Spencer set the paper and crayons out for Anna and asked her if she would mind working on a special picture for a few minutes while he had an important talk with her mommy. She took the crayons and smiled when he gave her a secret wink, busying herself instantly.

Taking Melissa's hand in his own, Spencer spoke.

"The last two weeks have been hell, Melissa. I love my work and according to Hotch, I do it well. But I go home at night to an empty apartment. It's too quiet, too lonely. I guess I was kinda spoiled when I was in the hospital, having you both around so much, but I hate being away from you two."

She reached out with her other hand and stroked his cheek.

"We've missed you, too."

"I love you. Both of you." He paused for a moment and she took the opportunity to murmur,

"I love you, too. We both do."

"I hate being apart from you guys. I know we haven't known each other for very long. But I also know this is it, this is real."

She nodded her agreement and squeezed his hand. Anna continued to colour, doing an impressive job of ignoring the adults.

"I want us to be together. Always."

He let go of her hand, got up out of his seat and dropped down onto one knee in front of Melissa, fishing into his pocket for something, and successfully drew out a ring box. Melissa gasped. Nervously, he opened the box up and held it out to her, taking her hand, he asked,

"Melissa, will you marry me?"

Her breath caught in her throat. Momentarily speechless, Melissa's eyes filled with tears. As she registered what he'd said, she blinked several times hoping she hadn't ruined her makeup then tossed decorum out the window and threw her arms around him.

"Yes. Yes of course!" Happily, he put the ring on her finger, savouring the moment and holding her hand as they both admired the sight of the lovely diamond upon her finger and what it represented. They sealed their new relationship with a long kiss, and then Melissa succumbed to her emotions and started to cry happy tears.

Anna couldn't help but notice and climbed down out of her chair, moving towards her mother. She hugged Melissa and asked what was wrong. Melissa took a couple of deep breaths, quelled the tears and replied.

"Nothing is wrong, honey. Everything is actually very, very right." She looked to Spencer to explain as she was still overcome and didn't trust herself to not cry again.

"Anna, your mommy and I are tired of us being apart. We are going to get married, and then the three of us can be a family. If that's okay with you."

He let go of Melissa's hand and once again got down on one knee, this time in front of Anna. He took the little girl's hand, and in a most solemn but sincere voice asked her,

"Anna, will you be my little girl? Will you call me daddy now?"

Melissa started to cry again, and Spencer fought back his own tears. Anna's eyes grew wide and she leaned into his arms, happily complying:

"My daddy! My daddy!"

He managed a smile, and drew another ring box from his pocket. Opening it, he presented Anna with a tiny replica of the same ring he'd just given Melissa. Anna squealed with delight, then remembered she was supposed to be on especially good behaviour and clapped her hand over her mouth and whispered,

"Sorry! I'm sorry, daddy!"

He shook his head, "It's okay, honey," then deflected any negative feelings she may have had, "I guess that means yes?"

She nodded most emphatically and climbed back up into her chair to finish her drawing. Spencer took a napkin and carefully wiped at Melissa's eyes.

"The crying needs to stop," he murmured. She nodded and started apologising and he interrupted, explaining "Oh no. No, geez, I just meant 'cause you're making me cry too."

They sat back down, and Spencer took his glass, raising it up in a toast.

"To us, all three of us."

Melissa tapped his glass with her own, and they showed Anna how to do so, explaining the significance of the gesture.

Another kiss between Melissa and Spencer and Anna interrupted with an announcement.

"It's finished." The adults broke off their kiss to see what she was talking about and were presented with her newest work of art. Melissa pointed to her pictured likeness and chuckled,

"My ring is not that big, Anna."

"Just wanted you to see it Mommy! Look, mine too!" They both laughed, and Anna pointed out that her daddy's image wasn't wearing a ring, nor was his real-life counterpart.

"I will be, honey. There will be a wedding band on this finger," he indicated which one he meant, "just as soon as your mother tells me when."

"Soon, mommy?"

"Absolutely, baby. But we're not waiting until then for us to be all together again, are we, Spence?"

"I will get my stuff together and be over to your—

our—apartment forthwith. Uh. Later. Right now, it's dinner time."

The waiter arrived with their dinner, serving Anna hers first. He didn't make any snide comment or snarky look about chicken fingers being served in an upscale gourmet restaurant. Melissa appreciated the consideration shown to a restless four-year-old, although she knew nothing short of a nuclear meltdown could possibly ruin their night.

Despite the fact that both Melissa and Spencer were still floating on cloud nine, each managed to eat their baby spinach salad, grilled salmon amandine and riz pilaf with fresh seasoned vegetables. By the time tiramisu arrived, Melissa was stuffed and didn't think she'd ever eat again, until Spencer spoke.

"I am so looking forward to having family dinners at home with my two girls."

"You're learning to cook?" she asked.

"I will. Absolutely. Can't expect you to do all the cooking," he began, and with a glint in his eye continued, "Though we'd probably eat better that way."

"You got that right," she teased.

"Mommy! Don't be mean to my daddy!" Anna said. Melissa liked the sound of that too much to make any kind of retort. Turning to Spencer, she asked

"Will you really move in with us until we can get a bigger place?"

He nodded, swallowing the mouthful of tiramisu he had. "About that."

She looked up expectantly.

"If you're not working, not busy this weekend. I did some house hunting this week. I'd like to take you two around to see a couple of them."

"Spence! That's wonderful."

"We need a house. With a couple more bedrooms I hope we'll fill someday." He gave Melissa a hopeful look and she nodded her head in happy agreement. "And a fenced yard to play in. Especially since," he paused for effect and got it. Anna was paying rapt attention now. "As soon as we can get a house, I want to get a puppy."

Anna squealed in delight and rushed down from her seat, enveloping Spencer in the hug of a lifetime.

"My Daddy! Oh thank you, My Daddy!"

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-fin-