"So, question for you guys? Is this baby gonna be a 'Reid' or a 'Y/L /N." Derek asked from across the table.
Another three weeks had passed, and the team had been called away again. The unsub had been caught after a nine day chase and you were all ridiculously exhausted. You ached all over and you blamed your pregnancy hormones for the extra bitchiness you were feeling right now.
"Reid" Spencer answered, just as you responded with "Y/L/N."
Your eyes narrowed and you slowly turned to face your colleague.
Dereks eyes widened at the two of you as it suddenly dawned on him that he had crossed into dangerous territory. Very dangerous territory.
"I don't think so Spencer."
"Erm well I do. You get to carry her for nine months, and be the primary carer and what do I get? Not a lot apart from visitation rights whenever you deem suitable." He was cranky too, the bags under his eyes darker than normal.
Okay. Trying desperately not to bite, you stood and moved to the empty seats at the back of the jet. Everyone was tired and you were in no mood to argue with Spencer. You'd been doing so well recently, and he seemed to be realising more and more what annoyed you. His comments had reduced and he didn't interrupt you as much, although you could actually see his hands clenching and him having to bite his tongue when he knew the answer to something.
"Nice move Derek." You heard Emily mutter.
"Well how was I meant to know. Plus it's a valid question."
You settled back down on the empty seats, rolling your jacket up as a pillow and resting it against the window.
It was a valid question. But you knew it would cause an argument. And you just didn't have the energy for it.
But apparently Spencer did, as two minutes later he plopped down into the seat next to you.
"Are we gonna talk about this?" He asked as you looked at him wearily.
"I'm kinda trialling the 'if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all' theory."
"But we do need to talk about. We need to talk about a lot of things."
"We probably do, and perhaps one of those things should be that I didn't particularly appreciate the implication that you'll only get to see your daughter when I deem suitable. I've given you my word that we'll come to some arrangement that will suit us both."
"Well I'm sorry if I don't seem to have much faith in your word. Given the fact that up until five weeks ago you weren't even going to tell me about her, kind of makes me want to get certain things like her surname and when I actually get to see her set in stone. " His tone was bitter and scathing and although you could see his point, it still cut straight to the bone.
"Spencer..... I'm not in the mood to have a full blown argument with you in the middle of the jet. I've promised you, we'll come to an arrangement when she's born. And as for her surname, I want my child to have to same last night as me."
"Well so do I."
You weren't about to point out that you could quite easily go and register her name and birth without his involvement. You didn't want to be THAT person.
"Reid please. I'm so tired right now. I can't deal with you griping at me today. Can you just drop it. I promise we'll talk over the weekend." You felt like you were going to burst into tears, hating the life inside of you for making you feel so emotional.
Spencer glanced at you, hearing the emotion as your voice cracked. His expression softened towards you.
"Okay. Promise we will though? I'm sorry for getting at you. I'm just..... Scared that you're going to change your mind about involving me in this again."
Oh.
"I promise. Please believe me Spencer, I know I was a bitch about this to begin with; not telling you and everything, but I won't change my mind. You're her Dad."
You reached out and clasped his hand, squeezing it lightly. He squeezed yours back.
"Okay. Thank you. We've still got a few hours flight time left. Get some sleep Y/N."
......
"I want Y/N to read me my bedtime story!"
Aaron rolled his eyes at you. "Looks like I've been replaced. You up for it?"
"I suppose so. Come on Jack, lead the way." You held out your hand to the little blonde boy letting him pull you along to his bedroom.
Hotch had invited you around for food again, the two of you had grown closer still throughout your pregnancy and he'd become someone who's company you genuinely enjoyed as well as someone you could count on.
You tucked the little boy into bed after letting him pick his bedtime story. After rereading it to him five times and seeing him still not sleepy, you heard a rapping on the door as Aaron stuck his head around.
"Jack, you should be asleep by now. "
You were lying on the bed next to him, him tucked into the crook of your arm as he was following the words along with you. It was kinda nice, the soft weight of him against you. But that was only really because you knew that his Dad was in the other room if anything were to happen.
"One more story please!?!" The little boy begged.
"Nu uh, you've had enough." Aaron strict tone coming through.
"What about a lullaby then, like Auntie sings. I promise I'll go to sleep if you sing to me Y/N! Promise promise promise."
You could see Aaron trying to hide a chuckle and you racked your brains trying to think of a lullaby. Your parents had never sung you any that you could recall, the only one springing to mind was one your Grandma had sang. You hadn't heard or thought about it for years but the words suddenly came flooding back.
"One song, and then I'm leaving the room whether you're a sleep or not okay?"
"Okay." He grinned at you widely.
You began to sing softly, just finishing the second verse when you felt a little zap in your stomach, almost like someone had given you a tiny electric shock. You stopped singing, looking around the room confused.
"What's up?" Hotch asked seeing the look on your face.
"Nothing, it's fine. " You resumed singing feeling the same funny little zap again almost immediately. You stopped again, looking down at your tummy.
"Are you okay?"
And again.
"Hotch I think I can feel her. It's so weird."
"Lemme feel lemme feel." Jack asked you excitedly as his Dad crossed the room to his bed.
You took the little boys hand and placed it to your belly, pressing down where you thought it was coming from.
"Sing Y/N sing.... She must like it!" He begged.
You carried on and a moment later you felt it again, Jack giggling wildly with joy.
"Daddy I felt her! She touched my hand!"
Gosh it was so strange.... But so.... Cool! It kind felt like someone tickling the inside of your belly.
"May I, Y/N?" Hotch hovered his hand over your tummy, close to his sons hand and you nodded.
He pressed gently, his large hands warm through your thin t-shirt and seconds later the brightest smile you'd ever seen on him spread over his face.
"My god, I'd forgot what that felt like...She's very faint, but you can definitely feel her moving."
You met his gaze and grinned. "I need to text Spencer and tell him! In fact.... Aaron I know we were gonna watch that film, but do you mind if I rain check. With Reid not being able to see the baby yet, I think this might cheer him up."
You'd promised to book another ultrasound, but had not gotten around to it yet, what with work and everything.
"No no no, it's absolutely fine. Go! "
You kissed the little boy on his head making him promise to go to sleep before giving his Dad a quick hug and making your way to your car.
You drove the short distance to Spencers apartment, buzzing to be let in and hearing the concern when he realised it was you.
He'd opened his door and was waiting for you as you huffed your way up his stairs.
"Is everything okay Y/N?" He looked so worried until you grinned at him.
"Everything's fine.....Spencer I felt her kick! She moved!"
"Oh my god! When?" His eyes bright and shiny, and his hands twitching to touch your belly. "
"Like literally fifteen minutes ago." You grabbed his hands, pressing them to your tummy. You could feel something but you weren't sure if it was excitement. It was weird, you still weren't ecstatic about this, but it was kinda cool.
Reid waited expectantly, his hands splayed against your t shirt, pulling a face when nothing happened.
"I don't feel anything." Disappointment drenching his voice.
"Let me come in and sit down. I was lying down when she did it before."
He moved aside and you entered his apartment, you'd not been here since the night you'd created the little thing that was inhabiting your belly.
Walking over to his coach and taking your jacket off, you noticed newspapers spread out open at the rental page, marker pen circling some of the ads.
"You moving?" You asked as he sat next to you.
"Well my lease is up in six weeks anyway. I was just gonna renew, but I've only got one bedroom here and.... well I'll need two won't I."
Yeah.... You guess he would. You kept forgetting that part.
"So Morgans gonna come look at some two beds with me next weekend providing we're not on a case.... Can I.. Erm can I try again please?" He nodded towards your stomach and you smiled, lifting your t shirt up this time so there was no barrier between his hands and your skin. Maybe she'd respond better?
He pressed his hands to you again, you both waiting expectantly.
Nothing.
"Y/N are you sure it was her, and not just..... gas?"
"Yes I'm sure. Jack and Hotch both felt it too."
"Jack and Hotch." His expression darkened.
"Erm yeah, I was round at Aarons for dinner. But I came straight here when I felt her move. I knew you'd wanna know."
"So my boss and his son have felt my baby kick before I have. The same boss that knew about the baby before I, the father did?"
"Yeah." What was he getting at?
"Y/N is there something going on between you and him? Because you always seem to be with him during the big moments in your life recently. It seems like he's playing a bigger part in your pregnancy than I am." His voice was quiet and full of hurt.
"Me and Hotch? Hahahahaha."
"It's not funny Y/N."
"Yes it is......Spencer not that it's your business, but no, there isn't. I've told you this before and I'm getting tired of repeating myself. Aaron and I have become surprisingly good friends is all."
It WAS suprising, you were seeing a totally different side to him outside of work.
"It is my business Y/N. Someone else is experiencing all of the first things that I should be. You finding out. The scan, the first kick. I don't like it. He shouldn't be getting all of this, he had it with Jack and I'll probably never get the chance to have it again."
"Well I'm sorry but I can't control when she does and doesn't kick. Like I said, I came here straight away. I didn't have to. I had plans."
"With Hotch." A statement not a question.
"Don't even, Reid. There is nothing going on between us."
He sighed, begrudgingly accepting what you were saying.
"What were you doing when she kicked? Maybe if you do that, she'll do it again?"
"Erm.... I was singing a lullaby to Jack."
He looked at you, an expectant expression.
"Okay fine, but don't laugh."
"I won't. Promise."
You began to sing again for the second time that night.
"Quickly now quickly
Blow out the candles
Say your prayer, don't despair
Pull the door handle."
That sharp zap again, and Reids hand jumped, his jaw dropping open. "Carry on" He whispered, "I can feel her."
He looked so sweet right then that you couldn't refuse him.
"All to sleep, rest your head
Nothings gonna harm you
In your bed.
When you wake, we'll be here
Here's a little kiss now,
All to sleep."
You felt the tickling again and saw the image of wonder and joy plastered across Spencers face. "Keep singing."
"Seasons will come, seasons will go
Time will pass slowly, but you'll never know.
Deep in your dreams, life will be as you've always planned.
Your special place, lullaby land.
Quickly now quickly now
Blow out the candles
Say your prayer, don't despair
Pull the door handle
Quickly now quickly"
You finished, watching a tear escape from his eyes. Seeing someone else's happiness somehow made you feel overcome with emotion and you reached out to his face, catching the tear from his cheek.
He looked at you, giving you a small smile before lowering his lips to your stomach and planting a kiss on it.
"That's so amazing. I mean... I felt Henry kick when JJ was pregnant but this is so different."
"Because you know it's yours." You explained.
"Yes. She is. She's mine. Well, ours."
He pulled down your t shirt, covering your belly back up and then quickly and unexpectedly, bent to you and kissed your cheek.
"Thanks Y/N."
Your cheek burned for the next thirty minutes.