A/N: Hello again, everyone!
A shout-out to ahowell1993, Love. Fiction .2020 and Martha for either reviewing Chapter 34, favoring and/or following the story. A chapter to get everyone who is social distancing themselves to smile.
My apologies if I had made any mistakes but please do enjoy the chapter!
Also, I would like to credit ahowell1993 for helping me with this chapter.
"Hey, bro!" Élise warmly greeted her brother over the phone, cooking some breakfast and heating up some freshly brewed coffee. "How are you?"
Arthur answered, "I'm good."
"How's Brenda?" Élise asked again.
"She's good."
"Did you get the present I sent you?"
"I did and I loved it. Thanks again."
Élise smiled, "I just wanted to see how you two are doing."
"We're cool. How's my future brother-in-law? If he hurt you, I'll kick his ass."
Élise giggles, "He's hasn't; as always, he's a complete gentleman, so don't worry, okay?"
"I'm your older brother, I'm supposed to be like that. But I guess your point, sis."
"Sure, you do." Élise looked at the time on her cell phone. "I better get going. I got a busy day ahead of me."
"Okay. Later, love you."
"Same here," Élise replies before hanging up and began pouring a cup of coffee once she saw Reid walking into the kitchen. "Morning, sweet brain." Élise kisses his lips.
"Morning." Reid kisses her back before observing Opal sleeping in her playpen.
"Oh, let her sleep," Élise suggested. "She looks so cute sleeping."
"I know." Reid placed a few of her chew toys in her pen before Élise offers him some coffee and took a sip. "Mmm. Just what I needed."
"Mmm-hmm." Élise strokes her fingers around his hair. "How are you feeling?"
"Great! In about two months, I'm going to marry you."
"And in two months, I'm going to marry you." Élise playfully bops his nose.
Reid questioned, "Now, what do we have left?"
As Élise looks through her wedding checklist on her recently updated Samsung phone, "Anna sent me some photos of the invites, the tableware, floor arrangement and bar, vendors, reception details."
"We can look over them and pick out the ones we like."
"Definitely, babe," Élise whispers closely into his ears. "We can start right now."
"Indeed, we can."
"Oh, I can't believe we're bridesmaids shopping." Garcia squealed in excitement as she entered the Nordstrom Wedding Suite.
"I can," Prentiss replies. "So, JJ…when are you and Will going to tie the knot?"
"Someday, ladies." JJ coolly answers. "I don't want to rush anything."
"Just to let you know, JJ," Élise began to warn JJ. "My mother and Spencer's Aunt Ethel might say something about you and Will."
JJ wonders, "What makes you say that?"
"You and Will have known each other for about three years and you two have a 16-month-old son. Spencer's aunt and my mother might force you and Will to marry in Las Vegas, so…just…"
"Thanks for the warning."
"Of course. And another thing, ladies. I've never done the whole girl group thing." Élise admits.
"Never?" A dumbstruck Prentiss asked.
Élise truthfully replies, "Never. I…guess you can say I lost touch with my gal pals in high school. Plus, I was never a fan of girl drama, so…we just went our separate ways."
JJ suggests, "Maybe you can invite them to your wedding."
Élise shrugs her shoulders, "Maybe. Even though it's been so long, it would be nice to hear from them."
Garcia claps her hands, perking up. "Come on, ladies. Let's look for our bridesmaid dress. And shoes. And accessories. And maybe something…"
"Let's just go." Prentiss chuckled.
"Hmm." I like this dress." Garcia presents a bright pink cold-shoulder ruffled wrap dress.
"Cute." Élise comments before adding, "But remember, we will be square dancing at the reception party."
"True." Garcia agreed before changing into something else.
As JJ placed her hands on her hips, "How about this one?" She wore a classic blue flutter sleeve open-back cocktail dress.
"Hmm," Élise cocks her head. "Looks a little too conservative, don't you think?"
"How about this one," Prentiss came out, wearing a burgundy bishop sleeve ruffled chiffon cutout mini dress.
"Oh no," Élise shakes her head. "My mother…and Aunt Ethel…would curse Spencer and I for life."
"Well, it's a good thing I didn't wear the sleeveless with the deep V neckline." Prentiss points to her chest. "It would have been quite a show."
"I bet it would have been." JJ lifts her eyebrows three times and chuckled, along with Garcia. Clearing her throat, "But I get your point." Looking through the rest of the bridesmaid dresses, "I think there's one dress that'll fit all our styles but still balance for the conservative parties." She pulls out a dress.
"And I think I found our dresses, ladies."
Élise smiled once she saw JJ, Prentiss, and Garcia in their bridesmaids' dress:
A cocktail-length chiffon dress with jeweled spaghetti straps, draped V-neck and midriff and shirred skirt. JJ was in Windsor Blue, Prentiss in Parisian Red, and Garcia in Vivid Pink.
JJ twirls around, "Fabulous."
"I felt hot." Prentiss looks at herself in the mirror.
"I am hot." Garcia fans herself flirtatious.
As Élise smirks, "So, do we say 'Yes' to the bridesmaid dress?"
"Yes!"
Élise was doing some paperwork when she noticed her cell phone vibrating. Answering it,
"Hello."
"Hello, my Queen." Reid sweetly responds.
Her voice went a bit high, "Hi at you back, sweet brain. What are you up to?"
"The team and I going to New Mexico to investigate some abductions and murders."
"Okay. Be careful or those unsubs are going to have to deal with me."
Chuckling, "I will. Love you."
"I love you time pi."
"I love it when you get mathematical."
After the plane ride to New Mexico, Hotch wanted Reid and Rossi to visit the last dumping ground.
"So, she was abducted 32.9 miles west of here," Reid said as he observed the ditch, "Which means if they drove the speed limit They got here in 30 minutes or less."
"So, how long's it gonna take you to get in that ditch?" Rossi asked, pointing to the ditch.
"Get in that ditch?" Reid puzzlingly asked. "I got shot in the knee, remember? My doctor said I'm not allowed to do any climbing."
"It's a ditch."
"New boots, huh?" Reid figured. "Italian leather?" Reid starts to steadily walk down into the ditch.
"Yeah, what can I tell you?" Rossi wipes the dirt from his boots. "So, uh, From here I can be seen by any passing vehicle."
"And I can't," Reid replies.
"So, she was dumped at night."
"Must have."
"He drives up, dumps the body. Job done; he leaves."
"I don't think so." Reid thought.
"What?" Rossi questioned.
"All 5 victims were found posed in the fetal position With their right arm palm-Up, left arm palm-Down," Reid said, remember the positions from the crime scene photos.
Rossi guessed, "Remorse?"
"Or staging."
"To look like what?"
"Like they're asleep." Reid presumed.
"You have any ideas why?"
"No."
"Well, I guess there is a first time for everything," Rossi said before walking away.
"Hey, Rossi, I'm gonna need a little bit of help getting out of this ditch." Reid called out for Rossi, only for him to keep on walking, "Rossi! Rossi?" Realizing he is not coming back for him, "Hey... I got it." Reid slowly gets out of the ditch himself.
As Hotch was looking through the crime scene photos, he noticed Reid walking slowly. Concerned about him,
"Reid?"
"Hey, Hotch." Reid quietly said as he sat down.
"Something wrong with your leg?"
"I went into a ditch and Rossi left me there. Leaving me to climb back up, even though my doctor doesn't allow me to do any climbing."
"I'm going to have to write Dave up for that."
"Just wait until I tell Élise about this."
"Hey, you." Élise flirtatiously answers to Reid at the first ring.
"Hey," Reid greets Élise back as he let out a soft grunt.
"What happened?" Élise sensed something was wrong with Reid.
"While investigating a crime scene, Rossi left me at a ditch because he didn't want to get his new Italian boots dirty."
"Oh, ready," Élise tranquility seethed. "When you guys get home, I want you all to come down to the house."
"Why?"
"You'll see. Love you. Stay safe."
The case ended in a bittersweet note. The unsub turned out to be a truck driver who was trying to find a mother figure for his daughter so that she wouldn't have to be adopted. The unsub ended up committing suicide. His daughter's potential adoptive family backed out but her maternal aunt ended up taking her in.
"So…" Prentiss said as she and the rest of the team with Reid leading the way, "What does Élise have in store for us?"
"She said it was a surprise." Opening the door, "Hi, honey! I'm home!" Reid announced as he led the team inside and locked in the security alarm.
"Hello, everyone!" Élise warmly meets the team, petting Opal as they were on the couch, watching television. Her eyes darted directly at,
"Rossi." She coolly replies.
"Élise." Rossi sensed something wrong.
"Please get over here," Élise ordered.
"You're in trouble," Reid whispers in his ear.
"Rossi!" Élise yelled loud.
As Rossi walks slowly,
"I have a little present for you." Élise hands him a folder.
"Aww, what is it?"
Still smiling, "A lawsuit."
"Told you," Reid said.
Rossi's head picked up, giving her a confused face and looked at the folder, containing the lawsuit. As he began reading it, "For what?"
"Negligence," Élise answered before continuing. "You knew Spencer got shot in the leg. And you knew he's not allowed to do any climbing."
"It was a ditch."
"I don't give two cents and a dollar if it was a loose step."
Morgan whispers to Reid, "I'm surprised she's not using foul language right now."
"Oh, I'm about to," Élise said to Morgan, knowing she saw him say something to Reid. Turning her attention back to Rossi, "You were more concern about your dog-damn Italian boots than my fiancé's well-being?!" Élise exclaimed.
Taking the chance to calm Élise down, "How about I make you a deal?"
"It better be a good deal." Élise was willing to listen but motioned him to hurry it up. "But make it quick before I change my mind."
"How about I pay for Reid's doctor appointments for the rest of the year?" Rossi suggested.
Élise pouted her lips and took a few minutes to think about it, "That's a start. Now here's my proposition: you're going to pay for the entire wedding."
"Say what?"
"You heard me. You're going to pay for our wedding. From the caters to Reid's cousin who's planning our wedding, Anna; from the hotel and to flights, including our honeymoon."
"Are you…?"
"Do you want me to add emotional distress to the lawsuit?" Élise waves the lawsuit at him. "Believe me. The costs will be really big. And I mean really."
Sighing in defeat, "I'll do it."
Grinning, "Why, thank you, Rossi." As Élise looked down, "By the way, Opal left two surprising gifts for you on your precious Italian boots."
"Opal!" Reid cried before chuckling.
JJ giggled, "She peed on his shoes."
"And a really big something as well," Prentiss noted.
"We toilet-trained you." Reid reminded her.
"Guess she told those lessons right out the window." Hotch began snickering. "That was milder than me writing you up, Dave."
"I'm sure Rossi wouldn't mind cleaning that up, right, Davie?" Élise grinned at Rossi.
Knowing he doesn't want to get on her bad side, "Why, of course not, Élise."
"Thank you. Now," Elis cupped her hands together. "Who wants some vegetable lasagna?"
"I do!" Garcia quickly raised her hand.
"I'm hungry." Prentiss comments.
"Same here."
"Then, let's eat!"
