Okay - so I should really be working on my review (because I haven't even started it yet...sigh) but I really want to get this story wrapped up... 2 more chapters to go :D
Thanks for all of your reviews - I know I'm usually really good about getting back to you guys right away - so I'm sorry that I haven't - but I've been head down working away on getting this finished off so that we can get back to the Roads series - can you believe it's been almost 2 months since the last chapters for those stories? I'm definitely ready to get back to it after the break for this lovely little tale :D
I don't own Criminal Minds, but I sure wish I did ;)
Happy reading and enjoy :D
"Mmm" JJ moaned as she leaned back against Spence's shoulder while he gave her a backrub. "Right there baby."
Over the course of the last few weeks JJ's back had started to bother her from the combination of the extra weight of the baby and her hips and ligaments shifting to make room for the baby as well as getting ready for the baby to be born. At least that's what the books and Spence had said… all she knew was that it was uncomfortable and Spence gave amazing backrubs.
A few weeks ago JJ had another ultrasound and the baby had definitely not been shy about letting Mommy, Daddy, and the doctor know that he was a boy. "So what do you think our little guy will like listening to?" JJ asked from where rested on Spence's shoulder while he continued to rub her back. She flipped another page holding CDs. She and Spence had discussed it and they really didn't want the baby hearing about the cases on the plane, so they were selecting a play list for the baby.
Spence made a face as JJ flipped the page again. Somehow Nine Inch Nails, Prince, and the whole slew of country music JJ flipped past didn't seem quite appropriate for their baby to be listening to. "Classical, definitely classical music."
"Well Beethoven it is then." JJ replied as she pulled a Beethoven CD out of the CD case and slipped it into the computer to load on her iPod, sure that 'Moonlight Sonata', 'Fur Elise', and Beethoven's 'Fifth Symphony' would be appropriate for the baby.
"Actually did you know that there is something called the 'Mozart Effect' that was first reported in 1993 by scientists at the University of California at Irvine? The same group was able to replicate it as well in 1995. The study found that college students who listened to a Mozart sonata for a few minutes before taking a test that measured spatial relationship skills did better than students who took the test after listening to another musician or no music at all. The effect in the students was temporary as it lasted only 15 minutes and has always been controversial. That study is what paved the way to the theory that playing classical music for babies will make them smarter, but it's never been proven to be the case."
JJ smiled. "I bet you listened to a lot of classical music as a child didn't you?"
Spence nodded. "My mother was a 15th Century literature professor. What do you think?" Spence said with a smile. "But classical music also doesn't have any lyrics for the most part and since the composers are all dead, she could be certain that they weren't watching us and writing songs about us." Spence said softly as he rested his chin on JJ's shoulder.
"Oh Spence" JJ sighed as she set the CD case down and turned sideways and wrapped her arms around Spence. "Baby…"
"It's okay JJ… it was a long time ago." Spence mumbled against her shoulder.
"I know, but it still makes me sad." JJ murmured softly as she kissed Spence's temple and ran her fingers through his hair.
Spence nodded against JJ's shoulder. "Just remember, the baby can't listen to music through headphones for too long. Amniotic fluid has a tendency to amplify sounds."
JJ grinned. Spence was going to be such a good Daddy. She couldn't wait to see Spence and their monkey together.
JJ sat her iPod in her lap and pulled the cans of the headphones over her belly and turned the playlist for Beethoven on.
Emily looked on questioningly. She nodded towards JJ from her seat across from her. "JJ, what?"
"It's so the baby can't hear." JJ said.
"Oh, what's he listening to?" Emily asked.
"Uh, Beethoven." JJ replied as she adjusted to volume so that it wouldn't be too loud for the baby.
"I personally preferred Mozart myself, but be careful to limit his exposure to one hour a day. Amniotic fluids have a tendency to amplify sounds." Spence said as he turned towards her from his seat next to her.
"Thanks for the reminder doc." JJ said as she slapped Spence's thigh.
Spence sat watching JJ through the glass separating the room where she sat fanning herself. Now in her third trimester, the heat in California this time of year was really bothering her. He could tell even though she had not once complained. He smiled watching her rub her belly. She hadn't been kidding when she'd said that the baby was kicking a lot today. He wished he could get over the fact that their monkey kicking freaked him out.
"You considering it?" Emily asked, her eyes studying him, as he turned back to work on the file and the map spread out on the conference table before him.
"Considering what?" Reid asked unsure what Emily was referring to.
"Having baby geniuses one day" Emily replied
Reid's eyebrow twitched as he thought about how to get out of this conversation with Emily without giving himself or JJ away. At this point they'd decided to wait until after the baby was here to tell the team about them. Luckily for him, the phone rang at just the right moment effectively ending his and Emily's conversation about baby geniuses. Reid sprung forward to answer the phone. "Hello"
Emily turned her head from staring at Reid and trying to figure out just what it was that was different about him lately.
JJ laughed as she listened to Will tell a story from his childhood while he and Spence worked together to make dinner.
"I was going so fast that the only thing I could think to do that wouldn't kill us or someone else was driving the car off the road and into a field. I slowed right down alright… especially when I ran the car over a stump. When I finally stopped, the car and the transmission weren't really attached to each other anymore." Will said with a chuckle.
Spence turned to look at Will contemplatively, not really having a frame of reference for a father teaching a son how to drive. "So was he mad that you wrecked his car?"
Will smiled as he remembered back. "A little, but I think he was mostly mad at himself for thinkin' it was a good idea to let his 15 year old son drive his classic Mustang on only his third time behind the wheel. But then we had a lot of good times workin' on the car to get it put back together and workin' right. A year later, he let me drive it to take my date to the homecomin' dance."
"Ooo" JJ gasped and grabbed her belly.
"You alright there cher?" Will asked concerned.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Our little monkey here has just decided that he really, really, really likes to kick." JJ said with a smile. "Do you want to feel?" she asked when she noticed the contemplative look on Will's face as he looked at her stomach.
"Are you sure you don't mind?" Will asked as he glanced back and forth between JJ and Spencer.
"It's fine, really." JJ replied grabbing Will's hand and placing it on her stomach where the baby was currently kicking.
"That's amazing." Will replied with a look of wonder on his face. "You got yourselves quite the future soccer player there."
"Well at least someone besides me thinks it's amazing." JJ joked as she winked at Spence. "It freaks Spence out."
"It freaks you out man? How can feeling your son kick freak you out?" Will asked as he pulled his hand away from JJ's belly and turned to look at Spencer. He thought for a moment about everything that he knew about Spencer. "Oh my god… it makes you think of 'Alien' doesn't it?" Will asked with a laugh.
Spence blushed at having been figured out. "No… uh… well… yeah" he finally admitted.
JJ's eyes grew wide. "Our baby makes you think of 'Alien'?"
Spence swallowed and wiped his hands on a dish towel and went to sit next to JJ. "Not exactly… I mean I don't have nightmares about the baby exploding out of your stomach or anything…"
JJ snickered. "Well thank goodness for that."
Spence smiled sheepishly, knowing that his nervousness about the baby kicking was completely unfounded, but he just couldn't help it. It freaked him out. It probably always would. "It's just… there's this person inside of you… I'm excited about the baby. You know I am, JJ; hearing his heartbeat, seeing him flipping somersaults, finding out our monkey is a boy… you know I can't wait for him to get here. But the kicking … it just really freaks me out."
JJ smiled at how sweet Spence was, even if the baby kicking freaked him out. "Don't worry about it baby. You've still got a couple months to get used to it… and if you don't, well then there's always the next baby." She said with an evil grin on her face, unable to resist the opportunity to tease Spence just a little bit.
"N…n…next baby?" Spence stuttered, very glad he was already sitting down. He wasn't sure he'd have been able to endure the embarrassment of his legs collapsing beneath him.
JJ grinned and leaned over and kissed Spence. "I was kidding baby… for now anyway." She mumbled against his lips as she leaned in to kiss him again. They'd see how things with this monkey went, but if he turned out to be half as cute and smart as his Daddy, then, yeah… she'd definitely want to have another… in a few years… maybe… probably… oh who was she kidding… definitely.