AUTHOR'S NOTE:I meant for this chapter to have Fran Morgan's response to the news about her granddaughter but the chapter turned out this way instead. XD Next chapter, I swear. Also coming up in next chapter (or chapter after that if it gets away from me, too, which, clearly, happens), the team returns from their case to meet Michaela in person.
Having left her car at Morgan's when they took his car to pick up Reid, Garcia went home with them. She wanted to see Reid's reaction to the nursery anyway, and offered to help them "at least for tonight." Besides, she knew the bathtub Michaela was born in needed to be tackled. She'd stumbled upon it while she and Morgan were setting up the nursery and the knowledge that it was like that kept niggling at her consciousness all afternoon. Plus, she'd reasoned that she could cook dinner for them and take care of Michaela while they napped. Reid had tried to protest that he'd napped at the hospital plenty but she wouldn't hear any of it.
When they pulled up in front of the house, Reid frowned as he watched Clooney in the window, barking excitedly. "Derek, you didn't take anything of Michaela's earlier to get him used to her, did you?"
"No," he said, frowning as he got out of the car. He opened the back and gently took his boyfriend's hand to help him out. "There's three of us though and he's usually pretty calm."
Reid bit his bottom lip as he eyed the excited dog warily but nodded and turned to lean into the car. He unfastened the carrier from the base fastened into the car and carefully straightened, pulling the infant from the car. She remained blissfully asleep as she was moved.
Morgan entered first, pushing the excited dog back away from the door. "Clooney, down," he commanded. The dog immediately settled all four paws on the wood floor with a soft thud. "Sit." The dog instantly dropped his backside to the floor.
While Morgan corralled the dog, Reid took the carrier to the dining table and set it in the middle. He glanced to the dog sitting patiently then gently unfastened the straps and lifted Michaela into his arms. Cautiously, he stepped closer to them.
Morgan knelt down to grasp Clooney's collar, watching Reid stand in front of them. Clooney tilted his head up to look at the two and sniffed eagerly in their direction. When he didn't become excited, Reid carefully knelt where he stood, still out of Clooney's reach. The dog leaned forward a bit more but Morgan gently tugged him back. He sniffed a bit more but still didn't seem to get overly excited.
"Why don't you just bring the baby to him?" Garcia asked quietly where she stood a few steps away from the little family.
"You're supposed to do it increments," Morgan explained. "It teaches him that he has to respect the baby like he would Reid or I. The baby isn't one of his toys he can be rough with. Even though Clooney is a naturally calm dog otherwise, it's best not to just assume he'll be okay with her."
"He seems to be doing okay though," Reid said quietly, watching as the dog inched down onto his belly, sniffing toward Michaela before deciding he had no more interest in the new little person. Reid carefully wiggled closer, gently tightening his grip on the baby in his arms.
Clooney looked back at him as he moved and sniffed the baby's foot through the swaddling blanket. He gave it a quick lick which made Michaela jerk her foot back and whimper. Reid shushed her while Clooney went back to ignoring the baby.
"I think he's completely chill with her," Garcia said with a laugh.
"Looks that way to me," Morgan said, cautiously releasing Clooney's collar. When the dog didn't make any move to get up or move toward Reid and Michaela, he stood and helped Reid rise. "For now though, I think we should keep him from the nursery to further teach him that's her space and he needs to respect it. When we feel better with him near her, we can let him in under supervision."
"I like that idea," Reid agreed with a nod.
"Speaking of the nursery," Garcia said excitedly, grinning. "Ready to see it?"
Reid nodded and let the two lead him toward what used to be Morgan's office. They let him enter first, both standing on either side of the doorway to peer inside as he did. His eyes widened as he took in the transformed office.
Morgan had chosen dark wood furniture to compliment the medium wood of the floor which had been broken up by a large plush white rug that took up most of the center of the room. A simple wooden crib with pink bedding sat in one corner by the window. The little pink blanket Michaela had been covered with in the car was artfully draped over the front railing and Reid turned a confused expression to Garcia.
"While you two were making introductions, I snuck in here with it to finish off the crib," she explained with a proud smile.
He returned her smile then turned back to the room, immediately eyeing the dark wood rocking chair and matching ottoman on the other side of the window, angled away to face the room. A soft white pillow was positioned atop the beige upholstery. He idly noted it'd come in handy with feeding time and made a note to thank Morgan for thinking of that.
Beside the crib was a simple dark wood six drawer dresser. There wasn't anything to adorn it other than a baby monitor set. A matching changing table was positioned across from it a couple feet from the rocker. A small round end table had been set up beside the rocking chair. A vase of pink carnations and baby's breath was set on the table.
"It's still not completely finished," Morgan said. "I didn't have time for proper personalizing but there's matching furniture."
"I love it," Reid said, tears filling his eyes as he turned to Morgan. "I love the way it looks, and the pillow in the chair and the flowers on the table..."
"Those were Garcia's idea," Morgan said as the woman in question moved to gently take Michaela.
"Go read the card," she said, gently rocking the baby.
He crossed to the table and pulled the little white card from the pink ribbon tied around the vase. Congratulations on your little gift. May she fill your life with joy. He read it a second time despite having it committed to memory after one, and wiped at his eyes. Before he could help it, he was sobbing, trying to take deep breaths.
Morgan was immediately at his side, gently enveloping him into a tight embrace. "What's wrong, pretty boy?" he said quietly, brushing one hand down the back of Reid's head.
"N-Nothing," Reid sobbed before taking a deep, shuddering breath. "Just… Just overwhelmed. The baby, the room, the card… Twenty-four hours ago, I didn't even know and now… Now our lives have changed in such a big way."
"I know we didn't plan to have a baby – at least not yet – but I know we can do it," Morgan murmured into his boyfriend's temple.
"I don't doubt that – at least not right now," Reid countered, wrapping his arms around Morgan's waist and leaning into him. "But what about everything else that's going to have to change? Like our jobs? It's not going to be the same as with Clooney where we can just drop him at a kennel for the week and pick him up after."
"We have at least a month to figure that out. Hotch put us on family leave. We can be away for up to three if we want," Morgan explained. "For now, just shut off that beautiful brain of yours and focus on our daughter, okay?"
Reid sighed deeply, pushing out all his worries and relaxing into his boyfriend. "Okay," he said quietly, nodding against Morgan's chest.
"Do you think you can handle one more surprise?" Morgan asked quietly, gently swaying with his boyfriend to help further soothe him.
"What is it?" Reid asked, peeking up at Morgan and wiggling a hand up between them to wipe at his eyes.
"It's in our room," Morgan said.
Nodding, Reid let Morgan lead him out and toward their room. He didn't notice Garcia snag the baby monitor parts in one hand as she followed with Michaela.
When Morgan led him into the bedroom, he stopped short, immediately noticing the bassinet at the foot of the bed. It wasn't flush with it, a small gap separating the two pieces of furniture. Reid noticed the curved feet at the bottom and realized the space was to allow it to rock. Like all the other furniture in the nursery, the bassinet was dark wood. Instead of pink linen, the it had white, from the skirt to the inside to the blanket draped over the side.
"You thought of everything," he whispered. "The nursery, a pillow for feeding, a bassinet for our room..."
"Garcia helped," Morgan said, his hand moving from Reid's shoulders to rub circles into the small of his back.
The tech gently handed the baby to Reid then put one of the baby monitors on one of their nightstands. She turned both halves on and held the other to take with them.
Reid kissed his daughter's forehead before carefully settling her into the bassinet. He made sure her blanket was wrapped snugly around her to keep her warm and so it wouldn't come loose and cover her face. Once she was settled, he followed the other two out, gently pulling the door shut behind him.
"Okay," Garcia said determinedly, squaring her shoulders. "I have to tackle that bathroom before I go mad knowing it's in there. And you," she said firmly, pointing at Reid when he looked about to protest, "are going to go into the kitchen and let Morgan make you dinner. I doubt you've eaten all day."
"That's not true," Reid muttered. "They gave me lunch."
"Hospital food doesn't count. Morgan can make you something better," she said, pressing the baby monitor into Morgan's hands and gently pushing them toward the kitchen. "Go."
Forty-five minutes later, the bathroom was spotless and Reid was fed. He and Morgan were cuddled up on the couch, Reid's head on Morgan's chest. Garcia entered the living room, settling into the armchair with a sigh.
"'Tis clean," she declared with a smile. "I feel better now."
Reid laughed softly and gave her an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Garcia. You didn't have to do that."
"Yes, I did," she countered. "The water ring would have been worse the longer that tub stayed full."
Still smiling, Reid settled more firmly into Morgan with a yawn.
"You should go lie down," Morgan said quietly, his hand rubbing slowly up and down Reid's back.
"Yeah, aren't you supposed to sleep whenever the baby sleeps?" Garcia asked. "I remember hearing that somewhere."
"Yes, but she'll need to be fed again soon. I'll just have to get up right after laying down to feed her," Reid mumbled sleepily. "Once she's fed again, I'll lie down."
As if on cue, soft whimpering filtered through the baby monitor on the coffee table and quickly escalated into full crying. All three adults stood but Reid waved dismissively toward Garcia. "You don't have to come every time," he said with a soft smile. "Derek's just going to hold her while I settle in the rocking chair in the nursery then take her when I get up again."
"Why don't you go find one of my t-shirts for him," Morgan offered, knowing she needed to feel useful and having spotted two dark spots grow on Reid's sweater when Michaela began to cry.
Reid glanced down at his sweater at the mention of getting a new top and flushed when he noticed the wet spots.
"Why…?" Garcia asked, noticing them as well.
"In the first few weeks, the reflex that releases the milk is still 'learning' to respond to the baby nursing. Until then, sensations like hearing her, smelling her, or even thinking of her can make my body release oxytocin which causes the cells in the milk-making portions of my chest to contract, ejecting milk toward the nipples for the baby to drink. And, like now, if she's not, it leaks," Reid explained. "The more she nurses, the quicker the reflex will become attuned to Michaela and the leaking will gradually stop."
Garcia nodded in understanding then followed them into their bedroom. While Reid lifted Michaela into his arms, cooing softly and gently rocking her to soothe her, Garcia stepped over to the dresser to find a t-shirt. The two parents took the baby to the nursery. Clooney attempted to follow, curious at what they were doing in addition to the new smell of the room. Morgan gently pushed him back and told him to sit and stay. He watched them from the doorway but didn't enter.
Reid gently passed Michaela to Morgan then pulled his sweater off and dropping it near the door to be put in the laundry later. He picked up the pillow in the chair and settled into it, adjusting the pillow in his lap before looking at Morgan expectantly.
"Hey," Reid cooed as Morgan settled Michaela in his arms on the plush pillow. "Hand me her blanket, Derek."
Morgan grabbed the little pink blanket from her crib and helped Reid gently unswaddle Michaela then cover her with the pink one. He folded the swaddling blanket and put it in the dresser with the other couple he'd bought. Reid cupped the back of her head with one hand and rested his other at her back, both hands outside the blanket gently draped around her. He gently guided her toward a nipple then helped her get her mouth around it when her lips parted at the sensation of it touching her lip. She immediately began suckling. Reid sighed happily, his hand at Michaela's back slowly rubbing up and down while she ate.
Garcia entered, carrying a black t-shirt, and her eyes immediately locked on to Reid and Michaela. "Awww," she cooed. Then she set the folded t-shirt on the table beside him, stealing a peek at the baby's face against his chest. "This is never not gonna be adorable."
Reid blushed at her words and watched his daughter bring a loose fist up to rest against his chest beside her face. This earned another soft squeal from Garcia.
"Okay, the house is clean; you all are, almost, all fed; and you all will be napping soon," she said, giving Morgan a light glare when he protested a nap. "You spent all day moving and arranging and prepping this lovely nursery. You are going to lie down with Reid and Baby Genius."
"What are you gonna do?" he countered.
She smiled sadly and gently patted his cheek. "Oh, sweetie, I have to go back to work. Not all of us get a month of leave for this beautiful little gift. Besides, I'm sure JJ and Prentiss at least will have questions and I will have the answers now," she added with a grin.
"I suppose we can assume they'll all want to stop by whenever they get back from their case," Morgan said with a weary sigh. Suddenly, the thought of seeing the whole team at once felt overwhelming.
"Probably," Garcia said with a shrug. "But first..." She took out her phone and moved to stand beside Reid so she could get an angel of Michaela's face. She had stopped drinking but was still suckling, her eyes closed. Garcia snapped a picture and pocketed her phone. "Because they'll want to see her," she explained at Reid's annoyed frown.
His expression softened at the explanation, realizing they didn't have any other pictures of her yet.
With a gentle hug for Reid and Michaela and a tight hug for Morgan, she disappeared from the room.
A moment later, they heard the front door open and shut.
Morgan let out a deep breath and rolled his shoulders. Suddenly, alone with the baby, the thought of actually taking care of her seemed a lot more daunting. Until now, Reid had had help at the hospital and they'd had help from Garcia. Now, it was just Morgan, Reid, and Michaela. While Reid slept, it would be up to Morgan to take care of her. Unless she was hungry. Morgan couldn't feed her like Reid could.
"Derek, relax," Reid said quietly with a small laugh. "We can handle this."
"Yeah," Morgan said, smiling sheepishly. "Yeah, we can, can't we?" At Reid's nod, he stepped closer and peered down at their daughter, his heart fluttering. How was it possible to love someone so much so fast? "Is she finished?"
"I think so," Reid said, glancing down at her. Her suckling had stopped and she'd let her mouth release his nipple, lips parted and breathing even. "Yeah, she's asleep again."
Morgan gently removed the blanket it and draped it over the crib then carefully lifted the baby into his arms. He held her in one arm and offered the other hand to Reid. Once his boyfriend was on his feet and the pillow back in place, he took their daughter to the changing table to dress her for bed, removing the skirt and onesie and pulling on footed pajamas. He'd bought pajamas especially made with thicker material to keep the baby warm without a blanket.
Reid pulled on Morgan's t-shirt then took his sweater to the laundry room and put it in the basket of clothes that still needed to be washed. He went back to their room where Morgan was carefully lowering Michaela into the bassinet. Watching him with a loving smile, he slid under the blanket on his side of the bed and waited for Morgan to slide into his own side.
"You're so good with her," he mumbled as he settled into Morgan's side.
"Nowhere near as good as you," Morgan whispered, mindful of the sleeping infant in the room. He wrapped an arm around Reid's back to tug him close. "Ever since I came into your room the first time to see you feeding her, you've just instantly known what to do."
When he didn't get an answer, he peered down at Reid against his side, seeing his eyes closed. With a soft smile, he closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. But now that he wanted to sleep, sleep wouldn't come. His mind buzzed in all different directions.
He thought about how just that morning, it had been the two of them. Now there was a baby in a bassinet at the foot of the bed that hadn't been there twelve hours ago. The bathroom no longer bore the mess of her birth but he still remembered Reid screaming his name and groaning as he pushed her from his body. He remembered the way Reid, who now lie relaxed and calm, had curled up tightly against the pain in his abdomen. He heard Clooney slowly pad into the room and cautiously lie down in his usual spot beside Morgan's side of the bed. When his master didn't shoo him from the presence of the new little person, he laid his head down and sighed.
With the addition of Clooney to his usual place beside the bed, Morgan felt lighter and was awash with the sensation that this was home. This,with Reid's solid warmth against him, Clooney snoring lightly on the floor, and his daughter sleeping in her bassinet at the foot of the bed.
Just before he fell asleep, he remembered something that set his nerves trembling.
They still had to tell his mother about Michaela.