Hey everyone! Here is the latest chapter in my story! A big shout out and thanks to ahowell1993 for the great suggestions for these last few chapters. I hope you all enjoy the chapter as much as I did writing it. If you have any suggestions please leave them in the reviews or PM me and you might just see yourself given a shout out!
Once again I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS!
Harper and Spencer had taken off a few days following Emily's return to the team. While everything settled down they decided to get away for the weekend. The team had been given some minor cases but nothing that couldn't be handled without two of their own team members for a weekend. Spencer had decided that they were going to go see his mom and dad since they hadn't seen Amelia since she was a month old.
He had also wanted to inform them about their newest addition on the way. Spencer pitched the idea and Harper had agreed immediately, even though it kept her away from her own mother. So around 5am Friday morning, Harper, Amelia, and Spencer boarded the plane headed to Las Vegas. Amelia was clinging to her father, still asleep, as they walked down the plane aisle to their seats.
Once they had arrived at their row, Harper took the window seat, and Amelia from Spencer while he put their bags in the over head bin and sat down next her and keeping a seat saved for Amelia. Harper could see the bags under his eyes from the little sleep he had gotten since Emily had returned and his brown sandy hair still a mess. However, they were more concerned about Amelia than their lack of sleep. Amelia had never flown on a plane before so Harper was prepare for anything she may have needed to soothe her daughter.
However, Amelia was content with just sleeping against her mother's chest a majority of the trip. Harper moved her daughter's sandy waves out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. Amelia had gotten more hair since she was first born and Harper knew that it would probably turn out to be much like Spencer's. But Amelia still had those blue gray eyes, like the ones Harper had, though they still had the chance to change color.
Once the flight took off, the three stayed in their seats. However Amelia wasn't the only one to doze off, Spencer had begun to as well. Leaning his head on Harper's shoulder as he did so. Harper smiled at father and daughter both leaning on her, sleeping soundly.
Harper shut the window shade as they got to level flying altitude and reading a book around Amelia. After catching a few more hours of sleep, Spencer offered to take Amelia, who was now waking up, from Harper so she could sleep. Shortly after resting her head against the wall of the air plane, Harper drifted off to sleep.
"Ma..my" Amelia said to her father, pointing at Harper.
"Yes, mommy is asleep" Spencer says in a whisper, trying to explain to their daughter.
"...ok" Amelia said to Spencer, trying to whisper but not quiet succeeding. Spencer immediately knew what she wanted. ...Ok is what Amelia called a book. She had begun getting some sylabuls down but not full words. Spencer pulled out the three books from his bag that he had brought and held them up for Amelia to pick from.
Spencer often found the way Amelia chose books interesting. She would study the books with her eyes and then hold each of them before decided. After she had made her decision, Amelia settled in Spencer's lap, waiting for her dad to start reading, which he did so. Harper woke up just before landing, seeing Spencer reading to Amelia, who was once again fast asleep.
Harper knew she was defiantly her daughter, because she loved the sound of Spencer's voice just as much as she did. After the 5 ½ hours in flight, the plane landed with ease, waking up Amelia in the process. After the plane had been taxied to the gate and they got off to go find their bags in baggage claim after getting their stroller from the gate crew.
Spencer got Amelia settled into her stroller and they set out to grab their bags.
"Did you tell them we were coming?" Harper asks Spencer as they walk through the busy airport.
"Yes, I texted my dad, saying we landed and were getting our bags" Spencer says.
"Ok. I know your mom is going to be so excited to see Amelia" Harper says as they arrive at baggage claim.
"Me too, so is my dad" Spencer says as he walks over. Waiting for their bags to drop, Spencer wheels them over when he notices Harper talking to his mother and father.
"Mom, dad" Spencer says making his way over.
"Spencer. It's so good to see you" Diana says walking over and hugging Spencer.
"Its good to see you too mom" Spencer says.
"I insisted to your father that we meet you three at the airport" Diana says with a smile.
"Your mom couldn't wait to see Amelia and hear this great news you have for us" William says.
"That's alright" Spencer says going and giving his father a slight hug. Amelia starts talking to Diana from her stroller, recognizing her from the pictures they had shown her of Diana and William, as she's grown up.
"She reminds me so much of you Spencer" Diana says as they begin walking to the car.
"Really?" Spencer asks.
"Yes, you always wanted to talk to people and were so interested in learning just like she is" Diana says. Harper smiles at the 4 of them interacting.
"Well how about we go get some breakfast and we can all talk more" Harper says.
"Of course. Where are my manners" William says as he helps Spencer with the two bags. Diana and Harper walk side by side discussing Amelia as father and son walk behind them with the baggage to the car.
After breakfast, the group heads to William's house, where Diana was beginning to stay part time under William's care. Spencer and his father had discussed that maybe if they could get her moved in with him fully then Diana might be more open to the idea of moving closer with William to be near their granddaughter. Though it was only a work in progress for now.
William showed them to their room and made sure they got settled in. Amelia stayed with Diana who she had dubbed, nana, and William, who was dubbed, grandpa but it came out like gr...pa. Harper was glad that Amelia could separate the 5 grandparents she had. Rossi was papa, Elizabeth was granny, Emily was referred to as grandma, and now they had Diana and William's names.
After they go settled in, Harper and Spencer made their way into the living room.
"So there were a few reasons for this trip" Spencer says to Diana and William.
"We wanted to you both to get to know more Amelia, since you haven't seen her in so long and we had another announcement" Spencer says.
"What announcement?" William asks. Diana smiled knowingly.
"They're expecting William" Diana says.
"What? Another baby?" he asks shocked and happy.
"Yes, but we're having a little boy this time" Harper says. Diana was the most excieted when she heard the gender.
"Now you're both going to have a mini version of yourselves running around" Diana says.
"Any names yet?" William asks.
"No, those are still up in the air but we'll let everyone know soon" Harper says.
They had discussed names, William's being one of them since it was also Spencer's middle name but he had shot it down. Then Harper offered Jason or Gideon and Spencer wasn't sure about what his old mentor would think of that.
They were still trying to figure out names but sure as of yet. And Harper had refused her father's names outright, while Spencer steered clear of Hotch's names due to the ongoing problems with Strauss and him having the same name. That however didn't stop them from talking to Diana and William or enjoying their time with them.
The few days that Harper, Spencer, and Amelia were there flew by. Before they knew it, Sunday evening had arrived and the trio were once again at the airport. Diana and William had dropped them off, promising to come visit soon.
Which made Amelia sad to leave her nana and grandpa but she knew she'd get to see them again. Harper thanked Diana for all the insights of having a little boy and the stories about Spencer growing up, which embarrassed her husband to no end. Spencer told his parents goodbye and he'd talk to them soon. The three boarded their plane home and started getting ready to face whatever the BAU had going on.
The three of them landed late Sunday evening, Amelia was already nodding off when they were making their final decent into D.C.. They put Amelia in her car seat once they grabbed their bags and head to long term parking. They drove home in silence, Harper thinking about everything that had transpired in the last month and what would happened in the next few weeks.
"You ok?" Spencer asks when he pulls into the driveway.
"Yeah, I'm just thinking" Harper says.
"We've been doing that all weekend" Spencer says with a smile.
"I know but we've got to figure out what to do when we get to work tomorrow. My mom's finally back" Harper says.
"I know" Spencer says parking the car.
"I know, you know but we're going to need more time to used to her being back after her have been gone so long" Harper says.
Spencer nodded in agreement, "If you grab Amelia I'll grab the bags" Spencer says.
"Deal" Harper says getting out of the car.
She went around to the back seat of the drivers side and unbuckled the sleeping Amelia from her car seat. The moment Harper had put her in there for the car ride home, she hadn't done anything but sleep.
Harper carried their daughter up to her bed room and turned on the music machine after putting Amelia in bed. She placed her daughter's favorite stuffed toy, a Dalek, into her crib and turned the baby monitor on before kissing her daughter's forehead and leaving the room. Harper could see their bedroom light on and followed it to see Spencer unpacking their bags.
"Thanks for doing that" Harper says going to change into her pjs.
"No problem" Spencer says. It takes him barely 10 minutes to put everything away, when he see Harper laying down on the bed, almost unable to keep her eyes open. Spencer changes and crawls into bed next to her.
"You could have gone to sleep already" he says pulling her to his side.
"I know but you are comfy" she says muttering her words. Spencer chuckles as she rests her head against his chest and closes her eyes. Within moments her breathing evens out and Spencer knows for a fact that she was fast asleep. He turns the bed side light of, smiling, thankful for his life with Harper.
Before heading to work the next day, Harper and Spencer stopped at Harper's doctor's appointment, to do their bi-weekly check up. After getting another picture and a clean bill of health Spencer and Harper make it to work on time. Taking the elevator up together and discussing names once again. When they got to their floor and spotted JJ and Emily talking to one another.
"Hey where have you two been? I wanted to do brunch this weekend" JJ says as Spencer and Harper came off the elevator.
"I had to deal with some stuff with my mom in Vegas" Spencer says walking over to JJ and Emily.
"Is everything alright?" JJ asks.
"Yeah we went to visit for the weekend for Amelia and to tell them about the baby" Harper says.
"Speaking of, let me see the picture" Emily says. Harper hands over the sonogram picture to her mother as they all walked together.
They all head to the round room when Rossi and Garcia walk in. talking about pasta.
"Maybe you should give Penelope a cooking lesson Rossi" Morgan suggests. Rossi gives him a look.
"Oh my gosh. That would be amazing, that would be like the iron chef meets the BAU. And we should do it at your house" Penelope says.
"I don't have a house, I have a mansion" Rossi says looking at his tablet.
Hotch walks in, "Alright lets get started" Hotch says. The team goes over the case in Durant, Oklahoma about the two women were sexually tortured, with sulfuric acid. Just as they finish discussing the case.
"Ok wheels up in 30" Hotch says to the group but Hotch then turned to Harper, "Can we talk?" he asks. Harper nods, and follows the unit chief to his office.
Harper walked into Hotch's office and saw him and Emily standing over by his desk.
"What's going on?" Harper asks concerned as she closes the door behind them.
"Nothing bad, I promise" Emily says looking from Hotch to her daughter.
"Ok then what's going on and why do you two have to talk to me?" Harper asks.
Emily smiles and walks over to put her arm around Harper, "Well it has nothing to do with work so relax" Emily says with a smile.
Harper looked over at Hotch and also saw him relax. "You are killing me mom, just tell me" Harper says.
"Well you know that I don't have my old apartment due to having…left, right?" Emily asks.
"Sure. Spencer and I had to clean it out" Harper says nodding.
"Well before I started looking for a new place…" Emily says trailing off, looking over at Hotch.
"Wait did you guys move in together?" Harper asks shocked.
"Yes I asked her but she wanted me to also ask you, to make sure you were ok with it" Hotch says.
"Of course I'm ok with it, you both make each other happy. Especially since you two have been dating for almost two years and haven't even told the team about it…wait what are you going to tell the team?" Harper asks looking between the two.
"We we're going to let them know about our relationship first and then tell them we're moving in together" Emily says.
Harper hugs Emily and then goes to hug Hotch, "This is great news!" Harper says.
"So you are ok with this?" Hotch asks.
"Aaron, I'm an adult and have a husband and child of my own with another on the way. I have no influence on my mother's life other than taking care of myself and her grandchildren" Harper says.
"Ok. Then that settles it" Emily says happily, "We're moving in together this weekend" Emily says.
"Now if you'll both excuse me I have a go bag to get from my car if Spencer didn't already grab it" Harper says leaving the office with a smile.
Rossi walks over to Harper, "What was that all about?" Rossi asks.
"Not going to say" Harper says as Spencer walks over with Harper's go bag.
"Say what?" Spencer asks.
"My lips are sealed" Harper says grabbing her go bag from her husband before taking off for the plane.
Spencer catches Harper before they get onto the plane, to talk before they take off for Oklahoma.
"Weren't we just on a plane yesterday?" Harper asks walking down the aisle.
"That was a crowded passenger plan with our daughter" Spencer says smiling as Harper sat down on the couch next to him.
"Why were you two on a plane yesterday?" Morgan asks sitting down at the table.
"We went to see my parents, to work some things out with my mom and have them meet Amelia" Spencer says.
"Ah ok. How are they doing?" Morgan asks.
"Better. My mom was excited to see Amelia as well as learn the news of our baby boy. She even promised they'd come visit us here. My dad and I are trying to get her moved in with him and maybe convince her to move closer to Harper and I" Spencer says.
"That's great kid" Morgan says.
"Yeah now it's just going to take time but we're going in the right direction" Spencer says as everyone else slowly files onto the plane.
The team was up in the air by the time they started going over the UNSUB.
"Victimology is very similar, blonde hair, blue eyed teenagers" Hotch says staring at the photos of the two previous victims.
"Its believed that they were each abducted near a public transportation stop" JJ says while standing near Emily.
"When was this photo taken?" Emily asks holding up a photo of the latest victim.
"Beth was caught on a bank surveillance camera 3 hours before she disappeared and that is a recent photo of Abby" Morgan says. Examining the photo Emily looks up,
"So she wasn't found in the same clothes she was abducted in" Emily says.
"Maybe he changed them because hers were burned by the sulfuric acid" Rossi says.
"Possible, sulfuric acid can turn human flesh into soap" Spencer says adding his random fact.
"Garcia can you find similar cases in the surrounding area?" Hotch asks putting his file down.
"Actually yes, two months ago, a prostitute and a runaway were found raped and killed. Both with stab wounds to their eyes" Garcia says from the computer screen.
"So maybe he practiced on higher risk victims first" JJ says.
"And then advanced to chemical inoculation" Morgan states.
"Isn't that a rare perihelia?" JJ asks confused.
"Well the chemical part is, it would exacerbates the pain" Emily says clarifying.
"Like Ed Campers, he's probably practicing on surrogates before going after the real object of his rage" Rossi says.
"That or he's taking his frustration out on people him who remind him of the object of his rage or frustration that he can't go after himself" Harper says.
"Dav, you and I will talk to the parents. Morgan and Prentiss you'll go the disposal sights. JJ, I want you and Spencer to the abduction sights. Lastly, Harper I'd like to go over the case files from the prostitute and the runaway and compare them to Beth and Abby" Hotch says. Everyone nods and keeps looking over the case files until they land. Going their separate ways like Hotch asked.
The team breaks up into their respective groups. Detectives meet up with Morgan and Emily at the disposal sights and Harper goes with Hotch and Rossi to the station.
"The parents are waiting for you both in the interview rooms, Dr. Prentiss if you'll follow me I have those boards and files really for you" the officer says as the trio comes into the police station.
"Thank you" Harper says following the officer to a conference room. Harper closes the door behind her and lowers the blinds since she knows the parents of the victims are in the station.
She opens their cases first and puts Beth and Abby on the same board. Harper organizes the files on the boards like she's done many times before. After finishing with their latest victims Harper takes a short break, she takes the time to eat something for the baby's stake.
Afterwords Harper continues with the two case files that Penelope found and starts to see the similarities in the boards but also the differences. Harper starts to study the boards carefully, lost in her own world when Rossi comes in. Harper jumps in surprise and looks at the older man with Hotch behind him.
"You almost gave me a heart attack" Harper says holding a hand to her chest.
"Sorry kid. We tried knocking but you were to far gone" Rossi says. Harper nods, knowing how she go when she focused on something.
"Find anything?" Hotch asks, watching the exchange between Harper and Rossi.
"Yes and no. I believe they are the same UNSUB but he's made some changes between the runaway and Beth" Harper says and starts explaining to Hotch and Rossi the differences and similarities in the cases.
Meanwhile, Spencer and JJ arrive at the first abduction site.
"Beth got off the bus here and headed northwest towards class" Spencer says.
"Its amazing no one witnessed her abduction" JJ says.
"Maybe our UNSUB is a little bit like Bundy, where he fakes an injury in order to get her to help him" Spencer says coming to a stop at the bus stop. JJ comes around and stands in front of him.
"Or maybe he chose another tactic and was like wow you're really pretty. You should be a model, I can take your photo" Spencer says turning away from JJ.
"Either one would disarm her" Spencer says looking over the abduction site again.
"Charm is quiet the killer" JJ says looking at Spencer.
"So are tears. Whatever his ruse was he used it to most likely get her into his vehicle" Spencer says as JJ moves her hair form her face due to the wind.
"Well if Abby was last seen at a bus stop a few miles away then he defiantly has means of transportation" JJ says.
"Hopefully the disposal site will tell us more" Spencer says walking off with JJ in tow, she followed him back to the car where they road in silence to the police station.
Once JJ and Spencer arrive at the station, the team looks grim, "What's going on?" JJ asks.
"Another girl was just found" Morgan says. Rossi, Spencer and JJ head out to the newest disposal site.
"Again he's disposing in an area frequented by homeless people" Rossi says as they walk towards the crime scene of the latest victim.
"Its equidistant between the last two dump sites" Spencer says holding a map.
"Well he burned her tongue with the chemical this time" JJ says leaning down and opening the girls mouth, noticing the chemical burns.
"So he removed her ability to taste" Rossi says.
"Why would he do that?" the detective asks.
"Historically this kind of torture was used to prevent someone from reviealing a secret" Spencer says.
"Maybe she offended him" JJ says.
"Her lips extremely chapped" Rossi says focusing on the case in front of him.
"She was probably forced to repeatedly participate in some sort of kissing fantasy" Spencer says.
"And when things go array he takes the offending sense away" JJ says.
"She wasn't tortured in these clothes which means the 80s are essential to his delusions" Spencer says.
"Maybe that's when the rejection occur and he's held onto the clothes all these years" Rossi says.
"And now he's attacking girls who remind him of women from that time" JJ says.
"He's fixated on a type and he's made them fit into his fantasy" Spence says.
"Why start now?" the detective asks.
"Something probably triggered it. And instead of dealing with it, he's acting out" JJ says.
Back at the police station. JJ and Spencer talk about their finding with the team and help devise a profiler of their killer.
Emily and Morgan go off to look at any place that could them a lead on their UNSUB.
Emily pulled Morgan aside and asks "How are you dealing now that I'm actually back instead of running in Europe" Emily asks.
"There a lot about you being back that hasn't settled yet but it'll take some time" Morgan says.
"Well it was a glorified vacation" Emily says getting a smile out of Morgan.
"Come on, rub it in why don't you but you're here now and that's all that matters" Morgan says.
"Thank you" Emily says.
Meanwhile, Harper follows Spencer to the seats at one of the tables.
"Hey Ace" Harper says as she approaches her husband. Spencer takes a deep breath.
"How are you doing?" he says.
"I'm making another person and the smell of coffee no longer nauseates me, so I'm good" Harper says as the team keep talking around them.
"Have you eaten anything?" Spencer asks concerned.
"Yes Mister Worrywart. I just had something. You can ask Rossi and Hotch, they scared me while I was going through the reports" Harper says smiling.
"Well you can get absorbed in them pretty easily" Spencer says.
"Yeah like you and your books" Harper says laughing.
"Hey guys we've got something" Rossi says to them.
"Let's get back to work" Harper says to Spencer as she stands up. Spencer nods and they get back to work on the case. Helping to find the niece of the UNSUB alive and in enough time to possibly save her feeling in her hands from the sulfuric acid.
Emily comes over to talk to Spencer while Harper is talking to Rossi about dinner plans.
"So the surgeon believes he can restore feeling into Tami's hands" Emily says.
"Good we got there in time" Spencer says looking down at his book.
"I heard her father wants to watch the tape" Emily says.
"People have innate curiously to see things in order to be familiarize with them" Spencer says.
"Ah well that explains why I'm going to Rossi's tomorrow night. I want to see if he really can cook. You coming?" Emily asks.
"With all the traveling we've done, I'm not so sure we can make it" Spencer says.
"Come on, its a once in a lifetime chance to see David Rossi cook, plus I know Harper's dying to see if his recipe beats hers. Are you going to go to Rossi's tomorrow?" Emily asks.
"We'll see" Spencer says glancing as Harper laughed at something Rossi had said.
The next day, a majority of the team was already as Rossi's house, wanting to see if he could cook. Having everything ready, he begun his lesson.
"Cooking is the most sentinel art form and these are my paints" Rossi says.
"So your hands must be brushes" Penelope says.
"Don't interrupt" Rossi says to Penelope.
"In a pot of boiling water, we cook our spaghetti until it is firm to the tooth. Pass it around. Feel the tecture. Now" Rossi says pausing.
"In a large pan, we fire up our other ingredients. Keeping a sharp eye that our edges are crip" Rossi says.
"But careful not to burn the onions" Hotch says.
"Bravo Aaron" Rossi says. Hotch gives a look.
"Then sauté until translucent" Rossi says. When the doorbell goes off.
"I've got it" Derek says.
"Thank you" Rossi says.
JJ picks up her wine glass, "No. Put that down" Rossi says. Rossi keeps explaining while Harper and Spencer walked in with Amelia.
"Sorry we're late" Spencer says.
"And this is why I cook alone but let me see my granddaughter and that'll make up for your tartiness" Rossi says.
Harper walks over with Amelia, "Let's go see papa. Tell him what you told me before we got out of the car" Harper says quietly to her daughter.
Amelia, squealing reached for Rossi, "Pa..pa..luv...u..." Amelia says as Rossi takes Amelia from Harper. Rossi gets a little teary eyed and talks to Amelia in Italian. Harper had started speaking to Amelia more in Italian to help her better learn the language. Spencer helped on occasion but stuck to strictly teaching Amelia English to help her be bilingual.
When Amelia was done with Rossi she spotted Emily and became excited, "Gram...a" Amelia says reaching for her grandmother. Emily felt better but looked to Harper and Spencer for approval. Harper nodded her head, encouraging her mother to take her granddaughter.
Harper made the dinner while Spencer kept any eye on Amelia, mainly because everyone else was cooking too. When all was said and done Harper sat Amelia down and feed her dinner. Meanwhile, Spencer walks over to JJ while the rest of the team eats and are socializing with one another.
"How are things going for the party preparation?" JJ asks Spencer.
"I haven't a clue. Garcia is taking care of everything" Spencer says with smile.
"Are you sure there is a party?" JJ asks laughing.
"Yes and don't forget to bring Will and Henry to it" Spencer says smiling at her.
"I promise I won't" JJ says as the team carries on with trying to see who's pasta is the best.
Once again thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Please leave a comment, review, or PM me to let me know what you think of the story and if you have any suggestions!
Also I want to know what you all think the baby should be named, should Harper be given a case of her own, or should something that wasn't in season 7 happened? Let me know what you think!