A/N: Hello again, everyone! I hope you're all doing well and hanging in there—that's all anyone can do. I'm just cranking out another chapter or two before the end of the year. That is if my writer's block and personal life don't get in the way too much.

After the intense week Élise had with the confirmation hearings (from the countless hours to the witness testimony) to potentially be the country's new Supreme Court, she wanted nothing more than to spend some time with her family at home.

Élise amusingly watched baby Éliana admiring herself in the play mirror above the changing table while she was changing her diaper. "Oooookay…" she clipped the final snap of her diaper. "There you go, honey bunny…" she smooched her face until she turned a hug on the door, and it opened and closed.

Élise swirled around and grinned, "Hey, Spence…" She was greeted with a cheek kiss. "Did you do anything interesting at work today?"

Spencer shrugged his shoulders casually. "Nothing much; it hasn't been the same since what happened to Morgan."

Élise sighed, scooping baby Éliana, and began gently shaking her. "At least he's relaxing and concentrating on getting better."

"Not to mention focusing on the baby he and Savannah are currently expecting," Spencer mentioned—he still couldn't believe Derek Morgan was about to be a father within the next few months. "And the wedding…"

Élise stifled a chuckle. "Derek Morgan, a father…never I had ever thought I'd see the day…"

Spencer wandered around the nursery. "Never thought I see the day, too. You know, he's already asking me for childbirth tips."

"Savannah asked me about nursing tips the other day," Élise brought up, swirling Éliana before Spencer extended his hands out, offering to hold her.

Spencer breathed softly. "Yeah. And you know what else we have coming up?"

Élise smiled cheekily.

"Guess who's birthday is coming up real soon?" Élise asked the children, who were having their own family night while watching a DVD movie in the living room.

Seraphine asked, squishing in her seat. "What's happenin' soon?"

"It's little Alexei's first birthday." Spencer answered, rocking Alexander on his knee.

"Yay!" Isaac held his hand out and waited for his little brother to high-five him, which he did. "What are we going to do for his party?"

Seraphine gasped; her eyes expanded and bounced in her seat. "Can we have a big blow-out, please? Ponies and a Ferris wheel? Cake and ice cream?"

Spencer stifled a laugh. "Yeah, we're not gonna have ponies and a Ferris wheel."

"Aw…" Seraphine crossed her arms and pouted.

"But we can have cake and ice cream since this little guy is finally old enough for it," Élise said, reaching out to tickle Alexander in his belly, making him giggle.

"You'd like cake and ice cream, wouldn't you, Lux of Love?"

Élise sipped the last of her herbal tea (since she's still breastfeeding, she can't have any caffeine for the next few months) while reading a hardcover copy of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice when she heard and saw her cell vibrate on the coffee table. She closed her book, set it down next to her, and picked up her phone to see who was calling her.

After recognizing the number, she put the phone to her ear and shyly answered hello.

"Élise?" said a woman's soft voice. "It's Sadia."

Élise sat up. "Hey… how's it going?"

"I'm good," she answered truthfully. "And congrats on the nomination, girl. Mind if I stop by your place tomorrow afternoon? With Dr. Payen?"

Élise felt a cold, tingling sensation eddying in her head and body. Tomorrow was Alexander's first birthday party.

She gulped hard. "Okay."

Spencer stretched his body as he was getting out of bed. "Mmm…" he groaned, rolling his head a couple of times. "Ahhh…" he smiled just as Élise came out of the bedroom.

"Guess who's turning one today?" he asked, still all cheekily and smiley about his younger son's big day.

Élise smiled back lightly. "Our little Alexander."

Spencer's mouth curved into a curious one. "Are you worried about…?"

"Spence," Élise slapped her hands against her thighs. "You know I can't help but worry about him. And…Neveah. I mean, it has been a year since…she birthed him and gave him up for adoption, despite the circumstances behind it."

Spencer tilted his head down, opened his arms, and embraced her tightly. "It's going to be okay, Lise." He kissed the top of her head to reassure her.

"I hope so, Spence," she replied and looked up to him. "Let's go give Alexei a birthday wakeup."

Spencer, Élise, Seraphine, and Isaac tiptoed into Alexander's nursery and watched him sleeping peacefully over his crib.

Seraphine tucked into Spencer's leg, trying to get his attention. She whispered, "Is he ever gonna wake up?"

"Babies do need lots of sleep," Spencer replied in hushed tones. "Let's just watch him until he wakes up…"

Spencer scooped Seraphine up as Isaac noticed, pointing to Alexander in his crib. "He's wakin' up."

Waking up, Alexander squeaked and extended his little body.

"Good morning, champ."

Reid and Élise hung a red letter HAPPY BIRTHDAY banner in his crib.

"Happy Birthday, Alexander."

Seraphine blew a noisemaker, and Isaac threw colored confetti; Isaac's eyes widened when the confetti landed on him.

Élise clapped, "You're a whole year old today."

"I bet you're so excited about it, huh, buddy?" Spencer playfully bopped his nose and tickled his cheeks, making him release a happy giggle.

Seraphine and Isaac hung the swung door for their parents; Spencer carried Éliana, and Élise carried Alexander. Rose stood over the stove, cooking breakfast, and William enjoyed a cup of fresh coffee in the nook.

"Heeey!" William's eyes widened when seeing Spencer with Élise and the kids. "Morning, everyone."

"Morning, Grandpa…"

Élise bounced Alexander, "Can you say 'hi' to your Grandpa William, Alexei?" She waved his hand for him. "Say 'hi, grandpa.'"

Alexander babbled. "Ah…bap…"

"Hey, you're startin' to talk, Alexei," Spencer perked up again. "Can you say 'Daddy?'"

"Or Fifi?" Seraphine batted her eyes.

Isaac joined in, "How about Ziggy, Alexei?"

Opal barked twice. Spencer joked, "Yeah, I don't think you can say Opal's name just yet."

Spencer swooned into the kitchen, carrying a large rectangular birthday cake decorated in vanilla frosting with Happy Birthday Alexander Jason! in blue icing. "I got the cake!" said Spencer, with Élise carrying a liter of (caffeine-free) Canada Dry Ginger Ale.

"Rose just finished baking Lex's cake," she said, opening the fridge and showing him the cake she had made—a small circular vanilla-flavored cake with sprinkles and a white number one candle. After she closed the fridge, her phone suddenly vibrated on the countertop. She glanced at the screen and let out a hissed wince.

"Sadia and Dr. Payen are on their way over..." Élise began fanning herself. "Okay…"

"Would you relax?" Spencer caressed her shoulders. "It'll be fine."

Élise took some Zen-like deep breaths. "Okay. I can do that. I can definitely do that."

Seraphine and Isaac scurried down the staircase to the foyer's front door. Élise popped her head through the living room and told them, wagging her finger, "Make sure you ask who it is."

"KK!" said the two toddlers, and they asked, "Who is it?"

"It's Grandpa William with Grandma Diana."

Élise crept up from behind the children and opened the door for them. "Hey!"

"Grandma!" Seraphine and Isaac hugged their paternal grandmother after she bent down and crouched to their height.

"Mmm, hello, kiddies!" Diana kissed the top of their heads, and William helped her stand up straight. "You two are getting so big and more adorable every time I see you."

Seraphine and Isaac blushed and twinkled their eyes, beaming with love from her. Spencer came from around the corner carrying Alexander and Éliana.

"Mom!"

Diana squealed with joy when she saw Spencer and didn't wait another minute to hug him. "Hi, my darling boy…" she pulled away and smiled. "It's always so good to see you, Lise, and my grandkids…"

Spencer looked at Élise, smiling as Diana convinced her son to let her hold Alexander and allowed her to.

Within the next thirty minutes, guests began to arrive at Alexander's party; Élise's side of the family, Mr. Micha and Ms. Geneva, Arthur, and Brenda arrived before Spencer's side from Las Vegas arrived.

"SPENCER!" Aunt Ethel chorused, throwing her arms around him—Gordon, John, Melissa, Sabrina, Samuel, Anna, Nathan, and Nicholas followed in. "Mmmm…" she gasped when she saw baby Éliana and coaxed her from his arms. "Hello, little Éliana Laëtitia… you're even cuter in person."

Uncle Gordon pinched and tickled her cheek. "She's so pretty."

Élise expressed her gratitude. "Thanks, you two. She got it from me," she fluffed her hair and smiled.

"And me, too," Spencer bantered in as he and Ethel switched the children; now she's holding Alexander.

"Hello, Alex," she started bouncing at him. "How does it feel to be one year old today?"

Alexander babbled in response.

"I think he likes being one." Gordon joked.

Another ten minutes have passed, and more guests have arrived, including a majority of the team.

"Derek! Savannah!"

"Hee-eey!" Morgan and Savannah walked in, hand in hand, holding a large gift bag, and greeted Spencer and Élise with hugs.

"It's always nice to see your pretty boy face," Morgan teased, pinching his cheeks.

Spencer slapped his hand away and jester back, "Well, it's always nice to see your ugly mug every now and then."

Élise giggled to herself and gasped at Savannah, "Well, look at you—lookin' so nice. And pregnant with your tiny bump."

Savannah rested her hand on her stomach—she had on a simple light purple square-neck knee-length dress. "I certainly don't look it, huh? And I'm at the 15th week."

"Considering that this is your first pregnancy, there's a good chance you'll really start showing later like during or after the 16th week, due to your abdominal and uterine muscles not being stretched by any pregnancies before," Spencer explained, rambling.

Savannah nodded her head before looking down. "It's hard to believe I'm already in the second trimester."

Morgan faced Spencer and cocked his head towards the corner hallway, signaling him to come with him, so they could talk in private. The two walked until they got there, and Spencer asked, "How have you been since…?"

Morgan cleared his throat, "I've been good. Listen, Spencer. Mind if I ask you a personal question? Or two?"

"Anything."

"Look at all these gifts you got, Lex!"

Élise tried to hype up Alexander with the boatload of presents brought by the guests as everyone joined again in the living room for the unveiling of Alexander's presents. So far, Alexander received some new clothes, toys, and money.

"Hey-hey! Look at this…" Spencer unwrapped another present: a baby popper push toy.

Élise clapped his hands for him as he giggled. "Yay!" Then came a knock on the door. "I'll get it." She stretched her back, sauntering until she entered the kitchen and checked the cameras at the front door.

Élise abruptly froze in place.

Spencer came into the kitchen, opening and closing the fridge door to get Alexander's smaller cake. He had a smile until it started to fade when he caught Élise standing still. He ambled until he got to her side and stood behind her.

On the security screen, there was Sadia and Dr. Payen, who waved back and stood meekly.

"We have to do this, Lise…" Spencer shook her shoulders, lightly jolting her while still holding the small cake in his other hand.

Élise closed her eyes, inhaled, exhaled, and opened them. "Okay."

The two parents walked and opened the door, greeting the two ladies. "Hello."

Dr. Payen spoke up, "Hi. How are you two?"

"Good, thank you," answered Spencer.

"And little Alexander?" Sadia asked, picking at her manicured fingernails.

Élise looked over her shoulders. "We're still celebrating his birthday…"

"If it's okay, we'll go ahead and wait in the kitchen," Dr. Payen insisted, not wanting to be a distraction.

Spencer and Élise looked at each other and responded, "That's okay. You ladies help yourselves to some cake."

Dr. Payen and Sadia nodded and strolled into the kitchen. Élise asked the ladies, "How's Neveah doing?"

Dr. Payen answered, "She's okay. She actually asked me to check on him for her. She wanted to be here but has finals to study for."

The parents understandably nodded their heads, and Élise collapsed her back against the wall. She could feel a tear come down, and she quickly wiped it away. "Oh, boy…" She took some more deep breaths and got her composure together before she and Spencer returned to the living room, smiling.

Spencer lit the one candle for Alexander.

"Happy Birthday to you," Spencer and Élise began singing.

"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday, Alexander Jason. Haaaaapppy Biiirrrttthhday to yoouuuuu!"

Alexander puts out the candle with his drool.

"Yay, Alexander!" Everyone cheered for the birthday boy.

Alexander babbled.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed the sweet-tooth-filled chapter!