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Spencer liked to watch his wife ready herself for a new day. She said he had closet voyeur tendencies when he stood in the doorway of their master bathroom while she put on her makeup and combed her hair. He countered her observations by pointing out that she stared at him when he read.
That morning, he took what she liked to call his observation post and watched her do something a bit different with her golden hair. Instead of combing in straight, she sectioned it off and used a curling iron to add spiral curls. He liked the effect and smiled when she met his eyes in the mirror. "Hey," she said, and blood rose to color her cheeks. "I should be used to you watching me, but today – there's something in your eyes."
"You're so beautiful," he said.
"I'm beginning to resemble a whale," she argued as she caught up a lock of hair and wound it around the curling iron.
"No," he argued. "I like how you look. Pregnancy agrees with you."
"Stop it," she said, but she smiled, and he could see she was pleased with his compliments.
"So," he changed the subject, a little. "Why are you curling your hair? You normally keep your routine simple on workdays."
"I wanted to change it up a bit, that's all."
He watched her face and saw that she wouldn't meet his eyes. "You sure that's it."
"Yeah. Sometimes it's fun to play around with a new look."
"You might be right about that," he said. "Anyway, I love you no matter what you change."
"So, you'd be okay with my dying my hair black."
He rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't."
"I think I see the fear in your eyes, husband."
He laughed. "All right, I admit that I wouldn't like it. I love your blond hair. It reminds me of sunshine and happiness."
"Good, because I don't think I'd rock that look. Also, the die chemicals are bad for the baby."
"Then I'm glad you aren't serious about changing your look."
She unrolled the curling iron from the last curl and began on her usual makeup routine. He continued to watch her until she added the finishing touches, then comb out her hair. "As usual, you look gorgeous, wife."
"You're great for my ego."
He went to her and carefully kissed her on the lips. She grinned and wiped away lipstick from his mouth with one of her thumbs. "You ready to go."
"No, I have something to take care of this morning. I'll meet you at work in a couple of hours."
"What are you up to?"
"You'll see. Don't worry. I cleared some time with Hotch."
She observed him suspiciously. "Okay, I'll see you later."
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Reid decided the best way to present his new look to the team was to walk in and pretend that nothing changed. He got lucky when Anderson told him on his way up to the sixth floor that he'd seen all of the team gathering in the conference room. He fidgeted with his tie as he hurried into the room and tried to keep a straight face when JJ turned and saw him.
"Well, hello."
He sat and his teammates reacted with expressions of interest, amusement and in Hotch's case the words, "Did you join a boy band?"
"No," he said and wondered silently why a haircut would cause such a reaction.
Later, JJ pulled him aside when the team was working out the profile of a man who stalked women online and kidnapped them. He was in pouring a cup of terrible cop-shop coffee when she walked up and said. "Talk to you."
"Sure."
He followed her to an empty observation room, and she smirked at him. "I have this sudden urge to forget we're at work and kiss you."
"I'm not complaining," he said as he touched her face. "Why?"
"You're hair. You cut it."
"Yes. Is that a problem?"
"No, I love it, but why didn't you tell me."
"As you say, a change is good."
She reached out and lightly swatted his backside. "Just remember you belong to me."
"Why are you making that observation?" he wondered as they left the room.
"Because I saw the looks, you're getting from the female LEO's here. It's not much different from any other precinct, but for some reason, it's bugging me today."
"Must be hormones," he suggested.
"Watch it," she warned him, and they separated when Hotch came out of the room they were using to build the profile.
"It's time," he said to Reid and they hurried away.
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"Do you think that Garcia is okay?" Reid asked JJ after they reached cruising altitude on the jet.
"I don't know," she sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "She's stronger than all of us because we have each other in the field, but she only has images and our voices on the phone. I don't know how she does it."
"You're right," he said and put his hand on her abdomen.
"You two are irritating," Morgan said when he sat across from the couple. "Do you have to do that when we're on the jet," he said and waved his hand at Reid.
"Then put on your headphones and close your eyes," JJ suggested, sweetly. "You don't see us and you're happy."
"That's funny, blondie."
JJ smiled at him and bared her teeth. Reid laughed and said. "See baby, this is how you deal with Uncle Morgan."
"Stop talking to that kid like she's already here," Morgan said.
"Why, studies show that infants at this stage of development can hear and remember voices."
"Really," Morgan said and leaned forward. "Hey little baby-girl, this is your Uncle Derek. Don't worry, when you're older, I'll teach you to appreciate music other than classical."
"Morgan!"
"He has a point," JJ said and grinned at Reid's dismayed look. "I mean that we need to get some headphones for my belly, to drown out the murder talk."
"Oh, yeah." Reid's eyes went wide. "I see your point. We need to decide what kind of music to play that will be most beneficial to her neural development."
"Let me guess," JJ said with a wink. "Beethoven."
"Mozart," Reid countered.
"Well talk," JJ promised him and made Morgan roll his eyes.
"Give me a break," he said and pulled on his headphones. "I'm going to get some sleep if you don't mind."
Reid squeezed JJ's hand and she smiled at him. "Good one," she whispered, and he sighed happily before leaning his head back and falling smoothly into sleep.
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JJ stopped at the top of the stairs leading up to the walkway surrounding the bullpen. She smiled as she watched her husband flip through a file folder on his desk. Locks from his new haircut dropped over his forehead as he frowned over what he saw. The waves framed his face and again, his resemblance to a fallen angel in a Renaissance painting struck her like a fist. She placed her hand on her belly and said quietly. "There's your daddy, sweet girl. He's an amazing man that loves us very much. I can't wait for you to meet him."
As if he heard her, Reid raised his head and his cheeks turned slightly pink. "Why are you staring at me?"
"Because you're hot, and you love our baby. You're amazing, Spence and you're all mine."
"I'm not sure how to respond," he replied and watched her as she descended the steps to the bullpen.
"It's true. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"I feel the same," he said and caught her face in his hands. "You ready?"
"Yeah, I checked and she's still here."
"I hope this works because after Alaska and then this last case, I think she needs good news."
"I agree, let's go."
She took his hand and because no one else lurked around, she held it until they stepped up to Garcia's office door. "Hey, PG," she said and tapped on the open door.
"Oh, hello my lovelies. What can I do for the BAU's version of the corporate power couple?"
Reid raised his eyebrows and JJ smirked at their friend, who wore a red and white outfit that enhanced her coppery hair. "Spence and I have a favor to ask you."
"Yeah, um, we thought you might be interested in being our daughter's godmother," he blurted out.
Garcia stared at them for about three seconds, then she squealed, loudly, leaped to her feet and pulled Reid into her arms. She hugged him until he felt bruised around the ribs, then she turned to JJ. "Carefully," he begged his friend.
"Of course," Garcia said and shook her head. "I'd never dream of injuring the mother of your blond baby genius.
JJ smirked over Garcia's shoulder as her enthusiastic friend hugged her carefully. "We don't know if the baby will be gifted," she reminded the red-head.
"I know," Garcia argued. "She'll be brilliant, and beautiful thanks to your perfect genetic combination. She'll be athletic, kind, funny – amazing."
"I agree," JJ said and laughed at Reid's expression. "I want her to look like Spence, though."
"Oh," Garcia agreed as she let go of the expectant mother. "I can imagine her with golden brown curls and big hazel eyes."
"Guys," he interrupted. "You didn't answer the question," he directed to Garcia when they returned their attention to him.
"Well, yes, of course, I will."
"Thank you, Penelope."
"You're welcome. Now, I know you two didn't rush up here just to ask me to be your baby's godmother. You're trying to cheer me up after the last two cases."
Reid glanced at JJ and she shrugged. "Can't fool you."
"No. I may not be a profiler or a super awesome media specialist, but I am the goddess of all things digital and I know my family."
"We wanted you to be happy," he said, and his lovely eyes pierced her with a look that begged her to smile.
"How do you live with him when he gets that look?" Garcia quizzed the blond friend.
"It's not easy, but I am building up a tolerance," JJ lied, smoothly.
"Hey!" Reid said and his cheeks went pink.
"Right," Garcia said, and she clearly did not believe her friend.
"So, are you all right," JJ asked.
"No, but I'm getting there with your help. It's nothing that a long orgy of shopping for the baby won't cure."
"Garcia," he moaned. "Please don't spoil her before she's born."
"Why?"
JJ smirked at him and her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Yeah, Spence, why?"
"Jennifer!"
"He's right," JJ took her husband's side and made Garcia smile. "Please don't bury us in cute clothes."
"I will do my best," Garcia held up a hand as if swearing a vow.
"Thank you, now the most important thing for you to know is that Spence and I asked Morgan to be the baby's godfather."
"Oh, my chocolate thunder must be stoked."
"He is," Reid said. He shook his head and smiled as he thought about that conversation.
"If anything happens to Spence and me, it's up to you and Morgan to get our girl into Yale."
"I thought we decided on Cal-Tech," Reid argued. "Yale was my safety school."
"We agreed on Yale."
"Why? I can get her into Cal-Tech with one phone call."
"Why don't you, make up your minds and email me your decision," Garcia suggested with a straight face and dancing eyes.
"Oh, we will," JJ said, as Reid sighed.
"You two are so cute together."
"Did you hear her, Jen, we're cute."
"Right," JJ said and rolled her eyes. "We're as cute as newborn kittens."
"Oh, newborn kittens." Garcia moaned happily. "I found this video online with newborn kittens and –"
"Garcia."
"Oh sorry."
"It's okay, I like cat videos," JJ said. "In moderation," she reiterated when Garcia's eyes lit up.
"Right, you two always make me smile, but you need to go because I must finish here so that I can hit the stores tomorrow with a clear conscience."
"Garcia," JJ sighed. "You promised."
"I intend to keep that promise. Think of tomorrow as getting most of my excitement out of my system."
"Fine."
Garcia hugged them again and her face sobered a bit. "I do appreciate your efforts to distract me, but I am feeling better. I know there was nothing I could do to prevent a sicko from killing, but I can do my best to be there for you and for all the victims to come."
"We know," JJ said and squeezed Garcia's hand. "You're amazing which is why we want you in our baby's life."
"Yes," Reid agreed. "You're going to be an amazing example of a strong, brilliant, and capable woman."
"Aw, you're going to make me cry," Garcia wiped at her eyes. "Thank you, sweet cheeks."
"You're welcome."