Disclaimer: See chapter 1

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"My father," Reid repeated incredulously, "but why? Chico is his protection." His voice was filled with bafflement, Lloyd could tell, but something else, concern.

"He thinks it's something he has to do." Lloyd went on to inform him of the substance of William's call.

"So what," Reid asked, "he's doing this because of me, to get my approval or something?"

"I think he's doing it for himself," Lloyd replied, "to get back some of the self respect he once had and also for Chico but, in the end, yes, I think he wants a relationship with you and Evan and I think he's working on being the kind of man who would deserve that relationship. I'm the one who insisted on mentioning it to you, not him."

"Are you sure he's not just trying to snow you?" Reid asked.

"Well, of course, there's no way for me to be certain but I've been a lawyer for a long time and I've heard my share of stories so I don't snow easily. I told him I wouldn't take the case if you didn't want me to."

"Do you want to take it?" Reid replied. "I mean, if I had nothing to do with it, would you have taken it?"

Lloyd thought briefly about his choice of words and then decided total honesty was what Spencer deserved, "Yes," he said.

"Then I think you should take it. Chico will be in good hands. I still can't understand my Dad. He could get hurt badly without Chico there."

"Yes, he could," Lloyd agreed.

"Then I don't get it. Why try to get rid of Chico?"

"Did you ever think that maybe things have changed for your father? He's developed a relationship with this young man, probably something similar to what you had with your mentor, Agent Gideon. Only this time, if things got rough, he couldn't run away like he had with you and Evan. There was no place to run. He had to stay and work at his relationship with Chico and I think it probably scared the hell out of him. I also think William's become the father that Chico never had and, perhaps for the first time in his life, William Reid is doing what is best for someone other than himself." Lloyd paused for a moment. "I truly believe he cares more about Chico's future than protecting himself."

"Okay then, it looks like you've got yourself a case. Let," Reid cleared his throat, "let me know if you need any help. I know someone who can find you almost anything you need."

"You're sure you're okay with this?" his father-in-law asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine with it. Thanks for letting me know." Reid ended the call and headed for his office while the banging and drilling carried on around him. Before he sat at his desk he pulled the photograph out of his pocket. He held it in both hands and stared at the image in front of him. Allie had said she thought his father was trying hard. Lloyd had said that William Reid may have changed. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to believe it or not. "I hope you know what you're doing Dad."

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The girls had finished lunch and the waitress had just removed their dishes. "See," Emily said of Allie's meal of poached salmon, rice and vegetables, "not fattening, not spicy and best of all, not cottage cheese," to which the others at the table all laughed.

JJ was now holding Joanna who, surprisingly, had stayed awake through most of the meal. JJ was talking to the newborn in baby talk and Garcia wondered if Joanna could understand her. "Well, I am a communications liaison after all," JJ replied as the baby began to fuss a little.

"Yeah," Allie said, "Joanna's into communication too and that's her 'I'm hungry,' cry."

"You know what she wants by the way she cries?" Garcia raised her eyebrows skeptically.

"Ah yes," Allie replied raising the index finger on her left hand for emphasis. "Spencer has read research studies."

"Of course he has," JJ interjected.

"Said studies were done on newborns from 0-3 months of age and he informs me that there are five distinct cries to look for."

"And," Emily prodded.

"And," Allie continued, "he's pretty much right. You do what each particular cry tells you and she's usually pretty happy. Right now she's hungry." She looked around the restaurant. Their corner table wasn't too visible to the rest of the patrons and her back was to most them. Allie reached over for JJ to hand her Joanna. She opened her navy jacket a little, revealing what looked like a grey tank top. She slightly adjusted her clothing and soon Joanna was nursing contentedly. Allie's jacket discreetly covered everything. "I guess it works," she laughed.

"You'll love this," she told her friends. "I'm practicing, in case I'm out with Joanna like today. Spencer says to me, 'what are you doing?' So I tell him I'm practicing in case I have to breastfeed in public. Of course, his face goes all red."

"Of course," the other three said in unison as they leaned in and listened intently to their friend.

"So I say, well, you practice whipping out your glock so I'm practicing whipping out my…he puts up his hand and squints his eyes shut and says, 'don't say it.' Suddenly he found he had work to do in his office."

The three women were laughing uproariously when the waitress returned to enquire if they'd be having dessert. They looked at Allie who nodded, "Why not," she said.

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Spencer sat at his desk to compose his daily letter to his mother. He thought about his day and the fact that he couldn't tell her any of it. He wouldn't dare tell her that he was putting extra security on his house. Her paranoia would see intruders everywhere. He couldn't tell her about Allie and Joanna though he longed to. He wanted to write pages and pages about the two most precious people in his life. His mother should know that she was now a grandmother and that her granddaughter was partly named for her. He'd have to think of the right way to tell her. Allie was right, Joanna should know her grandmother. He definitely couldn't mention his father.

His father, Allie had been writing letters to his father like he had been writing letters to his mother. He guessed it wasn't so different. It was the secrecy that bothered him most. The Reids would never be together in one place like Allie's family. It seemed that his family would always be destined to communicate through letters. He sadly looked down at the blank page and began.

Dear Mom...