Spencer Reid: Oneshots

"Parenting"

Summary: Spencer's slight disasters while babysitting end up working out for the best.

JJ had been pushing Spencer to spend some time with her new addition, Michael, lately. At first, he just figured it was an excuse for her and Will to go out without paying for a sitter, but it later became clear to the boy that his best friend really just wanted her son's godfather to get to know him.

Unlike when Henry was born, Spencer had some sort of experience with children now, so he supposed it was possible for him to put serious thought into watching the infant.

"Really?!" JJ smiled excitedly.

"I mean, I heard you struggling for a sitter on the jet so—"

"Thank you, Spence!"

"Yeah, no problem."

"Just come like 20 minutes early, so I can run you through a few things. Babies are pretty different from toddlers."

"I had no idea."

"Awesome, see you tonight!" She waved, heading out the door.

"Yup."

"So make sure to warm the bottle up for 30 seconds then hold his head at an angle, got it? Only feed at an angle."

"Angles, okay."

"It won't be too long; hopefully, he'll sleep."

Spencer chuckled. "Yeah."

"Well, I'll see you, Spence. Will?"

"Coming!"

"Bye!"

Spencer waved at the couple, exhaling. He was snapped out of his thoughts as a small sound emerged from the crib. "Hey, Michael..." The baby looked up at him, making some incoherent sounds. "Wanna get up?"

Baby sounds—or whatever they were.

"Up we go!" Spencer scooped him up, smiling. "There." He paced around. "This isn't so bad—"

Michael began to take those few sharp breaths every parent dread.

"No—"

The baby burst into tears, face reddening.

"Shit. Uhh milk! Yeah!" He quickly heated a bottle, trying to get him to drink.

Michael kept his mouth closed, refusing to drink.

"You have to eat if you're gonna cry, you know."

More crying.

"Dammit." Spencer got up, scanning his memory for anything to help. He briefly recalled hearing JJ and Emily talk about walking outdoors with irritated babies back when Henry was born. "Here goes nothing." He put Michael in the bjorn and headed out.

Geez, they weren't kidding.

He glanced down at the calm infant, now just sitting sort of aimlessly against his chest. People all around looked at the boy, smiling, 'aww-ing', the usual. Spencer recalled when Derek said babies were 'babe magnets' and began to realize the surplus of women looking at him as well.

Spencer walked through the park in peace, enjoying the silence of the now fed, changed, and rested baby.

Short lived silence. More crying.

"Michael, what now?" He sighed, putting the boy over his shoulder and bouncing him—still crying. On and on.

"Excuse me!" You jogged over.

"I'm so sorry, I'll get him to quiet down—"

"Oh no, I'm not here to complain. I uh...you have spit up all over your back."