Disclaimer: see my profile
A/n as a thank you for all of your kind support and comments, I'm posting the last chapter as a bonus chapter. I hope you enjoy it.
Something soft as a feather gently brushed Reid's cheek and he let out a groan. "Five more minutes."
"No," JJ whispered in his ear. "Caroline wants her father to feed her Christmas breakfast."
He opened his eyes, blinked and reached for his glasses. "Merry Christmas, Jen."
"Merry Christmas, Spence. Love you," she bent over and kissed his cheek.
"Love you, too."
He focused on Caroline, safely tucked in her mother's arms. The three-month-old baby giggled and kicked her legs as she watched her father from hazel eyes that matched Reid's orbs down to the last detail. "Hi, baby, Merry Christmas, little one," he took her from JJ and kissed the top of her head. She smelled milky, a scent he adored, and she felt like the embodiment of all his love, hope and dreams.
"Here," JJ handed him a warmed bottle, which he offered to his little girl.
Caroline took it and began to suck greedily while making little contented noises that brought tingles into his stomach and warmth to his heart. She never ceased to amaze him as every day she did something new that stunned him into wonderous silence.
"Don't worry," JJ said. "It's expressed milk."
"I wasn't going to say anything," he countered. "It's Christmas."
"Yes, it is. When you've fed Caroline, I have a surprise for you downstairs.
"Oh, what is it."
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise."
"See, Caroline, your mother likes to tease me."
Caroline continued to eat as if nothing were more important, and Reid supposed she had a valid point. At three months, a child didn't have to worry about anything other than the basics of life. He often wished he could be like her for one day.
"I don't think she has much sympathy for you," JJ observed with a smirk.
"One day," he said, confidently.
"You keep deluding yourself, babe." JJ smacked his leg. "I'll see you downstairs."
A few minutes later, Reid descended the stairs with Caroline in his arms. He'd fed, burped and changed her. She seemed to be content and awake and her eyes took in the familiar sights of her home. He passed through the living area, decorated in green fir boughs with red ribbons, and the tree finished with colorful balls and a star at the top. Several brightly wrapped boxes lay beneath the tree and four Christmas stockings hung from hooks over the gas fireplace.
"Hey," JJ greeted him with a steaming cup of hot chocolate with a peppermint candy cane sitting inside. "I know you like coffee, but I thought we'd celebrate the day."
He sniffed it and decided that the scent of chocolate was too tempting to put aside. He sipped it and JJ laughed at the whipped cream mustache over his upper lip.
"Don't laugh at me," he scolded her, then he laughed. "Where's my surprise?"
"In the kitchen. I made breakfast for you."
He sniffed the air and realized that it was full of spices, eggs, cheese, and bacon. "Hm, smells delicious."
"Come on, mom's in there and we're starved."
"Okay. Hey, Caroline, you want to see grandma?" The baby giggled and tried to reach up for his hair. "I'll take that as yes."
Sandy joined Reid, JJ, and Caroline in the living room forty-five minutes later. "I'm so glad you were able to fly out, mom," JJ said as Reid handed his daughter to her grandmother.
"I couldn't miss my granddaughter's first Christmas." Sandy looked down at the now sleeping baby in her arms. "She's amazing."
"Yes, she is," JJ said and went to take down their stockings.
Later, after they'd torn through their gifts, Reid held Caroline on his chest as he lay prone on the sofa with his mismatched socks peeking from under the knitted blanket Garcia had made for them as a moving present. JJ giggled at the sight, then sighed with happiness that her two favorite people slept peacefully.
"They're adorable," Sandy whispered to her daughter as they went into the kitchen.
"Yeah, it makes my heart hurt when I see them together. Spence loves her so much and she adores him."
"I remember when you were a baby. You had your father wrapped around your finger, much like Rosaline when she was tiny."
"Mom, do you think Rosaline would have a family if she'd lived."
Sandy sighed and began to make mugs of green tea for them to sip with the sugar cookies she'd baked on Christmas Eve. "I don't know. Rosaline never talked about what she wanted to do. I'd like to think that she would've, and Caroline might have cousins."
JJ pursed her lips. "I miss her, mom, especially on days like this. I wish she'd met Spence and Caroline."
"Me too."
They sat quietly together, and then JJ said. "Why don't we clean up from breakfast and organize the gifts. Hotch said the team's meeting at Rossi's place for dinner and then they'll call us."
"Agreed."
CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM
JJ carried Caroline down to the living room while Reid waited with her laptop. Their daughter squealed when she saw her father and reached out for him.
"Caroline," he exclaimed and took her from her mother. "There you are, all fresh from your nap. Did you sleep well, my little companion?"
JJ rolled her eyes at this new nickname for their daughter, but he ignored her. "She's ready for her closeup."
Caroline wore a Christmas themed outfit of a red dress with a white lace collar, and white socks trimmed with more white lace around the ankles. She wore a headband with holly berries and a tiny golden angel hanging from the red silk.
"She looks amazing."
"She is amazing, and she resembles you more every day."
JJ slid her fingers through Caroline's wavy golden-brown hair and the baby cooed at her.
"I won't argue because it's useless with you."
"Come on. Everyone is waiting at Rossi's place."
"All right, I'm ready."
JJ picked up her laptop, repositioned it, and placed a Skype call to Garcia. "Hey."
"Hi, Peaches."
JJ chuckled and said, "Hi, is everyone there."
They waited until Penelope repositioned her laptop on the table and the team came into view. Jack held tight to Hotch's hand and the others grouped together about Garcia. "Hi," they said as one and Morgan rolled his eyes. "Nice unison," JJ quipped.
"Yeah, we rehearsed it for you," Rossi said.
"It's good to see you, JJ, but where is Caroline," Morgan demanded. "I want to see my little princess."
"Right here with her dad."
Reid came into view and everyone began to exclaim over her. "Hey, beautiful," Emily greeted and waved at the image on the screen.
"Oh, there she is, my beautiful god-daughter. Hi, Caroline. You're rocking the Christmas look."Caroline kicked excitedly and tried to reach for the laptop. "Oh, she's adorable," Garcia gushed.
"Of course, she is," Morgan said proudly. "She's the daughter of Blondie and Pretty Boy."
They laughed which made Caroline giggle.
"How's your new job?"
"Great," Reid said. "I love it."
"What did Santa bring for you," Emily cooed at Caroline.
"Too much," Reid said. "Between you guys, Sandy and us, her nursery is filled to the brim."
"Yeah, what he means is thank you," JJ teased.
"Oh yeah, I just meant that – "
"It's okay," Rossi said. "We know what you mean."
"Were you able to see your mom, Spence," Hotch asked.
"Yeah, she's doing great."
"How's your mom?" Emily directed to JJ.
"Ask her for yourself."
Sandy entered behind Reid. "Sorr, I'm late. Becky likes to talk."
"It's okay, mom."
"Good to see you, Sandy."
"Thanks. I'm glad to talk to you all. I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for my daughter and her family.
"That's what we do," Garcia said.
"How's the newbie working out?" JJ asked.
"She's good, but she's not you," Morgan answered.
"I'm glad you haven't forgotten us," JJ teased.
"Never," Morgan, Emily, and Garcia chorused.
"Agreed," Rossi said and Hotch nodded his assent.
They continued to talk until Caroline began to fuss while Spencer was doing a magic trick for Jack. "It's time for a diaper change, I think. I'll talk to you all later," Reid said as he carried Caroline from the room.
"He's great with her," Emily observed.
"She refuses to go down for the night if I try to settle her in," JJ complained, but she smiled at the same time. "She has him completely wrapped around her little fingers."
"Aw, that's so cute." Garcia cooed.
"You both look happier than I've seen in a long time," Hotch observed.
"We are, but I'm trying not to think about working full time after the New Year.
"Is Reid still part-time?"
"For now, until we can find a good day time baby sitter."
"Send me the short list and I'll check them out for you," Garcia said.
JJ almost laughed when Hotch gave Garcia a look then he smiled. "I'll pretend I didn't hear you offering Bureau resources for non-FBI business."
"Thank you, sir."
Later, when JJ found Reid in the bedroom stretched out on the bed with the baby monitor on the night table, she smiled and curled up next to him. He shifted and opened his lovely eyes. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay. I took a long nap as you know. It's nice to lay around all day and enjoy my family."
"I can't believe that Christmas Day is over. I had a wonderful time with you, Caroline, mom and the team."
"Me too. Thank you for making me a happy, Jennifer."
"Right back at you, Spence."
They curled into each other and fell asleep into dreams of the coming years and the happiness they'd have with their small family and a rich circle of friends to support them.
THE END