never grow up, criminal minds

070. terrible cooks

"Baby, you just spent an hour and a half in therapy. The grocery store is going to overstimulate you. Crying babies, music, voices over the intercom, beeping, wheels, people." Spencer lists.

"And you trust me home alone?" Clara asks.

"Should I not?" Spencer asks. "Are you... do you plan to-- to do anything?"

"Well, no." Clara says. "No, I wasn't-- I don't want-- I'm not trying to do anything."

"Okay. Good." Spencer nods. "Do you-- do you want me to call Garcia or-- or Emily? They can come and stay with you." He offers.

"No. No, I'm fine. It's only, like, an hour, right?" Clara asks.

"Yeah." Spencer nods. "I can go tomorrow."

"No. No, you-- you actually can't. We have, like, 4 things to eat... and one of them's flour, so." 

"Yeah, okay." Spencer mumbles. "Look, I-I will be back as soon as possible. And you can call me, we can talk on the phone the whole time."

"Dad, I'm fine. Go." Clara says.

"Okay. Okay, yeah." Spencer scrambles for his phone and keys. "Okay. I love you. Call if you need anything." He kisses her on the forehead.

"Love you." Clara says.

"Okay." Spencer quickly puts his shoes on and leaves. Clara sighs when the door unlocks and opens one minute later. "Are you su--"

"Dad, go. I'm okay. I like just watching TV after therapy, anyway." Clara tells him.

"Sorry." Spencer locks the door and leaves.

Clara sighs, curling up on the couch and under one of the blankets. She hugs the stuffed dog to her chest, putting Princess and the Frog on.

+++

"Why do we have to make dinner? What's wrong with ordering out?" Clara whines.

"We should be healthier." Spencer says. "Besides, cooking isn't going to kill you. You've been watching movies all day, you need something else to do."

"And what did you buy to make?" Clara asks.

"Spaghetti." Spencer says.

"Making spaghetti is healthier than ordering in spaghetti?" Clara asks with a raised eyebrow.

"It-- get that look off your face." Spencer orders.

"What look?" She asks, appearing innocent.

"The look where you're about to make fun of me." Spencer says.

"I don't have that look." Clara frowns.

"Yes, you do." Spencer argues. Clara shrugs. "And if you proceed, I'll ground you. Now, fill a pot up with water and get it boiling."

Clara quietly groans, but does as he says, knowing she doesn't have an option anyway.

~ ~ ~

"Teaching me chess isn't a wait for dinner to finish cooking activity." Clara says. "Or an activity for any day. This thing's boring."

"It's only boring because you don't know how to play." Spencer reasons.

"No, it's pretty boring in general." Clara argues.

"Humor me." Spencer tells her and Clara rolls her eyes.

Spencer is halfway through explaining the game when the smoke alarm blares.

"Oh, no." Spencer mumbles, bolting to the kitchen and Clara follows him. Spencer grabs oven mitts and quickly takes the pot of noodles off the stove, dropping it into the sink. Clara turns the burners off while Spencer stops the smoke alarm.