Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing. Disney World is not mine either.
Previously on Criminal Minds- "Loot at fose!" he excitedly hollered before dropping JJ's hand and running ahead, disappearing into the crowd.
CM
"Reid! Get back here!" Morgan yelled, racing after the boy. Swearing under his breath, he muscled his way through the sea of people followed closely by the rest of the team, all searching for any sign of the mop haired youngster. Derek muttered 'excuse me's as he squeezed between and around couples and families. He had to, no he was going to find Spencer and when he did, he was going to kill him for taking off like that. Finally seeing a break in the crowd up ahead, he hurried forward before stopping as he came to a curb lined by several imaginatively dressed scarecrows. The profiler carefully scanned the area around him, letting out a relieved breath when he caught sight of his missing friend standing in front of the Halloween decorations. "Over here!" he called to the others as he hurried to the wayward toddler's side.
Spencer smiled up at his team mates, unaware of the panic he'd caused. "Loot! Awen't fey…" he broke off with a yelp as a firm hand landed a hard swat to his bottom. Spinning around, the little boy looked at the culprit in shock for a moment before turning tear filled eyes on the young blond beside him. "JJ, he hit me!" Reid whined, pointing an accusing finger at Hotch.
JJ leaned down and scooped up the upset toddler. "Spence, you can't run off like that." She gently scolded.
"Wun *sniff* off?" Reid repeated, as he swiped his arm across his face in an attempt to stop the tears that were running down his cheeks. "I just tame ovew hewe to loot at fese."
"Spencer, you cannot go off by yourself, not the way you are now. You could be hurt or worse kidnapped." Hotch angrily told the boy.
"We'we at Disney. Nofing bad tan ha'en hewe." Reid argued.
"Really?" Hotch challenged. "Tell me, what are the statistics for children kidnapped from public places?"
Spencer sighed. "Of the one point five million chil'wen tidnapped each yeaw, seven'y pewcent awe taten from public places. And *sniff* most of the tids tidnapped by stangews awe se…abused and tilled." He recited before turning huge, sad eyes on his boss. "I'm sowwy. I just *sniff* wanted to see."
Taking the toddler from JJ, Hotch hugged the crying child. "It's okay, Spencer." He soothed, rubbing the little boy's back.
Frowning at his friend's tear streaked face; Morgan reached over and ruffled the toddler's hair. "Hey come on man, what's with the water works? Hotch didn't pop you that hard, did he?" he asked.
"N-no" Reid hiccupped, swiping the back of his hand across his face. "Fat attually didn't huwt. It's just fis baby body lites to leat." Glancing up at Hotch he sighed. "I'm sowwy I wan off, Hotch. I didn't mean to wowwy you guys."
"I know." Hotch replied. "Just be more careful in the future. You have to remember you're a small child now, not an adult."
"I will. Pwomise" Reid said.
"Good. Then there's just one more thing we need to address." Hotch stated.
Spencer gulped as he gazed at his boss's stern expression. "Wh-what's fat?" he stammered.
"Finding you a spot where you can see" Aaron answered, breaking into a smile. He took the toddler off his hip and carefully hoisted him up to sit on his shoulders. "Better?" he asked.
The tiny boy glanced around at rows of buildings and the enormous castle down the street. "Yes sir! Fanks, Hotch!" Reid exclaimed.
"Alright now that Pretty Boy's taken care of, what do you say we take a look around; see what's so magical about this place?" Morgan suggested.
"Sounds good to me" Emily responded, taking the muscular man by the arm.
The group strolled down the crowded street, checking out the different shops as they went. They made a quick detour through the candy shop and stopped to admire the crystal carriage and castle in one store window before heading for the castle once more. They had just gotten back on Main Street when a photographer approached them.
"Excuse me folks" the Disney employee greeted, "could I take a picture for you? It would only take a second."
"Sure" Derek immediately replied. Feeling several sets of glaring eyes boring into him, he turned and smiled at his friends. "Come on guys. You know Garcia will have a fit if we don't at least bring her a picture back."
"You better be planning on bringing her back more than that." A loud voice called from behind them.
"Gawcia!" Spencer yelled. He whispered to Hotch, smiling as the man nodded before carefully putting him down. As soon as his feet hit the ground, the toddler started running towards his friend. Recalling the earlier incident, he quickly stopped and looked up at his friend and boss. "Tan I?" he asked.
"Go ahead, Spencer." Hotch told the toddler.
"Fanks, Hotch!" Reid called over his shoulder as he raced across the street to the BAU's tech analysis. Jumping into the bubbly woman's waiting arms, he wrapped his tiny hands around her neck. "Gawcia! I'm so glad you'we hewe!" he exclaimed.
"Oh sweetie! I wouldn't miss this for the world!" Garcia said before kissing the toddler's forehead.
"Perfect timing as usual Baby Girl. We were just about to take a picture." Morgan informed the busty blond as he made his way to the two.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get in the picture!" Garcia replied. She grabbed Morgan by the hand and swiftly drug him over to the group.
The photographer stared at the newcomer's bold outfit for a moment before shaking his head. "Okay, umm ma'am if you'll hand the baby back to his uhhh, his dad?" the young black haired man instructed. "Okay good. Now if you'll all scoot a little closer together. There! That's good! Alright on the count of three, say 'Cheese!' One, two, three" He snapped several pictures, scanned a card, and then handed it to Hotch. "Here you are sir. You can hand this card to any of the photographers in the park if you want a picture made. And then at the end of the day, just take it to the photography shop at the end of this street to preview your pictures and buy the ones you like."
"Thank you" Hotchner said, taking the card and slipping it in the pocket of his jeans.
"You're welcome. Have a magical day, folks!" the photographer stated before walking away to talk to another family.
"Hotch, tan I get bat on youw shoul'ers?" Reid asked as they started walking once more.
"In a minute" Hotch replied, adjusting his hold on the boy. "We need to have a little talk first."
"Talt? Wh-why?" Reid hesitantly inquired.
"Calm down, Spencer. You didn't do anything wrong." Aaron assured his charge. "We just need to go over a few things."
"Lite what Hotch?" Reid asked.
"Well, first of all there'll be no more Hotch or sir. You should have seen the look we got from the photographer when you called me that. He didn't know what to make of you calling me by my name. While we're here, you're need to call me daddy and either JJ or Emily mommy." Aaron instructed. "Everyone else you should call aunts and uncles."
"Otay" Reid agreed.
"And no more statistics or big words" Hotch continued. "You look like a two or three year old child so you're going to have to act like one. That means you're going to have watch what you say and do, understand?"
"Yes siw, I mean daddy." Spencer corrected with a shy smile.
"Good boy" Hotch praised, ruffling the toddler's hair. "Now let's get you back up top." He swung the small boy up and settled him on his shoulders. Grasping the boy's ankles to steady him, the BAU leader followed Morgan and Garcia down Main Street and around the loop.
Morgan and Garcia stopped as they came to a cross roads. They glanced at all three paths before turning to the rest of the team. "Which way do we want to go?" Morgan asked.
"I think we should go left." Rossi suggested as he folded the map and stuffed it in his pocket. "There's something there I think the kid would like."
"Left, it is." Derek agreed. Taking Penelope's hand, the young man turned and started down the left walkway. The couple strolled down the path, pausing at a wooden bridge with a huge sign proclaiming it to be Adventureland to take another team picture. They then went across the bridge and into their first area of the day.
"H, daddy! Daddy top!" Reid hollered as they came to an enormous tree.
Stopping at the boy's cry, Hotch pulled Reid off his shoulders and settled him on his hip. "What is it, Spencer?" he asked.
"Fat's the wiss family twee house." Reid gasped, the awe clear in his voice. "Tan we go in fewe?"
"Sure kiddo" Aaron replied, heading for the entrance to the tree. "Do you want to walk or do you want me to carry you through it?"
"Walk" Spencer decided.
"Are you sure?" Hotch questioned. "That's a lot of stairs."
"I'm suwe" Reid assured him.
"Alright" Hotch agreed, putting the toddler down on his feet. Taking a tiny hand, the father slowly started up the steps of the tree. "But if you get tired, let me know."
"I will." Spencer said even though he had no intentions of saying a word. He was tired of being toted everywhere like a little baby. He was going to walk no matter how tired he got.