A/N: Hello again, everyone!

A shout-out to Quilter1993, fishtrek, Fan of HPTMIBCandPJ1.

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.

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

The chapter takes place the weekend before the case.

And I apologize for the lack of Opal in the previous chapters.

"Coochie-coo, Ziggy," Élise tickled Isaac under his chin, making him laugh. She carried in front of him in the black baby sling in zip-off kangaroo panel parka coat; at the farmer's market with Reid and Séraphine, coolly sitting in the shopping cart seat. "Coochie-coo-ooh!" She cried when Isaac grabbed ahold of her left gold earring and pulled on it.

"Hey-hey-hey, Zig-Zag," Reid came to Élise's rescue and gently patted Isaac's hands off her earring. "No-no. Let go of mommy's earring, buddy."

Isaac let go of Élise's earring and gurgled.

"Oh, my hero." Élise gave Reid a warm kiss before she removed her earrings and placed them in her parka pockets.

Reid turned around and saw Séraphine grabbing for a caramel apple. "Oh, no, little girl." Reid coaxed the treat out of Séraphine's hands and placed it back where she got it.

Séraphine began crying for a few seconds before he scream-cried no, kicking her legs and banging her hands against the shopping cart rail.

"Séraphine, that is not necessary," Élise scolded as she picked out some kale and placed it into a plastic bag.

"I wat now!" Séraphine banged again.

Reid wagged his finger. "You had more than enough candy from Halloween. No more for now."

"I wat now!" Séraphine shrieked. "I WAT NOWWW!"

"No means no, Séraphine," Élise firmly replied again as she bagged some radishes. "You, young lady, throwing a temper tantrum like that is not going to get you want in life. Keep it up, and you'll get a timeout when we get home."

"Yup. What mommy said." Reid agreed.

Séraphine folded her arms and made a pouty-lip face.

After arriving home, Séraphine and Isaac had their naps and snacks and were now in the great room with Élise. They were playing with their toys as she was on the phone with Ophelia about the house they saw almost two weeks ago.

"I'm telling you, Ophelia, it's the perfect house for us."

Ophelia chuckled. "It's too good for words, huh? It's quite a popular choice."

"Absolutely," Élise smirked to herself. "Spencer and I discussed the price, and we're going to offer…five million for the house."

"And are you sure about it?" Ophelia steadily questioned back. "As I said, there are two other offers on the house."

Élise knew there was no going back now. "Yes."

Ophelia said, "Okay. I'll have a chat with the homeowners and get back to you as soon as possible, okay?"

"Yes. And thank you so much, Ophelia, for doing this. And I hope you got a call from some good friends, Dr. Maeve Donovan and Bobby Putnam?"

"I got a call from them a few days ago, and I found some good listings for them," Ophelia assured.

Élise smiled. "Great! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Ophelia."

"You, too, Élise. Goodbye."

"Goodbye," Élise hung up and went back to doing some paperwork.

"No, Ziggy!"

Élise's head snapped when she saw Isaac grasp onto a blue stuffed octopus, and Séraphine snatched it out of his hand.

"Hans off it now! No touchy!"

"Hold it right there, you two!" Élise got in the middle and seized the stuffed animal away from Séraphine's hands, making her cross her arms, and Isaac started to cry.

"What happened?" Reid rushed into the great room, wondering to know what was going on, after hearing the commotion from his office.

"My toy!" Séraphine pointed to the stuffed animal Élise tossed on the couch before scooping Isaac off the carpeted floor. "Mine!"

"Oh, it's okay, Zig-zag," Élise comforted. "It's alright."

Séraphine took the stuffed octopus back and clenched it close to her heart. "My toy! It's mine!"

"Séraphine…" Reid used his serious voice tone and had his hands on his waist. He squatted to her size; she still had a grimace on her face. "You have to learn how to share with your little brother. And others when you get older."

"Wy?" Séraphine shook her head.

Élise replied simply, "Because it's caring, Fifi. When you share, it can be fun, and so can getting along with them. When you give a little to others, you can get some of what we want, too."

Séraphine looked down at her stuffed animal and walked up to Élise, giving it to her.

"Aw," Élise gushed. "Are you giving me your stuffed animal, or is it for Ziggy?"

Séraphine babbled, "Ziggy!"

Reid petted Séraphine's head. "Good girl, Fifi!" He pulled Élise closer and whispered, "Maybe later, like at around dinnertime, we can play a sharing game, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay, family," Élise walked out of the kitchen with a pan with veggie lasagna and carefully set in the middle of the dining table. "Dinner is now ready and served." She removed her blue oven mitts, tossed them on the console table, and took her seat next to Reid. "But before we eat, grace, Spencer?" Élise took Isaac from his lap and onto hers.

Reid cleared his throat, folded her hands, and closed his eyes. "Heavenly Father, thank you for this food we're about to eat from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, amen."

"Amen."

"My food!" Séraphine tried to reach for the veggie lasagna pan.

Reid lured her hand away from it. "Séraphine. Remember what we said about sharing." He cut a piece and placed it on a plate. "Élise." Reid passed the white plate to her.

Élise gasped as she bounded Isaac on her knee while feeding him. "Thank you, bunny, but I think I would like to pass my plate to Fifi, please."

"Tank you, mommy," Séraphine smiled. "But may I pease pas it, daddy?" She sliced her plate to Reid.

"Aw, see how much fun sharing can be?" Reid kissed her head before he cut a piece for Séraphine and Élise.

"Mm-hmm," Séraphine nodded as her plate was given to her and she began eating.

"Breakfast is ready!" Rose chipperly announced as she presented Reid and Élise a plate of cinnamon French toast she pulled from the stovetop and onto the table.

Élise smiled. "Thanks, Rose. I mean, you didn't have to do all this." She had a bite of the egg white, and spinach omelet Rose cooked.

"Ah, I just felt a rush of energy," said Rose as she sat down with them.

"Tank you, Ro!" a mouthful Séraphine said.

"You're welcome, Séraphine," Rose grinned as she gave Opal her breakfast.

Reid warned her. "But next time, swallow before you talk."

"Yes, daddy," Séraphine obeyed.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

"Did you invite anyone for breakfast?" Élise moved her eyebrows while sipping her glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

After finishing the rest of his berry muffin, Reid retorted, "No, did you?"

"No."

Reid got up from his seat; Opal followed him and answered the door.

"Hey, pretty boy."

It was Morgan, dressed in a black sleeveless shirt that showed off his tattooed muscles, dress pants with a belt, and shoes. He was also carrying a bag of sports equipment.

"Hey…" Reid uneasily answered as Morgan walked himself inside the house. "Yeah. just come on right in." He closed the door. He wondered, "What are you doing here?"

"First, I'm going to help myself to some breakfast," Morgan headed to the kitchen after setting his bag down, and he found Élise eating breakfast while feeding Isaac with Séraphine and Rose. "Hello, ladies and Pretty Boy, Jr."

Séraphine waved. "Hi!"

"What are you doing here?" Élise cocked her mouth and lowered her eyes.

"What, I can't see my favorite family?" Morgan casually opened his arms before his dark eyes spotted a plate of turkey bacon. "Ooh!" He helped himself to one.

"Nex tyme ask," said Séraphine.

Morgan apologized. "Sorry."

"Not without good reason," Élise responded.

Opal barked.

"See? Even Opal's suspicious."

Reid walked into the kitchen. "Why are you here, and why do you have sports equipment?"

Morgan recalled a memory. "Remember when you said, 'I own you one' when I dropped you and Élise to the airport so that you can attend your cousin's wedding in Las Vegas?"

Reid knew where this was going. "Yes."

"Considering this a repayment: join the bureau softball team against the Secret Service." Morgan proposed.

Reid suddenly felt this knot in his stomach. "Seriously."

"It's just for one game," said Morgan. "May I please have another one?"

"Yes, you can." Élise approved.

Morgan had another small bacon slice. "Come on, pretty boy." He lightly tapped Reid's back. "It'll be fun."

"Considering my bad childhood sports memories, I highly doubt that," Reid mumbled as he flashbacked to everyone laughing and booing at him whenever he played sports.

Morgan made a face. "You make it seem I'm going to torture you."

Reid muttered. "You might as well have."

Before Reid and Morgan can really get into it, they are called for a case in Miami involving dead puppies and a prostitute.

Élise was on her way to a court appearance when her phone vibrated. She answered it. "Hello?"

"Hi, honey."

Élise smiled. "Hi, Spencer. How was the softball practice this morning?"

"I felt like an idiot just trying to swing the ball," Reid sighed. "I'm now starting to regret asking Morgan for that ride to the airport."

"As Morgan said, it's just for one game," Élise reminded him. "You're going to be fine. And considering your physical therapy and gaining some muscle over the years with me, you should be good."

Reid doubted. "Yeah, maybe. Oh, I better get going. I love you."

"I love you, too." Élise hung up and was almost there when she got another phone call. She pressed her lips out a bit and wrinkled her nose when Élise noticed it was a blocked number. Nevertheless, she still answered. "Hello?"

The caller didn't answer.

Élise repeated. "Hello?"

She hung up when they didn't answer the second time. But just to be on the safe side, Élise turned off her phone. "Ugh, I hate when they don't answer."

Reid and Morgan headed to the crime scene where the last puppy was found after the plane landed in Miami.

After a quick look around, Morgan hung after getting Garcia to compose a list of teenage offenders after judging from the places they passed and looking at a kissing couple.

Reid kept on staring at the kissing couple. Morgan joked, "Oh, someone's thinking about being at home with his lady."

Reid countered, "At least I have a lady and children to go home to and not some single jerk."

Morgan chuckled. "I'm single by choice."

"Mm-hmm," Reid twisted his mouth to a straight line.

Now Rossi, Blake, and JJ knew about Morgan drafting Reid for the softball game and had a quick conversation about it until Hotch approached them with what they had. Soon the head detective contacted them with news about another woman with a completely different M.O.

But the only similarity is the plastic bag over the victim's head, like with the first human victim.

They realized they were dealing with a team.

Élise sighed as she was getting ready for bed. She checked on Séraphine and Isaac twice before going to bed.

She jumped when she heard her phone vibrating. I really need to stop doing that, Élise said in her head. She exhaled when she saw the caller ID. "Hi, honey."

"Hey, are you okay?" Reid wondered. "You sound drained."

Élise ran her fingers through her hair. "What a day."

"I know the feeling." Reid agreed with her. He yawned. "I better get going. See you in my dreams?"

"As always." Élise smooched over the phone.

Now with the news of another murdered woman, knowing now the two previous victims were practices, the team delivered the profile of the unsubs being a team of two: an adult leader and teenage apprentice.

Reid and Morgan talked to a kid who was brought in for questioning by Miami PD. They managed to get him to open up about the day he was knocked out by one of the unsubs after seeing the younger one beat up a dog.

Élise went into the bathroom, locked the door after making sure no one was in the stalls, and she was completely alone. She pressed a number on speed-dial and the phone to her ear, waiting for the caller to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," said Élise. "Did you trace the phone number I got yesterday?"

The caller replied, "Yes, and the number came from a burner phone, but it went untraceable after the call."

Élise rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I swear, when I find out who's doing this to me, hell will be on fire."

"I'll keep trying, Élise." The caller promised.

Élise nodded before they hung up. "I know you will." To be honest, Élise was not so sure and wondered if maybe…She shook her head.

Whoever is doing this to her is her problem and doesn't need—nor wants—to drag anyone into her drama.

Not even Spencer.

Discussing more about the killings and unsubs, the team realized that the older unsub learned his M.O. from prison.

Garcia got the name: David Roy Turner.

Raiding his place, the team found pictures of who could be his teenage apprentice: Toby Whitewood.

With Garcia's help and Ms. Whitewood's help, the team managed to save Toby's last victim, his boss.

On the plane ride home, Reid sat with Morgan, JJ, and Blake, as he began reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes when he got a text from Élise a few hours ago.

He smiled when he opened to Élise making a poster with Séraphine and Opal licking Isaac in the background.

Unbeknownst to the rest of them, Hotch and Rossi had a private conversation about a copycat.

"Here you go, my love," Élise gave Reid his breakfast plate: scrambled eggs and oatmeal with peanut butter, dried cranberries, a tall glass of orange juice, and water.

Reid had a bite. "Mmm. Delicious."

Élise sat down and began feeding Isaac. "You're going to need your strength for the big game today against the Secret Service. Rumor has it the Bureau hasn't beaten them in five years."

"Oh, why?" Reid only had three bites and was already feeling queasy.

Élise perked. "You're going to be fine. And who knows? Maybe you won't even have to play."

"Dada!" Séraphine burst into the kitchen with something; Opal followed her. "Ear yoo go."

It was a white poster with GO FBI in yellow-gold lettering.

"Aw!" Reid pulled her into a hug. "That is so sweet! Come on!" Reid scooped Séraphine into her seat. "Eat your breakfast."

"Okay."

Élise smirked before eating some Honey Nut Cheerios. "Oh, this is going to be a good day."

The doorbell rang. "I'll get it."

Élise got up and ran to answer it.

Reid swallowed after mouthful. "Who's at the door, Élise?"

"Surprise…"

William Reid presented himself, and he was casually dressed in a simple blue polo, dark denim pants, and Converses.

"Dad," Reid's mouth gaped.

Séraphine got up from her seat. "Granpa!"

"Hi, my gushing granddaughter," William's eyes flashed and broadly grinned when he hugged Séraphine. "How are you doing?"

"I gah," Séraphine giggled.

Reid wiped his mouth and wrinkled his nose. "What are you doing here?"

"Élise and your colleague, Morgan, invited me since you've been asked to play in a softball game."

"As a favor," Reid corrected.

William shook his shoulders. "Still, I'm happy to give you some pointers."

Reid smiled. "I'd like that."

After breakfast, William gave Reid some pointers as Opal took the opportunity to run around in the backyard before taking a nap after everyone left.

"WHOO-HOO!" Élise cheered into her mini bullhorn. She was joined by the rest of the team, William, Séraphine, Isaac, and even Rose, for the FBI and the Secret Service game. So far, it was five for the FBI and six for the Secret Service.

"YOU CAN DO IT, SPENCER!"

"GO, DADDY!" Séraphine raised her hands in the air. "GO, DADDY!"

William clapped as he was filming the game for Diana. "You can do it, son!"

"You can do it!" said Morgan from the field, clapping his hands. "You can do it! You can do it!"

"Hey, this guy can't hit," A Secret Service softball player said, motioning the ones in the field to come closer. "Bring it in."

As Morgan ran across the field for timeout, Élise knew what was going on and decided to give them a little taste of the Silent Eliminating Enforcer. "Hey, may you hold my darling boy for me, please?" She asked Rose before giving Isaac to her.

"Of course," answered Rose. Élise stepped down from the silver bleachers, watched Morgan give Reid a pep talk, and watched the Secret Service players laugh and chuckle. She motioned William to come to her side and sensed Morgan was finished before he ran back out into the field.

"HOLD ON, MORGAN!" Élise cried into her bullhorn.

"Time out!" Morgan called timeout again as Élise and William ran out into the home plate. "Time out!"

A confused Secret Service player asked, "You're calling timeout for a girl and an old man?"

"THERE'S NO RULE AGAINST THAT!" Élise replied. "THAT'S HIS FATHER AND, UH…I'M HIS WIFE, YOU DIM BULB MEATHEAD!"

The crowd hollered.

Élise rolled her eyes and looked passionately to Reid; Morgan gave them some space. "Hey-hey-hey. I know what Morgan said to you. Babe Ruth once said, "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." Don't let those bad childhood sports memories stop from winning this game against these clowns. And stop overthinking, no matter I much I love it. You can do this."

William spoke up next. "You can do this. Babe Ruth also said, "Every strike brings me closer to the next home run." And it does. You should not be afraid of failing. You can do this." He placed his hands on his son's shoulders. "You…can…do…this."

Reid shakingly sighed.

"Dada!" Séraphine ran onto the home plate and hugged Reid's leg, making everyone gush.

"Come on, Fifi," Élise and William took her hand and passionately kissed Reid's lips. "You can do it." They returned to the bleachers.

Another Secret Service player groaned. "Oh, God. What is this, some family reunion movie?"

The game continued, and Reid struck out twice, meaning the third time, the FBI would lose against the Secret Service.

"Yeah," another one laughed.

"This guy's got nothin'."

Another one joked, "This guy ain't nothin'."

William used Élise's bullhorn. "HEY, THAT'S MY SON!"

"YEAH! THAT'S HIS SON, AND MY MAN YOU'RE MESSING YOU!" Élise had her hand on her hip. "AND SMACK-TALKING ABOUT!"

One chuckled. "Well, if I were you two, I'd get myself a new man and new son, little girl and old man."

Reid snapped his head when that player said that. But with Morgan, Élise, and his father's previous words of encouragement and wisdom, Reid finally put all those bad childhood sports memories away and watched as the ball was thrown to him…

And stared in awe as it swung out onto the field.

"RUN, FOOL!" Élise exclaimed. "RUN!"

"RUN, SON!"

Reid dropped the bat and ran as fast as he could through the bases.

"You can do it!"

"Come on!"

"Yes! YES!" Morgan cheered as he reached to home base, scoring a point for the FBI.

Reid was almost there…

"Get down!" Morgan motioned for Reid to slide to make it to home base. "Get down!"

"And…"

The umpire called it. "SAFE!"

The crowd roared when the FBI won against the Secret Service.

"You did it! You did it!" Morgan ruffled his hat before helping him up and hugging him. He and a few other agents helped him carry Reid. "You did it! Whoo!"

Unbeknownst to everyone, someone from afar took photos of the team, family members, and significant others.

A/N: HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!