Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing. I do not own anything you recognize.
AN- Wow! Over a thousand reviews and two nominations in the Profiler's Choice awards! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Y'all are awesome!
Previously on Criminal Minds- Hurrying back to the couch, Diana reclaimed her seat beside the boy. She held out her hand with a grin. "Wanna play cars?" she asked.
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Spencer snickered as he watched his mother "searching" for him. She had to be pretending she couldn't find him because there was no way she didn't know exactly where he was. After all, not only was most of his body visible behind the short, thin vase he was hiding behind but he was also hiding in the same spot he'd hidden in the last two times, a trick he'd learned from Henry and Jack.
Diana threw back the covers on the bed with a loud "Aha!" She bent down and looked under the bed before standing up with a sigh. Putting a hand over her eyes, Diana looked around the room. "Where's little Matty?" she questioned in a sing-song voice. "Grandma's going to find him." Turning in the opposite direction of the little boy sitting behind the tiny vase, Diana tip toed towards the bathroom door.
Reid's grin grew wider at his mother's actions. While he knew he shouldn't be enjoying playing a children's game, he just couldn't help it. His mother was playing with him; something she hadn't done since he was a real toddler. She was acting the way she had before she had succumbed to the disease that had essentially taken her from him. And he couldn't be happier! Seeing his mom walking back into the room, Spencer did what Henry and Jack always did when they played hide and seek: he put both hands over his mouth and giggled loudly.
Diana stopped and turned towards the noise. "Hmmm, I thought I heard someone giggle." She stated, glancing around. "Maybe I should search over there?" Smiling as the toddler's laughter rang out once more, the mother slowly crept across the room. "Is Matty behind the curtains?" she asked before pulling them aside. "No, no Matty. Could he be hiding under the bookcase?...No, nobody there but dust bunnies. Maybe he's hiding right HERE!"
Spencer shrieked when his mother jumped out and grabbed his shoulders.
Diana picked the toddler up and spun around causing more giggles. Settling the youngster on her hip, she walked over and took a seat on her bed. Tickling the baby's tummy, she asked, "What should we do now, Matty, huh?"
"W-w-wead" Spencer snickered, trying to push his mom's tickling hands off his stomach.
"Read? Wonderful idea!" Diana proclaimed. She stopped her torture of the boy and picked up the children's book they had read earlier.
"No" Reid said. Sliding off the bed, he tottled over to the huge wooden bookcase along one wall and carefully pulled a thick tome out. Clutching the enormous book to his chest, Spencer slowly started for the bed.
"Here, let me help you. That book is almost as big as you are." Diana offered, taking the book from the toddler. She scooped Spencer up and deposited him on the bed before retaking her seat. She then looked at the title and frowned. "The Works of Edmund Spenser ? Baby, I don't think you'll like this one. It's for grown-ups. Why don't we read your book instead?"
"No, fis one" Reid insisted, patting the book. Taking the well worn book from his mother, the little boy opened it to a poem his mom had read to him time and time again, The Faerie Queene. "Ganma read fis towy."
Mrs. Reid's raised an eyebrow at the toddler's choice. "Are you sure you want to hear this poem?" she asked. Getting an enthusiastic nod in reply, she shrugged. "Okay, we'll read this one. We should get comfortable first, though. It's a long poem." Diana scooted back on the bed until her back hit the headboard, smiling as the toddler did the same. Cuddling Matty to her side, Spencer's mother began to read.
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Prentiss and Dr. Norman walked into Diana Reid's room just as she finished the poem. Remembering her part in their little deception, Emily rushed over to the bed and scooped up Spencer. "Matty! Oh, thank goodness! We've been looking all over for you! You had mommy so worried!" she tearfully exclaimed.
"Mommy!" Reid hollered as brightly as he could manage. Smiling, he wrapped his tiny arms around her neck.
Dr. Norman glanced from the "reunion" to his patient. "Diana, has he been with you the past three hours?" he questioned. "Why on Earth didn't you call someone?"
"I didn't feel it was necessary. I knew you'd have the whole staff looking for him." Diana answered.
"True, but…"
"Mommy, Matty finded ganma!" Spencer yelled, cutting off Dr. Norman.
"I see." Emily replied, smiling at Mrs. Reid. Adjusting her hold on Reid, the profiler held out her hand. "Thank you for finding and taking care of Matty."
"Oh, you don't have to thank me. It was my pleasure." Diana told Prentiss. "I can't remember the last time I had so much fun. Young Matty has made this old woman feel young again."
"Matty and ganma pay!" Reid broke in. Reaching out for his mom, he asked, "Matty pay wif ganma some mowe?"
"Sorry Sweetie, but we have to go now. We've got to meet Daddy for lunch before we go to the airport, remember?" Emily responded.
Spencer's lower lip began to tremble. "We tay longew? Peas?" he pleaded.
Unable to stand seeing the toddler upset, Dr. Norman quickly offered a solution. "Lunchtime is only five minutes away. Why don't you stay and have lunch with Diana?" he suggested. "I'm sure Matty's father won't mind."
"Peas mommy" Spencer begged, turning huge doe eyes on Emily.
Prentiss sighed. "I guess we can stay." She decided, smiling at her friend's excited squeal. "But just until after lunch."
"Otay" Reid happily agreed, reaching out to his mom once more.
Diana took the toddler from the young woman and hugged him tightly. Kissing the little boy's forehead, she grinned down at her new friend. "Come on, let's play hide and seek until they call us."
"Yea! Matty and ganma pay!" Spencer hollered, clapping his hands.
"That's right grandma and Matty are going to play." Diana repeated. "Now off you go. Go hide Matty." She watched the toddler race off before covering her eyes with her hands and beginning to count.
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JJ startled as a tone went off announcing a text message. Grabbing her cell, she opened it and pulled up the message. After reading the short note, she flipped her phone shut with a sigh. "That was Prentiss. She said they'd meet us at the airport. They're going to eat lunch with Mrs. Reid before they leave." She announced.
"I told you she wouldn't be able to resist the kid's puppy dog eyes!" Morgan crowed, holding his hand out to Rossi, who slapped a twenty in it.
"You two bet against Spencer?" JJ gasped.
"No way JJ. I bet on Pretty Boy. Rossi's the one that bet against him." Derek corrected, pocketing his winnings.
"And just what was this bet? Garcia asked as she walked over with her hands on her hips.
"Chill mama, it wasn't anything bad." Morgan replied. "I just bet Rossi that Prentiss wouldn't be able to say no to Reid's puppy eyes when it came time for them to go. And from that text, I'd say I was right."
"Something I will be having a talk with Emily about." Rossi groused.
"If you gentlemen are through, I suggest we go get something to eat. We have to head to the airport soon." Hotch stated.
Glancing at her watch, Penelope sucked in a breath. "You heard the Boss Man, get the lead out. Our lunch reservation is in seven minutes." Penelope said.
"Calm down, Baby Girl. We'll make it in time." Morgan assured his friend. Standing, he took the tech analyst by the arm and headed for the door with the rest of the team close behind them.
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Emily looked up as the bathroom door opened and Mrs. Reid and Spencer came out. She hated what she was about to do but she'd known going in that leaving was going to be the hard part. Sighing, she walked over to the duo and picked up Reid. "Time to go Matty." She said.
"No, Matty tay, peas" Spencer begged, fisting his eyes sleepily.
"Sorry, kiddo, we can't stay. We have to be at the airport in fifteen minutes and it'll take us that long to make the drive." Prentiss explained.
"But, but I *yawn* wanna tay wif ganma!" Reid protested, reaching out for his mother.
"Uh oh, looks like someone's sleepy" Diana observed. "My Spencer was the same way when he was little. He was always such a happy child until naptime rolled around. Then he'd get either cranky or clingy depending on his mood. I don't think he ever outgrew it either."
"I know what you mean. That's Matty to a tee only his way of fighting off sleep is to keep moving." Emily told Mrs. Reid as she struggled to hold onto the squirming toddler.
"Ganma! Ganma!" Spencer cried, reaching for Diana once again.
"I, uh, I'll just go get his things for you." Mrs. Reid offered. Her smile slipping, she hurried over to the couch to retrieve Spencer's book and stuffed toy.
"Reid, stop it. You're upsetting your mom." Emily whispered once Diana was out of hearing range.
"I'm sowwy. I jut, I, I *yawn* wanna…" Spencer stammered.
"I know and I'd let you stay if I could. But you can't and you know it." Prentiss quietly stated. "Ease up a little, okay? You don't want your mom to have an episode."
Shaking his head, Spencer stuck his thumb in his mouth. He definitely didn't want to be the cause of an episode. But he didn't want to leave his mother, either. Spotting his mom headed their way, he readied himself to say goodbye.
"Here you go, Sweetie" Diana stated, handing the book to Prentiss and the toy to Reid. Seeing the woebegone expression on the toddler's face, she sighed. She wished there was something she could do to…the cover of the boy's book suddenly caught her eye. Remembering the mother's solution in the story, she smiled. It just might work. Taking Spencer's free hand, she tenderly kissed his palm and then closed his hand. "There, now you've got a kissing hand just like Chester in the book."
Spencer glanced from his hand to his mom in surprise. Giving his mom a slight smile, he took his mother's hand and kissed it. "Ganma have tissing hand, too." He declared with a yawn.
Diana clutched her hand to her chest. "Goodbye my young prince. I'll never forget you." She softly replied.
"Bye bye ganma" Spencer said, "I love you."
"Grandma loves you, too" Diana repeated, blowing the toddler a kiss.
"Thanks again for taking care of him for me." Prentiss told Mrs. Reid before heading for the door.
"It was no trouble." Diana answered. "You two are welcome to come back anytime."
"We'll do that." Emily replied. "Goodbye Mrs. Reid. It was nice to meet you."
Diana waved as the two walked out of her door and disappeared. Alone once more, she dropped down onto her bed and held her kissed hand to her cheek. "Grandma's going to miss you, Matty." She whispered.
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Emily let out a relieved breath as she stepped onto the jet carrying an unhappy Spencer. She slipped through the curtain before setting the toddler on his feet.
As soon as his feet hit the floor, Spencer took off. He raced across the cabin and jumped into a surprised Hotch's arms. Sticking his thumb back in his mouth, the toddler laid his head on his boss's shoulder and buried his face in his father figure's jacket.
Raising an eyebrow at the youngster's actions, Aaron wrapped Spencer in an embrace and slowly started to rock. Humming a lullaby, the father rubbed the toddler's trembling back. It took a little while but eventually the comforting motions soothed the boy to sleep. Hotch continued to rock and rub for a few more minutes before stopping. Settling a sleeping Reid on his lap, the BAU leader fixed the seat belt around both of them and then snuggled the child to his chest. He held onto Spencer through a turbulent take-off, carding a hand through Reid's hair and whispering reassurances when the plane's motion threatened to wake the slumbering boy.
Once the jet leveled off, Morgan shuffled over and took a seat across from Hotch. "You gonna put him down now?" he asked.
"I don't think that's wise." Aaron replied, tightening his hold on Reid as the plane hit an air pocket.
"I'm with Hotch." Garcia agreed. "With all the bumping around the jet is doing, my Junior G-Man wouldn't be safe on the couch by himself."
"Garica's right. With Reid's luck, the kid would fall and hurt himself." Dave weighed in.
"Yeah, Pretty Boy has been awfully accident prone lately." Morgan said, grabbing the arm rests as the plane hit another bump. "I guess we'll just have to talk quietly so we don't wake him up."
"Talk? About what?" JJ questioned.
"Halloween of course" Penelope replied. "We've got to decide…" she broke off with a shriek as the lights in the cabin flickered before going out, plunging the jet and its occupants into darkness!