Epilogue

June 6th, 2017

It had been five years since Dereks death.

Half a decade was a lifetime when it came to change and boy had they changed, but they still came together every year on this date to remember and celebrate the day of a great mans birth and today was no different.

They had rented out a park a little down the ways from the cemetery for the celebration and as Spencer walked down the path to his husbands grave he couldn't help but think of everything they did indeed have to celebrate.

Emily had tried her best to stay strong with all of the change that had come but after a few months it became too much and she took a break from the BAU to re-evaluate her own life. Her search took her to Europe and after two years they really thought she was set, intent, and happy in her new life. They hadn't expected her return to Virginia nor the British man that had come with but to their surprise Emily had actually come back and settled with Daniel. A few months later she and Daniel moved to Boston and though she still dabbled around here and there she considered herself a housewife. They weren't married but four years together and she was confident in her position.

Dereks death was the wake up call for Jennifer. Any fear she might have had over marrying Will disappeared with the sight of Spencers ordeal. Life was too short and she didn't plan to waste hers and that's why she chose to make Will a permanent part of it. They were married in the courthouse two days after she got back from the funeral and had just had their fifth wedding anniversary. She was still part of the BAU but being a mother of two had her tapping the breaks more often, her family was and would always be her first priority.

October 3rd, 2014 had been a bittersweet day, six year old Henry had been so excited to be a big brother but she had been thinking about the Uncle her daughter would never know. One look in her baby girls big bright eyes and she knew how she'd connect them. On that day she honored and was honored to name her daughter Morgan Marie Lamontagne, who was now a beautiful 32 month old bouncy blonde.

Aaron Hotchner had accepted the change as it came. Filling three spots on his team hadn't been easy, especially not when he compared everyone that tried for a position to its original holder but he had done it and after a little readjusting they were back at it. The machine had all of its pieces but they had had to make a few stops along the way to make sure they fit together. Patience was something he nearly ran out of, especially with Garcia who hadn't taken to a new team at all and it took Michael, he had taken Dereks role, having a near death experience before she even started warming up.

His personal life had taken the biggest blow. With everything going on at work he didn't have the time for Beth, all his extra going to Jack and he had broken things off. She had remained close though saying she enjoyed spending time with Jack and that even if he didn't believe they could make a relationship work she would still like to be friends. It took him nearly a year to get his life settled again, well at least as much as it would get, and that's when he realized how strong her presence had been. She was a constant, had formed a near unbelievable bond with Jack, and he saw her more now then he did when they had been dating. Whether he liked it or not she had already squirmed her way into the position she had been denied and he didn't really think she'd go even if he asked. So he asked her to move in instead, she laughed at him saying it was about time and he wasn't at all surprised with how natural her being there felt.

David Rossi, well he was David Rossi. His way of dealing had been a week alone. No one really knew what he had done or where he had gone but when he had come back he was rigged and ready. He had become more open with his good fortune though, spoiling the kids near rotten and celebrating near everything he could get away with. When asked he'd say he was Italian and well they took it as explanation enough. The only thing that had really changed dramatically with him was his new house mate, wife number four. She was ten years his junior and at first they had been skeptical about her intentions but she was the kind of person that grew on you near immediately and after a final evaluation it looked like Isabelle just might be a keeper.

Penelope hadn't done as well. Seeing Michael, Andrew, and Taylor every day only reminded her that Derek, Spencer, and Emily weren't there anymore. Kevin had tried to be understanding but he hadn't been able to deal with her mood swings and eventually he moved on. The days had gotten unbareably long and she had been close to her breaking point. She knew she was depressed but she couldn't find it in herself to care, becoming a shell of herself as she literally alternated between work and sleep, nothing less nothing more. Spencer had found out how she had been living and after a visit from him where she was given the first good news she had heard in months she started therapy.

She still had bad days but the good out weighed them by far and she could honestly say she was happy again. The team wasn't so much of a family anymore, they got along but it was more work oriented and she herself had to adjust but they were a team none the less. Although Andrew had quickly become the exception. She hadn't liked him at first, he reminded her of a generic Spencer, he had the knowledge but he wasn't anywhere near the genius her junior G man was. No he was a surprise. On the outside he looked like your average chubby nerd, bad clothes and glasses to boot but that was what she came to call his disguise. On the inside he was a ball of fun, he was super social and loved practical jokes. She herself had claimed him as sidekick and he had quickly become and was now one of her besties.

Sarah. She was still single but as of right now she was very much pregnant with her first child. It hadn't been planned and the man who had done it wasn't interested in being a father but she didn't care. She was due with a little girl in August and to say that her mother was excited would be an understatement. When she had told her her first words had been about damn time and soon after she had her purse and was ready to go shopping. That was something they did a lot of and she would swear that her daughter was set for the next three years, at least.

Desiree had broken up with Tyler in the beginning of 2013. He had been ready to get married and start a family and she was still dealing with the loss of part of her own. She hadn't been looking for anyone, trying to sort herself out first when fate fell in her lap. Her car had broken down at one of the worst times possible and to say she was frustrated would be a down right lie. She was pissed and just as she was about to show the tire how much familiar words stopped her foot in the process.

"That's what you get for driving a bucket." It had sounded so much like Derek at first that she was trying to decide between tellin' him to shut up or looking for a shrink but a tap to her shoulder brought her from those thoughts. Brian was everything she hadn't known she was looking for. They quickly hit it off, no matter how she felt he could easily get a smile if not a laugh from her and he made her feel as if she was the most important thing in his world. When they were talking she could easily forget all her troubles and soon enough he asked for something she couldn't and wouldn't refuse. She was engaged to be married in the Fall of 2018, no way was she getting married without her soon to be niece as flower girl.

Fran well she was nothing less than happy. She was about to greet her first grandaughter and was helping to plan her baby girls wedding. Spencer kept her zoned in on everything that he did and she was thrilled with the choices he had been making. He lived in a small suburb right off the highway and she was looking for a place with a backyard for the kids she soon hoped to fill it. She couldn't help but imagine from time to time what he'd be up to if Derek was still with him but they talked openly about her son and though he was no longer there he was still very much part of their everyday lifes.

And Spencer... Well lets get back to him.

"I got some news yesterday, your sisters nearly suffocated me when I told them." He spoke as he brushed his fingers over the stone to clear away any extra dirt, the gold band he still wore catching a glint in the sun. "Brandon was really excited too."

He smiled over at the redheaded toddler who was playing in the grass a few feet away. "I'm kind of nervous though. I want to believe that you'd be proud but I'm still not sure if I'm doing the right thing here." Faith really wasn't for him but he found that it was easier to go through the days if he allowed himself to believe that Derek was still here in a sense and watching over him instead of leaving him all alone and on his own.

"Flo'er" The curly headed boy offered Spencer a freshly picked dandelion with a bright smile.

"For me?" Spencer was over enthusiastic with the offering as he accepted the weed.

" 's preeddy."

"It is pretty." He agreed as he pulled the boy to sit in his lap. "Why don't we put it right here." He placed the tiny thing infront of the stone. "Then everyone can see how pretty it is."

"I go get more." He was already trying to squirm away to do just that.

"Of course but don't you have something to say first?" The little boy just shook his head as he started pulling at Spencers fingers. "Yes you do."

"Noooo" Brandon disagreed as he wiggled away.

"Brandon!" Spencer called after the boy but it didn't faze him as he continued wandering off. He had to get up after he went too far for his liking which meant he was running to catch him since he would speed off the second anyone went his direction. A few moments later and he was walking back with a hyper toddler over his shoulder. "Brandon do you remember what we came to do today?"

"Nooo"

"Brandon what were we coming to say?" He knew the little boy was only being stubborn because he hadn't gotten his way.

"Nooo" He shook his head again as he tried to get out of Spencers hold.

"You want to go see grammy?" That was confirmed pretty quickly. "Well then what are we supposed to say?"

"Happy Berf-day daddy, now flo'ers?"

Spencer shook his head at the comment that was more directed to him as he set the boy down. "Yes you can go get more flowers but stay close." He didn't know why he bothered with the warning because he knew the boy wouldn't listen.

"That's your son." It was meant as a complaint as he sat back down but it was said affectionately. Brandon had come to him right before Christmas of 2014 at only a few months and to say he was spoiled rotten would be an understatement. Fran had barely left their side for a few months after, she was too busy cooing over her first grandbaby.

"Some days I swear I'm looking right at you." It was spoken somberly as he picked at the grass around him. "He's got your spirit Derek, that same maddening stubborness... It's all there." The thoughts were dampening what was supposed to be a happy day and he quickly pulled himself from them.

"Cake" Brandon bounced back over to his father unsuprisingly with no "flowers". "I wan' cake."

"Of course you do." Spencer laughed at the confused expression that had appeared on his sons face with those words. "We've got to go see Auntie Emily for cake remember."

"Lez gooo"

"In one minute buddy I'm talking to daddy." Brandon was pulling on his fingers but he soon gave up as Spencer didn't move. "Go on." He watched Brandon for a minute to make sure he wasn't going to take anything from the other stones before he turned back to his conversation.

"We came to tell you something else too." He steered himself back to the news he had been talking about. It had been a long process and had given him a lot more grief than the first time around but every second had proven worth it. "We have a daughter on the way, she should get here right before Sarahs." Fran had spoken about nothing other than how the two little girls would go to school together and grow up together and how they would just be the best of friends.

"I don't think Brandon fully understands yet but he's excited." He still worried if adopting from two different races would cause his children trouble and teasing in the future but he knew it was an obstacle that would have to be faced, if that wasn't an issue surely another would appear.

"Go now?" Brandon's pout was one he had trouble resisting and he didn't bother as he stood.

"Yeah we're going to go." Spencer lifted his son pushing his curls back after he had him adjusted on his hip. Never had he understood Derek's need to call him pretty but now looking at their son he could honestly say he had his very own pretty boy. "We just got to tell daddy good-bye."

"Bye bye daddy" He laughed through a smile as little hands waved happily. "Luv you"

"He loves you too Brandon." He couldn't help the tear that fell as he kissed their baby's head, he couldn't even begin to describe how much Derek would have loved their little boy. He could feel it and he hoped Brandon knew it.

"The yard's not full yet Derek but I'm working on it."

The End