A/N: Hello again, everyone!
A shout-out to ahowell1993, Kelly, Martha, Skylar, Amy, Susan, and Betty for reviewing Chapter 44!
Please do enjoy and apologies for any mistakes!
Also, I would like to credit ahowell1993 for helping me with this chapter as well as the previous chapters.
They say, "All good things must come to an end" or "Every ending is a new beginning," and it is. This chapter—unfortunately—is the last chapter of (For)Ever After.
Maybe I'll write an alternative (For)Ever After. Who knows?
I updated (For)Ever After by accident. Sorry about that.
10 Years Later…
After walking into the foyer and setting up the security code,
"Hi, honey! I'm home!" Reid exclaimed as he walked into the living room and set his bags and keys down.
"Dad!" Anastasia walks into the living room once she heard Reid's voice.
Reid's eyes widen and open his arms out to hug her, "Hi, princess." He smooches her forehead. "You're so beautiful."
Anastasia giggled. Now a tall and thriving 12-years-old, Anastasia has flawless light-medium peaches/strawberry & cream complexion, piercing upturned-almond-shaped hazel eyes with well-arched eyebrows, long natural medium bronde—half-brunette, half-blonde hair with natural highlights and lowlights, which she often wore down in either straight, braids, gentle waves or natural curls, Cupid's bow lips, a borderline long neck, high cheekbones, and dimples.
"How was your day?" Reid asked Anastasia.
"I got another A+ on my Latin test." Anastasia shows off her test.
"That's great, sweetheart." Reid gives Anastasia another hug.
"Daddy!" Ethan and Zara ran down the stairs and into the living and into his arms.
"Hey, you two." Reid gives the twins hugs. "You're getting more handsome and beautiful every time I see both, you know that?"
10-year-old borderline tall Ethan and Zara both have light brown skin tone and long dark curly hair, but Zara has her Grandmother Diana Reid's blue eyes and looked more like Élise than Reid and Ethan had Élise's dark brown eyes, is an inch-to-two taller than her and was almost a clone of Reid.
"How was your day as well?"
"We got another A+ as well…" Ethan said.
Zara finishes the sentence, "…On our Chinese language testes." The twins showed off their testes.
"Well done." Reid hugs them again. "I'm so proud of you two and…"
"Daddy!"
"Hello, Albie!"
Reid rushes to hug his growing five-year-old adoptive son, Albert Isaac 'Albie' Reid. He had the same skin tone as Anastasia, he was starting to develop freckles—which appear notably on his cheeks and nose, big dark brown eyes, thin arched eyebrows, and short dark hair.
Noticing he had something in his hands, "What do you have there, you handsome little buddy?"
"I made this picture in the playroom." Showing off his picture,
"Wow!"
It was a colorful drawing picture of him, Élise, and all four of their children.
"What an amazing picture." Reid gives Albie another hug.
They all hear the front door being opened and closed.
"Hi, sweet jars of honey! I'm home!" Élise exclaimed as she walked into the living room…
"Mama!" Anastasia, Ethan, Zara, and Albie gave a hug.
"Hi, babies! Because everyone was good these past few days, I got pizza."
"Yay!" All four children cheered.
"But first," Reid replied before ordering. "Everyone wash up. Because…?"
"It's important to be clean and healthy." Everyone said in unison.
Reid smiled before motioning them to go wash up. "Exactly."
As all four children rushed upstairs to wash their hands,
"How was your day, wonderful wife?" Reid asked Élise as he took a pizza box and kisses her lips.
"I'm good," Élise answered as she and Reid placed the two pizza boxes on the dining room table and went into the gourmet kitchen to get some plates, glasses and wash their hands. "My creative writing class at Georgetown U ran early and since I felt too lazy to cook up some dinner today, I picked up some pizza."
"Good idea," Reid said as he finished washing his hands. "And in all honesty, I didn't feel like cooking dinner today either. I have an announcement to make during dinner." Just as they were walking back into the dining room.
"Hi!"
Their children waved at them, properly waiting for them at the table.
"Did everyone wash their hands?"
"Yes."
Reid walked around and observed each of the children's hands. "Still…" Reid passes out some hand sanitizer.
"Of course, dad," Anastasia said as she took some hand sanitizer.
"Wouldn't want to get those pretty little fingernails dirty, huh, sister?" Ethan retorts back as he rubs some against his hands.
Zara shrugs her shoulders, "Well, forgive us girls for taking pride in our appearances." Zara and Anastasia give each other a fist bump. "Not to mention our hygiene."
"Exactly," Élise said as she was setting up the table.
"Hey, I'm clean," Albie said, raising his hand. "I like being clean."
"That's my boy." Reid and Albie fist bump each other as he sat down at the head of the table. "Let's say a quick grace before we eat."
As everyone gathered hands,
"Dear Lord, thank you for this food we are about to eat. Thank you for gathering us around to be together. We are grateful to be here today. Please, continue to protect us and bless us and guide us in your path. In Jesus' name, amen."
"Amen."
As everyone grabbed a slice,
"Why?" Ethan asked Anastasia, who just placed her dainty white napkin on her lap.
Anastasia replied, "Why what?"
"Why must you insist on eating pizza with a knife and fork instead of eating it with your hands?"
Élise questions, "What's wrong with eating pizza with a knife and fork, E? Even I often do that."
"It's neater that way," Reid dabs his mouth. "And assume the pizza is hot; you don't want to burn your mouth."
"Or your face for that matter," Anastasia adds before sticking her tongue out. Ethan sticks his tongue at her back.
"Unless you two are planning on eating your tongues, I recommend putting them back in your mouths," Élise said, eyeing them.
"Yes, mom." Anastasia and Ethan quickly obey her.
"Mom," Ethan cleared his throat before speaking, "How was your day?"
"It went well," Élise pats her mouth after eating. "The class and I read some interesting creative works. Of course, I had to grade but still. It was a treat. Our next class, we'll be discussing poetry."
"Sounds cool, ma," Ethan said with his mouth full.
Reid scolded him. "Ethan, it's not polite to speak with your mouth full."
"Sorry."
"Plus, it's just plain gross," Anastasia agreed before changing the subject. "What about you, dad?"
"I have an announcement to make," Reid said.
"Speak your piece, pops," Zara said.
"I'm not getting old," Reid ran his fingers through his head.
"Are you sure about that, babe?" Élise chuckled.
Reid chuckles, "Anyhoo…I've been thinking about taking a sabbatical for an indefinite amount of time from the FBI and private sector consulting."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I've decided to teach a class or two at Georgetown for a while, like your loving mother, and focus on writing another book. And…I'm thinking about writing a series about my time at the BAU."
"Seriously?" Élise's eyes beamed. "That's great."
"That's totes cool, dad." Zara agreed.
Ethan asked. "When will we get to see the movie version of it?"
"I have to write it," Reid mentioned.
"Oh, yeah."
"But who knows?" Reid wonders. "Maybe it'll be a TV series."
"Could be," Élise agreed. "I'd watch it. I'd call it…Quantico maybe."
"I like Criminal Minds better," Reid replies. "Enough about your mother and I for now. Albie. How was your day?"
"It went great," Albie happily responses. "First grade is so much fun."
"Want to skip another grade, Albie?" Zara asked. "You can be in the second grade instead."
Ethan added, "Zara and I skipped two grades and we're in the sixth grade instead of the fourth grade."
"Well, I'm in the eighth grade instead of the sixth grade." Anastasia bragged. "You two still have two more grades to catch up with me."
"We'll see about that, dear sister." Ethan and Zara said simultaneously.
"No more talking about grade skipping for now," Reid suggested.
"Yes, dad." The children said together.
Reid replies, "Please continue, Albie."
"I showed off a new dance move in dance class. Do you want to see it?"
"After dinner," Élise suggested. "Ethan? What about you?"
"Great, mama. Especially music class. I sang to Stevie Wonder's Superstitious during class and the entire class gave me five-minute applause."
"Oh," Élise raises her eyebrows three times. "Look at you! Look at you! You're on your way to be the next Stevie Wonder."
"Or Prince," Zara added. "He played 27 instruments."
"Practice does make perfect." Reid inserted. "Not to mention, study the greats and influences, including the classics."
Ethan agreed with his father, "You know it, pops."
Reid chuckled when Ethan called him 'pops.' "What about you, Zara?"
"Amazing. Ms. McFarland said there's a chance I'll be the lead again in the next theater production."
"Wonderful news," Reid exclaimed. "You're off to be the next Elizabeth Taylor, Meryl Streep, or maybe Audrey and Katharine Hepburn."
"Really?" Zara's eyes popped.
Élise cheered, "You can do anything you set your mind to."
"Just keep on studying the greats." Élise encouraged.
"Yeah-yeah."
"And last but definitely not least Anastasia. How was your day?"
"It went great. We, uh…we even discussed the first book of the Supernatural Siblings series in English class."
Everyone around the table, especially Albie, Élise, and Reid smiled. "Really?"
"Yeah. We discussed what we thought were some of the most important themes in the first book. And I thought the most important theme in the book is family."
"And why do you think family is the most important theme?"
As everyone held hands again, "Because blood doesn't always make a family. It's love that makes a family. No matter what, even if sometimes the members in your family can be a complete pain, they'll always love you. Support you. Protect you. Guide you. And even during the darkest times, they're always there for you, no matter what."
"That's why I've decided to take a sabbatical; I want to be there for you all more. Sometimes, I worry I don't get to spend enough time with you all. And sometimes…I worry if I'll forget you all." Tearing up and his voice cracking. "I want to treasure every moment I have with you all. I love you all so much; even more than everything in the world, in the galaxy, outer space. You all are a part of me. You fulfill me."
The children smiled, "Same here, mama and daddy."
"I say this summer, we take a family trip." Élise proposed. "You all like that idea?"
"Yeah!"
"Excellent," Élise raises her glass. "I'd like to make a toast. To always be there for each other. No matter what. To family forever!"
Everyone raises her glasses, "To family forever!"