Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing. I do not own anything you recognize.
AN- I apologize for the lateness of this one. I tested for second degree black belt last Saturday in front of the grandmaster so all my free time the past few weeks has been spent practicing for that testing. And that left this week to catch up on everything I put off the previous weeks.
Previously on Criminal Minds- Seeing the toddler's eyes close and his thumb snake up and into his mouth, Rossi hurried the group across the street. They needed to get back to JJ's before it was too late.
CM
"I'm telling ya, Prentiss you should have seen our boy! He brought that bully to his knees without breaking a sweat!" Morgan bragged as he passed the last of the dishes to the raven haired woman. "It was a thing of beauty."
"I'll bet." Emily replied, running a towel across the wet dish. "I always knew the kid had it in him. I guess it just…"
"Guys, come quick! You have got to see this!" Garcia exclaimed as she rushed into the kitchen. Snatching the damp towel out of Prentiss' hand, she tossed it into the sink before latching onto the two surprised profilers and pulling them towards the doorway.
"Whoa mama! Where's the fire?" Derek asked.
"You'll see." Penelope answered, giving her man a bright smile.
Smiling back at the bubbly blond, Morgan glanced over at Emily and shrugged his shoulders. Sometimes it was just easier to go along with Garcia.
The tech analyst led her captives down a short hallway and to the entrance of the living room. Putting a finger to her lips in warning, she pointed to the far corner of the room.
The friends exchanged curious looks before stepping into the living room and glancing over to the corner by the fireplace. The sight that greeted them had the two reaching for their cell phones.
"Awwww" Emily whispered, snapping a picture of Rossi sitting by the fire with a sleeping toddler in each arm. Saving the photo as her new background, she crept over to the couch and took a seat beside JJ. "How did Rossi end up with both boys?" she softly asked.
"Easy, he sat in the right place." JJ responded. Seeing the question in her friend's face, she quickly clarified. "He's sitting in the rocking chair."
"Oh" Prentiss said, watching as Will walked over and took Henry from a disgruntled looking Rossi. "Uh oh, it looks like your hubby just spoiled Rossi's fun."
"Yeah, that's the look he reserves for the worst criminals we catch." Morgan told the girls.
"And Agent Roberts" Garcia added, smirking at the memory of the two men's last meeting. Her smile faded as a thought crossed her mind. "Ummm, guys? If Rossi's giving Will the death glare for taking Henry, what's he gonna do when my Handsome Han tries to take Reid?"
JJ and Emily's eyes widened. They glanced from Morgan to Rossi and back before bursting out laughing. "Morgan, you are so dead!" Emily teased.
"She's right my Sweet Solo." Penelope sighed, patting her favorite profiler on the shoulder. "I shall miss seeing your handsome face every day."
"Don't count me out just yet, Baby Girl" Derek instructed. "I've got this." Standing, he walked out of the room, returning seconds later with an armful of coats. Going over to the oldest and youngest profilers, he held out Reid's jacket. "You about ready to go, Rossi?" he asked. "We need to get Spencer home so you can tuck him in."
Dave's head snapped up at Morgan's statement. Grinning from ear to ear as he realized the sleeping toddler would not be taken from him, the older man nodded. "Y-yeah just let me put the kid's coat on and I'll be ready."
Glancing over at the ladies, Morgan winked. Seeing Emily mouth the words "way to go", he smiled.
Rossi sat Reid in his lap, carefully slid his jacket on and buttoned it. Picking the sleeping toddler up, he gently settled the boy's head on his shoulder and slowly stood. "Alright, Morgan we can go now." Dave quietly stated. Taking his coat from Morgan, he wrapped it around Spencer. Sure he'd be cold but he was more worried about the boy in his arms. He wasn't about to risk the kid getting sick from being in the cold night air. Besides as a seasoned hunter, he was used to being in frigid weather. He'd be fine. Reid on the other hand had grown up in Vegas. He was still adjusting to the freezing temperatures Virginia winters brought. The too skinny profiler shook practically all winter as it was. Rossi was bound and determined to keep the mini version warm.
Morgan and Rossi quickly said their goodbyes and walked out to Morgan's truck. Dave reluctantly passed Reid to the younger man and hurried over to Hotch's vehicle to collect his go bag. Unlocking the SUV, he popped the trunk and grabbed his bag. He slammed the door and locked it back before handing the keys to Hotch. "See you tomorrow, Aaron" he said.
"Tomorrow's Saturday, Dave." Hotch pointed out, walking the older man to Morgan's truck.
"I know." Rossi replied. "I also know you'll be at Morgan's place as soon as you think we're awake."
Busted, Aaron winced. "I'm being overprotective, aren't I?"
"No more than the rest of us." Dave assured his friend. "Adult Reid tends to bring out the parental instincts in all of us. The child version has all those instincts in over drive."
"You'll get no argument from me there." Hotch said. Running a hand across the back of his head, he sighed. "Still I guess I should step back a little. I'm sure I can find something to do at my place tomorrow."
Rossi nodded. "Just make sure to keep your afternoon free." He instructed. "There's something I need you and Morgan to help me with while the kid's taking his nap."
Aaron gazed suspiciously at his friend. "What are you up to, old man?"
"Old man?" Dave scoffed. "Just for that, you'll have to wait till tomorrow to find out." Opening the passenger door of the truck, he climbed up in the cab. "See you around one." He quietly called before closing his door.
Shaking his head, Hotch watched the truck back out of the drive. Once the vehicle was out of sight, he headed back to the house. As he walked, he wondered what his old friend had up his sleeve. It had to be big to require his and Morgan's help. Whatever it was, Aaron was sure it had something to do with the youngest member of their team. Since Reid had become a toddler, Rossi had dropped the gruff act and was acting more and more like a big teddy bear. In fact, every single member of the team seemed more relaxed and happier since Spencer's transformation. He even found himself smiling more often. The Loki's little trick was turning out to be a gift for them all.
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Morgan unlocked the front door and held it open for Rossi. Following his friend through the door, he closed and locked it before dropping his keys on the nearby shelf. The tired profiler then walked over to the coat rack and hung up his and Rossi's coats. Hearing a scurrying noise, Derek glanced up just in time to brace himself before he was pounced on by an over eager Clooney. "You missed me, huh boy?" he muttered as he knelt down and petted the big dog's dark fur. He laughed as the lab licked his face. "Oh, I get it. You're looking for a treat. Okay, okay, enough with the kisses! I'll get you something." Standing, Morgan patted the dog's head. "Come on boy, let's find you a snack."
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A short time later Morgan shuffled into Reid's bedroom. Seeing Rossi sitting on the bed carding a hand through the toddler's mop of hair, he sighed. "You know, it'd probably be better if you put him in bed with you." He suggested with a yawn. "It'd save the kid from making a late night trip."
"Nightmares?" Rossi asked without taking his eyes off the sleeping boy.
"Yeah, the kid's always been plagued by them but they've gotten worse since he was shrunk. And after the scarecrow scare, I can pretty much guarantee there will be some tonight which means he won't be in that bed long." Derek explained. "Not that that's anything new. Reid's ended up in someone else's bed most nights."
"I wonder how he managed to deal with them before this happened." Dave mumbled as he carefully picked up the slumbering toddler.
"I don't know but you can be damn sure I'm gonna find out." Derek promised, walking out of the room with his friend. "As soon as he's back to his old, geeky self, he and I are gonna have a long talk."
"I'll help you." Rossi offered. Feeling the boy in his arms begin to squirm, he started rubbing the youngster's back. "Shhh, buddy, it's okay" he soothed, smiling as Spencer snuggled closer. Letting out a sigh, the toddler stilled once more. "Guess I better get Short Stuff here in bed before we accidently wake him up. See you in the morning, Morgan."
"Yeah, night Rossi" Derek replied with a yawn. Taking a hold of Clooney's collar, the young profiler shuffled to his room and went to bed.
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Rossi awoke the next morning to find a pair of big, brown eyes staring up at him. "Morning, Spencer" he greeted. "Did you sleep well?"
Reid nodded. "Umm, Wossi, how did I end up in, uhh, in bed wif you?"
"You mean, you don't remember telling me you wanted some company last night?" Dave innocently asked. He had to fight the urge to laugh when the boy's eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open as the implications of his statement hit Reid. Deciding to let Spencer off the hook before the shock turned into tears, the older man smiled. "Relax kid, I'm just pulling your leg."
Spencer crossed his arms. "Fat's not funny" he grumbled.
Seeing the toddler's lower lip trembling, Dave inwardly groaned. The last thing he wanted right now was a crying kid on his hands. He needed to make things right fast. "Sorry Reid" he apologized, ruffling the boy's hair. "I just couldn't help myself."
The young profiler studied his friend's face for any sign that he wasn't being truthful. Finding none, he took a deep breath and nodded. "Otay, I 'cept youw apol'gy" he said.
"Good, now what do you say, we get showered, dressed, and go downstairs? I don't know about you but I'm hungry." Rossi told the youngster.
"Me too" Spencer agreed. Throwing the blankets off his legs, he crawled over to the edge of the bed and slid down to the floor. Taking Rossi's hand, he walked out of the bedroom and headed down the hall. It was time to begin a new day.
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Half an hour later found both profilers showered and dressed for the day. Walking down the hall, they stared at Morgan's closed bedroom door. "You fint Mowgan's till asleep?" Reid asked.
"He must be." Rossi replied with a frown. It wasn't like Morgan to sleep late especially not with Spencer in toddler form. Running a hand down his face, he quickly formulated a plan. "Tell you what. Why don't you go wake Morgan up while I start breakfast?"
Reid thought for a moment before hesitantly nodding. "You suwe he won't be mad if I wate him up?" he asked.
"Nah, Morgan could never be mad at you." Dave assured the boy. "Besides you and I both know he'll have a fit if we don't wake him. I don't think he likes you being awake when he's not."
"Otay" Spencer agreed. He tottled down the hall, pausing at his friend's door. Knocking, he called out, "Mowgan? Mowgan, awe you up?" Getting no reply, he sighed. Standing on his tip toes, the toddler reached up and grabbed the door knob. It took a few tries but he finally managed to turn the knob enough to open the door. Peeking around the wooden door, he saw his friend fast asleep with one arm hanging off the bed while an alert Clooney sat next to him. "Mowning, Tooney" he whispered as he crept up to the bed. Making it to the edge, he once again called to his friend. "Mowgan?" Still getting no response, Reid reached up and…
"Gotcha!" Morgan shouted as he scooped the toddler up and threw him into the air. Catching him, he tossed Spencer on the bed and blew a raspberry on his tummy before launching a tickle attack.
"Top it!" Spencer giggled, kicking out at his attacker. Getting nowhere, the little boy turned to the only other living thing in the room. "Too*snicker*ey! Tooney! Get *giggle* him!" he ordered.
Hearing his name and the command, Clooney pounced. He landed square on Morgan's chest and begin mercilessly licking the man's face.
As soon as Morgan's hands left him, Spencer leapt off the bed. He dashed through the doorway and raced down the hall with the tickle monster hot on his heels. Making it to the end of the hall, he threw himself onto his slide, belly first. He squealed in glee as he shot around the twists and turns before flying out the bottom of the slide. Reid swiftly crawled out of the pillows and ran past the stairs just as Derek got to the last step. Yelping, the toddler dodged the hands reaching for him and raced through the living room and into the kitchen. He skidded to a halt at Rossi's feet. "Help Wossi! Mowgan's twying to get me!" he hollered as he latched onto the older profiler's legs.
"Oh, he is, is he?" Dave asked, the amusement clear in his voice. Grabbing something off the counter, he handed it to Reid. "Here you go, kid. This ought to even the odds."
Spencer grinned mischievously as he took the offered flyswatter. Seeing his foe round the corner, he held it threateningly over his head. Sounding a battle cry, the toddler charged his surprised friend.
Rossi watched Spencer chase Morgan around the table as he finished cooking breakfast. Flipping the toddler's waffles onto a plate a few minutes later, the old profiler sighed. He hated to break up the fun but the kid needed to eat before the food got cold. Taking the filled plate to the table, Dave set it down before scooping up Spencer as he ran by. "Truce until after breakfast" he ordered, settling the energetic boy in his chair.
"Otay" Spencer agreed. Grabbing his fork, he enthusiastically dug into his meal.
Morgan sighed as he dropped into a chair beside his friend. Taking a sip from the coffee Rossi sat in front of him, he leaned back in his chair. Looking across the table at the senior profiler, he asked, "So, what's on the schedule for today, Rossi?"
Dave swallowed the food in his mouth before taking a large gulp of his coffee. "Well, there's a lot to do but I thought we'd start with the living room." he told the younger man.
"Living room?" Derek repeated. "What's wrong with my living room? It's clean."
"Exactly, it's too neat and clean for a house that has a toddler in it." Rossi pointed out. "I thought the three of us could dig into some of those toys that couple sent Reid."
"Weally?" Spencer asked.
"Yes, really, kiddo" Dave replied.
"Tool!" Reid shouted before shoving another forkful of waffle into his mouth. Excited by the prospect of playing with the Star Wars sets, he animatedly chattered about the different sets as he ate.
Morgan and Rossi smiled as they listened to the toddler. They hadn't heard the BAU's resident genius go off on a tangent in far too long and they were enjoying every minute of it. Knowing the boy was eager to get to the fun, the two dug into their meals. Finishing in record time, the duo swiftly cleared the table. After taking care of the dishes, Rossi led the rambunctious boy into the living room while Morgan went to the hall closet to retrieve the boxes of toys.
Derek walked into the living room and set the boxes in front of his best friend. He tipped both boxes over so the youngster could reach. "Here you go, Pretty Boy" he said, "Dig in."
Spencer didn't need to be told twice. Plopping down on his behind, the littlest profiler pulled out set after set, dumping the contents of each into a large pile. Emptying the last Star Wars box, he started sifting through the pieces. The toddler startled as Rossi dropped down beside him. He watched curiously as the older man dug through the pile of toys.
"Ah ha!" Rossi exclaimed, picking up a couple of action figures. He handed the small Luke Skywalker to Reid before holding up the mini Darth Vader. "Luke, I am your father." He stated in the deepest voice he could manage. Seeing a giggling Spencer snatch up a tiny light saber and put it in Luke's hands, Dave quickly grabbed one of his own. Walking Darth over to Luke, he swung the figure causing the other action figure to fall over.
Growling, Spencer picked up Luke and ran him after a retreating Vader. Catching up, Luke swung his light saber around hitting his enemy in the helmet. And the battle was on!