Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing. Feel free to read and review, but please don't copy.
AN- Thank you for your continued support of this story! We're more than halfway done.(Which is good, since it seems folks are starting to get bored.)
To my "Guest" reviewer: Thanks for the wonderful idea for Loki's revenge! It made a great addition to this chapter!
To Lexi: I haven't forgotten your awesome idea. It's coming up very soon. The team just has to make it home first.
Previously on Criminal Minds- Spencer gasped. Pulling himself to standing, he threw his arms around Aaron's neck. "Gid'on loved me! He weally loved me!" he muttered before bursting into tears.
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The little boy's wailing caught the group by surprise. Startled by the sudden noise, they turned to see what had caused the child to be so upset. Everyone including Stephen gazed in sympathy at the young father as he comforted the distraught boy.
Mr. Anderson paused the video and settled back in his chair. He wanted to allow time for the agent to calm the little fellow down before he continued. As he watched the scene play out, Lester wondered what could have set the toddler off. He was far too young to understand the proceedings and even if he had met Jason, he couldn't have known him very well. The senior Gideon had been in North Carolina too long for them to have developed a close relationship. Maybe he bumped his leg on the bottom of the table. That would certainly have a youngster his size squalling. "That must be it." Mr. Anderson thought, frowning as he noticed the junior Gideon's expression. The young man was starting to get upset and Lester knew an explosion was imminent. Wanting to defuse the situation, he turned to Hotch. "Sir, do we need to take a break?" he inquired.
Aaron shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I'll step outside with Spencer so you can finish."
"Let me take him, Aaron." Dave offered, holding out his arms. "As the team leader, you're the one that will have to sign all the paperwork anyway."
Hotch tightened his hold on his son. Turning Spencer over to anyone was the last thing he wanted to do. But Rossi was right. He would have to deal with all the legal documentation which meant he had to stay in the room. Sighing, Aaron leaned down and whispered, "I want you to go with Uncle Dave now, buddy." Feeling the boy shake his head, he kissed the youngster's forehead. "It's alright. Dave will take good care of you until I'm through. I won't be long. Promise. I'll be out before you know it." Aaron assured. He gave Spencer a hug before gently prying the little boy's fingers from his shirt and reluctantly handing him over to the older man. The worried father watched Dave carry his sobbing son from the room and then rounded on the lawyer and ordered, "Let's finish this."
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Hearing crying, Will glanced up from his spot on the floor. Seeing Rossi shuffle into the room with a crying Reid, he jumped up and hurried over to the two. "What happened? Is he okay? Did Stephen do something to him?" he threw out as he sat down beside them and started rubbing the boy's back.
"He'll be alright." Dave replied. "Reid just found out that Gideon truly cared for him and that he was on his way to Quantico to tell him that in person."
Will grimaced. "Oh" he breathed out. "Is that what Stephen was so angry about? We could hear him shouting all the way out here."
"Actually, Stephen blew up before that revelation. He was unhappy but quiet until the part on the video where Gideon announced he was leaving his cabin in Virginia to his team." Dave related.
"He, he did?" Spencer questioned, sniffling.
Dave nodded. "You didn't hear him say that?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"N-n-no, I tind of topped lis'ening when he said he, he…"
"When he said he went home to his family," Dave finished for the little boy. Spencer looking away was all the answer the profiler needed. Grasping the youngster's chin, Rossi gently tugged until his charge peered up at him. "None of that now. What Jason said hurt. You had every right to be upset with him."
"But, he, he" Spencer stammered as the tears flowed down his cheeks. "And fen I, I…" Overcome by emotions once more, the little boy buried his face in Rossi's neck.
"Awww kiddo, it's okay." Will soothed, frowning as the boy's crying increased. He hated to see the kid cry. Seeing Henry tottling over to them, the father quickly changed his frown to a smile so he wouldn't upset his own son. He scooped the toddler up and settled him on his lap.
Henry looked at Spencer curiously for a moment before turning his puppy dog eyes on his dad. "Do'tow give Weid a shot?" he asked.
"Doctor?" Dave repeated, his brow furrowing.
"Yeah, I guess the waiting room reminds Henry of his doctor's office." Will explained. "He's been asking if his mama was sick ever since you guys went back."
Rossi glanced around at the menagerie of taxidermy animals. "What doctor do you take him, too? The local vet?" he incredulously questioned.
Will snorted. "Naw, they charge too much." He joked, smirking at the roll of the other man's eyes. "Truthfully, Henry's doctor's office has a bunch of stuffed animals and this office does, too. Henry's two. A stuffed animal is a stuffed animal to him. He doesn't know the difference."
"He'll learn soon…"
"Shhhh!" Henry loudly interrupted, putting a finger to his lips. "Weid leeping."
The two men looked down to find the littlest profiler fast asleep. Chuckling, they quietly sat back on the comfy couch to await the rest of the team.
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Half an hour later the BAU finally emerged from the conference room. They walked down the hallway to the lobby and were greeted by Henry shushing them. Smiling at the toddler's stern expression, the team nodded and pretended to zip their lips before entering the waiting area.
Aaron made a beeline for his son. Finding Spencer peacefully sleeping in Rossi's arms, he resisted the urge to scoop him up. He refused to risk waking Reid when he was finally getting some much needed rest. Wanting to get his little one home and in bed as soon as possible, Hotch led the way out of the lawyer's office and to their vehicles. After climbing into the back of JJ and Will's Xterra, he helped Dave buckle a still sleeping Spencer into his seat. Once his charge was secure, Aaron fastened his own seat belt and attempted to make himself comfortable. He turned this way and that before settling on facing Reid's car seat. Needing contact with his son, the father reached out and began carding a hand through the boy's mop of brown hair. Smiling as the toddler leaned into his touch, he continued the action all the way to the hotel.
As soon as the SUV came to a stop and the engine cut off, Aaron unbuckled himself and Spencer. He lifted the boy out of his seat and cradling him to his chest, climbed out of the vehicle. Hotch didn't waste any time getting into the hotel. He made it to the room he was sharing with Spencer before the rest of the team even got to the lobby. Shifting the sleeping toddler to his other side, Aaron reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his key card. After unlocking and opening the door, he hurried inside and over to the bed. Once he'd tucked Spencer into bed, he grabbed his cell and texted the rest of the team, asking them not to disturb the two. The father then peeled off his jacket, toed off his shoes, and crawled into bed with his son. Letting out a contented sigh as Spencer snuggled into his side, Aaron closed his eyes and joined Reid in sleep.
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The next morning Aaron carried a half awake Spencer out of the bathroom to find the rest of the team waiting for them. Spying a waffle plate sitting on the bed by Morgan, he went over and sat the little boy next to his best friend. Hotch then walked over to the counter to get some coffee, leaving the two brothers alone.
"Man, I cannot believe you slept through the rest of the afternoon and evening." Morgan said, shoving another bite of waffle in his mouth. "The trickster didn't put a sleeping spell on you, did he?"
Spencer rolled his eyes. "I was jut tiwed, Mowgan." He said around a mouthful of food.
"Are you sure cause if he did, I can take care of him for you." Derek bragged.
"Really? Like you took care of him in the truck yesterday?" Dave reminded, snickering as the muscular man turned beet red.
"He didn't…"
"Face it Morgan. The trickster bested you with his little grass skirt prank." Emily joined in.
"Now wait just a minute! He did not out prank me! He played a joke and took off. That doesn't count." Morgan insisted.
"Morgan" Dave called. "Remember what they say about poking a sleeping bear."
Not hearing the warning in the older man's voice, Derek continued. "Of course I'm not surprised. The guy's afraid to stick around. He knows I can beat him any day. I bet he…" he stopped as Henry pointed and yelled, "Him funny!" Groaning, Morgan looked at his team. "He's behind me, isn't he?"
"Oh yeah" Emily chuckled.
Derek slowly turned around. Seeing the Loki sticking his tongue out at him from the painting above the bed, he rolled his eyes. "Is that the best you can do?" he growled.
"Nope" the trickster replied, popping the 'p' sound at the end of the word. "I'm just warming up." Smirking evilly, he turned his attention to Spencer. "Hey Short Stuff! I've got a surprise for ya!" he sing-songed.
Reid shook his head. "No, no mowe pwises" he told the being.
"Aww come on! You'll love this one! Trust me!" Loki urged. Getting another head shake, he turned to someone he knew would say yes. "Henry, you want a surprise, don't ya?"
"Yea! Pwise!" Henry yelled, clapping his hands.
"Okay, you asked for it." Gabe replied. He waved his hands around like a magician doing a trick for a moment and then snapped his fingers.
"What the heck?!" a squeaky voice exclaimed.
The family stared at the bed in shock, attempting to wrap their minds around what they were seeing. They closed and opened their eyes but the scene stayed the same. Frozen in place, they continued to stare at their friend.
Garcia was the first to recover. Letting out a high pitched squeal, she ran over to the bed and scooped up the trickster's latest gift. "Look! Mini Morgan is just the right size for cuddling!" she squeed, squishing the de-aged agent to her chest.
Gabe cackled, drawing the family's attention to him. "Have fun with your new mommy, Babykins!" he gloated before disappearing in a whirlwind.