Chapter Text
Reid froze with his knuckles a few inches away from Hotch’s open office door. The Unit Chief was slumped forward over his desk with his head in his hands. His jacket was tossed haphazardly over a visitor’s chair, and his shirt sleeves were rolled nearly up to his elbows. He was staring at some brightly colored pamphlets on his desk.
The young man craned his neck. He recognized one of the pamphlets. He had the companion in his satchel at his desk. He chewed his lip in indecision. He could step further into the room and confront his supervisor about the pamphlets. He could knock on the door and alert the other man to his presence immediately and watch him scramble to cover up the pamphlets, pretending he hadn’t seen anything. He opted to back out of the office silently, retreating to the bullpen. He took a deep breath and jogged up the steps, making sure that his footfalls were heard by Hotch. “Hey Hotch, here’s the last of my paperwork,” he called out.
He casually, he hoped, averted his eyes towards the window to the bullpen as Hotch swept the pamphlets under a case file. “Thank you, Reid.”
His voice sounded like Spencer had ever heard him. He sounded broken. The Omega gulped a deep breath again and walked forward until he was at the desk. He put his files in Hotch’s inbox. He looked pointedly at the corner of a pamphlet still peeking out then met the Alpha’s gaze. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Hotch blew out a ragged breath and let his head fall into his hands again. “Haley’s a Beta.”
“Oh.” That explained quite a bit. Scientists had studied Alphas and Omegas since the creation of science. They had even studied Betas. But no one had ever been able to explain why the odds of a Beta woman carrying the child of an Alpha to term was less than one in a million. If Hotch and Haley were actively trying to conceive, they were either failing repeatedly or the woman had suffered at least one miscarriage. Spencer shifted from foot to foot unsure what to say. He finally broke the tense silence. “I’m sorry.”
“We’ve lost five babies. She wants to try a surrogate now. Did you know there are Omegas that get paid specifically to get pregnant and carry an Alpha’s child?” Hotch pulled the pamphlets out and stared at them.
Spencer leaned forward and tapped the mate to the one he carried. “This is a good agency.” He blushed when the other man looked at him curiously. “I, uh, I’ve been thinking about carrying. It pays really well. One baby would pay for a year and a half of my mom’s care. And I generally don’t do anything very dangerous when we’re in the field so…” He trailed off and shrugged.
Hotch nodded. “If you do it, I expect to be told as soon as you know that you’re pregnant so that I can keep you out of dangerous situations.”
“Yeah, of course.” Reid nodded. He chewed the inside of his cheek. “I’ll just…” He gestured to the door.
“Wait!” Hotch snapped out quickly. He winced when the Omega froze and stared at him wide-eyed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound that harsh. Um, the pamphlets are vague. What do you know about the process?”
Spencer wrinkled his nose up. “Yeah, they like to be vague about that. They would test you for fertility. Then after you picked the surrogate Omega, insemination happens.”
“So it’s like artificial insemination?” Hotch asked hopefully.
The young man winced and shook his head. “It won’t take. Science hasn’t found a reason why yet, but Omegas can only conceive naturally. So um… Yeah. You would… With the Omega.” He blushed.
“Shit.”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “They keep it all very vague so that most Alphas and Betas don’t realize exactly what it entails until the contract and the check are signed. Then you, the unsuspecting Alpha show up to make your ‘donation’ and guess what? You get locked in a room with an Omega in heat. There will be so many pheromones that you won’t even think twice about taking the Omega then and there.”
Hotch looked at him disgusted. “It’s rape.”
“Yes, it is. But no one does anything about it because Alphas are generally egotistical and don’t want to admit they can’t impregnate their Beta. It’s shameful and considered a dirty secret. So everyone just keeps their mouths shut, and the problem perpetuates.” Spencer nodded. “The agency I pointed out makes sure that all parties involved know what every step of the process is before they begin. You’d still have to impregnate the Omega the natural way, but at least it wouldn’t be rape. It’s the only one that operates that way.”
The Alpha tossed all the other pamphlets into his trash bin. “Thank you for that info. I’ll make sure I talk to Haley about it.”
Spencer nodded. “Sure. I’ve been doing research for several months now. If you or Haley can’t get the answers that you want, I might be able to answer them for you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.” Hotch glanced at his watch. “It’s late. We should both be going. Do you need a ride?”
Spencer shook his head. “I’m good. Thanks, though.” He stood up. “Have a good night, Hotch.”
“You too, Reid.” Hotch nodded and watched him leave. He sighed and looked at the pamphlet for the surrogate agency again before shoving it into his briefcase.
~*~
It was an almost perfect solution. Spencer would get a boost for his bank account and the Hotchners would a baby. Skipping the agency would save Hotch and Haley some money. They could pay Spencer for his services directly. Hotch was a lawyer and could draw up the contracts detailing parental rights, expectations, and obligations. He would just have to spend a heat locked together intimately with his boss for almost three days during his next heat.
Hotch’s sexual orientation didn’t matter. Once Spencer’s body went into heat and started pumping out pheromones to attract an Alpha, the other man would be aroused even if he wouldn’t have normally been attracted to Spencer. The young man also wasn’t concerned about his own attraction to Hotch. He was a scientist at heart. He could compartmentalize his emotions so that they wouldn’t pose a problem.
He snatched up his phone and dialed Hotch’s home number before he could change his mind.
“Hello?” a woman’s voice answered.
“Mrs. Hotchner? It’s Spencer Reid. I work with Hotch,” he said quickly.
She sighed audibly. “Oh, just a moment. I’ll get Aaron.”
“No! I mean, I want to talk to you. Well, both of you. Would it be possible for me to come over at some point today?” He winced at how desperate he sounded. His only indication that the woman hadn’t hung up on his was that he could hear her quiet breathing on the other end of the line.
“Is this about the surrogate thing?”
“Yes, but I don’t want to discuss it over the phone. I think it would be best discussed in person.” He flipped a quarter over his knuckles while she considered.
“Alright. How soon can you be here? We’re supposed to have dinner with my sister this evening.”
“About a half hour if I leave now.”
“That works. See you soon, Dr. Reid.” She hung up.
Spencer slipped on his satchel and left his apartment. It didn’t take the full half hour estimation to reach the Unit Chief’s house so he lingered on the sidewalk chewing his lip. The door opened and Hotch’s pretty blond wife looked at him quizzically. “Doctor Reid? You can come in.” She smiled.
“Sorry. I didn’t know if it would irritate you that I was nearly ten minutes early.” He stepped into the foyer.
She shook her head. “No, of course not. You may leave your bag here if you want.”
He nodded and left it on the small table near the door before following her through the house to the kitchen. The one other time that he had been to Hotch’s house, he had been taken back to Hotch’s study directly without seeing any of the rest of the house.
“Reid. Would you like a drink? We’ve got iced tea, lemonade, or water?” Hotch asked removing three glasses from the cupboard.
“Oh, thanks, um, lemonade please.” Reid twisted his fingers together, regretting his decision to leave his satchel in the foyer. At least that would give his hands something to do.
Hotch nodded. He poured two glasses of pale yellow liquid. “Hon?”
“Lemonade is fine.” Haley smiled. “Please sit, Dr. Reid.” She sat at the breakfast bar.
“You can call me Reid. Or Spencer, if you want. You don’t have to call me Doctor.” He slid onto a stool and Hotch passed him one of the glasses. He fidgeted nervously.
Hotch sat on the stool next to his wife. “What can we do for you?”
“It’s more what can I do for you?” Reid blushed.
Haley gripped her husband’s thigh, digging her nails in. “Explain,” Hotch said softly, wrapping his fingers around her wrist.
“The two of you are considering using a surrogate, and I’m considering being a surrogate. If I meet your needs, why not just skip the agency?” He watched Haley. He was essentially suggesting that he have sex with her husband of nearly 15 years.
“Legally…” Hotch began.
“It’s completely legal. It’s essentially a closed adoption. Any lawyer can write the contract if it’s properly witnessed,” Spencer said.
“Why would you do this for us?” Haley asked.
Reid took a deep breath. “My mother’s care is expensive. When my father left us, he didn’t sever their bond properly. It broke her mind. I was considering doing it for the money.” He licked his lips and avoided looking at the sympathy on Haley’s face. “You two specifically because I want to know that the baby has a good, loving family. I know that you would provide that.”
“Are you wanting to be in the baby’s life?” Haley asked.
“Very, very peripherally.” Reid frowned at his glass of lemonade. “Enough to know that the baby is being taken care of. I don’t want regular visitation. Just maybe show me a picture every so often. Keep me updated on major milestones.”
Hotch studied him. “Are you absolutely sure that you can handle that?”
Spencer nodded. “That’s probably about the closest I can come before the Reid Effect kicks in.”
“The Reid Effect?” Haley asked looking at them wide-eyed.
“Children and dogs don’t like Reid very much, it seems. It’s something the team’s noticed and teases him about. We call it the Reid Effect.” Hotch smiled and sipped his lemonade.
“Oh.” Haley nodded. She looked at her husband. “Are you willing? Since it has to be done naturally?”
Hotch nodded after a moment of contemplation. “I’d rather it be Reid than a complete stranger. I know that he’s clean since we’d have to do it without any sort of protection. Plus he’s healthy, so the baby would be healthy. Yes, I’m willing if he is. I’ll be able to keep a close eye on him throughout the pregnancy.”
“My biggest lifestyle change would be to cut back on my coffee consumption.” Spencer smiled sheepishly.
“You would definitely have to cut back on your coffee consumption.” Hotch eyed him.
Spencer noticed the way Haley squeezed Hotch’s arm giving him pleading eyes. He decided to give them a few moments to themselves. “Is there a restroom I could use?”
“Of course, down the hall. Can’t miss it.” Haley pointed.
“Thanks,” Spencer wandered down the hall slowly, looking at the family photos along the wall. He used the restroom, taking a few minutes to study the fancy shaped soaps resting in the dish before slowly making his way back to the kitchen.
“You don’t have to dawdle anymore. We’re ready to finish this conversation.” Hotch appeared in the kitchen doorway.
Spencer nodded and followed him in. “So.”
“We will pay you what we would have paid the agency plus all the medical and other expenses,” Hotch said.
“I would have only gotten about 25 percent of what you’d paid the agency.” Spencer shook his head.
Haley reached over and touched his hand. “We know. We would have paid it anyway. So let us give it to you.”
Both of the Hotchners were staring at him intently. He finally nodded. “Okay.”
“I want to be at all doctor's appointments even the confirmation. Aaron will come when he can,” she said.
“Of course,” he nodded.
“Are we doing this at your next heat?” Hotch asked.
Spencer nodded. “I’d like to do it at my place if that’s okay.”
The Alpha nodded. “That works for me.”
“I want to be able to check on you during the heat. I know it’s a long process but I want to see that you’re both okay with my own eyes.” Haley looked between the two men.
“If you want, I’ll give you a key to my place.” Spencer blushed.
“Haley, are you sure you want to see that? It’s been a long time since I’ve been with an Omega during a heat but it’s very… Intense would be a good word for it.” Hotch frowned, uneasy with the thought that his wife might see him having sex with someone else.
She nodded. “I know that you’re going to enjoy having sex with Spencer. You don’t have to feel guilty. I want you to enjoy conceiving our child. Being able to check on you, bring you food or anything you might need will help me feel like I’m part of it. Not just the third wheel hanging out at home waiting.”
“Okay, Hon. If you’re sure.” He squeezed her hand.
“Very sure. This is what I want.”
~*~
Haley gently rubbed the back of Aaron’s neck as they crossed the parking lot at Spencer’s apartment building. She knew that he was nervous about what was going to happen. It had been nearly 20 years since he’d had sex with anyone besides herself. Her insistence at being allowed to come and go from Spencer’s during the heat made him apprehensive that she would see something that would drive a wedge in their marriage. “Stop worrying, Babe.” She kissed his cheek while they waited for Spencer to buzz them into the building.
He nodded silently and shifted the picnic basket she had packed for them. “This is a really cute building. Why didn’t we live in a really cute building like this when we were his age?” She looked around at the Art Deco foyer.
“Because we were broke, and I was going to law school.” Hotch guided her towards the stairs.
Haley looked around, noticing the lack of an elevator. “Spencer may need to stay with us towards the end of the pregnancy since there’s no elevator. I don’t want him falling.”
Hotch nodded. “We’ll bring it up when it’s closer to the time that we have to deal with it.”
“Have you been to Spencer’s apartment before?”
He shook his head and led her down the hall. “I’ve dropped him off after getting back from a case a couple times, but I’ve never been inside the building.” He stopped in front of Spencer’s door.
Haley knocked. She smiled brightly when the Omega pulled it open. “Babe? Are you okay?” She reached a hand out to steady her husband when he swayed on his feet.
“He’s reacting to the pheromones.” Spencer stepped back to let them in. “Not yet, Alpha. Soon,” he said softly when Aaron stepped into him. He took his hand and gestured for Haley to follow them. “The kitchen’s this way. The building is insulated so that there’s no transference of pheromones from apartment to apartment. So when I opened the door, Hotch basically got hit in the face with all of the pheromones I’ve already exuded this morning. He’ll acclimatize in a few minutes and be normal or close to normal.”
She giggled. “It’s almost like he’s high.” She watched her husband sniff at the other man’s neck.She had read several books about Omega heats over the last few weeks and was grateful that Spencer had been so willing to answer any of her questions about what was going to happen.
“It feels the same.” Spencer nodded. He gently pushed the Alpha into a kitchen chair. “Stay there,” he commanded before joining Haley at the counter to help her unpack the basket.
She transferred several bottles of water and Gatorade into the fridge. She glanced back at Aaron watching Spencer with a dazed expression. She bit her lip. “It’s like having an overgrown puppy,” she whispered.
Spencer snickered and laid out the protein and granola bars on the counter next to the fruit basket she was filling with fresh apples and oranges. “I’m glad you said it and not me.”
“Too bad I can’t bottle up the pheromones in a spray bottle to use whenever I need to get him to agree with me. Just squirt him with it like you would a dog. Instant compliance.” Haley laughed. Spencer snorted before allowing himself to relax into a full laugh. They leaned against each other breathlessly.
“What are you two laughing about over there?” Aaron asked bringing their attention to him. He was watching them through narrowed eyes. He seemed to have returned to himself, but his pupils were still dilated and he barely moved his eyes away from Spencer.
Spencer clamped his lips together and shook his head. “Nothing, Babe,” Haley said, giving him the most innocent expression she could manage. She turned to the young man next to her. “Okay, keys so I can come back later?”
He reached over and snagged a coffee cup keychain off the counter. “This one’s the outer door, apartment door, and mailbox. I’m expecting some new books to come either today or tomorrow so if you could check the mail I would greatly appreciate it.” He looked at her apprehensively as though he expected her to reject his simple request.
“No problem. Of course, I’ll check your box.” She tucked the keys in her jeans pocket. She closed the picnic basket. “Okay, bars and fruit on the counter. Drinks in the fridge. Is there anything else either of you needs the next time I come?”
They both shook their heads. Haley hugged Spencer tightly. “Thank you for doing this. You have no idea how much it means to me.” She kissed his cheek before moving over to her husband. “Walk me to the door.”
Aaron nodded and took her hand. “You’re absolutely sure that you’re okay with this?” He whispered leaning his forehead against hers at the door.
“This is the only way that we’re going to get a baby that’s ours. I like Spencer. I’m glad he made the offer that he did. We’ll have a brainiac baby.” She cupped his cheeks and kissed him soundly. “Now go on and enjoy your two days of sex. Try not to pull anything or injure yourself. I’ll be back later. Love you.”
“Love you, too.” He kissed her again before letting her out the door. She waited until she heard the locks click into place before leaving.