(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or it's characters)
Thank you lailyspenstar, ahowell1993, Guest, purplecat21, Rookblonkorules, fishtrek, Diana, pechika, Ash59, E. J. Morgan, Daisyangel, CJFool, Aja85, FallWithMeOffACliff, Sarry22, poohbear123, GoodGodHenry, and Sammie050301 for your reviews.
Sorry for the delay... revision... exams... urgh!
Updates may not be for a while as I have exams in a few weeks and I'm too scared of them to be productive in anything other than revision.
Please review. Your support means a lot.
Enjoy.
Previously:
JJ walked in and grinned, leaning against the door frame and listening to Aaron as he read out all of Spencer's adventures now he was apparently an undercover spy. The letter entailed several of his secret missions. These included infiltrating a secret laboratory where a bad guy was trying to make strange concoctions as well as a high-speed chase which sounded oddly familiar to the go-karting race between Hotch, Morgan, and Emily at Jack's birthday party.
Upstairs Spencer curled up around his pillow and smiled; they'd probably found his letter by now.
"It's almost Chwistmas!" Spencer cried as he hopped around the Christmas tree while Hotch and Morgan hung up baubles, Jack helping with the lower branches. Hotch looked down at the tiny toddler and grinned. Over the course of the previous weeks they'd decorated the house and eaten 18 advent chocolates and the small boy seemed to have caught the Christmas bug, a symptom of which was having mention the fact that it was 'almost Christmas' in every conversation he had.
"We know!" Henry put in as he instigated where he wanted certain baubles to Morgan.
Morgan finished with the baubles. He stretched as he stood back and admired the tree. He raised his brows at the star waiting in the box. "Who's putting the star on top?" He asked.
All three boys whipped around eagerly.
"Me!" Jack and Henry yelled together before exchanging scowls.
"You did it at your Mum's," Henry hissed.
Jack shrugged. "You did it at your Dads."
"So!"
"So, I should do it-"
"No way! You did it already!"
"So did you, and you did it last year! You had a tantrum so Dad let you."
"Did not!" Henry cried.
Hotch and Morgan exchanged a look before their eyes landed on Spencer who had his back against the couch as he watched the argument nervously.
"Did too-"
"Stop!" Hotch shouted and the boys gazed up fearfully at Hotch. "Neither of you are putting the star up-"
"Aw!"
"No fair!"
"Shush!" Hotch quipped and the boys snapped their mouths shut quickly. Hotch grabbed the star before kneeling down and handing it to Spencer. "You can do it, buddy."
"Huh?" Spencer stared at the star and then back up at Hotch, his face scrunches up in confusion.
"It's your first Christmas here." Hotch pressed the star into Spencer's small palm. "You can do it."
"I guess...that's a good idea," Jack mumbled rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. Henry nodded solemnly and slunk towards the door.
"B-but... I've nevew done it befowe," Spencer whispered apprehensively and Hotch chuckled.
"All you have to do is put it on top."
Spencer frowned thoughtfully as he touched the star. He looked up at the tree and his eyes went wide. "I tan't weach!" He gasped suddenly, hurrying over to the tree and standing on his tiptoes. His head barely reached past the first set of lights wrapped around the shrubbery.
Morgan laughed and ruffled Spencer's hair.
"I'll lift you," Hotch simpered and he wrapped his fingers around Spencer's waist and lifted him off the ground. Spencer gazed down in horror, holding back a squeal.
"Too high! Too high!" He cried, patting Hotch's hands in fear.
"I've got you. Put it on the top," Hotch instructed. Spencer reached out a shaky hand and placed the golden star on the tallest branch.
Jack and Morgan burst into applause and Spencer blushed beet red.
"You did it!" Jack whooped and Spencer clasped his hands together and beamed at the overly decorated tree.
"So, what's the plan for the rest of the day?" Morgan asked glancing at Hotch as he placed Spencer back on his feet.
"We have a play date," he sighed. "It was only meant to be for Henry, but his friend has an older brother who's just a year younger than Jack so, you know, we might as well have them all together."
"Even him?" Morgan asked. He raised his eyebrow and pointed to Spencer who was bouncing after Henry.
"Yea... he's adaptable."
"You sure you don't want me to babysit. I bet Garcia would be happy to take us on a mall trip," Morgan offered and Hotch held his hand up to stop him and chuckled.
"I think Spencer's suffered enough of those. It'll be good for him to socialise," Hotch replied.
Morgan held his hands up in defeat "Alright, man, but it's your funeral," he said.
"What could go wrong?"
"Hmm...," Morgan mumbled skeptically. He collapsed onto the couch and Hotch joined him with Jack hopping between them.
"Don't worry, Uncle Derek, I'll be watching him," announced Jack with a broad grin on his lips.
"Speaking of, you might want to follow those two," Morgan added, pointing to the stairs where Henry and Spencer had disappeared.
"Ay, ay, captain!"
Jack jumped off the couch and saluted the two adults who rolled their eyes.
Spencer followed after Henry, struggling up the stairs as the other boy hurried towards the bathroom.
"What awe you doing, Henwy?" Spencer asked as he plodded after Henry into the bathroom.
"I'm getting ready, Spence. Come on," Henry pulled the toddler beside him before kneeling in front of a cupboard and rifling through it. "I gotta look nice," Henry explained as he pulled out a dark blue bottle. "Ah ha!"
"Uh, Henry?" The boys turned suddenly and Henry sighed in relief when he saw Jack.
"Yea?"
"What are you doing with Dad's shampoo?" Jack asked suspiciously.
"I gotta look nice," Henry repeated with a frustrated huff. "Can you read what it says?" He asked handing Jack the bottle. Jack took it and looked over at Spencer.
"You know what Mum said: we have to watch Spencer around cupboards," he muttered, giving Henry a knowing look. Spencer scowled at the two boys. When did JJ have that conversation? He wondered.
Henry slammed the cupboard doors shut and pushed Spencer away from it. Henry was too distracted to notice the grumpy brown eyes glaring at him. "What does it say?" He asked
"Uh... men's hair and body wash. Fresh, manly sss-s-ssscent?... that doesn't overpower. Rich lather that rinses easy," Jack read and Henry nodded eagerly.
"What else?"
"Great for beards."
"Perfect!" Henry cried.
"Why do you need this?" Jack asked as Henry stepped on the sink stool and started wetting his hair awkwardly under the faucet.
"He said he wants to loot nice," Spencer explained.
"Why?"
"Cus..." Henry grumbled, chewing his lip sheepishly as he glanced at Jack. "I-I just want to..."
He snatched the bottle up from Jack and squirted a generous amount into his blonde hair. Jack frowned for a moment and raised his eyebrows at Spencer who appeared equally as clueless. Then it hit him. He grinned giddily and laughed. Henry whipped his soapy, dripping head around.
"What?"
"You want to look nice for Charlotte!" Jack snickered and Henry's cheeks burnt red and he turned back to the sink.
"Do not..." He muttered quietly.
"You fancy her!"
"No, I don't!"
"Hah, Henry wants a girlfriend! You hear that, Spencey? Henry fancies Charlotte!" taunted Jack and Henry stomped his foot angrily on the stool.
"Stop it, Jack!"
"Henry and Charlotte sitting in a tree-"
"Stop!"
"K-I-S-"
"Jack!"
Henry stormed off the stool, bubbles still lingering in his hair and he shoved Jack into the door.
"What does dat mean?" Spencer mused. "What was Jack saying?" Why was Henry sat in a tree? Why was everything so complicated as a child? Spencer was thinking hard at the meaning behind Jack's words as the boys fought.
"Get off!" Jack laughed, pushing Henry back and causing him to slip on the damp floor. Henry caught his balance and glowered at Jack. "I'm gonna tell Mum and Dad that you have a-"
Jack was cut off when Henry slammed into him and started to claw at him.
"Ow!"
"Shove off!"
"Don't hit me-"
"I'm telling Mummy!"
Spencer stared in horror at the fighting boys who were practically wrestling. "'Top!" He cried, staggering forward when one of the boys wailed out in pain. Spencer tried to pull them apart, avoiding flying fists as he did.
"-hate you!"
"ARH!"
"Dad!"
"Mummy!"
Spencer squirmed between them and tried to push Henry off Jack with his tiny arms. One of the boys flailed an arm out viciously to hit the other and it landed painfully on Spencer's cheek.
Spencer reeled back at the hit and fell onto his backside. He clutched his cheek which was beginning to glow red.
"Uh Oh..." Henry whispered and he stopped hitting Jack and looked down at Spencer. Spencer felt his lip tremble; that really had hurt.
Hotch and Morgan burst in suddenly, both had panicked looks on their faces.
"What's going on?!" Morgan asked looking around at the wet floor. He saw Spencer sat on the floor holding his cheek and hurried over. He heaved the sniffling two-year-old into his arms and touched his cheek gently.
Henry and Jack stood military style; their eyes on the floor.
"You okay, Spencer?" Hotch asked, palming Spencer's cheek and frowning at the red mark that had formed there. Spencer nodded and rested his chin on Morgan's shoulder.
Hotch turned on the guilty boys. "What happened?" He demanded.
Henry's lip wobbled as he glanced up with dripping wet hair. "N-nothing," he whimpered.
"This doesn't look like nothing!" Hotch grunted, motioning to Spencer's face which Morgan was rubbing gently with his finger to calm Spencer's hiccuping.
"We were fighting- b-but we didn't mean to hurt him!" Jack explained, looking up at his father with desperate eyes. "He just... got in the way."
"Yea... we didn't know he was there," Henry added quietly, his eyes still on his feet.
Hotch tutted in disappointment. "I think you both need a timeout. I don't think your friends can come over now. Not after this behaviour."
The boys' heads snapped up suddenly as they exchanged a panicked look.
"No! Please-"
"We won't do it again!"
"We'll say sorry- sorry Spence-"
"Yea, sorry Spencer, we didn't mean to hurt you."
Hotch put his hand up to stop them. Both of their mouths snapped shut. "You will both sit on the timeout chairs and think about what you've done. We'll see if you can do that and then I'll review whether your friends can come over," he said.
Spencer squinted up at Hotch and pouted. "I'm otay, Daddy," he whispered, reaching his arms out for him. Hotch grabbed him and shifted the toddler onto his hip. "I got in da way."
"No, buddy, Jack, and Henry shouldn't be fighting. You two: downstairs now."
The boy's practically tripped over each other to get out of the room.
JJ poked her head in and scowled at the wet floor.
"What happened in here?" She asked and then her eyes snagged on the teary-eyed toddler and her expression changed to one of worry. "Oh, Spence, are you okay, baby?"
"He's fine. The boys had a fight and Spencer got implicated...somehow," Hotch turned back to the child and raised his eyebrows. "What were they fighting about?" He asked curiously.
"Henwy wanted to loot nice fow his giwlfwiend," Spencer shrugged.
Morgan lifted a bottle of shampoo off the floor and grinned.
"Henry has a girlfriend?" JJ muttered.
"That's if I don't cancel their play date," Hotch grumbled and Spencer looked up at him with doe eyes.
"They weally didn't mean to," He mumbled.
"I know, but you and they need to learn that you can't be thrown around. Now let's get you an ice pack and make sure Henry and Jack are in timeout."
Spencer sat on the couch, looking nervously at the two boys who were back to back in the dining room, their arms folded miserably. When Hotch finally let them out they made their way sullenly to the front room.
Henry saw Spencer and hastened to the couch, hopping on and wrapping his arms around Spencer. "Are you, okay?" He asked, squeezing his younger brother into a hug. Spencer giggled and nodded.
"We're really sorry," Jack said as he pushed himself up onto the couch on Spencer's other side and threw his arm over the boy's shoulders.
"It's otay," Spencer said.
"Good. Oh! By the way, Dad said that our friends can still come round! You can meet them," Jack said triumphantly and Spencer sunk back with a forced smile.
"Yay..."
Henry went upstairs to get ready and 'look nice.' When he came done he was wearing his best shirt; the buttons done up in the wrong holes, and a pair of chinos. His hair was combed back and he strolled casually around the front room until JJ finally redid his buttons.
The boys played a game of hide and seek while they waited which Henry won only because Spencer had hidden behind the Christmas tree and almost knocked it over in the process, nearly sending him to the timeout chair. They were playing another round when there was a knock at the door. Henry stopped his prowling just inches from where Spencer was hiding behind the couch and spun around. JJ opened the door and a small girl bounced inside.
Henry straightened his shirt and ran a hand through his hair before he took off towards the door. "Charlotte!" He cried. Henry halted in front of the young girl and smiled shyly. "Hi," he said, blush spreading across his cheeks.
"Hi, Henry! My big brother came too!" Charlotte said pointing to the boy beside her who grinned sheepishly.
"I know, mummy told me, this is my big brother Jack," Henry said, introducing Jack who was making his way over with Spencer. He nodded politely.
"How are you, Sharron?" Hotch asked, offering a hand to the woman in the door.
"I'm well, Aaron, you?"
"As well as I can be with three kids," Hotch chuckled.
"I'll bet."
"Come on in, JJ's just put the kettle on. Coffee? Tea?"
"Coffee please," she said, stepping past her children and shutting the door. "Charlotte, Daniel, look at me," she said. Daniel did as he was asked but Charlotte rolled her eyes before giving her mother attention. "You play nice now, and you know what happens if you don't," she warned.
"Yes, Mum," the children huffed in unison.
"Let's go play in my room. Come on!" Henry yelled, grabbing Charlotte's hand and racing up the stairs. Danny smiled awkwardly at Jack before making his way after them.
"Come on, Spence," Jack said, pushing Spencer up the first step and holding the small boy's middle to keep him balanced. Spencer frowned back at Jack.
"Tan't we 'tay down hewe?" He asked, looking hopefully to the kitchen where Hotch and JJ were.
"Then you won't get to play, come on," insisted Jack and he lifted Spencer onto the next step. Spencer pouted but did as Jack said.
They got upstairs and Jack took Spencer's hand and led him into Henry's room where the other kids were already pulling toys out and chattering excitedly.
"A-and look!" Henry announced pulling out a Spider-Man action doll and showing Charlotte proudly. "It's Spider-Man."
"Do you have any Barbie dolls?" She asked, pushing past Henry in the search of something sparkly or pink, not paying his toy any interest.
"Uh... no...we're boys," Jack explained.
"Look, Danny isn't it cool!?" Henry said showing the other boy his toy and Danny nodded.
"I got Batman for my birthday but I asked Santa for Spider-Man," he said, taking the toy and carefully examining it.
"Jack has a Captain America too!"
"Really!?"
"I have loads! Wait here," Jack said and he dropped Spencer's hand and hurried to his room, appearing a minute later with his own collection.
"These are my wrestling figures. This one's Dean Ambrose and this one is Roman Reigns!" He said, puffing his chest out with pride as he displayed his toys.
"Aw cool!"
Spencer looked on skeptically, biting his lip. He glanced around the room and smiled at the wall where the boys' letter from 'uncle Reid' had been tacked up. He switched his gaze towards the door. Maybe he could tip-toe out and hide in his own room until Henry's friends were gone. Spencer closed his eyes and imagined sitting down with one of the big books on his shelf. When he opened his eyes he already had a plan figured out but he wasn't prepared to be looking back at Charlotte who had caught sight of Spencer hovering next to the bed.
"Henry! Who's that!?" Charlotte gasped.
"That's-" Henry started but Charlotte cut him off before he could answer.
"Aw, she's so cute! I wish I had a baby sister!" The small girl cried and Spencer frowned indignantly at the girl.
"She?" Henry gasped.
"Spencer's not a girl!" Jack said, his hands on his hips and his face screwed up with an offended look.
"Oh?" The girl narrowed her eyes and sighed. "He's still cute," she put in and Spencer started to pout.
"I'm cute too," Henry muttered.
"Yea, but he's a baby," Charlotte said and Henry pulled himself big, raising his shoulder and pushing his chest out before he nodded.
"Yea and we're big kids," he looked over to Charlotte for confirmation and she nodded happily.
"Which means we're in charge," she added and Henry nodded eagerly. Spencer looked less eager.
Jack saw the boy's discomfort and took his hand. "Come on, Spence, let's go see Daddy and Mummy," he offered, but Charlotte grabbed Spencer's other hand and pulled him back.
"No! I wanna play with him! I wanna play mummies and daddies!" She demanded, stomping her pink pump into the carpet.
"Spencer doesn't like that," Jack retorted. Daniel rolled his eyes as if he'd been in this position before.
"Aw come on," Henry put in. "We can play it for a little bit," he offered. Jack raised his eyebrows at his brother who was staring at Charlotte in awe. Jack sighed and let Spencer's hand go.
"Fine."
"Awesome. Okay, Charlotte, who is the Mum and Dad?" Henry asked.
"Well, I'm the mummy, obviously," she stated, brushing her hair off her shoulder and grabbing Spencer's hand to pull him towards her. "And Spencer's the baby."
"Who's the Daddy?" Henry asked eagerly.
"Jack is," she said.
Jack and Henry exchanged a look of horror.
"Him!" "Me." They both cried indignity which made Spencer giggle. Charlotte squealed at Spencer's adorableness before clearing her throat and nodding seriously.
"Yes."
"Why!?"
"Because Jack's the oldest!" She exclaimed as if it were obvious. "Danny can be the older brother and Henry...hmm... you can be the dog!"
Henry gaped at the small girl.
"But...But..."
Charlotte ignored Henry and bent down to hug Spencer.
"I think the baby would like to go to the park and play," she mused, pushing his hair out of his eyes. "But first he needs to look nice to go out." She pulled the small purse she had slung over her shoulder and started rummaging in its white fluffy interior.
Spencer gazed at the older children in horror as he was dragged to Henry's bed. This was going to be a long day.
Hotch and JJ were sat with Shannon, chatting about 'mummy and daddy things' as Henry had dubbed it, a conversation the children were quite happy not to be a part of. JJ was offering Shannon another biscuit when several sets of footsteps banged down the stairs. She glanced around to see Jack helping Spencer down the last step. That was before Spencer dashed into the front room and struggled onto the couch; his eyes were filled with desperation. Hotch reached down and helped him up and he toddler crawled onto his lap.
"Wait!" A high pitch voice echoed from the hall. Charlotte sprinted in and glanced around for Spencer. When her eyes caught him Spencer whimpered and pressed his face into Hotch's shirt.
"There you are!" She cried.
"Charlotte! Leave him alone," her mother cried, grabbing the small girl and pulling her away.
"But we're playing," reasoned the girl.
"What are these?" Hotch chuckled, his fingers brushing the clips and bands in Spencer's hair. His soft brown hair was pulled back into two bunches, wrapped in silver and pink hair bands. His fringe had fallen out so that he only had two little tufts, like two pokey ears sticking out of his head. Some of the fringe was pulled back using a purple butterfly clip and there were an array of colourful clips in his hair, pulling it this way and that. Aaron grinned to himself, he had to admit Spencer looked pretty cute; he'd make a good girl.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The mother gasped and she hurried over to the small boy and unclipped one of the fairies from his messy curls. "She's always bringing these with her... I didn't think she'd use them."
"Wait a second," JJ said and she grabbed her phone and snapped a photo of Spencer who didn't look at all pleased. "Kids will be kids," she shrugged as she sent the photo to Garcia.
"Sorry, Charlotte is always doing this. She loves looking after younger kids. I should've warned you."
"Don't worry, Spencer loves it really," Hotch added and Spencer glared at him and reached up to yank out some clips. He didn't realise you had to unclip them first, so when he got to the first clip and gave it a hard yank he let out a high pitched yelp when it ripped out several strands of hair.
"Careful, Honey," JJ said gently and Spencer felt his lips droop and tremble.
"Get dem out," he demanded in a small voice.
"Okay, bossy," chuckled JJ and she gently pulled out another clip. Spencer whined and pulled back which led to another few hairs coming out with it.
"Ow!"
"Sit still, Spence," JJ chided. Charlotte stood in the corner with her arms folded.
"Stop! He looks good. We were playing."
Spencer whined loudly. "It's almost time for his nap anyway," JJ put in. This cut Spencer off and he stared up at her and shook his head.
"Nu-Uh!"
"Oh really?" JJ laughed.
Charlotte darted forward and grabbed Spencer's hands.
"He doesn't want to nap! He wants to play! Come on Spencer!" She cried, pulling him off Aaron's lap; Spencer stared back with desperate eyes. JJ shrugged with a smirk. He'd dug himself into that hole.
Charlotte dragged a whiny Spencer back along the hall where Henry was waiting.
"Don't you want to play with... Uh... with my Lego's?" He asked hopefully. Charlotte shook her head stubbornly and tried to lift Spencer up.
"I wanna play mums and dads."
Jack and Danny stood on the stairs and groaned. "We just played that!" Jack whined.
"That's boring, Char!" groaned Danny and Charlotte dropped Spencer's hand and folded her arms in defiance, her eyes narrowing on her brother.
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
Th siblings turned their backs on each other and Jack and Henry glanced nervously at each other.
"Uh... how about we play outside?" Jack offered. Spencer nodded vigorously, slipping away from Charlotte; anything to get out of a nap and another game of 'mums and dads.'
"Yea!" He cried as he ran to the shoe rack and pulled off a pair of Henry's wellies that had been given to him.
"Wait! Where's your little brother going!? I wanna play with him," Charlotte wailed before charging after Spencer. Jack laughed at the sight of the small boy trying to put his coat on upside down and he took pity and helped the kid.
"We're going to play outside, Charlotte. Spencer is coming too so you can join us or go sit with the adults," Jack huffed as he took Spencer's hand and led him to the back door.
Henry pulled on his own shoes and smiled at Charlotte before chasing after his brothers with Danny following not long after. Charlotte looked down at her pretty pink pumps and pouted angrily.
"Wait!" She huffed, staggering after the boys with her coat trailing behind.
They played a game of tag first. Spencer was 'it' more than he wanted to be and he gave up after being tagged for the 12th time. Jack dragged him back into the garden after he'd tried to go inside. The escape wild have worked if the toddler could actually reach the door handle.
Jack insisted on a round of football, but Charlotte protested.
"Only boys play that!" She whined.
"Stop being annoying, Char!" Danny grumbled as he kicked the ball to Jack. Henry, who seemed to have given up on Charlotte falling in love with him and being his girlfriend, was acting as the goalkeeper. Charlotte pouted in annoyance as the boys started a small game.
"Fine," she grumbled and she stormed away, having every intention to tell Mr. Hotchner about what a big 'meanie' Jack was.
She walked across the grass when caught sight of Spencer. He was watching bugs on the concrete step and gently redirecting and naming each one that crossed his path. Charlotte smiled wickedly: now she had a playmate.
"Want to play a game?"
Spencer spun his head around and swallowed thickly at the foreboding sight of Charlotte.
"No fanks..." he whispered, turning back to his bugs.
Charlotte glanced around before making her move. "Let's play a game. What do little kids like? I bet you like to make mud pies," she said lifting Spencer off his front and onto his feet. Spencer stared up at her with an affronted look. He shook his head feverishly.
"Aw, come on! I'm older than you!" She jibbed. "That means I'm in charge!" She reached out to grab him and Spencer dodged her arms. "Come here!" She growled, lunging at him again.
"Don't wanna," Spencer squeaked as Charlotte caught him and squeezed him tightly to prevent his escape.
"I wanna play, you have to do as I say," she grunted as she lifted him up. Spencer squirmed angrily, making it impossible for Charlotte to hold him. He slipped from her grasp and fell down onto the concrete step.
Spencer sat up and rubbed his knee. It really hurt... more than he'd expected it to. Damn this body, he thought. Now he'd have to deal with the sympathetic looks he'd dealt with earlier.
"Oops..." Charlotte muttered looking around anxiously. Spencer pushed his trouser leg up and revealed a small graze.
Spencer unexpectedly broke into tears, clutching his skinned knee, surprising even himself. He couldn't help it; it was his natural toddler reaction. Charlotte bit her lip and knelt down.
"Sorry! Sorry!" She said quickly, not knowing what to do as she put a comforting arm on the child's shoulder.
"Spencer!" Jack yelled when he saw his baby brother wailing. He dropped the football and darted towards the steps. He skidded to a stop in front of Spencer and wiped his eyes. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He questioned in quick succession; Spencer couldn't answer through his sobs. "Henry! Henry, get Dad!" Jack ordered.
"I didn't mean to. I was only trying to pick him up," Charlotte said quickly.
"Why!? You know you can't do that!" Jack snapped. Charlotte's bottom lip trembled and she burst into a sudden fit of tears.
"I didn't mean to!" She yelled.
Henry and Danny had run into the house and now Hotch, JJ, and Shannon we're hurrying out.
"What happened?!" Hotch bellowed, glancing down at the two crying children.
Charlotte managed to calm herself to whimper "I didn't mean to!"
"She dropped Spencer! Look, Dad! Look he hurt his knee!" Jack said, pointing to Spencer bloody knee as the small boy covered his face and wailed loudly. Charlotte was still ugly crying.
"Charlotte! What did we say!? You have to be careful! I can't believe-"
"It's okay," JJ reassured, putting a hand on the concerned mother's shoulder. Hotch lifted Spencer up and into his arms where the child instantly pressed his wet face into Hotch's shirt.
"I'm so sorry, I should have told her," the mother said as she peeked at Spencer. Hotch waved her off and smiled.
"It's just a graze... you know toddlers: high emotions."
Charlotte was sniveling now and staring up at Spencer. "Is he o-okay?" She asked as Spencer hiccupped on sobs and motioned to his stinging knee.
"He'll be fine, sweetheart. You have to be more careful next time, okay?" Hotch said. Charlotte nodded solemnly. "Why don't you three go play some games inside?"
Hotch watched the kids make their way inside slowly, glancing back at the toddler who was trying to grab his knee, pointing out the scrape to Hotch.
"I know, Spencer," Hotch said gently, bouncing Spencer in his arms. "Let's get you cleaned up, and then maybe we'll wrap you in bubble wrap," he chuckled as he followed after the kids.
They got inside and Hotch set Spencer on the kitchen counter so he could root through the kitchen draws. Spencer continued to whimper piteously.
"It's okay, Spencer. You're a real accident pro today," Hotch chuckled and Shannon wiped a tear from Spencer's cheek.
"I really am sorry," she apologised again, pressing a tissue softly to Spencer's cheeks.
"It's alright. Spencer had an accident earlier; he can be pretty clumsy. Besides, at least now I have an excuse to get him to go down for a nap."
"I just-"
"Honestly, he's okay. JJ is probably with the kids if you want to help keep them entertained. I'll put this one to bed."
Aaron raised his eyebrows at Spencer who was pulling a cookie from the jar, still sniffing harshly as he pressed the crumbly treat to his lips. He looked back at Hotch with innocent eyes before taking a bite, hiccupping as he chewed.
The mother smiled apprehensively. "If you're sure-?"
"I'm sure. Go on to the front room. I'll be down in a bit."
When she left Hotch grabbed the dinosaur plaster he'd been holding and pulled off the back.
"Something tells me you were hoping this happened," Hotch said with a smirk as he looked at the small toddler munching his cookie and swinging his legs.
"She dwopped me!" Spencer said indignantly.
"And I have a feeling you wiggled so she'd drop you." Hotch raised his eyebrows at Spencer who looked down at the plaster on his knee.
"I didn't think it would attually huwt... I was gonna fate it so I tould tome inside," Spencer mumbled and Hotch grinned.
"Well, you got your wish. Come on, you need a nap."
Spencer nodded and reached his arms up, bringing his cookie with him which he was hoping to hide under his pillow for later.
"Will she 'till he hewe when I wate up?" Spencer asked nervously.
"Probably not," Hotch replied as he made his way up the stairs. "Don't you like her?"
"Yes...but I fink she lites me too much," Spencer said seriously as they reached the top and headed to his room.
Hotch helped pull off his clothes and exchanged them quickly for warm button down pyjamas that were red tartan with white reindeers prancing along the hem in preparation for Christmas. As Hotch finished buttoning, Spencer nabbed Darwin, his stuffed rabbit, who was starting to show signs of being loved. The fur on its ear was becoming less soft and more coarse.
"All done," announced Aaron as he got hold of Spencer and laid him gently in his bed, pulling the sheets up over him and his barrage of stuffed animals.
"On'y 7 s'eeps till chwistmas!" Spencer squealed excitedly as he gathered another teddy bear under his arm. Hotch smiled fondly and patted Spencer's cheek.
"That's more for you, with all of these naps."
"Tan you wead a stowy?" Spencer asked hopefully as he snuggled under the sheets and fisted his eyes.
"I have to watch the other kids, buddy. Sorry, no story now, but I promise to read two at bedtime. Okay?"
Spencer pouted in disappointment but nodded all the same.
"Otay."
"And when you wake up, guess what?" Hotch said and Spencer squinted tiredly up at him.
"What?"
"Christmas will be closer."
Spencer smiled broadly as he looked up at his father. "On'y by a few houws," he giggled. Hotch ruffled his hair.
"You get some sleep, buddy."
"Otay... love you, Daddy," Spencer said with a yawn. Hotch paused and looked at his curly-haired charge with affectionate eyes.
"Love you too."
Sorry, I know these chapters are a little... anticlimactic... drama is on its way, it will come after my exams. Hand on heart: I promise!
See you... someday in the near future...