(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters)
Has it been a while? I'm never sure anymore, my timing is all in limbo and I have no idea what is going on in my life right now. I'm not even sure if I should be writing this or reading about Henry VII. Ah well.
Thank you for the reviews as always! Thank you, lailyspenstar, Guest, fishtrek, Ash59, CJ Fool, Daisyangel, AZCatmom, Diana, Guest, Rookblonkorules, Mob86, Novll, FallWithMeOffACliff, And Autxmnal Rain.
I just wanted to take a minute here and just put something out there. As you probably know, I'm a sucker for de-aged fics, family verse fics, little Spencer, you get the picture, and I've pretty sure I've read all the available ones. That being said, there is a new emergence of these fics and I am so happy! First off, Rookblonkorules, I just love your fic, and I just saw you updated so I'm gonna go read it after this. Go check out her fic 'Baby of the BAU' it's awesome and fluffy and just everything you need.
Also, there's 'The Troubled Children' by Sammie050301 which is a CM family verse fic and I gotta tell you, I really have a soft spot for those! Please go check their stories out because they really are great.
With that said, here's the latest chapter.
Enjoy.
"Please slow down, kid," Morgan begged as Spencer gnawed into his chicken nuggets. Spencer chewed a little slower and he smiled sweetly at Morgan.
"But it's so good!" He said, dropping his partially eaten nugget in the box with three others in similar conditions. Spencer grabbed a few fries and bit off half of each before placing them back inside and coaxing his plastic dragon to take a bite. Spencer giggled when he put a fry in the dragons open mouth and in the back of his mind he was rolling his eyes at his own actions, but everything was too bright, colourful, and fun for him to let the grumpy logical part of his mind take over so he continued to feed his tiny dragon, sharing small bits of fries with the plastic toy. Morgan raised his eyebrows and took a bite from his own burger.
"You're weird," he chuckled as he closed his eyes to savour the flavour filling his mouth. Spencer dropped his fries, armed himself with chicken and glared at Morgan who wasn't expecting something warm and knobbly to whack him suddenly on his cheek. "Ow," Derek grumbled and he picked up the nugget that had landed in his lap. He looked back at Spencer who stuck out his tongue. "Food is for eating."
Spencer responded by blowing a raspberry.
"Charming," Morgan scoffed. Spencer shrugged.
Morgan took another bite, keeping his eyes open and on Spencer who shoved a nugget in his mouth and hopped off the bed.
"Can I not enjoy my own meal?" Morgan groaned as Spencer darted down the small corridor and back with a pillow from the cupboard.
Morgan tried to ignore him and eat, but the boy bounced back and forth throwing pillows and clothes onto a pile on the floor.
"Stop that."
"I'm making something," Spencer grumbled back, as he placed a pillow carefully on the pile.
"You're making a mess."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not!" Spencer yelled and Morgan opened his mouth to protest but realised he was arguing with a sugar-induced toddler and that it really wasn't going to achieve anything by debating with said child.
Spencer skipped over and nabbed the pillow that Morgan had been leaning on.
"Hey."
"I need it mowe dan you," Spencer said and he chucked it on his pile.
"And what did you achieve?" Morgan asked sarcastically as they stared at the mess Spencer had made.
"Twampoline!" Spencer cried and he clambered on top of the pile and started hopping on it and spreading the 'trampoline' across the floor. Morgan let out a deep breath and continued eating. Ignore it, just ignore it, he thought as he chewed his last few bites of burger.
"Loot, Dewek!" Spencer yelled as he bounced from pillow to pillow.
"Oh wow," Morgan muttered sarcastically. He finished Spencer's and his own fries before actually looking up at the boy who was beginning to slow down.
"You need a bath," Morgan grumbled when he took in Spencer's messy appearance. Spencer paused in his jumping and shook his head.
"Nu-uh!"
"Ya-huh! Get your butt here," he ordered but Spencer shook his head and ran to the door. Clearly not getting tired, Morgan thought. "No, you don't!"
"Go away!"
"You're having a bath!" Morgan yelled, grabbing Spencer as he jumped for the door handle. Spencer shoved him away but Morgan wrapped his arms around the little boy and scooped him up easily. Spencer squirmed violently and Morgan had to shift his hold several times. "Stop-stop movin'," Morgan chided which only made the boy wriggle more, his arms pushing against Morgan's large one. Morgan marched to the bathroom and locked the door before he felt it safe to put Spencer down.
"Don't move," he warned before he turned to run the bath. As soon as Morgan's back was turned Spencer stumbled towards the door and stood on his tip toes to try and unlock it. He whined when his tiny fingers didn't reach.
"Like I said; you're having a bath."
"I don't want won, Mowgan!" Spencer wailed and he stomped his foot down and folded his arms. Morgan tested the water temperature and let it continue filling. He turned on Spencer who had started pulling the toilet roll out in frustration. "You Tan't mate me! I'm clean! I tan wowk?"
"You haven't worked for hours, I think in your condition we're better off without y-," Morgan cut himself off to pull Spencer away from the toilet roll. He held the boy's hands tightly and gave him a stern look. "Stop being a brat! Do you really want a time out?"
"You tan't do dat!"
"You carry on and you'll be finding out what I can and can't do," cautioned the older agent. Spencer stared back at Morgan and they had a standoff for a few moments before Morgan went back to turn the faucet off. Spencer glowered at Morgan and went back to ripping the toilet roll up, his eyes watching and waiting for Morgan's reaction, testing the agent as he had done with Sean. Morgan glanced over his shoulder as he tested the water and sighed. He spun around and grabbed Spencer, ripping the roll from his small fingers and putting it on a high shelf.
"Hey!" Spencer shouted as he stretched his arms up to snatch the roll back. Morgan used this distraction and swiftly caught Spencer and held him still as he yanked off his top. Spencer yelled bloody murder and kicked out against Morgan.
"Chill out will you," Morgan grunted as he pinned Spencer down with difficulty.
"I don't need a bath!" Spencer cried, smacking his arms and legs on the floor in a tantrum.
Morgan made quick work of Spencer's pants and the boy lunged out at Morgan, trying to catch his teeth on Morgan's arm. His baby teeth missed by mere centimetres.
"I'm not murdering you," Morgan chuckled as he deposited the child in the tub. Spencer scowled up at the older man who was laughing now. "That look really doesn't work on you now."
"I hate you."
"No, you don't."
"Yes, I do," Spencer added under his breath. Morgan rolled his eyes and poured water over Spencer's head which only made Spencer grumble louder.
"You're having a nap after this," Morgan said as he massaged soap into Spencer's hair.
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are. Stop arguing with me or else I'll tell Hotch."
Spencer stuck his tongue out and splashed water at Morgan.
"You know I will," Morgan warned and Spencer folded his arms across his chest and huffed loudly.
"I'm not tawed (scared) of him," Spencer challenged, his eyes narrowed in determination.
"Oh, yeah?" Questioned Morgan as he washed the soap from Spencer's hair, along with the coffee and granules of sugar that somehow mades its way into his messy curls.
"Yea."
"We'll see about that." Morgan threw a washcloth at Spencer. "Clean your face. You're still covered in coffee."
Spencer picked up the cloth and wiped his face with angry strokes. When he was done he threw the cloth as Morgan, but it fell short and landed on the floor.
"You done?" Morgan asked, his eyebrows raised; Spencer nodded.
Morgan got Spencer out of the tub and tried to dry his hair when the boy sprinted off yet again. "Spencer!"
"Tan't tatch me!" Spencer called over his shoulder as he giggled.
"It's time for a nap," Morgan said in defeat as the bare toddler scrambled out of view.
"Nope," came Spencer's distant voice. Morgan rolled his eyes and got to his feet, walking slowly into the bedroom.
He caught sight of Spencer and couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips. The kid had somehow yanked one of the corse hotel robes from the cupboard and was now embellished in it and tripping over with every move. The arms were 3x longer than Spencer's so they trailed on the floor along the long tail, making the boy look like a little bride with a train. The hood was over Spencer's head, covering his eyes as he attempted to tie a knot around his tummy.
"What the hell are you doing?" Morgan asked and Spencer spun around. He raised his head to try and see Morgan and he smiled innocently.
"I'm Lute Stywalter," Spencer said as he wrapped the robe around himself to cover up.
"I don't think so," Morgan said and he lunged out to try and catch Spencer. The toddler squeaked and dodged the attack, but with the hood covering his eyes he ran straight into the bed.
"Hey!" Spencer yelled when Morgan roared with laughter. Spencer picked himself up and ran around the bed, using the sheets as a guide and he quickly wiggled his way under the bed.
"Aw, come on!" Morgan groaned as he hurried over and grabbed at the robe, trying catch one of Spencer's legs which he was sure was buried somewhere in the robe. "Ah Hah!"
"No!" Spencer wailed when Morgan grabbed his leg and started pulling him back out. He grabbed a bedpost and gripped on as if his life depended on it.
"Spencer! Come on, kid-" Morgan started as he heaved the tiny leg again. He was about to move the bed when his phone started ringing.
"You better get out of there when I'm done," Morgan warned as he grabbed his phone and opened the laptop Garcia had lent them.
"Make me," Spencer's muffled voice yelled as Morgan answered the call. He rolled his eyes and waited for Hotch's voice.
"We delivered the profile," Hotch said as Morgan opened Skype.
"Any updates so far?"
"He took his latest victims; Alexander Scott and Betty Steel. They fit the victimology. Garcia sent you the details."
Morgan was quickly patched through to his team who were sat around the conference room looking bored and frustrated.
"How long do we have?" Morgan asked. Emily answered this time.
"If he sticks to his routine: 6 hours," she put in.
"Where were they taken?"
Spencer was listening intently to the conversation. He slid out from under the bed; tip-toed to his map and coloured in the new spot, he frowned at it for a minute before he connected the dots and circled a spot in red marker.
He grabbed the map and hurried over to Morgan, his hood falling back over his eyes as he struggled to walk.
"-down for his nap?" He heard Hotch ask and Morgan grimaced, not noticing the small child beside him.
"Not yet-"
"Found it!" Spencer yelled, jumping around and waving the map in front of the camera.
"I can see," Hotch deadpanned, his eyes on Morgan, not Spencer who pushed his hood back and hopped up and down to try and see the team.
"I'll do it now, Hotch," Morgan promised, but Spencer kept waving the map.
"I know whewe the next dump site is!" Spencer yelled.
"Good job, but that's only helpful after the victims are dead. We need them, alive, Spencer," Hotch said calmly. Morgan moved the camera down to Spencer who didn't seem deterred by Hotch.
"Well, attually, I twiangulated the pwevious locations and I fink I know whewe he's holding them," Spencer announced smugly. He laid the map out and got on his knees. He began to explain to Morgan and the team before he looked up and grinned proudly.
"It's our best option," Rossi said finally as he pulled his vest back on.
"Good work, Spencer. We'll check that out now," Hotch said and Spencer blushed with embarrassment.
"Uh... Morgan?" JJ said as she holstered her gun. "What is Spencer wearing?"
Morgan and the team looked at Spencer who was distracted once again.
"He's Luke Skywalker?" Morgan said, his voice rising as he questioned himself.
"Oh, right," said JJ with a snort which made Morgan scowl and Emily cover her smile.
"Well, can you try and get Luke Skywalker to take his nap?" Hotch asked.
"What do you think I was trying to do before you called?"
"Well we better leave you to it," Rossi said as he checked his gun was loaded.
"That would-"
Morgan paused when he heard the sound of falling paper.
"Spencer, no!" Morgan yelled when he saw Spencer empty a file out onto the floor. He looked back at the team, "call me when you get back," he said quickly before hanging up on the call whilst the team laughed. Morgan marched over to Spencer who was still rummaging through the file.
"Huh?" Spencer looked up innocently when Morgan grabbed his hand and jerked him to his feet. Morgan turned him around in in the spur of the moment he let his hand fall across Spencer's backside. Spencer yelled and stared up at Morgan with wide, confused eyes.
"Ow," he sniffed, his eyes watering.
"You need to calm down, Spencer." Morgan felt a pang of guilt as tears fell down Spencer's face.
"You didn't h-h-hav-have to hit me," the toddler whimpered as he rubbed his backside. He looked back at Morgan who still looked angry. "S-sowwy," Spencer whispered and he raised his hands to wipe his face before going back to rubbing the stinging skin beneath his robe. Morgan closed his eyes and sighed, gathering the small boy in his arms.
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so harsh," Morgan apologised while he rubbed soothing circles on Spencer's back.
"But it really is time for your nap." He walked over to the bed and Spencer leaned away from him.
"Do I have to?" He wailed.
"Yes, unless you want Hotch to give you a timeout."
"Fine," Spencer grumbled and he scrambled into the bed, pulling the robe up over his head to hide from Morgan.
"I thought you weren't scared of Hotch?" Morgan snickered.
Spencer repsonded with a long yawn and Morgan shook his head.
"I guess that's what sugar does to ya," Morgan said as he tucked Spencer in. He rolled onto his front and buried his face into the pillow. Morgan slid Spencer's rabbit under his arm and patted his back gently back until his breathing evened.
Morgan got back to his work, praying that Hotch wouldn't find out about his babysitting skills.
Spencer woke up suddenly when his stomach churned. He sat up and put his hands around his middle when a violent wave of nausea hit him.
"M-Mowgan," he whimpered, squinting around the room. Morgan glanced around and smiled at Spencer. He checked his watch. It had only been an hour.
"Good sleep, buddy? Feel better?"
Spencer swallowed thickly and shook his head. He'd paled considerably and his hands were shaking. Morgan stood up and hurried over to Spencer, his face twisted in worry. "Spencer?"
"I-I don't feel so well," Spencer mumbled, clutching his stomach. Morgan's eyes widened.
"As in you're going to be sick?" He asked cautiously and the small boy nodded his head slowly. "Shit," Morgan grunted. He grabbed Spencer, the robe tangling around his small body, and sprinted to the bathroom. He deposited the boy in front of the toilet bowl, wiping his brow with relief. Spencer looked down at the toilet in disgust before he paled again and leaned over to be sick. Morgan rubbed Spencer's back as he heaved, keeping his distance from Spencer's face. He realised that between the gags and heaves that Spencer was sobbing quietly.
"Hey, it's okay," Morgan said as he ran his hand through Spencer's sweaty hair. Spencer wiped his eyes and his mouth and he turned to Morgan with watery eyes.
"I-I'm sowwy," Spencer wailed, throwing his arms around Morgan and sobbing again.
Morgan hugged the boy back and wondered if this was another symptom of a sugar rush. He preferred this one. "It's okay. Let's get you cleaned up and in some proper clothes," Morgan offered and Spencer nodded and wiped his face.
"And some watew peas," Spencer murmured as he pressed his face into Morgan's shoulder.
"Okay."
Morgan carried Spencer back to the bed and unfolded his proper pyjamas. He was about to help Spencer get into them when his phone finally rang.
"Try and get those on, I'm just gonna get that," Morgan said as he handed a shaky Spencer the pants which he slowly put his legs into.
Morgan grabbed his phone and accepted the call as he stepped into the bathroom to fill a glass of water.
"Morgan."
"Case is over. We got the Unsub an hour ago; Andrea Carson, we'll tell you what happens on the jet. I would've called sooner but I thought Spencer would be sleeping... did you get him down alright?" Hotch's voice came through the other end of the phone and Morgan rubbed his neck anxiously.
"Uh... he did... not entirely what I'd call 'alright' but we have a bigger problem," Morgan said cautiously and he listened to the pause on the other side.
"What is it?"
"I think Spencer's sick. He just threw up and well... he's burning up Hotch. I'm not sure if it's just the sugar but I'm worried an-"
"Calm down, Morgan. Kids get sick all the time. We're on our way back now, is he sleeping?"
Morgan frowned a little at the calm response. "No, but by the looks of him he will be soon."
"I'll deal with him when we get back. Make sure all his things are put away."
"Good, And I revoke my offer to ever babysit," Morgan said as he brought the glass to Spencer who had his pyjama shirt stuck over his head. Morgan pulled it down and handed the boy his water.
"Why's that?"
"You know why, Hotch," Morgan grumbled. He pressed the back of his hand to Spencer's sweaty forehead and sighed at the heat coming from it. Spencer was watching him with tired hazel eyes as he drank carefully from the glass.
"Did you learn anything?" Hotch asked and Morgan could hear the sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"Oh, shut up, man."
Morgan hung up but he found himself having the exact same conversation as soon as the team got back. Hotch went to grab Spencer from where he'd curled up on the bed as JJ dug into him.
"No, come on, what did you learn?" JJ asked.
"That I'm never having kids?"
Hotch rolled his eyes and shifted Spencer onto his hip. Spencer leaned into Hotch and hid his pale face. He wasn't taking the sugar/caffeine hangover very well.
"Nope. That's not it."
"Not to leave the kid alone, jeez, is that it? I promise never to leave him by himself, especially if he has access to coffee," Morgan said in exasperation, throwing his arms in the air. Hotch and JJ smirked and Hotch threw a wink her way.
"Or sugar for that matter. Okay, I think you've learned your lesson, looks like it's Spencer's turn."
All three heads turned to the toddler who was looking at the floor through slitted eyelids. Hotch could feel him radiating heat.
"I tan heaw you," Spencer mumbled, clutching Hotch's shirt and pouting tiredly.
"Exactly. Now you know what happens when you have too much sugar and junk food."
Spencer whined quietly and turned his face away from them.
Emily and Rossi came in at that moment with their bags packed.
"Let's bounce," Emily urged, nudging JJ. She caught sight of Spencer who had his face turned away from them and his stuffed rabbit in his hand.
"How'd it go, Morgan?" Rossi asked as the younger agent grabbed his bag and swung it over his shoulder.
"You can be in charge of him next time and you'll see 'how it went'," Morgan retorted and he pushed past, desperately trying to escape the room before the others. Hotch looked down at Spencer who was looking after Morgan as he hurried away; innocence etched across his small face.
"What did you do?" Hotch chuckled.
Next chapter should be out sooner. I've just got so much on at the moment. I think I will have to stop writing for a month or two when exams come around.
Anyway, please review! I love to hear your thoughts, it motivates me to actually write rather than just look at my wall blankly, trying to cram in facts about a certain rebellion that I'll have forgotten within a few months.
Thanks for all your support!
See you soon!