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!
"Hey, Rose!" Élise smiled and allowed Rose into the house. "Thank you for looking after Opal while we go to Las Vegas for the Easter weekend." Élise scratched behind Opal's ears when she approached between the two.
Rose smirked and stroked Opal's fur, "Anything. I hope you all have a great Easter weekend." Rose saw Reid and Séraphine being carried by him, "Hello again, you two."
Reid waved to Rose, "Hello, Rose."
"Hi. Ro." Séraphine babbled and waved her little hand to her.
Rose giggled just as Opal barked and started panting. Rose opened the front door for Opal, allowing her to run to her silver Honda. "We better get going." She stared at her Android smartphone.
Reid triple-checked the house to make sure everywhere was locked and secured. Reid doubled checked their luggage in the trunk. The same with Élise and made sure the documents needed were in her bag. He sat in the front passenger seat, "Let's get going."
Eleven minutes after leaving the house, as Reid estimated, Rose stopped her silver Honda at the passenger drop-off outside the terminal of Reagan. Reid and Élise got out of the vehicle. Élise unbuckled Séraphine's car seat, grabbed her handbag, and steadily got out of the back seat while Reid got their luggage out from the trunk. Rose took Séraphine out of her car seat.
"Ah, thanks, Rose," Élise was grateful as Rose gave Séraphine to her, "Be a good girl for Rose, Opie," Élise pouted and caressed her fur with her free hand. "We promise we'll give you a gift or two from our trip to Las Vegas.
Séraphine grabbed ahold of Opal's nose, "Buh-bye, Opie."
Once Séraphine let go, Opal licked her face in response, making her giggle.
Reid smiled, "We'll miss you, Opie."
Rose waved to the family again and as she got back into the driver's seat, "See you all on Monday."
"Bye! Be good, Opal." The family watched and waved her and Opal goodbye as they drove off.
Once inside, they made their way to the check-in for their boarding passes and luggage, went through the security checkpoint, found their gate, and were on their way to Las Vegas.
During their Boeing 737 jet flight to Las Vegas, Reid and Élise kept Séraphine on her schedule. They ensured she had her nap and snack and kept her occupied with her coloring books. Reid even read to her before her nap, kept himself busy reading James Joyce's Ulysses, and took a quick catnap. Élise took a nap herself, had some packed snacks, and read ideas for potential new baby boy names.
The long five-hour and five-minute flight ended, and the Bastien-Reid family made their way to the main terminal.
"Hey!" A familiar voice called out for them in the crowd and waved to them.
Élise scouted to the direction of who was calling them, and her mouth dropped and formed a smile. "Hey, Papa!"
William Reid was casually dressed in a blue oxford shirt, khaki tan chino pants with a brown leather belt, and penny loafers. He waved to them again, "Hey!"
Reid let Séraphine down and allowed Séraphine to wobble to William. "Hey, go say hi to grandpa."
"Papa!" Séraphine exclaimed.
"Oh!" William squatted, hugged Séraphine with all his might before picking her up. "There's my pretty granddaughter." He laughed. "How are you?"
Séraphine babbled, "I gah!"
William giggled, kissed the top of Séraphine's head, and cuddled her closer to his chest as Reid and Élise approached him. "Oh, how are you guys?" He pulled Reid into a hug.
"Mmm. I'm good, dad." Reid pulled back from his father's hug.
"Élise!" William lovingly hugged Élise. "How are you and my soon-to-be grandson?"
Élise sighed as she placed her hands on her belly. "A long journey. I'm so ready to see him."
William chuckled again, handed Séraphine back to her. He helped Reid get the luggage from the baggage claim before leaving the airport and to William's house in Summerlin.
Reid sighed as he walked back into the living room, and his father strolled through the television channels. William looked up as Reid sat down and asked, "How are the girls?"
"They're napping," Reid scratched his head. "Thank you, dad, for allowing us to stay here for the Easter weekend."
William's mouth curled into a shy smile, "Anytime, son. Plus, it's always good to take a break from Ethel, huh?" He started to laugh when Reid recapped what happened when Ethel found out she would be a great-aunt and grandmother again during the holiday season.
"Oh, yeah." Reid laughed and watched his dad continue to stroll through the channels. "Élise and I are having some problems picking out a baby name."
"Really?" For a moment, William was worried when Reid said he and Élise were having problems and thought the worst, but his tensions eased after Reid said it was about boy names. "What names are you thinking?"
Reid reached into his pocket, took out a folded paper, and gave it to his father. William unfolded it, and it was baby boy names Spencer and Élise were considering.
"Wow," William was amazed by the names his son and daughter-in-law were considering. "Lots of names."
Reid nodded his head and rubbed his palms together. "Yup." Reid angled his head to the right a bit, raised an eyebrow, and wondered, "What did you want to name me?"
"I wanted to name you after me, but your mother got the final pick," William admitted. But there were so many names I considered. Elijah, Alfred, Lawrence, Andrew, Gerald, Lathan, but like I said, your mother got the final pick." William placed his hand on his son's shoulder, "Whatever you name your boy, I'll be happy for you."
Reid beamed with joy and hugged his father.
After Élise and Séraphine woke up from their naps, they decided to make a surprise visit.
"Hello, everyone!" Dr. Norman immediately smiled when he saw the family approach the receptionist's desk. "How are you?"
Reid acknowledged the good doctor. "We're great. Thank you for asking."
"Hi, dack." Séraphine swayed her hand back and forth.
Dr. Norman giggled and waved back to her. "Hey, Séraphine." Dr. Norman looked up and recognized Élise, "How are you, Élise?"
"I'm so ready to see my boy, and despite the aching symptoms, I'm feeling great as well, Dr. Norman." Élise smiled as she smoothed her belly.
Dr. Norman still had a gleeful smile on his face when he had Reid, Élise, and Séraphine trailing him into the living room. They saw Diana by herself near a window, reading a book with her left elbow on the couch arm, her index and middle fingers on her temple, and her thumb on her chin, tapping it. "She's still doing great despite her moments but still, nothing severe nor alarming."
"Otherwise, you would have called me, and I would have been on the flight next beside her," Reid agreed and shook his head.
"Exactly," Dr. Norman gave him a smirk. "You're an amazing son, Dr. Reid. And don't you forget that."
Dr. Reid couldn't help but blush. "Thank you, sir."
A petite woman in a skirt suit gave Dr. Norman some files, "Excuse me, sir."
Dr. Norman took a quick peck inside, "I have to get going. Hopefully, I can catch up with you before you leave?"
"Of course. And happy Easter, doctor," said Reid.
Dr. Norman gave the family another nod before walking away with the women, discussing what was in the files, and serving his managerial responsibilities.
Reid exhaled, pumped his chest out, confidently walked towards his mother, and quietly called out. "M-m-mom?"
Diana heard her son's voice. She took off her eyeglasses, turned her head around, and twinkled with joy at the sight of seeing her son. "Oh, my baby boy." She closed her book, placed it on the couch seat next to her, and started to hug him with all her might.
"Hi, mom." Reid hugged his mother for fifteen seconds—he counted—before pulling away, cupping his face, and kissing his forehead. She soon caught sight of Élise and Séraphine and placed her hands on her face. "Oh, my girls are looking so beautiful today."
"Na…na!" Séraphine waddled towards Diana.
Diana squatted to hug Séraphine before pulling herself up, "Oh, there's grandma's little angel." Diana took Élise's hand and mildly twirled her around. She looked absolutely pretty in her floral silk maternity maxi dress and comfortable flats. "Oh, how are my daughter-in-law and soon-to-be grandson doing?"
"Good but itching to meet each other." Élise giggled.
Soon Diana, Reid, Élise, and Séraphine all caught up within the next hour to two; Diana even read Séraphine a medieval-themed story.
After visiting Diana at Bennington, while Reid and his father cooked dinner, Élise dyed and painted Easter eggs with Séraphine.
Good Friday prayers were said, and the family began eating their dinner: vegetable Shepard's pie with hot cross buns.
Reid ran his fingers through Séraphine's hair as he watched her fall asleep. If only he could watch her for hours, if not all the time, and not get tired nor sleepy.
Élise had just come out of the bathroom, stood beside him, and smiled when she saw Séraphine sleeping. She placed her hand on his shoulder and said, "We're not going to get a good night's sleep if we keep staring at her."
Reid sighed as he and Élise crawled into opposite sides of the bed. "She just looks so precious."
Élise squealed and cuddled next to him, "I know. We have big days coming this weekend. I can feel it."
"Are you sure it's not gas?" Reid joked.
Élise giggled before embracing a passionate kiss.
After breakfast, Reid, Élise, and Séraphine drove to John and Melissa's place in Henderson. Reid parked the car away from the driveway on the cul-de-sac street. Reid and Élise got out of the car and took Séraphine out of her car seat. They took Séraphine by her hand and led her up the beige stucco exterior and tiled roof house.
"Wow," Élise adored John and Melissa's house. "I can't believe that in all the time we've been in Las Vegas in the past three years, we have never been to their place?"
Reid shook his shoulders and figured, "Maybe because we're always at Aunt Ethel and Uncle Gordon's place?"
"True," Élise agreed as they knocked on the front door three times. 'Still, it's a nice house."
The front door opened, and John immediately had a grin on his face. "Hey-hey-hey!" He allowed them to enter the house.
The living room was a cream shade wall color, porcelain tile flooring, modest and minimum wall, and floral decorations, a light color striped rug, different shades of brown and cream furniture, a rectangular mirror above a small dark wooden piano, a ceiling fan—and more through the first floor, and an old-fashion light blue bookshelf.
Up the two-three steps led to an eating area across the L-shaped staircase that overlooked there and the living room. A mini-chandelier was above the circular wooden table with six chairs, an arched tinted window with gray curtains, a rug, and a wooden sideboard cabinet.
The kitchen had brown wood cabinets and granite countertops, stainless appliances, teardrop-shaped chandeliers above the mini-island, and a breakfast nook to the side. Across from the kitchen were the hardwood floored and silver color furniture and rug family room with the custom-built entertainment center and a large fireplace.
"Such a nice place you got here, John," Élise said as they came back to the living room.
John placed his hands in his pocket, "Well, thank you. I helped give the house a little fixing after we bought it."
"Uncle Spen!" Sabrina made her way down the carpeted stairs and ran to hug him.
Reid squatted and opened his arms out before he hugged her. "Brina!" He pulled back and observed his second cousin, "Have you been growing?"
Sabrina giggled as she hugged Élise and Séraphine before running into her father.
"Hey, you guys!" Melissa carefully descended the stairs and waved to everyone, holding onto the railing.
Élise's jaw dropped, "Oh my…Melissa" Squealing, she hugged her. Pulling back, Élise took note of her outfit. An embroidered sage dress with white slippers, her red-gold hair pulled back from her face and in a loose ponytail, natural makeup and made her emerald green eyes pop out. "You're glowing."
Melissa colored to a light red. "Oh, thanks, Élise."
"So, how's the pregnancy?"
Melissa looked down at her belly, "It's not my first rodeo being at 24 weeks. I swear, our boy was kicking up a storm yesterday."
Élise and Reid gasped, "You're having a boy?"
"Mmm-hmm." Melissa bit her tongue and shook her head ecstatically.
Élise hugged her again, "No way. We're expecting a boy as well."
John chuckled, "Congrats, you two. We gotta keep the Carney name alive." John flexed his muscle and winked, making Melissa and Sabrina giggle.
Reid and John played with Séraphine and Sabrina in the family room while Élise and Melissa baked in the kitchen.
Melissa explained that the cupcakes she offered to bake were for a major joint fundraising event for Easter Sunday involving all the churches in the Las Vegas area. Melissa's on the team that offered to do cupcakes, and she's doing carrot cake, vanilla, and chocolate cupcakes; Melissa already got the carrot cake cupcakes down.
"I think it's an amazing idea for all the churches in the Las Vegas area to come together for this." Élise began stirring the big batter for vanilla cupcakes.
"It's always noble to help out, yeah," Melissa agreed as she stirred the batter for chocolate cupcakes. "Some are even making big dinners for those in need, from the homeless to those with financial difficulties. I'm grateful every day."
Élise shook her head, "Yeah, I know the feeling." She sympathized with the homeless and financially difficult families. She and her family grew up not having much and strived to get out from that and build a bigger life for herself and her family.
Reid and John looked up from the work the ladies were doing and asked, "Need any help?"
"Taste the batter since we can't?" Élise pouted her mouth and batted her eyes, same with Melissa. The men took the girls into the kitchen, were given tasting spoons, and tasted the batters.
Reid smacked his lips, "Good."
"Mmm," John licked the corner of his mouth for any leftover vanilla residue and tried to take another spoonful.
"No-no-no," Melissa used her manicured hand to slap John's hand playfully. "Only once."
Within the next hour, Reid, John, Séraphine, and Sabrina helped line the cupcake pans with Easter-themed liners, gently poured the batter into them, and baked to perfection. They each had one before putting them in giant white boxes.
Pizza was ordered for lunch before Reid, Élise, and Séraphine bid farewell to John, Melissa, and Sabrina.
"Spencer!" Ethel's eyes widened, and her gaped jaw turned into a smile at first sight of them stepping out of their car and up the pathway. She breathed as she embraced him. Tugging back and petting his face, "Oh, thank you, Lord, for having Spencer keeping his hair short."
Reid chuckled to himself.
Ethel turned her attention to Élise and Séraphine. "Hi, girls!"
"Hi, Ethie!" Séraphine gabbed.
Ethel couldn't help but squeal and jumped up and down. "She called me Auntie!"
"Actually, she said…" Reid tried to correct Ethel, but the lower eye glare was enough for him not to correct her. "Auntie!" He plastered a smile on his face when he entered the house last after allowing Élise and Séraphine to go first.
"Mmm-hmm." Ethel pursed his mouth and closed the door behind her.
Élise sniffed the air and declared, "Are you making?" She asked as they walked into the kitchen; she saw Anna and Nathan there.
"Heeey!" Anna wiped her hands with a clean white cloth before giving each of them a hug. "How are you doing?"
"We're good," Reid answered before asking, "Are you guys making something?"
"We're making cookies for Easter Sunday," Anna answered as she carefully pulled out a large batch of Easter symbol-shaped cookies.
Élise remembered what Melissa had told her. "The major joint fundraising event for Easter Sunday involving all the churches in the Las Vegas area?"
"Yeah," Nathan pulled out a large batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. "I offered to do oatmeal raisin, shortbread, and Shrewsbury cake; I'm using my family's recipes."
"And I'm making sugar, lemon, and chocolate using our Easter-shaped cookie cutters." Anna continued before she kissed Nathan's cheek.
Reid and Élise offered their assistance, "Can we help?"
"Absolutely." Anna and Nathan simultaneously said.
Reid and Élise spent the next hour helping Anna and Nathan with the cookies while Ethel and Gordon looked after Séraphine and made sure she had her nap.
They stayed for dinner before heading back to William's place and got a good night's rest for Easter Sunday.
After the family devoured cinnamon buns, hashbrowns, waffles, and pancakes for brunch, they got ready for Easter Sunday church services.
Reid looked at himself in the floor-length mirror, trying to adjust his tie. He turned when he heard the guest bathroom open and close.
Élise was dressed in a pastel floral wrap dress and slingback flats. Her hair was a bit fluffed and away from her face, allowing her to show off her new gold studded earrings.
"Oh, you look so good, my love."
Élise smiled cheekily before kissing Reid's lips. "And you look good yourself, sweet brain."
Reid was in a soft lavender button-down shirt, linen pants and sport coat, and wingtips.
Someone knocked on their guest bedroom door three times.
"Is everyone decent?" William asked.
Reid and Élise broke out into giggled, "Yes."
He opened the door—he was dressed in a seersucker suit—and carried Séraphine, who wore a pink dress and bloomer with flats and pretty little bows in her curly hair.
"Oh, don't you look so adorable!" Élise smiled.
"Tank yoo." Séraphine blushed.
Reid, Élise, Séraphine, and William met with Ethel, Gordon, Great Uncle Roger, John, Melissa, Sabrina, Anna, and Nathan outside the church. Soon, they met Nathan's parents, Doctors Nigel and Jee-Yoon McGee, his younger brother Oliver, twin sister Amelia and fiancé Noah Pham, and younger sister Grace for the special Easter church services and music candlelight, flowers, and the ringing of the church bells. They helped out by giving away their decorated baked goods and hot foods to the homeless, financially difficult families.
After the three-hour services, everyone retreated to the ranch; Élise, Séraphine, Melissa, and Sabrina had just woken up from their hour naps when Ethel grabbed everyone's attention.
"Hello again, everyone!" Ethel yelled into the mini bullpen, "And welcome back to the annual Easter Egg Hunt Extravaganza! Now, before we get started, does everyone have their baskets?"
Everyone held their wicker baskets in the air.
Ethel gave them the thumbs up. "Great! I know this month starts the snake season when they're active, but don't you worry. I took care of those sneaky creatures and snake-proofed everywhere. So you can all take a breath."
Everyone, especially the parents, sighed in relief.
"Good! Now, a few ground rules: don't play dirty, don't cheat, and make sure you stay in your groups. Remember, I have my eyes on you." Ethel squinted when she leaned forward and pointed her beasty eyes. "But more importantly…HAVE FUN!" Ethel pumped her fist in the air and cheered with the crowd. "Are you ready?"
"Yes!" The crowd said in unison.
"On your mark…get set…GO!"
Once Gordon blew the silver whistle, everyone got Easter egg hunting for the next hour, with a brief appearance from the Easter Bunny with Roger in the group.
Everyone gathered in the living room. One by one, groups have presented their various findings from coins to dollar bills, from different candies to mini snack bags, from toys to tiny accessories.
Anna and Nathan were the last to present and crack open their eggs. One by one, dollar bills, jellybeans, coins, confetti.
"Okay," Anna began cleaning up the fillers on the coffee tables. "I think that was it."
"Well, actually…" Nathan dug into his sport coat pocket and pulled out a green Easter egg with gold color embroidery.
"Yay! Another egg!" Anna opened the egg, and a ring landed on the table.
While the room was utterly silenced, everyone's facial expressions ranged from already enlarged eyes, opened mouths, raised eyebrows. And so many thoughts and questions were running through their minds.
Nathan broke the silence by nervously clearing his throat, jugging the rest of his water glass, and gulping. He licked his lips and cleared his throat again, "I, uh," He chuckled nervously. "Uh…" He didn't know what to say, so instead…
Nathan picked up the ring, took Anna's hand, and got down on one knee.
"Oh my God," Ethel had her hands over her mouth.
Élise whispered in Reid's ear, "Is he…"
Nathan flashed the ring and sighed, "Anna Delilah Carney. I've never met a woman so ambitious, amazing, beautiful, and wonderful as you in my years of living on the Earth. And now, I want you to be mine forever."
He slipped the ring onto her finger and placed his other hand over hers.
"Will you marry me?"
Anna kept opening and closing her mouth before she suddenly burst into tears, covered her face with her. She sniffed and giggled.
"Yes." She immediately began kissing Nathan. "Yes! Dr. Nathan Ji-Hun McGee, I want to be your wife!"
The room exploded in cheers; now, everyone began offering their congratulations to Anna and Nathan and wanted to see the engagement.
Now, everyone gathered for Easter Sunday dinner.
Soon, Dr. Nigel rose and used a small silver spoon to tap his water glass, getting everyone's attention.
"I shall like to propose a toast," Dr. Nigel waved his glass to Anna and Nathan, who were holding their hands and smiled. "To my son, Nathan, and my soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Anna."
"Anna and Nathan." Everyone toasted in unison.
Ethel took a sip and asked, "If I may ask, Nathan, what kind of ring is that?"
"It's a Claddagh ring," Nathan explained. "Originated in Ireland and going back to the 17th century, it's a representation of the heart meaning love, the crown meaning loyalty, and the hands meaning friendship. And it's made from Irish gold, which is quite rare and prized. I pointed the heart of the ring towards Anna's fingertips, meaning we are now engaged."
"I'm so happy for you," Dr. Jee-Yoon smiled and held onto her husband's hand. "Your father gave me a Claddagh ring when we first got engaged, and look where we are now."
Dr. Nigel smiled, kissing his wife's soft palm. "And we're still going on strong. We're here with our four amazing adult children and two more we are looking forward to joining the family."
"Well," Gordon fixed his tie and stood. "I would like to say thank you, Nathan, for asking for our permission."
Ethel rose, "Lord knows what would have happened if you didn't. But other than that, congrats to the happy couple!" Ethel ended the sentence with a smile.
Reid and Élise toasted to Anna and Nathan's engagement. "Amen."
"Amen!"
A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chap!