Title: Uncle Spencer

Chapter Title: Happy Halloween

Number: 1/1

Spoilers: 8x05 (The Good Earth)

Warnings: None

Author's Note: Written for a prompt from Tumblr. (Want to leave me one? Go to my Criminal Minds blog, link on my profile.) First story I've written in awhile that didn't have any pairings or romance of any kind. I hope you like it! Reviews would be love. :) (Note: un-beta'd as of right now.)

Spencer had always had this thing with children. Nine times out of ten, they just plain didn't like him. As Hotch so lovingly called it, it was the "Reid Effect." Children, animals...they didn't like him. So when the little blond boy, his godson, ran in dressed like him, he figured his curse was finally over. He felt himself even start to tear up, it was the cutest thing in the world. He was glad he could be a role-model for him. He didn't want to disappoint JJ.

"I'll take him." The words were out of his mouth before JJ even finished her statement. She looked at him in shock. He had barely been alone with Henry for longer than an hour let alone a whole night of walking around and keeping him from taking candy that could be dangerous. (Let's face it, that worried the profilers more than it really should.)

"Spence, are you sure? I mean...Will and I can take him. It's no trouble."

Spencer shook his head. "JJ, I'm positive. You were just saying that you and Will need a little bit of time. What better way to get Henry out?" He smiled and leaned down to the young boy. "What do ya say, Henry? Can I take you trick-or-treating?"

The kid's face lit up and he nodded quicker than Spencer expected. "Yeah!" he squealed and threw his arms around Spencer's neck. Everyone laughed and Spencer picked him up, facing the boy's mother.

"You heard him," Spencer said. JJ kind of shook her head and grinned.

"Okay then," she said with slight hesitance, but she looked so relieved. She and Will didn't even get that much of a honeymoon, they needed to be parents and cops. So having a whole night of time alone, she was more thankful than Spencer knew she would say.

"C'mon, Henry, let's head out. Go kiss Mommy." Spencer set him down and the boy ran to his mouth, hugged her around the waist quickly before running back to Spencer. The profiler picked up his godson and bid everyone goodnight before taking the kid outside.

It was just about to get dark, Spencer could tell, and he thought it over quickly about where to take Henry. He knew exactly where the good part of town was and where he knew he should really worry. His street wasn't too bad, but he knew there was more families a couple blocks over. So he decided to take Henry around his building quickly—the elderly ladies loved Halloween and giving out treats to kids—before heading over to the other neighborhood.

Spencer took Henry to his place quickly to use the bathroom, they always seem to have to go right after leaving. Henry was practically bouncing as Spencer led him out into the hallway. The first door they went to was Mrs. Henderson. She was a woman who had buried three kids, two children-in-law, and her husband and never saw her grandchildren. She was a bit senile, but she treated Spencer like her own and she absolutely adored his matching outfit with Henry. She gave him a batch of cookies that Spencer knew better than to give Henry right away, JJ would have a fit.

They left there after ten minutes to head to Mrs. Johnson's place. "He looks just like you!" she cooed. "When did you get married, Samuel?" Spencer gave her a polite smile and mumbled a reply, not having the heart to explain to her that Henry wasn't his and his name wasn't Samuel. But whatever, it didn't hurt to let the woman think what she wanted. She gave Henry a soda along with a Tupperware of apple slices. The boy thanked her and they left.

"Uncle Spencer," Henry whispered as they went into the hallway.

"Yeah, bud?" Spencer leaned down the the boy's level.

"I don't like apples."

Spencer laughed softly. "That's okay. It's good you were nice to her. Did your mom teach you that?"

Henry nodded. "And Daddy. They said that old people just should be treated with re-ra...specs."

Spencer shook his head lightly and stood back up. "More houses?"

Henry jumped up and down in excitement. Spencer took his hand and led him down the stairs to hit Mrs. Marsen's place really quickly—a slice of pie from her—before they went back out to Spencer's car. Henry was talking excitedly about school and his knew friend Jared. JJ and Will enrolled him into a new pre-school program after his last babysitter got freaked out and told them she couldn't watch him anymore. She was the one who let Henry go with a thief/murderer, the woman who tried to kill Will, and she never realized the dangers of JJ and Will's jobs.

Spencer parked in the lot at the end of the street that belonged to a closed gas station. Spencer took Henry out and they started down the street. The boy used his small messenger bag for a candy.

Luckily the night was calm, barely a wind, and Spencer found himself enjoying himself the more time went on. Henry dragged him up to every house to tell whoever opened the door that he was dressed like his favorite uncle. He showed his FBI badge off with pride and Spencer even wound up giving him his credentials to flash whenever the door opened. That got the kid more candy and Henry was thrilled. Spencer was glad he could make him happy.

By the time the night was over, porch lights shutting off as people got tired or ran out of candy, Spencer was carrying Henry back to the car so he didn't trip over his own feet. "Uncle Spencer?" the boy asked tiredly.

"Yeah, Henry?" Spencer opened the door to let him in to buckle him into his car seat.

"Fank you. I had fun."

Spencer smiled and kissed the boy's soft hair. "You're welcome. Go to sleep, we'll be home soon." Spencer decided to let the boy sleep in his guest room. He called up JJ and told her, which made her more thankful than she was before. It didn't take long to get Henry and all his candy inside and into the guest room. Spencer let the boy borrow one of his smaller shirts to sleep in. He left the hall light on and both his door and the guest room door open a crack. Henry was asleep and Spencer smiled as he paused outside the door, ready to go back to his own room. He looked at the small figure in the bed. He suddenly realized he couldn't wait until he became a father. He loved kids.

"Night, Henry," he whispered into the dark.