Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing.
Previously on Criminal Minds- Taking one of Reid's tiny hands in his, he headed for the bathroom ready for his first big challenge; bath time.
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Stepping into the bathroom, Morgan set the clean clothes he'd gotten on the counter by the sink. He then released the younger agent's hand and went to the bathtub. Leaning over, he quickly plugged up the tub and turned on the water. "Alright, Reid, go ahead and get undressed while I get everything ready." He instructed, checking the water temperature to ensure it wouldn't be too hot for the toddler.
"What?" Spencer squeaked. "I'm not tating my tothes off wif you in hewe! I tan tate a baf by myself!"
"Hate to break it to you, kid but you're going to have to let me help." Derek told the little boy.
Crossing his arms, Reid glared at his friend. "No, I tan do it myself." he protested.
"Man, you can't even get in the tub without a step stool, which we don't have." Morgan pointed out. Seeing the stubborn set of the boy's jaw, the older agent sighed. Taking a seat on the side of the tub, he ran a hand across his face. "Look, I get it. I do. This isn't easy for you. It's not a piece of cake for me either but we don't have a choice. You're just too little to tackle bathing by yourself. And I am not facing an angry Hotch or JJ and explaining how you got hurt just to preserve your modesty. Besides, Garcia will wig out on me if you get so much as a scratch on my watch. And that's one side of my baby girl that I do not want to see. Ever."
"But, I'll be tawful." Reid promised. "Peas?"
"Sorry, little man, you're stuck with me." Derek replied. Picking up a wash cloth, he held it out to the boy. "Okay, how about this? I'll go in the other room, give you time to get undressed. You can holler when you're ready. Oh, and you can use this to cover your manhood." The FBI agent ruffled the upset toddler's hair before walking out the door. Chuckling at the muffled curses he could hear, Morgan headed over to the bed. Grabbing the rumpled blanket, he swiftly re-made the bed. He set the teddy bear on top of the pillows and then made his way to the table. He surveyed all the different snacks in the bags JJ had left before pulling out a couple he thought the younger agent might actually eat. He took out an apple juice box and placed it next to the food and then moved the bags onto the floor by the table. Deciding he'd given his friend more than enough time, Derek turned and walked back to the bathroom. Standing in the doorway, he frowned at the still clothed youngster sitting on the floor by the tub. "Reid, come on man. Are you really going to fight me on this?"
The toddler silently shook his head.
"No? Well, then why are you just sitting there?" Morgan questioned.
Huge, brown eyes looked sadly up at the profiler. "I tan't undo the buttons." Reid tearfully admitted.
The woebegone expression on his young friend's face took Derek by surprise. Swallowing the various joking comments just dying to come out, he knelt down beside the boy. "No problem, kid. Let me get those for you." He soothed as he swiftly undid the overall straps. "Think you can handle the rest?" he asked. Getting a nod, he stood and turned around to give the youngster some privacy. Hearing a soft "okay" a few minutes later, he turned back around. Seeing the clearly uncomfortable little boy standing there holding a wash cloth in front of him, Morgan smiled. He picked the toddler up and gently sat him in the bathtub. Taking a seat on the side of the tub, the young man grabbed another wash cloth from the rack, wet it, and poured a small amount of baby lotion on it. "Hey Pretty Boy, Halloween's coming up in a couple of weeks. You got any plans yet for the big day?" he distracted as he started washing the child's back. Derek talked about Halloween and parties and anything else he could think of to keep his friend's mind off the embarrassment of being bathed. Snatching the shampoo bottle, he hurriedly poured a tiny dollop onto his palm before running his hands through the toddler's soft locks. After warning Spencer, he helped the boy lean back and then carefully washed the shampoo out of his hair. He then grabbed a towel and scooped the miniature agent out of the tub, wrapping the towel around him. Morgan picked up the clean clothes and set them on the closed toilet seat and gazed down at his fellow agent. "Okay, I think you can take it from here. I'll just go out in the other room and wait for you there."
"Tants, Mowgan" Spencer called out.
"Anytime, kid" Derek replied before walking out the door. Taking a seat on the bed, he grabbed the remote, switched on the TV, and settled in to wait.
At an undisclosed location
The FBI's black SUV followed by several police cruisers silently stopped several feet away from the dilapidated toy factory. The three federal agents simultaneously stepped out of the vehicle and crept around to the old guard station of the long vacant building.
Team captain Aaron Hotchner waited for the police's tactical team to gather around and then began giving last minute instructions. "Alright, according to the blueprints of the building, there are only two ways in or out; the employee entrance on the right side of the building and the loading docks in the back. Officer Simons, I want you and your men to go around back, enter through the loading docks and search the back and left side of the factory. We'll start at the employee entrance and cover the front and right sides of the building. Search each room thoroughly before moving to the next. Any sign of Wasden, you call me immediately. Do not approach him under any circumstances. Is that understood?" Agent Hotchner questioned. Getting the required 'yes sir', he continued. "One more thing. Be extremely careful. Wasden is known for setting elaborate traps."
"Not to worry, sir. My men are the best there is." Officer Simons assured the agent. "If Wasden's anywhere in the building, we'll find him."
Nodding tensely, Hotch gazed at the other agents. "Move out." he ordered. The two groups separated, quickly heading to the dark, imposing structure.
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Derek Morgan glanced up at the pitter patter of little feet on the carpeted floor. Seeing the younger agent toddling over to the bed, he chuckled. Dropping the magazine he'd been reading, he stood and met the youngster halfway. "You forgot something there, Pretty Boy" he said as he leaned over and snapped the boy's jeans.
"No, I didn't. I touldn't do the nap." Reid confessed, eyeing the juice box on the table hungrily.
"Oh" Derek replied, smiling as he followed the toddler's gaze. Scooping the child up, he carefully sat him on top of the table and handed him the juice. "Drink up, kid. We've got places to be."
"We *slurp* do?" Spencer asked. "Did Hotch tall? Awe we going to the tation to tuwn me bat?"
"No, nothing like that. I just thought you and I could go out and have some fun while we wait for them to catch Wasden." Morgan told the boy.
"What tind of fun?" Reid asked, eyeing his friend suspiciously.
"Well, I was thinking since you're so little and since I know you didn't have much of a real childhood, we could go somewhere you probably didn't get to go a lot when you really were a kid. You know a place all kids love to go to." Morgan hedged.
"Whewe?" Reid demanded.
"Did you spend much time at playgrounds when you were little?" Morgan enthusiastically asked.
"Awe you twazy?" Reid squeaked. "Do you know how many chil'wen are injuwed ow tilled evewy yeaw in paygwound welated accidents?"
"No, and I don't want to know." Derek broke in before the younger man could start spouting statistics. "All I know is that we have some free time before they find Wasden and change you back and I intend to spend it showing you how much fun being a kid can be." Picking up the toddler, he carefully sat him on the bed and reached for the tiny pair of sneakers lying on the floor. He quickly stuffed the boy's feet into the shoes and fastened the Velcro straps. Walking over to the closet by the door, Morgan grabbed their jackets. Throwing the smaller of the two to his friend, he held out his hand. "Come on Pretty Boy. There's a park down the street calling our names!"
Fumbling with his jacket, Spencer considered telling the older man in no uncertain terms that he was not going to a park. After all, he was an adult, not a child. Something that seemed to have slipped Agent Morgan's mind. But then again agreeing to go would at least get him out of the terribly boring room. And he wouldn't have to play. He could just sit and watch. He might even be able to talk his friend into taking him by that Starbuck's he'd seen a few blocks over. Yes, he was beginning to think a walk was a great idea. If he could just get his stupid jacket to cooperate. "Mowgan, fis tupid jatet only has one awm hole." He huffed.
Glancing down at the struggling toddler, Derek bit back a laugh at the sight of the BAU's resident genius trying to put his jacket on upside down. Walking over, he gently removed the wayward coat and turning it, placed the child's arms through the sleeves and buttoned it up. Picking the youngster up, he settled the toddler on his hip and headed for the door. It was time to have some fun.