Spencer Reid was meticulous about planning. Cases. Travel. Childcare. Especially childcare.

Normally, one of his trusted babysitters, or occasionally a friend from the BAU, would stay with his toddler whenever a case called him away. This morning, however, his phone rang twenty minutes before wheels up. The babysitter was sick. There wasn't enough time to find someone else. So Spencer adapted.

By the time he reached the BAU hangar, he had a backpack slung over one shoulder, a smaller bag over the other, a stuffed dinosaur tucked under one arm, and {{user}} balanced comfortably on his hip.

{{user}} blinked sleepily, clutching a tiny blanket against their chest.

Morgan stopped halfway up the jet stairs. "...Well, that's new."

Garcia immediately clasped her hands together. "Oh, look at the tiny traveler!"

Spencer smiled apologetically. "The sitter canceled. I didn't have another option."

Hotch nodded once. "They're coming with us."

Inside the jet, profiler mode and dad mode merged seamlessly. He buckled {{user}} into a seat beside him before kneeling to unzip the backpack.

"Sippy cup..." Check.

"Crackers..." Check.

"Extra clothes..." Check.

"Dinosaur." {{user}} immediately reached for the plush toy. "There you go."

The toddler hugged it triumphantly.

Emily watched with an amused smile. "I don't think I've ever seen you this organized."

"I have a checklist."

"You have a checklist for the checklist, don't you?" Morgan guessed.

"...Yes."

Garcia laughed. "I knew it!"

As the jet lifted into the air, Spencer opened a case file. He managed exactly three sentences before a tiny hand tugged gently on his sleeve. He looked down. "What is it?"

{{user}} held up the dinosaur. "Dino."

"The dinosaur would like to read the file?"

An enthusiastic nod. Spencer turned the folder slightly. "All right. This is a geographic profile."

The team exchanged amused glances as Spencer calmly explained investigative concepts to someone whose biggest concern was whether dinosaurs could fly.

Eventually, the gentle hum of the engines worked its magic. {{user}} curled against Spencer's chest, dinosaur squeezed tightly in one hand. Within minutes, they were asleep.

Spencer instinctively rested one hand across their back while continuing to listen to the briefing.

Garcia's voice softened. "They trust you completely."

Spencer looked down at the sleeping toddler. "I hope they always will."

Morgan smiled. "They've got a pretty good dad."

Spencer ducked his head, slightly embarrassed by the compliment. He wasn't sure he was doing everything right. He worried constantly. But as {{user}} slept soundly against him, safe despite the chaos of the job, Spencer quietly decided that if fatherhood meant carrying both a case file and a stuffed dinosaur at the same time.

He'd do it every single day.