CHAPTER 13

"Ok my little pumpkin patch cutie, lets go" Garcia said as she approached Spencer's desk

"Where are we going?" he replied looking surprised at the interruption

"I thought we could go and get some lunch, then I need your help with something"

Spencer frowned at her "but its not lunch time yet?" he said glancing at the clock

Garcia leaned down towards him and whispered loudly "I know and that's why Derek is going to cover for us" she laughed "Hotch will never know that we left early. Quick, let's go before he sees us" she said grabbing his hand and walking quickly out of the bullpen.

Hoch smiled as he looked out the window and saw Spencer and Garcia making a beeline for the elevator.

Spencer found it almost impossible to be in a bad mood when he was with Garcia, she was always so happy it was infectious and he found himself giggling as they got into the elevator

"Where are we going to eat?" he asked as his stomach rumbled at the thought of food.

"Anywhere you want to go?" she asked him

"I could really go for a hotdog" he declared

Garcia smiled down at him "I'm sure we can find some hotdogs easily enough"

Once they had eaten their hotdogs Spencer started to get curious, "so what do you need my help with?"

Penelope paused knowing that he might react badly "well I know that you're the expert on the subject and I didn't know who else to ask for help" she started, when Reid didn't say anything she continued "I need your opinion on a Halloween costume" she smiled

Spencer sighed "I'm not an expert" he said quietly

"Well, you and I are the ones that love Halloween the most and you always help me find just the right costume and you always help to convince Derek to wear a matching one" she laughed "remember last year when we got him to dress as Mr potato head? Come on let's go, I have a few things that I want to show you" she took his hand and soon they were walking into the costume shop

"Hi there, can I help you find something?" the woman in the shop greeted them

"Hi! Right now, we are just looking but we will find you if we need any help thanks" Penelope replied, "so any ideas on what you want to be Spence?" she said looking around at all the costumes

"No, I don't want to dress up" he said quietly

Garcia moved them out of earshot of the sales assistant before kneeling down to look at Spencer directly "why not? You love Halloween! What's wrong?" she said worriedly

He sighed and looked around him, "I just don't think it will be fun this year." He shrugged "Halloween was not fun when I was a kid. One year all the trick or treaters knocking on the door caused my mom to have an episode. She thought the police were coming to take me away and so she locked me in a cupboard to keep me safe, it took me hours to break the door enough so I could get out"

Garcia pulled him in for a hug "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that" she said as she rubbed his back. "I promise that this year will be even more fun than you ever had when you were an adult, and you love going trick or treating with Henry"

Spencer pulled away "it won't be the same this year" he sighed

"Yes, it will be different but just as fun, and think of all the candy that you'll get, you won't have to steal some of Henry's this year, you'll have your own" Garcia stood up and started looking around "I was thinking that Derek and I could go as Shrek and Fiona? Or Mickey and Minnie? What do you think?"

"Shrek would be funny" he replied looking around at the options.

"Are you sure it will be fun?" he asked quietly

Garcia quickly picked him up and cuddled him "I'll make sure that it's the best night ever, ok?" she kissed his head and put him back on his feet

After looking around the store for a while Garcia's eyes fell on the perfect dress "I have a great idea Spencer" she said eyeing off the gown "what if we did a group costume?"

Spencer saw the dress and smiled as he realised what it was, "but who would be the scarecrow?" he laughed feeling like himself for the first time in days.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Hotch knew that Garcia could help Reid feel better and he smiled knowing that his plan had worked but when he saw all the bags that they were holding he wondered what they had planned

Spencer came straight into his office while Garcia went to dump the bags in the conference room.

"Hotch, can I talk to you?" he said in a small voice.

Hotch went and sat on the sofa, "of course Spencer" he said in a soft voice

Spencer went and sat on the other end of the sofa and looked at his hands "I'm sorry for the way I've been acting lately. I know that I've been a brat, I'm sorry"

"Look at me Spencer" he started and waited for his young charge to look at him. Once Spencer was looking at him, he continued "apology accepted, I know that you are having a hard time dealing with what's happened to you but I'm always going to be here for you and I'm always going to want to help you deal with those feelings."

Spencer felt like he was about to cry, "thankyou" he said quietly and looked back down at his hands. The next thing he knew, Hotch had pulled him into his lap and was cuddling him. Spencer shifted in Hotch's arms until he could put his arms around his neck and hug him back."

After a minute Spencer pulled away. "So did you have fun with Garcia?" Hotch asked

Spencer smiled thinking about what they had gotten, "yeah it was fun picking out costumes for everyone"

"What do you mean everyone?" Hotch said looking at the smirk on Spencer's face

"you'll have to wait and see" he said as he walked out of the office and went back to his desk.

At the end of the day Garcia rounded everyone up in the conference room. "So, Spencer and I have gathered you all here to give you your costumes for Halloween."

Spencer stood on a chair so he could reach into the bags "now I don't want to hear any complaints" he said as he pulled the first costume out of the bag

"what's the theme short stuff?" Morgan asked

"It was Garcia's idea" he started "we are all dressing as characters from… the Wizard of Oz!"

Emily laughed, "ha ha very funny Spencer, you don't really expect me to dress up do you?"

Spencer opened his mouth but Hotch beat him to it "Yes Prentiss we will all be dressing up, this is a family event and I expect everyone to participate" he said sternly looking around at all of them, no one was going to ruin this for Spencer

Emily smiled at Reid, "ok then, who am I going as?"

Spencer handed her a bag "Dorothy!" he exclaimed laughing with Garcia

They quickly handed out the rest of the costumes, Morgan was going as the cowardly lion, JJ was the witch of the west, Will would be the mayor of munchkin land and Henry would be a munchkin from the lollipop guild. Hotch would be the scarecrow; Spencer would be the tin man and Rossi would be Uncle Henry. Finally, Garcia would be Glinda the good witch.

As they all discussed their costumes Garcia spoke up, "the only person we didn't get a costume for was Jack, do you know if he will be with us or not Hotch?"

Hotch paused for a minute "I'm not sure yet, I'll have to speak to Hayley"

"Ok well the shop has heaps of munchkin costumes if he ends up coming with us" she smiled at her boss

"Thanks Garcia" he replied. "Ok everyone, home time, lets get out of here before we get called back" Hotch led the way out of the room and went to get his things from his office.

A small voice came from behind him "are you mad about the costume Hotch?" Spencer said

"of course, I'm not, why would you think I was mad?" he asked turning around to face him.

"I don't know, but I know that you don't normally dress up"

Hotch smiled down at him, "no I don't normally dress up, but this sounds like fun, and I think the whole team could use some fun right now" he held out his hand to Spencer "come on let's go home"