This will probably be contradicted by the upcoming episode on Wednesday, but here it is...
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Venus
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A tap tap sounded on the door just as a shy (and completely redundant) "Knock, knock," was spoken and Savannah smiled as a bashful Reid poked his head around the corner.
"Spencer! How nice to see you. Come on in."
"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly, trying to peer into the bundle in her arms. "I'm not interrupting somebody's nap, am I?"
"No, no, it's fine," she assured him. "The baby's asleep."
"What about Morgan? Is this family time?"
"His mother and mine dragged him to the cafeteria for some coffee. And you are family, so don't you worry about that."
"Really? Because I received very explicit instructions about not intruding or about over-staying my welcome."
"From who?"
"Uh, well, everybody."
"Well, pay no attention and get in here!"
Finally entering the room, Reid placed a pink gift bag on the table by the window, looked around and smiled. "I see Garcia's been by."
Savannah chuckled softly. "I didn't think she could possibly get more excited than when she found out Derek and I were having a baby, but, well... Oh, and congratulations. I heard you won the bet."
Reid smirked. "Considering the slight statistical inclination for parents having a girl, for some inexplicable reason it was the office long shot."
"Probably because Derek's done nothing but talk about a boy since he found out I was pregnant."
"Maybe, but what I'm confused about is why the rest of the building just assumed he was right. When did Morgan become the mystical oracle of baby genders? But hey, it worked out great for me."
"In other words, you cleaned up."
Reid's smirk grew. "I did."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Do you think Derek's disappointed in not getting a son?"
Reid blinked at her, completely taken aback. "Are you kidding? Rossi says that if Morgan's head floats anymore into the clouds he's in danger of being caught in a jet engine. I've never seen Derek like he's been for the last twenty-four hours."
"It's just that he was so adamant that we were having a boy..."
"Did he tell you why? I mean, did he tell you about seeing his father when he was abducted?"
"That's why I kind of wondered. He explained the image of his father as part of his mind trying to help him stay calm and find solutions, but if that's true -"
"Then wouldn't his father's prediction simply be an unconscious expression of his own desire?" Reid finished.
Savannah nodded.
Reid pondered the question for a moment. "I don't think it's anything that easy. The big, macho FBI guy who can only feel manly if he fathers a son doesn't read as Morgan. He's more secure than that. In fact, I think he's going be a great father to a little girl. He'll drive her crazy as a teenager when he goes into overprotective mode, but otherwise I can't see him being any more thrilled to have a little boy than he is with his beautiful little girl.
"There could be other reasons for his dream, though," Reid continued.
"Such as?" Savannah asked hopefully.
Reid shrugged. "Maybe insecurity. A lot of men worry about what kind of fathers they're going to make, and they think things will be easier with a boy, that they'll be better able to relate to boy because they know what it's like to be one. Or it could be that after his father's death, Morgan was surrounded by women and girls - his mom, his aunt, his sisters, his cousin Cyndi - maybe he was hoping to even out the sides a little. But..."
"What is it?"
"I don't know for sure, but if you want to know what I think it really is, it's his dad."
"His dad?"
"I think he wanted the image of his dad to be more than his imagination. If his dad's prediction had been right, it... well, it would leave open the possibility that..."
"His dad was really there," Savannah finished quietly. "That Hank was more than just something he conjured out of his mind to help himself."
Reid nodded.
"Thank you, Spencer," Savannah said. "I think I understand more now."
"I'm glad I could help."
"Hey, would you like to hold your god-daughter?"
"Really? Don't get me wrong, I'm not turning it down," he rushed to say, "but Morgan said you had a lot of people on your side campaigning for the job too."
"Sure, but none of them were so instrumental in saving Derek," Savannah explained as she handed over her slumbering daughter. "If you hadn't told him about the way to treat white phosphorus burns, or if you hadn't taken that shot..." She breathed in deep, trying to regain her composure after the sudden vision of what could have been, and then looked at him. "Was that hard for you? Shooting that man, I mean?"
An enraptured Reid didn't look up from staring at his new god-child. "Would it disturb you if I said, 'Not even one little bit'?"
"Not for a moment."
"We're all set then, aren't we, baby?" Reid said to his god-daughter. It was only then that he looked up at Savannah. "Still no name yet?"
"We thought we were having a boy, remember? We've got a blue nursery that needs to be re-done too."
Reid turned his gaze back to the baby. "I wouldn't worry about the nursery - the whole blue for boys and pink for girls is just an advertising ploy from the '20s. And as for the name, I guess it's a good thing you are a girl, sweetie."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, Morgan said he wanted to name your son after his dad."
"What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing really, it's just that 'Hank' is generally a nickname for Henry. And if I've got three god-children and two ended up being named the same thing, people would think I had really unimaginative friends."
Savannah started to shake with silent laughter. "Good thing she is a girl then. Poor Michael would feel left out. So, any suggestions?"
"One or two," Reid admitted as he reverently traced a gentle finger along the baby's cheek, but there was something unreadable in his tone.
"Are they names you were thinking of if you had daughters?"
"Grace."
"I'm sorry, I didn't - "
"I like Grace," Reid said a little more loudly. "She's so dainty - I think it suits her. And it suggests the idea of blessings or favors of God. I'm not particularly religious, but I find that somehow reassuring. And Noelle. I like the name Noelle. It's French, exotic but simple in its elegance, and makes people think of Christmas."
"Grace Noelle," Savannah sighed as she peered lovingly at her daughter's tiny, angelic face. "Why did you have to tell me them? They're perfect!"
"If they're perfect, why was it wrong to suggest them?"
"Oh, Spencer, I can't steal your names! I can see how special they are to you."
Reid looked intently at the baby in his arms and then looked at her mother. "Then she should have them, if you and Derek want that. It could be my gift to her, and a gift means more if it's something dear to you."
Savannah felt tears come to her eyes. "Are you sure?"
Reid smiled as he looked at the baby again. "My god-daughter deserves nothing but the best! Besides," he added, "I could always name any daughter I have Noelle Grace. Not to mention, think of how jealous the rest of the team is going to be if I get to be godfather AND name the baby!"
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This little scene was a bolt from the blue this morning, so if it feels a bit rushed, that's the reason. But the idea of Morgan being wrong about the baby's gender has been with me ever since "Derek", so when this jumped into my head, it dug its claws in and wouldn't let go. Also, the BAU seems to have a surplus of boys already. Except for Rossi's daughter Joy, who was introduced to us as an adult, (and Kate's niece Meg, if you want to stretch things a bit), everyone has had a boy. Rossi, Blake, and Hotch all either had or have boys. J.J. has two boys. We don't know what Kate had, but since Jennifer Love Hewitt had a boy in real life, it's likely the character's baby would have been a boy. And Rossi's only grandchild is a boy. I'm not saying this as a strident feminist, but as a bored viewer. And seriously, Morgan would be a great dad to a girl, so why not change things up? I suppose from a story-telling perspective, tying in Morgan's relationship with his father to his and his future child would be thought to be a bit more poignant if he was having a son himself, but still, seeing as Morgan's first daydream had a boy AND a girl, why not go another way? Or maybe it will be twins. Who knows?
Of course, this is ignoring the end of "The Sandman". So really, this story is AU in any case, since I've decided to ignore whatever tragedy may be in the works. Here everything ends happily.
