A/N: Hello again, everyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.

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

Now, little Isaac is about two-to-three weeks old.

"Ah-ah. I got it," Reid adjusted the blue pacifier in Isaac's mouth and tickled his cheek, making him coo. "There you go, little guy."

Reid hummed as he was rocking Isaac in the nursery. Sure, it wouldn't be another few weeks until he moved Isaac there, but there was nothing more than he liked doing than spending a little quiet time with his son.

Reid smiled to himself. His son. Isaac Dylan was his son now.

Still, he decided to give a call to the team. There was nothing wrong with checking in on them every now and then. Reaching for his phone, he set the phone to a low volume and vibrated before dialing the number and placing the phone to his ear. The phone rang about three times before he got an answer.

"Hello?"

Reid whispered, "Hey, Hotch."

"Reid," Hotch was surprised to hear from Reid. "How are you?"

Reid sighed, "Good. Very good. He just fell asleep and Élise's with Séraphine, so…I just wanted to see how everyone was doing."

Hotch joked, "If I remember correctly, dad, you're supposed to be asleep when the baby is."

Reid yawned, "Oh, believe me. I get more than enough sleep." He cleared his throat. "So, how is everyone?"

"We're okay," replied Hotch. "I'm still going through the candidates to hold Prentiss' position."

"Oh," Reid furrowed his brow, and his mouth gaped when Hotch announced to him that he's been trying to find Prentiss' replacement. "Really?"

"Yeah, you know how the Bureau doesn't like to leave spots vacated for so long," Hotch explained.

Reid figured, "Well, yeah. So, it's just been you, Rossi, JJ, Morgan, and Garcia?"

"We're good, Reid," Hotch firmly assured him. "Just spend the rest of your paternal leave with your family. Don't worry about us."

Reid stared down at Isaac, who made gurgling noises, making him chuckle. "Oh, I definitely will."

"Go do that," Hotch told him. "And make sure you keep spending us some baby photos."

"Will do," replied Reid as they hung up. He tickled Isaac's cheek, making him coo through his pacifier again, and kissed his head. "I love you so much, little guy."

"Hello, everyone!" Luna waved to the family as they noticed them entering the store. Luna closed, "Oh! This is little Isaac Dylan?"

"Yes, it is," Élise tickled Isaac's chin, making him.

Luna squatted with her hands on her knees, "Oh, my…Fifi! You've grown since the last time I saw you."

"Tank you," babbled Séraphine.

Luna smiled and noticed a small stain on the upper left side of Reid's rolled-up sleeves lavender and white poplin shirt. "May I ask…?"

"A little baby vomit," Reid explained and let out a chuckle.

Élise leaned forward and whispered, "You should have seen what Isaac did to his oxford shirt while Spencer was changing him. Isaac did a number two on him," Luna giggled a bit, and Élise replied, "But we brought backup clothing, just in case." Élise pointed to the black satchel Reid was holding.

"That's good that you did," Luna nodded.

The family spent the past hour with Luna taking photographs of them with Isaac alone, either Reid, Élise, and/or Séraphine holding him before getting a few as a family.

"Ooh, I love this one!" Élise giggled when she pointed to a picture on the screen with her and Reid holding Isaac, and he took a leak; Séraphine covered her mouth and giggled.

Luna giggled with her, "Oh, I've captured some unfortunate mishaps over the years, so I'm used to it."

Reid was now carrying Isaac and asked, "The photographs will be ready in a few days, right?"

"Mm-hmm," Luna answered.

Reid poured himself a fresh cup of brewed coffee and sipped it. He took a seat at the breakfast nook when Élise walked in. She stretched and yawned, using her hand palm to cover her mouth. Élise scratched her back before sitting next to Reid.

"Hi again, love," She tiredly smiled and kissed his lips. She licked her lips, smacked her mouth, and guessed, "Coffee?" Élise eyed his coffee cup and started tapping, itching to get even a little drop. She tried to reach for it.

"Nuh-uh, wifey," Reid knew Élise's eyes greedily staring at his cup and slid it away from her. "You're nursing our boy."

Élise gulped, trying to lean and smell the aroma. Whining, "But it's Ethiopian…"

"Lisey…" Reid used his warning tone, lowering his eyebrow, cocked his head, and smirked.

Eventually, Élise backed off and pouted her mouth, "Okay."

"Good girl," Reid gave her another kiss and caressed her cheek. He offered to make everyone breakfast before he got up and replied to Élise, "Stop staring at my coffee cup." He turned his head back again to see Élise's frown.

Reid and Élise decided to take Séraphine, Isaac, and Opal down to the park for some fresh air, figuring it's been a while since they had been to one. Reid and Élise took turns swinging Séraphine back and forth on the swing, looking after Isaac, and playing with Opal before they began walking.

"Hey, little man," Élise doted at Isaac in his red and blue seat in the double stroller. "How are you feeling?"

Isaac's eyes were starting to close, and he licked his lips.

"Ah, I take that he's feeling fine," Reid tickled his cheek, making him lick his lips again before staring down at Séraphine, asking her, "Did you have a good time at the park today?"

"Yah!" babbled Séraphine.

"How about you, Opal?" asked Reid.

Opal barked in response before cuddling his leg.

Élise chuckled, "Do you know why I like coming to the park?"

"Because of the clear air provided by the trees from pollutants and natural ecosystem protection, physical activity, and boost for our mental health?" Reid figured. "As a matter of fact, journals, including researchers in Finland and the Netherlands, studied that even ten minutes can reduce stress, sadness, and depression, and increase happiness."

"I used to love coming to the park with my dad," Élise reminisced about her childhood. "You get to make your own sense of adventure."

"Not to mention, it's a great place to meet new people," Reid agreed, "Especially when you're still a child, though I rarely came to the park with my parents." Reid sighed, thinking how he wished he had made a friend or two at the park. "But at least I get to spend it with Fifi and Ziggy, right?"

"Yah!" Séraphine giggled and kicked her legs.

The family stopped at a nearby bench for a short rest.

Reid bent down and gave Séraphine a small snack. "Here you go, love."

"Tanks, dada," Séraphine cheered.

Élise screwed her water cap and set it back in her bag before her eyes caught sight of a familiar character. "Hey, babe." She grabbed Reid's attention and pointed him to the gypsy lady. "It's her."

"Ms. Giselle Ardelean?" Reid remembered who she was.

"Yeah," Élise got up and strolled towards her. "I looked up some of the tarot card meanings from the last time, and I felt as if what she said happened to us. Unexpected events, wonders, good things, and the positive outcomes that come with it. Plus, there's kind of fun to do, and I did a little research on her." Élise pulled out her phone and showed Reid the information on her.

Giselle Ardelean: Born to two European and African immigrant parents in the US. She traveled and lived around the world growing up. She's also a certified counselor in D.C., has no criminal record, and freelances as a gypsy and tarot card reader on the weekends.

Reid chuckled as he followed her. Once there, "Uh, Ms. Ardelean?"

Ms. Giselle gasped, "Ah. I remember you. How are you all doing today?"

"We're good," Élise answered chipperly. "And you yourself?"

Giselle inhaled and exhaled the air. "Fine on a day like today." She presently waved to the deck of cards in front of them. "Would you like a card reading?"

Élise spoke up for everyone, "Yes, ma'am."

"Please, sit," Ms. Giselle played with the deck of cards as Reid took a seat. She set out three cards in front and flipped one.

"The Wheel of Fortune card." The woman breathed. "Changes have been happened to you," Her hand trembled as she picked up the card and motioned it towards Élise. "As well as you, my fair lady." Setting it back down, "Like life, cycles going on and on, including the unexpected changes that are happening; good and bad."

Both Reid and Elie agreed to that.

Ms. Giselle turned the second card, and she gasped, placing her hand on her heart.

On the card, it's raining heavily, and there's a floating heart with three pierced swords.

"The Three of Swords card," Ms. Giselle explained. "I see grief happening. A loss and heartbreak; sadness and tears even." She reversed the card. "Life knocks us down, but we have to get back up. We can move past from it and heal."

Reid and Élise nodded their head silently.

Ms. Giselle spun the final card, and it had an unclothed woman with two water containers. She's pouring one on dry land and the other in the water, one foot in the water and the other on the ground. Above her are a large star and other stars.

She folded her long fingers, "The Star. With healing comes hope. No matter what life throws at us, we mustn't lose hope and remember the positives; we are strong. Keep the faith and appreciate what we have in life. When you do that, you can get through anything."

Reid and Élise were still speechless until Isaac began making soft cries.

"Hey-hey-hey, little Ziggy," Élise immediately began comforting him. "It's okay. Shh-shh-shh. We got you."

Reid tipped the lady, "Thank you, ma'am."

"Anytime," Ms. Giselle glued her palms together and respectfully bowed her head.

"Look at these pretty locks to you, sweet boy," Élise said in a soft tone as she was washing Isaac in the kitchen of the master bathroom. After drying his body, she used a tiny brush to clean his hair. "Look at these pretty locks." She gently poured the small water bowl over his hair—avoiding his eyes—before using a clean white terrycloth towel to dry his head. "There you go, little man."

She walked out of the bathroom just as Reid came in. "You're all clean now," Élise giggle-talked. "You're all clean." She bopped his nose, making him coo.

Reid smiled as he walked over to Élise's side and wrapped his arm around her. Wiggly waving to Isaac, "Hey, Ziggy. How are you doing, little man?" Isaac released another coo, making Reid grin.

"How do you feel about returning to work soon?" Élise playfully nudged him as she led them to their bed.

Reid sighed as he got into bed with her, "They say it'll get easier, but…it just never does."

"At least I'll be home for the next eight weeks," Élise mentioned. "You don't have to worry. Plus, Rose will be helping me, so there'll be no worries here."

For dinner, the family had tomato and eggplant casserole, beets, and greens salad; the dessert was freshly baked healthy chocolate chip cookies.

Reid offered to put Isaac down for a cat nap while Élise tended to the dishes and Séraphine.

Élise gave Isaac another feeding just as Reid offered to get him settled down while she took a quick shower.

"Are you ready, little man?" whispered Reid in Isaac's ear, holding him in his arms. "Are you ready to go beddy-bye?" He gently laid Isaac flat on his back and made sure he was comfortable.

Isaac faintly moved, opened his mouth and eyes little by little.

Élise was clad with a silk robe, watching the father-and-son exchange in silence with her arms crossed and by the bathroom door.

"Hey, little man." Reid grabbed a nearby chair and sat down beside him as Isaac was resting. "You know, I had this talk with your big sister, Fifi, though I know you're too young to understand. But I'm going to tell you anyway. I'll be going back to work soon. Mommy and I have dangerous jobs. What we do is to protect those in need, even you and Fifi. No matter what, we're always going to fight to our last dying breath to come home to you." Reid took his tiny hand and kissed it before kissing his forehead.

"Okay," Élise said to herself as she was fixing breakfast for everyone, including Reid, who's set to go back to work today. She decided to try a new breakfast recipe: oven-baked sheet pan pancakes.

She removed the half sheet pan from the oven as soon as the pancakes turned golden brown. Élise put on her mitts and cut the pancakes in small-sized portions for Séraphine and large portions for herself and Reid.

"Here you go, my love," Élise passed the small plate to Séraphine in her highchair. "I didn't forget your berries and your milk." She set the small cup of milk next to her plate.

"Tank you, mama!" giggled Séraphine as she picked up her fork and began eating her small pancake slice.

Élise asked Séraphine as she sat down and had a couple of bites, "How is it?"

"Gad!" answered Séraphine and took another bite.

Reid walked into the breakfast nook, and Élise's mouth was half open as she could barely close it, no matter how many times she tried to. And for a good reason. Reid was handsomely dressed in a crisp blue oxford shirt with the sleeves rolled up, freshly ironed dark pants, and his favorite Converses.

Fixing his hair up a bit as he was holding Isaac, Reid asked, "How do I like?"

"Like you're modeling for iconic brands, especially the preppy ones," Élise coyly sipped some orange juice. "Which is fine with me because preppy is so…"

"Élise…" Reid discreetly pointed to Séraphine eating and him holding Isaac, sensing she was about to use rather inappropriate language.

Élise broke out into giggles as she took Isaac from his arms and into hers. "I got the coffee maker ready for you, so enjoy yourself." She caressed Reid's cheek and kissed him again, and thumb-pointed him to the machine.

Reid chuckled, "I'm surprised you didn't sip any for yourself."

"I have good willpower," retorted Élise as she had another helping of the breakfast she made.

After ten minutes, Reid offered to wash the breakfast table and dishes while Élise took Séraphine and Isaac to the great room.

"That's it, little man," Élise encouraged Isaac to breastfeed from her left side. "That's it, Ziggy."

"Well," Reid finished drying his hands as he entered the great room and waved to Séraphine and Opal playing together. "I'm off to work."

Séraphine got up by herself, waddled to her father, and hugged his leg. "Bah, dada."

Reid scooped Séraphine off and kissed her head, "I love you so much, Fifi." He set her down next to Élise on the couch and kissed Isaac's head. "I love you so much, Ziggy."

"And where's my kiss?" asked Élise before she puckered up.

Reid chuckled to himself before passionately kissing Élise's lips. Pulling back, he felt Opal cuddling his leg. "Aw, I love you so much, Opie." He stared at his silver watch. "Ooh! I better get going." He quickly grabbed his satchel and bid adieu once more. "Love you!"

Reid sanitized his hands again once he stepped off the elevator and opened the double glass doors. He only took a few steps…

"Surprise!"

The team—most of them: Morgan, Garcia, JJ, and Rossi—stood by his desk.

Reid had a broad smile on his face when the team surprised him.

"Hey, Spence," JJ greeted him.

"Welcome back, my favorite daddy of two!" Garcia cried as she strolled towards Reid and embraced him with all her might. "How we missed you so much!"

Morgan was the next to hug him after Garcia pulled back. "Welcome back, pretty daddy." Drawing back, Morgan placed his hands on Reid's shoulders and took a good look at him. "Mmm. You look the same. Eh, maybe not. Probably because of those bags under your eyes right there."

Reid slapped his hand away when Morgan pointed to his eyes and laughed. "Ha-ha."

"So, you do have any new photos of Baby Isaac?" asked Rossi with amusing curiosity.

Reid rummaged through his satchel and pulled out a copy of the family photograph taken a week prior. He cautiously took out the previous photo he had in the frame and replaced that photograph with the new one.

It was a family portrait of him, Élise, Séraphine, and Isaac.

"Oh," Garcia swept the photo frame from Reid's hands. "You all look so good and so cute and polished and so…oh!" Garcia could barely keep her excitement. "I'm just so proud and happy for you!" Garcia hugged him again.

Reid knocked three times on Hotch's office door.

"Come in," said Hotch.

Reid walked in and found Hotch at his office desk with stacks of files, staring down at one of them.

Hotch looked up, "Hey, Reid."

"Hey," Reid observed the files and figured, "Still interviewing for the vacant seat left by Prentiss?"

"Yes," answered Hotch. "Though I do see some promising ones. Hopefully, I'll have an answer within a week or two." Hotch set his pen down and closed the file, folding his fingers and asked, "How was your paternal leave?"

Reid sighed, taking a seat across from Hotch, "It was good. I'm glad I got to spend some time with Ziggy." Reid went through his bag and pulled out some new photographs he showed the team earlier. He gave them to Hotch.

Hotch looked at the photographs and joked, "He has your smile."

Reid snickered, "Yeah, he does."

"Is Élise still taking the eight weeks off?" Hotch questioned before giving the pictures back to Reid.

"Yes."

Hotch observed Reid's tense body language. "Are you okay?"

"I, uh, I know I had this same with Séraphine, though I know Ziggy's too young to understand. I, uh, told him that Élise and I have dangerous jobs, but what we do is to protect those in need, even them. And no matter what, we're always going to fight to our last dying breath to come home to them," sighed Reid. "And I even promised myself I would never abandon them as my father did to my mother and me."

"I know you won't, Reid," Hotch nodded.

Reid whispered and felt a tear coming down his eye, "Yeah. I know."