Title: Learning Something New: Adventures in Babysitting (Part 3 of 4)
Author: Trista Groulx
Rating: T, same as the show
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. It pains me really, but I can let them have some fun, then return them unharmed. They belong to their creator, network, writers, and actors and actresses who portray them.
Summary: JJ asks Reid to babysit his Godson, Prentiss gets a bit of a surprise
Notes: This little plot bunny has been in my brain for a while, and I finally got a chance to write it. I figure they need to have the "kids" talk sooner rather then later. I'm not planning and Prentiss-Reid babies just yet tho. Thank you to those of you who have continued to read my delve into this pairing, I'm glad to hear you are still liking what I am doing here. Welcome also to the new readers don't be shy :)

Prentiss and Reid were curled up on the couch watching Back to the Future together. Prentiss had been surprised to discover that Reid did have a TV, but no movies to watch. She was glad she had found something good on. Although Reid was asking more questions then a four year old as they watched.

"Spencer just watch it!" Prentiss snapped. "It's a good movie if you would watch it you'd love it."

"But I don't understand what's going on," whined Reid.

"You will. Now shush."

He sighed, and began to watch the movie, trying to be quiet. He was just getting into it when his phone began to ring. He looked at the number, not overly surprised to see JJ's number. Prentiss peaked at the ID and sighed, she figured it meant that they had an emergency case. Reid answered his phone.

"Hey Spence I have a huge favour to ask," an exasperated JJ mumbled into the phone. She sounded like she had been crying.

"JJ what's going on?" he asked, worried.

"Will fell down a flight of stairs at work I want to go see him but I have no one to watch Henry. I was hoping maybe you could spend Godfather Godson time with him. Emily can come along too since I figure you're together."

"Yeah, sure thing JJ, we'll be right over. It's been a while since I've been able to see the little man."

"Thank you Spence."

"Hang in there, we'll be right over."

He hung up the phone, turning off the TV. He was kind of glad for the distraction, since movies really wasn't his thing.

"What's going on?" Prentiss asked.

"Will was hurt at work, JJ wants us to watch Henry for a few hours. She sounded really upset," Reid explained.

"I bet. I'd be pretty scared if you were hurt and I couldn't be with you. Let's go."

"I just have to grab something quickly."

Reid went into his room and grabbed a wrapped box that he had been meaning to give to JJ to give to Henry, slipping it into his messenger bag. He then picked up the bag and slung it over his shoulder. Prentiss meanwhile had slipped on her shoes, and had taken her sweater just in case. They both slipped on their shoes and went to JJ's. JJ let them up almost immediately. She couldn't wait to go see how Will was doing. Prentiss hugged JJ as soon as they were inside. JJ smiled a little, glad for the human contact.

"Do you want me to drive you over to the hospital?" Prentiss asked.

"If you wouldn't mind, that would be great," JJ said softly. "Spence are you all right with Henry for a few minutes?"

"I've watched him before, and I am a genius I think I'll be fine alone with him for a few minutes. You hardly ever let me get to spend one on one time with my little Godson."

"What do you think Henry, you ready to spend some time with Uncle Spence?" She asked her son with a huge grin on her face. Henry squealed excitedly.

"I think that's a yes. At least someone knows I'm not clueless, huh Henry?" Henry laughed and stuck his tongue out at Reid. "I got you a little surprise."

"You are going to spoil him," sighed JJ. "He's gonna think he gets a gift every time he sees his Uncle Spence."

"And what's the problem with that?" Reid asked. "Nothing, Henry, your Godfather is just happy to have someone to buy toys for." He reached into his bag and took out the gift.

Henry held out his hands, a big smile on his face when he saw the bright red and blue wrapping paper. Reid sat down on the floor with him and helped him to open the package. JJ smiled, not surprised that it was another educational toy. Reid had bought him a set alphabet blocks. At least this time the blocks would be fun to play with on their own without the letters.

"You wanna play with these?" Reid asked, as he opened the box.

Reid hadn't even noticed that the two women were leaving, and neither had Henry, since he would normally make a big fuss over his mommy leaving him. He was too distracted by the blocks that Reid was getting out of the box for him. Reid got down on the floor, and began to play with him, making shapes and words with blocks.

The two of them were still playing together with the blocks when Prentiss got back. She had never really thought about how good of a father Reid might be. Watching him down at Henry's level playing with the blocks, made her want a baby over her own.

"See Buddy, that spells Mom," Reid said.

Prentiss laughed. "Spencer, Henry doesn't even know how to say mom, mommy or mama, what makes you think he can spell it?"

"No harm in trying. I was spelling stuff with my blocks when I was his age."

"Yes, but you're a genius."

"How do we know Henry isn't?" he asked.

Prentiss laughed. "Well he's still smiling, so I guess it's not so bad. I bet he thinks his 'Uncle Spence' is crazy."

"I think we're having fun together. I love this kid."

"I can tell. I guess I never pictured as being the kind of guy who is down on the floor playing with kids."

He shrugged. "I was always treated like an adult growing up, so it's nice to be able to play with kids. Besides Henry is still too young to tell me I'm being silly."

"I think it's sweet."

Henry was now playing with the blocks, moving them around on the floor. Reid looked over and noticed that he had made a triangle with them, just like he had showed him a few minutes before.

"JJ's got a smart kid here," he said, grinning. "That's a triangle little man, good work."

Henry smiled at Reid proudly. Prentiss was laughing, but was enjoying watching the two of them together. Reid kept showing Henry different shapes and easy words. Henry began to copy him. Prentiss just watched, amazed at how good Reid was with the little boy. Normally kids didn't seem to respond to him very well. Since Henry had always known Reid the two of them had a special bond. Prentiss had always questioned JJ's choice as Henry's Godfather until then. Reid was a natural with the infant.

Reid looked at his watch when Henry began to rub his eyes, and pull on his ear. "I think it's bath time, and then off to bed little man," Reid said.

"Do you need help?" asked Prentiss.

"I've done bath time before, but he was a little smaller. He's getting to be a lot more wiggly an extra pair of hands never hurts," Reid replied.

"I'm so amazed at how good you are with him. I didn't realise that you spent so much time with him."

"I didn't always sit alone on Friday nights reading books before I met you. He's my Godson, and JJ is one of my best friends. I've babysat him a few times. It's getting more fun as he's getting older. Huh buddy?" Henry grinned, holding his arms out, Reid picked him up. "Time to splash!"

Prentiss laughed. "I'm not sure how JJ will feel about her bathroom getting flooded while she is attending to her injured husband."

"I always clean up after, don't worry. She'll just be glad that Henry is ready for bed. Not that he'll sleep without hearing her say goodnight. Apparently when she's on a case he stays awake until she calls, and Will put the phone to his ear, and then she goes to sleep right away."

"That is adorable. I guess Henry is a little Mama's boy."

"Yeah he is."

Reid took the toddler up to the bathroom, putting him down on the floor, while her ran the bath and checked the temperature. Prentiss just sat back and watched, tickling Henry a little bit when he got too close to the bathtub before it was ready for him. Reid began to throw his toys in the tub. She laughed, noticing there was another set of letters, which probably also came from Uncle Spence.

"Do you buy this little guy anything that's just fun to play with?" Prentiss asked.

"Everyone else can buy those toys. Letters, and numbers, and books and stuff like that are fun to play with too. It also means that I get to interact with him to play with this stuff. It's great," he explained a huge grin on his face.

"All right, if you say so."

"I do say so. Are you ready for your bath Henry?" He began to take off the infant's clothes. "No pooping in the tub this time. Your mommy is gonna be mad at me if that happens again.'

Prentiss laughed when noticed Henry had a mischievous grin plastered on his face. She still just sat back and watching the two of them. She could not get past her amazement as she watched them. Reid gently put Henry into the tub, where he once again began to show him how to spell easy words.

"You're not going to let up are you Spencer?" Prentiss asked, smiling.

"No. I want to teach him as much as I can. That's the great thing about a baby they are like a blank canvas. I think that's pretty amazing. It's great that JJ lets me get to be a part of this."

"Do you want that for yourself one day?"

"Yeah, sure," he replied before he processed the question. "I don't know, maybe. Right now I like the way things are between us. I'd kind of like us to be married before we have a baby. Can we talk about this when we get home? I'm kind of paranoid with Henry being in the bath."

"Yeah, sure but you had better not distract me when we get there or I'll hurt you."

"I promise we will talk when we get home."

While Reid was playing the letters Henry was splashing around in the water, squealing excitedly as he slapped the water. Prentiss laughed, noticing that Henry was getting some good splashing in, and was getting Reid wet. He didn't seem to mind. Her mind began to wonder, thinking about Reid spending time with their kids one day. She smiled happily, it was a nice daydream.

"You remember that trick huh little man?" Reid asked, proudly.

"You taught him how to splash?" queried Prentiss.

"No, to use the palms of his hands instead of making fists cause you get a way better splash."

"I'm amazed. Doctor Reid did actually have bits and pieces of a childhood in between being a boy genius."

"Even we geniuses have to bathe," he laughed.

Reid then took a wash cloth and took the baby soap, and began to carefully clean the infant. He babbled away to Henry the whole time reassuring him that it would be all right. He then began to wash his soft blond hair, and Henry began to wail.

"I know buddy, Uncle Spence is horrible," he told him. "I know you don't like this, but you have something in there. Last time you tried to make me feel bad about not washing your hair your mommy told me I had to suck it up. Cause she said you tricked me. So I'm just going to have to listen to you scream for a few minutes. Then we can splash again for a few minutes before we get you all ready for bed."

Prentiss was impressed that he had actually let Henry get upset instead of backing down. It just reassured her that he would be good with their kids. Reid was soon done, and let Henry splash around for a few more minutes, before he pulled the plug. He then grabbed Henry's frog hooded towel, and wrapped it around him, covering his head.

"No peeing on Uncle Spence either, although I have learned to have a change of clothes around you buddy," he laughed holding Henry close to him.

Prentiss was laughing, and Reid soon realised there was a second laugh that had joined her. He hadn't even heard JJ come in. Henry squealed and started to squirm in Reid's arms.

"I think someone wants his mommy," Reid laughed, handing Henry over to JJ.

"Thank you Spence, you too Emily," JJ said hugging Henry close to her.

"How is Will doing?"

"He's going to be all right. They want him to stay over night. They want to be sure he really did just bruise his ribs. They said it was hard to tell in the x-rays because of the swelling. He told me to come home and stay with Henry cause he would just be sleeping anyway."

"I'm glad it's nothing too serious."

"No, it really wasn't. I just chose to marry the clumsiest cop you'd ever want to meet. I thought Spence was clumsy and always getting himself into trouble, then I met Will." She kissed Henry's forehead gently. "Daddy's gonna be just fine big guy. Did Uncle Spence take good care of you?" Henry smiled up at his mother. "So other then bath time what did you two do?"

"We played with his new blocks," Reid explained.

"Yeah, Spencer was teaching him how to make shapes," laughed Prentiss.

"He totally learned how to make a triangle. You'd be proud of JJ. I was also trying to teach home to spell Mom with his letters but Emily keeps telling me he's too young for that."

"He is too young Spence," JJ said. "I think it's really sweet that you are always trying to teach him things, but you have to understand he's not like you were as a kid."

"I know, but I still have fun doing that with him. It gives me a chance to play with him on his level. No one ever did that with me when I was kid."

"I'm glad we chose you to be his Godfather, you care so much about him. So when are you planning on having your own little geniuses?"

He blushed. "I think it will be a little while yet. Emily and I just started, um, dating, if you can call it that."

"You're so bashful," laughed Prentiss. "This has been a lot of fun JJ. We'll watch Henry any time you need us to. It kind of gives me an idea of what he might be like if we have kids of our own."

"Spence will make a great father. It shocked the heck out of me too."

"I'm still in the room," sighed Reid. "I'm gonna go clean up the blocks while you two girl talk."

Reid went into the living room and began to put the blocks back in the box. JJ meanwhile put Henry in a clean diaper and a warm pair of one piece pajamas. She then came back into the living room with him.

"I figured you two would want to tell him goodnight," JJ said.

Prentiss took the baby and hugged him gently, kissing his cheek. She sighed she hadn't realised how much she wanted a baby before. She wished that Reid didn't want to wait. She wasn't getting any younger and the longer they waited to have a family the higher risk she would be. She knew she had to talk to him when they got home. Reid kissed Henry's head gently while he was in Prentiss' arms.

"I love you little man, be good for your mom. Tell her that she should read you the new book Uncle Spence got you."

JJ laughed. "I'll think about it. He does like those baby art books you get him. He's even starting to be able to find the animals and everything they have hidden in them. He is a really smart little guy."

"I know he is, his parents are smart too."

JJ hugged them both before they let themselves out. She then went to lay Henry down his room, and began to read to him. As she did Henry played with the velcro letters that Reid had bought him. JJ leaned down to kiss her son's head gently. She shook her head in disbelief when she had noticed the letters had been re-arranged to read "mom." She would have to ask Reid how he had pulled off that magic trick when they got back to work.

End part 3

Notes: All right so the block this has been in my brain for a while. I'm glad I got it out there. I hope you enjoyed it. I promise the next part will be more Prentiss-Reidy. Once again I think Reid could figure kids out, he just might do silly things lol. Next up "Speaking of Babies..." if you are reading this I'd love to know what you are thinking about it if you haven't already.