Title: This is Family
Author: ThatSuddenNeed
Rating: PG
Pairing: Reid/Hotch
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, I just borrow them for slash. I do not make any money off of them.
Summary: AU. Haley is still alive and seperated from Hotch. Hotch and Reid are trying to create a life together.

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It was the second weekend of the month which meant Jack was visiting. Reid loved Jack and always looked forward to his visit. If it were up to him, Jack would visit a lot more often but back then Aaron hadn't wanted to fight Haley very hard on the custody agreement. At the time Aaron had been secretly ashamed of Spencer and what their relationship meant and he didn't want Haley to broadcast the situation, which she would have back then when emotions were so raw, so he agreed to all her requests with little to no battle. Now 3 years later Spencer and Aaron were working with a lawyer to see more of Jack.

This had been discussed with the boy of course and he had exclaimed that he loved his two daddies. Then he told a story about how his friend Wendy has two mommies and they went and asked the teacher about it and she told them that anyone who loved you could be your family and that was all that mattered. Spencer had to excuse himself after that and Aaron knew he was crying. He was always so sensitive.

The reason Spencer loved having Jack around was because it felt like a real family unit. He never had that with his mother. It meant so much when Jack would call and ask him for help with homework or a project. Even more meaningful was that Jack was only in Kindergarten, so Haley could easily help him with anything but he knew she urged Jack to call and ask Spencer for the help. This meant she accepted him, finally after all this time she accepted him.

Aaron stood at the sink wearing jeans and a Redskins t-shirt, his usual out of work attire, washing the dishes and watching Jack and Spencer at the table working on take-aways. He loved how Spencer could make Kindergarten subtraction into a learning game with candy Jack shouldn't be having so close to bedtime. He thought about how realistically, working on such  low level math problems probably killed more of his brain cells than helped. This thought made him laugh a little out loud which caught Spencer's attention and he glanced over at Aaron and smiled. That full lipped smile and twinkle in his eye spoke volumes to Aaron that this set up made him happy.

They had come so far with Jack and Haley. At first it was tough, Haley was less than thrilled to hand her toddler over to her ex husband and his boyfriend. Especially when that boyfriend was a large part of the career that had chipped away at their marriage in the first place. Visits had been few and far between and at times Spencer wasn't included, which he knew broke the man's heart. But now, 3 years later they were amending the custody papers in everyone's agreement.

When he had finished loading the dishwasher he walked over to the kitchen table and snagged a red gummy bear, his favorite. "Daddy!!!" Jack cried out in a tone that could only be referred to as accusation. "What, I was hungry?" Aaron replied in a tone that could only be referred to as innocence. "You completely threw off our take away problem we were working on. It was 7-2 and the answer would have been(Spencer shoots a glance over to Jack to make sure he is paying attention) "5" the boy gladly chimed in(Spencer shot him a thumbs up)but now it's 6-2 which makes the answer" Jack all but jumped out of his chair in delight for knowing both the answers "4", he exclaimed!!! "Oh really", Aaron asked as if in deep thought, "well, now it's 3", he said as he playfully grabbed another bear and ran off down the hall.

Spencer looked at Jack in surprise and a smile broke out across his face, "Get him!!!" he instructed as he grabbed a handful of gummy bears and charged after Aaron down the hall. By the time Jack caught up there was an all out gummy bear war ensuing.

Aaron ran out from behind his "cover" of a desk and whisked Jack up in his arms. "I have a hostage Agent Reid." Aaron called out to Spencer. "Daddy NO" Jack laughed out loud, a belly laugh, Aaron's favorite kind. "Drop your weapons or the boy gets it." Aaron had his hands in perfect tickle placement. "Spencer help me!" Jack was out of breath and nearly crying with laughter at this point. "Alright, I surrender" he replied raising his hands in defeat. But at the last  moment he threw a red gummy bear directly at Aaron and it landed smack on his forehead. The look on his face was one of surprise and amusement. He held his word though and immediately started tickling the boy.

Laughter boomed through the house. "Save me from daddy Spencer!!!" Jack called out in tears of joy that only a good tickling can bring on. "I'm coming Jack", Spencer replied and ran over, but the joke was on the child because as soon as he got there he joined in on the tickling. The 3 boys continued their game until bedtime.

At the end of the day this is what life was all about. This was family.

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