You eagerly awaited our husband's return, your eyes flitting to the clock on the microwave as you put the living room back together after a long day of playing with the kids.  Penelope, JJ, and Emily had planned a night out for you since you hadn't been out since before your youngest was born. And that was way too long.

So you told Spencer and asked him to stay home alone with the kids for the night, assuring him that they would be fast asleep and no trouble at all. Luckily, it wasn't too hard to persuade him seeing as how he loved you more than anything else in this world (not including your kids of course).  The hard part was you being alright leaving him with the kids. Just because you were no longer in the BAU that didn't mean you were any less paranoid about this stupid world and the psychos in it.

But this was your husband, the man you trusted more than yourself. So when he walked through the front door, his face lighting up as he saw you, your fears for the night were put to rest. Spencer put away his keys and took off his coat as you stood, making your way over to him. You both met halfway, his hands finding your waist and your arms snaking around his neck. You smiled up at him, your fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Welcome home, Spence."

Spencer smiled, leaning his head down as he replied, his breath on your lips. "Glad to be home."

Your lips connected with his for a sweet kiss, your body filling with the same excited feeling you got the first time you kissed him. Spencer smiled into the kiss before pulling away, his eyes bright with love and adoration.

"Did the kids go to bed alright?"

You nodded, reluctantly pulling away from him as you went for the kitchen, pulling out dinner's leftovers for Spencer to heat up when he was ready.

"Sophia may be getting the start of an ear infection but I gave her something before she went down. Tasha put herself to bed early after a long day with Henry and Michael."

Spencer joined you in the kitchen, wrapping his arms around you from behind. He sent warm shivers through your body as he kissed your exposed neck and shoulder before resting his chin on your shoulder. You bit your lip to keep from sighing.

"When are the girls coming to get you?"

"Any minute now."

And just like that, there was a knock at the door, making the two of you jump. You smiled and placed a quick peck on your husband's lips before you left his embrace to answer the door. Suddenly a teeny tiny bit of you didn't want to go out tonight. But only a teeny tiny bit.

You opened the door and was immediately greeted by your lady friends bright-faced, dressed up, and excited. Penelope threw her hands up in the air and let out a loud whoop of excitement making you and Spencer rush to shut her up.

"SHHHHH!"

Penelope cowered shyly as she clamped her mouth shut. Emily and JJ laughed quietly as the tech wiz wordlessly mouthed an apology. Shaking your head good-naturedly, you turned to Spencer, placing a hand on his chest before reaching up to kiss him on the lips, smiling.

"Good luck with the girls."

Spener nodded, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Go on and have fun. Don't worry about us."

You slowly backed out, reaching for your purse by the door, not taking your eyes off of Spencer. "If Sophia wakes up again, give her another half dose of her antibiotic. Tasha should sleep through but if she wet her bed, tell her she can sleep in the bed in our room. Or with you. How ever you want to do that."

Spencer let out a chuckle, his smile growing and his eyes full of adoration. "Don't worry, I'll have things under control here. Just don't' stay out all night."

JJ reached out, grasping your arm to pull you out of the door faster. "Don't worry Dr. Reid, we will have your wife home before the little ones wake up."

You waved to Spencer before you were all but dragged out of your own house. Spencer waved back, his smile still lingering. Once you were out of sight, he shut the door and rushed to the girls' rooms, checking to make sure they were still asleep. He held his breath as he listened for movement, the sound of the air conditioner kicking on making him have to concentrate hard. Spencer found himself smiling contently as he used his alert skills to assure his children were asleep instead of an Unsub approaching. 

Satisfied with the silence he heard, Spencer went back to the kitchen, finishing up preparing his dinner before he sat down with a light book of Children's Developmental Patterns and Signs. Despite having two kids, you were always keeping an eye out for anything that might prove useful for raising babies.  Spencer found it amusing and busied himself with reading them before you get past the first chapter.

He was finished with his meal and halfway through the second book in the five-volume set when Spencer heard a sound behind him. He froze, slowly putting his book down. The sound came again, this time a little louder. It sounded like something was being dragged followed by small thumbs. Any and every scenario went through his mind as he closed his book, ready to use it as a weapon.

But of all the things he could have ever thought up, he forgot one thing; He was a dad.

A small hand landed on his lap, nearly scaring the life out of the seasoned BAU officer. With his thick child development book raised in defense, Spencer let out a slight shout. But when he looked down he was met with big round hazelnut eyes framed by messy (y/h/c) locks atop his three-year-old's head.

Natasha Diana Reid's lips were pulled into a frown, a dimple appearing on her left cheek that was just as chubby and red as the other. She carried her purple knitted blanket his mom made her over her shoulder with her other hand, it's faded edges well loved and warn. She looked up at her father with sorrowful eyes and a slightly trembling chin.

"Daddy?" She whispered, her voice light like a fairy.

Spencer set down his book and turned to face her, taking her small hand into his large ones. "Yes, Tasha?"

"Scared." Her chin trembled again.

Spencer reached down and wiped at the tears that escaped her welling eyes as she did her best to blink them away. Tasha never liked to cry, not after a kid in one of her daycare groups made fun of her for crying on the first day. That started the idea of you being a stay at home mom. She was a smart girl but no matter how the two of you tried to convince her it was alright to show her feelings, Tasha was relentless to keep her emotions to herself.

That is until her nightmares started. No one knew where they were coming from or how they started but for months she would wake with terrible terrors. After six months Spencer tried a new method that you supported wholeheartedly, grateful to have a husband who, after careful observation, could see into the mind of most anyone.

So, naturally, she became a daddy's girl, always seeking out her father when she felt the least bit overwhelmed with emotions. Spencer was touched and cherished this growing bond. Therefore, with her fourth birthday coming up, Spencer hoped to have these nightmares taken care of. But as of right now, she needed to be comforted. With a playful grunt, Spencer reached down and picked up his daughter, gently placing her on his lap, facing him.

"Do you want to talk or not this time?"

Tasha shook her head, pulling her blanket to her mouth, looking up at him through wet lashes. "Not this time," she mumbled through the cloth.

Spencer nodded, smoothing her unruly hair, kissing her brow. "Drink or snack?"

"Dwink."

Spencer didn't move, looking at her expectantly. Tasha smiled slightly, the creases around her eyes letting him know she was already calming down. She pulled the blanket from her mouth just enough to speak.

"Dwink, pweese."

Spencer gave Tasha an approving nod, holding her to him as he stood and got her a small cup of water. After a few sips, she laid her head on his shoulder, her blanket pressed against her lips again. Spencer pressed another light kiss to her brow before asking her his next set of questions.

"Couch or mom and dad's bed?"

She shook her head not saying a word.

This was new. She usually picked your room, Spencer placing her in the middle of the two of you where she fit perfectly. If not there, he would place her on the small couch, taking the bigger one as the two of them slept in the living room. He didn't mind, as long as it helped her sleep.

But this time she just shook her head, clearly not wanting either. Spencer shifted her to his other side, his arms protesting in her constant growth. "Do you want to go back to your room?"

Tahsa let out a loud whine, shaking her head and squeezing her eyes shut as she mumbled against her blanket incoherently. Spencer placed a hand on her back, shushing her gently as he made small circles with his hand, rocking from side to side slightly.

"No no, no bedroom. It's alright. Sorry."

She calmed down, lifting her head to look at her dad, pulling her blanket away from her mouth to utter a single word. "Fort."

Spencer's eyes went wide as he looked at his daughter who looked nearly half asleep. "You want to make a fort?"

Tasha nodded, her smile slowly surfacing. "Fort with daddy and mommy."

Spencer took her to the living room, placing her on a couch, stroking some of her hair out of her face as he knelt in front of her. "Mommy is with some friends but will be back when you are fast asleep."

"Sleep in fort."

Spencer smiled, nodding. "Alright, but we have to be quick and get you to sleep. You want to go get the blankets?"

Tasha's face lit up as she hopped off the couch to go get the blankets. Spencer smiled at her, seeing your part in her as she hurried off. He got busy flipping couches and bringing in chairs as well as books for weight and a small flashlight for light. Tasha came back dragging one blanket at a time for Spencer to place over the backs of the chairs and tipped couches. Tasha brought him the last blanket, the little girl yawning and rubbing her eyes as she sat on the floor.

"Done?"

Spencer emerged from inside the quaint fort, a smile on his face. "Your castle awaits you, my lady."

Tasha gave a tired smile, stumbling to her feet as she made her way into the fort. Inside it was padded with leftover cushions not used as doors, extra blankets making soft looking beds. Her sippy cup sat by her pillow with a single bedtime book, a flashlight sitting up on its end shinning the light throughout the fort evenly. Spencer smiled as Tasha plopped herself on her makeshift bed, her own knit blanket draping over her bum that stuck up in the air.

Spencer reached over and tucked her in. "All better?"

Tasha nodded, her eyes struggling to stay open. "Better daddy."

Spencer smiled then leaned down, pressing a kiss to her soft cheek. "Goodnight Princess."

"Night, night daddy." Her voice was nearly a whisper, her body slowly relaxing.

Father and daughter fell fast asleep in their little fort, the light of the kitchen still on but not a sound in the house.

~

You said goodbye to the girls before opening the front door slowly, closing it just as quietly. You closed your eyes as you leaned against the door, a smile on your lips as you breathed a content sigh. You had not had that much fun in a long while. But you were overjoyed to be home.

You opened your eyes and went to the kitchen puzzled to see the light still on. You took Spencer's dishes and put them away. You found the developmental books and smirked as you picked them up to put them away in the living room. But once you left the kitchen you paused, coming face to face with a little lit up fort in the middle of the room.

Quietly you placed the books down and made your way over, careful to be quiet. Slowly you peeked inside, your heart melting instantly. Spencer laid with his daughter resting her head on his chest, his arm around her, his head leaning on hers while his other hand held a small bedtime story laying against his leg. Tasha slept soundly, her little chest rising and falling as her body rose and fell with Spencer's own gentle breathing.

You discarded your shoes, purse, jewelry, and took down your hair before entering the tent yourself. Carefully, you placed yourself on spencer's other side, resting your head on his shoulder. But Spencer sturred, his senses always alert and ready. But as soon as he saw you he relaxed.

"Mmm, welcome home." His voice was raspy and gave you goosebumps.

"Shhh, go back to sleep. Sorry, I woke you." You kissed his lips lightly.

Spencer closed his eyes but smiled. He moved his arm up and around you, pulling him to you. He placed a tired kiss wherever he could reach you, that being nearly your eye, before he gradually fell back asleep. You smiled to yourself as you closed your eyes, overjoyed to have married a man as patient as he was with his daughter. The three of you slept like that, smiles on all of your lips and bodies snuggled together all nice and cozy.

Finally got something done! Sorry if it sucked but hey, it's something hahaha