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- I thought I'd give you an early Christmas present. Here's a little fluff to start your holiday off right. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Previously on Criminal Minds- "Coming from a sack" Aaron sang. The others then joined in. "Carried by a man, dressed in white and red. Little boy don't you think it's time you were in bed."

Hush Little Baby

CM

JJ and Garcia breezed in Rossi's front door. "Em, you would not believe all the Christmas decorations Pen has!" JJ called as the duo headed for the living room.

Their way was quickly blocked by an angry looking Henry. Giving them his best 'mad daddy' glare, he put his hands on his hips like his mommy did when he was in trouble. "SHHH!" he loudly shushed. "Weid's sit!"

"My little elf's sick? But, but he was just fine this morning!" Garcia protested, hugging the cardboard box she was holding to her chest. "He was running around playing and laughing and everything!"

"Relax Pen, Reid's going to be okay." Prentiss assured her friend. "He's just having a few side effects from the shot he got this morning."

JJ winced. Now things made sense. "Let me guess; he got the flu vaccine."

Emily gazed at the young mother curiously. "Yeah, how'd you know?" she asked.

"It's not the first time this has happened." JJ replied as she set her box down in one corner of the room. "Where is he?"

"In Hotch's room" Prentiss answered.

"Alright, I'm gonna go check on him." JJ told the others before squatting down in front of her son. "Henry, I want you to help Auntie Pen and Auntie Emily unpack the boxes. Okay?"

"Otay!" Henry enthusiastically agreed.

JJ hugged her son and then hurried up the stairs and down the hall to her boss' bedroom. She knocked on the door before slowly opening it and stepping inside. Looking over to the bed where Hotch was sitting carding a hand through a sleeping Spencer's hair, the young woman quietly asked, "How's he doing?"

"He's a little better. The Tylenol has lowered his fever a tiny bit and he's not shivering anymore." Aaron recounted.

JJ sighed as she walked over and took a seat on the opposite side of the bed. "I'm afraid the calm won't last long. His fever will go back up when the Tylenol starts wearing off. The chills will reappear, too." She unhappily said. "Thankfully, though it will only last two days. Three at the most."

Aaron's eyebrow raised at that information. "How do you know that?" he questioned.

"This isn't the first time the flu vaccine has made Spence sick." JJ replied with a shrug. "He's being getting the flu mist every Fall since Henry was born. He said he didn't want to risk getting sick and infecting his godson. The mist always makes him a little ill."

Hotch's eyebrows shot up, disappearing under his hair. "Spencer has gotten sick every Fall!" he exclaimed, wincing as the child in question whimpered. He glanced down at his son and after assuring himself that the boy was still sleeping, turned his gaze back to the young mother in the room. "Why wasn't I aware of this?" he asked in a lower and softer voice.

"Spencer always waited until a Friday to get the mist. He'd take a late lunch so he could get it without having a long wait. By the time the first symptoms started to show it was time to leave for the day." JJ explained. "The only reason I know about it is because he was supposed to come eat dinner with Will, Henry, and I the night of that first vaccine. When he called to say he couldn't come, I knew something was wrong so I went over to his place to see what was going on. I stayed and took care of him that weekend and after that, I made sure he came home with me for the weekend on the Fridays he received the mist."

"I wonder why he didn't tell Morgan." Aaron muttered.

"I don't know. He should have. He knows how the flu mist affects him." JJ responded.

"He didn't get the mist; he received an injection." Aaron corrected. "The doctor said they don't use the mist on children his age."

"That must be why he didn't say anything. Spence probably assumed the shot would be different." JJ theorized.

"He knows different now." Aaron stated. "And so do we. We'll be ready when he gets the second shot in twenty-eight days."

"Second shot?" JJ repeated worriedly.

"Yes, the doctor told me that children needed two shots this year." Hotch relayed.

"Spence is gonna love that." JJ mumbled.

Aaron huffed. "That's something neither one of us will be looking forward to. After the fit he threw about getting this one and then the getting sick, it's sure to be a nerve racking experience for the both of us."

JJ gave Hotch a sympathetic look. "Let me know before you take him and I'll make sure I have the Tylenol ready." She said, smiling as a thought came to her. "Then again, we might not have to worry about it. Think about it. Twenty eight days would be the middle of December and Spence is set to turn back midnight of December thirty-first. We could just not get the last one. It'll only be a couple of weeks before he's an adult again and adults only need one injection."

"If it were anybody else, I'd agree with you. But this is Reid we're talking about. He's the biggest trouble magnet I've ever met. If it can happen to him, it will." Aaron reminded her. "I have no doubt that we will be nursing a sick child if we don't get him the second injection."

JJ snickered. "You're probably right about that." She replied, grimacing as the sleeping genius mumbled and rolled over. "I think I better leave before we wake him up. A sick, tired Spence is a grumpy one."

It was Aaron's turn to smile. "We definitely don't want that." He whispered.

"I'll go then. Call me if he needs anything." JJ instructed as she stood. She started for the door, stopping at Hotch's quiet call. Turning, she walked back to the bed and softly asked, "What is it?"

"I was wondering if you could sit with Spencer for a few minutes. I, ummm, I need to, to, uhh, step out for just a minute." The usually smooth talking BAU leader stammered, turning beet red.

It took everything JJ had not to laugh at her boss' roundabout way of saying he needed to go to the bathroom. "Go ahead Hotch. I'll stay with him." she told the embarrassed man.

"Thank you JJ" Aaron whispered before he hurried to the door.

"No problem, Hotch" JJ softly called. She waited for him to make it to the door before adding, "Oh and Hotch, next time just tell me you need to use the potty." The look she received had her rolling with laughter.

"Wha-what's so funny?" a voice from the bed croaked.

Still snickering, JJ glanced down to find two sleep filled eyes staring up at her. "Oh Sweetie, I'm sorry I woke you." she apologized as she brushed a stray lock of hair out of the boy's eyes.

Spencer pushed the blankets off and crawled into his friend's lap. He leaned back against her and let out a contented sigh. "Fat's otay" he mumbled around his thumb.

"Are you feeling any better, Spence?" JJ questioned.

Reid shook his head.

JJ rubbed the youngster's back. "You will soon, Hon. I promise." she assured the boy.

"I know." Spencer sighed. He glanced around the quiet room before looking back at the young blond. "JJ, whewe's Hotch?"

"Relax Sweetie, Hotch just went to the bathroom." JJ replied.

Reid did a double take. "He told you fat?!" he exclaimed, eyes widening in surprise.

JJ laughed. "Not in those words, no but I knew what he meant."

"Oh" Spencer said. He let out a jaw popping yawn and snuggled closer to his friend. "Tan we go down staiws?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Honey." JJ answered. "You need to stay in bed so you can get better."

"But I don't wanna be alone." Reid protested. "I wanna be wif my fam'ly."

Seeing the little boy beginning to get agitated, JJ quickly caved. "Alright, Spence we'll go downstairs." She agreed as she stood. "Calm down okay"

"Fant you" Spencer breathed out. He melted into JJ's embrace as she carried him out of the room and down the hall.

JJ paused at the bathroom long enough to knock on the door and shout, "Hotch, I taking Spence to the living room for a while" before proceeding down the stairs and into the large family room where part of the family had gathered.

Spying Garcia sitting on the couch with Emily and Fran, he swiftly raised his arms. "Garcia!" he called, reaching for brightly dressed woman.

Penelope immediately rushed over and took the ailing boy from JJ. "Awww my little Sweet Pea! How are you feeling?" she asked as she squished the youngster into her chest. She hurried back over to the couch and reclaimed her seat, settling her junior G-man in her lap.

"I feel good." Spencer fibbed. Seeing the pointed looks the four ladies were giving him, he sighed. "Otay, otay, I feel weally bad."

"I'm so sorry, my Gingerbread Baby. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" Penelope inquired.

"At…" he stopped, changing his wording when he recalled Morgan's mom. "Uh huh" he said instead. "Tan I, ummm, do you have, uhhh, have the ummm…"

Garcia grinned. "I've got them right here, Baby Bumble." She stated, snatching up her pocketbook. She sifted through the contents for a few minutes before finally finding what she needed. The tech analyst popped open the plastic case and held up the wanted item. "Here you go, Sweetie" she said, placing the baby blue pacifier in the youngster's mouth.

"Fant *YAWN* you" Spencer whispered around the paci. He leaned back against his friend and glanced around the room. Not seeing any of the men, he sighed. "Auntie Pen, tan you tuwn on Untle Mowgan's Ipod so I tan heaw the toy twain song?"

"I can do you one better." Emily crowed. She pulled out her cell phone, flipped it open, and scrolled through the videos before handing it to the droopy eyed child. "This should help you fall asleep."

Curious, Spencer pressed the play button. He smiled as he watched and listened to the men of the family singing the toy train song to him. Clutching the phone tightly, the tiny boy closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.