On My Own Too Long

Reid and Prentiss

Chapter Twelve

September 2011

The rest of the team had already headed home to Virginia to get back to work but Spencer Reid had taken a leave of absence so he could stay in Iowa with Emily and the babies. Though they were just five days old the twins were doing remarkably well.

Callie, who was heavier and slightly longer when she was born, reached goals quicker than AJ. She was taken out of the warmer first and given a bottle. AJ lagged behind but eventually he would catch his sister on each milestone.

Reid and Prentiss spent as much time as possible in the neo natal unit with their babies. The rest of the time they were at the rental house.

The day after Emily was sent home from the hospital she felt strong enough to travel the hour away to where the marshal who had protected her for months- Serena Watkins- was recovering from a gun shot wound in the leg.

"Thank you for all you did to watch out for Emily," Reid told the marshal.

"I didn't do enough. Doyle should have never gotten to you," Serena said to Emily.

"Hey, you put your life on the line for me and my kids," Emily assured her "I couldn't have asked for more. And either could Calliope Serena Reid and Alexander Jason Reid. And, yeah, we did name our daughter for you because you put up with me all those months when I was crazy with pregnancy hormones."

"You weren't so bad," Serena said.

"Oh, yeah," Emily answered with a chuckle. "I was."

Later that evening, after visiting with the twins for several hours, Reid and Prentiss made it back to the rental house again. The night before Emily had been so tired that she went straight to sleep, without even eating dinner, when they got there but tonight she had more energy so she suggested they cook dinner on the grill.

"A grill? I've never used one before."

She laughed and then grew serious when she realized he wasn't joking. "I'll teach you everything that you need to know."

"I suppose its odd, all the things I've never done. Do you think I can be a good father when there are so many normal things that I can't teach our kids?"

"Reid, there are so many things that you are the only person I know who knows them. And you can teach our kids all that. And that is just as important, maybe even more so because its unique. Its you. And they will love you for being you, just like I do." She cleared her throat and walked toward the kitchen. "Now come help me with the charcoal cause I can't lift anything heavy right now."

After dinner they went online and posted pictures of the babies for their friends to see. Emily told Reid "I think they both take after you more than me."

"Lets hope not. You're beautiful and I'm just gangly."

"I totally disagree." She reached out and wrapped her finger in a strand of his hair. "From where I'm sitting you're beautiful and our kids will be beautiful if they take after their Daddy." She let go of his hair and moved away from him. "Well there's no TV here and taking a long walk is out because I'm really not up for it right now so how about playing cards?"

"Hmmm. Will I feel bad if I beat the mother of my children?" He pretended to think about it. "No, I'm good with it. Okay, lets play."

She laughed and then told him. "You should really beat me first before you run a victory lap. I never go down without one hell of a fight."

"I don't lose."

Emily smiled. "I remember perfectly how many times I've proven that statement false."

"Flukes. All flukes."

She laughed. "You stick with that story."

XXXXXXXX

On the eighth day of the twin's life Alexander developed a fever. Prentiss and Reid couldn't help but panic. At that moment Emily had the overwhelming urge to call her mother.

She was crying before Elizabeth even answered.

"Emily, what happened? Are you okay? Are you still in witness protection?"

"Mom...Mom...I have news. I gave birth...I had twins. You're a grandmother. But one of the babies...AJ...he has a fever! He's sick and I know it could be worse but he's so small. He's only three and a half pounds! I'm terrified. I really am. I can't stand the idea of my son being sick and I'm sorry for not telling you sooner that I was pregnant but I just couldn't...I couldn't..."

"Listen to me, your son is going to be fine-"

"You don't know that!"

"I do know that because he's got your fighting spirit. There is no way your child, my grandchild, isn't a fighter. Now you hang on there because I will be there soon and we'll make sure that he has the best care in all the world. Where are you?"

"You don't have to come."

"Of course I do! If the FBI says you have to be in hiding then I'll do whatever it takes to make sure I'm not followed. I'll call your boss to work out the details if need be. Agent Hotchner is still your immediate supervisor, correct?"

"I'm not in witness protection anymore. Doyle is dead. I'm in Grand Junction, Iowa."

"I am on my way. You stay strong, Emily. You are strong and your babies need you to be strong right now. We'll talk later about why this is the first I'm hearing that you were pregnant."

"Okay," Emily whispered. "Mom..."

"I love you too."

Emily let out a sigh as she hung up the phone, feeling a lot better knowing her mother would be there soon. By the time Elizabeth arrived AJ's fever had broke but the crisis had made both Reid and Prentiss grow even closer. He had been there for her to rally her spirits during the long hours of waiting and worry and she was there to keep him strong when he was thinking of all the medical reasons the baby could have a fever.

"So you're the father?" was the first thing Elizabeth said when she looked at Reid that day.

He croaked out, rocking on his heels, "Um, yeah, pretty much. I mean, yes, I am. And I'm very happy about it."

"You're happy about an out of wedlock pregnancy?"

"Mother, please, do not start with that crap."

"Well was this planned?"

Emily said "That's our business. Did you come all the way here to harass my...Spencer Reid...because if so you can turn and leave. I shouldn't have even called you. It was a moment of weakness."

"Of course you should have called me. I'm your mother and you need me right now. All I'm trying to do is figure out if this pregnancy was something you both wanted or unexpected. Is that so horrible to wonder?"

"Wonder all you want," Emily said "but stop asking. Its private."

"Is it private knowledge also if you two are dating?"

Reid slipped his arm around Emily's waist. "We are. Yep. Dating. We're really happy too- about the babies and the dating and that you're here."

"Hmmmm." Elizabeth said, skeptically. "Well lead me to the nursery so I can see my grandchildren. How is the boy doing now? How's his fever?"

"It broke," Emily said, in relief, enjoying the feel of leaning against Reid as they started toward the neo natal.

"That's wonderful news. So how did you pick their names?"

"Our son is Alexander Jason. Alex is the only boy name me and Reid agreed on and Jason is someone very close to Reid, his mentor when he joined the BAU. Calliope is from Greek mythology and Serena is the woman who guarded me when I was in Witness Protection."

"You know it might have been nice if you picked some names that mean something to our family."

"I'm perfectly happy with their names, Mother, and if you don't like them then too bad."

"Did I say I don't like them?"

It was tense until they got to the babies. Then Elizabeth turned into a pile of mush, cooing at the grandbabies and Emily couldn't stay mad at her.