A/N: Hello again, everyone!

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

A/N: Readers who have been affected by Hurricane Fiona and now or will be affected by Hurricane Ian, please let me know that you're safe.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DAD!

Spencer and Élise decided to take Séraphine and Isaac out of the house for a while and went to Georgetown for a Saturday family day. After the children had their naps, Spencer and Élise took the children to the Georgetown Neighborhood Library for a special event suitable for them.

After the event ended after an hour, the family went for a walk around the waterfront park on the paved pathways that crisscrossed the park.

"This is why I love the fall," asked Élise, holding Isaac's hand, waving her hand around to point out the fall-blooming shrubs, trees, and perennials. "Leaves changing colors, ducks flying South…"

Spencer slightly grimaced when he noticed he almost stepped in unpleasantries among the fallen leaves. "The return of…certain…" he couldn't finish that sentence.

Séraphine looked up to her father and asked, picking up a red, yellow, and orange leaf. "Wy doo they cange calors, daddy?"

Spencer was eager to answer a scientific question. He, Élise, and Isaac stopped walking; Spencer leveled to her height and picked up a leaf, and Élise entertained Isaac by showing him different leaves as well. "This leaf was once green because of something inside them called chlorophyll getting sunlight and energy, and the lack of it along with other stuff causes the color change. You see, Fifi, in some parts of the world, the days are shorter, there's less light, and the weather gets colder. That includes some of these leaves on the trees, and they start to change their colors."

"Cool!" Séraphine stared at the leaf in awe.

Spencer chuckled. "Yeah, that is cool! The same thing happens in the winter and…" they were interrupted when they heard—and saw—stubbly running in their way. And it was a toddler boy who looked maybe the same age or a year older than Séraphine.

"Slow down, C.J.!" cried an early middle-aged man with a military haircut, a five o'clock shadow, thin lips, dressed in a navy blue sweater, brown pants, and boots, jogged and stopped when she got to him.

"Careful, you little eager beaver!" he started petting the young boy's bushy head.

"Wait for me!" a distant woman's voice, which happened to be a woman with smooth and fair skin, quite pregnant and dressed in a tan coat over a pumpkin orange and mustard yellow printed dress with flat tall brown boots; silky milk chocolate brown hair cut to her shoulder, waved, and finally caught up with them. "I may be pregnant, but…"

She squinted her upturned amber eyes and gasped. "Spencer...?"

"Uh…" Spencer looked to Élise with precautious and gazed at the woman again. "Do I know you?"

She snickered. "And you have an eidetic memory. I'll just come out and say it. Dr. Violet McFarland."

Spencer's jaw dropped. He ultimately didn't recognize her. She had black square frames, kinda mousy and semi-wiry brown hair that she wore in pigtails, adult acne, and still had clear braces. Did she change or what?

"Violet!"

Élise waved her index finger backward and forwards. "You two…know each other?"

"I, uh…was at MIT, working one of my doctorates there."

Violet cheered, "Mens et Manus!" she giggled. "We were in the same summer math classes for about two years. I was planning to continue my graduate studies there, but my dad had cancer, so I went back home to California, and I attended CalTech instead."

Spencer was still struck by not recognizing his old MIT classmate. "So, uh…" he scratched his head. "How have you been?"

"Great, actually!" Violet cried. "After graduating from CalTech, JPL hired me full-time; I did a couple of internships and worked there part-time. I guess you can say it was easy as pi!"

Her math joke made Spencer laugh and Élise snicker and mentally roll her eyes. Cute, she said in her head.

"But actually, that's where I met my husband, Kevin Lawrence," Violet cuddled her arm around the tall gentleman. "After a couple of years, we got married, and by the next year, we had this little jumping guy, Carl Johannes."

Kevin waved. "Hi."

C.J. sprung up and flapped his hands. "Heya!"

"You have to forgive him," said Violet when Kevin picked up Carl. "He's like a roaming numeral, a number that can't keep still."

Spencer laughed again and held his hand out. "Pleasure to meet you." Kevin firmly shook his hand back.

Violet giggled. "Someone's outgrown his germaphobia."

"Yeah," Élise mocked her by discreetly giggling back and having her arms crossed. "So, Kevin…tell us something about yourself?"

Kevin had his hands in his pockets. "I'm a Stanford Law graduate."

Élise bragged, "Nice; I'm a Harvard Law graduate."

"Impressive; I thought about going to Harvard, but I wanted to say close to home," Kevin nodded. "We moved to D.C. six months ago when we got new opportunities; I'm now with Lockheed."

Violet added, "And I got a job at NASA. We'd say more, but uh…," she leaned and whispered, "We have top secret clearance."

Élise subtly tittered and said in her head again, "Just like Mata Hari and the Rosenbergs."

Spencer offered to entertain the children while Élise cooked dinner. It was perfect for her as she needed to have a girl-on-girl talk with Maeve over the phone.

"I'm telling you, Maeve, you should have seen Spencer with Violet," Élise complained while checking on the pumpkin lasagna and garlic beard she had cooking in the oven. "Ugh," she groaned in disgust.

"Oh, come on, Élise, there's nothing with old friends catching up," said Maeve.

Élise scoffed. "Oh, yeah. There's nothing wrong with catching up on an old friend," she gritted her teeth. "An old friend with a double major in math and computer science. Ooh! Mens et Manus!" Élise faked an excitement moment. Now she started butchering the vegetables needed for the salad on the cutting board. "I studied English and Political Science. I did a bunch when I was in school, to the point where I barely had free time. As if that wasn't hard work. This is just like when Spencer had a crush on his colleague JJ eight years ago," Élise blew her lips when sighing. "At least he's over it. And now this Violet McFarland…hoo-HOO!" she clenched her teeth. "He used to have a little crush on her," she huffed. "You should have seen her, Mae. Spence said she was a bit of a nerd, and looking at her now, she's a model."

Maeve asked, "Do you have your phone on speaker?"

"Yeah, why?" Élise lowered the speaker's volume.

"Élise, please tell me you're not killing Spencer…" she sounded worried.

Élise pushed her lips out and tossed the gathered vegetables in the salad bowl. "No…"

Maeve sighed in relief. "Almost scared me for a second. But sounds like someone's jelly…"

"No one our age says 'jelly,' Maeve."

Maeve retorted with, "Ooh, okay. So then, you're green with envy?" she joked.

"In the words of Cher Horowitz from Clueless, 'as if!'" Élise replied in a Valley girl tone.

"Mmm-hmm…" Maeve giggled. "You are so jealous, Lise."

Élise's voice went a bit higher and singsonged, "I'm not jealous…"

Maeve replied amusingly, "Yeah, you sound cool as a cucumber," she heard distant crying. "Oh, Lottie needs her mommy. We'll talk later?"

"Yup."

"And remember, Élise…even Penrose triangles have its thorns…"

Élise curved her mouth. "Maeve…"

Maeve laughed again. "I couldn't help it; I'm sorry."

After the two hung up, Élise got a clean lettuce head from the stack of vegetables that were on the countertop and started chopping them. Spencer walked in and helped himself to a lettuce piece.

"That's a lot of vegetables," he commented.

Élise sneered. "Well, The American Heart Association recommends four to five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. We need our kids to grow up big and strong."

"Well, yeah," Spencer had another lettuce piece. From the way Élise was cutting the vegetables, he immediately knew something was bothering her. "Are you okay?"

Élise shook her head when getting a carrot, trying to sound cheery. "What makes you think I'm not okay?"

"You've been acting this way since I saw my old MIT classmate, Violet."

Élise bobbed and pushed her bottom lip out again. "Nope, I'm good," she tranquility snapped a carrot in two. Spencer slid out of the kitchen when she got two carrots and broke them in half. "I'm cool as ice."

After Sunday church services, Spencer and Bobby proposed getting new books and magazines for the children at Barnes and Noble bookstore at the Tysons Corner Center.

"Ah," Spencer smiled when picking up a Stars and Stripes newspaper from one of their stands the store carried and quickly read the front-page article. "There's nothing I love more than a good old-fashioned newspaper you can actually read in your hands instead of in front of the screens. Believe it or not, I subscribe to small-town newspapers, but a lot of them disappeared."

Bobby skimmed through a GQ magazine. "You mean gone digital."

"Same thing," Spencer moved his shoulders, folded the newspaper back in two, and set it back where he found it. Now he and Bobby roamed through the back of the store where the children's section was.

"Hey," Bobby tapped Spencer's shoulder and gestured his finger, getting him to look at the little set-up for the Frozen movie coming this month.

Spencer snickered. "Séraphine's been obsessed with it since she saw the commercials again."

"Same with Charlie."

Spencer still had a smile until it formed a straight line. "Oh!" he turned two books over.

Bobby witnessed this and turned the books over, reading the covers. "Math Girls Rocks? Lady Data? By…" he flipped to the back cover, and it was a woman. "Dr. Violet McFarland?"

Spencer blew a sigh when he lifted his head.

Bobby placed the book back where it was. "I take it you know her?"

"Élise and I ran into her and her husband while we were in Georgetown. Violet and I were in a couple summer classes while I was working on one of my doctorates when she was an undergrad. Like me, a nerd; she had a crush on me, and I…" Spencer scratched his neck. "kinda had a bit of a crush on her."

Bobby leaned in and murmured, "Did you…?"

Spencer quickly clarified, "One coffee date that didn't even end with a kiss, and that was it."

"Mmm-hmm…" Bobby bowed his head, and his eyes set on some Disney books he and Maeve could read to BJ and Charlotte. "And Élise…?"

Spencer muttered. "Let's just say all day yesterday, I had to protect the family jewels."

Bobby burst out snickering, and a snort came out, almost getting a few parents to look at him. He used a face to cool off and got serious again. "Élise is jealous. Reminds me of a time I ran into Daria Cook, who was the most popular girl in school. I mean, she was like the girls you see in those Victoria's Secret lingerie catalogs and Sports Illustrated."

"Never recalled reading or even looking at them when growing up," said Spencer. "But then again, I was twelve, and I haven't been through puberty in high school, so..."

Bobby continued. "Still, when I showed Maeve my old yearbook, she saw her picture, and what she wrote to me…whoo…" he clicked his tongue.

"She was not a happy bunny?" Spencer simplified.

"Not at all. Maeve was more of a homebody during high school, and Daria Cook was this total goddess." Bobby added. "But that changed when she saw her. Daria's now a total soccer mom with kids, and her husband's some corporate manager in Texas. The point is, for as long as I've been with Maeve, I've never even looked at another woman and reminded her I only have eyes for her. Just remind Élise that you have eyes on her and only her."

Spencer smirked. "Yeah. Thanks, Bobby."

"Anytime." Bobby patted his back. "You know, maybe I should write a series of relationship books."

"Yeah, I think you should keep your day job," Spencer joked, making Bobby laugh, and the two got back to book shopping.

Spencer decided to do something special to ensure Élise his non-stopping love for her. With some help, he managed to get a dinner reservation at Filomena Ristorante, an Italian restaurant in Georgetown that has been around since the 1980s.

"This is very…cozy," said Élise, admiring the restaurant's décor and having a seat across from Spencer. "Hospitable, even."

Spencer straightened his tie and cleared his throat. "From what I read, the décor is meant to look warm and inviting, like being in your grandmother's house."

Élise opened her menu and eyed it. "Ooh! You know they make their own pasta?"

"Just the way you like it," Spencer raised his eyebrows three times, and a server approached their table.

"Hello and welcome to Filomena. May I take your order?"

Élise had another look. "Uh…I'll have the Bruschetta…the gnocchi with broccoli, and the cannoli, per favore."

"Okay," the server got that down. "And you, signor?"

"The same as my wife," said Spencer before the server took their menus.

Élise rested her folded fingers together on the table. "Okay…I'm surprised you managed to squeeze in a reservation."

"I had a little help," Spencer had a sip of water from his glass. "And I owe him a favor for that. But I wanted to have this because you mean everything to me…" he had his hand over hers.

Élise looked away and fiddled with her wig. "I know," she muttered, "I…guess I got…jealous…"

"Lise, we've been together for five years," Spencer reminded her. "Since the night I met you, I thought of no one but you. Violet McFarland doesn't mean anything to me; same with JJ and Lila Archer," he muttered the two names under his breath when he said that. "Though neither leads to anything more serious than what you and I have now."

Élise smiled—and blushed—a bit.

"I'm sorry I got jealous."

Their meals came. "That's okay," Spencer pulled Élise's chin forward and gave her a gentle kiss. "And…you're adorable when you're jealous."

Rossi had Spencer repay the favor of setting up the reservation by taking him to Benjamin, a shabby-looking Marine bar in D.C., where he met Carolyn, claiming to have been waiting for Ringo Starr from the Beatles…

…only to find out that it's on the verge of closing due to stiff competition.

Unfortunately, that was going to have to wait because they had a case.

Élise was enjoying a cup of tart cherry juice when her phone rang, and she answered it.

"Hey, Lisey…"

She smiled. "Hey, you. What's happening?"

"We got a case in Boston, so…" Spencer answered.

Élise yawned after another sip. "Well, I need to catch my Zzzs, so…good night, you."

"I'll see you in my dreams…"

Élise giggled.

Landing in Boston a little after an hour, Hotch had Reid and JJ visit the crime scene where the first victim was found and talked to his friend.

Élise descended down the stairs after leaving her bedroom: clad in a cinnamon color Italian fabric sculpted wool blazer, matching color wide-leg pants, heels, a brown top, and a tote bag by her elbow. She strutted into the living room, finding Rose with Séraphine and Isaac.

"Mommy's gotta go to work, now." Élise held her arms out. "Any last hugs before I go?"

Séraphine steadily got off the couch and huddled her way to hug a crouching Élise, who still had her arms out and a goofy grin on her face.

"Bah, mama…"

Élise moaned. "Be good, okay…?"

Rose helped Isaac off the floor, and he waddled to Élise, wanting to hug her as well.

"Bah…ma…"

Now the team got news of a teenage boy killed in his home and gave the profile to the field office.

Élise decided to have lunch at the D.C. Circuit Courthouse Cafeteria with some of her colleagues. She had just had another bite of Caprese pasta salad when one of her colleagues, Martin Mohren, got a ping on his cell phone.

"Ah, man…" he groaned, poking his fork into his chicken Waldorf salad.

Élise asked, lowering her eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

Martin set his Blackberry down. "The Benjamin is closing."

Élise was about to have another bite when she had her fork in mid-air, and another colleague, Paula Vidal, spoke up and said, "The Marine bar?"

"You know of The Benjamin?"

Paula replied, "My half paternal half-brother, a Master gunnery sergeant, would often go through whenever he was in town. I wonder why?"

"According to one of their bartenders, competition sucks," Martin had another bite. "Especially when three bars open across the street from them."

"Oh…"

Reid was with Morgan when Garcia called them about the data she pulled from the first victim's phone; who gave one of the women he saw a nickname…

…and now the unsub's seemed to have killed another victim; a woman this time.

With Garcia's help again and Morgan's voicemail to the victim, the team realized the unsub was stalking and targeting the victims who are seen as bad influences.

And considering how the victims live under one roof, the team also thinks he's a parent.

After dinner, Élise was in the living room enjoying a pint of vanilla and caramel ice cream when Rose walked in.

"Whatcha up to?"

Élise lowered the television volume. "Huh?"

Rose turned to stare at what Élise was watching. "Looks Who's Talking?" she gasped. "Is this the movie with Kirstie Alley and John Travolta?"

"Mmm-hmm…" Élise had another spoonful. "I was flipping through the channels, and it was on, so…" she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know…reminds me of giving birth…"

The case was finally completed, but Reid wanted to pay the unsub's victim a visit while Alex went to visit her husband, Dr. James Blake.

Arriving at Brigham and Women's Hospital's Maternity Ward with an escort, Reid knocked on the patient's room door three times.

"Come in," a voice from behind the door said.

While the escort waited outside, Reid walked in, and it was Hannah Johnson, the unsub's ex-wife, caressing her newborn son.

"How are you feeling?"

Hannah looked up. "Better. Thanks to your team. And you."

Reid smirked. "I have a two-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son; I was there for both their births, so…"

Hannah gusted an exhalation. "What's going to happen to Tanner?"

Reid sighed. "Considering his current mental nature, he'll most likely be placed in an institution."

Hannah looked down at her newborn again. "I…I don't know how I'll be able to thank you."

"You two…just take good care." Reid set the flower bouquet with the other presents and gifts. He turned around and was on his way out when Hannah called out for him again.

"Excuse me?"

Reid turned around.

"Your name is Spencer, right?"

Reid nodded; Hannah tickled her son's cheeks, making him gurgle.

"Spencer," she smiled. "I'm gonna name him after the person who saved both of us. Spencer Matthew Johnson."

Spencer arrived home late. He waved to a sleeping Opal before making his way to his children's room and kissed them goodnight as they slept.

Spencer crept into the bedroom, only to find Élise droopily asleep on the bed. An amusingly smiling Spencer snuck up to her bedside and kissed her forehead.

"Mmm…" she groaned and shuddered; she blinked her eyes a few times until her vision began clear enough to see Spencer and smiled when she did.

"Hey, babe," they engaged in a passionate liplock. Élise still had a smile on her face as she watched Spencer go into the bathroom, but her smile passively formed into a frown when she sniffed her nose.

After about four minutes in the shower and another three minutes in the bathroom, Spencer came out in a black long sleeve shirt and flannel pants.

He tucked himself under the sheets, his hands under his head as he was resting it on the pillow.

"What a day I had…"

Élise nodded her head. "I had a day myself as well."

"I got to see James. I delivered a baby boy; the victim named him after me."

Élise coated a smile on her face. "That's nice, dear."

Spencer picked himself up. "You okay?"

Élise leaned forward and sniffed his neck again. "Mmm…seems you got rid of that powdery smell."

Spencer sniffed himself. "Oh, guess I got rid of JJ's scent."

"Oh…?" Élise kept a calm face.

Spencer explained. "I had to deliver the baby right there, and then when the unsub took the victim hostage and after I gave her back her baby, JJ gave me a side hug; though she didn't have my consent, it was still a nice gesture."

If Élise didn't have enough self-control, she ripped the coverlets into little pieces. "Really?"

Spencer further explained, "I had a talk with JJ about it; I said to her next time you want a hug from me, ask."

Élise inhaled and exhaled deeply. "That's good," now she had a comforting smile on her face. "Now you delivered a baby, and the victim named him after you?" she tickled under his chin, making him blush. "Adorable."

"By the way, we have to be somewhere on Friday night."

"Where?"

That place was The Benjamin, and the bar was a full house. Since the place was on the verge of closing, the team wanted to come together in honor of Rossi as his favorite bar would be closing at the end of the year and for Spencer for delivering a healthy baby.

The team and Élise clinked their drinks together.

Hotch started with the toast proposals. "And to Dr. Spencer Reid, who may be adding M. D. to an already impressive list of credentials."

Morgan added, "And to Spencer Johnson, may he prove to be the child prodigy like his namesake."

An astonished Blake asked, "How on earth did you know what to do?"

"I memorized the delivery manuals just in case we couldn't make it to the hospital in time," answered Spencer. "I have to admit the practical application did not quite live up to the theory."

"No, you were great, Spence." JJ patted Spencer's shoulder, making Élise give her a discreetly stink eye and causing her to jerk Spencer away from JJ and give him a loving liplock.

"Dr. Spencer Reid: triple BA and Ph.D. and M.D. I love the sound of that."

Spencer drew Élise closer and gave her a head kiss. "Thanks. This night is not about me, though. To Dave Rossi," he toasted.

A touched Rossi replied, "Oh, I still can't believe you guys did this."

"We wanted to make sure you had one last proper goodbye," Spencer responded.

"Mm-hmm," Garcia smiled. "And I may or may not have posted on the Quantico message boards that all the drinks are on you tonight."

"And they are indeed, thank you very much."

The team scattered for a moment; a side-eyed Élise caught JJ side-eyeing her and gave Spencer another kiss, and she looked away.

"Ever thought about going to medical school?" she asked.

Spencer was done sipping. "I thought about it, but I think I would finish in less than the standard time given."

Élise chuckled. "Yeah, you would…ooh!" she bumped into a guy with flawless dark skin, a buzz cut, and was clad in a blue dress shirt tucked in his jeans and sneakers.

"Oh, my apologies," the sculpted-face gentleman apologized.

Élise smoothed her black dress. "Oh, that's okay…"

The gentleman was about to walk away when his jaw dropped. "Élise?"

Élise was hoping no one would recognize her with her wig on. "Uh…maybe…"

The gentleman's mouth formed a smile, and he had his arms opened out. "It's me…Harvey Carter."

Élise's jaw dropped. "Harvey!" the last time she saw him was during her time at school, and he was a bit of a geek, still tall—he was about perhaps an inch or two shorter than Spencer—but lanky and incredibly awkward. "You changed."

"As did you," he complimented and saw Spencer holding her hand. "I can see you're married…?"

Spencer held his hand out. "Dr. Spencer Reid."

Harvey firmly shook his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Doctor."

Spencer raised an eyebrow. "So, you two…?"

Harvey explained, "We had a couple of classes together at Harvard Law School and did a summer internship together. We even…" he cleared his throat. "Had a lunch date."

"But lead to no kissing." Élise quickly added before she asked. "So, what happened to you? You said you would be interested in military law."

"And I am," said Harvey. "I've been stationed and traveled around the world; now I'm a Marine Corps judge advocate."

Spencer simplified. "A JAG."

Harvey shrugged his shoulders. "You can say that, and…" he showoff his left hand with a smile.

"You're engaged!"

"To Maria Takeda; we met when I was stationed in Okinawa."

Élise gasped. "You know, Spencer and I went to Japan for our honeymoon a few years before going to South Korea."

"Well, I hope Maria and I have a wonderful marriage like the two of you," said Harvey before he saw his fiancée walk in and wave. "Great seeing you, Élise."

Spencer and Élise watched the loving interactions between Harvey and his fiancée.

"He's changed," Élise had a sip.

Spencer scoffed. "He's not all that."

"I think he gives Morgan a run for his money," Élise cracked a joke that made herself laugh and saw the amusingly annoyed look on his face. "But I still choose you, though I can see you're jealous."

"Oh, please…" Spencer wittily rolled his eyes. "Now, that's the kettle calling the pot black."

Soon, one of the bartenders wanted Rossi to get on stage, and he sang Billy Joel's Piano Man onstage but decided to have the team—minus Hotch, who pulled out his phone—and Élise with to sing along him. Then after nearly five minutes, Spencer allowed Élise to pick the next song, and they sang Michael Jackson's Beat It.