A/N: Hello again, everyone!

A shout-out to Quilter1993 and fishtrek.

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.

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

The chapter takes place on Saturday, December 1st, 2012.

Reid was merrily in the kitchen, cooking breakfast for his family. He swiftly looked at the time on his silver watch, and it was two minutes after seven, meaning that Élise, Séraphine, and lastly, Isaac would be up.

"Goooood morning, love," Élise strolled in, holding Isaac and Séraphine and Opal follow her.

Reid kissed Élise's cheek. "Mmm. Good morning, love."

"Hi, daddy!" Séraphine hugged Reid's legs.

"Hello, my fiery Fifi," after setting the spatula down, Reid lifted Séraphine, kissed the top of her head before setting in a seat between Élise and him after he gets breakfast plated. "Morning, my little man." he stroked his fingers through Isaac's short locks. Reid knew Isaac was going through hair loss; Séraphine went through it, so he and Élise have nothing to worry about.

Élise sniffed her nose, and her mouth formed a smile. "Ooh, do I smell your famous blueberry waffles?"

"Mmm," Reid set two on Élise's plate before setting two on Séraphine and cutting them up for her. "Here you go."

"Tanks, daddy."

Reid filled Opal's bowl, opened the refrigerator door, took a bottle of Élise's pumped breast milk, closed the fridge, gave the bottle to Élise, and joined the family for breakfast.

"Whoo."

Élise asked concerningly as she began feeding Isaac while having breakfast. "You okay?"

"Just the case yesterday," Reid collapsed back in his seat after having a couple of waffle bites. "It really was something."

Élise placed her hand on her lap. "Well, you're home, and that's all that matters." Élise lowered her head and now had a smirk on her face. "Especially since today's the first of December. Meaning…Santa Claus is comin' to town!" she sung.

"Ho-ho-ho!" Séraphine bounced in her seat and rubbed her tiny belly. "Ho-ho-ho!"

Reid chuckled. "Have you been a good girl this year?"

"Yea!" Séraphine ferociously shook her head. "Mm-hmm."

Élise stared at a-still-a-bit-hungry Isaac and playfully bopped his nose. "Don't worry; we have big plans for you, little guy," she whispered, "You turned out to be a surprise for us last year. And look where we are now," Élise's voice grew when she said that.

Reid tickled under Isaac's chin as he finished his waffle serving. "We're going to get you your first Christmas stocking, ornament; you're going to get lots of presents from Santa, us, grandparents, and the rest of the family. I know you're too young, but like Fifi's, we're going to make your first Christmas magical."

"Yah-yah, bah."

Isaac's blue-gray eyes beamed; he tapped on the bottle and began pushing away from it, wiggling his arms and legs.

Élise set the bottle on the table and began burping him. "I take it you had enough for breakfast."

Reid wiped his nose. "Who would like some freshly squeezed orange juice?" he started pouring the first cup.

"Meee!" Séraphine raised her hand in the air.

"And what do we say?" Reid held the cup in the air, reminding Séraphine what to say when she wanted something.

Séraphine batted her eyes. "Peaze!"

Reid gave her the cup. "Here you go, good girl."

"Tanks, daddy!"

"Ooh," Reid was on his tablet, strolling through the links on making a baby's first Christmas special. "We can do the same things we did for Séraphine with Isaac."

"Mm-hmm," Élise laid in bed with the comforters over most of her body, feeling out-of-it.

Reid continued. "Visit Santa at the mall, go Christmas tree hunting, attend a tree lighting ceremony."

"Mm-hmm."

"We can even dress them up in festive outfits; even ugly Christmas-themed sweaters, and watch fun Christmas movies," Reid added.

"Yup."

Reid looked down at Élise looking disinterested and almost sleepy. "And maybe we can take a flight to the North Pole on Christmas Eve."

Élise sighed. "Yeah, maybe."

Reid hated seeing Élise so down and sad. Wondering what's up with her, he straightforwardly asked, "Are you okay?"

Élise rested her elbow against the pillow and her hand on her cheek. "I don't know." she collapsed her head against the pillow and stared blankly at the ceiling. "I just don't know. Life, maybe."

"Oh, Lisey, my love," Reid petted her head. "I think we need to take a weekend getaway,"

"Why do we need a weekend getaway?" Élise retorted Reid's suggestion with a question. "Just why, Spencer?"

Reid listed some reasons. "Something's been up with you. I don't know what it is, but there's something."

"You want to give me one?" Élise blandly countered.

"Oh, I can think of a montage..."

"Whoa!"

Reid jumped. "Lise, it's just me. You can put the bat down."

Élise cocked her head and wrinkled her nose before she jumped and realized she had a yellow plastic bag in her hand. She tossed it away and placed her hands behind her back.

Élise smiled nervously, "My bad."

"Élise…"

"Whoa!"

Reid backed up; his eyes widened, and he had his hands in the air. "Holy…"

Élise realized she held a sharp knife in her hand, tossed it in the sink, and smiled. "Sorry."

"Élise…"

"Ahhh!"

"Ahh!"

"AHH!"

Élise shuddered at those moments and scratched the back of her neck. "Okay, I see your point there." Well, who could and/or would blame her? It wasn't her fault someone was sending her threatening notes at work and her email, hang-up calls, or heavy breathing. "I just…"

Reid nodded his head in agreement before he started massaging her, starting with her shoulders. "You're too tense. You need to relax and detox."

"A weekend getaway?" Élise reminded him. "When do you want to have a weekend getaway?

Reid answered, "This following weekend if we have a case and I'm able to come back in time. Don't you worry about a thing; I'll take care of everything, so you don't have to lift a finger."

Élise tucked her head tighter against the pillow and pulled the covers over her, closing her eyes, hoping to get some sleep. "I'll think about it."

"A weekend getaway, Maeve," Élise and Maeve were on the second level floor of the Tyson Corner Center at Talbots, doing some girl alone time/early Christmas shopping. "Not that I don't appreciate what Spence is doing, but it just seems too random to have one, you know?"

"That could be a good thing," Maeve thought as she picked a white sweater off the hanger rack. "I just read an article on CoillMed that taking a vacation reduces stress by getting away from activities and environments that can make people stressed. They lower the chances for a heart attack, increase productivity, and sleep better."

Élise scoffed as she looked at a cashmere sweater. "I sleep well, and I get plenty of productivity done anywhere I go, including work."

Maeve giggled. "Going on vacation regularly decreases burnout. Not to mention, they make you feel good and happy." Maeve raised her eyebrows three times and smiled. "Even Bobby and I go on a weekend getaway every now and then." her eye caught sight on a blue long-sleeve pullover sweater. "Bobby and I went to Harpers Ferry before BJ was born and Annapolis before Charlotte's birth."

"I'm already happy," Élise mentioned. "I have a great career, a loving husband, two bubbly children."

Maeve replied, "Well, you have seemed a bit jumped."

"What makes you say that?" Élise was startled, surprised Maeve would say such a thing.

Maeve opened her hand to make a point. "See what I mean? You just jumped."

Élise shook her head in denial. "What? Nah."

Maeve sighed as she placed the sweater back on the rack, moved some of her dark hair away from her face, and had her hand on Élise's shoulder. "Élise. I know something's bothering you. I want to help you. I don't know if I told you this, but…you're more than just a best friend to me. You're a sister to me."

Élise turned her head, touched Maeve compared her to a sister. "Do you?"

"Yeah." Maeve smiled. "I didn't have a lot "girlfriends" growing up, so…you're a sister to me. I mean, you're fierce, you're loyal, you're wonderful."

"Yeah, I grew out-of-touch with my "girl friends" growing up, so…" Élise shrugged her shoulders and grinned at Maeve. "I love you." she and Maeve shared a tender hug.

Maeve felt a tear in her eye. "I love you, too, Lise." she immediately asked, "So, are you going to go on a weekend getaway to Spencer?" Maeve raised her eyebrows again and slyly smiled.

Élise lowered her head and replied, "Ah, why not?"

"Yay!" Maeve squealed.

Élise inhaled the coffee smell and sighed heavenly when she entered the kitchen, holding Séraphine's hand while carrying Isaac in her arm and saw Rose whipping up breakfast.

"Morning, Rose," Élise set Séraphine in her seat.

Rose positioned a bowl of oatmeal made with milk and frozen berries in front of Séraphine. "Good morning, everyone."

"Moring, Rosie," Séraphine smiled before she picked up her spoon and started eating.

Reid covered his mouth with his balled fist as he yawned and placed his hands on his sides to stretch his back. "Good morning."

"Moring, daddy."

Reid kissed Séraphine's forehead and petted her hair. "Hello, my pretty girl." he next kissed Isaac's face. "Hey, little guy. How are you doing this morning?"

Isaac squeakily squealed, stretching his growing body, making Reid even more.

"Ready for your appointment with Dr. Saller?" Élise asked before she drank some orange juice.

"Yup," Reid adjusted his satchel strap. "And I better leave now because I'm craving for the coffee Rose has brewing."

"Oh, my…" Rose's eyes extended, reminding herself to turn off the machine and carefully unplug it. "My apologies."

Reid chuckled as Élise gave him a bottled water and a passionate lip kiss before leaving, bidding everyone adieu.

"Okay, Dr. Reid," the tall doctor began scribbling in his clipboard. "Everything seems to be in good health, from your BMI, blood pressure, " Dr. Saller asked him, "How are the headaches? Have you been getting any?"

Reid put on his dark blazer again and buttoned it up. "No. I've been taking high doses of Riboflavin, Magnesium, Vitamin D, CoenzymeQ10, and Melatonin," remembering Maeve's advice.

"Good,"

Reid stared at his silver watch. "Ooh, I better get going." Reid placed his satchel over his shoulder. "Thank you, Dr. Saller." he finished the rest of the bottled water Élise gave him this morning and threw it in the nearest recycling bin.

"Of course. And I'll make sure to send you the results of the bloodwork," Dr. Saller securely placed small and tightly sealed tubes of Reid's blood in a small plastic bag.

Reid hastened into the room just as Hotch came into the roundtable and removed his satchel, apologizing for being late as he had an appointment. He took a seat next to Blake, and Garcia presented a case in Arizona; in this case, two male victims have been oddly disposed of, but one female who was with one of the victims is still missing.

In her chambers, waiting for a couple of attorneys to arrive, Élise read a text from Reid that he and the team are on their way to Arizona for a case just as she dialed a number. Placing the phone to her ear and waited for the caller to answer.

"Hello."

Élise sighed. "Hey there. So, anything new?"

"Surprisingly, no. Maybe whoever's been stalking you is gone. It has been two weeks."

Élise shrugged and crossed her arms. "During one case a few years ago, Spencer said that at often times, when a stalker's advances are completely ignored their erotomaniac fantasies will be diverted to a more receptive target."

"Well, if you need any more protection during your weekend getaway, I'll make some calls and get back to you."

Élise sighed again. "Again, I don't know how I can thank you enough."

"Anytime, Élise."

Élise had a small smile on her face. Maybe there really wasn't anything to worry about, and she could just relax and enjoy the potential vacation with Reid. They hung up when Élise noticed two suit-tailored attorneys and their well-dressed clients walk in, prompting Élise to put her phone away.

The team discussed more the victims' personal lives and wondered the motive for their deaths and/or abductions while Reid positioned the casefiles to the side for a moment and anxiously looked at his phone to see if Élise sent him anything new. This gave the team weird looks, already thinking about what's been going on with Reid since he's been doing it lately but decided to keep it to themselves and focus on the case.

Hotch split up the workload once the jet landed in Arizona and had Reid and Rossi meet the M.E. on the case.

The M.E. showed them the ligature marks from the victims being hung; ketamine was in their bodies and dislocated and disjointed bones.

Meeting back with some of the team, they learned the unsub must have made his own equipment that makes the victims' bones disjointed, used a ruse on the victims, and cut off the victims' security system.

"Are you sure you don't mind watching Séraphine, Isaac, and Opal while Spencer and I go on our trip?" Élise continued packing her and Reid's luggage. "There's always my parents or my brother and sister-in-law."

Rose gasped as she handed Élise some toiletries. "Absolutely. I wouldn't have it any other way. Plus, I don't have any plans until Christmas, so why not?"

Élise chuckled. She sighed as she zipped her luggage bag, and Rose set it down for her by the closet.

"I'll be on my way."

Rose was on her way out when Élise called for her.

"Hey, Rose."

Rose stopped and closed the door. "Yes?"

"May I ask you something?"

The following day, Hotch and Reid headed to the sight of a new victim, found in a wrapped box; had burned holes and wore a previous male victim's slacks.

Before Morgan and JJ checked out a store where the unsub potentially was to buy the trousers the victims were wearing, they delivered the profile to the Arizona police officers.

Reid was doing the geographical profiling in a private room away from everyone else when Blake walked. "How's the geographical profiling going, and why are you doing it in here?" she wondered.

"It's going good," Reid cleared his throat, scratched his itchy eyes, and sniffed. "I'm just having trouble concentrating out there, is all, so I came in here."

Blake nodded. "Hmm." she folded her arms. "Are you okay?"

"Élise's been feeling a bit stressful, so I'm planning a weekend getaway," said Reid.

Blake pursed her mouth and sat down across from him. "Really?"

"Mm-hmm," Reid sighed, slouching a bit. "I don't know. I…I don't know what it is, but something's going on with her. And the worst part is that she won't tell me about it. Like, she needs to hide it from it."

"And you think this short vacation will get her to open up?" Blake asked.

Reid lowered his head a bit. "I hope so."

"When are you going?"

Reid answered, "Right when we get back, hopefully. I got everything set up, so we don't have to worry about anything else. Rose will have Séraphine, Isaac, and Opal." he exhaled noisily again. "I don't know, Blake. What if it doesn't work out?"

"I think it'll make your relationship stronger," Blake gave him a hopeful smirk. "Don't worry about anything."

Reid took Blake's advice to heart before they met up Hotch and Rossi, who each got a call that the shop owner Morgan and JJ visited had gone missing and the M.E. discovered a dislocated jaw.

Reid came up with a rather strange theory.

The unsub is turning the victims into human marionettes.

Now they got news of a father and son abducted at gunpoint.

The team decided to fly back home to D.C., especially after their long and hard week and hoping to put the case behind them.

Hotch, Rossi, Morgan, JJ, Blake, and Garcia were all in the elevator when they realized Reid wasn't with them, remembering that he and Élise were going away for the weekend.

"Spencer and Élise are working on Baby Number Three."

Reid yawned as he opened the front door and locked in the security alarm. Setting his go bag to the side, he walked into the great room and saw Élise and Rose watching television.

Élise turned her head and saw Reid standing. "Hi, love," she whispered, got up, and immediately kissed him. Embracing him, "I just tucked the kids in, the bags are packed and in the car, so…"

Reid pulled back. "Okay. Mind if I say good night to them? It'll be really quick."

"Okay." Élise patted her chest and kissed her cheek. She watched Reid walk out of the great room as he left to Séraphine and Isaac's rooms. He quietly opened the door, walked up to Séraphine's bedside, and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Fifi."

He stepped out and made his way to Isaac's nursery. He stood over his crib and stroked his head.

"I love you, Ziggy."

He closed the door and found his way to the foyer, where he found Élise talking to Rose. "Are you ready?"

"Mm-hmm," Élise shook her head and smiled. "Have a good weekend, Rose. Call if anything…"

Rose took Élise's hand and patted it. "I will. You two relax and have a good weekend."

"Mmm, may I please take off this sleeping mask?" Élise commented about the pink silk mask Reid got her and told her not to remove it until they got to their weekend destination.

Reid replied, "You can take it off."

Élise removed her mask, and her mouth dropped. "The Ivy Hotel?"

"Mmm-hmm," Reid nodded his head and got their luggage out of the car and gave them to the bellhops.

"Oh, you shouldn't have," Élise blushed.

"Oh, but I wanted to." Reid escorted Élise inside the luxury building. "You need to relax, even it's the last thing I'd make you do." he wagged his finger, lowered his eyes, and smirked.

Élise giggled.

Reid and Élise quickly got settled in the hotel suite before Reid announced he made dinner reservations at the hotel's restaurant, Magdalena.

They approached the female maître d' at the podium.

Reid cleared his throat, "Spencer Reid for two."

The maître d' escorted Reid and Élise to their seats and gave them their dinner menus before walking away.

Élise sighed and scratchy her itchy palms; Reid noticed her nerves. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah," Élise tried brushing it off and chuckled nervously. "I'm still not used to leaving Séraphine and Isaac overnight." she had her hand over her chest, inhaled, and exhaled. "I think I need to use the restroom."

"I'll order for us," said Reid as Élise left the table for the bathroom. After quickly scrolling through the menu, already knowing what to order, Reid turned his head a couple of times before his eyes caught sight of someone slightly looking at him twice, maybe three times, from across the room before finally looking forward.

Getting a decent look at him, he had light skin complexion, a slim square-shaped face, light brown almost-almond-shaped eyes, full eyebrows, short stringy dark hair, a hawk nose, and wore a dark blue button shirt and brown trousers.

Reid couldn't understand why but he just sensed something off about him.

"Hey," Élise sat down again. "I'm good again." she sighed again. "Did you order yet?"

Reid opened his mouth but hadn't gotten the chance to answer that when a waiter came to their table.

"May I take your order?"

Reid looked at the corner of his eye at the person who was looking at him as Élise ordered. "I'd like to try the ravioli, green appetizers, the non-alcoholic pomegranate drink, and raspberry sorbet."

"Excellent choices. Sir?" the waiter turned their attention to Reid.

"Huh?" Reid paid attention. "Oh! Uh…I'll have the same as my wife."

"Coming right up." the waiter took their menus and left.

Élise asked, "Are you okay, babe? Normally, I'm the one who's supposed to worry."

"Oh, well, perhaps it's rubbing off on me," Reid joked, trying to hide his discomfort.

They chuckled.

Unbeknown to Reid and Élise, someone was taking photographs of them.