BAU's Baby

4

Reid was more regressed when he woke up the next morning. He was using less words to express what he wanted, and he was harder to keep entertained.

"Reid, do you want me to tell anyone else besides JJ?" Morgan asked at breakfast. Reid thought for a moment and nodded. "Who do you want to know?" Morgan asked.

"Hotch." Reid said simply, taking a bite of his cereal. He ate a few more spoonfuls before pushing the bowl away.

"Can you eat a little bit more for me?" Morgan asked, looking into the half empty bowl. Reid shook his head. He grabbed the stuffed dog and hopped out of his seat, shuffling over to the fridge. "Want something to drink?" Morgan said, and Reid nodded. Morgan got out a bottle for Reid and filled it with milk, heating it in the microwave. 

After the milk was warm, Morgan took the bottle and put the lid on before walking into the living room. Reid skipped after him and sat on the couch next to his friend.

"It's pretty warm, kid, just be careful." Morgan informed him. He handed Reid the bottle and the doctor took a few sips. It was the perfect temperature. Reid smiled and nursed the bottle steadily, holding the Clooney plush. "I'm gonna call Hotch and let him know, okay bud?" Morgan said. Reid nodded, and Morgan went into the kitchen to call hotch.

"Hey hotch, it's Morgan. Are you able to come over to Reid's place?" Morgan asked into the phone.

"Yeah, what going on?" Hotch asked. Morgan looked back at Reid before answering.

"We want to tell you something, and it's better in person." Morgan replies.

"Okay, I'll be there in a bit. See you soon." Hotch said, hanging up. Morgan put his phone back in his pocket and walked back into the living room.

"Hotch is gonna come over, he'll be here in a little while." Morgan told him, and Reid nodded. Morgan walked around the living room, straightening up the place.

Reid finished his bottle and held his arms out to Morgan. Morgan picked him up and patted his back, and Reid let out a long belch. "That was a lot of air, kid." Morgan chuckled. Reid giggled. Morgan picked up his pacifier and popped it in the boy's mouth.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Hotch knocked on the front door of Reid's place, unsure of what he would find. Morgan opened the door and let him in.

"Hey man, thanks for coming over.." Morgan said, walking into the living room with hotch. 

"No problem. Where's Reid?" Hotch asked. Morgan scratched his head.

"He's in his room. We can go see him." Morgan replied, leading the way to Reid's bedroom. Morgan knocked on the door before opening it. Reid was sitting on his bed, playing with his stuffed animals. He looked up and saw the other two and smiled.

"Hi Mowgan!" Reid exclaimed, waving at Morgan.

"Hey kid, how you doing?" Morgan asked.

"Firsty." Reid replied. He reached up to Morgan, and he picked him up. Morgan and hotch walked into the kitchen, and Morgan got a bottle for Reid.

"What do you want to drink?" Morgan asked.

"Water pwease." Reid said. Morgan grabbed Reid's bottle and filled it with water, carrying him back to the living room. Morgan sat on the couch, and Hotch sat next to him. He said nothing for a moment, but then spoke up.

"So, what exactly is this?" Hotch asked, looking at Morgan.

"Age regression. Basically, Reid goes into the mindset of a toddler, though he's closer to one now, and just lets himself let go of his stress." Morgan explained. Reid started fidgeting in his lap, whining.

"Is he okay?" Hotch asked. Reid had never acted like this in front of him, at least in his regular mind.

"What's the matter, baby boy? Why are you being fussy?" Morgan asked, looking down at Reid. Reid couldn't answer. Morgan took the bottle from the doctor and held it for him. Reid calmed down, and went back to drinking his bottle.

"I think he just regressed further." Hotch noted. Morgan nodded.

"I think so too." Morgan agreed. He glanced down at his watch. "I'm gonna go put him down for a nap when he's done, then we can talk some more." Morgan said.

"Sounds good," hotch agreed.

When Reid finished his bottle, Morgan held him up to his shoulder and burped him, replacing the pacifier with his bottle. Morgan stood up and turned Reid so he could see hotch. "Say night night, kid." Morgan cooed to Reid. Reid grinned, but no words came to him. He just let Morgan wave his hand to hotch before carrying him to his room.

Morgan laid Reid down on his bed and tucked him in, patting his tummy. "Okay kid, see you after your nap." Morgan said. Reid sleepily shut his eyes and fell asleep, and Morgan left the room to talk with hotch.

"Do you think we should get some bed rails for him or something? We don't want him getting hurt." Hotch said, going into parent mode.

"I'm thinking about ordering a playpen for him. I don't think we need to worry about him falling out of bed, necessarily, but it could help him with regression." Morgan replied. Hotch nodded.

"Alright, let's get to searching up some furniture, then. We probably don't need too much, but a crib, a rocking chair, and a playpen are a good place to start." Hotch decided.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll look for cribs." Morgan replied, grabbing his laptop and setting to work.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Reid woke up a couple hours later, groggy. He heard his bedroom door open and Hotch walked in.

"Dada?" He mumbled sleepily, looking at the man.

"Hey Reid, how was your nap?" Hotch asked, walking over to the bed. He lifted Reid and carried him out to the living room and sat on the couch with him.  Reid snuggled into Hotch and sucked his pacifier, a soft lull in the room.

"Hey baby boy, look who woke up." Morgan cooed as he walked into the living room, a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Where were you?" Hotch asked, looking at the other. Morgan walked over to the couch and ruffled Reid's hair.

"I took a shower. I don't think Reid minds, do you pretty boy?" Morgan replied. He left the room to redress and came back a couple minutes later.

Reid started squirming and whining, causing the other two to be concerned.

"What's wrong, bubba?" Hotch asked, his usually stoic expression softening.

"I think he's ready for a change." Morgan said, taking Reid from Hotch's arms. He carried him back to his bedroom and laid him on the floor.

Reid  tried to roll onto his side, but Morgan put a hand on his tummy. "Calm down there, kiddo. We gotta get you changed." Morgan said, settling Reid on his back. He removed his pants and got rid of the wet diaper, wiping him down with baby wipes.

Reid calmed down as a new diaper was slid under him and talc was sprinkled on his groin and bum, the diaper being pulled between his waist and taped snugly. He smiled, and Morgan put his pants back on him, lifting him up under the armpits and holding him close.

"That wasn't so hard, was it? No it wasn't." Morgan said, pressing his forehead against Reid's. Reid cooed happily and cuddled into Morgan's chest, babbling softly. Morgan walked back out to the living room and sat next to hotch.

"Dada!" Reid cooed, reaching his hand out to touch Hotch's face. Hotch smiled and held Reid's hand.

"Dada?" Morgan asked, wondering where the nickname came from.

"He called me that after he woke up from his nap. I think it's stuck now, so I guess that's who I am." Hotch explained. He stood up and went to the kitchen to make  pasta for lunch.