A/N: Hello again, everyone!
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. No copyright infringement is intended.
My apologies if I made any mistakes but enjoy the chapter!
This chapter is a big one since it's SÉRAPHINE'S FIRST BIRTHDAY!
Élise blinked her eyes a few times and rubbed before looking at the time on her Samsung phone; it was now 6:35. She smiled to herself before placing her phone on the bedside. Steadily getting out of bed, she witnessed Reid opening the door.
"My love!" he exclaimed as he carried a breakfast tray filled with whole wheat blueberry pancakes, berry muffins, omelets with cheese and broccoli, Greek yogurt with fresh fruit, granola, and nuts, and freshly squeezed orange juice and set it on the bed. "I made us breakfast. Your parents, Arthur, and Brenda got up super early to help with this breakfast. They're in the nook."
Élise strolled over to Reid's side and kissed his lips. Clapping her hands before helping herself to a plate, "Oh, I'm so excited for today! Our little girl's turning a whole-year-old today."
"I know," Reid took a big bite of the pancake. After swallowing, Reid continued. "Those twelve hours of labor was worth it, even though she came three weeks earlier than we anticipated, but I wouldn't have it any other way."
Élise gulped some orange juice. "Same here." She picked up her phone again and looked at the planner. "Let's see…you, my dad, and Arthur can go get the cakes and toppers."
"Mmm-hmm," Reid nodded his head as he drank some orange juice.
"My mom, Brenda, and I will clean the place up a bit, then decorate, set up the food," Élise continued reading from the list. "And our guest should be here at eleven, hopefully. And Séraphine can just be her adorable self today."
Reid joked before finishing up his pancake, "When isn't she?"
Élise chuckled before she and Reid finished their breakfast and took a shower together.
Élise looked at her reflection in the floor-length mirror, fluffed her hair a bit, and placed her hands on her hips. Reid walked out of the bathroom and complimented Élise.
"Don't you look pretty?"
Élise wore an animal-printed woven shirt dress with buttoned cuffed on the long sleeves and a soft knitted cropped sweater, black stockings, and Converse sneakers.
"Thanks, babe," Élise blushed. "You look good yourself."
Reid was dressed in a washed soft purple oxford shirt, stretch denim jeans, and favorite Converses. He blushed as he rolled up the sleeves, walked over to Élise, and kissed her passionately.
"This is going to be a great day."
Élise jumped and squealed. "I know." She looked at the time again, and it was almost 6:58. "Oh! We better go wake up the birthday girl."
Reid and Élise loved watching Séraphine wake up more than anything else in the world just as much as they loved watching her drift off to sleep, whether it was to bed or for a nap.
Finally, Séraphine's eyes started to flicker as she was being to wake up.
"Good morning, Fifi."
They hung a pink-letter HAPPY BIRTHDAY banner in the crib.
"Happy Birthday, Séraphine!"
Reid blew a noisemaker, and Élise threw pink-purple-and-white colored confetti that landed on Séraphine, and she saw giggling.
Reid cried. "You're a whole-year-old today."
Séraphine bouncily bopped Séraphine's nose. "And do we have a day planned for you, little girl."
Séraphine giggled again as Reid picked up and kissed her forehead. Élise smooched Séraphine's cheek and laughed.
"Oh, she's so excited she just can't hide it." Élise tittered her fingers close to her mouth and bounced. "I don't blame you since it's your first birthday."
Reid rocked Séraphine for a few seconds before handing her to Élise and suggested, "Let's go get you some breakfast."
Élise gave Reid a thumb's up. "You got it, daddy-o!"
Reid smooched Séraphine's face again. "Daddy loves you."
"Dada!" Séraphine babbled. "Mama!" She giggled.
"Here you go, Fifi," Reid presented to Séraphine a special birthday breakfast: breakfast balls made from oats, ground almonds, coconuts and berries, scrambled eggs, a mini muffin, Greek yogurt, and a green smoothie. He kissed her forehead. "You're a whole-year-old today."
Mr. Micha joyfully gasped and stroked her curly hair. "Aren't you excited?"
"I want this party to be absolutely perfect," Élise demanded as she strolled on her phone planner. "Absolutely perfect. No flaws, nothing out of place, none of that."
Brenda assured her, "This day is going to be a great day."
"Exactly," Élise snapped her head to face Brenda. "It's going to be a perfect day." Élise hurried over to Séraphine's highchair and kissed her head. "Mama's going to make this a perfect day for you, Fifi." She kissed Séraphine's head again. "I love you so much."
Reid kissed her head and her cheek. "I love you so much, too."
"Here you go, gentleman," The baker handed Arthur a large white box. He set the box down for a moment, and he, Reid, and Mr. Micha took a look inside. Reid noticed how the bakery got the detailing right and got the first e accent in Séraphine's name.
Reid closed the box and pinched his fingers together. "Everything's perfection. And thank you so much."
The baker smiled as she handed Reid a small white box, "You're welcome, sir. And happy birthday to her."
Élise played with Séraphine after breakfast before settling down for a nap; Opal was napping herself. Now, Élise, her mother, and Brenda were almost done setting up the foyer and great room with pink-white-and-gold-colored decorations ranging from heart, star, confetti, and one-shaped balloons to streamers; from hanging swirls to paper garlands.
"A little bit up, mom," Élise directed her mother and Brenda on hanging the HAPPY BIRTHDAY sign. "A little bit down, B. And…perfect!" Élise smiled and gave her seal her approval.
Brenda and Ms. Geneva hung the banner with thumbtacks and placed the small ladders back in the pantry in the breakfast nook.
Élise looked at her planner again and pointed to the snacks table, "Food, check." She pointed to the refreshment table, "Drinks, check." Élise glanced at the ball pit set up in the middle of the great room. "Playtime activities, check." She pointed to the table for the gift bags, "Party favors, yes." She sighed as she put her phone away, "Everything's perfect." She forced a peal of laughter and began pacing back and forth and picking her fingernails. "Unless something could go horribly wrong. Like…a big last-minute blizzard that causes no one to show up and gets the cake ruined. Or a sudden ice storm or freezing rain causes everyone to get soaking wet. And miserable." Her forced chuckles turned into whimpers and covered her eyes with her hands. "I want my little girl's day to be perfect."
The front door swung open, and Reid announced, with Arthur and Mr. Micha behind her, "Honey, I'm home!"
"And we got the cakes!" Arthur cried, carrying the large cake box in his hands.
Élise quickly pulled herself together when she followed the men to the dining room, and she watched them gently set the cakes boxes down on the dark wood tables.
"Okay," Élise opened the box and thoroughly observed the giant cake. "Perfect." Élise breathed and closed the box for a moment before opening it again. After a few seconds, "Okay." Élise shook her head and smiled. "Perfect again." Élise let out a giddy laugh. "That's good, right?" She opened the small cake box and closed it, "Same as this one." She took another look and closed it, gave the men a nervy chuckle, and winced her hands.
"Will you relax?" Arthur suggested; he hasn't seen her this strung-out in a long time as he helped himself into the refrigerator, picked out a red apple, washed it, and took a bite.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, bro, if I want my little girl's day to be perfect!" Élise blurted; she still had a fake smile plastered on her face, and her eye twitched before she forced a laugh again. "You guys got the candles, right?"
Arthur answered, "Nope."
Élise collapsed in her seat; her toothy smile turned into whimpering and covered half her face again.
"Oh, Lise!" Reid immediately stood by her side to comfort her. "Arthur!"
"Oh, I'm just joking." Arthur burst into a quick laugh after finishing his apple and tossing it into the trash.
Ms. Geneva slapped his shoulder, "That's not funny."
"Don't joke about something like this, especially since she wants this day to be absolutely perfect." Brenda comforted Élise and had her hand on her shoulder.'
"Sorry," Arthur casually apologized. "Sheesh, you're such a drama queen."
Élise stared at the time again, and it was now minutes to eleven. Biting her manicured fingernails, Élise's nerves eased when she saw Reid enter the foyer with Séraphine in her 1st birthday outfit: a short sleeve pink-and-gold detailed jacquard brocade float dress with a gold satin and taffeta bow front sash, bloomers, headband, and adorable shoes.
"Oh," Élise beamed. "You look so pretty in your little outfit."
Séraphine babbled, "Tanks, mama."
Reid and Élise simultaneously kissed Séraphine's cheek just as they heard a knock on the door. Rushing to open it, their mouths dropped.
"You guys made it!"
Aunt Ethel, Uncle Gordon, John, Melissa, Sabrina, Anna, and Nathan; all had smiles on their faces, and some had present bags in their hands.
"We got two surprises for you!" They moved out of the way to make room for,
Reid's face glowed, "Mom! Dad!"
William said, "Hello."
Diana pushed everyone out of the way to hug her son, "Oh, my baby!" She smooched his head numerous times on his head. "I wouldn't miss this. My grandbaby's first birthday." She turned her attention to Séraphine and began kissing her. "Oh, look at you! You're so grown and so cute and so fluffy and so cuddly."
"Well, come on in," Élise gestured them into the house and directed them to the great room, "Help yourselves to a quick snack."
Knock-knock, kn-knock-knock, knock-knock
Élise opened the door again, and it was the team and their families.
"Hey, people!" Élise allowed them in.
Garcia dashed in, "Oh! I've been waiting weeks for this party to happen." She snapped her fingers, "Kevin! Derek!"
Kevin and Morgan walked in with two bags each and asked Garcia to set them down to the presents table.
"Are you for real, Garcia?" Élise had her hands on her hips.
Garcia opened her arms out, bobbed her shoulders, and smirked, "You know I can't help herself."
Soon, some more people have arrived, and for nearly an hour, all the kids either played in the ball pit, pin the tail on the donkey, played with Opal, or played arts and crafts games with their parents.
"Hey-hey, Fifi," Élise helped Séraphine unwrap one of her presents. "You got an abacus!" Élise set Séraphine down and she wobbled to Hotch.
"Tanks yoo!" Séraphine babbled as she hugged him.
Reid couldn't help but smile when he took a picture of Séraphine hugging Hotch.
"Anything for you, goddaughter."
So far, Séraphine has received a range of gifts. A bunch of books from Mr. Micha, Ms. Geneva, Arthur, Brenda, Élise's associates, a big check from Mr. Wilmington, learning tablets from Garcia and Kevin, custom-made shoes from Rossi, and a drum set from Will, JJ, and Henry.
"Now, it's my turn to present my gift," Morgan approached Séraphine, who was now sitting on Hotch's lap. Kneeling to her size and clearing his throat, "Uh, Séraphine. I'm sorry for getting you—and your mother—in the middle of the prank war between your daddy and me."
Élise smirked, still remembered what she said to Morgan if his and Reid's prank wars ever included either her or Séraphine again.
"Still, I want to make it up to you even more."
Morgan walked out of the great room for a moment to present a decked-out pink ride-on car.
"Yay!" Séraphine's eyes flashed, and she clapped her hands before she started laughing as Morgan picked her up and placed her in the car. "Tanks!"
The scene made everyone melt.
The present exchange continued. Séraphine received knitted clothes from Aunt Ethel, horse coloring books from Uncle Gordon, play kits from John, Melissa, and Sabrina, a classic Paddington Bear, and a janggu from Anna and Nathan, a medieval-themed book from Diana, and flashcards from William.
Soon everyone tuned in for a memory video in honor of Séraphine.
"Happy Birthday to you," Reid and Élise sang as they brought out the smash cake for Séraphine, who was now coolly in the no-sew tutu highchair.
Everyone joined in, "Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday, Séraphine. Haaapppy Biiirrrtthhhday to yoouuu!"
Élise clapped her hands, "Blow out the candle, Fifi!"
Séraphine raspberried to blow out her candle, making everyone giggle and applauded when she finally did.
"Yay!" Reid cheered, and Séraphine began grubbing on her smash cake. "You want to give daddy a piece?"
Séraphine babbled; her mouth and fingers were now covered in cake. "Mine!" She continued eating her cake.
An hour has passed, and the party was nearing.
"Okay, people!" Reid and Élise began passing out little white boxes. "Before we end this party, we have one last surprise for you all: the gender of our second Baby Élispencer."
Garcia shouted, "Hallelujah! Took you long enough."
"Open them."
Reid and Élise stared and laughed with hearty smiles as everyone opened their boxes, and out came confetti. Facial expressions ranged from happy to excitement, from shock to surprise.
"You guys…"
"…IT'S A BOY!" Garcia shrieked, "A BOUNCY BABY BOY!"
Morgan pulled Reid into a manly hug, "Aw, bring it in here, pretty boy. Can I name him Pretty Boy, Jr?"
"Just as long as you don't get him in the middle of a prank war," joked Reid.
The party ended, and Reid, Élise, and their family cleaned the place while Séraphine took her second nap.
Now, the family gathered at the dinner table, having spaghetti Bolognese, green and vegetable salad, and garlic bread.
Reid stood up and tapped his water glass a couple of times, getting everyone's attention. Clearing his throat, "I would like to propose a toast to Séraphine Céleste Reid, who, as of 8:11 a.m. this morning, turned a whole-year-old today."
Élise raised her glass and toasted, "To Séraphine!"
"Séraphine!" Everyone else said in unison.
"AABBBPP!" Séraphine burped, her mouth coated with sauce before she giggled.
Everyone broke out in laughter.
"Are you ready, Fifi?" Reid whispered to a sleepy Séraphine. "Are you ready for beddy-bye?"
Reid just placed Séraphine in her crib just as Élise entered the room, already in her sleepwear. "Hey." She slide-walked to Reid's side and caressed Séraphine's curly baby hairs. "It's time for beddy-bye, Fifi."
Séraphine let out a yawn that had Reid and Élise melt. They kissed her.
"Sweet dreams, our little one-year-old." Élise smiled as she and Reid left her nursery. Élise soon wiped a tear from her eye. "Our little girl is actually one year old."
Reid sighed, "I know." Reid opened the door, closed it, and crawled into bed. "She's one year old. And I got to see it."
"We all did." They embraced into a passionate kiss.
A/N: I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my loving and wonderful father whose currently not feeling well right now, so prayers, please.