A/N: I cannot apologize enough for the long wait! But I am very sorry. I was gone away for a week and since then I have been trying to catch up on everything. Forgive me and enjoy the new chapter. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of it characters.
Chapter 12 – Home
Reid waited patiently on Elle's hospital bed while she changed in the bathroom. He smiled as she walked into the room wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was fixatedly playing with the ends. "I feel so gross," she announced.
He had completely forgotten about the fact that she was probably dying to bathe. "I could draw you a bath when we get home."
"That would be nice," she smiled.
She walked towards him and stood between his open legs. He looked up at her and smiled tentatively. He wanted to gently run his hands from her hips to her shoulders but he didn't want to push any physical boundaries with her. Those decisions would be made by her, in her time. So he took both of her hands in his and entwined their fingers.
"Can I have a kiss?" She asked sweetly.
He chuckled, "Are you pouting?"
She smiled as she leaned down to kiss him. "Maybe just a little bit," she admitted.
They kissed slowly before he pulled back. "Come on, let's get you home." He took her hand in his and carried her backpack. He led her out of the hospital room but stopped when he saw Elle's family waiting outside the door alongside Dr. Accardo. Their BAU teammates had all left, but Reid knew that they would be visiting Elle at the apartment.
"Hello," the female doctor smiled. "Elle, if you could follow me we'll do a quick checkup and get you discharged."
Elle followed Dr. Accardo down the hallway and left Reid with her mother and two brothers.
"What about her work?" Rafael asked Reid in a concerned tone.
"Hotch says that she can decide when she wants to come back but he wants her out for at least ten days and well, of course, when she returns she can't go out in the field."
"Oh yeah, I forgot to actually congratulate you on the baby," Rafael smiled genuinely as he shook Reid's hand.
Elle and Reid had talked alone earlier for a little while and Elle had decided that she wanted to tell her brothers about her pregnancy. Her Mom knew, but she had kept it very close-lipped. Reid had given her some private time with her family while she told them the news. They seemed happy for him and Elle and for that he was relieved. Even Vincent was wearing a small smile; he figured that Elle had said something to him.
Elle's mother laughed nervously. "With all that's been going on, I forgot too." She kissed Reid sweetly on the cheek. "Congratulations sweetheart."
"Thank you," he replied cheerfully.
"Yeah, congratulations," Vincent added, again with a smile.
Reid was slightly suspicious about Vincent's motivations, but he pushed those feelings aside. He was Elle's brother, after all.
He smiled and swayed back and forth awkwardly. He was anxiously waiting for Elle to be in his line of sight again. Time away from her had made him nervous. His mood brightened considerably as he saw her walking back towards them. He took a moment to subtly look her over. She still looked tired. When they got home, he would draw a bath for her and then tuck her into bed. She still had a bandage on her forehead and both of her wrists, and he knew that her socks and sneakers were covering the bandages on her ankles. Knowing this, he was swept with a strong urge to protect and care for her.
He noticed her carrying a small piece of paper in her hands. "What's that?" He inquired.
"This prescription cream for my wrists and ankles," she answered unceremoniously.
"Okay, we'll stop and pick it up on the way. Are you okay to go?"
Elle nodded. "Yes, I am fine and ready to leave." She really hated being poked and prodded in a hospital.
Reid turned to Elle's family and smiled. "You're all welcome to stay at the apartment."
"Where did you stay last night?" Elle asked as she looked at her mother and Vincent.
"Oh, we stayed at a small hotel nearby," Vincent answered. "Its no big deal, we can stay there again."
"No, you should stay with us," Reid insisted.
"Thank you, Spencer," Elle's mother replied sincerely.
They left the hospital in Reid's car, except for Rafa who followed them on his motorcycle.
Reid pulled into a drugstore on the way to the apartment and turned off the car. "Give me your prescription. I'll get it and you can stay here." She quickly surrendered the piece of prescription pad paper to him. "Be right back," he smiled. He hopped out of the car and shut the door behind him.
Elle watched him go, and then laid her head back against the headrest of the seat and sighed. She turned her head and looked out the window. She smiled as she saw that Rafael had pulled into the parking space next to them. He was sitting on his motorcycle with his helmet under his arm and smiling widely at her.
She laughed quietly but stopped when her mother spoke. "He takes really good care of you, doesn't he?"
"Well, he does own a Volvo," Vincent snorted.
Elle turned around so that she could face her brother and mother, who were sitting in the backseat of Reid's car. "First of all, shut it," Elle stated as she pointed a finger at her younger brother. "It is one of the safer cars, so what? And yes, Mom, he does take good care of me."
"He's sweet," her mother stated dreamily.
Elle shot Vincent a glare of warning as she caught him rolling his eyes.
Reid returned with a small shopping bag. "What cha got in here?" She asked curiously as she took the bag from him and he started the car.
"Your prescription and just a few other things," he answered casually.
She smiled as she looked into the bag and saw her prescription cream, bandages, prenatal vitamins, and a magazine. Her mother was right, of course. Reid was sweet.
They finally arrived at Reid's apartment building and he fumbled the keys out of nervousness when he reached for the lock on his door. He pushed open the door and held it so that everyone else could enter ahead of him. "This is my apartment," he stated awkwardly as he stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him. He tossed his keys on the small table next to the door and hung up his jacket. "Here, let me take your coat," he said in a rush as he walked towards Elle's mother.
Elle smiled proudly as she watched her boyfriend, and the father of her child, be a gentleman. Whoa! It had sunken in that she and Reid were having a baby together. That was the first time that she had inwardly referred to him as the father of her child.
They were moving in together. They were having a baby. She had a lot of things to think about. "I'm going to take a bath."
A/N: Short chapter, I know, don't hate me. Review instead. :)
