"Don't think I've forgotten, Spence. We both had something to tell last night, and you never got the chance because, well, I distracted you."
He took a long sip of his coffee, set the mug down on the table and confessed.
"Alexa Lisbon came to our panel yesterday. Probably not long after she went to see you. And Garcia had pretty much the same reaction you did. She told her off, and wanted to deck her too, but Hotch held her off."
"Go Penelope," Melissa said with a slight smile, pumping her fist lightly.
"I've never told Garcia about that incident though. The only people I've ever told are you and," he paused as the realisation hit him, and sighed. "Morgan. Morgan probably told Garcia."
"It wasn't me, Spence, I promise you that. Although it's not so bad that Penelope knows is it?" She ran her fingers through his hair and stroked his cheek.
"No, it's not," he conceded. It was part of what made him who he was, and it had happened as Melissa pointed out, twenty years ago. He hugged her and was off to day two of the seminar. "We're done at noon, and then we'll go see some sights, okay?"
She nodded and rolled over in the bed, determined to go back to sleep for a while.
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The team members milled about Reid's desk in the bullpen going through the newest photographs of his family Reid was sharing. Melissa with a much more advanced pregnancy belly, holding hands with Anna who had grown at least a foot since last time she'd seen her JJ opined. And Muttli, who had tripled in size in the month since he'd been at JJ's house and was starting to exhibit adult Rottweiler traits, growing into his oversize paws and losing the cute puppy status he'd had.
"Melissa has really blossomed for someone only four months along, Spence," JJ pointed out.
"We're going for ultrasound tomorrow afternoon. Melissa thinks she's too big. She's starting to worry a little," Reid told them then realised, I better mention this to Hotch, I won't be here tomorrow afternoon, I wanna be at the doctor's with Melissa.
Hotch and Garcia approached them, Hotch carrying case folders, Garcia an oversize and fully stuffed manila envelope. Hotch beckoned them to the round table and the team followed him into the conference room. Garcia stood behind Hotch, letting him address the group first. He set the files down on the table, and when Reid drew him aside, he followed the younger man towards the smart board and asked in a quiet voice,
"What is it, Reid?"
"Melissa has an appointment for an ultrasound tomorrow afternoon Hotch, and" Reid paused for a moment and Hotch finished his sentence for him,
"So you will be unavailable after lunch, that's all right, not a problem." Hotch clapped his shoulder and motioned for him to take a seat at the table with the others.
Standing in front of them all, Hotch announced, "We don't actually have a pressing case at the moment, so I'd like you all to go through these files." He tapped his hand on the stack in front of them, and then started dividing them into smaller piles, giving one pile each to JJ, Rossi and Lewis, and then the smallest pile to Reid.
"Garcia, what's that you have there?" Hotch asked her.
