Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds!

Spencer anxiously paced the hallway of the hospital. He could hear the pained shrieks of the woman in the room as she struggled to deliver her child. Not her child, my child, Spencer thought as he leaned against the wall. It still stunned him that in just moments he would be a father. You haven't decided to keep the baby yet, he reminded himself firmly.

Spencer had met Juliana Chambers roughly eight months ago. She had charmed him when they met at a coffee shop, and the two had agreed to go out. Spencer had a good time with her that night. They had both ended up wasted and the next morning Spencer had awoken to an empty bed. Spencer hadn't thought much of it until a month later when she had come to inform him that she was pregnant with his child.

Initially Spencer had been excited. He hadn't realized what type of person Juliana was. She played along with him for almost two weeks. She had talked about the life they could have with each other, how beautiful their baby would be. Then she had shown him her true colors. His thoughts strayed to the night things had fallen apart.

Juliana walked into the room where Spencer was slouched on the couch with a book.

"We need to talk, Spencer," she had said with a cold smile.

"Is everything alright?" Reid had asked concernedly.

"Do you want this baby?" she asked, running a hand over her still flat stomach.

"Of course, you know I do," Reid answered confused.

"How much are you willing to pay?" she asked in a harsh voice.

"W-what are you talking about?" Spencer asked in a soft voice.

"I'm talking about you paying me so that I don't abort this little fetus tomorrow morning. I never wanted a baby, the only reason I haven't done something about it before now is because I knew you would want it. If you want your baby to have a chance at life you are going to have to pay me," she had sneered.

Spencer had stared at her in shock. She had only been pretending to want the baby, their life together, and he hadn't seen it. He was trained to notice these things, but it had never even occurred to him. He couldn't even begin to sort out the whirlwind of emotions in his head. Logically he knew that he had no reason to be so attached to the baby. It wasn't a person yet, but for some reason every part of his heart twisted at the thought of Juliana terminating the pregnancy.

"So, what's it going to be, Dr. Reid?" she asked snidely.

"I'll pay, I'll pay whatever you want for you to have the baby, but once it's born, it's mine," Spencer had responded in a harsh tone that he didn't recognize

"Deal. You pay me and you pay the medical expenses. When the baby's born I sign away my parental rights and get the hell out of this town," Juliana said rolling her eyes.

"There'll be more money for you if you can prove that you are living in a way that is healthy for the baby," Spencer had continued.

"I think I can manage that," she answered smugly.

"Answer me one question, how did I not see it? How did I not see what type of person you are?"

"I didn't want you to. I do this, Spencer. I play to guys' interests and then I get them to buy me things, do things for me. With you it was only ever meant to be a night in the bar and some good sex. Then this happened. It was just one opportunity I couldn't pass up. I'm just lucky that my birth control failed on the night I had sex with a nice guy," she answered with a shrug.

"You'll be staying in town?" Reid asked.

"Yeah, I've got an apartment that my parents pay the rent on. They are never going to find out about this. I'll be in touch as things progress," Juliana answered. She rose to her feet and made her way out of his apartment.

Reid sat numbly on his couch. He didn't know if he could do it, raise a child. He had counted on Juliana to help him, but that clearly wasn't going to happen. He knew he had been correct in stopping her from having the abortion though. He needed to give his child a chance. He was scared of course, terrified that his child might have schizophrenia, or end up tortured in school the way he had been. None of that made him any less determined to bring his baby into the world. If nothing else he would find it a good home, with loving adoptive parents.

Things had progressed from there. Spencer had told no one on the team about the situation. He was embarrassed for starters. He was a trained profiler and he had been conned. For another, he wasn't certain he was keeping the baby. If he ended up giving the child up for adoption then there was no reason for them to ever know. He had convinced himself that it was in everyone's best interest for him to remain silent on the topic of his impending fatherhood.

Juliana had upheld her end of the bargain. She sent him regular reports that were doctor certified along with recordings of all her sonograms. She wanted to know nothing about the baby and as such Reid had no idea if it was a boy or girl. For seven months the two had continued on in this matter until tonight when she had called Reid to inform him she was in labor.

Spencer had walked slowly into the spare room in his apartment. He had spent those seven months turning it into a nursery. The walls were painted a soft green. He had a crib, a changing table and dresser, even a rocking chair. The dresser was full of baby clothes and blankets. He had diapers and bottles. He had everything that one could possibly need to become a parent, but he wasn't sure he was bringing his baby home. After staring for a moment Spencer had selected one outfit and one blanket and packed them into a bag to bring with him before setting out for the hospital.

For nearly thirteen hours he had paced the hospital corridor. He had poked his head in so that Juliana knew he was there, but she didn't want him in there until the actual moment of the birth. That had been one of Spencer's conditions; he wanted to witness the birth of his baby. At that moment a nurse poked her head out.

"You might want to get in here, it's time," she said smiling.

Reid wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and moved quickly into the room. The doctor and nurse were gathered between Juliana's legs. The woman herself looked exhausted. The nurse plied her with encouragement, and as Reid watched his son slipped into the world. His whole world seemed to swirl as he was hit with an overwhelming rush of emotion. The doctor had allowed him to cut the cord and the nurse had whisked the boy off to be measured and checked over.

"I don't want to see him," Juliana told the doctor and Spencer together.

"You're certain?" the doctor asked.

"Yes, I never wanted this. I did it for Spencer. I'm signing away my parental rights. Give the baby to him, he's his," she said.

Juliana and Reid exchanged a look as the doctor turned to speak to the nurses. There would be nothing said between them. They both got what they wanted, and now they were done with each other, for good.

"I'll make the last deposit tonight," Reid said finally.

"Sounds good. I'm out of town as soon as I am recovered. Have a nice life, Spencer," Juliana said, the dismissal evident in her tone.

Reid had nodded and turned as the nurse came back in.

"If you'll come with me, Dr. Reid, I'll take you to see your son," she said with a smile. Her name was Patty. Reid had gotten to know her well during the night when he had blurted out his fears to her.

"Thank you," Spencer said earnestly.

"Anytime, now here he is," she said smiling as she placed a small bundle in Spencer's arms.

Reid looked down into his son's face for the first time and he was lost. In that instant he knew that nothing could ever make him let go of this little boy. He didn't think he could possibly love someone so much when he had only met them, but his heart already ached with love for the little boy. He understood now where he had been oblivious before, the way in which people said babies were beautiful. His son was perfect, every red, wrinkly inch of him. He could also understand the wonder Hotch had every time he spoke of Jack.

He was keeping his son; there was no doubt about that. The question was when he should tell the team. Gideon had just left them. Rossi was new, Hotch was getting divorced. Emily had almost been forced to leave the team. Things were quite the mess, but then again they always seemed to be in his line of work. I will tell them as soon as I'm allowed to bring him home. I'll call Hotch and tell him I need a few weeks for personal reasons. I'll bring him into the BAU to meet everyone and then get their help with finding him a nanny for when we have to go away, Reid decided.

"He's precious," Patty said interrupting his thoughts.

"He's perfect," Reid said, smiling as his son wrapped his tiny fingers around one of Reid's long ones.

"Does he have a name?" she asked holding up the birth certificate.

"James Derek Reid," Spencer answered. He blinked for a moment. He had never really consciously considered a name, but somehow that seemed right. He had always liked the name James, and Derek seemed fitting as a middle name. He hoped Morgan would agree to be the godfather, he was the closest thing Spencer had to a brother.

"That's lovely," she said as she wrote the name and helped Spencer to finish filling out the paperwork.

"Do you know how long it will be before I can take him home?" Spencer asked her as he handed James back to be put into the nursery for a while.

"A few days, it depends on if you decide to go the circumcision route or not. The doctor should be in to speak with you soon," Patty answered gesturing to the waiting area.

For Spencer the next few days went by in a blur. He spent most of his time at the hospital with his son. He never ceased to be fascinated by the little angel that was his son. The nurses had all informed him that the baby's eyes would be brown, like his. The thick mop of curls on James' head also seemed to indicate his hair would take after his father. He had smiled like a fool for the rest of the day after one nurse informed him that his son looked just like him.

Finally he was told that he could bring James home. Spencer had bought a new car the day after James was born. His old one wasn't safe for an infant to travel in. He had bought it used, but it had all the necessary safety features. He was thankful he had taken the precaution of visiting a few casinos in various locations prior to his son's birth. He had savings, but he relied on his winnings to pay off Juliana, and to cover the initial expenses of the infant.

Hotch had been concerned when Spencer had made his request, but he had granted him the leave. Spencer phoned his boss to let him know that he had something to tell the team, and ask him if he wouldn't mind gathering them in the conference room.

"Hotchner."

"Hey, Hotch, it's Reid. Do you think you could gather the team in the conference room in about an hour? I've got something to tell all of you," Reid said.

"We'll be there," his boss replied.

"Thanks," Reid answered.

He hung up his phone and turned his attention to the discharge papers for his son. He had all his other paperwork, including his copy of the birth certificate and the paperwork bearing Juliana's signature that ensured James was his and his alone. He finished up the forms and then made his way to the nursery to gather his son.

James was dressed in a little blue sleeper suit with a matching hat. The soft knit blanket he was wrapped in was a faded yellow. Spencer had kept it from when he was a child, his mother had made it. He wasn't sure how Diana Reid would take the news she had a grandson, but at the very least James would have something of his grandmother's.

"Ready to meet the team?" he asked as he lifted the baby carrier into his arms. James merely blinked and fell back asleep.

It took Reid twice as long as usual to reach BAU headquarters in Quantico. He drove extremely slow so as not to injure his son. When he reached the building he unhooked the carrier and signed James in at security. After promising to update his family information to include the baby, Reid finally stepped into the elevator and headed towards the office.

When he arrived he found the bullpen empty save for Hotch who stood looking over a file next to Morgan's desk. He looked up at the sound of the elevator. Spencer smiled at the look of surprise and confusion that crossed his boss's face when he saw the baby carrier. Hotch moved his gaze to Spencer's face and raised an eyebrow.

"I'll explain, I promise. I do have a reason for not telling you before," Spencer said.

"Let's head up to the conference room. The others will be along shortly. They went to get Garcia. She seems to be under the impression that you are dying. Morgan went to get her and JJ and Emily went along to help. Rossi is talking with Strauss, he should be here soon," Hotch said as they walked into the familiar room.

Reid set the carrier on the table. James had been silent, but he chose that moment to let out his thin, squawking, newborn wail, just as the rest of the team filed in. Reid had him out of the carrier and cuddled close in moments. He quickly soothed the infant who fell asleep in his arms. Reid raised his head and looked at the stunned expressions on his teammates' faces.

"Erm, hi guys. So this is my son," Reid said finally, after an awkward silence.

For a moment there was no reaction and then Garcia let out a muffled squeal as he hurried over to peer at the bundle in Reid's arms.

"Oh baby, he's precious. Look at those curls. He looks just like his daddy!" she cooed. She pressed a kiss to Reid's cheek.

"He's beautiful, Spence," JJ said softly. She too kissed Spencer's cheek in congratulations.

"Congratulations Reid!" Rossi said kissing him on both cheeks.

"Does he have a name, Pretty Boy," Morgan asked as he moved closer so he could see the bundle.

"James Derek," Reid answered looking at his best friend.

Morgan snapped his head up to look at Reid.

"You named him after me?" he asked in surprise.

"You're the closest thing I have to a brother. I was hoping you would be his godfather," Reid answered shyly.

"I'd be honored, Pretty Boy," Morgan said. He reached out a big hand to gently stroke a finger over his godson's cheek.

"We're happy for you, Reid. Why didn't you tell us?" Hotch asked.

"I-I wasn't sure I was keeping him," Reid answered softly. There was obvious shame in his eyes. They pleaded with his team to understand. "I didn't know if I could do it without his mother. I thought he might be better off with adoptive parents. He might be, we don't exactly have careers that are conducive to raising a child, but I can't give him up. I couldn't from the second they handed him to me."

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Reid. You were being responsible and putting him first. For what it's worth I think you're going to be a great father," Emily said with a others echoed similar sentiments.

"You're not doing this alone either, Kid. We're here for you," Morgan said with a smile.

"I need to find a nanny to take care of him while we're on cases and while I'm at work," Reid said.

"I can help with that, Sweet Cheeks! All the background checks you need!" Garcia said.

"Thanks, Garcia, I was actually hoping you might be his godmother…" Reid said, he looked shyly at the perky tech analyst.

"Oh baby boy! I'm honored! Why me though?" she asked.

"You're optimism is something I'm hoping will rub off on him. I'm also hoping that if anything should happen to me his godparents will take care of him. I thought it might be best if he had one godparent that wasn't out in the field," Reid answered.

"I refuse to let anything happen to my junior G-man, but if it does then you can count on me to take care of this angel," Garcia cooed.

"Would you like to…" Reid asked extending his arms.

Garcia cradled James close to her heart and cooed to him. The women crowded around and Reid was left with Morgan, Hotch, and Rossi.

"What's the deal with his mother?" Morgan asked.

"She signed over parental rights as soon as he was born. She never wanted him. I actually paid her to keep her from aborting him," Reid answered looking at his shoes.

"What?" Morgan exclaimed.

"She was more than willing to do everything the right way and hand over the baby at the end of the whole thing if I gave her a substantial amount of money. If I hadn't then she had every intention of aborting him months ago. At first she pretended that she wanted to raise him with me. She fooled me, and I grew attached to the idea. When she gave me the ultimatum I already considered the fetus my child. I couldn't let her do it. I wasn't sure if I would be able to raise him, but I wanted the chance to make that decision. So I paid her what she wanted and he's mine," Reid said shrugging.

"That's awful. How could someone do that to another person?" JJ asked.

"Considering the people we deal with on a daily basis, I'll consider myself fortunate" Reid answered.

"How are you doing financially? It can't have been a small amount she wanted, and babies aren't cheap?" Rossi asked the young genius.

"I'm fine," Reid answered evasively.

"Reid, tell us the truth. We can help you out," Hotch said firmly.

"I don't need it, I promise. You remember all the times I disappeared for the weekend over the past several months? Let's just say I have significantly increased the number of casinos I'm banned from and the size of my bank account," Reid answered blushing. "It was more than enough to pay off Juliana, buy a safe car, and get everything James needs to start out."

"Damn Kid, you have gotta teach me how you do it!" Morgan said clapping him on the back.

"I should probably get him home, but thank you. You guys don't know how much your support means," Reid said honestly.

"We're a family, this is what families do," Garcia said as she carefully buckled her godson into his carrier.

"Call us if you need anything," Hotch instructed.

"I will," Reid promised.

He left the office and made his way to his new car. He felt as if a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He still had a long way to go, but he could do it. He had the love and support of his friends. He and James would be just fine, he decided as he cradled his son later that night. He rocked slowly in the green nursery whispering soothing words to the fussing infant. Words he would use again and again throughout his son's life.

"It's okay, Daddy's here, you're safe."

A.N. So this is going to end up being a series of oneshots from James' life. I love newborns, but they are not particularly fun to write so the next one will jump ahead. I'm not trying to make any political statements with the abortion issue or anything. Please let me know what you think! It is going to be different from the TV series of course, but I will still try to incorporate key moments! Thank you! For those of you that are fans of my Harry Potter work, I apologize if this is not your thing. Rest assured I am still hard at work on my other fic as well!