A/N: Hello again, everyone!
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. No copyright infringement is intended.
My apologies if I had made any mistakes but enjoy the chapter!
And my apologies for the (slight) use of language in this chapter.
Warning: this chapter (may) contain contents/mentions of sexual assault; reader discretion is advised.
"Hi, my little cabbages," Reid baby-talked to Élise's growing belly before kissing her belly. "You are just weeks away from being in mommy's arms as well as mine. I love you so much."
"Oh," Élise clutched onto her belly. "I can feel them kicking in the exact same spot you tapped my belly."
"Which means we can play with your bubbly belly well before they're born." Reid cried. "Anastasia?"
"Yes, daddy?" Anastasia ran into Reid's arms.
"Tap on mommy's belly, but gently, okay?"
"Oh."
"Did you feel them kick?" Reid asked.
Anastasia exclaimed. "Yeah!"
"Oh," Élise sat back down in the rocking chair. "Oh."
"Relax, Élise." Reid said, "Just take deep breaths."
"Okay." As Élise soothed her belly, "Oh, and just to let you know, I…invited my parents, brother, and sister-in-law to Washington DC for a few days. I haven't heard back from them yet, but…"
"Really? That's great." Reid smiled. "Ready to see grandma, grandpa, Uncle Arthur, and Auntie Brenda?"
"Yeah!"
"That's good." Reid kissed her head before commenting to Élise, "I think it's great you're committed to repairing your family's relationship."
"Just trying to take one step at a time," Élise said before going over her weekly pregnancy to-do list. "Now, we have the hospital bags packed up and ready to go, right?"
"Check."
"We got the double car seat, strollers, and everything else we got from the baby shower last weekend?"
"Check."
"And a check to myself for doing my daily designed exercises for D-day. Now…" Élise let out another groan. "Fetal kick counts. I did one set this morning, and I'll do another set this evening."
"Sounds like we're well prepared, huh?" Reid said before the three of them heard knocking at the front door.
"Wonder who that would be?" Élise steadily got up and followed Reid.
He opened the front door. "What are you guys doing here?"
The team made their way inside their home.
"We need you, Reid," Prentiss said with urgency.
"What happened?" Élise wondered.
"It's Cat Adams."
"The murdering black-widowed beeyotch who got back at Spencer for sending her to prison by having her two toy flying monkeys frame him for murder?" Élise answered before she noticed the looks on the team's faces. "Yeah, Spencer told me about Bang Baby."
Rossi insisted, "Get your go-bags ready."
"We got our bags all packed up and ready to go yesterday; let me just go take my guns."
Prentiss stopped her, "Élise."
"Don't worry, I'm fully licensed and registered," Élise suggested.
"You might want to take a seat."
Élise coolly replied. "Why?"
Prentiss gave her photographs, and when Élise took a look at them.
Élise's jaw dropped. "Oh, hell no."
"What?"
"My parents. My brother and sister-in-law." Élise growled before she threw the photos on the coffee table.
"Where are you going," Prentiss asked as she followed a wobbling Élise.
"Even I know you're not this stupid, Prentiss." Élise snarky replied. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going into that interrogation room."
"Élise…"
"I don't know about youse guys, but Bang Baby better tell me what I want because God help me as he is my rightful witness, I will beat, hit, flog, punch, kick, bitch-slap the truth and/or answers out of her if I have to."
"You are 30 weeks pregnant." JJ reminded her.
"With twins," Tara added. "Don't you know the risks of premature birth?"
"Oh, I know, alright. But right now, I don't care if I am pregnant with triplets. I don't care if I am pregnant with quadruplets. Hell, I don't even care if I am pregnant with octuplets or the heir apparent of Wakanda; I'm still kicking her ass." Élise snarled.
Rossi told her and tried to stop her. "You can't just walk in there and start beating her up. No matter how much she deserves it."
"Oh. Watch this." Élise shoved Alvez and Simmons out of her way and slammed the door, staring face to face with, "Cat Adams. AKA Miss. 45."
Cat had an instant smile on her face. "And you must be Él-ise Bas-tien. You're about as pretty as…Maeve Donovan." Reid refused to let anyone, especially her, sees his emotions affect him, especially when she mentioned Maeve Donovan's name.
"That's my name; don't wear it out, Bang Baby."
Cat nodded her head, "Bang, Baby." Turning her attention towards Spencer, "I like your wife already, Spencie."
"You and I got a problem."
"Oh." Cat innocently taunted Élise. "What's the problem?"
Élise seethed. "Boo Boo Kitty Kat, you're either really stupid, something is seriously wrong with you, or just straight up done lost your damn mind."
"What are you talking about…?"
"YOU WENT AFTER MY FAMILY!" Élise shrieked. "Messing with me is one thing, but when you go after my family, that's when hell goes up in flames."
"Did it make you mad?" Cat remarked with snide.
"YOU DIDN'T MAKE ME MAD!" Élise roared. "YOU JUST SURE AS HELL PISSED ME THE FUCK OFF! AND OH...OH...HOO-OOH! YOU SERIOUSLY WON'T LIKE ME WHEN I'M REALLY PISSED OFF!"
"Élise!" Reid tried to stop her from attacking Cat before Élise let out a groan.
"Might want to be careful now." Cat taunted. "Won't want anything to happen to your babies, now, huh? Just be thankful I didn't go after A-na-sta-si-a."
Élise exhaled and growled, pointing to her, "Spencer, you better get this bitch before I do something to her."
"Élise." Reid rubbed the palm of her hands, "Please. Let me try and handle her, okay?"
"Only because you said so, okay?" Élise gave him a peck. "But please hurry up. My patience is wearing thin."
"Yuck." Cat baby barfed in annoyance.
"Don't hate, Bang Bang." Élise stood to the corner with her arms crossed.
Now Reid was serious, "What do you want?"
"Guess what?"
Élise was not playing around and banged her fists against the table, "I don't have the time, patience, mindset and damn straight as a line not in the mood to be fucked with and no, I don't mean to pardon my dirty French."
"I mean a deal with the 70 murders or whatever, and I'm going to be executed."
"You're going to hell?" Élise sarcastically replied. "Congratulations. Let me get you a handbasket or maybe a box to put you in, and then I'll write a note to Lucifer, hoping that he takes such good care of you."
"Like how Griffin took care of you?" Cat slyly remarked.
Élise refused to show Cat her discomfort when she mentioned Griffin. "You know, even if I didn't have feelings, that wouldn't hurt."
"Mmm-hmm," Cat looked doubtful, "Anyhoo, instead of the last meal, I want to go on a date with you."
Reid got in her face, "The only date I'll be having with you with when they strap you down for that lethal injection."
"Fine. Then be responsible for the deaths of your pregnant wife's family."
"Bang Baby," Élise was ready to give her a serious tongue lashing, "Let me tell you something now. Because I swear to God…"
Reid quickly accepted. "I'll do it."
"Say what now?" Élise raised her eyebrows. "Are you seriously going to subject yourself to this banshee?"
"You heard your husband, toots." Cat mocked. "He's going on a date with me."
"I'm ain't talking to you, crazy-ass," Élise replied.
Cat retorted. "Talking around me is the same thing."
"Élise…" Reid grabbed ahold of Élise's hands. "Please."
Élise sucked her teeth and got in Cat's face, grabbing her by her collar, "Anything happens to my husband or my family, I swear to God, Boo Boo Kitty Kat, I will personally pour hell down on you." Élise let her go and banged the table before she and Reid walked out.
"I'm surprised she didn't smack Cat's face," Simmons whispers to Alvez, who nods his head in agreement.
"I'm surprised she didn't beat her up when she walked in," Alvez replied.
Élise angrily asked Alvez and Simmons. "What did you just say?!"
"Nothing." Alvez and Simmons simultaneously answer.
"Good."
Élise stared in pure disgust as she and the rest of the team watch Reid leave with Cat with a SWAT team behind.
"Don't wait up." Cat cockily said as the elevator doors closed.
"God help me," Élise muttered under her breath before she forcibly opened the doors leading to the BAU bullpen.
"Are you okay?" Rossi asked with concern.
Trying to relax, "I've never been better: my family, whom I'm trying to repair my relationship with, has been kidnapped because apparently, I pissed off Bang Baby when I married Spencer and is currently 30 weeks pregnant with twins. I'm trying to keep my cool, despite the fact that Bang Baby wants to play one last game with Spencer. My body's starting to hurt. Yeah, I'm fine."
"Maybe you need a massage," JJ suggested.
"Oh, thank you." Élise sounded relieved. "I desperately need one."
"I'll get some supplies," Garcia offered to help.
"I'll start massaging your feet." Matt got right to it.
"Oh, thank you, Matt," Élise said before telling him. "And when you and Alvez kept looking at me like something's wrong with me, I get this overwhelming urge to hurt you two."
"She's scaring me," Matt whispered.
"We know."
"Why are we here?" Cat said with her arms crossed as she and Reid ended up at a roller-skating rink. "I wanted to go ice skating."
Reid muttered, "Because for obvious reasons, we don't trust you with blades, so this was the closest choice."
"I want to go ice skating." Cat complained.
Reid was not in the mood for her. "And I want to be at home with my pregnant wife and daughter, but instead I'm stuck with you. You'll take what we give you, and you'll like it."
"Oh, I like this side of you." Cat purred. "Do you talk to Él-ise like that? I bet she gets turned on."
"What's wrong?" Prentiss asked Élise, who suddenly began crying.
Élise sobbed, "My husband is with that dirty kitty cat. And my family..."
"We're going to save them." Tara comforts her.
"And if you don't…I'LL HURT YOU ALL!" Élise swiftly started to shout. "I'LL FLOG THE SHIT OUT OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND THEN POUR SALT, PEPPER, HOT SAUCE, LEMON, AND OTHER SPICES ON YOUR WOUNDS!" Suddenly quiet before raising her voice again, "And then afterward, I'LL THROTTLE AND SHANK THE SHIT OUT OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THIS ROOM!" Élise repeated the exact same words in French and French-creole. She suddenly calmed down. "Why are you all staring at me like that?" She innocently asked.
"Nothing." A speechless Prentiss said.
"You're glowing." Garcia complimented.
"Oh. Well, that's good." Élise giggled."And thank you. May I get some Oreo ice cream, please?"
"I'll get it for you," Matt said before whispering to Rossi, "Because you're really starting to scare me."
Reid had an unfortunate time roller-skating with Cat.
Simmons drove Élise to the safe house with Garcia and JJ, "Now remember…"
"Bang Baby's a manipulative, calculating, narcissistic bitch who hates men with a passion due to her own history with her own father and enjoys cat-and-mouse games where she thinks she can outsmart everyone and everyone around her."
"Pretty much, yeah." Garcia summed it up.
"I double majored in Psychology at Rutgers, so I know a thing or two."
JJ advised, "Prentiss and Alvez will be listening in, okay? Just try to keep calm."
"I think I was completely calm. UNTIL NOW!" Élise breathed before she shouted the last sentence, making JJ and Garcia jump.
"By the way, Élise, how many guns do you have?"
"Two. Why?"
"Just thought I asked." Simmons answered before whispering to himself, "Because I'm scared you're going to shoot someone."
"You say something?" Élise asked.
"Nothing."
"Why the hell are we here?" Cat asked as she and Reid were standing at the front door of a gray-beigey two-story farmhouse/national folk style house. "This is not your big, fancy house."
"Élise is having the house fumigated, so we can't go in there. And knowing her, she'll just shoot you at first sight and claim self-defense."
"Feisty lady you married."
"I love my wife."
Cat gets closer to Reid, "I'm sure you do." Feeling herself against him. "I've never said this but I've always thought you and I seem to have a better connection than ever. Even more so than the last time we saw each other before Él-ise came into the picture."
"I'm sure we do."
"Allow me to challenge that." Out of nowhere, Cat began kissing Reid on the lips with such passion and aggression.
"WHAT FRESH MOTHERFUCKING BLOODY HELL IS THERE THAT I'M LOOKING AT!?"
"Oh no," Reid said in his head.
Reid turned to see a fuming Élise. "Élise…"
"Get in this house." Élise gritted her teeth.
"Élise…" Reid tried to explain again.
"You and Bang Baby get your asses in this house right this yoctosecond, or I'll kill you both RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW AND CLAIM IT WAS SELF-DEFENSE!"
Reid immediately rushes into the house while a smug-faced Cat follows him. Telling Alvez and Prentiss, "I'd tell you all you may have to hire someone to protect this bitch from me, but I want to take care of her myself." Slamming and locking the door behind her. "Is today Piss-Off-Élise-Day?"
"I didn't mean to poison your marriage."
"You poisoned yourself, bitch."
"Élise…"
"Shut up, Spencer," Élise ordered him as she made her leather belt flick a couple of times, startling Reid a bit. "I should take this belt and beat you with it if not throttle you to your death with it. If I had a stick, I'd kill you with it."
"You can. Or you'll never see your family again. Your choice, Preggy." Cat said as she casually sat down.
Élise thought about it for a few more seconds before tossing the belt aside.
"That's what I thought." Cat haughtily said.
Joining Reid on the couch, "What do you want, Bang Baby?"
"What does anyone want" Cat clapped her hands together. "What does a person like me want?"
"A therapist or a keeper, probably?" Élise sarcastically replies. "Preferable one who comes with an owner's manual on you?"
"How about I tell you a little story about your husband?" Cat eyed Spencer. "Do you know everything about him?"
"Of course."
"Do you really?" Cat raised her eyebrows as she crossed her arms.
"Yeah." Élise grabbed her cell phone and hands it over to Cat, "Where's my family?"
"Let me tell my story first. Wouldn't want you to miss out on the fun, huh?" Turning her attention to Reid, "Would you like to tell her, or should I?"
Élise wondered why she had to tell her, "Tell me what?"
"The last time your hubby visited me, and I'm not talking about when you went missing."
"Are you trying to tell a story, or are you just wasting spit?" Élise was already getting bored.
Cat ordered Reid, "Well, before that, honey, the last time he saw me was when he got released from him."
Reid muttered, "After you framed me for a crime I didn't commit."
"Yeah, I'm not speaking to you. Anyway…I had some news to share with him."
"That you got a therapist?" Élise blankly said.
"No. I was pregnant."
"Say what now?" Élise raised her eyebrows.
"I…was...pregnant." Cat smugly said.
Reid pointed out. "With another man's baby."
"Please, Spencie. That look doesn't work." Turning her attention again to Élise. "But yeah, I did make Spencie think he was my baby's daddy."
As Élise moved her shoulder, "Not that I'm going to care anyway, but, uh…what happened to your baby?"
"I didn't have it. I miscarried it." Cat's eyes darted at Reid. "Because of you."
Élise raised her eyebrows again, "Say what now?"
"Tell her, Spencer."
Gulping, "I choked her. And I knew she was pregnant. But I didn't care."
"Spencer…" Élise shook her head.
"I miscarried the next day because of you."
"What the bloody hell is wrong with you two?" Élise scoffed, "I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but, uh…I think I actually feel sorry for you. And I know how you feel."
Cat scoffed in skepticism, "You do?"
"Surprisingly yes."
"How?"
Élise announced. "I was pregnant before."
Reid lifted his head in disbelief, "What?"
"Yeah." Élise felt a tear coming down from her face. "Griffin Nicholas Richards aka Richard Griffin—who will forever be known as many words and names, noticeably The Bastard, to me—did a lot more damage to me than you think, Spencer. He didn't just drug me or beat me, or even…spit on me every now and then."
"He raped you?" Spencer quietly whispered.
"More times than you think," Elsie felt her voice quivering. "Especially after he knocked me unconscious when he abducted me from my apartment and…" Élise covered her mouth before continuing, "But yeah. He raped me. And he…impregnate me. When Griffin told me I was pregnant, he even showed me the…pregnancy test to prove it."
"Sorry to hear, Él-ise." Cat blandly said.
"I don't need your pity." Élise spat out. "And while I was pregnant, for the next few months, bastard kept me chained up. He watched my every move to make sure the pregnancy went well and that I didn't do anything to mess it up. Then one day, I felt such agonizing pain, and I bled heavily, and I didn't know why. He blamed me, and he beat me and…choked me…until I lost consciousness. And when I woke up…he slapped me. And spit in my face while I was down and he even…" Shivered, "He even urinated on me. I miscarried."
Élise felt her voice cracking a bit again. "He blamed me. He blamed me for the miscarriage and said he had something special planned for me when he saw me. And he did…or at least was planning to. He grabbed me by my hair and whispered in my ear, "If you thought you were suffering, I'm going to show you what suffering truly means. Like I suffered. And that's when I stabbed the bastard. With a knife he left behind." Élise went into her bag and pulled out a small knife. "And this was the knife I used on him."
"And you kept it." Cat nodded her head. "I must say, Él-ise, I'm quite impressed. Tell me more. And believe it, I tend to get easily bored."
Hissing, "I wanted the bastard to suffer. The way I suffered for months. Torturing me. Making me pregnant. With his children." Élise almost barfed in disgust when she goes through her bag again and pulled out pictures of the sonogram. "Bastard even had his own sonogram machine since his late biological father was a doctor. And it…felt…just…so damn good showing it to him. And I did. Over and over and over. And truthfully…I didn't care if he was still breathing." Élise whispered the last few words.
"So, you killed him." Cat deduced.
"Yeah."
Cat grinned. "Even though he was still breathing. And alive."
"YES!" Élise shouted.
Reid quickly said. "It was self-defense."
"I'm sure it was." Cat doubted. "What a woman you married, Spencie."
Élise looked to Cat, "Don't worry, Bang Baby." As Élise soon eyed Reid. "Spencie himself had a hand to play in the bastard's death."
"It was self-defense in the third person."
"Uh-huh."
"You two really do deserve each other." Cat pointed out.
Élise wiped her tears away; she gave Cat her cell phone, "I held my end of the bargain; you hold up yours."
Cat took her cell phone, "Why yes, I did."
"Élise…" Reid tried to comfort Élise, only to have her aggressively flick his hand away from her.
"Don't…please, just…" Élise snapped. Just as Élise snatched the phone from Cat, she used every ounce of energy she had to deliver a hard slap across her face, a quick hard backhand slap, and then a quick but hard punch to the face, which almost caused her to fall back into the chair,
"I should do much worst to you, but, uh…you're going to hell anyway, so…" Élise grabbed her bag and leaves, giving Prentiss her cell phone before leaving with her. As SWAT rushes in to arrest her immediately,
"Feisty lady you married." Cat looks to Reid. "Or feisty lady who might end up divorcing you."
As Reid, Cat, Alvez, and the rest of SWAT were driving back to the federal penitentiary,
"Do you want to know why I wanted to have this date night?"
"No." Reid didn't care anymore.
"Take a wild guess."
"Ruin my life."
Cat smiled, "Bingo! We have a winner. But I'm sure you would have done a great job without me."
As she got out of the back of the SWAT car and was beginning handcuffed and escorted,
"Goodbye, Spencie. I had a great time."
"Spencer…" Alvez tries to console him.
"Let's just go." Reid quietly said.
Reid and Alvez stepped out of the elevator.
"Spencer…" Alvez tried to talk to him.
"Please, I just…" Reid stopped him for the third time.
Alvez eased him. "You did what you had to do."
Reid doubted that. "Sure I did."
They entered the bullpen.
"Spencer!" Élise wobblily rushed to hug Reid with all her might.
"Élise! Are you…?"
Élise immediately kissed him on the lips,
"Wow." A surprised Reid said before noticing, "Mr. Micha. Ms. Geneva. Arthur and Brenda. You guys are okay."
"Alive and well," Arthur said.
Brenda nodded her head to the team. "Thanks for saving us."
"It's what we do," Simmons said.
Ms. Geneva waved her hands, "Praise the Lord."
"Élise, about what happened…" Reid tried to explain.
Élise cuddled closer to Reid, "I know you did what you had to do." She breathed in his ear. "You weren't responsible for what happened to Cat's unborn child; she miscarried months after the last time." Whispering fiercely, "But let me tell you something, Dr. Spencer Walter Reid. If you ever, and I mean, ever, ever kiss another anyone else, especially another woman who isn't me, your mother, and maybe Maeve Donovan, I swear, hell I promise you..."
"I won't," Reid assured Élise and wiped his mouth, shuttering at the thought of kissing Cat. "I won't ever again do that again."
"You won't ever again what?" Arthur joined in as he started to pound his fists and grabbed Reid by his shirt. "What did you do to my little sister, genius man?"
"I got it, dear brother." Élise smiled at Reid, prompting Arthur to release him. "Don't worry."
"Okay." Arthur, Ms. Geneva, and Mr. Micha motioned to Reid that he is watching him.
"So, Élise…" Alvez needed to ask about it. "About…what Griffin did to do..."
"It was no surprise that Griffin drugged me. And tortured me. And indeed…raped me among many other things. Still, I remembered everything you guys told me about what he did to me, and I'm still in therapy dealing with the aftermath. I mean, I do occasionally remember bits and pieces about what happened, despite being heavily drugged. But he didn't…you know; I had to say something to keep Bang Baby off her toes and to save my family. And you already know Spencer finished off Griffin."
"Oh, we know."
Élise continued. "By stabbing him 111 times."
Simmons asked. "What?"
Alvez questioned, "Huh?"
"Come again?" Garcia needed to repeat that.
"Yup. But still…I just can't help but have this feeling that…" Élise felt somiething.
"Maybe he must have dosed you to remember certain memories," JJ reassured her.
"And who knows?" Prentiss figured. "Maybe they're permanent. They could be memories you might not want to know."
"Yeah." Élise nodded her head. "I mean, I guess that's true."
"Memories are kind of like puzzle pieces," Reid began rambling. "And it's—it's quite possible that in suppressing these for so long, you've sort of rearranged things. I mean, firm memories don't imprint on the developing brain until about age five. And drugs; drugs can affect every person differently."
"True. But still…" Shrugging her shoulders. "I guess the only good thing that came from the ordeal with Griffin is that I'm not pregnant with his child or was ever pregnant with his child. I mean, seriously, who'd want his child?" Élise agreed as she massaged her belly, not noticing how some of the team members exchanged glances at each other.
Tara raised her hand. "I know I wouldn't."
"Ditto." Garcia agreed.
"And you guys would have told me if he did impregnate me, right?"
"Oh, absolutely."
"And thanks for saving my family and putting Bang Baby and her accomplice where they rightfully belong." Élise thanked the team again before letting a groan.
"Ready to go home?" Reid asked.
"Oh, hell yeah." Élise wholesomely agrees. "I'm in the mood for a BLT sandwich. And, uh, everyone. Sorry about the mood swings and about..."
"It's just a pregnancy thing," JJ assured her. "Don't worry."
"Thanks anyway," Élise agreed again before leaving with her family and friends. As soon as they were out of their ear sight,
Simmons let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God."
Alvez agreed with Simmons. "Same here, bro."
"Élise scares the hell out of me."
"In all honesty, I thought Élise was going to kill Cat and Reid."
Tara chuckled. "I understand Cat but Reid?"
Alvez replied. "Let's just say something happened between Cat and Reid."
"Oh, is there a story or two you'd like to tell us, Alvez?" Rossi sounded intrigued.
Élise, Reid, Anastasia, and the rest of Élise's family gathered around the formal dining room,
"Heavenly father," Élise began saying grace, "Thank you very much for blessing us with this food on our table. We thank you very much for protecting us in our time of need. And we thank you, God, for keeping those under your guidance. In Jesus' name, amen."
"Amen."
"You know, I, uh…really am glad you all are okay," Élise said before taking a bite of her chicken lettuce cup.
"I'm sorry you all got caught up in my mess." Reid apologized.
Arthur lifted his head, "What do you mean?"
"It wasn't a coincidence you all were kidnapped."
"Someone from your past?" Brenda figured.
"This wee-yotch unsub has it in for Spencer ever since he arrested her after playing a cat-and-mouse game with her four years ago. A year after that, she had him framed for murder. And now this."
"But the most important thing is that we're all alive, well, and healthy." Mr. Micha said.
"Amen." Ms. Geneva raised her glass in agreement.
"Amen." Everyone said in unison.