A/N: Hello again, everyone! I'm still taking it one day at a time, but I'm hanging in there again. I hope you like the surprises I put into the chapter. This chapter takes place in the afternoon after the previous chapter.

"Mommmmy!"

"Hey, family!" From her encrypted video call to her family, Élise smiled and finger-waved to them. A couple of months ago, Rutgers-New Brunswick's Eagleton Institute of Politics invited Élise for a visit and speak at the college. After settling into her suite at the Heldrich Hotel, Élise thought it might be fun to see the college again and disguised herself as a college student (with her security team). Some of the students there thought she was a student and looked a bit like the AG.

So much has changed in the years since I graduated from the historic university. There used to be these little white baby buses and the Academy Bus Lines; now, these new bus shelters showcase the university's scarlet and white colors. New buildings were developing all around College Avenue, especially The Yard. The grease trucks that sold Fat Sandwiches, the school's signature sub roll, on College Avenue were gone.

Still, it's nice to see the school every now and then. Élise remembered the times when her parents told her and Arthur how much had changed when they first came to New Jersey, especially New Brunswick. Her mother stated that she regretted not taking pictures of the city decades ago, but at least there are memories.

"How was it at Rutgers?" asked Spencer, who was between Séraphine and Isaac.

"I think I inspired a new generation of Scarlet Knights."

Élise spent ninety minutes at the Rutgers Athletic Center on the Livingston Campus in Piscataway, speaking to a crowd of more than 5,000 people and asking questions posted by those who registered to attend the sponsored event. Before the event, she had a conversation with the University President and a short interview with an editor and reporter from Forbes Magazine (Élise made sure the two journalists were legitimate).

Élise is on her way home to D.C. now. The black Suburban had just entered Maryland. "Have you kids been good to your Daddy while I was gone for a couple of days?"

"Uh-huh!"

Élise sighed in exhaustion. "Hopefully, I will be home by nightfall, so…"

It took some thinking and inspiration, but Spencer and Élise knew what they wanted when they finally decided on a nursery design. They gave Rose the cash for all the must-have nursery essentials—crib and mattress, sheets, diapers, newborn onesies, bottles, etcetera, etcetera. Rose picked up some framed photographs of the heart, the Celtic knot, the Infinity sign, the flower of life, the family tree, and the Tree of Life. A couple of stuffed animals by the dresser—a giraffe and an elephant. Spencer made the dark wood bookshelf by hand (thank you, engineering skills) and made sure everything was finely secure.

"Oh, it's lovely." Dr. Payen gasped when she saw the photos for the first time.

Carlos perched his bifocals up his nose. "Wow… it's nice."

"I—" Neveah wiped her nose and her eyes again. "I… don't know what to say…"

Élise took Polaroids of the nursery and brought them to their last monthly visit with Neveah. It was almost time for them to meet their baby. It was nearly unbelievable, but in a good way. Spencer observed the girl's body language (she didn't want to let go of the Polaroids—clinging to them almost, but Élise allowed her to keep one) and watched her wipe the tears from her eyes when the visit ended.

"We meant what we said: we want to take great care of your little one."

Spencer and Élise got to celebrate Easter twice with the children. Sure, they decided not to travel this year, but they still called their respective families to wish them a good holiday.

The family was invited to the 137th annual White House Easter Egg Roll on Easter Monday. There were said to be more than 35,000 guests on the White House South Lawn, welcomed by the President and the First Lady. The event's theme for the year was based on the First Lady's initiative to get the country's citizens to lead a healthier life, eat better, and be more active. It was a fun-filled day with live music performances, cooking stations, sports and fitness zones, storytelling, the classic egg roll, and egg hunt.

Élise concluded a meeting with the US State Secretary after she heard the news about a family of four who were abducted while on vacation in Barbados and were saved with the help of the BAU and the department's International Response Team.

Now, she had a meeting with Cruz. It wasn't very often Élise visited the BAU, at least not when Spencer and the rest of the team were there. However, since there was no case, they were asked to speak at George Washington about careers in the FBI.

One of her detailed agents opened the BAU's bulletproof glass doors for her to walk through first. A couple of agents politely greeted her—she greeted them back. Through little glances from the shaded window, she could see Cruz in Hotch's office with Rossi and a seemingly late middle-aged agent.

She knocked on Hotch's office door three times and heard she could enter.

"Attorney General Bastien."

"Section Chief Cruz. Hotch and Rossi," Élise's eyes last locked with a distinguished gentleman with short silver hair sprinkled salt-and-pepper gray, gray eyes, and dressed similarly to Rossi: dark-colored sport coat and trousers, button-down shirt. "Special Agent Jack Garrett. As I live and breathe. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I heard quite a lot about you."

Élise held her hand out, and Garrett shook her hand back. "Attorney General Bastien, it's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"I can't help but say this, sir, but you have a striking resemblance to Gary Sinise. And that man has a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, a Tony, and was nominated for an Oscar in one of the top movies, in my opinion, Forrest Gump."

Garrett smirked. "I'm often told that."

"Again, I wanted to congratulate you and your team on a job well done. Your team includes Matt Simmons, Lily Lambert, and Russ Montgomery, yes?"

"That's right," Garrett nodded.

"I'm familiar with them—" Élise remembered the IRL's abilities after reading up on them. "Simmons is a military veteran; Lambert's an international attorney with ties to the State Department, and Montgomery's your own version of Garcia."

"Definitely sums up my team, yes."

"I heard about the dilemma with Agent Lambert's brother held up in Thailand, so if you need my help, I have good friends in the State Department." Élise offered her help.

Hotch shook his head once. "Of course."

"Hey, you two!"

Spencer and Élise waved back at Bobby and Maeve when they steered through the door along with the other half a dozen familiar faces, and the same for them, nicely dressed in the required cocktail dress code. Live music tinkled over the air. Élise bought the highest ticket patron, which not only included four event tickets and access to the pre-event party but sponsorships for four WIS teachers to attend the fundraiser, reserved seating for four, and other gains counting a large tax deductible.

Tonight was the night of the Washington International School Fundraiser for Financial Aid. The event was held at the Hall of the Americas in the Main Building of The Organization of American States. Many affairs have happened, such as the agreement signing of the Torrigos-Carter Treaty between then U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Panama's Head of State Omar Torrigos.

The hall was decoratively detailed and measured over 100 feet long by 65 feet wide and 45 feet from floor to ceiling. Polished oak herringbone parquet flooring, three crystal chandeliers hanging from the central vault, copious white painted ornamental plasterwork, floral garlands, and five arches.

"Always happy to see you, too." Élise embraced her best friend. "It always feels as if it's been too long."

Maeve swept the few long locks of her hair away from her face. "Time goes by fast when you have a busy life."

"Research shows that one reason we might feel like the year is passing is that it stems from our tendency to focus on new events, our ability to process, and our dopamine levels…"

Bobby basically simplified what Spencer was trying to say. "So, the older we get, the faster it feels."

Spencer thrust his hands in his pants pockets. "Yes."

It was another day at the BAU, where the team acquired a local case in Bethesda, Maryland, involving a family annihilator. Instead of immediately heading over to the crime scene, Garcia set up a live feed transmission from there.

The annihilation occurred in the home of Frank Kingman, currently MIA, and Donna Stancroft, of the Stancroft Electronics fortune. She, along with two of her children, Jenna and Lance, and Donna's mother, Clara, were murdered, and the other son, Dillon, is also MIA.

Élise enjoyed her lunch—an Asian chicken salad with sprinkling water—in her office at Main Justice. She had just completed the final draft of her statement about the 20th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing and went over her travel plan for her trip to New York City, which was less than two weeks away.

She had another big bite of her chicken when she observed her phone chiming on her desk. She picked it up and inspected the screen before she swept it up to answer it. "Hello…" she responded after she was done chewing.

"Afternoon, Élise."

Élise used the extra napkin she had to daub her mouth. "Hello, Hotch. How's the case?"

"From what I know so far, JJ and Spencer are returning to headquarters from the crime scene; Dillon has turned himself over to Alexandria P.D., and there's still no sign of Frank."

Élise grimaced. "You're not with the team right now?"

"No. I, uh, had a personal family issue. Involving Roy."

Élise almost did a spit-take into her canned sparkling water and was dead silent for a minute. She knew which Roy he meant—there weren't a lot of Roys in her life. She knew Hotch meant Roy Brooks, as in the father of Haley and Jessica. The last time she saw Mr. Brooks was at Haley's funeral six years ago this year. She still remembered that day as if it was just yesterday.

The team had left for Nashville for the Joe Belser case. It was still dark outside, like borderline pinch black without a single gray cloud in the sky, and the weather was surprisingly balmy. Élise sat at a table with Kevin, William, Grant, and Gina, finishing up seconds from the buffet table when she saw Jessica standing a few feet away and embracing herself around her body.

She steadily rose from her seat and lightly tapped her on the shoulder. Jessica sniffled, using her hand to wipe her tears away before she allowed Élise to give her a hug and massage circles on her back.

"I'm so-so-so sorry, Jessica."

Jessica wept again. "Yeah," a snivel came out of her mouth. "She didn't deserve what happened…"

"No one does…" Élise spun around and saw Jack with some of his cousins, then Hotch glaring at the sky, and then Jessica. Her heart went out to the four-year-old. Such a damn shame for him to lose his mother so young and to such a tragic ending. She twisted her head again and huffed heavily. "I can't believe Sean isn't here to comfort his own brother for his loss, even though he and Haley were divorced."

Jessica inhaled nasally. "I know, but from what Hale's told me about their relationship, it's not a surprise. What can you do?"

Élise agreed with a head nod before her, and Jessica's eyes spotted an elderly man with thinning white hair in a black tailored suit trudging towards Hotch, yet gradually going as he could with his wooden cane.

"Oh, no…" Jessica's face grew concerningly, and she rested her hand over her mouth.

"I can't imagine what your father's going through…"

The two watched the men interact with each other. While they couldn't hear what Hotch was saying, they could tell he was giving Roy his condolences and sincerest apologies for Haley.

"YOU BASTARD!"

Out of nowhere, like suddenly, Roy lashed his arm out, and Hotch's head snapped to the side as the grieving father's hand connected severely with the side of his ex-son-in-law's face with a loud blast like gunfire. There were several horrified gasps from the spectators; Élise looked behind to make sure the children didn't see or hear that—thankfully, they didn't.

"YOU KILLED MY GIRL!" Roy screamed and furiously pointed his finger at him before Jessica walked over to her father, trying to comfort him (and to make sure Roy didn't attack him again) as she led him away from Hotch.

Élise ambled to Hotch's side, who had his one hand to his blazing cheek, understandably comprehending what happened. They watched Roy crook his head again at him and chillingly mouth bastard to him.

"Oh…" She still shuddered at the memory of that incident. If it weren't for Jessica, Roy would have done more than give Hotch that smack in the face. He probably would have beaten the crap out of Hotch with his cane and then spit on him afterward. "How is he?"

Hotch sighed.

The case concluded by nightfall after Hotch returned to the office to assist in arresting the unsub. Rose admitted to not feeling up to cooking dinner that evening and ordered pizza, which was fine with Spencer and Élise.

While Rose helped the children get ready for bed, Élise and Spencer went back and forth to the kitchen and dining room, cleaning up tonight's dinner.

"So, let me get this straight: the unsub was the product of an affair his father had after just coming back from his honeymoon?" Élise finished swabbing the dinner plates and placed them in the cabinets where the other dried plates were.

Spencer nodded. "Mmm-hmm…"

"Why marry if you're just gonna cheat?" Élise scoffed in disgust. "But that doesn't mean he and the rest of his family deserved to die like that."

"You can't pick your family," Spencer replied.

"And speaking of families…" Élise switched the topic of the conversation smoothly.

Spencer put away the cleaning supplies and looked at Élise weary. "I take it this is not going to be a rhetorical…..."

Élise wrung out the rest of the water from the washcloths. "The reason Hotch had to excuse himself for a few hours was because of his ex-father-in-law. He has Alzheimer's."

Spencer's mouth formed a small O, and he stood frozen. He knew what Alzheimer's was. Even an unsub the team caught developed the illness and couldn't remember the murders he committed decades ago. An ongoing disease that starts off slowly with symptoms of mild memory loss, but as time goes on, it'll worsen, and it is the leading cause of dementia. And even death when bodily functions are lost. It's unknown what causes Alzheimer's, but there are genetic factors to consider—like schizophrenia. Unfortunately, there was no cure.

"I know you cared for your mother after your dad left and put her in Bennington when you turned eighteen. Have you ever regretted having to leave her with round-the-clock care at Bennington?"

Spencer sighed, taking a trice to reflect on Élise's question. He could never truly forget the episodes he had to witness her go through. "At first, I did. I mean, I know she wasn't well mentally, but she was still my mother, which was why I sent her letters instead of visiting her. And I'll admit, I still worry about the kids inheriting her schizophrenia."

"I'm the same when it comes to health," Élise said, resting one hand on her hip. "But it shouldn't define who we are."

Spencer agreed.