never grow up, criminal minds

003. birthday

Spencer is getting Clara ready for daycare, the girl being more fidgety than usual.

"Clara, honey, please, just-- just stay still. You need your sweater." He says.

"No!" She whines, pushing the sweater away from her.

"Baby, it's too cold outside. You need to wear it." Spencer says.

"No!" She pouts. Spencer sighs, closing his eyes out of frustration. Clara tilts her head before reaching out and plucking the glasses off of his face. "Wha--" Spencer's eyes shoot open. "Clara." The girl giggles as she waddles off as quickly as she can. "Clara. Clara, I need those." He chases her. "Clara."

+++

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Clara, happy birthday to you." The group sing, the toddler in question cuddling as close to her father's chest as she can.

"Blow the candles out." Spencer quietly instructs the now two year old. Clara leans forward after a moment and softly blows at the candles, successfully getting them all out after a few moments.

The team make sure to keep their cheers quiet, Spencer warning them that Clara becomes overstimulated from noises that are too loud.

"All right, Baby Reid." Derek claps. "Got a two year old on your hands now, Reid."

"Yeah." Spencer nods, taking a piece of cake JJ cut. He puts it in front of Clara, giving her a plastic fork, allowing the girl to dig in.

"Ah, she's so adorable." Penelope gushes, just wanting to squeeze the toddler with all her might. "How do you ever say no to her?"

"It happens less than you think." Spencer softly laughs. "Uh, th-thank you guys for... for this. You really didn't have to."

"We wanted to." JJ says.

"Yeah, she's part of the family, too." Penelope smiles, squeezing Spencer's shoulder.

"Thanks." Spencer awkwardly smiles, not used to so many people caring.

"Daddy, cake." Clara says.

"Yeah, I-- I see that." Spencer chuckles, grimacing at the frosting smeared across her face.

+++

Spencer makes his way through the train station, holding a cup of coffee in one hand and Clara in another.

"Daddy, I wan' walk." She whines.

"Not today, honey. We're already running late." Spencer tells her.

"You're Dr. Reid." He turns to a young man.

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?" Spencer asks.

"I just know what you do." The guy says.

"Okay." Spencer says, his grip on Clara tightening instinctively. He starts to leave. "Look, I saw you in Georgetown a few weeks ago. You gave a lecture on sexual sadism and how you helped catch the Mill Creek Killer in St. Louis." Spencer nods, a smile slowly forming on his face as he remembers.

"Uh..." Spencer lets out an awkward chuckle. "I'm not much of a, uh, a public speaker."

"I don't know. I thought you seemed cool." The guy says.

"You look kind of young to go to Georgetown." Spencer remarks.

"Um, I'm a junior at Northwest High School." He says.

"And you just go to lectures on anger excitation for fun?"

"I don't have a lot of friends." The guy says. Spencer nods a little, able to relate to that part.