A/N: Hello again, everyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.

I had a good birthday; I give thanks to my family and friends who wished me a good day. The chapter starts off on Saturday afternoon.

Previously on Criminal Minds…

"Us adopt? [...] That's a life-changing decision to make. […]

"It's a scary processing thought. […] But I think we'd be giving a baby the opportunity of a lifetime if we adopt…"

"…I want us to welcome a baby into our home. I want to make a difference in their lives, and I know you want to, too..."

Spencer, John, and Nathan offered to watch the children play in the backyard while Élise, Melissa, and Anna made lunch. Ethel and Gordon went for a power walk, the same with Élise's parents, brother, and sister-in-law.

"Hey, everyone! Lunchtime!" Élise stood by the French glass door and howled at everyone to come in for lunch.

The gentlemen watched the small children run inside, warning them to be careful and not to trip. After entering the house, Spencer locked the door behind him and was the last to arrive in the nook. The children were offered sandwiches and juices while the women ate something else at the counter.

"You're having sushi for lunch?" Spencer already felt groggy. "Oh…"

"It's California veggie sushi," Élise corrected him. "No fish whatsoever."

Spencer's nausea disappeared when Élise said that, and he helped himself to a club sandwich. "How are your lunches, kids?"

The children either muttered 'good' or 'yummy' or shook their heads due to having their mouths full.

Diana strolled in, stretching her back. "How's everyone?"

"We're good," Spencer sat at the island beside Élise. "How was your nap?"

Diana inhaled and exhaled. "A nap refreshes the mind and makes you feel anew."

Spencer looked to Élise, who had just swallowed another sushi roll. They decided to hold off telling everyone about their adoption plans until after Isaac's birthday—which well perfectly well, especially with him sharing his cake with Élise and Spencer.

"Everyone." Spencer gained everyone's attention and took Élise by the hand. Opening his mouth, he was about to make his announcement when he heard the front door open and close.

"Whoo…" a quasi-exhausted-and-still-swinging-her-arm-weights-back-and-forth Ethel strode into the kitchen with Gordon behind her. "Hello, everyone…"

Spencer waved to her and Gordon. "Just in time for the announcement," he eyed Élise's family and his father walking in. He squeezed Élise's hand, and Élise stated together, "We're planning on adopting a baby."

The two collected everyone's reactions; mostly, everyone was surprised.

"You are?" Arthur coughed.

"We...had discussions about adoption even when we're engaged, and now… we're making it a reality."

Séraphine had her hand up. "What's adoption?"

Spencer simplified it for her. "Adoption means that you're somebody's older sibling forever."

"Like how I'm Ziggy's older sibling?" Séraphine pointed to him, and Isaac stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry.

"Exactly," Anna winked. "You see, Fifi, some kids become siblings by birth and some by adoption. I mean, take Nathan and me; we're going to adopt a baby soon."

"So, wren are they coming?" Isaac asked sweetly.

His question made some of the adults giggle. "It doesn't work like that, Zig,…" Spencer assured him and continued, "But there are steps we have to take, and it could take months."

"Aw," Isaac groaned. "Is it goin' too 'ake forevah?"

"It won't be for very long," said Élise. "You just have to be patient."

Isaac sighed, having his hand on his cheek.

Spencer and Élise tucked Séraphine and Isaac to bed half an hour ago, but Spencer wanted to have some quiet time to himself and found himself in the living room. He had just completed Nineteen Eighty-Four and his cup of Valerian tea. He set the book down on the coffee table to go into the kitchen, wash and clean his teacup and its saucer, and return to the living room.

He swept the book into his hands and turned around.

"Ah…" a gasp escaped from his mouth, and he jumped when he saw his father by the arched entryway with a coffee cup in his hands. "You scared me, dad."

William twisted his mouth to the side. "Sorry about that."

"You couldn't sleep?"

William moved his shoulders. "I enjoy a nightly drink," he nodded until he noticed Spencer's somewhat grimace. "Not that like of nightly drink."

"Ahh…" Spencer shook his head; now he got what his father might. "I'm going off to bed. Good night." He waved his evening farewells and took a few steps up the stairs.

"Wait, Spencer," William's calls stopped Spencer from taking another step and observed him turn around and step down. "I, uh…I think it's great that…you and Élise want to adopt. I…think it's a noble thing."

Spencer wagged his head and swallowed the gulp in his throat. "Like Élise and I said, we took careful considerations about this and want to do this."

William pulled his buttoned pajama shirt. "You know I, uh…wanted more children after you, but mother said 'no,' saying having just you was enough for her. Sometimes even after I left, I…thought about adoption but…seeing how I abandoned the two of you, I couldn't."

Spencer respired. "It took a whole lot of strength for me to forgive you for that. And Élise threatened to ruin you if you did anything to hurt me."

William snickered. "Yeah. I'll never stop apologizing for leaving you and your mother and physically not keeping in touch with you two."

"Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. Mark Twain."

Élise returned from the kitchen with a tower tray filled with triangle sandwiches and pastries and perfectly placed it between the coffee and teacups. She smoothed her hands over her white lounge pants and heard footsteps descending the stairs.

Soon came Spencer. "I got the kids occupied in the playroom," he said, pointing his thumb upstairs.

Élise stared at her cell phone for the time. "Sadia should be here any minute now."

Spencer had his hands on his waist in a casual manner. "So, she's a family law attorney and child advocate?"

"Uh-huh." Élise shook her hand. "We had a few classes at Rutgers; she's even a Douglass Woman. After she graduated, she went to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and then to Columbia for law school. Now she's one of Lamont & Unger's top attorneys in family law and child advocacy."

Spencer heaved another sigh. "Oh, I'm already so nervous."

Élise heard a knock on the door and went to go get it. "It'll be fine," she said, patting his shoulder. She opened it, and there was a warm beige complexed woman in a blossom pink and white color capelet dress, a tote bag carried by her elbow, her black hair in an angular bob haircut, and was at least five-eight in her four-inch nude color heels.

"Sadia!"

Sadia's green hazel eyes beamed. "Élise!" she had to hug her fellow Scarlet Knight and Douglass Woman acquaintance-friend. "Oh!" Sadia pulled back and twirled Élise. "You look so good, girl."

"Thank you," Élise closed the door and locked it. "When you look good…"

"You feel good," Sadia added; soon, the two simultaneously said, "You do good, you work good, and you play good." They ended the sentence with a fist pound, and Élise guided Sadia into the living room, but not before she caught a whiff of Sadia's left hand and gasped.

"Are you…?"

"Mmm-hmm," Sadia bit down on her tongue and smiled cheekily. "His name's Edward Finley. We met at a mixer, although he went to NYU and he's a tax attorney."

"Interesting," Élise soon stood between Sadia and Spencer. "Sadia, Spencer. Spencer, Sadia."

"Pleasure to meet you, doctor," Saida bowed her head. "Élise has told me a lot about you. And from one of my cousins, Kiran, wants to be in federal law enforcement; he's a senior at Georgetown."

Spencer seemed flattered. "Why, thank you."

"He's handsome," Sadia whispered to Élise, who blushed in return. "You are a lucky girl."

"Thanks. I am."

The three adults had seats; Élise and Spencer on the couch and Sadia in an armchair and helped to some coffee.

"Mmm…" Sadia savored the taste of the fresh coffee she was having. "What coffee beans are these from? Kenya?"

"Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee." Spencer answered.

Sadia had another gulp and gently set her cup down. "So," she pulled herself up with her shoulders back and head up. "You two plan on adopting?"

Spencer and Élise longed for each other, holding hands. "We've given it some thought, and we want to adopt a baby."

Sadia fused her hands. "Well, I contacted the agency, and they agreed that because of your high-profile positions, you'll be listed as anonymous." When Spencer and Élise nodded their heads at that part, she continued. "You know adoption takes a lot of work, and I do mean a lot of work, but if you get through the steps right and don't give up, you'll be giving the baby you adopt the home they deserve."

Élise's cheeks reddened, and Spencer held her hand tighter.

"So, did you submit a completed application and a recent family photo to the agency?" Sadia asked.

"Mmm-hmm…" Élise nodded her head.

"And made an appointment?"

Spencer responded, "We made one for this week."

"Excellent," Sadia grinned. "If all goes well, you two should receive provisional acceptance into their home study, sign and return their Adoption Services Agreement, etcetera, etcetera. When meeting them, it's best to dress nicely when meeting them, like business-borderline-business-business causal. Just look nice and presentable to them. One of their social workers will help you in the adoption process, so…" she shrugged. "You two should be good from here, and when you get a match birthmother, you know where to find me."

Élise exhaled in relief. "Oh, thank you so much."

"Anytime."

After dinner, hell, for the past couple of days, Élise could barely stop thinking about the appointment she and Spencer have at Fountain of Wishes agency tomorrow afternoon at their headquarters in Silver Spring.

As always, Élise needed to put together an outfit to wear for the interview tomorrow. She pulled out more pairs of blouses, pants, skirts, and dresses and set them behind Spencer on the bed.

"How about this?" Élise picked up an indigo-blue tulip-sleeve sheath dress.

As always, Spencer being the supportive husband, putting up with Élise's attire decisions. "That looks nice."

Élise had another look and made an unsure face. "Yeah, I don't think so."

Spencer chuckled to himself. "Oh, Élise…"

Élise had her hands on her hips. "You should know me by me, Spence. It only…"

"…Takes a second to make a good, lasting impression. And most of the time, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. Our physical appearance tells the world about us." Spencer finished the sentence for her.

Élise tilted her head and curtsied. "Thank you. Now you get it."

"It'll be fine. You heard what Sadia said; just dress nicely."

"Which is what I'm trying to do," Élise raised her hands. "We'll stay up all night if we have to…"

"Élise…" Spencer used his be-reasonable tone and gave her an almost Hotch stare.

"Fine," Élise took that as a white flag to surrender. "This isn't over…" she warned him playfully and got ready for bed with him.

Spencer left the house with Élise's security detail, leaving Séraphine, Isaac, and Opal to be watched by Rose. After picking her up at Main Justice, her detail drove her and Spencer to the Fountain of Wishes' main headquarters in Spring Silver.

Since travel was a bit heavy, they reached their offices within forty minutes. One of Élise's agents opened the door for her, and Spencer and the two parents leered at the postmodernism-contemporary architected building plazas.

"Oh, God," Élise had her hand on her stomach. "I'm already getting nauseous."

Spencer got his satchel and Élise's black leather briefcase and tote bag from the backseat and slammed the door closed. "What have we said about worrying too much?"

Élise sighed, being given her briefcase and tote bag by Spencer and him escorting her to the building; she asked her escorts to stay behind. "Worrying too much will end up giving me an aneurysm."

Spencer petted her head. "Good girl."

After being welcomed by two of the agency's administrative assistants when approaching the front desk, one of them escorted me to the case worker's office; they were also greeted by the adoption assistant and office manager/bookkeeper.

Spencer and Élise coolly—coolly mostly was on Spencer while Élise kept shaking her crossed legs and bit on her manicured fingernails—waited for the case worker in the tidy eggshell-colored walls-grayish carpeted office.

"Ugh, what's waiting so long?" Élise snapped, already getting impatient. "It shouldn't be takin' this long."

Spencer had his hand on Élise's knees, hoping she'll soon stop it, calm down, and relax. "It'll be fine." He reread information about the agency on the picturesque blue booklet for the second time since he picked one up at the receptionist's desk. "Wow, they've been handling adoption for nearly twenty-five years and in over ten countries."

Élise rested her elbow on the armchair and her hand on her cheek, getting more impatient. "They said the same things on their website."

"Someone's still antsy." Spencer judged how Élise was still trying not to tap her leg as much as before and massaged her palms.

"Why, thanks, Dr. Obvious," Élise said; her tone was sarcastic, and now she started rubbing her hands together vigorously.

"Will you please try and relax?"

Élise replied dryly, "That's easier said than done."

The door swung open, and immediately came a Caucasian man with light brown side-parted hair, gray eyes, a snubbish nose, straight eyebrows, thin lips, and dressed in an olive-green polo, khaki pants, and slip-on loafers, carrying a manila folder by his hand.

"Hello, you two." The man introduced himself to the couple. "I'm your caseworker, Carlos Birger; we spoke on the phone."

Spencer and Élise rose from their chairs and shook the man's hand after he held it out for them to shake. Spencer dove into his satchel and got out some hand sanitizer. He offered some to Élise; she held out her hand and rubbed it.

Carlos sat at his comfy-looking chair at his cherry-wood desk, moved aside his sipping duck cup, and folded his hands. "So…you two want to adopt…"

"Why else would we be here?" Élise retorted, and Spencer lightly tapped her shoulder, reminding her to chill out.

"You'll have to excuse my wife." Spencer plastered a polite smile on her face. "She has a tendency to get like this."

Carlos chuckled. "It's okay; I'm used to the apprehensiveness and nerves. It comes with the territory." When Élise scoffed lightly, he continued. "Now, firstly, do you have the Adoption Service Agreement?"

Nodding their heads, Spencer went into his satchel, pulled out the file, and gave it to the man, who quickly looked at it. "Excellent. And because of both your careers, we've named you as an anonymous couple. I know it sounds creepy and unusual…"

"But it is for the best," said Spencer, which he, Élise, and Carlos all agreed upon. "Now that we have all of the required and additional documents, our next step is the home study: a collaborative procedure intended to teach you both about adoption and evaluate your suitability to be adoptive parents; with that comes the home inspection. For which, I will ask you more questions about your lives, from your childhoods to education, employment, all of that, and then I'll take you to meet our Home Study Coordinator, Nora Cruz."

Reid nodded.

"Bring on the questions." Élise was more than ready.

After spending nearly thirty minutes answering additional questions about their lives, Spencer and Élise got to meet the Fountain of Wishes' Home Study Coordinator and scheduled an appointment with her for a home inspection.

Again, sorry if the chapter felt a bit short.