The Telepath's Daughter

"Not Like Us."

With Reid by her side again, Ana relented and allowed herself to be brought the few short blocks to the hospital.

Spencer was deep in an almost trance-like concentration as he surrounded his wife's psyche with a thick wall that kept her thoughts and rampant emotions almost purely, privately for him alone. Only the ancient physician by their side had the power to access her mind despite Reid's fierce protection. Reid was too preoccupied to feel more than a slight frisson of concern about that. More and more the young father had to admit that Melinda's ESP-er talents might equal or even surpass the gold standard set by the old doctor. If one could breach the protective barrier he'd thrown up, then maybe the other could, too. Reid had to remind himself that as far as he knew Melinda's psychic availability had somehow been turned off. Considering Ana's circumstances, that might be a blessing.

They were in the hospital and settling Ana in a private room when Reid felt a tremor of...something. Before he could decide if it was worrisome or just the psychic fallout of the birth procedure, the old doctor's 'voice' resonated in his mind.

Strengthen yourself, telepath.

What was that? Reid didn't want to divert any of his attention from Ana in order to investigate the ripples of disturbance that were becoming more insistent by the second.

A low chuckle accompanied the doctor's reply. Your daughter is back and, apparently, so are her powers. I am very curious to find out what she has been through and why we couldn't reach her, but right now...you are about to become a father for the second time. There was a flicker of amusement. Do you recall the last time, telepath?

Reid's reply was terse. He was devoting all of himself to fulfilling Ana's wish for her distress to be shielded from their children both internal and external. He wasn't in the mood for idle conversation, even if it was about Mellie. He was protecting her from her mother's pain and fear, but recall the event of Melinda's birth...? Of course I do.

When your wife refused to let you participate in the experience, I told you that you would be able to do so the next time.

I know.

The doctor shook his head, a small smile adding to the laugh lines that already netted his eyes. And so you are, but who could have predicted the circumstances would be so different? As I say far too often...you people always bring me surprises.

SPENCER! Ana's psychic cry put an end to all conversation.

Suddenly there was no time for anything but fierce concentration, fierce pain, and a new life's fierce desire to enter the world.

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Hotch suspected that Ana and Reid were in the hospital, so he gave it as wide a berth as he could in taking Melinda back to the bed and breakfast. Rossi was helpful in keeping up a cheerful façade and pleasant, non-specific chatter.

None of it fooled the little girl in their care. Melinda sensed Reid doing something he'd never done so stridently before. This wasn't the simple warning-type blocking that Mommy and Daddy employed when they were doing "adult things" that they made clear were off limits to their daughter. This was an attempt to cut Melinda out completely. She turned tearful, golden eyes toward the hospital, knowing despite everything that that's where her parents were...guessing that it had something to do with her little brother-to-be. After her ordeal in the graveyard and the forest, after not being able to reach anyone telepathically, Melinda wanted her mother and father so badly it was crushing her very soul.

Mellie? Can you hear me now?

The touch of Bobby's mind wasn't familiar. It wasn't the comfort for which she hungered. But it was kind and warm and it was there when no one else was.