A/N: Hello again, everyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.

This chapter takes place…a little bit more than a week after the 4th of July.

"Helloooo…?" Élise cried out for someone as she entered the entryway with her luggage and one of her security agents trailing behind her; she had recently returned from a four/five-day trip for an international conference. "Anybody home?"

"Mamaaa…!" Isaac raced to Élise.

"Hi, little boy." She scooped him up and began giving him kisses and hugs. "Mwah-mwah-mwah!"

Spencer, Séraphine, Opal, and Rose smiled when they saw Élise in the entryway; her agent was just leaving after excusing herself. "Hey," they joined in on the group hug.

"So, how was your trip to Norway?" Rose asked, guiding everyone into the living room and sitting a seat on the couch.

Élise still had Isaac in her arms. "Well, let's see. I meant the country's Prime Minister, the Chief Justice, and royal family members."

Séraphine's eyes glimmered at the mention of royalty. "You met a real Prince?"

"Why, yes, I did." Élise nodded her head once. "I ate some of their delicious and…interesting cuisine," she made a bit of a neutral face when she said 'interesting' and kept going. "Went to some museums and galleries; I even saw some Viking ships, too."

"Did you manage to get a picture of The Scream by Edvard Munch," asked Spencer.

Élise answered, "Uh-huh…"

"Wha a vikin'?" Isaac asked.

Élise simplified it for him. "You see, Vikings were ancient pirates who sailed and settled in many parts of the world many and many years ago."

"Oh…" Séraphine got it.

Isaac quickly asked, "Yoo goot presents four us?"

"Isaac…" Spencer looked sternly at his son, knowing it wasn't polite to just ask something like that.

"Of course, I brought presents." Élise snickered to herself; she set Isaac down on the couch, rose up, and went to get her bags. "What's an overseas trip without gifts?"

Now in her home office, Élise kept organizing or stuffing her work dossiers into her briefcase, ensuring she had what she needed for tomorrow. She'll be at a ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

"Élise…" she picked her head up; saw Spencer at the door. "You comin' up?"'

Élise zipped her briefcase and hid it in her desk drawer. "Yup." After she slammed and locked it, she sighed exasperated. "I'm so exhausted; I'm craving for a vacation. You mean, you're partially on one until late September."

Spencer allowed Élise to leave her office first. "I agree, but I'm on medical leave."

Élise had her arms out and shrugged her shoulders. "Still," she stretched her backbone backward. "I just want to get away and go somewhere."

"How?" Spencer stepped aside and had Élise go into the elevator—she was too lazy to take the stairs. "By boat? Road trip? A plan…" he was in a bit of a joking mood until he said road trip, and his mind started doing that thing where he'd get an idea, but it was still in his head.

"Babe?" Élise quickly nodded to this; it was her specialty. "Yoohoo…"

Spencer looked at her and had an instant smile on his face as the doors closed. "How about we go on a road trip?"

"Uh…no," Élise replied bluntly. "No way. I love you but no. I find it to be quite asinine. Personally, I hate sitting on my ass for hours and hours on end unless it's a nice plane or jet with massaged seats."

"Oh, come on, honey," Spencer tapped her shoulder playfully. "It could be fun."

Élise crossed her arms. "Or it could be asinine, like camping, which by the way, I don't believe in." The elevator doors opened, and the two trod off and strolled to their bedroom. "There's a reason why we have electricity, heat, water, indoor plumbing, AC, moisturizing, skin care products, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera."

"Don't you get tired of flying or traveling by plane?" Spencer opened the door for her.

Élise lopsided her head. "Depends."

"What about your sense of adventure, my love?"

"Oh, I have one, just not with road trips," said Élise.

Spencer asked, "Didn't we go on one when you were pregnant with Ziggy? And you enjoyed it." He ended the sentence with a smirk.

"Only because I couldn't fly," Élise retorted. "Spencer…"

Spencer urged, "At least give it some thought."

"Oh, I've given it some thought," said Élise confidently. "I still don't think it's a good thing."

"Oh, come on, what's the worst that can happen?" asked Spencer, ruffling the comforters.

"I think I can think of a montage of what could go wrong," Élise had her hands on her hips, crawling into bed and cuddling her head onto Spencer's chest; he entwined with her. "But I've seen enough road trip episodes and movies growing up to know what could go wrong, especially when you have two toddler-aged children and a dog with us."

"You watched too much television and movies growing up," Spencer joked. "And you are such a high-maintenance queen."

"I'm too tired for a compliment like that." Élise yawned. Spencer chuckled and left a kiss on her head. "But I'll think long and hard about this after a good night's sleep and after work."

Spencer swung the kitchen doors and shifted aside for the children to go in first. "Okay. What do you want to do for dinner, little ones?"

"Spaghetti…" Séraphine hopped into her seat.

Isaac grunted as he sat down. "Pahetti, too, peaze…"

Spencer patted the kids' heads and went back to the cabinets. He plucked a pasta bag and held it just as the doors sheered opened.

"Mommy!" the kids leaped from their seats and sped to hug their mother. After the children pulled back, Élise bent up and hugged Spencer.

"How was your day of work, Lady AG?" asked Spencer, who was now by the kitchen sink, rummaging through the cupboards.

Élise sat on the island and placed her briefcase next to her. Soon, she took off her black designer heels and massaged her feet. "Oh, I'm so tired. My poor aching feet need a good deep massage."

"I'll never understand how women could wear those slim and spiky heels," Spencer had his back turned, still deciding on a pasta. "I mean, wearing shoes like you do all the time leads to serious foot circulation."

"When you look good, you feel good, you do good, you work good, you play good, and you'll get paid good," Élise preached, raising her fist in the air. "Plus, never underestimate the power of heels."

Spencer had to chuckle. "I can't with you sometimes."

Élise stretched her legs out, turned herself around, and asked with her fingers folded. "So, what's for dinner?"

"Pasta," said Spencer. "But I can't decide between the super greens or the protein-packed," he had the two boxes in his hand.

Élise shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe mixed them both?"

Spencer stared at them both and then at the kids, who shrugged their shoulders back at them. "Ah, why not?" He used his finger to open the two boxes; Élise got up from her seat, wanting to help Spencer. She squatted to get the pots and pans for him, turned on the faucet, and allowed the water to fill until it reached three-quarters way.

"So…" Spencer allowed the pan to boil. "Kids, how do you feel about going on a road trip?"

"Wha 'hat?" asked Isaac.

Spencer explained; Élise gave him a look. "A road trip is where you go traveling by car to get to your destination, and on the way, we stop along the way to other stops to other towns, historic sites, and other states around this great country."

"Whoo! Can we go on one? Can we go on one?" Séraphine pleaded.

"See?" Spencer got her a told-you look. "The kids want to go on one."

Élise had her hands on her hips while watching the pot boil. "Are you sure you two can be in a car for hours and hours?"

"We'll make stops along the way every…two-three hours," said Spencer. "And there are plenty of ways to keep everyone occupied for those long hours, so all in favor of a road trip?" Spencer held his hand up, following Séraphine and Isaac. Just as Rose walked in with Opal, he smirked, "Majority rules."

"Hey, what's going on?"

Séraphine still had her hand up. "Road trip!"

Rose gasped. "Yay! I wanna go on a road trip! I haven't been on one since I was a teenager." She immediately had her hand up.

Opal barked; she had her tongue out when she started panting.

"You've been outvoted," said Spencer, raising his eyebrows up.

"I hate being defeated," Élise scoffed reluctantly. "But if it's what everyone wants…" she was the last to put her hand up. "Let's go on one."

Everyone except Élise cheered. "Woo!" Rose was getting all giddy just thinking about it. "I know some places we can go to: New York, Connecticut, Washington state, Cape Cod, Oregon, Arizona, California…"

Spencer suggested, "How about going to Las Vegas to see our favorite family members?"

"Yay!"

"Oh, the Lord is my shepherd. Give me strength." Élise snatched her heels, held her briefcase with her elbow by its strap, and slammed her hand over her face. "Come me when you got dinner started?"

"Why are you feeling so down about going on a road trip?" asked Maeve while Élise was on her phone with her.

Élise scratched her hair. "It's not like I'm down about it, but I…in honesty, I don't know. I know it's me, but…maybe I'm just not up for it. Plus, I never really been on a "long" road trip; well, if you count for the times Spencer and I drove the kids to see my fam in the Garden State."

"You know, we went on a road trip from D.C. to Vermont," Maeve announced.

"You did?"

Maeve answered, "Yup. We went to Baltimore, Connecticut, Philadelphia, Massachusetts, Wilmington."

"You know, the donuts in Wilmington, Delaware are good; you had a chance to try them out."

"And the pizza at the Yale college scene," Maeve chuckled. "It was yummy. And fun. Plus, these are memories that'll last a lifetime. Don't you want that for Séraphine and Isaac?"

Élise sighed, knowing Maeve had a valid point. "You're right, Maeve."

"When am I not?"

It was going to be a long three weeks—Spencer estimated that they'll be able to spend a week traveling from D.C. to Las Vegas, spend a week there, and another week getting back home—so he spent most of the afternoon prioritizing the black Suburban's maintenance.

Élise watched Spencer drive the Suburban back into the garage, get out, and shut the door.

"It is ready to go?" asked Élise, tapping on the vehicle's hood.

Spencer sighed. "The owner of Al's Repairs gave it an A plus-plus. The oil levels are good, the headlights and brake lights worked, and the fluids topped up. Overall, the maintenance is in pristine condition. I even bought some extra tires and installed a roof rack from them," he slapped his hands together. "Now, I just need to childproof and dog-proof the backseats." Spencer now opened the backseats and started cleaning, even though it was already clean.

Élise snickered. "Rose is preparing the snacks; kids and Opal are enjoying themselves, and I got all the bags ready."

Spencer looped the strap of a portable black trash bag over the headrest. "So, we should be good to go tomorrow morning?"

"Uh-huh. And, uh…sorry for being such a grouch about the idea of going on a road trip," Élise looked away as she apologized.

Spencer got out of the backseat. "Hey, I get it."

"Do you?"

"It's in your nature," Spencer said. "To act all anxious about trying new things and overreacting, but by the end, you enjoy it."

Élise nodded. "Yeah, something like that."

"And that you're a high-maintenance queen." Spencer smirked.

"Queen—yes. High-maintenance—" Élise opened her mouth and tried to say something else, but she scoffed off when she saw Spencer tightly pressing his mouth down not to laugh. "As if."

For the rest of the afternoon—at least until and after dinner—Spencer, Élise, and Rose either turned off or unplugged the appliances, cleaned out the fridge and took out the trash, triple-checked the car's emergency kit, alerted the banks, bureau, and bosses, and adjusted the thermostat.

Élise locked up the last of her expensive jewelry and valuables in her safe. After locking in the combo for her portable gun safe, she picked up her Glock and wondered if she should take it, giving herself a couple of minutes to think about it. She didn't feel any less if she had her gun, but if Spencer had his Smith & Wesson on him, she wouldn't need it.

She put it back, hid it in a safe place, and walked out of her closet and into the main room again. She found Spencer checking his luggage one last time before zipping it up and placing it against the wall.

"Ready for tomorrow?" asked Élise.

Spencer stretched his legs. "Uh-huh."

"I got my luggage set up: breathable shirts, trousers, espadrilles, sandals, rain jacket, fleece pullover, hiking boots, hat…"

"Is it that same hat you wore when we went on the Golden Wattle?" Spencer joked, remembering Élise dressed up like Rose DeWitt-Bukater from the Titanic movie.

"No, but you can never miss an opportunity to dress up," Élise wagged her finger. "You just never know."

Spencer chuckled. "You…"