A/N: Hello again, everyone!

A shout-out to AHowell1993, QuetzalRenation, and Susan for either reviewing Chapter 57, favoring, and/or following the story. The occasional scenes from episodes of Criminal Minds in this story belong to Criminal Minds and CBS writers. No copyright infringement intended.

My apologies if I had made any mistakes but do enjoy the chapter!

Also, I would like to credit AHowell1993 for helping me with this chapter.


"Hello, most beautiful woman in the world." Reid surprises Élise with a salad of roast beef, blueberries, swiss chard, nuts and seeds, and a soymilk fruit smoothie. "Look what I got for my favorite girl."

"Oh, you're so kind, my love." Élise kisses Reid's lips before happily taking the salad. "I'll admit, I often crave about sardines, even though I'm usually not fond of fish, other than salmon and the occasional shrimp, but then I thought about you, and I changed my mind." She takes a bite. "The beef's cooked nicely and all the way through."

"Anything for you." Reid chuckled before noticing one of the newborn care books Élise had been reading in the nursery. "Dr. Benjamin Spock."

"The revolutionist of childcare," Élise said before eating another forklod and swallowing after chewing thirty-three times. "I like his friendly, comforting tone in the book. The first line in his book, 'Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.'" Élise has another forklod.

Reid agreed, "Exactly. We should be confident in our abilities and trust our instincts."

"If we have confidence in our abilities and trust our instincts at work, we can do that to our girl." Élise nods her head before asking him, "Did you clean and clear out the cars to make room for the baby?"

"Yup," Reid answered.

Élise asked again, "Did you install the car seat and visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website and locate an inspection station to make sure you did it correctly?"

"Mm-hmm."

Élise swallows, "Want to work on those breathing and stretching exercises after I let the food digest?"

"And after that, learn how to change a diaper?"

Élise points out, "I'll admit I've never changed a diaper before in my life."

"I've changed Henry's diapers before; I read how to change a diaper properly, and it gets easier over time."

Élise dabbed her mouth with a napkin and said, "At least we won't have to worry about her urinating on us."

"The number of times Henry urinated on me was about ten times."

Élise giggled.


"Wow," Élise and Reid observed the new sonograms Dr. Patterson showed them. "Look at her growing."

"She's about the size of a pineapple," Reid mentioned.

Dr. Patterson explains, "At this week, she's gaining half a pound and will continuing to do so until she's born. Her lungs and central nervous system are almost reaching full maturity. The bone plates in her skull are still pliable, making it easier for her to squeeze down the birth canal and has lots of room for her brain to grow. With her drinking a pint of amniotic fluid a day and the umbilical cord supplying antibodies, she's preparing her gastrointestinal system and fighting infections."

"Still…" Élise was feeling a bit lightheaded. "I'm getting a headrush, but in a good way."

Dr. Patterson smiled, "Yeah. Just seven more weeks until her arrival." Writing down on her clipboard, "Now. Have you had tingling fingers?"

"Carpal tunnel syndrome?" Reid knew what it was. "Have you?"

"No." Élise answers.

Dr. Patterson jolts it down, "Okay, good. If so, you need to let me know," Asking Élise again, "Have you needed to urine more often?"

"Yup."

Dr. Patterson chuckled before explaining, "Your baby's pressing on your bladder. Now because the baby's growth is at great pace means that they have less room to move, so you'll be feeling every roll, every kick, every stretch, and shift. Not to mention, what you eat and/or drink can affect your baby's movements, so be cautious and be careful."

Élise and Reid agreed, "You know it."

"And also, with your abdomen being tight at this week means Braxton Hicks contractions."

"Yay," Élise dryly said. "But at least they're preparing for the baby's arrival."


"Oh, I'm so tired." Élise tiredly said as she began to relax on the couch. "And so much stretching and Kegel exercising."

Reid reminded her, "We've only been stretching for six minutes and fourteen seconds. And it's the second time today that we've done this."

"Well, I still feel tired. And out of breath." Élise excuses as she wiggles her toes. "Bloody 33-week pregnancy symptoms." Asking Reid, "May you rub my feet for me, please?"

"Of course." Reid rushed to Élise's aid and began massaging her feet.

Élise whines, "I feel I swallowed a whole butternut squash or a pineapple."

"Our baby's growing inside of your…sexy belly." Reid soothed; he was surprised he mentioned to say sexy without getting awkward about it.

Élise continued, "Well, I don't feel sexy, brains. I feel…so miserable. And ugly. And itchy." She began scratching her belly.

"You're the sexist women in the world to me." Reid smiled temptingly.

Élise had an instant grin on her face, especially from the way Reid just talked to her. it just sounded so…manly…and…

Dare she say it…

Sexy.


Dr. Patterson smiled as she walked into her office and saw Élise and Reid waiting for her, "It's always a pleasure to see you two."

"Same with you, doc."

Writing down on her clipboard, "So, how are you feeling?"

"I'm so beyond ready for this baby to come out." Élise eagerly said after exhaling. "But I'm so scared."

"Oh, I know the feeling." Dr. Patterson related before asking, "Have you been drinking a lot of water and still doing daily exercising?"

Élise pulls a 38-oz water bottle out of her bag, "Always."

"One thing you should know is that during this week, lightening happens. It's been your baby drops or settles down into your pelvis, and when that happens, the baby's engaging and/or positioning for their birth. It can cause discomfort and frequent urination and leaking, as well as leg and ankle swelling. And Braxton Hicks contractions continue."

Élise groans, "Oh."

"It'll all be worth it in the end when we hold our baby in the end," Reid reassured Élise as he placed his hand over her belly.

Élise blushed, "I guess so, yeah."

Dr. Patterson clears her throat, "Now before we do our checkup and Group B strep test, I have to ask you about perineal massages."

Reid began biting down on his inner cheek and squished in his seat. Élise giggled in response.


"So, what are your plans for today, my love?" Reid asked as Élise gave him a small bowl of oatmeal and a small cup of herbal tea.

"I'll be out today." Élise answers as she pours herself a tall glass of water, "First, I might need to buy any more items I might need for postpartum recovery." She takes another sip. "Then I'll call the insurance company to add our baby to the policy. And finally, I'll meet with several pediatricians to make the final choice."

"Well, that's good," Reid said before sipping some tea. "Feel as if we still have much to do before the baby's arrival."

"I know," Élise said before acknowledging Opal walking into the kitchen. "Hey, big girl. Did you sleep well last night?"

Opal barked and cuddled up to Élise's belly as a response.

"Oh, Opie."

Reid smiled at the sight of Opal and Élise. Looking at his watch, "Oh! I better get going." Washing his plate and cup before correctly placing them in the dishwasher. "I'll call if anything." Reid kisses Élise. "Take good care of yourself and our little princess." Scratching Opal behind her ears, "Take care of yourself, mama, and our little cantaloupe."

Opal barks and cuddles his legs, purring.

"We love you, too."


"Hi, honey." Élise cheerily said to Reid as she answered her cell phone.

Reid smiled in response, "Hi. Just called to tell you we're on our way to Los Angeles."

"Again?" Élise frowned.

"Yeah, again."

Élise shrugs her shoulders, "Mmm. Well then, I called the insurance company. I got everything I need for my postpartum recovery and I'm off to interview two more pediatricians before making a decision."

"Okay. We can decide when I come home from Los Angeles."

"Okay. And while you're in LA, may you get me some food?"

Reid smiled, "Anything for you, my Queen."

"Thank you, my King." Élise sheepishly giggles. "Be careful out there in LA."

"I will," Reid reassures. "Love you three."

"We love you, too."


As the team was on the jet, flying to Los Angeles, Reid was in the kitchenette, fixing himself a cup of tea as he began to explain to the team about methanol. "Methanol is compositionally speaking the simplest of the alcohols. It's actually ubiquitous in the environment. There are small traces of its vapor in the atmosphere, but atmospheric methanol is easily oxidized by sunlight."

Prentiss asked, "Is it toxic?"

"Ingesting 10 milliliters of it will cause permanent blindness, and as little as 30 is potentially fatal," Reid answered.

"These victims had between five and six ounces in their lungs," Morgan mentioned.

"You know, if they were immersed in it, they would have died even without ingesting or inhaling it. When absorbed through the skin, it depresses the central nervous system to an unsustainable degree." Reid finished pouring his cup of tea.

Morgan asked, "Well, what's it used for?"

"What isn't it used for?" Reid replied as he sat down. "A solvent, an antifreeze. In World War II, the Germans used it for rocket fuel. It's used in winemaking. Its most commonplace use, however, is in the creation of other chemicals. Methanol can become plastic, plywood, paint, explosives, permanent-press textiles. It's essentially the chemical used to separate other chemicals from each other."

"Can it be bought?" Prentiss asked. "Is it tracked?"

"California's got some of the strictest environmental laws in the country," Hotch responded. "I'm sure it's regulated."

"Yeah, but methanol is also used in making biofuels, which quite a few people have been doing at home," Rossi said. "I'd imagine the sale of it is fairly commonplace."

Hotch adds, "But he needs enough in which to immerse a body."

"All the victims were nude, but there's no evidence of sexual assault on any of them." Morgan includes.

"And the skin was removed from the bottom of the foot," Prentiss mentioned. "Unless we're talking about a foot fetishist, you actually can't get further away from sexual areas."

"Yeah," Reid said. "Impotent sadists like Robert Napper typically take their frustration out on their victims. You'd think there'd be a lot more overkill."

"And what he's doing is very specific, very focused," Hotch said with Reid raising his forehead as he took a sip.

"What about the skin patches? Is this a trophy of some sort?" Rossi questioned.

"I have no idea," Reid admits before adding. "Skin, independent of any other substance, would wither and die rather quickly."

Prentiss replied, "Well, that might be the thing that's forcing our unsub back out on the hunt."

"Considering the wide divergence of abduction and dumpsites, this guy could be anywhere. L. A. is over 500 square miles."

"Uh, 498.3." Reid corrected him, causing Morgan to smirk and shake his head.

Hotch concludes, "And the fact that no one has seen him either abduct or dispose says he knows the city and its patterns well."


Reid was on his cell phone with Garcia as he was walking back into the separated conference room, "Garcia, what we're looking for is a combination of purchases."

"Ooh, combinations of lists are my life's work and forte, oh, tall and smart one. Go." Garcia said keenly.

Reid listed, "Items used to set up a laboratory—beakers, glass tubing, a vessel large enough to hold a woman, enough methanol to submerge her."

"Yeah. Added to?"

"Addresses where large amounts of methanol have been delivered alongside chloroform," Reid adds.

"I shall contact you forthwith," Garcia responded.

"I will eagerly be awaiting your call." Reid hung up just as a uniformed officer approached him and asked.

"Dr. Reid, where'd the guy go who gave the press conference?"

"He's with the reporters. Why?"

"Because we already got someone calling who says she talked to the guy." He said before he left, and Reid redials his phone, pressed it to his ear.


Two minutes and between forty-nine and fifty seconds later, Reid's phone rings, and it was Prentiss. Answering it,

"Hey."

"Could it be smell?" Prentiss asked.

"What?"

Prentiss clarified, "Could smell be what's attracting him to his victims?"

"Distillation extraction." Reid realized.

"Well, I hope you know what you just said, 'cause you lost me."

Rambling, "Methanol can be used to create scents or aromas. If you soak something in it for hours, it draws out the essential oils. Emily, let me call you right back, ok?" Reid hung up and redialed his phone.


Detective Bailey approached the team as they were packing up,

"Thank you, agents, for your help. If it weren't for you…"

Hotch nods, "It's what we do."

"And it was a good thing that my chemistry Ph.D. helped us." Reid points out.

Bailey raised his eyebrows, "You have a Ph.D. in chemistry?"

"Three, actually," Reid said. "Engineering and Mathematics."

"Wow." Bailey shook his head before noticing the bags of foods on the table, "Oh. I see you're taking upon the Californian cuisine."

"It's for my 34-week pregnant wife," Reid raised his hand. "Who's craving California-style pizza, mochi ice cream, and Korean-Mexican cuisine."

Bailey smiled, "Well, congratulations. And again, thank you. something tells me your baby's going to be quite a genius."

"Well, considering that my IQ's 187, I also have three BAs, and can read 20,000 words per minute, there's no doubt our baby and future children will be geniuses."

The team said in unison, "We know."


"Okay, I'm ready," Élise changes into a marine ocean blue floral print dress, a light blue cashmere wool-blend coat, and her favorite flat boots.

Reid peaks her lips, "Don't you look so pretty?"

"As do you?" Élise giggled before asking, "So…did you ask Prentiss if she wanted to come with us to see Solaris?"

"I did, and she said she'd be hanging out with Sergio, her new cat."

Élise admits, "I've only seen a handful of sci-fi movies in my life, most notably the old-school Star Wars films, so I'm interested to see Solaris, even if it is four hours long."

"It's actually five hours long, and this original one's in Russian. I can do a simultaneous whisper translation while we watch."

Élise raises her eyebrows, "I like that."


Minutes before midnight….

"Wow," Élise whispered as she and Reid stepped into the house. "What a movie!"

"Did you like it when I simultaneously translated for you?" Reid whispered as he locks in the security system.

Élise giggles in response before calming herself as they noticed Opal peacefully sleeping in the corner. Élise motions that they tiptoed into the bedroom; blowing kisses at her as they crept by her. Reaching their bedroom and locking the door behind them,

"I love it when you gave it to me in German and Russian." Élise draws Reid into their bed.

Reid asked in hushed tones, "Want me to continue giving it to you?"

Élise meowed and purred.