Scarlet Rose

12

I sat back on the couch, watching tv as the fire was burning in the fireplace.

We had just come back from our honeymoon in  Paris after I felt a sharp spasm in my stomach. Dr. Jones checked me out later that day and assured us that the babies were perfectly healthy, and that they were just kicking.

Spencer walked over to the couch and lifted my head up, sitting down and letting me rest my head on his leg, his fingers rubbing through my hair.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Spence." I said, closing my eyes and steadying my breathing.

His hand moved down and rested on my already three-month pregnant belly. "The babies giving you a hard time?"

"Mm, no. I'm just tired." I said softly.

"Then get some sleep. I'll wake you if we get a call, okay?"

"'Kay." I said with a faint smile, shifting slightly and curling up close to him.

Not even five minutes after I fell asleep Spencer shook me awake gently and I woke up slowly, sitting up.

"We got a case. Come on," he got up and helped me up, grabbing his keys and opening the door for me, closing and locking it as we got into his car and drove off.

We got to the BAU 45 minutes later because of the traffic, walking into the building and being met with Garcia and JJ.

"Good afternoon, lovebirds." Garcia said, ushering us inside and up into the debriefing room.

"What's the case?" Spencer asked.

Aaron looked at me. "Hey, Vanessa, you and Kate can sit this one out if you want."

"No. Just because we're pregnant doesn't mean that we're useless." I snapped.

"Woah. Mood swings?" Kate asked.

"Yeah. That, and carrying two babies in your stomach takes up a lot of energy." I said, rubbing my forehead.

"What the case?" JJ asked Garcia.

"Child abduction. The kids are being trafficked. Seems like the traffickers'  preference are 13 to 15 year old girls." Garcia said.

"Oh no. Not again." I put my hand over my mouth and Spencer immediately got up, pulling me out of my chair and rushing me out the door and into the bathrooms, holding back my hair as I threw up in a toilet, rubbing my back once I stopped and letting me lean against him.

"I didn't miss this about my last pregnancy." I said.

We sat in the bathroom stall for a few more minutes before we got up and headed back into the debrief room, where everyone was still waiting patiently.

"You didn't have to wait for us." I said.

"But it feels weird to do a debrief without you." Garcia said.

"I know, but seriously. You didn't have to wait for us. I could do with less of all.....this." I said, gesturing around to the pictures on the screen.

"You sure you don't want to sit this one out?" Aaron asked.

"I'm sure. As much as seeing certain things gross me out now, maybe I can be of assistance with my previous life choices."

"That's true. We are dealing with sociopaths in this case. It was basically right up her alley a long time ago." Morgan replied, "Uh, no offense, Vanessa."

"It's fine, Morgan. You're just stating facts. And it's true. It was up my alley a few years ago." I said, taking my seat again between  Spencer and JJ.