A/N: I am so sorry people. I had a serious case of writers block where this story was concerned. But I finally decided how I want it to end. So, here goes nothing...well everything. If you can't tell, this is years later after the last chapter. I do not own Criminal Minds but I do love it very much. I'm so happy the new season has started although I'm not altogether happy with certain story lines...

"True love doesn't have a happy ending, because true love never ends. Letting go is one way of saying I love you."

~Unknown

"What a beautiful baby!" A woman sitting near Ella exclaimed. She had pale yellow blonde hair and hazel eyes. Ella was still in her curve hugging blue wrap dress and brown boots from work. The woman, Ella noticed when she looked up and smiled running her hand through her hair, was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt.

"Thank you."

"He has the most beautiful eyes. What's his name?" She was grinning down at the 10 month old baby not paying her any attention.

"Oliver, we call him Ollie for short." Ollie looked up at her from the floor with eyes just like his father's through full dark eye lashes that match his dark hair. He had her hair color which made his eyes seem brighter. He grinned around his binky before turning back to his toys. "He has eyes and eye lashes just like his father." Ollie pulled out his pacifier and motioned toward his mouth. Spencer had read a book about teaching babies how to sign while she was pregnant with Oliver. Now he used them when he wanted something. Ollie hardly ever cried. He got your attention if he needed something but other than that nothing. She handed him his bottle full of apple juice. He gave her a big toothy grin by way of thanks before popping it in his mouth happily.

"He must be very handsome. You have another child that goes here?" The woman asked motioning around the principal's office waiting room they were waiting in. Ella and Spencer had been called to the principal's office at Skye's elementary school.

"Yeah, he is. And I have a daughter, she's 6." Ella took something from Ollie before he could put it in his mouth. He looked up at her and pulled off his father's puppy dog pout perfectly. He climbed to his feet and waddled the couple of steps to her keeping the look firmly in place. She scooped him up and peppered his face with kisses until he giggled and squealed. It was at the moment that Spencer limped in. His knee had been bothering him all week since he'd tackled an un-sub down some steps. For that reason he was back to using his cane. His hair was starting to get long again and he had a full goatee and mustache. She was beating women off of him with a stick and she couldn't keep her hands off of him. He limped over to her when he heard Ollie squeal for him and say "dada".

"Hey buddy!" He scooped Ollie up and put his hand up for the baby boy to promptly smack enthusiastically. He leaned down and gave Ella a slow lingering kiss before plopping in the chair next to her. "How was your day, Tesoro?" He asked pulling his hair out of Ollie's excited hands.

"It was a whole slew of things culminating in being summoned to the principals' office. I'm having high school flashbacks."

"I never went to the principal's office in high school." He said in a very familiar matter-of-fact tone. Ella rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Dolce, that doesn't surprise me." She said prying her own hair out of Ollie's hands. He gave her the puppy dog look again before she handed him his plastic keys.

"Who is the woman staring at me like I'm a rotisserie chicken and she's starving?" Spencer whispered leaning closer to his wife.

"I have no idea but she obviously thinks you're hot." He gave her a look. "I find you unbelievably hot; I've got two kids to prove it." He gave her a warm smile and a kiss. Ollie squealed when they kissed making both parents laugh.

"Mr. And Mrs. Reid," a seemingly disembodied voice called from behind a large desk. "Dr. Williamson will see you now." Ella climbed to her feet and collected Ollie's stuff before collecting him as well. As soon as he was settled he grabbed on to Ella's long dark hair. Dr. Williamson was a portly lady with long graying hair she always kept in a tight bun. She had warm, kind blue eyes, and skin that probably used to be really pale but age made it darker. She always wore business suits that were black, grey, or blue with crisp white shirts and sensible shoes. She smiled warmly when they came in and shook Spencer's hand. Ella propped Ollie on her hip and shook her hand when she offered it.

"Thank you for coming. Please have a seat." Spencer gave Ella a look before they both sat down. "I called you in to talk about how Skylar is progressing academically. She's a very smart little girl." Dr. Williamson began.

"She's not correcting her teachers again, is she?" Ella asked holding onto Ollie as he played with her keys.

"She still does every now and then, but not as much. Her corrections usually start with 'my daddy says' or 'my mommy says' and our personal favorites are when she mentions her aunts and uncles." Dr. Williamson looked down at Ollie and smiled. "She talks about him a lot, she also talks about Henry, Jack, Chloe, Sophie, Liam and Eli, and Jamie. She loves her family very much. She taught one of her friends how to properly change her doll baby." A smile spread across Ella's face as she thought about her little girl.

"I taught her, she really wanted to help with Ollie." Ella replied scooping up her curious little boy. He giggled when she caught him before he could get away.

"She's very smart, we have her in advanced classes and she's thriving. I called you in to discuss next school year."

"What about it?" Spencer asked suspiciously. Ella didn't look at him; she already knew what he was thinking.

"We want to place her in third grade instead of second."

"No." Spencer snapped.

"Spencer!" He at least had the decency to look a little apologetic for the way he sounded.

"I'm sorry but she should stay with her friends. She'll be the odd one out if we do this." Ella didn't look at him. She didn't want him to see just what he should expect when they got home.

"She's already in advanced classes and she's bored. She helps anyone who is having trouble. I feel as though we're doing her a disservice keeping her back. She's independent and she's smart. She's surpassed everyone in her grade in spades. The kids she's taking classes with are in second grade. She would be moving on with them. She's a very social child, with her family and the extracurricular activities she's involved in she'll stay that way." Ella nodded in understanding but Spencer was still shaking his head. That was pissing her off.

"Can we have some time to think about this?" Ella asked calmly.

"There's nothing to think about. We're not doing this to her." Spencer said with a finality that served only to piss his wife off more. So she ignored Spencer and looked at Dr. Williamson as if waiting for her answer. The other woman looked uncomfortable. She could probably see how angry Ella was.

"Of course, she's an amazing little girl. I just want to make sure we're not holding her back." Ella nodded.

"Is it okay if we take her home now, I know she has about an hour and a half of school left?" She asked not looking at her husband.

"Oh that's fine. She never really misses school. I'll call her out of class."

"Thank you so much for caring. I'll wait for her outside if that's okay." Dr. Williamson smiled and nodded shaking Ella's hand. Without so much as sparing a look at Spencer, Ella scooped up Ollie securing him on her hip and walked out. She heard her husband behind her but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. She let Ollie down so he could walk and slowed down so he could keep up. Skye came around the corner two minutes later and he squealed for his big sister. She smiled and ran to her mother grinning brightly. Ella held on to Ollie and hugged her little girl at the same time peppering her face with messy kisses until she pushed her away. Skye saw her father and went to him happily. Spencer scooped up his little girl and hugged her tight. When he put her down she grabbed Ollie's hand and started walking telling them all about her day. Spencer tried to grab Ella's hand but she snatched it away. She helped Skye in the car and scooped up Ollie before turning to Spencer. "I'm taking her to get a haircut, can you take Ollie?" She asked quietly. He nodded and she handed him the diaper bag before handing him his son. Before she climbed in her Jeep Grand Cherokee she heard him say something to Ollie.

"I think daddy just might get his ass kicked when mommy comes home." That made her smile despite her anger.

"Come on Princess," She said excitedly to her daughter looking at her in the rearview mirror. "Let's go get a handle on this bangs situation."

Reid knew how pissed off his wife was. He hadn't meant to act that way, he just didn't want Skye to go through what he went through. He knew that after Skye's haircut she had ballet in the same building where Ella had her Yoga class. They wouldn't be back till six. So while Ethan played with Ollie, his godson, and his twin boys Reid cooked Ella's favorite for dinner. She'd wanted him to make roast beef and red potatoes for a few weeks but he'd been out of town on a case. After she finished yelling at him there was something he wanted to talk to her about. Ethan came in the kitchen with Reid after the boys were settled in the fence playing.

"So what did you do?" He asked grabbing a soda from the refrigerator and leaning against the counter.

"They want Skye to skip second grade." Ethan nodded and motioned for him to continue. "I had a visceral reaction and I snapped at the principal. Ella barely looked at me and when I tried to hold her hand she snatched away from me. I figured if I make her dinner and tell her my news she'll be less angry about my reaction."

"Skye is social; you don't have to worry about her being isolated. Look at the way she dresses herself. She chooses bright colors, she likes when Ella braids the bright colored pieces in her hair. She's artistic and she likes books and movies and music. She's her own person." Reid nodded knowing his friend was right. Skye was more like her mother. She had no problem speaking her mind.

"I just don't want her to go through what I went through. I want to protect her."

"I'm sure Ella understands that. What did she say?"

"I kind of didn't let her speak at the time." Reid responded sheepishly.

"So in other words you were a dick?" Ethan was smirking at him and it made Reid feel worse.

"Thanks."

"What, friends are supposed to tell you the truth. I wouldn't be useful if I didn't." Reid just nodded.

"I think I know why she's angry but I'm sure I'm going to find out when she gets home."

"Well since its Friday, I can take Skye with me. The boys will be 4 tomorrow and you guys are coming to the party. The boys wanted to have a sleep over with their cousins."

"I have to do the obvious and get back to you."

"The obvious?" Ethan asked visibly confused.

"I have to talk to my wife." Ethan barked out laughter before stealing a piece of potato.

"Man, we are so whipped. Did you ever think you and I would be married to twins?" Reid laughed out loud leaving Ethan confused.

"You've been trying to be like me for years. As soon as I found out Ella had a twin I knew you'd end up with her."

An hour or so later Ella came in with Isla who was fussing at her about something. Ella wasn't speaking; she just motioned for Skye to go upstairs and ignored her sister. Reid watched as she walked in the kitchen and saw that he had already cooked dinner but didn't walk in. He just listened with Ethan. Something had happened during their Yoga class that had both of them extremely pissed off. They weren't speaking English at first, and he could only translate when they were speaking slowly.

"I can't believe you hit her!"

"Leave me alone, Isla. I don't want to talk about this right now." She said moving toward the refrigerator. She pulled out a bottle of water and shoved one at her sister. Isla didn't let Ella's attitude change her mind. She just kept talking.

"What did she say that pissed you off so much? I haven't seen you lose it like that in years." Ella moved away without responding. She looked over at Ethan and waved ignoring Reid.

"You don't understand the concept of letting something go do you? I don't want to talk about Cindy Warren."

"You hit Cindy Warren!" Reid exclaimed moving toward his wife. Ella gave him a look and moved toward the living room. He hadn't seen that look in a while. She kissed each of her nephews before kissing Ollie. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Leave it alone, Spencer." He winced hearing his name. She only called him by his first name on two occasions; when he did something wrong, or when he was doing something deliciously right. Isla pulled him to the side flipping her long brown sugar hair over her shoulder.

"I heard Cindy say something about Ella's delicious husband and you taking Skye to ballet when you're in town. She mentioned how she would keep you in bed all day and how there would be no leaving every week on a case if she was your wife. I also heard her mention the way Skye dresses and how Ollie is going to be a heartbreaker when he's older. She pulled El to the side and next thing I know she's on the floor." Reid watched his wife play with the boys. She was back in her work clothes having showered at the gym. "I know for a fact that she said something about you being home more if Ella was a better wife." Reid moved toward his wife and she slipped past him. He grabbed her hand gently to stop her and brought it to his lips. She looked up at him and he could see everything she was feeling in her eyes.

"I'm gonna go help Skye pack a bag." With that she pulled away.

When he got to their bedroom Ella's blue wrap dress was on the floor and her hair was down falling over her shoulders like a blanket. She'd gotten Skye dressed and on her way with Isla and Ethan. Ollie was down for a 30 minute nap before dinner, so now they could talk. She was taking off her jewelry in a purple and black lace bra, matching boy shorts, and lace topped thigh high stockings. Years later those things still got to him and he was sure they always would. She had her back to him so he took his time looking her over. When he finally pulled his mind out of the gutter he noticed something. She was wearing her feelings in her stance. She wasn't moving, she was leaning against her vanity white knuckled.

"You believe her." She stood up and wiped her eyes before turning to face him.

"What?" She asked folding her arms under her breasts.

"She hit a nerve, that's why you hit her. You think I keep leaving because I don't want you."

"That's illogical." She said quietly sitting down on the bench in front of her vanity.

"Yes, but feelings sometimes are." She looked down and started rolling down her stockings until he stopped her with his hands. He carefully took her leg in his hands gently removing her stocking stroking her legs as he went.

"I don't want to be this woman or this kind of wife. I love you and I know you love me."

"But part of you thinks I'm happier when I'm away." She was shaking her head but he could tell it was true.

"I know you're happy with the kids. I can't help thinking if I was more like Stepford Bitch doing tantric yoga on my nights off you'd be happier to be home. You've been distant lately and when she said... On top of that she called my beautiful, brilliant, loving six-year-old little girl a harlot. For that reason alone the bitch deserved it. And I was already pissed about how you acted with Skye's principal. You didn't even let me speak."

"I'm sorry I didn't let you speak, I have this eternal fear of my kids going through the horrible things I went through. I should have waited and talked to you about it. I'm plenty happy with our sex life and your level of flexibility. And I'm sorry about how I've been distant; I've been trying to make a decision. I wanted to see how I felt about it before I brought it to you. They offered me a teaching job at the academy. It would mean less travel but I would still be a consultant." He sat and waited for her to respond wondering what she was thinking.

"How do you feel about the offer?" He was expecting her to tell him to take it. She never ceased to surprise him.

"The team is different now; it's just me, Hotch, and Rossi on the team with Seaver and some kid that's supposed to be the next me. Rossi is considering retirement, again. Hotch wants something more sedentary because Sophie is starting school and Jack is a teenager now. Morgan and Em are on another team and I'm missing too much. I missed Skye's first steps and now I've missed Ollie's. I don't want to miss anything else. And I broke my promise to you."

"What promise?"

"I promised I would never expect you to change to accommodate me. You haven't traveled or done a photo shoot in almost a year. How do you not resent me for that?"

"I love you." She said as though it explained everything. "I don't want you to resent me for wanting you to take this job. I remember what you told me about Hotch and Haley, how she wanted him to quit and change. I want you to be happy and your job makes you happy. I can't ask you to give that up."

"But what about what makes you happy?"

"I have you."

"That's not a fair trade off. We've talked about having more kids."

"No you've talked; I've all but closed my vagina for business. I said we could adopt more kids." Reid chuckled at her response.

"Okay, you're right. I just want you to do what makes you happy too. I'm not as fast as I used to be. I don't need to be in the field anymore. Plus it's a raise." Ella looked apprehensive. She grabbed both his hands in hers kissing each one. Heat crept up his neck and flooded his face.

"I want you to be safe and happy. If you think this job will make you happy then I'm all for it. We don't need money. But we do need you." With that she got up and continued changing her clothes.