A/N: Hello again, everyone!
A shout-out to AHowell1993, Jenna Tee, and Jwugetmoney for either reviewing Chapter 61, favoring, and/or following the story. I hope you're in for a bundle of laughs and giggles to the point where you may end up getting cavities.
PS: I have reupdated this chapter as I changed Séraphine's middle name from Céleste to Gabrielle, due to me wanting to honor Élise in a unique way. I'll explain more about this reason in the next chapter.
"Oh!" Garcia cheered in glee over the phone; she, Morgan, Rossi, and Seaver were in the other car, following Hotch drive Élise and Reid to the hospital. "I can't believe we're witnessing our Spencer Reid becoming a daddy."
"I still can't believe it either," Reid responded on speakerphone as he held Élise's hand.
"Same with me….eee! Owww!" Élise yelped as she felt another contraction and clutched to her belly.
"Just breathe in and out, Élise." Rossi guided. "Breath in. Breath out."
Élise began doing her Lamaze breathing exercises as she was sitting slightly uncomfortably in the back seat. "Ooh-ooh-hee. Ooh-ooh-hee. Ooh-hee. Ooh-ooh-hee." Morgan chanted over the phone, trying to enlighten the mood,
"We will…we will…rock you. Sing it…we…"
Élise snatched the cell phone from Reid's hand and indifferently hissed at Morgan, "Hush…" Signaling that he stops before she took a breath and leaned her head back in exaggeration.
"Oh, God!" Élise exclaimed. "Bloody hell…"
Aaron assured Élise as he was driving, "Don't worry. We're almost there."
"You're doing great, honey." Reid tries perking her up.
"I hope so…oh-oh-ooooh…." Élise felt another contraction coming. "OOOHHH….! Sorry…eee…!"
"OWWWEEE!"
Garcia panicked, "Did you have another contraction, Élise? Did you hurt yourself?"
"No. I squeezed Spencer's hand too tight!" Reid groaned in pain.
Morgan snickered over the phone. "You scream like a queen."
Reid whined, "And it hurts a bit." He shakes his stung hand to relieve the pain. "And you almost sprain my wrist."
"Oh, honey." Hissing through her teeth a second time, Élise pleads to Reid, patting on his cheek, "Please promise me you won't take my threats seriously, especially if I do threaten to do bodily harm to you, or beat you up, or even kill you…"
"I won't," Reid assures Élise, takes her hand, and kisses her palm and fingers. Élise weakly smiled.
Aaron smirked as he briefly looked at the reflection before clearing his throat and asked Reid, "Did you call your mother?"
Reid nodded his head, "Oh, yeah." Massaging his ear, joking, "I'm still trying to get my hearing back. I had agents pick her up at Bennington. And…my dad at his workplace. They'll be given the VIP treatment and driven from the airport straight to the hospital."
Élise placed her hand on his shoulder, "It's great that you want him there for this special event."
"I do."
"Because we're a family and we…eeee…." Élise held her head back again and yowled in pain for another contraction.
Reid prays, "Hotch, please tell me that we're here."
"We are here now." Hotch pulls the car near the entrance to Georgetown University Hospital. With assistance from Reid and Hotch, Élise managed to get out of the car and sit in a wheelchair. Reid wheels into the hospital; the team followed behind and carried their hospital bags for them. Immediately after entering,
"Maeve! Bobby!"
Élise and Reid acknowledged the couple; Maeve sitting in a wheelchair and Bobby pushing her.
"Hey, you guys." Reid waved at them. "I thought you weren't due until next week."
"Well, apparently, this boy had other plans and wanted to be out as soon as possible." Maeve joked as she rubs her belly. "What are the chances we would be here right now…ahh..." A contraction escaped Maeve's mouth. "Ow-ow-ow-ow!"
"Oh," Bobby said. "We better get going. Check up on you two later?"
"Mmm-hmm," Élise nodded. "Good luck!"
"Good luck!" They waved goodbye before turning the other way. As Élise sighed and lifted her head and sees the ceiling,
"Élise! Spencer!"
Dr. Patterson greeted the couple with a warm smile.
"It's always such a pleasure to see you two." Dr. Patterson noticed the team. "I see you brought the family here."
"You got that right." Garcia beamed in excitement.
Dr. Patterson asked the two, "How are you two doing?"
Élise sighed in relief at the sight of Dr. Patterson, "I'm alright, doc. Even though I have a baby coming out of me…eeee! Eee! Eee!"
Another contraction.
Dr. Patterson placed her hand on Élise's belly. "Oh. This baby is so strong."
"She gets that from us." Élise nervously kidded.
Dr. Patterson chuckled. "I'm going to get you settled in; just give me a minute, okay?"
Élise smiled as Dr. Patterson left. Reid rubs his hands together and licked his lips. "Look." Swallowing a gulp, "I love you all. Very much. Believe me, I do. But, uh…I think…uh…Élise and I…"
"Bye." Élise bluntly points to the hospital doors to the team.
Morgan nods his head, "We get it." Handing Reid their hospital bags before hugging him, "But we better get our chance with your pretty daughter, pretty boy."
Reid assured, "And you will."
Rossi understandably smiled before he kissed Reid's head and cheeks. "Buona fortuna, papà."
As Seaver reasonably smirks, Garcia began to complainingly rant, shaking her balled fists in resentment,
"Oh, come on, Spencer! I've been waiting months, damn it! Months for this day to happen. Plus, we just buried Emily. I need something good right now and now this happens, you want us to leave?! Oh-oh-oh! I don't think so." Garcia folds her arms.
"Let our families see their granddaughter and niece first," Reid eases Garcia's frustrations. "Then afterward, you guys can see her."
Garcia continued, "This is like, the first BAU girl in the second generation. Like, are you for freakin' real? I mean, seriously, Dr. Spencer Walter Reid, if you do not let us see your little girl…"
"Garcia…" Hotch gave Garcia his signature stare-down, prompting her to back off. But not before eyeing Reid.
"Okay. I surrender." A defeated Garcia raised her hands in the air, but not before she walked up to him and said, "Good luck, daddy-o. And be good to your girls."
Garcia eyes Reid again before she left with Morgan, following Seaver and Rossi. Hotch smiled at Reid and Élise,
Hotch gave Élise a half-hug and pulls Reid into a manly hug, whispers in his ear, "Good luck. Don't make the same mistake I made. Be there for her; every second of the way."
He left, leaving Reid and Élise with Dr. Patterson.
"Follow me, please?"
Reid wheeled Élise as he was following Dr. Patterson.
Élise exhales nervously, "Oh, my God."
"It's going to be okay, honey." Reid consoled.
Élise strokes Reid's hand again, "At least I have you to help me through this beautiful moment."
An hour has passed, and Élise and Reid were settled in the private suite with their own waiting room.
"AH! THIS IS NOT A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT!" Élise screamed, almost frightening Reid, standing next to her as she was lying slightly uncomfortable in the hospital bed.
A shaken Reid replied as he stood by her bedside, "Uh…honey…"
Screaming at the top of her lungs, "DR. PATTERSON, CAN YOU PLEASE GET THIS BABY OUT OF MY BELLY?! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
Dr. Patterson amusingly chuckled, "You can't rush a birth, Élise. I should know; I've given birth twice."
"Are you sure you don't want to trade places right now, doc?" Élise groaned.
Reid replied, "That would be impossible, Élise, because…"
Élise looked her eyes and snarled at Reid, suggesting that he should not talk, causing Reid to zip his lip. Sighing, "May you please check my dilation?"
"Of course," Dr. Patterson prepped Élise's legs up before starting the examination. Élise stared at the blah-colored ceiling. Impatient, "What's the news, doc? I'm waiting to push this baby out already."
"Okay." Dr. Patterson was done. "Your dilation is six-and-a-half-going-on-seven centimeters, so get prepared to meet your little one tomorrow morning."
Reid's jaw dropped, "Really?"
Élise beamed down and stared at her belly, "Now, I want her to come right now." Gently tapping on her stomach, "Move in there a little faster. I want to see you right. You've been inside me for over nine months now."
"Well, actually…"
Élise barked. "Spencer…"
Reid gulped again, "You want me to leave?"
"Just go see if any family came." Élise soothes circles on her belly. "Let me have some last-minute-chances with our child before she pops out of me." Looking to Reid again, "I'm so glad you're by my side."
Caressing Élise's cheek, "I am as well." Reid kisses Élise's forehead before placing his hand on his belly, "I'll be seeing you soon, baby. I love you." Reid blew a kiss at Élise, who sneered in return. He sighed to himself as he sat by himself in the waiting room. He nervously began fiddling and picking his fingernails. His mind began filling with thoughts about his unborn child. What would happen the yoctosecond she would be in his arms. But the other ideas had him thinking about…
Those brief moments stopped once he heard the door being open. Reid turned around, and it was,
"Hey!"
"Hey, Spencer!" Arthur walked into the room and pulled Reid into a hug.
"Arthur! Hey!" Reid smiled before acknowledging, "Brenda! How are you two?"
"We're great." Brenda chuckled as she gave Reid a half-hug and asked him, "How's Élise?"
Reid shrugs his shoulders and answers, "I'm still alive, aren't I?"
"That's my little sister," Arthur laughed as he presents and gives his present, a giant teddy bear, to Reid. "Gift for my soon-to-be niece."
"Thank you, Arthur."
Brenda noticed Reid's funeral attire. "You must have really wanted to look good for your baby. Or did something…"
"Élise and I…were at a funeral." Reid sniffed. "A colleague died…yesterday."
Arthur placed his hand on his shoulder, giving Reid his condolences. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"Where's our girl?" Élise's parents, Mr. Micha and Ms. Geneva, burst into the room, excited.
"Great seeing you two again." Reid smiled at his law-in parents before giving them hugs.
Mr. Micha heartily laughed, "Same with you, Spencer. Where's my beautiful daughter?"
Reid answered, "Spending some last-minute bonding moments with your grandchild."
Ms. Geneva smiled, "Oh! When's the baby arriving?"
"Doctor said her dilation is catching to her, so tomorrow morning."
"SPENCER!"
Reid closed his eyes as he heard Élise yell out for him.
"Or sooner than we anticipated," Reid replied as he walked out; the rest of the family followed him.
"Family!" Élise softly smiled. Ms. Geneva and Brenda rush over to her side and instantly began comforting her. "Oh! Thank you so much for being here!"
"Anything for you, princess." Mr. Micha smiled goofily.
Brenda asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Oh, man," Élise groaned, "I haven't even given birth yet, and I'm already tired, sored, not to mention complete agonizing pain…"
"It's actually pretty common for women in labor to feel that way…"
"…And completely annoyed by my husband." Élise lowers her eyes and fired darts at Reid. "And now, I have this sudden urge to do bad…things to him."
Reid bit his lip.
It was already evening time, and so far, Reid spent an hour, three minutes, and eight seconds re-reading childcare material and another hour, eight minutes, and eleven seconds chatting with his in-laws about what happened recently with Prentiss' death and the baby. Now, it's been fifty-four minutes and fifty-seven seconds since he's been by Élise's side together.
Élise whiny asked, "May I please have some of that cherry Jell-O you're grubbing on like there's no tomorrow?"
Reid pets Élise's hair, "You know you can't eat or drink anything in case you'll end up needing a C-section. You can only have ice cubes."
"Oh, yeah." Élise pouted as she put an ice chip in her mouth. "Only ice chips I can have."
"But still, how are you feeling now, sweetheart?" Reid whispers.
Élise breathed, "I really want to see our girl right now."
"I do, too." Reid comforts her.
Their hospital door opened, and it was,
"Mom!"
"Spencer!" Diana immediately rushes to hug her son. Pulling back and cupping his face, "Now you know the one thing that frightens me more than anything else in this world, other than something that happened to you, is flying. Especially with those…fascists you had come and get me here. But I would do anything for you, my baby." She kisses his forehead before embracing him again. She noticed Élise as she pulled back.
"Oh, my…Élise." Rushing to her bedside, "How are you?"
"Spencer and I are ready to see our girl come into his world."
"I know you both are." Diana supported her. "Believe me; I felt the same way when I first held Spencer in my arms. Even if I did go off my medications, in the end, it was all worth it.
The door opens again, and it was,
"Hello, Spencer."
William Reid was carrying two coffee cups.
Reid smiled when he first saw his father. Greeting him, "Hey, dad."
Spencer even hugged his father. "I'm glad you're here with us today."
"Oh, son." William Reid embraced back. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Aw," Élise was melted and needed to capture this wonderful moment. "Spencer, can you get my camera for me, please?"
"Hey, what are you doing up?" William asked Spencer as Spencer was hanging outside the hospital room with a cup of tea in his hands. "It's two o'clock in the morning."
"I know." Spencer shrugs his shoulders. "I know." Spencer figured he asks his father the same, "What are you doing up?"
William chuckled, "I guess I'm too excited to sleep myself. It's cliché, I know." William clears his throat after gulping, "But, uh…I want to talk to you."
"About what?"
William looked at Spencer deep in the eye, "Do not make the same mistakes I made. To be honest, I, uh…even though I've kept tabs on you, I ultimately regret not being a part of your life. And I definitely will always regret walking out on you and your mother. It wasn't fair for either of you."
Spencer inhaled and exhaled sharply, "I'm still trying to… I haven't ultimately forgiven you yet, but, uh…yeah. I told myself a thousand and eleven times—yes, I've been counting since you left—that I wouldn't nor never be anything like you. I won't abandon my family when things get tough. I want to be there for them through thick and thin, through hell and back. All of it."
With a tear falling from his eye, William embraces Spencer, who hugs him back. "I'll always be proud of you."
"Thank you." Now a tear fell from Spencer's eye.
"Good morning, my precious pregnant princess," Reid kisses Élise's forehead as she was waking up. "How are you feeling?" He ends that question with a smile.
Élise pleasantly smiles back to Reid, placing her hand on his cheek, "Well, let's see…" Élise pulls him closer to his ear, "THANKS TO YOU, I HAVE TO PUSH OUT A PUMPKIN!"
Reid stuttered, "Well, uh, ah-ah-actually…"
Grabbing him by his dress shirt and whispery roars to his face, "If you get me pregnant again, I'm going to neuter you. Then I will make you eat them."
Reid gulped after she released him and Dr. Patterson walks into the room,
"Ah. How are you two?"
Élise immediately perks up and beams, "I feel wonderful doc."
"I'm a bit frightened right now." Reid quietly admits.
"It's natural to feel that way." Dr. Patterson smiles as she jolted down on her clipboard, "Well, today's the big day. We'll start in about an hour, but I just want to get a few things down. One of which is yes or no to the epidural."
"Okay."
Dr. Patterson asked, "Do you want the epidural?"
Élise began to think about it as she looked down at her belly and was about to talk when Reid spoke up, "I've been re-reading about epidurals. I guess you can say I'm more worried about the cons than the pros."
Dr. Patterson nods her head, "True. But it is an effective pain relief during the delivery. It can help you read, stay alert…"
Reid politely interrupts Dr. Patterson, "…But it can cause lower blood pressure, increase the risk for Élise to have a perineal tear and permanent nerve damage."
Élise's eyes widened when she heard Reid say permanent nerve damage. "Huh?"
"True, but the chances of that happening is very rare."
Reid replied, "Between 1 in 1,000 to 100,000."
Élise frantically shakes her head, "On second thought, I…think I rather not have an epidural."
"Okay. Just to let you know, I didn't have an epidural when I had my first child, so I'm not judging you. But if you do change your mind, you let me know, okay?"
"No problem, doc," Élise smirked.
Dr. Patterson finished writing, "Let me go take care of some last-minute business before we start the delivery, okay?"
"Okay."
Dr. Patterson gave the couple another nod before leaving the room.
Élise exhaled, "Oh, thank God you reminded me of the cons of getting an epidural. To be honest, I'm nervous about having one."
Reid bobs his head, "In all honesty, there was another reason."
Élise looks to Reid, "Which was what?"
Reid confesses as he began picking his fingernails, "I've had this craving for Dilaudid."
"What?" Élise's eyes widen again, and her jaw dropped. "When?"
"Since Prentiss died," Reid shakes his head, his voice quivers, "I just…I-I-I…"
"Oh, God." Élise placed her hand on her head.
"Are you mad at me?" Reid asked.
Élise respires, "At least you're telling me this now, even though we're less than an hour away from giving birth to our girl."
"I know." Reid breathed. "But I'm still going to do whatever it takes to stay clean."
"I'm proud of you. And if you don't stay clean for our girl, I'm going to kill you." Élise seethed through her teeth with a tranquility smile.
Reid gulped.
"Alright, Élise," Dr. Patterson said as she was looking to Élise. "You're almost there."
Élise groaned and panted; not even the quick massage Reid had just given was helping her at the moment, "Oh, I can't do this anymore."
"You can do it, my love," Reid daintily wipes the sweat from Élise's face and encouraged her, "Come on, you can do it."
"I see dark hair." Dr. Patterson sing-songed and grinned. "You're almost there. You're almost there. Don't give up right now."
Élise took a deep breath and braced herself as she began pushing again.
"Yeah, that's it." Dr. Patterson cheered. "Keep pushing, Élise. Keep pushing!"
Élise grabbed onto Reid's hand and wrist and screamed as she pushed.
"Come on. Come on. And…"
Soon the room filled with another cry other than Élise's.
"It's your girl." Dr. Patterson presented to them their newborn.
And there she was. Reid and Élise immediately gasped and had tears in their eyes when they first saw their daughter for the first time.
"It's your little girl." Dr. Patterson smiled as she gave Reid and Élise their newborn daughter. "Congratulations, you two."
Reid cried, "We have a daughter."
"She's so beautiful." Élise had tears streaming from her eyes.
"Just like her mama," Reid commented before kissing Élise's forehead.
Dr. Patterson asked the couple, holding a pair of scissors, "Would you two like to cut the cord?"
While Élise was speechless, Reid nervously gulped,
"Yeah…uh, I, uh…"
Élise looked to Reid and almost weakly laughed, "You're an FBI agent, and cutting the cord attached to me makes you squeamish?"
"Don't worry, dad. You won't hurt her; trust me." Dr. Patterson ensured him.
Élise chuckles and joked, "Yeah, dad."
"Yeah," Reid replied. "I like the sound of that. Do you, mama?"
Élise nodded her head, "Yeah. I'm a mama now."
Reid and Élise looked at each other lovingly before cutting the umbilical cord together.
About twenty-nine minutes and fifty seconds later and counting, after getting their newborn girl cleaned up and checked out, Élise and Reid were in their hospital room; their newborn daughter on Élise's chest for skin-on-skin contact.
"Hello, honey," Élise replied through teary eyes. "It's mommy." She cocks her head towards Reid, who waves at her, "And that's daddy. And we've been waiting a long time for you. We love you so much."
"You came quite early, though." Reid calculated. "Preciously 37 weeks and five days for you, so a near 38 weeks."
Élise whispers in her baby's ears, "You're going to inherit your daddy's intelligence."
Reid chuckled as he touched his baby girl's nose, "Can you open your eyes for mommy and daddy?"
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!
Dr. Patterson peaked her head, "Hey, you two."
Élise and Reid waved at the doctor, "Hey, doc. And thank you so much for giving us our baby girl."
"Of course." Dr. Patterson blushed as she walked in and gave Élise and Reid a sheet of paper. "Here's the birth certificate."
"Thank, doc."
"Now, before I go and help delivery two sets of twins, would you two like some company?"
Reid responded, "Bring them in."
Immediately, as Dr. Patterson exited the room, their families entered the room, beamed with excitement, overjoy, and smiles on their faces.
"OMG!" Brenda yelped. "Look at her. She's so stunning."
"Thank you, B." Élise grinned.
"Mm-hmm." Arthur agreed, wrapping his arm around his wife, "She's a cute little one. Look at her baby hairs. So curly but yet so smooth."
Mr. Micha heartily laughed, "I'm a grandfather."
"Yeah," William sniffed after a tear fell. He was thrilled he made up with his son to witness this grand moment.
Diana got teary-eyed at the sight of her newborn granddaughter, "And I'm a grandmother."
Ms. Geneva asked, folding her eyes, "So…what's her name?"
Élise and Reid looked down at their baby girl, who had just let out a fussy cry before letting out a big yawn, melting everyone in the room's hearts.
"After exceptionally long consideration. And believe us, we've been thinking of a lot of baby names…we've decided to name our baby girl…Séraphine." Élise announced.
Reid continued as he continued to look affectionately towards his little girl, "Séraphine Gabrielle."
Brenda's mouth open, "Lovely names."
"Heavenly." Ms. Geneva added.
"She's our lovely little gift from heaven." Reid touches her cheeks before she let out another fussy cry. "Oh, my little gifted sweetheart."
Brenda pulled out her camera from her handbag and asked, "How about a picture of the new family?"
"Yeah-yeah," Élise answered as she adjusted her hospital gown, and Reid joined her in the bed. Brenda was about to take the picture when Élise stopped her, "Wait, hold on." Élise looked at herself in her Kate Spade compact mirror that was sitting next to her. "I just went through twelve hours of labor, and I look so puffed up in the face, my skin's uneven, my hair's sweaty, these fine lines and my forehead…"
"That's preposterous," Reid said, putting the compact mirror away. "You're the most beautiful woman in the world who just gave birth to the most beautiful baby girl in the world."
Élise blushed before kissing Reid's lips.
"Uh, parents?" Brenda was ready to take the picture; had the camera all ready in focus. "Big smile and say 'Séraphine!'"
"Séraphine!"
Brenda looked at the camera shots, "Perfect Picture."
Somebody knocked on a few times before being opened, and it was a plump nurse; on her name tag, it was Taylor.
"Hello." She quietly said. "Dr. Patterson just wanted me to check on everyone here. Is everyone okay?"
"We're good, thanks," Élise responded.
Nurse Taylor nodded her head and was about to leave the room when Brenda got her attention and asked, "Excuse me, nurse." Brenda gave Nurse Taylor her camera, "Can you take a few shots of the family together really quickly?"
"Of course."
Reid's family stood beside him, and Élise's family stood beside her. They were giving themselves a few seconds to fix themselves up.
"Ready?" Nurse Taylor smiled. "Family!"
"Family!"
A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the chapter as much as I had fun (and trouble; thanks to writer's block) writing it. As I noted in the chapter above, I have reupdated this chapter as I changed Séraphine's middle name from Céleste to Gabrielle, due to me wanting to honor Élise in a unique way. As I also stated, I'll explain more about this reason in the next chapter.
