A/N: Hello again, everyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. No copyright infringement intended.

I'll be going away this weekend to see my big brother get married, so…

Previously on Criminal Minds…

"I can't believe this is actually happening…A chance for me becoming the next Attorney General."

"…You'd be making history..."

"…Promise me that whatever happens…"

"...Ride or die 'till death do us part…"

No matter how hard Élise stared at the ceiling with her knotted fingers or how hard she tried to shut her eyes to the point where they were going to burst, or how much warm milk or tea she had, or how early she went to bed, she just couldn't sleep. She was still feeling too anxious and nervous to try to.

And for good reason.

Monday would be the day of her confirmation hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The day when she gives her testimony to potentially be the U.S. Attorney General. No matter how many times it went in her head, it was too real for her. One day she's graduated from law school, and the next thing she knew was the biggest career changer for her.

"Élise…?" Spencer's faded voice was calling out to Élise. "Lise…?"

Élise still had her eyes closed and grumbled. "Uh…wha…?"

"It's time for your testimony hearing today…" he gently shook her shoulder. "Up and at 'em…up-up-up, eager beaver…"

Élise grumbled, sitting up and rubbing her half-sleep-filled eyes. She was surprised she managed to fall and get some sleep—she looked at the time on her phone and it was fifteen after seven in the morning.

"I feel nauseating…" Élise moaned. "I don't even drink alcohol, yet my head is pounding, and I feel like crap. How is that even possible?"

Spencer helped Élise out of bed. "Well, there are plenty of reasons why and I'd tell you them, but you'll feel a lot better once you have some breakfast. There's a reason why it's the most important meal of the day."

"Oh, God…" Élise whined again and walked like a spellbound zombie; if Spencer weren't with her, she probably would have been half-moving-half-dragging herself. "Why do I feel like a relentless kid so not wanting to go back to school when it's the first day and you were the parent that was going to make me go against my will, no matter how much I begged, pleaded, and cry?"

Spencer chuckled. "Oh, I can imagine that, alright…"

Rose made sure Isaac had his breakfast plate before going to the living room to give Séraphine her plate and cup to her.

"Just as you politely asked." Séraphine wanted berry French toast with eggs, soymilk yogurt, and orange juice. "Here you go."

Séraphine gratefully said, "Thank you, Rose…"

"Anytime…" seeing the remote, Rose picked it up and started flipping through the channels to see if there were any child-appropriate shows on at the moment, like Arthur or Sofia the First when something caught her attention and changed to a major network channel, where she saw Élise's picture on the screen along with a banner that said ATTORNEY GENERAL CONFIRMATION HEARING and a countdown.

"Hey…!" Séraphine pointed to the screen. "Mommy's on TV…!"

"Hey-hey…" Spencer's voice got everyone's attention. "How's everyone this morning?"

Séraphine flapped her hand. "Hi, daddy…" her jaw dropped when she saw Élise again. "Mommy…you're on TV!"

Élise strolled into the living room and saw herself on the screen and two to three of the network channel's personnel gathering around a table and talking; Rose turned off the captains and lowered the volume to make sure Séraphine didn't hear see or anything negative that was being said.

"Yay…" Élise already sounded defeated and ejected to the kitchen nook to check in on Isaac; Spencer followed her and watched her wipe Isaac's cheeks.

"You okay?" Spencer checked up on her.

A surge of vertigo hit her, causing her to go her over to the kitchen sink and have both hands on the edges until the feeling went away again. "This is really starting to get to me…" she admitted fearfully. "It really is…"

"I'm going to be by your side." Spencer came from behind and had his hands on her shoulders. "Well, actually, I'll be behind you, but I'll still be there with you…" he laughed lightly, hoping that cheer her up a bit, but it seemed it barely did. "Remember, ride or die…" he held his pinky out for her to swear and started to get a bit worried when she didn't. Especially when she looked away with hesitation.

Until she finally did after twelve seconds. Élise smirked, her mouth to the side. "Ride or die…"

After breakfast, Spencer and Élise took a shower, brushed their teeth, and dressed for today's testimony hearing.

Spencer came out of the closet wearing a Polo Ralph Lauren suit Élise got tailored and fitted for him with a lavender purple dress shirt, tie, and wingtips. He stared at himself in the mirror and fixed his hair up a bit when Élise came out of the bathroom in this vintage Yves Saint Laurent double-breasted black wool suit that came from one of his Haute Couture collections from the late 1970s, white necktie blouse, black stockings, and slingbacks; her hair blown dried, straightened, and styled a bit; her makeup natural; and her favorite gold studded earrings, bracelet, and watch.

Spencer smiled proudly. "Still look like you're ready to be this country's Attorney General."

"Yet I still feel nauseous…" Élise had one hand on her stomach while getting her black satchel bag off the bed. "Ooh…"

Spencer held his arm out. "Ride or die."

"Ride or die…" Élise locked her arm onto his.

Spencer and Élise arrived at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, one of the three office buildings constructed for U.S. Senate members, within about twenty-five to thirty minutes. After making their way through the demanding security detail, they were escorted to Room 226. Just like the heavy media crowd that was outside their gated community and arrival, there were masses of people. The chatter was either loud, murmured whispers, and cameras flashing and clicking just to get a picture of Élise, and when she and Spencer had a quick conversation with the two senators who would be introducing her before giving her testimony and everyone gathered their seats, and the Majority Chairman began the opening statements.

The Minority Ranking Member had some words, as well as the two senators, within fifteen minutes before making room for Élise. She gave her oath, introduced Spencer, family members, and friends—though they were there in spirit, and the questioning began.

Meanwhile, in New Jersey…

"Ehhh!" Ms. Geneva squealed when watching the Attorney General confirmation on television. "That's my girl…"

Mr. Micha smiled proudly, as did Arthur and Brenda. "Yeah…"

Meaning at the BAU bullpen, almost everyone had their eyes glued on the screen watching Élise's confirmation hearing, especially the team.

"Mmm…" Rossi was standing on the ramp next to Hotch, who had a case file in his hand. "Shoulders back, head held high. Élise radiates elegance confidence."

"Her voice is authoritative." Blake sat back in her desk chair, observing Élise's voice language. "Clear with great enunciation and is keeping good eye contact; no filler language."

Garcia was on her tablet, watching the testimony. "Ooh, Élise is trending on Twitter, like, cra-cra," she gasped. "OMG. Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar are already in love with Élise's attire again."

"How great for her…" JJ replied coolly.

By the time the Committee recessed, it was about nearly three hours Élise had given intense testimony to the senators. She and Spencer had a bite to eat and a chance to call home to see how everyone was.

She got word from her parents, brother, sister-in-law, old associates, friends, even Maeve and Bobby—the two were in Vermont to see Bobby's parents and catch up on his mother—and how proud they are of her.

After an hour and a half, Committee reconvened, and Élise continued her testimony.

By the time Spencer and Élise got home, it was dinnertime, but Élise was really in no mood to eat and just wanted to go to bed.

Spencer crept into the bedroom, only to find Élise with her face half-buried in the pillow. He had a dinner plate in his hands and set it down on the bedside. He tapped on Élise's shoulders, making sure she was okay.

"Unnhh…" Élise groaned. "Five hours of continuing testimony…and tomorrow, it's going to be the same."

Spencer sat on the edge of the bed. "It'll be fine, Lise…" he kissed her temple and petted her hair. "But unfortunately, I won't be there to support you since Hotch texted me about a mandatory seminar about being in a hostile work environment in the morning; rumor has it it's actually about sexual harassment."

Élise couldn't help but joke. "Morgan and Garcia's conversations have finally caught up to them, huh?"

"I wouldn't be surprised…" Spencer laughed.

The following day, Élise dressed in her best again: mascarpone cream color mock neck sweater with matching color straight pants, Italian wool-blend blazer-jacket, slingback heels, and her handbag hung by its straps behind her seat. She watched and listened as the SJC continued its consideration of her nomination. Now, she's prepared to hear from witnesses such as an investigatory journalist, a sheriff, university professors, including her old boss, Bart Wilmington, about her qualifications and potential.

During the same moment, all BAU agents were in a mandatory sexual harassment seminar led by Ms. Rhonda Fried from Human Resources, though most of them were amused and even laughed at some of the flirtatious conversation examples from Garcia and Morgan.

Soon, Hotch got a case from ten years ago in San Jose, California, after the DOJ website was hacked involving Sam Russell, a serial killer who targeted prostitutes and skilled hacker; which was also when the team came across Garcia.

The SJC recessed, and Élise was having lunch in one of the rooms while checking her phone. She saw she had a message from Spencer and clicked on it to read.

IN SAN JOSE ON A CASE.

Élise replied OKAY back to him and sighed, now suddenly too nervous to eat anymore.

After Reid, Blake, and Rossi had a talk with the retired lieutenant involved in Russell's case and Hotch and JJ came back from visiting Russell at San Quentin, they came together again with Morgan and Garcia, and Garcia discovered someone she knew used her old signature when she was known in the hacking world as the Black Queen.

And that old someone was her ex-boyfriend, Shane Wyeth.

Élise still wasn't in the mood to do anything after coming home from the hearing. She just wanted to lie down and get some sleep.

"Mama…"

Élise nearly jumped out of bed when she heard someone calling out for her. it was Isaac, who had a blue teddy bear with him.

"Mmm…Ziggy…" Élise massaged her sore eyes.

"I wanna slep with yoo…" he pleaded, batted his eyes, and pursed out his lips, hoping Élise would fall for his cuteness. "Please…"

And she did. Élise scooped him up and tucked him in.

Now the team got word of two prostitutes and delivered the profile; meanwhile, Garcia donned her old black gothic attire and talked to her ex.

"Mmm…how ya doin', Maeve?" Élise was on the phone with Maeve.

Maeve sighed. "Great. We might be coming back to D.C. by the end of the month."

"How's Ms. Putnam?" asked Élise.

"She's doing well," said Maeve. "His dad is even building a tennis court for her; doctors said to exercise regularly and Bobby's going to help with the gardening and build a greenhouse for her."

Élise lifted an eyebrow. "Wait. Bobby's dad an architect?"

"He's actually retired." Maeve corrected. "But he still knows people from where he worked, Cobalt Architecture and Planning. His mom worked as an OBGYN director when she was diagnosed and retired from the position."

Élise had her hand on her chest. "Oh…which reminds me…I scheduled some health appointments for next week." She now had her free hand on her hip. "I don't think I ever been to one before I was pregnant; just the thought of going to one before made me feel queasy and…"

"Hey-hey, I get it." Maeve understood where Élise was coming from. "After my mother had her own battles, I've made routine appointments like clockwork."

Élise exhaled. "And thanks again for the references."

Now the team was on the plane after successfully finding Russell's silent partner and saving Shane from being the fall guy in the murders.

Spencer was on his phone, strolling through the messages Élise left him, and smiled when he watched a video of Séraphine and Isaac playing with Opal.

Blake eyed Spencer's phone and smiled. "Aw, isn't that sweet…?"

"Mmm-hmm…" Spencer agreed. "What are you up to?"

"Just looking up what a 'Flarpy Blunderguff?" answered Blake, looking at her phone.

"And…?"

Blake figured she just showed him what it meant on her phone; Spencer's eyes widened a bit.

"Oh…"

Blake shook her head. "And you wonder why the Bureau is organizing more seminars."

"And here I thought Rossi was the reason the Bureau has most of its fraternization rules…"

Rossi remarked from across where Spencer and Blake were. "I heard that…"

After dinner, Élise was on the bed, cruising around on her tablet, and clicked on a bunch of website links about what people thought about her during both hearing days.

"Hey…" Spencer came out of the bathroom, ready for bed, and tucked himself under the comforters. He looked over her and saw the sites Élise was reading from. "Still looking at that?"

Élise turned off her tablet and placed it on the bedside. "You know I can't help it. It's been less than a day."

"Whatever happens, whether or not you become AG, it'll be alright." Spencer smoothed her hand. "Remember, ride or die…"

Élise pulled Spencer forward and kissed his lips. "Ride or die…"

A/N: See you when I get back...!