A/N: Hello again, everyone!
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. No copyright infringement is intended.
My apologies if I had made any mistakes but enjoy the chapter!
The chapter starts off December 3rd, 2011, Saturday afternoon.
"Thanksgiving was over a while ago, and people are already excited about Christmas," Élise said to Maeve as they were hanging out at Bloomingdale's in the Tyson Corner Center. She pulls out a black silk top against her chest. "Why do they always put out Christmas in October when Thanksgiving has yet to come?"
Maeve shrugged as she pulled out a dress from the rack and said, "I once read that Christmas sales are to support resellers and that the Halloween and Thanksgiving holidays don't have enough materials, so they put out Christmas items early."
"I swear if it was Christmas every day…" Élise didn't want to think about it. "People think Christmas exists just to sell."
Maeve agreed, "Instead of being together for the holidays." Maeve pulled out a white midi dress and held it against her body. She posed and asked Élise as she was standing in front of a mirror, "What do you think of this dress?"
"I like it," Élise complimented as she pulled out a black ruffled Georgette dress and posed in front of the mirror and asked Maeve. "What do you think of this dress?"
"Oh," Maeve raised her eyebrows and oozed, "Pretty."
Élise cocked her head and wrinkled her nose, "Nah." She put it back and pulled out a silver top and black pants. Holding them against her body, "You know, before I got with Séraphine, I hated dresses with a passion. And skirts. Hell, before my own wedding and during my pregnancy, I haven't worn them since elementary school."
"I know how you feel," Maeve said, strolling through a rack of clothes. "My go-to outfit was a simple top, nice trousers; maybe I'll throw in a cardigan sweater and some sensible shoes. Sometimes it still is."
Élise sighed as she started to look at the clothes sizes on the tag, "It's nutty how they are clothes in size zero, double zero."
"I know," said Maeve as she seemed interesting in a gray sweater dress. "It's crazy how people can be that skinny. And what some people would do to be that skinny."
"Even I wanted to be that size zero when I was younger," Élise sadly admits before looking at herself in the mirror.
After Bloomingdale's, Élise and Maeve wandered around and stocked up on new Christmas decorations before grabbing a bite and leaving.
Reid, Élise, Maeve, and Bobby took their children to Sunday church service and listened to their pastor's sermon on being charitable during the holiday season.
Reid and Élise decided to work out after coming home from church and had lunch while Séraphine takes her nap. Reid finished after thirty-five minutes and fifty-three seconds as he calculated; Élise decided to continue working out.
"Oh, God," Élise wiped the sweat from her forehead as she walked into the kitchen and helped herself to some nice ice-cold water. She had just finished gulping down her second cup when the kitchen door swung open.
"Hi, love." Reid gave Élise a peck on the head as he and Séraphine walked into the kitchen.
"Hey," Élise waved to them before collapsing in the nearest chair; a panting Élise said, "I am so tired." She gulped down another cup before pouring another cup.
"Remember what we said about working out too much and for too long," Reid reminded Élise of their previous conversations about body weight. "You don't want to overextend yourself."
Séraphine made her way and hugged her mother's legs, "Oh, I so needed that."
Reid and Élise had chicken with a side salad for dinner and fruit sorbet for dessert and gave Séraphine the puree version. Within the next hour, Élise offered to give Séraphine her bath and read her a couple of holiday storybooks before realizing Séraphine getting tired.
"Good night," Élise softly singsonged to a sleepy Séraphine as Élise put Séraphine in her crib. "Sleep tight. Go to sleep, my sweet Séraphine."
Reid joined in, "Séraphine, go to sleep. Go to sleep, my sweet Séraphine."
Séraphine squealy babbled, kicking her little legs as she did so before drifting off into a deep sleep. Élise blew a kiss to her as Reid led her out of the nursery.
"Good night-night." Reid waved to Séraphine before closing the door and headed to the bedroom with Élise.
As they cuddled into bed together, "I'm so tired," said Élise as she rests her head against the pillow.
Reid turned his head and gave her a simple sweet smile. "Want me to fix that for you?"
Élise giggled as they went under the covers.
Reid was finishing up David Copperfield when Prentiss struck up a conversation and asked JJ, "So, what do you guys plan on doing for the holiday season?"
JJ took a moment to think before answering, "Will and I are probably going to either my mom's place in Pennsylvania or down to New Orleans."
"Oh!" Garcia dashed over to their cubicle, excitingly asking them, "Are we talking about the holiday season? I love me the holiday season. Plus, it's never too easy to start spreading the Christmas love and cheer to the ones I love most in my oversize heart."
Morgan chuckled and joined in, "I'm heading to Chicago to visit the family; it's always nice to see them."
"Well, I'm going to love you all from afar," said Rossi with deadpan and with a smirk.
Reid sighed as he placed his book on his desk, "Élise and I are taking Séraphine to Las Vegas, so…"
"Hey," Rossi cut the conversation short when he saw Hotch and Erin Strauss walking into the roundtable room.
Hotch sees them and said, "Everyone," Hotch motioned them that they have another case.
Rossi sighs, "Let's get to work."
After the briefing, Reid pulled out his cell phone and text Élise.
Heading to Oceanside, Florida, for a case, Strauss will be joining us. ~ SR
After about twelve seconds later, Reid gets a text back.
Okay. Be careful. Lots of love. ~ EBR
Reid smirked and decided to text her again.
Love you. ~ SR
After about fifteen more seconds, Reid got another text.
Love you too. ~ EBR
Reid put his cell phone away just as Strauss approached him.
"Dr. Reid." Strauss politely greeted him.
Reid greeted her back, "Ma'am."
"How is the family?" asked Strauss.
"They're doing okay, thank you for asking," said Reid.
Strauss nodded her head and said, "That's always good to hear." She gave him a small smile before walking away. Reid didn't want to be impolite, but he couldn't help but sniff his nose and sensed something was up with Strauss. He decided to put that aside and focus on the case.
After the team landed in Florida and are greeted by the students and staff of Somerville Academy, including leader Colonel Ron Massey and Lieutenant Shockley Tawes, they got to work.
Reid had just finished surveying the campus and decided to meet up with Garcia, who set up the equipment. Reid creeps in and taps his fingers on a map globe and managed to scare Garcia. After talking about ghosts, they talked about the location of the laundry room until the rest of the team started showing up to talk about what they found out.
Reid got settled in one of the academy's cots when he decides to make a call.
"Lovey." The caller said after the first ring.
Reid smiled, "Hi, there. I hope I didn't wake you up."
"You didn't," Élise assured him. "I just put Fifi down to bed, and Opal is asleep."
Reid chuckled and said, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm good, but tired, though. I can't wait for the holiday seasons to come." said Élise before she asked, "How's the case?"
"The case makes me not want to send Séraphine and our future children to military school."
Élise let out a peal of laughter and asked, "How's Strauss?"
"On her best behavior. She's under a lot of pressure from the director since he graduated from the military academy. Plus, there's just something about her that seems off; I can't put my finger on it, though." said Reid.
"Mmm. Well, be careful, okay? Love you." said Élise.
Reid smiled and replied, "I love you, too."
He and Élise have hung up just as Hotch walked in.
Hotch turned his attention to him and said, "Hey, Reid."
Reid waved to Hotch as he settled himself into bed, "Hey."
"Any new pictures of Séraphine?" Hotch asked with a slight grin.
"Not yet." Reid answered before asking, "What's up with Strauss?"
Hotch sat on the edge of the cot side and said, "She has pressure from above, and she doesn't like being in the field."
Reid recalled a time she joined the team on the Joe Smith case. She practically offended the head of the case in the first sixty seconds into the case and she freaked when she stepped on a deceased victim's hair, "Yeah, I get that. But have you noticed something off about her?"
Hotch looked to Reid and said, "As I said, she has pressure from above."
Reid settled for that, but even he knew there was just something off about Strauss.
The next morning, the team deduced that Bailey was badly bullied by the teenage boys who were hung in the woods while Josh who is currently on the run was set up.
The case finished up, and the team heads back to headquarters. JJ, Prentiss, and Garcia have already left as well as Rossi. Reid had just finished gathering some of his books from his desk when a familiar voice called out for him.
"Hey, Spen."
Reid turned and immediately smiled at the sight of Élise and Séraphine.
"Hi." Reid soon kissed Élise on the lips before crouching down to a sleeping Séraphine. Kissing her forehead, he asked her, "Hi, pretty girl. How are you?"
"We're good, thanks for asking," Élise answered before she saw Hotch walking into his office. "What's up with Hotch?"
Reid turned his head to aw Hotch before turning again to face Élise and said, "He and Morgan went to go talk to Strauss about something."
Élise nodded her head and began to have a thought, "Mmm…"
Reid saw Élise's thinking face and asked, "What happened?"
"I think I might know what's up with Strauss," said Élise.
Reid and Élise were now in Hotch's office.
"Huh," Hotch had just finished reading the file Élise gave Hotch. He closed it and said to Élise, "You knew about what Strauss was doing when Prentiss first came to the team. And that she had this problem."
Élise heavily sighed as she played with her fingernails, "I heard rumors, and some of my sources checked it out for me and…" Sighing again, "Look. I didn't want to upset you, Hotch. This was right after Haley's murder. Plus, I heard she was getting help, so…" Élise shrugged her shoulders with folded arms.
Hotch looked at the file again, sighed, and asked, "Should I be worried about my job?"
Élise shook her head and assured Hotch, "Not even for a yoctosecond, Hotch. I got your back. Then, now, always, forever."
Hotch safely tucked the file away in a locked drawer. "Well, thanks for being honest with me."
"Of course," said Élise as she and Reid left with Séraphine.
After arriving, Reid, Élise, Séraphine, and Opal had their dinner before giving Séraphine her bath and tucked her into bed, and Opal got herself to sleep.
Élise was just finishing up some last-minute stretching just as Reid looked over photos to choose from for a Christmas card.
"Oh," A relieved Élise exhaled after finishing the final stretch before joining Reid in bed and picking a recent photo of Séraphine. "I like this one since she just started walking."
"Well, I do like this one," said Reid as he looks at a recent family photo of himself, Élise, and Séraphine.
Élise sighed and said, "I wish we can use all of them."
"Yeah." Reid meticulously organized them and places them on the bedside. "I can't believe Christmas is 18 days away."
Reid cuddled closer to Élise, "An even better Christmas now that Séraphine's here to celebrate with us."
"Oh," Élise heavenly sighed. "It's going to be a magical Christmas. I can feel it in my bones."
Reid joked, "Are you sure that's not your stomach rumbling?"
"Ha-ha," said Élise before they embraced in a kiss.