Mini Reid (Book 3 in the Boss's Niece series #Wattys2016)

Water Broke

I was helping Penelope when my stomach started hurting really badly. I hunched over in my seat and held my stomach. It was like I was being stabbed multiple times. Trust me, I know what it's like to be stabbed.

The pain soon went away and I sat up again. Penelope looked at me. Her face was full of concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah! I'm fine!" I replied. Penelope looked at me, then back to her computer screen, doing whatever she was doing.

I started playing with a rubics cube that was on her desk and waited for a call from the team. A few minutes passed and the pain came back.

"Ow! Shit!" I swore. Penelope was quickly to my side.

"Mel, are you okay?" she asked.

"No. My stomach. It really hurts!" I moaned. Suddenly, I felt something and I knew what was going on. "Penelope, my water broke."

I looked up at her with wide eyes. Her facial expression was the same as mine.

"B-but you're two weeks early!" she said.

"This baby doesn't know that." I said. "I need to get to the hospital, now."

"I'll take you."

She got up and quickly collected her laptop and cell phone before helping me out of her office and to the elevator.

We drove to the hospital.

"Excuse me." Penelope said to the woman at the counter. "My friend here is going into labor."

The woman looked at me the back to Penelope.

"Come with me." she said. She gave me a wheelchair to sit in and wheeled me in right away.

•

*Penelope's POV*

I set up my laptop as soon as Mel went in. I couldn't believe she had gone into labor! And Reid wasn't here to be with her through it. He's gonna freak out when he hears.

I had called Nathan's old work to get a number for Reid. According to his boss, he hadn't shown up for work in two weeks. The last time was when he started killing.

My cell phone buzzed. The woman at the counter gave me a look. I showed her my FBI ID before answering the phone.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey Baby Girl. Why aren't you in your little cave?" asked Morgan.

"Oh, Chocolate Thunder, you'll never believe what happened." I said. "Mel went into labor."

"What?!" came Reid's voice.

•

*Reid's POV*

The minute I walked into the station, I could tell something had happened. I asked JJ and she told me there was another killing.

A woman in her 20s was found in an ally way, stabbed to death. Nathan had striked again.

"Call Garcia. Mel told me that they were looking for Nathan's number. I need to talk to him." I said. There were no objections. Morgan quickly took out his phone and dialed Garcia. The phone rang and rang and rang. There was no answer.

"That's weird." Morgan said. "I called her number at the BAU. Why would she be out?"

"And wouldn't Mel answer if Garcia isn't there." said Alex.

"Call Garcia's cell." I said. I tried not to let my mind wander about the fact that both Garcia and Mel weren't there. I wanted to concentrate on this case.

The phone rang before we heard Garcia's voice say, "Hello?"

"Hey Baby Girl. Why aren't you in your little cave?" Morgan said.

"Oh, Chocolate Thunder, you'll never believe what happened." Garcia said. "Mel went into labor."

"What?!" I exclaimed. This can't be happening! She wasn't due for another two weeks and I wasn't there. This cannot be happening!

"I know. I'm just as surprised as you, Boy Genius. She went in not too long ago. It happened, like, minutes ago."

I was barley paying attention as she spoke. Mel went into labor. She went into labor two weeks early. And I can't be there to be with her.

"Reid? Reid!" Morgan said. "You okay?"

"N-Not really." I replied. "I just-I can't believe-"

"Calm down, Reid. We have to call Nathan, remember?" Rossi said. I nodded, but was still uneasy about this.

"Garcia, d-did you g-get Nathan's number?" I asked.

"I did. Also, he hasn't been to work since the first killing two weeks ago." she said. "If you guys can't stop