A/N: Hello, everyone!

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

Though Demons ended with Blake giving her credentials to Reid and him looking out the window, watching her board into a taxi, I've decided to change it up a bit.

What a hell of a few days Spencer and Élise went through, though most of the hell came on Spencer's end. It was just too much. But just being in each other's arms and giving each other kisses and hugs did wonders.

Élise offered to go into the kitchen and make some tea. Since Spencer had surgery, she didn't want him straining himself at all. It was still early in the morning, so they knew they weren't getting much sleep tonight; h and Élise got all that they'll need during their plane flights home. They knew this was the best time to get it all out, remembering what their therapist, Dr. Vera Truman, said. No holding it in, ever. When they get home, they have to get it out.

After she finished stirring the brewed tea, she poured it from the handcrafted porcelain teapot and into two teacups. Élise carefully picked up the saucers, gently pushed the kitchen door open, strolled into the living room, and set them on the coffee table.

"Here you go, honey." She gave Spencer her cup.

Spencer had a sip. "Mmm…what tea is this?"

"Reishi mushroom," Élise sat down next to him on the comfortable plush upholstery-linen-and-polyester chaise sectional sofa. "Thought I might try something different instead of the usual matcha and green tea.

Spencer had another sip and licked his lips. "I know; I read that reishi mushroom is an excellent adaptogen for stress management, relaxation, immunomodulation, and helps with cardiovascular health." He took off his sneakers and relaxed on his back on the chaise part of the sofa.

Élise cheered to that. "That's part of the reason why I brewed it." she had a hard swallow. "Seriously, I went from a headache to a migraine back and forth after that call. I wanted to beat the crap out of everyone involved; Hotch…" she blew a heavy side. "I thought I was going to…hurt him like…how the hell could he not tell me about you the second you got shot."

"In a way, I got it." Spencer stopped massaging his temples; Élise shot him an are-you-for-real-right-now look on her face. "I do, actually, but I just can't put it in words right now."

Élise planted her hand over her face. "Still, Spencer. A bunch of scenarios spun around through my head like the loop-de-loop on a damn rollercoaster. Like, what would have happened had you…died." she swallowed hard to finish the last word of that sentence. "Like I-I-I…I couldn't function without you and…"

"Hey-hey-hey," Spencer took her hand after setting his cup on the saucer. "I'm here right now, and as long as I am on this blue and green Earth, I will fight my damn hardest, no…" he had his finger up. "'Till the very end to come home safe to my family."

Élise sighed as Spencer used his finger to wipe her drawing tears. "That makes me feel so much better every time you say that."

"And I'm not going to stop saying that," Spencer vowed, picking her chin up to face him. "Okay?"

"Okay."

He left her a peck on her forehead before going down to kiss her lips. Élise ran her hand over her face. She was just so bloody worn out. "I think I'm going to have to schedule a call with the President in a few hours and tell him about this. Maybe two weeks to focus on you and our family."

Spencer scratched his forehead. "You have the President's number on speed dial?" he chuckled.

Élise playfully rolled her eyes. "You…" she had another sup, and after she swallowed, she felt a sudden migraine come up. "Oh, I'm so glad you have three-four months off."

"And with that, we can pretty much do anything we want," said Spencer. "Well, almost anything, just as long as it's not illegal."

Élise stiffed a laugh. "You're definitely right about that. What do you want to do within the next few weeks after you recover?"

"A trip to Las Vegas and New Jersey to see our families and maybe…a vacation without the children."

Élise scratched under her chin. "Well…it has been a while since we went on a child-free vacation, so…" she shrugged her shoulders. "Ah, why not?"

"And you know what else we should do this summer?"

"What?" Élise had the last of her tea.

Spencer announced. "I think we should start preparing to adopt a baby."

Élise swallowed dramatically. "Adopt a baby?"

Spencer nodded his head. "Remember when we had a discussion about adoption?"

Élise reminisced about that conversation as if it was just been yesterday.

Three-four years ago…

"…Opal's resting in her pen."

"I can't believe she's growing so much," Reid replied. Élise sighs heavily. "I can't wait until we have our own children."

"And speaking of children," Reid just thought about the Reimanns case. "Have you ever thought about adoption?"

Élise cuddled closer to Reid and answered, "I think people who adopt are some of the greatest people on Earth. Blood is not the only thing that makes a family. It's love. And being there for them."

"Always." Reid agreed.

"Exactly." Élise gazed at Reid. "Do you think we'll adopt one day?"

Reid wrapped his arm around Élise. "I think anything is possible."

Élise finished reminiscing. "Oh, yeah. Still, we have to go through the hoops for adoption. I mean, there's the home study fees, licensed adoption agency fees, home inspections…"

"If Anna and Nathan could do it and get approved, we can, too." Spencer tried to persuade.

Élise had her back against the couch and bit down on her fingernails. "Still, Spence…I've read about the pros and cons. I mean, yes, it's great to open a baby into our home, and it is a noble thing to do, but I do worry about the birth mother, and there's also the pros and cons of open and closed adoptions..." again, another migraine. "Oh, boy…"

Spencer had his hand on her knee. "It's a scary processing thought. I get it; give it all the thought and time you need. But I think we'd be giving a baby the opportunity of a lifetime if we adopt."

After Spencer finished the last of his tea and set it on the saucer, Élise picked them up and carried them back into the kitchen. He sighed, relieved he was getting three-to-four months off to recover. And since Spencer's not going back to work until September, he started unpacking his bags. Grabbing his satchel from the accent chair, he got out two books and laid them on the table before he pulled out a black leather billfold. Cocking his head to the side in confusion, he opened it, and his mouth dropped a bit.

It was Blake's FBI credentials. Attached to them was a white envelope. He used his index finger to open it, and inside there was a letter. He unfolded it and read it.

Spencer,

I know this is quite sudden, but it brought up some bad memories for me during the case. I bet you'll probably be wondering why I called you Ethan. Ethan was my son. A fitting name for him since it means enduring. He died when he was nine, yet I keep thinking about how he would be at twenty. The doctors said it was neurological; they still don't have a name for it, and it still drives me crazy seeing how it took away James and I's greatest love. Despite his disease, he kept growing and was ready to go. But I wasn't ready to see him go. And I begged him to open his eyes.

When I begged you to open your eyes, you reminded me so much of him, and that's what touched a nerve for me, among other things, during this case. I think that's part of the reason I bonded with you. But it touched a nerve with me. Joseph Campbell said, "We must be willing to get rid of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us." And that's what I'm going to do with James. I handed in my letter of resignation to Hotch during the flight home.

Thank you for saving my life. I'll always be grateful.

- Alex.

Spencer had to sit down and lightly tossed the letter on the coffee table. It was like he ran into a brick wall. He couldn't believe that Alex had a child. A child. And yet…

Élise floated back into the living room and sat down next to him on the sofa. She sighed profoundly when she had her head back and raced her hands over her face and neck. "Hopefully, the effects of this reishi mushroom tea kicks in because…"

Her face turned into concern at Spencer's longing face with his hand under his chin. "You okay?" she asked when he pointed to the letter on the cocktail table. Élise picked it up and read it within thirty seconds. She closed the letter and placed it down. "Blake left?"

Spencer bobbed his head. "From the way she wrote certain words in the letter, like Ethan and begged, I got the impression that she wanted to cry."

"Blake had a son?" Élise spoke softly. She now had her hand on her head; her elbow was on the sofa arm. "Oh, man…she outlived her child. I can't imagine how she and James must have felt to go through something like this."

"Yeah." Spencer agreed before he yawned. "That quote by Joseph Campbell…"

"It's true," Élise spoke up. "Yes, we have plans about our 'perfect future,' but at the same time, there's always another future waiting for us, and we have to take that chance when faced with obstacles. Or as my mother would say to my brother and me growing up, 'God works in mysterious ways.'"

"Have you ever planned 'the perfect future?'" Spencer asked Élise.

Élise had her fingers crossed; she kicked off her heels and had her feet on the couch. "I have a bunch of times. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened had I not become a lawyer or won millions of dollars in the lottery or…if I had not met you and had children. What about you?" she questioned back.

"I never really planned the 'perfect future,' though I already told you to have people would think with my brains and abilities I could do so much more, like develop a cure for schizophrenia by my twenty-fifth birthday. But is there really such a thing as a 'perfect future?'"

"My mama always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get,'" Élise quoted that line in a Southern accent, making Spencer laugh, and used her hand to cover her yawn. "Forrest Gump. I can't get enough of that movie."

Spencer and Élise started to wake up to the sunlight shining through their blended buttercream-colored curtains. Spencer blocked the sunlight with his eyes. His knees felt heavy; looking down was Élise with her head on his lap.

"Lise…?" he tenderly shook her shoulder.

Élise let out a snort. "Wha…?" getting her head from Spencer's lap, she blinked her eyes tightly and opened them to scrap the crust from the corners and around her eyelashes. She snuffled her nose. "I think that reishi mushroom tea did exactly what we needed after the past few days."

"Well-deserved sleep to make up for it," said Spencer when he and Élise heard stumpy and rapid footsteps.

"Mommy! Daddy! You're home!" Séraphine's eyes widened like never before, as did Isaac's when they both saw their parents. The two scampered, almost striking the parents to the ground.

"So glad you two are home." Rose stood by the arch and watched the families exchange hugs and kisses. "Did you two come home this morning?"

Élise respired. "Oh, yeah."

"We mis yoo too…"

Spencer kissed Séraphine and Isaac's heads and squeezed them. "We missed you two."

Séraphine's cheery smile turned into a slight frown when she saw the gauze on Spencer's neck. "What happened to you there, daddy?" she pointed to it.

"No-no…" Spencer stopped her from trying to touch it. "Uh…daddy got hurt there."

"Will it go away?" she asked again.

"As long as I take care of it, I'll be okay."

Élise added, "And as long as you two be careful around your daddy's neck, okay?"

Séraphine and Isaac bobbed their heads. Élise broke the ice and clapped her hands. "So…how about some pancakes?"

"Blumbaires…!" Isaac ran into the kitchen.

Séraphine ran after him. "Chocolate chips!"

Élise swiped her nose with a clean tissue. "So good to be home."

Spencer pulled her closer. "Oh, yeah."