Disclaimer I don't own Criminal Minds.
A/N: Shout out to Fashionista7, criminalmindsrocks, fishtrek, and Daisyangel for reviewing chapter 24.
Sorry for the delay. I dealt with extreme writer's block for this chapter and started rewriting my Spencer/Olivia series, worked on my other stories when I had a muse to work on the chapter, and learned that one of my great-aunts who live in Georgia had passed away. Out of my relatives from Georgia, this was the great-aunt I used to see once a year since she and her husband who is one of my grandmother's four brothers (my maternal grandmother who is still alive has four brothers and had one sister who died a couple of years ago) came up to Wisconsin for a visit until she couldn't travel anymore while I once stayed at her house when my mom, late aunt, and my uncle all had me chaperone my grandma on a trip to Georgia when I was 20.
Spencer who had already gone on his morning run and took a shower entered the nursery where Violet and Arthur were both sharing Arthur's crib and smiled at the sight of Violet and Arthur both laying wide-awake causing him to reach out to Violet so he could start changing her diaper, "Daddy has to go back to work today, so I need you two munchkins to behave for your mother, Aunt Stephanie, Grandma Mary, and Grandpa Joe because there will be times that I'll be away for a few days at a time putting bad men and women into really long timeouts."
After getting Violet's diaper changed and getting Violet into her new onesie that said SORRY BOYS, DADDY SAID THAT I CAN'T DATE UNTIL I'M 30 he placed Violet back into a crib so he could carefully change Arthur's diaper and put his son into his new onesie that said SORRY GIRLS, MOMMY SAID THAT I CAN'T DATE UNTIL I'M 30 just as Maeve entered the bedroom with a bottle that was full of her breast milk.
"Violet and Arthur all changed and dressed?" asked Maeve.
Spencer nodded as he looked at his wife who was wearing a pair of shorts and a button-up short-sleeved blouse to keep her comfortable in the July heat, "Yes."
"Why don't I nurse Arthur while you give Violet her bottle before we head downstairs for breakfast," said Maeve.
"Yes, ma'am," said Spencer.
A minute later Maeve was breastfeeding Arthur while Spencer who ended up unbuttoning his dress shirt bottle-fed Violet as he gave Violet and Arthur a lecture about behaving for mommy, Aunt Stephanie, Grandma Mary, and Grandpa Joe while he's at work.
30 minutes later, Spencer, Maeve, Stephanie, Joe, and Marry were sitting around the breakfast nook eating pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, and kumquats for breakfast while Violet and Arthur were in their baby swings that were gently rocking them when Spencer looked at his half-sister who was wearing overall shorts over a short-sleeved t-shirt while her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, "Since I'm returning to work today, what are you planning on doing after Maeve takes you to grief counseling this morning?" asked Spencer.
Stephanie looked at her pink cast that was filled with signatures from her brother, sister-in-law, Holly, Holly's brother and sister, Maeve's parents, her brother's teammates sans JJ, and Gideon, "Holly is going to introduce me to her friends Erica and Ramona at 2 P.M today."
"Are you excited to meet Holly's friends?" asked Spencer.
"I'm nervous that Holly won't be my friend anymore if Erica and Ramona don't like me," said Stephanie.
Spencer nodded, "It's understandable to be nervous every time you're going to meet someone new, but don't forget that you'll have the chance to make more friends when you start the seventh-grade next month."
Maeve nodded, "Your brother is right."
"Even though you quickly became friends with Holly, at least you've been able to make a friend much faster than me since it took me a few months to try to form friendships when I first moved out here," said Spencer.
"Being a child prodigy must have made you miss out on a lot, Spencer," said Stephanie.
"It did, but it's also nice that I've been fast-tracked my entire life since I've been able to accomplish more than the average 25-year-old man has," said Spencer before gazing at Violet and Arthur causing Violet to grin at him, "You just love it when I look at you, flower."
Violet let out a few coos.
"Are you trying to talk to daddy?" asked Spencer.
Violet smiled.
Maeve laughed, "You're such a daddy's girl, Violet."
"I just wonder how much of a hard time Violet's going to give you when my teammates are off of stand down next week Monday?" asked Spencer.
"I just know that Violet will be giving us a hard time, but we're already prepared to help Violet adjust since you recorded yourself reading books and singing songs while I can always lay Violet on something that has your scent," said Maeve.
Spencer looked at the clock, "As much as I want to stay home for a few more minutes, I need to get going or I'll be late."
After giving Maeve, Violet, and Arthur a kiss and hugging his sister, Spencer was driving himself to work.
An hour later Spencer stepped into the bullpen for the first time since the murder of Dr. Sarah Jacobs and was accepting welcome backs from everyone in the bullpen who instantly asked to see a picture of Violet, Arthur, and his half-sister before he greeted Hotch, Emily, Morgan, and Garcia before he settled down at his desk so he could go over the case files of all of the cases he had missed since Violet's and Arthur's births.
Later on that day at lunchtime, Spencer was about to head to the break area so he could heat up the lunch that his mother-in-law packed for him when he noticed Maeve exiting the elevator as she pushed a stroller that contained Violet and Arthur while Stephanie walked in step with her causing him to open up the glass doors for his wife and sister, "What are you guys doing here?" asked Spencer.
Maeve smiled, "Violet and Arthur were missing their father."
Spencer cocked his eyebrows at his wife, "I take it that you're missing your husband too?"
"Yes," said Maeve.
Spencer looked at his sister, "How was therapy?" asked Spencer.
"I talked about the time that my mom took me to Disney World today," said Stephanie.
"Seems like a fun trip," said Spencer.
"It was, but I hope that we can take Violet, Arthur, and any other nieces and nephews you give me to Disney World in a few years," said Stephanie.
Spencer chuckled, "We'll see," said Spencer before noticing the bag of takeout in Stephanie's good hand, "I take it that you four want to join me for lunch?" asked Spencer.
Maeve nodded, "Would eating lunch with you be a problem?" asked Maeve.
"The only issue we'll be having is my teammates fighting over holding Violet and Arthur," said Spencer.
"Unless you four choose to eat in my office with me," said Chief Strauss as she made her way towards her nephew.
Maeve smiled at Chief Strauss, "Thank you for letting me know that Spencer was still at the office, Erin."
"Your welcome, Maeve," said Chief Strauss before smiling down at Violet and Arthur who were wide awake in their stroller, "You two are growing too fast for my liking."
Violet and Arthur both smiled at their great-aunt.
"I know the feeling because the past two months have gone too fast for my liking," said Spencer.
10 minutes later Spencer, Maeve, Stephanie, and Chief Strauss were in Chief Strauss's office eating lunch while Spencer held Violet and Chief Strauss held Arthur when Chief Strauss looked at Stephanie as she thought about how proud she was at her nephew for deciding to take in his half-sister a month ago, "How are you doing, Stephanie?" asked Chief Strauss.
"Aside from tomorrow being the one-month anniversary of my mom's death, I'm looking forward to getting my cast removed and hopefully be allowed to get the all-clear to use my brother's and sister-in-law's in-ground swimming pool in two weeks," said Stephanie.
"Even though you told me about making friends with your next-door neighbor while you're getting along with my 14-year-old daughter Molly, are you planning on trying to make more friends soon?" asked Chief Strauss.
Stephanie nodded, "I'm going to be meeting Holly's friends Erica and Ramona this afternoon at 2 P.M. today."
"That's good," said Chief Strauss before she asked about the development of her great-niece and great-nephew before she had to remind her nephew to get back to work.
Four mornings later, Spencer pulled out his phone and called Maeve who answered on the second ring.
"A case?" asked Maeve.
"Yes," said Spencer.
"Where are you going?" asked Maeve.
"I'm going to Las Vegas, Nevada, and before you ask I'm planning on visiting my mom if she's having a good day," said Spencer.
"I'm hoping you would since it's been hard for us to go visit her the past few months." said Maeve before thinking about Violet's and Arthur's ages, "Since Violet and Arthur are now two-months-old, do you want Violet, Arthur, Stephanie, and me to fly out when the case is over so Stephanie can meet your mother?" asked Maeve.
"As much as I want you to bring the twins and Stephanie out to Vegas to visit my mom, we should wait another month to take the twins on a plane so the vaccinations they just had can take effect while Stephanie might not be ready to meet my mom yet," said Spencer.
"I understand," said Maeve.
"We can try to take Violet, Arthur, and Stephanie out to Las Vegas before the school year starts next month, but I have to get going so I can make it to the jet on time," said Spencer.
"And I should be taking a nap like Violet and Arthur are right now. Please stay safe and I'll give Violet and Arthur a kiss from you while telling Stephanie that you left for a case when she comes home from the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History with Holly and her father," said Maeve.
"I promise. I love you, Violet, Arthur, and Stephanie," said Spencer.
"We love you too," said Maeve before hanging up.
Nine hours later, Spencer was flipping through his copy of the case file as he waited for a new pot of coffee to be made when he accidentally let out a loud yawn that caused the police officer who had called the B.A.U. in looked at him, "Newborn baby back home with your wife?" asked Detective Edwards.
Spencer raised his eyebrows at Detective Edwards, "How did you know that I just became a father."
"You're consuming more coffee than the rest of your team, you're smiling whenever you're checking your phone meaning that your wife must have sent you some pictures, and you already yawned over five times since you arrived," said Detective Edwards.
Spencer smiled, "You would make a great profiler someday," said Spencer before pulling out his phone and showed Detective Edwards a picture that was taken of him holding Violet and Arthur before he headed to work, "Violet and Arthur were born two months and five days ago."
Detective Edwards smiled a bit as he looked at the picture of the young family, "Aside from the twins both having your curls, your son looks like you while both twins look like they're going to have your eyes."
"I know," said Spencer before looking at Detective Edwards's wedding band and saw how dinged up it was, "Do you have kids with your wife?" asked Spencer.
Detective Edwards nodded, "I have a 10-year-old son, a two-year-old son, and a six-month-old daughter myself."
At that moment the coffee pot was done making a fresh mug of coffee causing both men to fix themselves cups of coffee right before Spencer saw a flier about the University of Nevada, Las Vegas putting on their summer production of "Much Ado About Nothing" causing to mutter, "Beatrice, Antonio, Margaret, Conrad, Don."
"Why are you saying the names of the missing college students?" asked Detective Edwards.
"We need to present the profile since the names of the missing victims have the same first names as the characters from William Shakespeare's play "Much Ado About Nothing", so the unsub must be a college student who was either dropped from a summer school class at the UNLV or wasn't given the role that he or she wanted and is trying to put on his or her own production," said Spencer before running off to find Hotch, Emily, Morgan, and JJ.
The team came together to deliver the profile. Based on what the witnesses' statements from the Fraternities and sororities kidnapping, the unsub we are looking for is a late-teen-to-early-twenty student with a passion for William Shakespeare, which may have started from childhood. After looking into the victims' backgrounds, there is reason to believe that he kidnapped them because of the roles they received in the university's upcoming season production of Much Ado About Nothing and the unsub did not. They have reason to still believe that the victims are still not due to the fact no bodies have turned up. The team suggested that they should look into students who have either not received a part in the upcoming Shakespearean play, is currently taking summer school courses on Shakespeare, and the professors who are currently teaching summer school classes on William Shakespeare.
After giving the profile, Spencer and Emily were walking around the literature department when the knocked on the door of Professor Laura Tanner's office.
"Come on in," said Professor Tanner.
Spencer and Emily entered the office and Emily looked at Professor Tanner as she and Spencer both held up their badges while Spencer tried to remember if he remembered the 62-year-old woman in front of him, "I'm Agent Emily Prentiss and this is Dr. Spencer Reid. We're both from F.B.I. and we'll like to ask you some questions about the missing co-eds."
Professor Tanner looked at Spencer and instantly recognized Spencer's last name, "As in Dr. Diana Reid's son Spencer Reid?" asked Professor Tanner.
Spencer nodded, "I'm her son."
Professor Tanner got out of her chair and rushed over to Spencer and pulled him into a hug while peppering Spencer with kisses causing Emily to smile a bit sight of lipstick stains ending up all over Spencer's cheeks while her 25-year-old colleague who was grateful that Morgan wasn't with him blushed, "You're so grown up now, Spencer. I haven't seen you since your mother was forced to retire over 20 years ago, Spencer."
"I don't remember you that much since I was five when I last walked with my mother in these hallways," said Spencer.
"How are you parents these days?" asked Professor Tanner.
"As much as I want to answer your question, Agent Prentiss and I need to know if you had any students you either dropped from your Shakespeare literature classes or had audited your classes since we believe that our unsub is a college student who was kicked out of your class while he or she wasn't given the lead of the university production's "Much Ado About Nothing"," said Spencer.
After Professor Tanner gave the name of their unsub Gerald Royal who was denied the role of Benedick in the play and was auditing her Shakespeare classes until she firmly told him to not come back since he was keeping her from teaching because of all the questions he's been asking, Professor Tanner looked at Spencer who had grabbed some baby wipes from his messenger bag and scrubbed her red lipstick marks off of his face while Emily talked to Hotch and Garcia on the phone, "Before you leave to save those missing students, can you answer my questions?" asked Professor Tanner.
"I need t know what my Unit Chief wants me to do before I can update you on my parents," said Spencer.
At that moment Emily who had just gotten off the phone entered the office and looked at Spencer, "Since Hotch thinks that Professor Tanner can be a target of Gerald, he wants us to stay here to protect Professor Tanner while he, Morgan, and LVPD try to find Gerald."
Spencer nodded, "I understand."
"If you two are going to stay here to keep me safe, you might as well update me on yours and your parents' life, Spencer," said Professor Tanner.
Spencer took a deep breath, "My father abandoned my mother and me when I was 10 while I had to institutionalize my mother when I turned 18."
"I'm sorry about your parents," said Professor Tanner before noticing Spencer's left hand and noticed a wedding band, "but aside from learning about your parents, at least you've become a handsome young man who became an F.B.I. agent while you've also gotten married too."
Spencer nodded, "I've been married to a geneticist for 10 months, three weeks, and one day."
"Getting close to your first wedding anniversary. Have you and your wife started a family yet?" asked Professor Tanner.
Spencer nodded as he pulled out his wallet and pulled out a photograph of Violet and Arthur together, "My wife Maeve gave birth to twins we ended up naming Violet and Arthur two months and seven days ago."
Professor Tanner smiled, "Congratulations on the twins, Spencer. You're going to be an amazing father."
"Thank you," said Spencer.
"Where did you commit your mother?" asked Professor Tanner.
"Bennington Sanitarium, why?" asked Spencer.
"I've been wanting to meet up with your mother for years, but I could never find her," said Professor Tanner.
"After becoming an F.B.I. agent, I upped my mother's protection by only allowing immediate family members to visit her," said Spencer.
"Very understandable, but would you let me visit her?" asked Professor Tanner.
"I'll ask her the next time I see her," said Spencer.
"Please do and hopefully you'll introduce me to Violet and Arthur the next time you're in town with them," said Professor Tanner.
"I will," said Spencer just as his phone rang causing him to answer a call from Hotch telling him that Gerald has been arrested, but the missing co-eds had yet to be found so he needed him and Emily to return to the station so they could spend the night getting Gerald to tell him where his hostages were.
The next morning the team had finally found the victims tied up and gagged when Spencer looked at the clock and saw that it was only 9 A.M. causing him to turn around and start giving his puppy-dog eye look.
Before Spencer could ask him about visiting his mother, Hotch smiled a bit as he reached into his pockets and tossed Spencer some keys that the 25-year-old genius easily caught, "You better not teach Violet and Arthur how to use their eyes to get what they want from me because dealing with you and my son giving me those eyes are enough, but please tell her that I said hello. I'll grab your go-bag and belongings from our shared hotel room, and wheels up at noon."
"I will and I won't be late," said Spencer.
Detective Edwards looked at Spencer, "Where are you off to?" asked Detective Edwards.
"This is my hometown, so I'm off to deliver new pictures of my children to my mother," said Spencer before grabbing his messenger bag and left the police station.
30 minutes later, Spencer was standing in the doorway of the day room watching his mother look through a photo album when Dr. Jesson walked over to him.
"I'm glad that I get to finally congratulate you on the birth of your first two children in person. Violet and Arthur are both very beautiful in the pictures your mother showed me," said Dr. Jesson as she held out her hand for Spencer to shake.
Spencer easily shook his mother's doctor's hand, "Thank you," said Spencer before smiling, "Mom always asks for more pictures of the kids while she's looking forward to the day she can start talking to her grandchildren on the phone."
"Well I'm looking forward to the day of you and Maeve are ready to bring Violet and Arthur out here," said Dr. Jesson.
"It's going to be at least another month before Maeve and I plan on taking Violet and Arthur on a plane since they just got their first series of vaccinations last week Tuesday and their bodies need to form the needed antibodies before Maeve and I take them on a plane," said Spencer before looking at his watch, "As much as I want to talk to you about Violet and Arthur, I need to visit with my mom since I'm required to be at the airport by noon."
"Before you visit your mom, can you please show me a recent picture?" asked Dr. Jesson.
Spencer nodded as he pulled out his phone and showed Dr. Jesson a picture of Violet and Arthur who were both giving real smiles that Maeve sent him an hour ago, "Maeve sent me that picture an hour ago."
"They're growing quickly. If you need to talk to me before leaving, just let one of the nurses know," said Dr. Jesson as she shook hands with Spencer a second time before walking away.
A few seconds later Spencer slowly walked towards the couch that his mother was sitting on and smiled at the sight of his mother looking at a photo album that he sent to his mother, "Are you going to need another photo album to fill with new pictures?" asked Spencer.
Diana looked up, "Why didn't you tell me that you're coming to visit? Where are Maeve and my grandchildren?" asked Diana.
"I just finished a case while your daughter-in-law and grandchildren aren't here with me since Violet and Arthur just got their hepatitis B, DTap, Haemophilus influenza type b, rotavirus vaccinations on July 3rd and Maeve and I aren't ready to get them on a plane for another month yet," said Spencer.
Diana shook her head, "I just wish that Violet and Arthur wouldn't get their vaccinations. The government might have ordered their doctor to inject truth serum into them too. It's already bad enough that the government made you get vaccinations for you to become an F.B.I. agent."
Spencer sighed, "If we're wanting Violet and Arthur to attend one of the best private schools in Washington D.C., Maeve and I have to get your grandchildren vaccinated," said Spencer before reaching into his messenger bag and pulled out a wrapped photo album that Maeve overnighted to his hotel, "I got something for you."
Diana eagerly unwrapped her gift and smiled when she saw a new photo album and opened it up to reveal new pictures of Violet and Arthur, "I've been wanting another photo album with new pictures of my grandchildren."
Spencer smiled, "You prefer new pictures over new books now?" asked Spencer.
"Even though I love it when I get new books, I enjoy getting pictures of my grandchildren more since I'm not able to see them as often as my sister can, Spencer," said Diana.
"You can always transfer to a hospital in or near Washington D.C. so you can see them more often," said Spencer.
"I know that you wish that I would move closer to you, but I rather wait with moving out here until my grandchildren learn why they can't see me as often as they see their maternal grandmother and their great-aunt Erin can, baby," said Diana.
"I understand," said Spencer.
Diana then noticed a picture of a pre-teen girl with straight armpit length brown hair and brown eyes that were the same color as her son's while her broken arm was still in a pink cast, "Is that your half-sister Stephanie?" asked Diana.
Spencer nodded, "That's Stephanie."
"She's very beautiful and you're right about her looking so much like you," said Diana before taking a breath, "How is she adjusting to the loss of her mother and moving in with you, Maeve, my grandchildren, and Maeve's parents?" asked Diana.
"She's adjusting and going to therapy," said Spencer.
"Have you introduced her to any of the other children in your neighborhood yet?" asked Diana.
Spencer nodded, "There's a 12-year-old girl named Holly who lives next door and she's also autistic and will be attending Georgetown Day School too. They already had their first slumber party while Stephanie had just met Holly's friends and all four girls are going to be having a slumber party at my house on Friday."
Diana nodded, "At least raising your half-sister will prepare you for when Violet, Arthur, and any other grandchildren that you and Maeve give me start having sleepovers with their friends," said Diana before looking into her son's eyes, "How are you adjusting to having a half-sister?"
"I'm doing alright since Maeve and Aunt Erin had me talk about my father starting another family during my therapy sessions ever since finding out that I have a 12-year-old half-sister," said Spencer.
"After what happened to you a few months ago, it's important that you continue talking to professionals since a huge bombshell was dropped on you since you're still recovering from your abduction while you're adjusting to two-month-old twins," said Diana.
"Exactly," said Spencer before taking a breath, "Now how are you dealing with finding out that dad had married someone else? You told me on my birthday weekend that you always hoped that my father would come back to you, but it must have been hard for you to learn that dad married someone else," said Spencer.
"I was in shock, but I wished that I could have met Stephanie's mother," said Diana.
"Why?" asked Spencer.
"So I could thank her for taking Stephanie away from your father when she realized that your father left you in a dangerous situation," said Diana.
"I wish the same thing too, but my therapist, Maeve, and Aunt Erin all told me that the best thing I can do right now is get to get to know my sister while balancing being both an older brother and a father to her as I raise her into being a responsible adult," said Spencer before looking at his watch.
"Do you have to leave now?" asked Diana.
"I still have two hours before I have to be at the airport," said Spencer before smiling a bit as he patted his messenger bag, "I have my laptop with me, so what do you think about video chatting with Maeve and the twins and eat lunch together before I head to the airport?" asked Spencer.
Diana smiled, "Wonderful idea, Spencer, but please let Stephanie know that I want to finally video chat with her."
"I will, mom," said Spencer as he sent Maeve a text message.
I'M CURRENTLY VISITING WITH MOM AND SHE WANTS TO VIDEO CHAT WITH YOU, VIOLET, ARTHUR, AND STEPHANIE. ~ SR
As soon as he sent the text to Maeve, Spencer then texted his sister.
I'M VISITING WITH MY MOTHER RIGHT NOW, BUT IF YOU'RE HOME WITH MAEVE, VIOLET, AND ARTHUR YOUR PRESENCE TO VIDEO CHAT WITH MY MOM AND ME IS REQUIRED SINCE MY MOM WANTS TO FINALLY MEET YOU. ~ SR
A few minutes later Spencer and Diana were video chatting with Maeve, Violet, Arthur, and Stephanie for a few minutes while Stephanie told Diana a bit about herself.
Two hours later, Spencer, Hotch, Morgan, JJ, and Emily were flying back to Quantico when Hotch looked at Spencer, "How was your visit with your mother?" asked Hotch.
Spencer smiled, "It went well and my mom and I ended up video chatting with Maeve, Violet, Arthur, and Stephanie. You guys should have seen the grins that formed on Violet's and Arthur's faces when they saw my mom and me on Maeve's laptop."
"How is your mother handling the news about you having a half-sister?" asked Morgan.
"My mom is still dealing with some shock since she always hoped that my father would come back to us over the past 15 years, but she told me that she wished that she could have met my former step-mother so she could thank her for taking Stephanie away from my father as soon as Tanya found out about what my father did to my her and me," said Spencer before he leaned back and closed his eyes as he thought about getting to go home to Maeve, his children, and his sister in time for dinner.
Six hours later Spencer was holding a happy Violet in his arms while he ate dinner with his family.