Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.
A/N: Shout out to fishtrek, OneTrueAkatsuki, msladyaries08, criminalmindsrock, and lolyncut for reviewing chapter 27.
This chapter starts the morning after the next chapter.
Spencer was about to head out the door to go to work when a crying Ariel toddled over to him.
"Dada no go," cried Ariel.
Spencer scooped up Ariel, "Daddy has to go back to work so he can make money to buy you diapers, your favorite pureed peaches, clothes, books, toys, and send your older sisters to school next week."
"Tay wit Dada," cried Ariel.
Clarissa quickly pulled out her phone and called her brother who answered on the second ring.
"Is everything OK, Clarissa?" asked Hotch.
"Ariel is very clingy with Spence right now and is giving her father a hard time about him leaving for work. Would it be an issue if Spence brings Ariel to work? If Spence gets a case, I can pick Ariel up."
"Spencer can bring Ariel to work and he can easily work in the conference room or my office so my eight-month-old niece doesn't bother anyone," said Hotch.
"Thank you and I'll let Spence know that its take your youngest daughter to work day," said Clarissa before hanging up and looked at her husband, "Ariel can go to work with you."
Spencer looked at Ariel, "Then we better get everything you need so I'm not any later to work princess."
Ariel grinned as she clapped her hands.
20 minutes later, Bridget looked at her Irish twin as they watched their father place Ariel into her car seat, "Let me teach how to play "Do Re, Me" on the piano."
Spencer smiled as he thought about Bridget trying to teach her Irish twin how to play the piano causing Evan to already know a few songs, "Good luck on your piano lessons with Evan today, squirt."
Lucy smiled at Spencer, "I'll make sure to make a video."
"Thank you," said Spencer before looking at Diana, "What are you going to do while Ariel is at work with me?" asked Spencer.
"I'll play with Bridget, Evan, and Caden while I help with daily chores," said Diana.
"Aside from making sure that my office is ready at Washington International School, I'll be making sure that Diana's and Bridget's uniforms are ready to wear to school next Monday," said Clarissa.
"Why is every student now being required to wear uniforms again?" asked Diana.
"After the rise of students wandering off during school field trips, how students are dressing at the upper school, and girls being late to school because of taking too long to pick out an outfit or parents tell their kids to change into more appropriate clothes the headmistress and headmaster at the lower and upper schools decided that uniforms are a needed to identify students who wander away during field trips faster while there are fewer distractions," said Clarissa.
"OK," said Diana.
A few minutes later Spencer was placing Ariel into his SUV before he started his nearly hour-long drive to Quantico.
An hour later Spencer was pushing a stroller that contained a babbling Ariel into the B.A.U. and he gave his brother-in-law who was talking to Chief Strauss in the bullpen a sheepish smile, "I hope that you're still OK about me bringing Ariel to work today, Hotch."
"We're not leaving for any cases this week since the jet has gone in for maintenance after a hail storm caused damage to the jet causing us to take a commercial flight home," said Hotch before smiling a bit at his niece who was grinning at him, "When it comes to my eight-month-old niece, I saw how much Ariel was missing you while you, my sister, Diana, Bridget, and Evan were in Orlando so its OK for your youngest daughter to be here today."
Spencer smiled, "Speaking of Ariel missing me, did your sister send you a video from last night?" asked Spencer.
"No," said Hotch.
"I guess Clarissa wanted you to see everything for yourself then," said Spencer as he smiled at Ariel and removed her from her stroller and set the eight-month-old baby girl who was wearing a pink knee-length sundress that had daisies on them, had her blonde and curly chin-length hair pulled into pigtails, and wore mismatched socks and pink converse sneakers onto the floor in a standing position, "Want to show uncle Aaron what you did for me when you saw me walked through the door last night, princess?" asked Spencer as he let go of his youngest daughter's hands.
"Aye, Dada!" exclaimed Ariel as she clapped her hands before she took the 15 wobbly steps towards her uncle Aaron with a big grin on her face, "Hi!"
Hotch grinned as he scooped up his youngest niece, "Look at you, Ariel."
"Eight-months-old and walking," said Chief Strauss.
Spencer smiled as he watched his brother-in-law scoop up his youngest niece, "Best welcome home surprise from Ariel," said Spencer before shaking his head, "You should have seen the glare that Caden gave Ariel after he watched his twin sister walk to me."
Hotch chuckled as he thought about Caden and his four siblings already having the hereditary 'Hotchner glare' "Regret being married to a Hotchner?" asked Hotch.
Spencer shook his head, "Not at all," said Spencer before looking at Hotch, "Would it be an issue for me to work in the conference room today?" asked Spencer.
"Not at all and you can borrow the pack and play that Garcia keeps here for Hank and Barbara," said Hotch before looking at his youngest niece, "Unless you want to stay in uncle Aaron's office."
Ariel glared at Hotch before pointing at her daddy, "Tay Dada."
"I see that Ariel has mastered the glare too," said Chief Strauss.
A few minutes later Hotch was helping his brother-in-law place a clingy Ariel into a baby carrier across Spencer's chest before Spencer settled himself down in the conference room so he could work on his consults.
Later on that day after lunch, Spencer was fixing himself some coffee while he had Ariel in a baby carrier on his chest when he heard some familiar voices.
"Hi daddy," said Diana.
"Hi daddy," said Bridget.
"Hi daddy," said Evan.
"Dada," said Caden.
Ariel grinned and kicked her legs and grinned at her mother, "Hi Mama!"
Clarissa smiled, "I see that you're happy to be with daddy today."
"She insists on being in her baby carrier, but luckily I'm able to do my paperwork," said Spencer before looking at his two oldest daughters and noticed that they were in their brand new school uniforms, "Did you two want to show off your new school uniforms to me?" asked Spencer.
Diana who was wearing a knee-length red and grey plaid skirt, a red sock on one leg and a grey sock on another leg, and a short-sleeve white blouse that had a sweater vest that had Washington International School embroidered over hear heart nodded as she twirled causing her knee-length red and grey plaid skirt to spread out, "Yes and I'm excited about having an option to wear a sweater vest just like you, daddy."
Spencer smiled, "You did like wearing my cardigans and sweater vests when you were a baby," said Spencer before looking at his second oldest daughter who was wearing a short-sleeve white blouse that had a red and grey jumper dress over, "Do you like your uniform, Bridget?" asked Spencer.
Bridget nodded, "Yes."
At that moment Garcia joined them, "Why are Diana and Bridget wearing clothes that resemble school uniforms?" asked Garcia.
"The school board, PTA, and teachers decided that school uniforms are now mandatory starting next week Monday," said Clarissa.
"I believe that uniforms should be banned and kids should be allowed to individualize themselves with their outfits at school," said Garcia.
Spencer rested his hands over Diana's ears while Clarissa covered Bridget's ears, "When it comes to Diana moving up to the upper school in two years, I'm glad that uniforms will be mandatory since I don't want Diana exposed to what teenage girls are wearing these days."
Garcia looked at Clarissa who was modestly dressed in a short-sleeved pink dress that reached her knees and didn't show any cleavage while she wore pink converse sneakers instead of high-heeled shoes, "Do you approve Diana and Bridget having to wear uniforms to school now?" asked Garcia.
Clarissa nodded, "I had to wear a uniform at the private Christian school I went to in Manassas as a child and I didn't mind wearing uniforms at all."
Diana grinned at Garcia, "Either way, I like the idea of wearing a uniform since I can wear a sweater vest and tie like daddy does while mommy always wears her uniform scrubs to work."
Clarissa looked at Diana and Bridget, "We should let daddy go back to work."
"Can Ariel come home?" asked Bridget.
Clarissa looked at Ariel, "Are you done giving daddy a hard time about going on a vacation without you for a week and give me a hard for being gone?" asked Clarissa.
"No," said Ariel.
Spencer laughed, "Ariel's fine with me, Clara."
A minute later Spencer was giving Bridget a piggyback ride out of the B.A.U. while Ariel stayed in her baby carrier on her father's chest as he escorted Clarissa, Diana, and Bridget to Clarissa's SUV.
A week later Spencer was carrying Bridget on his hip as he, Clarissa, and Diana approached Diana's new classroom where Diana grinned when she recognized her new fourth-grade teacher Mr. Nathaniel Dawson who also attended her church, "Good morning, Mr. Dawson."
Mr. Dawson who was a 50-year-old man smiled at the six-year-old girl he has known since she was a baby, "Good morning, Diana," said Mr. Dawson before smiling at Bridget, "Are you excited about finally going to school like your big sister, Bridget?" asked Mr. Dawson.
Bridget shyly nodded as she pressed her head on her father's shoulder, "I'm excited and I hope that I can skip grades like Diana next school year."
"If you show off the intelligence you show off at church, your mommy and daddy might let you," said Mr. Dawson.
Diana looked at her little sister, "I know that you're scared to start preschool, but you now know where I'll be while mommy will be in the nurse's office."
"OK," said Bridget.
Clarissa looked at her husband, "We should take Bridget to Mrs. Lee's classroom before you carpool to work with Aaron and Emily."
Diana who had already started to fill up her desk that was right in front of her teacher's desk with her school supplies ran over to her father hugged him, "Have a good day at work and I love you, daddy."
Spencer leaned down and hugged his oldest daughter, "I love you too, Diana. If I end up leaving for a case today, I'll find time to call you so I can hear about your first day in the fourth grade."
"OK, daddy," said Diana before hugging her mother, "I'll see you at lunchtime?" asked Diana.
"Bridget and I will eat lunch with you and your friends in the 1st grade today," said Clarissa.
Diana looked at her little sister, "I'll see you at lunchtime and if you're getting scared ask Mrs. Lee to call Mr. Dawson and I'll come straight to Mrs. Lee's classroom."
"OK, Diana," said Bridget.
Mr. Dawson looked at Spencer and Clarissa, "Diana will be fine since I already have advanced work that I can give Diana after she completes the work I give everyone else while she has the same classmates as she did last year."
"Thank you," said Spencer.
A few minutes later Spencer, Clarissa, and Bridget arrived into Mrs. Lee's classroom and Mrs. Lee gasped when she saw Bridget, "You have grown up since I last saw you when you were a baby, Bridget."
"You met me when I was a baby?" asked Bridget.
Mrs. Lee nodded, "There were a few times your father would bring you here to surprise Diana and your mother when he came back from a case and you would alert Diana about your presence by saying hi to everyone."
"Nice," said Bridget before grinning when she saw her friend Aurora, "Aurora."
Aurora smiled when she saw her best friend Bridget, "Hi Bridget."
Spencer saw his brother-in-law and Emily standing in the doorway, "It seems like your uncle Aaron and aunt Emily already took Jack to his four-year-old kindergarten classroom, so I need to get to work."
Bridget's lip started to quiver, "Please don't go, daddy."
Spencer scooped up his three-year-old daughter, "As much as I want to take today off and help out in your classroom, "I already took a lot of time off this year since we went to Florida two weeks ago. How about I find time to call your mother when you, Diana, and your mother are eating lunch together so I can hear how your day is going?" asked Spencer.
"OK, daddy," said Bridget.
Clarissa smiled at her second daughter, "You know that I'm in the nurse's office if you need me, but your father and I believe that you'll be fine since your friend Aurora is here with you."
Aurora looked at Bridget, "Can we go play with the kitchen set?" asked Aurora.
Bridget smiled, "I'll teach you how to make Papa Dave's spaghetti," said Bridget before hugging her father, "I love you, daddy."
Spencer hugged his second daughter, "I love you too, squirt."
Clarissa hugged Bridget, "I have to go to the nurse's office, but I'll see you at lunchtime."
"OK, mommy," said Bridget.
Spencer set his three-year-old daughter on the floor causing the two three-year-old best friends to run off and play with the kitchen set.
"Bridget will be fine and I already have work to challenge Bridget with," said Mrs. Lee.
"At least teaching Diana got you prepared to work with a child prodigy," said Spencer.
"I know," said Mrs. Lee as she shooed Spencer and Clarissa out of her preschool classroom.
A minute later Spencer and Clarissa who was wiping up her tears approached Hotch and Emily.
"Are you two OK?" asked Hotch.
"I can't believe that Diana is now a fourth-grader while Bridget is in preschool," said Spencer.
"Me too," said Clarissa as she lightly kissed her husband on the lips, "Have a good day, Spence."
"Have a good day, Clara," said Spencer.
A minute later Spencer was carpooling to the B.A.U. with his brother-in-law and sister-in-law as he looked at baby pictures of Diana and Bridget.
An hour later Spencer was placing the first day of school picture he took of Diana and Bridget and Clarissa quickly printed off for him onto his desk before he ended up welcoming Bridget's godmother back from six-weeks of maternity leave.
A few hours later Spencer was sitting at his desk eating lunch as he listened to Diana and Bridget tell him about how their first day of preschool or the fourth grade was going.
Later on that evening Spencer was eating dinner with his family as he listened to Diana and Bridget tell him how the rest of their first day of school went while Evan pouted about not being able to go to school like his big sisters.
A/N: I'm crying about Bridget Mackenzie Reid now being a preschooler.