Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.
A/N: Shout out to criminalmindsrocks, fishtrek, lolyncut for reviewing chapter 29.
lolyncut: As much as I want Spencer and Clarissa to have the sixth child that's mentioned in my one-shot Nurse Clarissa Reid Doesn't Play Cards, they won't be having their sixth child until between Target Rich and Entropy (And yes I have plans for Cat Adams). Clarissa gave birth to Ariel and Caden nine months prior and aside from needing to give her uterus a break from having four kids in less than three years, they need to adjust to having to raise an amputee son since Caden is an amputee.
I can use some positive thoughts right now since my 75-year-old grandmother who has watched Criminal Minds since the beginning and will help me brainstorm my stories over the phone when I'm waiting for the city bus has been diagnosed with lung cancer. This grandmother has lived in various states and even lived in Japan during the Korean War, so I enjoy hearing stories about her childhood as a Navy Brat.
Dealing with a winter snowstorm right now. The date I was supposed to go on with a friend who admitted that he has a crush on me yesterday and today got postponed until Tuesday because of my grandma getting diagnosed with cancer yesterday and today's snowstorm that is bringing over eight inches of snow. Hopefully, the weather holds up on Tuesday so this date can happen.
As they were flying home from Bristol, Virginia, Hotch looked at his brother-in-law, "Are you OK, Spencer?" asked Hotch.
"Just thinking about my 80-year-old grandparents who have been living with Clarissa, the kids, the nannies, and I since they surprised us with a larger house that fits Caden's needs in the future," said Spencer.
Rossi thought about The Butcher having Alzheimer's Disease, "Are you worried that they might develop Alzheimer's?" asked Rossi.
"As of right now, their memory is perfect, but they haven't gone back to Vegas since they moved out here so they can be closer to my aunt Mary, my cousins Maeve and Jacob, their great-grandchildren, and me. Plus I haven't been to Vegas since Evan was five-months-old and Ariel and Caden have yet to meet Aunt Elena and see my parents' grave," said Spencer.
Hotch thought about knowing what Spencer had yet to do since Ariel and Caden were born and Diana, Bridget, and Evan already got to do, "Do you want to take a three-day weekend within the next few weeks so you can take Evan, Ariel, Caden, and your grandparents to Las Vegas so you can visit your parents' grave?" asked Hotch.
Spencer thought about all the vacation time he took so he could go on his second honeymoon, Caden having his lower leg amputated, going to Los Angeles to stand up in Parker Dunley's and Lila Archer's wedding, and taking his three oldest children to Disney World, "Are you sure that I can manage a day off after all the vacation time I took this year?" asked Spencer.
"I'm sure," said Hotch.
A minute later Spencer was pulling out his personal laptop he started to look up flights to Las Vegas before he found six seats so Evan, Ariel, and Caden could ride in their booster or car seats.
"Did you find a flight?" asked Rossi.
"Found a flight for next week Friday and there are five empty seats in business class right by each other," said Spencer.
"Are you going to have Evan, Ariel and Caden fly in their car seats?" asked Rossi.
"Clarissa and I always have Diana, Bridget, and Evan fly in their booster seats or car seats, but knowing Ariel she's going to be a lap infant on me," said Spencer.
"She's an extreme daddy's girl like Diana and Bridget are, so I'm not surprised that you'll have Ariel ride on your lap," said Hotch.
"And having Ariel be a lap infant helps me make sure that I'm sitting in the same section with Evan, Ariel, and Caden," said Spencer.
"Please give me your laptop," said Rossi.
"Are you thinking about paying for the plane tickets?" asked Spencer.
"Your contribution to this case finally helped me catch The Butcher, so please let me pay for those tickets and a suite at the hotel so you and your two youngest children can go on a mini-vacation with your 80-year-old grandparents," said Rossi.
Spencer sighed, "OK."
A minute later Rossi had Spencer's laptop in front of him as he used his credit card to quickly booking six first-class seats for a round trip and found a nice hotel and booked two rooms before he got the information printed off, "You'll be flying out on next week Friday at 3 PM Eastern Time while you'll be flying home at Sunday at 9 AM Pacific Time."
A minute later Spencer's eyes went wide when he saw the six first-class seats right by each other listed on the receipt, "That is too much."
"Your 29th birthday is in about three weeks, so consider these first-class seats and the hotel as your birthday present for me," said Rossi.
Spencer sighed, "Even though I can't believe that the tenth anniversary of the day I lost my aunt Ethel and uncle Gordon is coming up, I really can't believe that it will be 25 years since my mom and dad died."
"Are you already thinking about going to Las Vegas for the 25th anniversary?" asked Hotch.
"Yes, but I know that Clarissa, Diana, Bridget, Evan, Ariel, and Caden will be going with me if I go in March," said Spencer.
Spencer entered his house and smiled when he saw his 80-year-old grandparents sitting on the couch watching the news.
"I see that The Butcher is finally caught," said Grandpa Evan.
"Yes, but his son has been helping out the past few weeks to help his father who has Alzheimer's remember," said Spencer.
"That's twisted," said Grandma Lydia.
"You heard the idiom the apple doesn't fall from the wrong tree," said Spencer.
"If you're worried about your grandmother and me getting sick with Alzheimer's in the future, please stop worrying since neither of our parents had it," said Grandpa Evan.
Spencer thought about the three day weekend he asked his brother-in-law for and the plane tickets he bought before leaving work, "We're going on a little trip next week Friday."
"Where are we going?" asked Grandma Lydia.
"You two, little Evan, Ariel, Caden, and I are going to Las Vegas since I thought that we could visit my parents' grave since I haven't been there since Michael Bridge's abduction," said Spencer.
"What about work?" asked Grandpa Evan.
"Aaron gave me next week Friday off since he knew that I've been wanting to take Ariel and Caden to my parents' graves for a long time," said Spencer before looking at his grandparents, "Our flight is at 3 PM next week Friday, so I hope you two don't mind missing Shabat."
"We would take whatever flight you booked," said Grandpa Evan.
Spencer looked on the clock of the fireplace and saw that it was 9 PM, "I might as well go kiss the kids goodnight and find out what Clarissa is up to."
A minute later Spencer was visiting the four bedrooms that his children were sleeping in and kissed each child before he found Clarissa taking a bubble bath.
"Hi," said Spencer.
"Is David finally glad to catch The Butcher?" asked Clarissa.
"Yes and hopefully he'll conquer his writer's block for his next book," said Spencer.
"I still can't believe that he asked you to co-author this book with him," said Clarissa.
"It's another way to make it up for sending me in that ditch," said Spencer before giving his wife his puppy-dog eye look.
Clarissa laughed, "You can join me."
Spencer quickly undressed before he joined his wife in the tub.
A few days later Spencer was pushing Ariel and Caden in a stroller as he and his grandparents who were walking while holding little Evan's hand approached his parents' graves. After spreading out a blanket, Spencer was on the blanket with Ariel and Caden on his lap as he looked at the grave, "Hi mom. Hi dad. Sorry that it took almost two years to come back here. I'm still working for the F.B.I. and work got hectic last year since I developed a lung infection, got shot, my former sister-in-law died, and Clarissa gave birth to Ariel and Caden. Diana will be seven and she's happy in the fourth grade. Bridget turned three last month and she's already loving preschool while she has Autism. Evan here turned two in June and he's excited about going to school next year like his big sisters. Ariel and Caden will be 10-months-old on the 28th and Ariel's an extreme daddy's girl while Caden is a Mama's boy and recently had a below the knee amputation when he turned six-months-old because of his left fibula being shorter. Next March will be 25 years since you two were taken away from me so soon and I miss you two every day."
Little Evan looked at his father, "Your mommy and daddy here?" asked Evan.
Spencer nodded, "Your grandma Diana and your grandpa William ended up falling into a deep sleep like Aurora from "Sleeping Beauty" and Snow White from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" of March 30th of 1986 when I was four-years-old. Sadly, no one can wake them up."
"OK," said Evan before looking at his paternal grandparents' graves, "Hi Nana Diana. Hi Papa William. I granson Evan."
After little Evan started to tell his paternal grandparents about himself, Grandma Lydia looked at the grave that had her oldest son underneath, "Spencer has tuned out to be a wonderful young man who's a great father to your grandchildren Diana, Bridget, Evan, Ariel, and Caden. We're cherishing the time we have left with Spencer and we'll make amends with you when it's your father's or my time."
After their visit to the cemetery, Spencer, Ariel, Caden, Grandma Lydia, and Grandpa Evan were walking through a park that Spencer frequented as a child when he saw a chess table, "Want to play chess, grandpa?" asked Spencer.
"Sure," said Grandpa Evan.
Spencer looked at his oldest son, "Want to continue learning how to play chess by watching your Grandpa Evan and me play? When we're done with our game, I'll push you on the swing."
"Yes, daddy," said Evan.
Halfway through the game, Spencer looked at his grandparents as he smiled at the oldest son holding a Rook that he took from his great-grandfather, "I'm glad that I tracked you two down when I did. My childhood and the career I chose taught me that life is precious and I need to take the family I have left for granted."
"I do have regrets about not approaching you at your parents' funeral when you were four," said Grandpa Evan.
"I know," said Spencer before looking down at his son, "Which piece should I move next?" asked Spencer.
Evan grinned as he pointed at one of the white chess pieces that his father was using as he stated which square he needed to move the piece Evan wanted him to move.
Spencer smiled, "I see that Diana's and my chess lessons to you and Bridget are paying off."
Five minutes later a triumphant Spencer looked at his grandfather, "Checkmate."
"I hungy, daddy," said Evan.
Spencer looked at his watch, "Then let's go get some lunch."
A few minutes later Spencer was driving his grandparents and his three youngest children to a diner he frequented at as a child before he took Evan, Ariel, and Caden to their hotel for their afternoon nap.
Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., Clarissa looked at her two oldest daughters while they had a tea party together, "Since your daddy's birthday is in two weeks, aside from having family portraits scheduled on the morning of daddy's birthday, we're going to go get your pictures taken before we go shopping for daddy's gifts this afternoon," said Clarissa.
"What about Evan, Ariel, and Caden getting their pictures taken while they help out on picking out a gift?" asked Diana.
"Lucy and Anthony will be taking Evan, Ariel, and Caden to get their pictures taken on Monday. And the next time daddy's on a case, I'll take them to get an additional gift the next time daddy's on a case," said Clarissa before grinning at her two oldest daughters, "After we go shopping for daddy's birthday gift, what do you two think about going to get your nails done?" asked Clarissa.
"Even though I'm painting a coffee mug in art class for daddy, great idea, mommy," said Diana.
"I want purple," said Bridget.
"You can get your fingernails and toenails painted any color you two girls want," said Clarissa.
An hour later Diana and Bridget were dressed in their favorite dresses as a photographer took a picture of them together before additional photographs of the girls were taken separately.
After they were done getting pictures taken, Diana and Bridget were combining their allowance to buy a new tie, dress shirt, and cardigan sweater that their father didn't have yet while Clarissa was glad to help pay the difference.
The next afternoon Spencer was carrying the car seats that held Ariel and Caden while his grandmother pushed a stroller that contained Evan through the airport and Evan grinned when he saw his mother, "Mommy!" exclaimed Evan.
"Hi big boy!" exclaimed Clarissa.
Caden kicked his right leg as he saw his mother, "Mama!"
"Hey baby boy," said Clarissa.
Ariel who was on a baby carrier on her father's chest grinned, "Mama!"
"Hi cupcake," said Clarissa.
"I see rattlesnakes at the zoo," said Evan.
"I saw the pictures that daddy took of you at the Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park," asked Clarissa.
"We go to that zoo again?" asked Evan.
"We'll go there again since I'm already planning that we go back to Vegas for the 25th anniversary of my parents' deaths," said Spencer.
"Were Ana and Ridget?" asked Evan.
"Diana went to see "Alpha and Omega" with Courtney and Aria and Bridget is having her afternoon nap right now," said Clarissa.
"My ears hurt from the plane and I take nap on the plane," said Evan.
"Evan was well behaved on the plane," said Spencer.
"That's good," said Clarissa before looking at her husband, "Did you see your aunt Elena at all?" asked Clarissa.
Spencer shook his head, "She was having a violent episode before I tried to take Evan, Ariel, and Caden to meet her, so I didn't visit her at all during our time in Vegas."
"We'll visit her the next time you go," said Clarissa before looking at her three youngest children, "Let's get going home so mommy can have some cuddles with you three before Diana gets home in an hour."
"Yay!" cheered Evan.
"Aye!" cheered Ariel and Caden as both twins clapped their hands.
Two hours later the Reid family, Lucy, and Anthony were sitting around the dining room table while Evan told his mother and big sisters about what he did in his daddy's hometown while Diana and Bridget told their father about getting their nails done and picking out new dresses for their upcoming family portraits.
A/N: The next chapter will take place a few weeks later on Spencer's 29th birthday!