I don't own Criminal Minds - those bragging rights belong to Jeff Davis, ABC Studios, CBS, and Mark Gordon Productions, and a whole slew of people, one of whom I, sadly, am not.
Thanks to all of you who have been reviewing, set up favorites and story alerts for this story. As soon as you get done reading this chapter 20 is there for you to read too. (I loaded them at the same time - see how much I spoil you guys ) :D
In case you missed it - because I know that FFN has been acting goofy and weird lately - my one shot for the Valentine's Day Challenge over at the Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum is up. It's a humor piece - and I think you will all enjoy it. It's called 'A Joy Shared is a Joy Doubled' you can also find it on my profile page.
Happy reading and enjoy :D
JJ smiled as she stood wrapped in Spence's arms in the now finished nursery. "You and Will did a great job painting in here baby."
"Yeah, but it's all the other stuff that makes this room great." Spence said.
JJ had decided since the baby was a boy that it would be really cute to decorate the nursery with a monkey theme especially since they'd spent the last several months referring to him as their monkey. The walls were painted with baby blue and brown stripes. That had taken what felt like forever, and tape, lots and lots of painters tape… but it had turned out wonderfully.
JJ had managed to find monkey decals that stuck to the wall so that the monkeys wouldn't have to be painted on. She had a pretty good sense for the fact that neither Will nor Spence would be able to paint cute monkeys on the wall. The sheets on the mahogany crib were blue with cute little monkeys. A soft, cute, monkey security blanket sat propped up in the corner of the crib. The soft plush stuffed animal portion of the security blanket consisted of the monkey's head and arms. The monkey's arms were wrapped around the bunched up corner of the soft fuzzy material that made up the rest of the security blanket. A shelf lined one wall filled with miscellaneous baby items, books, and a couple of stuffed monkeys and of course, some Curious George books. The dresser had rocking chair with a cute quilt draped over the back of it sat in the corner. Their little monkey's room was all ready for him… he just had to make his appearance.
"Can you believe he'll be here in a little over a month?" JJ said as she tipped her head back to look at Spence.
Spence shook his head. "It's all gone by so quick. It's hard to believe sometimes that this is all real."
"Mm hm" JJ murmured as she snuggled into Spence's chest while they stood looking at the nursery and smiled at the thought of the baby who would soon inhabit it.
JJ sat snuggled up net to Spence on the couch with the baby name book in her lap as she flipped through she read aloud various combinations that she liked.
"How about Aiden Tate?" JJ asked as she looked up at Spence.
Spence looked down at JJ. "Is that what you really want to name him?"
JJ chuckled. "No. I already told you what I want to name him." She said with a pout. "I'm just hoping that if I keep listing other options off that eventually you'll give in and let me have my way." She said with a pout.
Spence sighed. "Why on earth would you want to name the baby Spencer William?"
"It would be one very effective way to tell the team who his Daddy really is. Plus I'm in love with the original, so why wouldn't I want a second edition?" JJ said with a smile up at Spence.
Spence laughed and shook his head. "I think the baby should have his own name so he doesn't have any expectations put on him. He's his own person." Spence said and leaned down to kiss JJ. "Although it makes me really happy that you love me enough that you would want two of me around."
JJ smiled. "Okay no Junior for our monkey." She rubbed her belly, where the baby was kicking, as she poured back through the book.
Spence read over JJ's shoulder. "How about Benjamin? Benjamin Alexander?" Spence asked lifting his head to from looking at the book to look at JJ. "Benjamin means son of my right hand, and there's Benjamin Franklin… and Alexander means defender of mankind and there's Alexander the Great."
JJ shook her head and smirked as she turned to look at Spence. "No. What happened to not putting any expectations on him?"
"I…" Spence started to explain but was interrupted by JJ.
"Plus you do realize his initials would be B.A.R. right?" JJ asked.
Spence tipped his head. "Wait… B.A.R…. we're using Reid?"
JJ's eyebrows raised on her forehead. "That is your last name isn't it?"
Spence nodded. "I… I guess I just thought you would want to use Jareau?"
"Well, maybe someday my last name will be Reid and then it would be kind of silly if the baby's last name was Jareau wouldn't it?"
"You… you… you want to marry me?" Spence sputtered. "I mean you think about it?"
JJ nodded. "Yeah, I do. Think about it, that is."
"Do you think we're ready for marriage?" he asked as his big brown eyes studied JJ's face.
"I don't know, but a year ago I also would have told you we weren't ready to have a baby either. I think sometimes things have a tendency to sneak up on you. It's not so much about being ready as it is about being open to change."
"So… we're open to change?" Spence asked.
JJ nodded and leaned up and kissed Spence. "That brings us back to baby names and getting you to change your mind. How about Henry?"
Spence tipped his head in thought. "I like Henry. It's a good strong name. Did you know that Henry means ruler of the house? So in a manner of speaking…" Spence trailed off as JJ started kissing her way up and down his neck.
"How about Henry Spencer?" JJ murmured in his ear.
"I already agreed to Henry babe." Spence moaned as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend as she twisted in his arms for better access to his neck.
"No" JJ shook her head as she sat up in his lap. "You misunderstood me baby. First name Henry, middle name Spencer. Henry Spencer Reid." She replied as she ran her hands across his chest.
Spence sighed in resignation. "Okay, if that's what you want."
JJ leaned in and kissed Spence. "Thanks baby. You're right. He should have his own name, but I also want him to have a part of his name mean something. I can't think of anything that would mean more than naming him after his Daddy." She said with a grin and went back to kissing his neck.
Spence hissed and shifted anxiously in his seat, his hands gripping and squeezing JJ's ass as she began to nibble on his ear lobe. His hips twitched as she ground herself against him.
"Yes Mom. Yes I'm healthy, the baby's healthy. We're all healthy." JJ said smiling at Spence as he entered the room. JJ giggled. "Yes Mom… Spence too, but I will tell him what you said about cutting back on the sugar in his coffee, or you could lecture him on it yourself since he's here now." JJ said as she switched the phone to speaker phone.
"Hello Spencer dear" Sandy Jareau's voice came over the speakerphone.
"Hi Sandy" Spence replied as he sat down and wrapped an arm around JJ.
"JJ and I were just discussing her father and me coming to visit over the holidays." Sandy's voice drifted softly across the phone line.
Spence glanced at JJ and noticed the hopeful expression on her face. She was looking forward to her parents coming to visit. He was more than okay with it. Her family had accepted him as part of the family last year and of course they'd want to meet their new grandson this year. "That sounds wonderful." He said with a smile in JJ's direction.
"That will also give you and me plenty of time to talk about when you plan on making an honest woman out of my daughter." Pete Jareau's voice boomed across the phone line.
"Behave" Sandy's voice came across the phone line accompanied by a slapping sound as she smacked her husband's shoulder.
"Dad!" JJ exclaimed in horror.
Spence sputtered wordlessly as he struggled to think of what to say.
"What? It's a fair question. You two are having a baby… you bought a house… "
"Dad, we're discussing it…" JJ hedged as she looked worriedly at Spence.
Spence was having visions of being hunted down with shotguns by JJ's Dad and brother.
Pete laughed on the other end of the line. "Well good, but I was just yankin' your chain Sparkplug. I know you and Spencer love each other. I just want you to be happy."
"I am Daddy" JJ replied with a chuckle of her own as she reached over and grabbed Spence's hand and tangled her fingers with his.
Spence breathed a sigh of relief. He had not found Pete's joke nearly as funny as the man himself did.
"Okay, so Christmas here in DC this year?" JJ asked.
"Yes sweetie" Sandy replied "there's simply no way you and Spencer will want to travel with a newborn."
JJ nodded as she and Spence continued to catch up with her parents, as well as plan for their holiday visit for after the baby was here.
"Why aren't we reviewing the case file?" he asked as he glanced about at the amused looks on his teammates faces.
Emily laughed. "I don't know, maybe because someone fell asleep on the jet." She said with a smile as she tipped her head looking at Reid from where she sat next to Hotch.
Spence dipped his head nodding at the teasing from Emily that capped off the teasing and concern he'd taken from his fellow profilers after being woken up while yelling JJ's name during a dream. He wished he could say it had been a pleasant dream, but it hadn't. It had involved finding an abused and stabbed six year old boy and then turning to find his and JJ's baby boy crawling across the floor of the crime scene.
"Alright, let's start from the beginning, one more time." Hotch said drawing everyone's attention back to the case.
"This is Ethan Hayes. He was five." JJ said as she passed the photo to Elle, who sat across from Emily at the booth. "Two weeks ago, he was abducted from his own front yard."
"Where were his parents?" Reid asked as he turned to look at JJ who sat next to him on the couch.
"His Mom just ran inside to grab her purse. When she came back he was gone. She wasn't away for more than a minute or two." JJ said turning to look at Spence. She turned back to read her notes. "Police found his body exactly one week later in the desert. Uh, he was in a new change of clothes, his nails were clipped, his hair was combed." JJ said gesturing with her hands as she recited the facts of the case.
"That's a lot of remorse." Rossi said.
"No sign of sexual assault. Medical report suggests he was smothered. The unsub could see this death as merciful." Hotch said as he looked up from the case file.
"Who's the new boy?" Emily asked turning to look at JJ.
"Uh Michael Bridges." JJ said handing the picture to Emily. "Yesterday he set out to walk by himself to a friend's house a block away. He never showed up."
"What else is going on in there?" Diana asked Spencer.
"Nothing" Spencer replied.
"Don't lie to your mother Spencer. We know. We feel things." Diana said shaking her head.
Spence swallowed nervously as he contemplated everything on his mind right now. Between this case, the Riley Jenkins case file Morgan had pulled for him, and his impending fatherhood, there was a lot more on his mind than he thought would be fair to unburden on his mother.
"Are Jennifer and the baby alright?" Diana asked with concern. She had been beyond excited when Spencer and Jennifer had visited back in May over Memorial Day weekend to tell her that she was going to be a grandmother. Now she was concerned watching Spencer that something had happened to either his lovely girlfriend or their unborn baby.
"No, Mom. JJ and the baby are fine." Spence said as he leaned forward in his seat. "I just have a lot on my mind…."
"Well that's understandable. You're going to be a father soon." Diana said smiling proudly at her son.
Spence returned his mother's smile as he swallowed again. "I am… but, I need to figure out a few things before the baby gets here."
"Like what Spencer?" Diana asked.
"Did I know a boy named Riley Jenkins?"
"So who's up for a little night life in Sin City?" Morgan asked with a big grin on his face as the team minus Garcia and Reid stepped off the elevator and walked down the hall towards their rooms having just gotten back from the Chinese restaurant.
"What do you say Hotch, couple of hands of poker and a glass or two of scotch?" Rossi asked.
Hotch allowed his rarely seen grin to pass momentarily across his face. "Well, when in Rome…"
"That's not exactly what I had in mind for how to spend my one night in Vegas." Morgan said as he shook his head a Rossi and his Rat Pack ways. "But then I guess that leaves me with you two lovely ladies." Morgan said as he wiggled his eyebrows at JJ and Emily.
At that moment, JJ's cell phone rang. She smiled as she looked down at the caller ID. "Sorry guys. I'm going to take this call and then call it a night." She said as she headed for the door of her room. "Hey baby…"
Emily smiled as she could vaguely hear JJ talking to the father of her unborn child as she opened the door of her hotel room. She turned back to look at Morgan. "I guess that leaves you with just me, Morgan."
"Oh, I don't know Princess… you look like you could do some damage on a dance floor."
"How's your Mom?" JJ asked as she closed the hotel room door behind her.
"She's good. We've been catching up. I just wanted to call you before you went to bed and tell you that I love you." Spence said as he stood looking out the window behind the couch in his Mom's room that would be his bed for the night.
"I love you too baby." JJ said as she sat on the bed and leaned back into the pile of pillows against the headboard and then she yawned.
"You sound tired babe. You should go to bed. I'll see you in the morning." Spence said in concern, knowing how tired JJ had been. Luckily this would be her last case in the field until after her maternity leave. Now that she was 37 weeks she was going to be working with Garcia in the office when they went out on cases. That combined with getting Agent Jordan Todd up to speed over the next couple of weeks so that she would be able to cover for JJ during her maternity leave was sure to keep her plenty busy. He'd have to remember to remind JJ to take it easy as much as possible.
"Okay. I'll see you in the morning baby. Tell your Mom I said hi. I love you."
"Come on baby, give it to me! Give it to me! See nu uh." Morgan said as he attempted to sweet talk the slot machine into making him a winner.
"Morgan, can you ….." Emily said as she turned around from the coffee pot and set her hand on Morgan's back. "Please, can you….my head." Emily said pointing to her head, as she was a very hung-over girl who'd had a little too much fun the night before in sin city.
"Oh my bad. Sorry." Morgan said with a grin. "You know these things are rigged right?" He asked as he stood up from the slot machine.
"Late night?" Rossi asked from the arm chair as Emily sank onto the couch.
"I hate Vegas" Emily said as she covered her eyes to shield them from the harsh light of day.
"Come on Prentiss, how can you hate Vegas? This is a grown folk's playground." Morgan said.
"Anyone seen Reid?" JJ asked innocently, wondering if her boyfriend was back from spending the night at Bennington with his Mom yet.
"I know he stayed with his Mom last night." Morgan replied and then took a sip of his coffee.
"Well he should be here by now. He knows the departure time." JJ said as she looked around the lobby. "Oh this thing still has credit on it." JJ said as she leaned towards the slot machine and pressed the button.
"JJ, I swear to God." Emily said reaching out towards the JJ.
"What?" JJ asked confused as she turned to look at the rest of the team.
Rossi pantomimed drinking and drunkenness causing JJ to swallow a laugh as she realized how hung-over Emily was this morning. Morgan couldn't help but chuckle.
"Oh, here he comes right now." Morgan said as he watched Reid dash through the door of the hotel and jog over to join them. "What'd you do, sleep through your alarm?"
"Sorry to keep you guys waiting. Hi." Spence said a bit breathless as he joined the team.
"Hotch is already at the air strip. How fast can you pack?" JJ asked with a smile on her face.
"Actually, I'm gonna… I'm gonna stay for a couple of days." Spence replied nodding his head.
"Everything alright?" Rossi asked.
"Yeah, I just um… haven't seen my Mom for a really long time, so I'd like a few more days."
JJ could tell from looking at Morgan that something was up, in addition to what she was able to pick up from Spence and the way he was acting.
"You sure?" Rossi asked.
"Yeah" Spence replied in on gasped breath of air.
"Okay, take a few days. Do what you need to do." Rossi replied and then led Morgan and Emily past Reid. Emily nodded at Reid as she made her way past him and JJ.
"Hey, is everything okay?" JJ asked once the rest of the team had filed out the doors of the hotel.
Spence nodded. "Yeah, I just need to get a few answers about Riley Jenkins, the kid in my dream, and the nightmares I've been having. I'll be home in a few days. I promise."
JJ nodded, knowing that Spence's dreams had been bothering him the whole time they'd been in Vegas. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself." She said as she leaned in close and played with his tie.
Spence nodded in agreement. "You too… both of you." he said as he wrapped one arm around her waist and then rubbed the side of her belly with his other hand.
JJ nodded her agreement and leaned up to kiss him softly and then ran her thumb across his lower lip, wiping away her lipstick. "I love you. See you when you get home."
"I love you too." Spence replied as he released her from his arms. Then he turned to watch as JJ headed for the lobby doors of the hotel.
JJ turned back and gave Spence a parting smile and a small wave before she exited the cool interior of the hotel lobby and into the heat of the Las Vegas desert.
"Emily, you remember Agent Todd." JJ said as she led Agent Todd to Emily's desk in the bullpen.
"Oh yeah, hi. Welcome back." Emily said standing up and shaking Agent Todd's hand.
"Thanks. I'll be shadowing JJ for the next couple weeks." Agent Todd said with a smile.
"Big shoes to fill." Emily said with a smile tipping her head in JJ's direction.
"Big ankles at least." JJ said with some humor.
"Oh come on, you look great." Agent Todd said.
"Yeah, that's what I keep telling her." Elle said.
"Do you have kids too or?" Jordan Todd asked.
"Ah, no. I think JJ may have snared the last viable donor." Emily said.
JJ grinned and tipped her head wondering what Emily would say if she knew who she just called the last viable donor. Then she wondered if based on Emily's comment, she should see if Will would be interested in being set up on a date with her.
"Tell me about it." Jordan replied as the three women chuckled.
"Donor for what?" Hotch asked as he walked up to the group of female agents while looking down at a case file.
"Uh… Nothing. I'm just reacquainting Agent Todd here with the layout." JJ said as she stood with her hands bracing her back.
"Good to see you again SSA Hotchner." Agent Todd said extending her hand to shake Hotch's.
"Oh please, Hotch." He said with a smile and then looked back down at his file.
"Hotch. So where's the rest of the team?" She asked as she glanced around the bullpen.
"Oh, another case came up while we were in Las Vegas and they stayed behind to look into it. Excuse me." Hotch headed for his office.
JJ nodded distractedly as she wondered how Spence was doing.
"I thought you worked cases together." Jordan said as she swung around to look at Emily and JJ.
"This one's different." JJ said nodding after a sideways glance at Emily.
JJ took a deep breath as the nurse pushed her through the waiting room in the wheelchair as they arrived at the hospital. She really wished Spence was here right now. She could hear Hotch on the phone with she guessed either Morgan or Rossi.
Will came rushing into JJ's room just as she was getting settled. "Hey cher, I came as soon as I got your voice mail message." He glanced about the room and noticed that Spencer was missing and suddenly, JJ's request made sense. "I brought the video camera, just like you asked." He smiled.
"Thanks Will" JJ said smiling as her eyes turned watery with tears.
"Hey, hey" Will said wrapping her in a hug. "I know I'm not Spencer." He whispered in her ear, "but I'll do whatever you need me to and we'll catch this little guy's first few minutes so that his Daddy doesn't miss out on it. It's going to be okay cher. It's going to be okay."
JJ nodded against Will's shoulder as she listened to him whisper in her ear, hoping that Spence would get there in time. But it comforted her to know that if he couldn't make it, Will was going to do everything he could to make sure that Spence got to see as much as he would have if he'd been here.
"What's done is done." Diana said as she looked up at William from where she sat. "At least now you know the truth." She said as she turned back to Spencer.
"I was wrong about everything. I'm sorry." Spence said as he fought back tears of regret, and tears of relief.
"I am too Spencer." William Reid said as he sat down next to his son.
Spence turned and looked at his Dad and nodded. "I wish I could stay and we could spend some more time together, but, I have to get back to DC. JJ went into labor."
"Who's JJ?" William said as he turned to look at Diana.
A large smile appeared on Diana's face. "Jennifer's in labor?"
"Yeah, so um… I really need to go… but…" he glanced at his Dad and looked back at his Mom.
"Go Spencer" Diana said standing up and hugging her son. "I fill your father in. Call me when the baby is here and let me know everything is okay?"
"I love you Mom" Spence said leaning forward.
"I love you to baby. Now you get home to Jennifer and help her with bringing that grandson of mine into this world." She said smiling at Spencer as he drew back from the hug.
"Grandson?" William said sinking back onto the couch just as Spencer reached the door.
Diana sat down next to William on the couch in the spot previously occupied by their son. "Yes, grandson. You left 17 years ago William. Did you expect that time would just stop and stand still in case you decided to step back into your old life?"'
"No… but I… a grandson?"
"Yes. And Spencer's girlfriend Jennifer is absolutely lovely." Diana replied with a smile. "I need to get back to Bennington so that I can take my meds… but if you'd like, I can show you some of the pictures they've sent of them… of their new house. They even sent me a copy of the sonogram if you'd like to see it?"
"I… I'd like that." William replied as he stood up and held out a hand to help Diana to her feet. His son… a father… a grandson… he'd never considered all that he'd miss out on by staying away. He'd always known that Spencer's life had continued on without him in it. He'd read every article published about his son, read his son's thesis, but he realized until now, in this moment that reading about his son did not in fact let him know his son. He could never get back the years that he'd lost. He could only hope that they could start anew.
Spence sat staring out the window. He'd been extremely quiet and wrapped up in his own thoughts as he spent the four hour flight from Las Vegas to DC hoping against hope that he would somehow, some way manage to make it to the hospital in time to see his son born.
They were just touching down on the tarmac at the base when Spence felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the text from JJ. 'He's here. Room 326 C U soon. I love you.' Spence's head dropped to his chest as he slid his phone back in his pocket. He'd missed the birth of his son. But then his head popped back up. He had a son… and a girlfriend he loved very much waiting for him at the hospital.
As soon as the plane had taxied to the hangar, Spence headed down the stairs and over to one of the waiting FBI SUVs. He had a son to go meet.
"Where do you suppose he's off to?" Morgan asked as he stood in the hangar watching as Reid drove off.
Rossi shrugged. "I don't know, but I'd say he has the right idea. It's been a long week. Let's get out of here." He said to Morgan and then they turned and headed for the other SUV. Rossi chuckled just before he opened the driver's side door of the SUV. 'Good for you kid… good for you.' he said under his breath as he watched Reid's SUV exit the gates of the base over the hood of the SUV.