out cheeks as he chewed.
As Spencer ate his food he got slower and slower, each time he blinked it became harder to reopen his eyes. He swallowed his mouthful and looked down at the mass of food still on his plate. He pushed it away.
"-I'm telling you JJ; Clive is not the guy for me."
"Oh, come n, Em. You barely gave him a chance," JJ laughed. She saw Spencer push away his plate away, his eyes drooping dangerously. She sighed upon looking at the uneaten food. He'd barely eaten a quarter.
"Come on, Spence. Just eat two more bits of hotdog, okay."
"Full," he mumbled, rubbing his face and squinting at his food.
"You won't be able to have any ice cream if you don't finish two bites of your hot dog," Spencer shrugged and leaned into the chair.
"It's 1.15, JJ," Emily pointed out.
"Spence, if you don't eat your hotdog you'll have to have your nap," Spencer's small yawn answered that question.
"Move the bags, Em," JJ said as she pulled Spencer from his chair. He automatically buried his face into the crook of her neck and snuggled into her warmth.
"Sorry, Spence," she mumbled, pulling him away from around her neck and settling him in the stroller.
"No, mommy," he murmured, reaching out for her.
"I'm right here. You have a nap and we'll see about getting you ice cream when you wake up," she gave him his small stuffed rabbit and strapped him in so he didn't run off.
"Not tired," Spencer whispered, his eyes already closed. Soon enough his thumb was planted firmly in his mouth and his breathing became steadier.
Garcia finished up her meal and leaned back with a sigh.
"Can we go to that shop opposite? I just saw a pair of kitty heels," Emily said. JJ rolled her eyes and grabbed the handles of the stroller.
"Can I push?" Garcia asked, biting her lip eagerly.
"Knock yourself out."
Spencer woke up to the sight of boxes upon boxes of shoes. He groaned and closed his eyes again, trying to get back to his dream, but his body began to vibrate with anticipation, boundless energy tingled through his limbs and he started squirming with frustration.
"Mommy?" He called, remembering rule 1.
JJ's face appeared in front of him and she palmed his cheek.
"Looks like someone's awake," she announced and Garcia squealed happily.
"Can we go now!?" Garcia asked.
"Sure."
"Go whewe?" Spencer asked. The girls exchanged a smug smile but didn't reply.
He frowned and sat up, stretching his arms and legs a little.
They walked out of the shop and into one opposite.
"Whewe we goin?" Spencer asked again as he glanced around at the colourful walls.
"We thought you deserved a treat considering the boy's got to go to a baseball game," Garcia said pushing the stroller up to a set of colourful compartments. She skipped around it and unclipped Spencer.
He craned his neck catching sight of a shrunken teddy bear and scowling. He put his hands on the edge of the compartment and jumped up to see what other skins were in there. Garcia smirked at the bouncing toddler and hitched him up on her hip.
"What awe dey?" He asked, pointing to the soft animal skins. This is a kid shop? He thought as a shiver wiggled down his spine.
"They are the teddy bear skins. You pick one and then the staff fill it up for you," she motioned to the big noisy machine churning fluff around.
"Oh...wight," Spencer examined the skins. There was a unicorn with rainbow hair, a caramel rabbit, a dog with a dark brown eye, a black dragon and Spencer's gaze wandered over each thoughtfully. He then turned to Garcia again. "Wouldn't Jack and Henwy like one too?"
JJ shook her head. "Jack and Henry have enough stuffed animals. They've been here a few time, besides they got to go to the baseball instead," she carded a hand through his soft hair and raised her eyebrows at the various flamboyant skins.
"Do you folks need any help?" A tall skinny man was by their side after taking two long steps with a huge Cheshire grin on his animated face.
"My uh...nephew is just figuring out how this all works," Garcia replied, returning an equally big smile to the man.
"First time?" He asked and the girls nodded. He straightened his name tag and leaned over the boxes of teddy skins.
"All you do, buddy, is pick your favouritist teddy bear," he motioned to the signs which showed the teddy bears when they were made. "Then I'll take you to bring him to life."
"To life?" Spencer gasped innocently. His head whirred with interest. What sort of science can bring a toy made of fabric to life? He thought with wonder.
"Yea!" The young man beamed, his eyes twinkling genuinely, convincing the gullible toddler.
Spencer scanned his options with renewed excitement. His eyes landed on a soft brown skin and the label said it was a sloth. He reached out eagerly for it, almost falling from Garcia's arms.
"You want this one, Spence?" JJ asked holding up the sloth. Spencer nodded, biting his lip and swinging his legs with excitement. Then just as not to raise suspicion, he said, "Yes p'ea, mommy!"
It seemed to work when the young man's smile didn't slip out of place. JJ handed the sloth to the young man who guided them with a skip in his step to the machine. Garcia set Spencer down and he pressed his hands up against the glass and watched the stuffing float around with each churn. They must have some kind of genetically modified polystyrene stuffing that functions as organs and- he was pulled from his thoughts by the young man's voice.
"What's his name?" The young man whispered to JJ.
"Spencer."
"Spencer?" The small boy looked up from the glass his eyes wide in anticipation.
"I'm going to start filling your sloth. Have you got a name for it yet?" Spencer looked up with his hands behind his back as he thought.
He waved JJ down so he could whisper in her ear.
"Alpheus. Dats the name of the Gweek God of the wiver. Thewe is a goddess of idleness and hew name is Aewgia (Aergia), but my sloth isn't a giwl," Spencer whispered matter of fact lay and JJ stood back up and smirked.
"Alfas," JJ said to the young man but Spencer shook his head.
"No, mummy, its Alf-ee-us; Alpheus," he corrected and the three girls rolled there eyes.
"That's an awesome name! No-one has used that one before. Now, Spencer, I need you to do a really important job for me. I'm going to be holding Alpheus, but I need someone to put their door on that peddle. Could yo-"
"I tan do it!" Spencer grinned. It was the first time he'd said those words and that he'd actually been allowed to do it. He stood on the peddle and gaped at the sloth which was slowly expanding. He knew this would happen, but it was still interesting to stop.
Once the stuffed sloth was firm, the man turned off the machine and handed the sloth to Spencer for him to test.
"Is he soft enough?" Spencer nodded as he squeezed the sloth, rubbing his face in the soft fur.
"Okay, Spencer, here's where we bring Alpheus to life," the young man- whose nametag read Tom, pulled a heart from a container and took the sloth back, exchanging it for the fabric heart.
"You need to kiss that to make the heart work," Spencer turned the heart around in his hand, looking for something, anything that would explain how the bear came to life. After a thorough examination, Spencer shrugged and game the heart a kiss before handing it back to Tom. The young man pushed the heart inside the bear and started pulling at the string to close the bear up. Once he was done he handed the stuffed sloth to the small boy who looked at it in awe.
"Wow," he whispered.
"You can dress him up now," Tom grinned and Spencer looked over at the dressing stations where small kids were dressing their teddies.
"No, I lite him lite dis," Spencer said, giving his own stuffed sloth a hug and sighing as the soft fur brushed his face.
"Shall I box it for you?" Tom asked JJ. She looked down at Spencer who was clinging to his new friend.
"No, thank you, I don't think he needs it," she held her hand out to Spencer who took it, his other arm wrapped around Alpheus. Garcia stood by the clothes hangers and pouted.
"Can't we just get him a scarf!" She called after them with Emily trying to wrestle the small tuxedo from Garcia's hand.
Emily and Garcia hauled their bags into the trunk and collapsed the stroller while JJ buckled Spencer in.
"See, the malls not so bad," she winked, handing him Alpheus.
"Clothes shopping is," he retorted, raising one eyebrow with difficulty.
Garcia hopped into the back with him and ruffled his hair.
"Did you know the fwee toed sloth can tuwn its head 90 degwees?" Spencer mumbled more to himself.
"No, I didn't actually," chuckled Emily, who glanced back at the sleepy toddler.
"So when's our next shopping trip?" Garcia squealed.
"Soon. Spencer needs more clothes," JJ said, causing Spencer to frown.
"I have enough clothes," He protested and Garcia locked her eyes on him.
"Oh, you, my sweet yet naive angel, can never have too many clothes. Period."
Thanks so much for reading! This chapter took a while because there was so much to write. Sorry if I didn't go into much detail on some parts, but I just wanted to fit it all in.
Please tell me what you thought in the reviews!
See you soon!
