OK, so this is part of the "absence makes the heart" story line, which I might turn into a universe, perhaps, depending on reviews and school. I don't own criminal minds, Jack-In-The-Box or chicken nuggets (no matter how tasty). This takes place about a month before Reid returns to the team. Let's put Henry at about three years old.

"Mama."

"Yes, Henry?"

"Can you have more than one dad?"

JJ faltered slightly before continuing to cut up her son's lunch. It was a rare day off, so Emily and Derek had come over. Derek played with Henry and Emily and JJ got to catch up. It was lunch time and Emily had stepped away to talk to Hotch, who was consulting on a case in Washington.

"I guess so, but what brought this up?" She questioned.

Henry looked over at the bookcase just outside the kitchen, where a children's version of an encyclopedia of science laid, ready to be picked up and read to him.

"Jack has two mommies." Henry answered.

JJ looked over at Derek, who was eating a bacon cheeseburger and some fries from Jack-In-The-Box. He raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Yes. His first mommy is in heaven, so his daddy married Auntie Emily." She explained.

Henry finally met her eyes. "Are you going to marry someone?"

JJ racked her brain for a reason why Henry wanted to know and how to answer the question.

"Not if you don't want me to," she finally said, smoothing back his baby fine hair.

Henry sat up a little bit straight, reaching for his sippy cup. Derek handed it over with a smile.

"If you did, could I pick them? He asked.

She smiled down at her baby boy. "Of course, Henry. I would never marry someone who you didn't like, or who didn't like you."

Henry nodded, happy to hear the answer.

"Did you have someone in mind?" she teased playful.

"Uncle 'Pence."

Derek gasped, accidentally inhaling his own apple juice, and began coughing. JJ froze and stared at her son. Emily rushed back into the room and over to Derek, patting his back and giving him some of her water. Derek finally took some deep breaths.

"What the hell happened?" Emily wanted to know.

At this, Derek began to laugh, loud guffaws that filled the room and Henry giggled along with him. Emily looked at them like they'd lost their minds. She looked to Henry, who was reaching for the chicken nuggets his mom had been cutting into smaller pieces.

"What's going on, Henry?" She asked, confused.

"I want mama to marry Uncle 'Pence."

It was at Henry's declaration that JJ came back to life. She whirled around and glared at Derek until he shut up and drank some more apple juice. When she turned to Emily, she discovered her best friend's face was red and her shoulders were shaking as she attempted to keep her laughter to herself. It escaped in tiny doses of gasps and whimpers.

"This is all your fault." JJ hissed at her best friend.

"My fault?" Emily gasped out through the laughter. "How is this my fault?"

"Jack has two mommies, why not Henry have two daddies?" JJ glared.

"Ok, I missed it, what brought this up?" Emily asked.

"Henry asked if you could have more than one daddy. JJ said yes. Then he asked if she was going to re-marry to which JJ responded that only if that he liked the guy. Then she asked if Henry had anyone in mind. Apparently, he wants Reid." Derek explained with a grin.

Emily chuckled. "Reid isn't even here to appreciate this conversation."

Derek shook his head. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Garcia still hasn't figured it out?" Emily asked, taking one of the bigger pieces of chicken nugget off Henry's plate.

"Best she could do was that there were two operations, one here in the states and one overseas, but we don't know which one, since we don't know which department he's with now." Derek said.

JJ looked over at the picture that was hanging on the fridge. It was of her, Spencer and Henry at his going away party. Spencer had his arm around JJ, and Henry on his hip, holding them both close, all three grinning. They looked like the family she never knew she wanted until she met Dr. Spencer Reid.

"You alright, JJ?" Derek asked.

JJ nodded and took a deep breath. "Yeah, it's just…this is the longest we've been apart." She admitted. "I didn't think it'd be this hard."

"Well, he should be back in a month, hopefully." Emily reminded her.

Henry looked up at his mom. "Uncle 'Pence still gone?" JJ kissed his forehead. "Yeah, but he'll be back, baby. Mama promises." She said sadly.

Derek and Emily looked at each other.

It really was hard having Reid gone. They hadn't realized how much they depended on him, and not just on the cases. Before Derek even sat at his desk, he was talking about his night, trying to make Reid react. It took him almost three weeks to remember that Reid wasn't there.

Emily had the same problem. She was used to having Reid to talk Star Trek about. It killed her the first time she bounded into the room, asking Reid what he thought about last night's episode, and what was impossible. When she got back nothing but silence, she looked over at his desk.

Empty.

She had to excuse herself to the bathroom because she was suddenly so terrified of bursting into tears in front of Derek and Rossi. Thinking back to that day was making her depressed again and she cursed him in her head. Stupid Reid! Making me act like a weepy twelve year old.

"Ok, thinking about Reid is making me get weepy for unexplainable reasons, so finish your food, Henry and then we're going to the park." Emily announced, standing up.

Derek nodded and got up, handing her his fries and dumping his empty bag.

"I wanna slide!" Henry cried out happily.

JJ laughed. "We will baby, we will." Casting one more look at the picture, she sent up a prayer.

Please come home, soon, baby. I'm dying without you.