Unexpectedly Expecting

Hatochiiai a.k.a. Ahmose Inarus

Disclaimer: No own. Piss off.

SLASH WARNING (what else?)

Chapter 16

When Reid woke, consciousness was slow to return to him fully. He felt cold and heavy. And he was so tired. But something was in the back of his mind, forcing him to wake… there was something he had to do… something important…

Finally, he forced himself to open his eyes. The room was dim. And white. He was in a hospital. He turned his eyes towards a funny noise and took in the sight of a fluid pump with a half empty bag of fluids. He followed the IV line down to the back of his own hand. There was a pale blue triceratops plushy lying by his hand…

He frowned a bit. Something seemed… different. His eyes rested on his stomach under the sheets. His eyes slowly moved down to the shape of his feet under the blankets.

Wait… his feet. He couldn't see his feet while lying flat… not since…

His eyes widened and fear spread through his body as he suddenly realized what was different. His stomach was flat. It hadn't been flat in months… His lips moved slightly.

"… Jason." He breathed. He could barely hear his own voice. But in his mind, he was screaming. Jason. His son. His baby. What had happened? Had Aaron found him? Aaron? Slowly, he turned his head towards a dark mass in the corner of his eye.

Aaron Hotchner stood before the window, staring out at the falling snow.

"… Aaron." He managed to gasp. Then he watched as Hotch turned his head, before completely turning around. He saw Reid, and smiled.

"Welcome back." The man said, gently. But Reid wasn't looking at him. He was looking at the bundle in the man's arms. Hotch watched Reid's eyes widen.

"… Jason?" He gasped, and Hotch smiled, nodding as he walked over to Reid. "Is… is he…"

"He's fine." Hotch said, and slowly lowered the baby to rest in the little cradle that was the bed between Reid's arm and side, moving the triceratops plushy into the bassinet. The infant's head rested on Reid's bicep, face turned towards the bedridden youth.

Hotch sent a text message, then stared down at Reid. The boy was staring at the baby, a look of relief on his face.

"Oh… Oh God…" Reid murmured. "Oh, Jason… Aaron… you got him."

"Just like I promised." Hotch said softly, slowly sitting down beside the bed and caressing Jason's dark hair under his palm. He watched Reid smiling down at their baby, then lean down and gently press a kiss to the little head.

"… I want to sit up."

"What?"

"I want to hold him." Reid said, beginning to struggle to sit upright.

"Hey now…" Hotch said, standing and leaning forwards. "Hold on." And he grabbed the little remote control, pressing a button and watching Reid closely as the head of the bed began to lift. When Reid was in a half sitting, half reclining position, he helped the boy get comfortable. Then he gently laid the infant in Reid's arms.

"Dr. Reid." They both looked up as Dr. Tsai walked in, a smile on her face and a bottle in her hand.

"Thank you." Reid said, and she blinked, then smiled at him and nodded.

"Thank YOU for fighting." She told him, walking over. "Your son is beautiful. It was one of the proudest moments of my career when I signed his birth certificate." And she gave him a gentle hug.

"And… Foyet?" Reid asked, turning and looking at Hotch.

"Dead." Hotch responded, and Reid closed his eyes in relief. "Took a bullet to the head."

"You killed him?" Reid asked.

"No. Dave did."

"Rossi?"

"Mmhmm." Hotch responded. "He saved my life. He was going to shoot me." He left out the detail where Foyet was going to shoot Jason, too.

"… How long has it been?" Reid asked.

"I put you into a medically induced coma to aid in your healing." Dr. Tsai said. "Yesterday was a week from the night we took you from the cabin."

"So… Jason is a week old?" Reid asked.

"Yes." Hotch replied. "One week and…" He glanced at the clock and thought a moment. "One week, nineteen hours and four minutes." Reid smiled slightly, glancing at the clock and marking down in his mind the minute of his son's birth.

"Haley has been in every day to help me take care of him. AND you." Hotch said, smiling. "She loves feeding him… and… Jack is thrilled."

"Jack has met him?"

"Yes." Hotch said, absentmindedly petting the soft fur of the triceratops plushy (which had been a gift from Morgan... something about how Reid never had piles of dinosaur toys like any other kid). "He asked why Jason was staying in a room with you." Reid's eyes widened. "I told him that we had Jason in here with you because you got hurt protecting him from a bad man. So it was only right that you got to see him when you woke up." Hotch smiled. "He uh… made you a card." Reid turned and looked on the bedside table. Sure enough, there was a piece of construction paper folded in half like a card, covered in little crayon scribbles. "They've actually been in to visit every day. I think Haley's kissed your forehead and cheek more times than she's ever kissed me in the all the years we were married. She's... really been worried about you." Reid smiled at that, but looked down when Jason whined and squirmed. Dr. Tsai handed Reid the bottle and watched over him as he fed his son for the first time.

"… Rossi was okay with me naming Jason after him?"

"He bitched about it." Hotch admitted. "But… he was flattered. I'll be honest, though." Hotch said. "I would have expected you to name Jason after Morgan."

"Rossi has been a Godsend ever since we got together, Aaron. He's a mentor to me, and a mentor to you. I felt that it was right. Have you talked to Morgan and Garcia?"

"Morgan was… shocked. But he's honored to be Jason's Godfather. Garcia… well… she burst into tears and stole Jason for nearly three hours." Hotch said. Reid grinned. "Haley thinks they're both good choices. And she likes the name. Though she was hoping to name Jason after you."

"Oh God…" Reid groaned with a smile, but turned the attention back to his son. And he was still feeding little Jason when the team came in to visit.

FIVE YEARS LATER

"Uncle Morgan! Uncle Spence! Aunt Penny!" Heads turned in the BAU when two boys ran in.

"Wait, Jack!" Whined the younger, who was clutching a little pale blue triceratops plushy. "OW!" He tripped and toppled forwards.

"Hey there, Jason." Morgan grinned, kneeling and helping him up. "Hey, come on now… no tears. You're a tough guy!" And he wiped Jason's eyes as he bit his lower lip. Haley walked into the Bullpen a moment later, smiling. Jack was already in Hotch's office, telling him excitedly how he made a GREAT save at his soccer game, hence the massive grass stain on his soccer uniform. Hotch stood, smiling. He and his firstborn son walked out into the bull pen. Rossi was standing in the doorway of his office, smiling, and waved back when he got a shy wave and mumble of "Hi, Uncle Dave," from Jason.

"In case you couldn't tell…" Haley called. "They're exited about spending the week with their Dad and Uncle Spencer." And she turned and smiled at Reid. "Jason is already reading at a second grade level. We're going to go ahead and start him into Kindergarten this fall instead of waiting another year." Hotch joined them while Jack pounced his Uncle Morgan ("Ow! Watch the goods, kid!"), and Aunt Penny pounced little Jason ("Oh, my little Baby Boss Man!").

"And the tests?" Hotch asked. Haley smiled.

"Definitely above average intelligence." She said, and looked at Reid, taking his hand. "They predict that he'll be border lining on genius, but nothing nearly as close to what you are. He can read, and he can read very well for his age, but no signs of having an eidetic memory or anything." She shrugged, and Reid smiled.

"Thank God for small blessings." The doctor said.

"Why?" Haley asked.

"Le me tell you… growing up a genius is no walk in the park." Reid said. "I want to see him have a normal childhood. Like I had always wanted." Haley nodded, smiling.

"Dr. Blair recommends getting him into some physical activity." She said. "She's recommended this." And she let go of Reid's hand to dig something out of her purse, then handed Reid a brochure. Hotch read over his shoulder.

"… ATA Songham Taekwondo…" Hotch read.

"The American Taekwondo Association." Reid supplied. "The largest Martial Arts organization in America. It… Oh. Sorry." He mumbled, blushing as Hotch and Haley chuckled to themselves.

The three just smiled when Morgan's voice drifted back to them, "Aaron Jackson Hotchner, you do NOT play with a stapler that way!"

"Anyway, she said it could help with his focus and discipline." Haley said.

"Sounds good." Hotch replied. "Maybe you should get both of the boys into it."

"It's expensive." Haley sighed.

"I'll take care of it. For both of them." Reid said with a smile as they heard Jack exclaim "COOL!" as he opened a drawer to Morgan's desk.

"Hey, Hey, HEY!" Morgan yelped, and slammed the door closed. "NOT for YOU! HOTCH!"

"That's our boys..." Haley sighed, sharing an amused smile with Reid while Hotch leveled a look on his son. "So um… have a good week." And she hugged Hotch and Reid, kissing each on the cheek, then left.

"Alright boys." Hotch called. "Ready?" Garcia kissed Jason's cheek and set him down.

"Let's go, Dad!" Jack exclaimed, as if he hadn't negatively affected his Uncle Morgan's blood pressure. Jason shuffled over to them, clutching his triceratops and sucking his thumb. When he reached them, he tugged on Reid's pant leg. Reid looked down and smiled, then knelt and hugged the five year old close.

"Hey, Jason." He said.

"Hi, Uncle Spenner." The little boy said quietly, and wrapped his arms around Reid's neck as he picked him up. Reid grinned. Poor Jason was having trouble figuring out how to say 'Spencer' but Reid didn't mind the 'Spenner'. Before Jason managed to work that out, he was calling Reid his 'Uncle Sinner' which led to Reid being the butt of many jokes for a while, courtesy of Jason's Uncles Morgan and Dave. "Will you read to me?"

"Of course." Reid said, kissing the dark brown hair and staring into the dark brown eyes that looked so much like his lover's. He hugged Jason again, then turned to Hotch.

The team watched as the four walked out. Hotch and Reid walked shoulder to shoulder, Hotch with an arm around Jack, and Reid carrying Jason on his hip. They got onto the elevator. And as the doors closed, they watched as Jack hugged his Uncle Reid, and Hotch kissed Jason's forehead, then turned and kissed Reid. Then the little family was lost from sight, as they headed home to spend the week together.

That night, after getting Jack into bed, Hotch watched through the doorway as Reid indulged in a rare treat.

He smoothed Jason's hair from his face and tucked the blankets in close around him, then handed him the triceratops, named Cicero. Jason clung to it, yawning.

"Sleep tight, Jason." Reid murmured, leaning down and kissing his son's forehead. Jason smiled and kissed Reid's cheek. "I love you."

"Love you too, Uncle Spenner." The little boy said, smiling and blinking his sleepy eyes. "G'night, Daddy."

"Night, buddy." Hotch called, smiling. Jason watched as Reid stood and walked to the door. He watched his father smile and curl his arms around his Uncle Reid and the pair hugged. Then, the door was pushed shut until a shaft of pale light crept in through the three inches that remained open.

In the hall, Hotch drew Reid to their own bedroom and closed the door. Reid gave a sigh of contentment as he was embraced. And before he knew it, they were in bed in their pajamas (they ALWAYS wore pajamas to bed when they had the boys) and Hotch was holding him close. Reid shivered as he felt Hotch's fingertips trace the scar that marked the spot where he had been cut open to allow Jason to come into the world. Hotch smiled to himself, mind drifting back over the past five years... five very happy years... Hotch and Reid spent as much time as they could with Jack and Jason, who were always eager to spend time with the loving couple... well... aside from that six months when the Reid Effect had taken over... Poor Reid had spent that time in severe emotional distress when Jason suddenly decided that his Uncle Spencer was terrifying and wouldn't come anywhere near him. Fortunately, he had grown out of it by age three and for the week that they had the boys after, Reid (who seemed to think he had to make up for lost time) wouldn't put Jason down. Hotch grinned at the memory. And his mind swirling with that memory and many happy others, he fell asleep to dream of the memories they would be making in the future.

That night, it began to storm. Reid woke when he heard the door creak. And he smiled into the dark when he heard soft little feet crossing the room. In the light from the nightlight, he saw Jack and Jason approaching, Jack holding Jason's hand.

"Hey…" Reid called, gently.

"Uncle Spenner…?" Little Jason whimpered around the thumb in his mouth, and Reid smiled. Lightning flashed and Jason jumped, eyes wide.

"Scared of the storm?"

"No." Jack said as Jason mumbled "Uh huh."

"… C'mere." Reid chuckled, lifting the blankets. His son scrambled under them eagerly and slid over Reid to rest between Reid and Hotch. Then he cuddled close to Reid, clutching his triceratops and once again shoving his thumb into his mouth. Reid raised an eyebrow. "... Jack?" The older boy frowned a bit, but then scurried around the other side of the bed and slid in next to his father. Reid smiled and closed his eyes, curling an arm around Jason and holding him close.

"Uncle Spenner?"

"Mm hmm?"

"What's thunder?"

"Oh. Well, lightning makes it." Reid said, focusing on explaining it so that a five year old could understand. "You know how your hair stands up when there's a storm coming? And it crackles and sticks to your hands?"

"Yeah!" Jason gasped, and Reid heard Jack quietly say "Uh Huh."

"That's electricity. And there's a lot of electricity in the air when there are storms. When the electricity gets strong enough, lightning happens. And lightning is REALLY hot. You know how when you make S'mores in the microwave with daddy, the marshmallows get bigger when they get hot?"

"Yeah?" Both boys whispered.

"The air does the same thing. The lightning is SO hot, that it cooks the air! And the air gets bigger. But it gets bigger SO fast, that it makes a loud sound. And that's what thunder is."

"… Oh. Okay." Jason mumbled, not knowing that he was nuzzling into his mother's arms. Reid closed his eyes, savoring the moment of holding his son close, something he didn't get to do very often. Within minutes, both were fast asleep.

Neither woke when Hotch lifted himself up on his elbows and stared down at them. He smiled, leaning down and pressing a kiss to Reid's cheek, and then to Jason's, then turned and kissed Jack's cheek, too. He then rested his head on the pillow, smiling when Jack wiggled closer. He closed his eyes and listened to Reid, Jack and Jason breathing, then fell asleep, with his precious mate and their sons.

All slept well.

END

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The Second X File

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