(Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters)

Thanks to all reviewers.

This week is Mob85 and lailyspenstar's prompt with sick Spencer and extra.

I am trying to do everyone's, so don't worry if you think I've missed yours it may come up soon.

Enjoy!

Previously:

Untle Dewek got me one stoop of ice tweam, not fwee."

Derek nodded seriously, a smug grin on his face.

"That's right."

Hotch glanced down at the couch beside him as he adjusted his position. He didn't wince but he could still feel the mark on his side throb. Spencer was lying across the couch, his little socked feet stretched out over Aaron's thigh.

Hotch sighed when he saw the kid's thumb in his mouth. He leaned down to pull it out and Spencer whined in his sleep, shifted onto his side and pressed his thumb back to his lips.

"Spencer, You'll get sick," he muttered to himself as he pulled Spencer up and separated his hand from his mouth. He decided to take him up to bed, listening to the noises in Jack's room (he and Henry were playing on their X-Box) as he tucked Spencer in.

"He's going to make himself ill," Aaron said as he rejoined JJ.

"Huh?"

"Sucking his thumb. He's weaker anyway due to... well, um, his immune system will catch something if we're not careful," Aaron said, stuttering part way through.

"Well, what do you suggest?" JJ asked.

Aaron shrugged and leaned into her arm.

"A pacifier?" he said.

JJ looked at him doubtfully. "I don't think he'd go for that."

"Well we're out of options. If he gets sick I'm getting him one."

"Fine. You will also be telling him."

As JJ was walking to bed she checked on each of the boys. She paused in Spencer's doorway when she saw him squirming under his covers.

"Spence?"

Spencer rolled onto his front and pressed his hot face into the pillow. "Rrmmm," he grumbled, sucking in the detergent smell clouding his pillow.

JJ scowled. "Spency? Honey?"

The boy woke up suddenly and squinted at JJ and around himself.

"Huh?"

"Are you feeling okay?" JJ asked, stepping into the night-light's glow as Spencer kicked the sheets from their tangled state. Maybe Aaron had been right, she thought as Spencer nodded, opting out of using words.

JJ leaned over him to press a hand to his forehead. It felt warm, not too hot to deduce to a fever but enough to cause some concern.

She stood up after brushing Spencer's hair from out of his face. "Alright, try to go back to sleep. Sorry I woke you but if you do feel sick remember to tell me or your father, okay?"

"Hmmm," mumbled Spencer, putting his thumb back to his lips.

"And don't suck your thumb. You know what dad said, you'll get sick from the germs."

"M'not sick," grumbled Spencer, turning over to face away from JJ.

She shook her head and shut the door.

It was only five minutes before Spencer subconsciously slipped his thumb in his mouth.

The next morning JJ went into work while Aaron drove the boys to school, and went back home with Spencer to see their last sick days through.

He made the boy some breakfast (he'd refused some that morning, insisting he wasn't hungry but Aaron noticed how Spencer put a hand to his tummy.)

Spencer swirled the spoon around and took maybe a bite or two and pushed the bowl away.

Aaron sighed and took the bowl. "You can't have that much. Come on." He scooped up a small spoon of cereal and offered it to Spencer who fussed a little until he saw Aaron's concerned brow and with a frustrated huff he opened his mouth.

He ate the majority of the bowl and finally, with his mouth full, Spencer pushed away the last spoonful and shook his head. Aaron conceded and dropped the bowl in the sink, turning back to Spencer and pulling him out of the seat. Spencer felt bile rise to his throat and his palms grew sweaty. He looked over at Aaron who was doing the dishes and he held his position until he felt normal.

But the feeling didn't subside.

He walked to the wall and took a deep breath, sweat accumulating on his brow.

"You okay there, Spencer?"

Aaron had turned to see Spencer looking at the floor, his hand on the wall, visibly shaking as he stood there.

"Um..." Spencer straightened and forced a sweet little smile that scrunched up his red cheeks. "I'm otay," he said.

Aaron frowned and dropped the kitchen towel on the table.

"You sure?" he asked. Spencer nodded and his smile fell. He looked down at his hands. "Hey, buddy? You're not okay are you?"

"Ouch," Spencer mumbled. He coughed and looked up imploringly at Aaron who frowned down at him.

"Are you hurting?" Aaron asked, his eyebrows creased in worry for the boy who swallowed thickly and dropped his hands slowly to clutch his stomach.

"Spencer?"

"O-ouch.. ouch?"

Then he proceeded to vomit over himself and the floor.

Spencer recovered a little, coughing harshly and rubbing his lips together nervously.

He gagged again and Aaron went to grab him.

"Easy, buddy," he said but Spencer straightened up from hunching, and seemed done. Instead he looked at his feet in dismay.

"Was that a code word?" Aaron asked through a sigh as he grabbed the cloth and headed towards a whimpering Spencer who had his hands up near his ears as he stared down at the mess.

He nodded when Aaron reached him and swallowed with a clear look of disgust on his face.

"Sowwy," he mumbled. Aaron shook his head as he wiped Spencer's top down.

"It's not your fault, kiddo."

"I was sit'," Spencer replied dumbly as Aaron quickly cleaned the floor and threw it in the sink and ran the faucet over it. He picked Spencer up and tried his best not to jostle him as he took him to the bathroom.

He didn't have the heart to hold the boy from his chest, even when he was still wet with sick, and instead let him rest against him, restrained cries pushing up his throat.

"You can't help being sick," Aaron said, placing Spencer in front of the tub while touching his palm to his forehead. Spencer wiped his eyes because tears were starting to form there.

Aaron reached over to turn on the faucet just as Spencer lost his colour once more and stuck his head into the toilet. Aaron winced at the wrenching and sobbing sounds and he patted Spencer's back gently as he lifted his sweaty face out and blinked slowly, tears flooding his eyes.

"Yea," Aaron said as he sat Spencer in his lap and wiped his face with a wet towel. "You're sick, buddy."

JJ came home early to find Aaron on the couch with Spencer, the toddler with his face beside a bowl and his rabbit under his chin, Aaron's hand stroking back and forth along his shoulder.

He glanced up at JJ as she walked in.

"Is he-?"

"Yep. I think it's a virus. Probably from sucking his thumb," Aaron said pointedly. Spencer was too out of it to hear.

JJ sighed and dropped into the other couch, bringing her bag with her.

"You were right then. Let's go shopping."

Aaron gave her one of his famous scowls.

"Right now?"

"Yes, we can pick the boys up on our way back. You go get him into something warmer, I can see him shivering, and I'll change quickly."

Aaron did get something warmer for Spencer. He grabbed a soft onesie from his draw, white with prints of ducks.

It wasn't until he dressed Spencer in it that he realised in had feet and a hood. He paused as Spencer opened his eyes a little from his daze and shut them again.

"What the hell," he mumbled and he lifted Spencer up into his arms, bringing his rabbit too and heading down to the car.

They got to Walmart and grabbed the nearest cart so that Spencer could sit down again. The boy didn't look like he was going to be sick but he slumped into the seat when gently shimmied in. His tiny feet rested against the bars, and his hood was drawn back so his hot face could get some cool air.

Aaron started to push the cart as Spencer leaned his face onto his warm fingers.

Aaron grinned at the boy in his full onesie, his rabbit tucked up alongside him. He nudged JJ who had linked her arm in his as they walked along.

"Remind you of another time?" Aaron asked and he dropped his head to Spencer. JJ followed the gesture and a smile began to paint her face and she reached out and stroked Spencer's foot through the footie pyjamas.

"That seems like forever ago," she said.

"Yea, you're telling me."

Spencer was too drowsy to try anything but rest. He hated being sick, he used to pride himself on his health back when... back... actually, he couldn't remember that time. Now his immune system seemed terrible.

His eyelids fluttered with fatigue but he opened them enough to glimpse JJ and then Aaron. They were both smiling at each other. Spencer pressed his cheek more into Aaron's fingers which flexed a little. He didn't know why they were smiling when he felt so bad.

He mumbled to himself as he tried to sift through his addled mind. He couldn't remember, didn't know how to remember and he just felt awful.

"Here."

JJ turned from the cute baby bibs to Aaron. His fingers were still hostages to Spencer's cheek, but in his other he held a four pack of pacifiers in various colours, the toggle on the front a clear plastic. JJ nodded vaguely and stepped toward the display.

"Maybe not the multi-pack, they won't be as good a quality as um... this." She grabbed a two pack of pacifiers, they looked a less gaudy choice and JJ dropped them in the cart behind Spencer who jolted up.

"Sorry, Spence," JJ said, running her long fingers through Spencer's hair, her engagement ring catching the light above them.

Spencer turned his head weakly and Hotch freed his fingers and steadied Spencer with them.

Spencer narrowed his eyes at the pacifiers as Aaron and JJ started to push the cart again.

He looked back up at them, his lower lip trembling. Nothing made sense. Pacifiers? Why were they getting those? He couldn't remember what they were even doing there.

Hotch caught the sad expression marring Spencer's face and he palmed the boy's fever warm cheek. Spencer pushed his face into Aaron's palm, soft sounds falling from his shaky lips.

"I told you not to suck that thumb of yours," Aaron said. The scolding tone did nothing to sooth Spencer's sadness as the boy made a pained sobbing sound, twisting his face in Aaron's hand so his nose was pressing against Aaron's fingers.

"Aaron, he's exhausted. Don't upset him," JJ said, reaching under the cart seat to squeeze Spencer's foot fondly.

"That's not-"

Another sob bubbled out of Spencer and JJ glared at her fiancé before fishing Spencer out from the cart and hooking him to her hip.

"What daddy meant," JJ said, her tone edging on a growl as she sent an unfriendly scowl Aaron's way. "Is that instead of your thumb, which made you poorly, you can suck on a pacifier. You don't want to get sick again? No, sweetie, it's not nice is it?"

Spencer dropped his face into JJ's shoulder and Aaron winced at the tired and muffled sobbing coming from the boy. Poor thing, he thought, it wasn't his fault really, he didn't know what he as meant to do anymore. Aaron stretched his arm out and rubbed Spencer's back gently while JJ rocked him.

"I'm going to take him to the clothes," JJ said. Aaron glanced down the aisle they had been heading to with the rows and rows of medication.

"Clothes? For who?"

"The boys, Spencer, who else? I think he deserves something after you upset him."

Aaron shook his head but smiled at JJ all the same.

He wandered, on his own now, down to the kids section of the medications and instantly snatched up two bottles of children's Tynol. He grabbed a few other things that he thought would reduce the kid's fever and sickness.

When he was done he rounded on the clothing section just as JJ emerged with Spencer still glued to her hip. Although, now the toddler was holding his head up. He was holding something and gazing down at it while JJ balanced him and five clothing hangers.

Aaron turned the cart so it blocked her path and he looked down disapprovingly at the clothes hangers.

"What are those?" he asked a little intrusively. JJ held up the items and slung them across the seat in the cart.

"They had an offer on. Three shirts for twelve dollars. You think Jack will like the red one? It was the only one in his size. The other two are for Henry. I also got them both these shorts, they need new ones for baseball."

Aaron spared the items a quick glance before he turned back to Spencer.

"Whatcha got there, bud?"

Spencer, although tired and sick, beamed up at Aaron and presented his new thing. Of course, Aaron thought, it was another rabbit. This one was double the size of his old one and was a grey and white colouring.

"It's a treat," JJ added. "Because he's poorly."

"Sure," Aaron chuckled, tickling Spencer under the chin and leaving it at that.

JJ put the cart back while Aaron carried Spencer to the car. Neither spoke, although Spencer hummed with sickness.

Aaron strapped Spencer into his car seat in three swift movements: plopping him into it, yanking the straps over the arm rests, and buckling them over him.

Spencer just sat quietly, his chubby fingers knitting in the fur of his new rabbit. It towered over him just a bit as Aaron observed. Spencer was gazing at the grey and white face with a childish wonder suggesting the new rabbit's inevitable appearance on the toddler's bed.

Aaron couldn't help smiling at the endearing sight as he fumbled in the plastic bag which he had been sure to pack with just medicine and not JJ's clothing spree.

He pulled out a few packs and slipped the cardboard off the bottles.

He looked up before speaking softly to Spencer who was blinking sleepily at his rabbit. "You're not feeling sick are you?"

Spencer didn't look up immediately and Aaron sighed and reached out to push the rabbit out of Spencer's line of vision. Spencer started to grumble when he saw Aaron staring at him seriously, a bottle and a spoon in his hand.

"Do you think you're going to be sick again, Spencer?" Aaron asked, his fingers on the ridges of the bottle's lid. Spencer looked at his rabbit, as if consulting it and Aaron frowned with amusement.

"Not him, buddy, you."

Spencer looked back up slowly. Christ, the kid's slow, Aaron thought. Spencer finally shook his head and in a croaky voice said "No, I'm just s'eepy. We goin' home?"

Aaron nodded and snapped the seal on the bottle, he shifted the other boxes under his arm to get a good pouring angle.

He noticed Spencer pulling a face at the orange gloop filling the spoon. He set the bottle on the floor momentarily before leaning forward to give Spencer the spoon.

Spencer pressed his face into his rabbit and made an unpleased sound.

"It'll make you feel better, buddy, then you can go to sleep," Aaron said, still holding the spoon. He remember Jack being like this when he was young, heck, he recalled the taste of the stale bottles his mother gave him but it was a necessary evil and he told himself this as he pursued Spencer.

"It'll be really quick. We can count to three," Aaron said. Spencer looked at the spoon with distinct dismay but he managed to pry his mouth open, his arms coming around both his rabbits, the scraggly one and the new fluffy one, as he waited hesitantly.

Aaron put the spoon in his mouth and left it there until the boy closed his lips around it and cleaned it.

Aaron ruffled his hair as Spencer swallowed, his face scrunching up as if he were in pain. "Good boy, one more."

JJ got into the drivers side after dropping off her bags in the trunk and she glanced back as Aaron started to pack the bottles away.

He got into the passenger side and glanced back at Spencer one last time before nodding to JJ.

They drove in silence for ten minutes before JJ sighed.

"Is Spence asleep?"

Aaron looked back and huffed something in the affirmative.

JJ turned to look at Aaron as she drove, alternating gazes between him and the road.

"Don't you feel... I don't know how to phrase it but well... It's weird."

"What?"

"Spence... I mean, not our Spence now but the old Spence, Spencer Reid." JJ took a well needed breath and found Aaron's lost eyes for a brief moment.

"What are you talking about?"

"Spencer Reid. That's who I'm talking about. I... I-I miss him, Aaron," JJ said and she breathed afterward and with relief although Aaron still frowned.

"But-" He slung a glance over his shoulder and the sweet face of his son, sleeping restlessly in his car-seat. "That is Spencer," he said.

JJ shook her head and made a conflicted face.

"I know it's him, but it's not him him. You understand."

"A little."

"It's our Spencer all right, but as in... well, our little boy Spencer but not Spencer Reid with three doctorates and an incapacity to function around pretty girls," JJ said and Aaron chuckled before scowling.

"He's still a smart little boy."

"I know that."

"And he still really is Spencer."

"I know..."

"The old Spencer is still part of-"

"Is he?" JJ cut in sharply and Aaron stared at her. He fumbled for words before finally he said "of course. And he'll grow up to be the Spencer we used to know. We just get to enjoy him as our son now. That's all."

"I still miss him. Oh, I love him now, of course I do, I don't know what I would do without that little guy, but I miss the old Spencer too," JJ said in conclusion and she turned all her attention on the road as they drew closer to Jack and Henry's school.

Aaron continued to nod sympathetically, thoughts inspired by JJ's outburst circling his mind.

They got home with Spencer completely out. JJ put him to bed, praising Aaron for putting him in pyjamas already. She left the pacifier in after giving it a quick wash, not trusting the stores hygiene. Spencer kept his hands near his face as he slept but wrapped his thumbs and fingers around his rabbits rather than his lips.

When Aaron got him later Spencer's fever was slightly lower and he looked at Aaron with more coherency. He subconsciously sucked the pacifier and raised an arm (the other still tight around his rabbits.)

Aaron scooped him up, unused to such a quiet Spencer as he made his way downstairs.

"Think he can stomach some soup?" JJ asked when they walked into the kitchen where Jack and Henry were just finishing their pasta bakes.

Aaron put Spencer in his high chair, not taking the two rabbits from him. He was surprised Spencer hadn't spat out the pacifier yet. In fact he was sitting contently in his high chair, the pacifier bobbing in his mouth occasionally, along with a few babbling mumbles.

"He'd better have some. He's had cereal today and that's it and I'm sure he didn't keep any of it down," Aaron said taking the soup from JJ.

Hotch managed to get half the bowl of soup into Spencer before the boy reached for his pacifier and stuck it in before Aaron could try and feed him more.

They all convened in the living room for a quick movie before the boys went to bed.

Aaron smiled at his family. Spencer was sat between the boys: slumped maybe was a better description of his position. His chin was pressed into his chest and he lay back deeply into the couch, breathing through his nose as he sucked on his pacifier.

Jack had a hand on Spencer's shoulder, rubbing it reassuringly every few minutes.

Aaron leaned back into the couch he was sharing with JJ and wrapped his own arm around her.

"You boys doing okay?" Aaron asked, his eyes more focused on the boys than the TV.

"Yep."

"Hmmm."

"Spence?"

Spencer looked at JJ with dark eyes and he nodded. Aaron noticed the paleness in Spencer's complexion but it didn't worry him much, the kid was still recovering.

Spencer leaned forward to touch his feet which were still submerged in his onesie. As he sat up he swallowed quickly and grabbed the pacifier from his mouth.

"Ouch! O-ouch ouch!" he stuttered, his hands coming up over his mouth before he could say more.

Aaron's eyes widened and he booked it up from the couch as Spencer lurched forward.

"What's that mean?" JJ asked just as Spencer threw up over the carpet.

Thanks for reading.

See you soon.