A/N: Hello again, everyone! I hope everyone's okay—a shoutout to those in the path of the hurricane that's been happenin'. I promised you all some surprises, so…

Hope you enjoy them!

Monday morning, Spencer was at his desk, organizing and cleaning with Lysol disinfecting products. It was still cold and flu season, and knowing his distaste for all things unhygienic, germy, and disorderly, he didn't want to take any chances. But it wasn't going to be enough to bring his mood down. In fact, since this past weekend, he's been up in the clouds—the same as Élise.

Élise returned overseas from Morocco Saturday afternoon and scheduled appointments with the pediatrician, Dr. Pierce, and the OBGYN on Sunday morning and afternoon. It was that time again for Alexander to have his six-month checkup. She checked his height, weight, and head circumference, along with checking his head shape and soft spots. After the physical reflex examination, she gave the third dosage of the additional immunizations and his first flu shot.

Overall, Dr. Pierce dubbed Alexander as being in good health; and noted that his weight picked up from the last visit and is now at the age range of starting solids. As she did with Séraphine and Isaac, she offered hygienic tips on taking care of his teeth. Élise had some alone time (ten minutes max) with her for the postpartum checkup and screening.

"Why am I not surprised?" Morgan strolled in, watching Spencer straightening his desk. He had his hand in his pocket and his black FBI coffee mug in the other with his duffel bag strapped across his chest.

Spencer threw a wipe away in the nearby trash and squirted some sanitizing gel on his palms. "Forgive me for being in a cleaning mood. And Élise and I have some good news to share." He rummaged through his bag.

Morgan flashed a smirk. "Are we about to find out the gender of Baby Bastien-Reid Number Four?"

"Yup." Spencer got out and held a small white cardboard box. Inside, there were fortune cookies. "And here they are." Suddenly, Tara and Garcia strolled in and stood between the gentlemen in the middle, and the latter gasped.

"Is this what I think it is?" Garcia squealed—she'd been dying to find out the gender of Spencer and Élise's baby. "Please tell me what I think it is."

Tara wanted details. "Inside these cookies is the gender reveal of Élise and I's next child."

"Gimme-gimme-gimme." Garcia greedily snatched one, Tara and Morgan picked out one, and the three simultaneously broke the cookies off in half and discarded the crumbs into the trash. After about eleven seconds, Garcia unleashed a shriek that gathered the employees' attention.

"Oh, thank you, God, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Moses, Buddha, and Allah, for the fact that we are getting another BAU girl up in here!" The computer analyst did a little cabbage patch dance and sashayed to Spencer's side, who hugged her. "Mmm! What a week this is gonna be. First this and JJ's comin' back!" JJ's maternity was coming to an end after two months. "Oh, I feel so blessed and honored."

"Unfortunately, I won't be here since I have to take on the research project later today and possibly the rest of the week." The research project was the AG announcing an inclusive review of every serial criminal in federal prison and wanted Tara to join and help supervise and coordinate the team. Tara wondered if she should take the opportunity since being on the team made her a better interviewer and profiler. Hotch suggested that she take the job offer and still be in the BAU.

Garcia threw her arms around Tara. "I'm so glad you're not leaving us. I'm so tired of people I love and have grown fond of and care for leaving."

"Hey-hey," Rossi approached the group. "Either we're celebrating having Chinese food early this morning, or someone here has some big news to share." He helped himself to one, snapped it to two, and read the inscription on the little white paper. "Buona fortuna!" He took Spencer by his head and kissed the top of his head. "I'm so proud of you."

Morgan threw Spencer over his arm and repeated what Rossi had done, giving Spencer a kiss on the top and pinching his cheek. "I'm so proud of you, too."

Spencer slapped his hand away and lowered his eyes. "Rossi, yes. You, never again, please."

On Monday night, Spencer and Élise picked the kids up from school and settled them down in the living room while they got dinner ready.

"You should have seen the team's reaction when I told them we were having another girl." Spencer set the white table dinner plate on the orange placement.

Élise came back out with the giant glass tray containing the steaming fresh-out-of-the-oven lasagna and laid it in the middle of the table, right between the salad and garlic bread rolls. She used her mitted hands to fan the steam down, hoping that would make it cool down fast. "I take it Garcia wanted to buy a year's worth of baby clothes and toys?"

"Well, that, and JJ's returning from her maternity leave. Spencer replied and finished setting the table.

Élise sat at the table. "Lovely."

"I'll go get the kids." Spencer offered and left.

When Spencer came into the living room, Séraphine and Isaac were in the far corner on the other side, play-fighting and practicing taekwondo while Alexander was in his activity chair, entertaining himself with the detachable toys in front of him.

Spencer bent down, scooped Alex out, and stood up straight, spanning his back. "Fee, Zig," the authoritative sound of his voice got his oldest daughter and son's attention. "Time for dinner."

"Yay!" The kids were ready to speed out of the living room until Spencer stopped them.

"Watch your hands first!" he reminded them before they took off in the opposite direction. He spun Alexander around to face him. "Guess what, buddy. Tonight will be your first-night trying solids." Alexander continued cooing.

Spencer joked, "I can tell you're all excited about it, huh, buddy?"

After grace was said, while Élise scooped out the kids' and Opal's dinner portions, Spencer had Alexander on his lap with a jar of puree peas across from him with the other two jars. "Okay, Alex. Are you ready?"

"What's happenin', Daddy?" asked Séraphine.

Élise gave Séraphine her plate and smiled when she said thank you. "Alexander's going to have his first helping of baby food tonight."

"Do wee hav' too eat that?" asked Isaac before he was given his plate.

Spencer used a cloth to wipe Alexander's mouth and tucked in his bib while Élise fixed Opal her dinner. "This is only for Alexander. You don't remember, but you two had to eat this. And look at you two now."

Élise whipped her phone out, pressed the recording button, and held it by its corners. "This is so exciting!"

"Here comes the plane," while making airplane noises, Spencer attempted to feed Alexander his first taste of solids into his mouth with his baby spoon. Everyone watched his reaction.

"And…he sticks the landing!" Spencer spooned another dollop and put the food in his mouth again.

It was now nightfall in D.C. Élise propped herself up on the chaise lounge chair and finished drinking the last of her hot water with lemon from her teacup. "Hey," she picked her head up when she heard Spencer coming in. "Getting ready for bed?"

"Uh-huh," she rested her feet on the carpeted floor and stopped when she felt something.

Spencer rushed to her side. "Hey, you okay?" he had one hand on her belly. "Something hurtin' you?"

"Nah," Élise assured him. "I…I feel her kicking." A smile appeared on her face. "She's kicking, babe."

He couldn't be any more happy for themselves, especially Élise. He knew he couldn't hear it, but if Élise said she heard their baby kicking inside the womb, that their baby was kicking.

Waking up early (about thirty minutes earlier than usual unless he had a case), Spencer was in his home office/private study, sorting his gift for JJ. Today was the day she was returning from her maternity leave. She's been sending the team pictures of her newborn son—Michael—and Garcia had a surprise or two in store for her. His gift was a set of encyclopedias (a copy set; he would give his original set to Isaac and Alexander when they get older and install some old-school research with books, not the "Internet").

"Perfect!" he said to himself, lopping the strap over his shoulder when he heard his phone buzzing on the desk. He picked it up, and the caller ID read that it was his father. He accepted the call. "Morning, Dad."

"Morning to you, too, son," said William Reid before he released a loud yawn.

Spencer asked, "Are you getting enough sleep, Dad?"

"Oh, I am, son," William assured him. "I just got another call from Bennington this morning. Apparently, your mom had another episode."

Spencer's stomach dropped, and nerves raced around his body. "What?"

"Her doctors had to change her medications for the third time to stabilize her schizophrenia, and they're still saying something's not right with her. She couldn't even remember Dr. Norman's name, so they want to do some tests on her."

Spencer kept blinking rapidly, trying to get his brain to absorb and process his father's words. The third time, his mother's meds needed to be changed, and now she couldn't remember the name of the man who'd been running the psychiatric hospital she'd been living at for the past sixteen years.

"Dad…"

His father interjected. "Son, I love you, so I can say this, okay? Please, son…please. Visit your mother. And let her get tested for the love of God. I know you love her, and I will always regret leaving you two, so please. PLEASE! Come visit her as soon as you can; let her get tested to see what's going on with her. Please…" he pleaded.

His father's words let a tear fall freely from his eye. "Okay," he gazed at his watch. "I'll have to talk to my boss and Élise about this. I'll make you a deal. If I don't have a case, I'll hop on the next flight to Las Vegas, but if I do, I'll be in Las Vegas before the weekend is over."

"I'm holding you up to it, Spencer." William hoped his son could keep his promise. "I love you."

Spencer croaked. "I love you, too." He hung up just as the door knocked. Élise peeked her head through. Her face was engaged, and she opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Spencer had his hands on his desk and his face down. When she saw him wiping his face with his jacket sleeve, she said nothing; she just strided to his side and hugged him.

"Baby…"

"Élise…there's something you need to know…"

It felt good to tell Élise what happened this morning when he got the call from his father about his mother. Now, there was someone else he had to tell this to.

"You want to take some time off?" asked Hotch. The two were in his office, having a private conversation (the blinds were closed for the first time in a while), and told him about the situation with his mother.

Spencer cleared his throat and held his shoulders back. "I know it's asking a lot, with Alexander and the baby coming in the next few months, Hotch. But she's my mother."

"I know."

"So, can I take it?" Spencer questioned his boss.

Hotch answered, "Of course."

"But what if it's longer than anticipated?" Spencer wondered, knowing he was a valuable asset to the team.

Hotch lifted his shoulders again. "This is your mother, Spencer. The second after we have a case or not, just take as much time as you need to, okay?"

"Okay," answered Spencer as Hotch's office door was knocked on. He stood up straight, fitted his blazer jacket again, and cleared any lint off.

"Come in." Hotch said, gathering a manila file under the stack on his desktop. The door swung open, and it was Morgan, who had a serious facial expression. Spencer excused himself from Hotch's office as Morgan said that the two needed to talk—must be something new about Giuseppe Montolo.

At least he got permission to take some time off from work.

Élise was in her work office, signing off on some paperwork. Since this morning, she could barely stop thinking about Diana. The woman has been through so much with her schizophrenia. Sometimes, she feared the worst. What if there was just something bigger than what she's going through now?

She stopped herself and took some deep Zen breaths. If Élise could, she'd take some OTC medication like Tylenol or Advil for her sudden headache. Stress like this was not good for herself or the baby, and she needed to keep it to a minimum, a low max. Élise made a mental reminder to book an appointment at the spa this weekend.

Her cell phone rang, and she responded after gazing at the caller ID. "Hotch. What's going on?"

"It's Giuseppe Montolo. He's dead."

Élise facepalmed. "How?"

Hotch answered, "The warden determined he was poisoned by one of the guards."

Élise prayed for something. "Any arrests?"

"Unfortunately, the guard was found shot execution-style in his car."

So much for praying, Élise said in her head. "Anything else?"

"According to Morgan, Montolo said the Dirty Dozen was not a person, but a what."

"Montolo may have been the only lead regarding the Hitman Network, but keep on investigating." Élise ordered.

Hotch replied, "Garcia's on it."

"Good. Keep me posted." She hung up and began massaging her temples with her fingers. "It's official: I'm going to need to book two massages for this weekend."

To be honest, Spencer was kinda hoping there wasn't a case—he'd go home, pack up some bags, and book a flight, and he'd be in Las Vegas by the afternoon via their time zone. But concurrently, he was kinda hoping. In his mind, Spencer was still trying to absorb what was happening with his mother, and needed some time to think about the realities of the circumstances. Or maybe he was just avoiding his mother.

The good news was that it was a local case; the bad news was that it involved a missing college student, and the local police hadn't invited the team in. However, with some convincing from Joy, Rossi's daughter (who thinks she might be connected to a string of missing female college students), and some persuasion, the team got permission to investigate.

Spencer and Morgan traced the young sophomore's footsteps back to her dorm to a friend of hers, who convinced her to attend a party only for it to be a total bore. According to her friend, she left by herself in a drunk state of mind. College surveillance confirmed it but also caught a potential suspect.

"Daddy…"

Spencer snapped out of thought. "Huh?" He almost forgot he was at the dinner table, obviously having dinner with his family. "What happened?"

Séraphine waved her cup. "May I have more juice, please?" Isaac silently ate his chicken nuggets while Élise fed Alexander pureed chicken from his highchair.

Spencer shook his head to get rid of the cobwebs in his brain. "Oh, sure, Fee." He took her cup and filled it until it was full again. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Daddy." Her smile started fading when she watched her father rub his eyes harshly. "Are you okay, Daddy?"

Spencer sighed heavily. "I'm fine…" he brushed his hair back.

"Daddy…"

"I SAID I'M FINE!" Spencer banged his balled fist aggressively on the table, making the utensils and plates flinch. Séraphine and Isaac winced at their father's outburst; Alexander started crying. Even Opal looked shocked; she whimpered and ran out of the room.

"Spencer Walter Reid!" Élise stared icily at her husband. He immediately took Alexander from his chair and began rocking him to soothe him.

"I'm sorry, I…" Even Spencer himself couldn't believe what had just happened. To yell like that to his children and make them have these innocently confused-borderline sad expressions on their faces. It was like an out-of-body experience. The chair scraped back against the wooden flooring. He immediately sat up and threw his napkin over his plate.

"Excuse me…" he soon left the table, leaving just the four of them.

"Is Daddy okay, Mommy?" asked Séraphine, still not making sense of what just happened, and grimaced her face. "Was it something I said?"

Élise stroked a hand on Séraphine's hair and trailed down to her shoulder. "No, babe. Daddy has a lot on his mind. I'll talk to him tonight. Okay."

Isaac rested one hand on his cheek, playing with his nuggets. "I no like it when he yells."

"Neither do I, honey."

For the rest of the evening, Spencer retreated to his bedroom. He lay down in bed with his head against the pillows and his fingers wounded together, gaping at the ceiling. This wasn't the first time he snapped at his family like this, but it was the first time he did this to his own daughter, his firstborn. Concerns for his mother were doing this to him, but it still wasn't an excuse for him to act like this.

Élise entered the bedroom after tucking the children in and joined Spencer in bed. "Boy…straight up." She shook her head in half-disgust-half-disappointment. If she could, Spencer would be sleeping on the couch because of the way he snapped at Séraphine and the way he did at dinner.

"I know-I know…" Feeling this guilty was punishment enough. "I just can't face them right now. I'll apologize in the morning."

Élise jerked her finger at him. "You better. Make sure you pack at least two bags and board a flight to Las Vegas the yoctosecond this case is over. You cannot keep avoiding what is happening. She needs you. And you need her. Promise me now, or I'm making you sleep on the couch tonight." Spencer was still silent. "Five…four…three…two…" a pregnant Élise hoped she wouldn't get to one when she counted down from five, or hell would be on fire tonight.

"I promise." Spencer vowed, knowing Élise was right.

Standing behind the kitchen counters, Élise held Séraphine and Isaac's lunch boxes in the air. Alexander just finished having iron-fortified oat cereal and was now eating super small barley bread. "Your lunches for today. Fee: a BLT caprese on lightly toasted sourdough bread, mixed berries, pink lemonade, and three Oreo cookies. And Ziggy: a chicken and vegetable burrito, sliced apples, watermelon juice, and also three Oreo cookies."

The two children hugged their lunch boxes after their mother gave them. "Thanks, Mommy."

"Mommy?"

Élise turned again. "Yeah, Fee?"

"What makes lemonade pink?"

Élise made a joke. "Pink lemons?"

Séraphine and Isaac giggled while Opal nosed in on Élise's belly. "Lemons aren't pink…" The smiles and laughter began to fade into silence as Spencer came into the nook, looping his tie and straightening it.

Spencer heeded the stares he acquired from his family. Opal whimpered and curled in a spot in the corner. He tried to break the awkward silence with a small cough at the back of his throat and a "Good morning, everyone."

"Good morning, honey," Élise pressed her lips together, cleaning the crumbs from Alexander's hightop. "Is there something you'd like to say?"

Spencer took a sit at the nook table and coughed back. "Fee. Zig. Lex. Lise. Opal. I'm sorry for the way I shouted at you last night."

"That wasn't very nice, Daddy." Isaac pouted.

Spencer shook his head in agreement. "I know. I'm just going through a lot with Grandma Diana right now, and I took it out on you all."

Séraphine scooted over to his side and took a seat on his lap. "What's going on with Grandma Diana, Daddy?"

Spencer sniffled; a tear ran down from his cheek. "I don't know. Which is why I have to go to Las Vegas soon."

Séraphine rested her head on his chest. "Is she gonna be okay?"

Alexander started cooing and gurgling around in Élise's arms. "We're gonna hope for the best, Fee." Her gaze met with Spencer's again. "Now Daddy admitted what he did last night was wrong and is now making up with a heartfelt apology. And what do we say when someone apologizes to us?"

Séraphine smiled and threw her arms around his neck. "Apology accepted, Daddy."

Isaac skipped to his father's side and joined in. "Same 'ere, Daddy."

Élise grinned and mouthed that she was proud of him and Spencer for owning up to his mistake.

So, that was it. The case was finally over. The bad news was that, in a way, there were three unsubs—the unsub himself, the father of the unsub, and a suspect. But the good news was that the team arrested the unsub responsible for the abduction, and the suspect turned out to be the one responsible for the string of missing female college students.

Almost everyone had left for the night—Hotch was still in his office. Rossi went home with Joy, JJ went home to her husband and sons, and Morgan offered to take Garcia home. Spencer looked inside his two duffel bags and had everything he needed. Spencer got Hotch's permission to go to Las Vegas to be with his mother for a while. And he was going to take it. He grabbed them by their handles and just left the bullpen.

"Las Vegas, here I come."

Élise groaned when she heard her cell phone vibrate from under her pillow. She had heard from Spencer over an hour ago, and he was on the flight. With her squinty eyes, she rummaged for it and managed to see Hotch's name on the caller ID. She slid her finger on the screen to accept the call and answered.

Élise stood up quickly, and a wave of shock came across her face.

A/N: Another cliffhanger. I know—guess you'll just have to wait and see what happens next, huh?