Epilogue: Final :) 3 months later

"It's a surprise!" Hotch said, covering Emily's eyes.

"I know but I'm stumbling here!" she said laughing. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see in a sec", Hotch said, steering her in front of a large building. "OK, now!" He said removing his hand from her eyes.

"What's this?" Emily said in awe as she looked up. Standing in front of a building in D.C., she saw 'Emily and Aaron' in a heart in lights.

"A romantic night for my wife, lover, and very best friend." Aaron nuzzled her neck and kissed her cheek. "Happy 'Just Because'!"

"Just Because?" Emily said, smiling.

"Just because", Aaron said. "I wanted you to know I see you, Mrs. Hotchner", Hotch said. "I should do this more often, but I want you to know I appreciate you and everything you do."

"Aaron, this is wonderful! How long do we have?"

"Jessica has the boys, so as long as we need". Hotch put his arm around her and led her to a small table underneath the sign in an alcove.

"I'm speechless", Emily said, gazing at the beautiful lights and flowers. There in the middle of the alcove was a table lit with candles and red roses.

"You did all of this, Aaron?" Emily asked.

Hotch looked down at the ground. "Would you hate me if I said no?"

"Who's idea was it?" Emily said.

"Well I had help from Mia, via Rossi".

"Did they suggest you do this", Emily said, placing her hands on her hips.

"What? No! No. I wanted to do this for you, I…I just didn't know how to get started. But once we got ideas flowing, I came up with the marquee", Hotch said. "Are you mad I didn't do it all?"

Emily walked over to her husband and placed her hand over his heart. "This", she said sweeping her hand over the beautiful things she saw, "came from here", she said patting his chest over his heart. "I could never be mad because you loved me enough to do something like this for me. I love you Aaron."

Hotch held Emily tight in his arms. "And I love you, from the depths of my heart, Emily. I truly do."

Together, they stood there under a beautiful sign of their names lit up. Hotch reached in his jacket pocket and pressed play on the remote Mia gave him. Classical music came on softly and the chorus of Vivaldi's Four Seasons began.

"I love this song!" Emily said incredulously. "How did you know?"

Hotch leaned in and kiss Emily softly. He looked up and silently thanked Rossi and Mia, reminding himself to get them one hell of a thank you gift.

6 weeks later.

"Why is our daughter pulling herself up in her baby bed?" Mia said, coming into the nursery.

"She's a Reid. She's gifted", Reid said, matter-of-factly as he sipped his coffee at the breakfast table.

"She is smart; I'll give you that", Mia said carrying her around the corner to the kitchen and putting her in her high chair. "And…she weighs a ton."

"I'm going to say that's your side of the family and their love of pasta", Reid said, pulling his wife down in his lap for a kiss as she walked by. "You're losing weight."

"I'm breast-feeding; it's supposed to help you lose weight."

"I don't know if I like it", Reid said smacking her butt as she got up.

"Oh?"

"You looked healthier, happier even when you were a little bit bigger. Just don't get skinny", Reid said, going back to his coffee.

Mia looked over at him and smiled. She walked over and kissed him deeply. "I promise. Thank you."

"For what, Mi Mi?"

"For reassuring me that I married the most amazing man ever", she said, smiling at him. "Now let's get Emma fed!" she giggled, walking into the kitchen.

At hearing her name, Emma clapped her hands and giggled. "Mia, is she trying to talk yet?"

"She's 4 1/2 months, Spence, I don't think so", Mia said. "I know you think she's gifted, but she's still a baby."

"She is gifted, Baby", Reid said, tickling her. "Watch and see, her first word is coming soon."

"I highly doubt that", Mia said laughing. The phone rang and she looked down and saw Rossi's number on the caller id.

"Ahoy, ahoy!" Mia said laughing.

"You know you're a weirdo, right?" Rossi said, giggling. Mia looked over at Emma and smiled. Emma looked up and giggled.

"Ahoy!" Emma said and giggled in a high pitch, mimicking her mother.

Mia almost dropped the phone. "Did she just say…"

"…Ahoy?" Reid, said smiling. "Yes she did", Reid said. "My child is a weirdo genius."

"Weirdo!" Emma said giggling.

Rossi laughed on the phone. "Did my little bambina just say her first words?"

"Yes she did, the little strambo", Mia said.

"We have to celebrate!" Rossi said. "My house, tonight at 7:30."

"Just because she talked?" Mia said laughing.

"Well, yes and we're having a surprise. So be there or be square!" Rossi said goodbye and hung up.
"We're having a party at Uncle Dave's tonight. 7:30." Mia said.

"Oh cool!" Reid said, finishing feeding Emma. "Sit down and eat, I'll clean her up", Reid said, lifting Emma from her highchair.

"I married so well", Mia said to herself, fixing her a bowl of cornflakes. Just as she was about to add the low calorie milk, she looked over at the bacon and eggs on the stove that Reid cooked. "Oh what the hell", Mia said laughing and digging in to the plate.

JJ sat on the table in Dr. Gibson's office.

"You come highly recommended, Dr. Gibson." JJ said.

"Mrs. Reid is too kind", he said. "Now I took a look at your tests, and frankly I'm not concerned. I really wasn't expecting to give you this news."

"Really? Was I wrong?" JJ said, tearing up.

"No. No you're weren't." Dr. Gibson said.

"So what now?"

"Well", Dr. Gibson said. You've gone this long. Everything looks well. I say leave well enough alone. Just continue what you've been doing."

JJ watched Dr. Gibson leave the office as she got dressed. Tearing up, she grabbed her jacket and left.

At 7:00 pm, Reid and Mia showed up with a very verbal Emma.

"Amata!" Emma said, reaching for Rossi.

"You're teaching her Italian?" Rossi said, picking her and blowing on her tummy, making her laugh.

"She's just picking up stuff Dave, I swear. Yesterday all we got we giggles and babbles and today she's talking her head off", Mia said, kissing Rossi's cheek. "Are we the first ones here?"

"No, Hotch, Emily and the boys are in the garden. By the way", Rossi said, "Our help went over really well. Jessica said they didn't come back until sun-up."

"Cool beans!" Mia said. "They deserved some 'grown-up' time."

"Cool beans!" Emma said, giggling.

"I gotta start talking around this kid more", Reid said laughing. "If I don't, I'll have another Mia on my hands."

"Is that so bad, Pumpkin?" Mia said, tilting her head to the side.

"Pumpkin?" Emma said with a raised eyebrow.

Reid smiled and kissed both of his girls. "Not at all", he said pulling Mia into a kiss.

JJ and Will arrived with Abagail and Henry. "Guess who got a scholarship to an art school!" Will said.

"Alright Henry!" Reid said, giving him a hi-five. "I knew it!"

"My boy is gifted! And Abagail tested out of pre-school!" Will beamed. "Morgan's not here yet?"

"Uh, the Morgan's have arrived!" Derek said, walking in the garden carrying Camille and Penelope walking with Marcus unsteadily toddling in front of her.

"Alright, now it's a party!" Rossi said, hugging his step-son. "Hey Kitten", Rossi said hugging her.

"OK, so we're all here", Penelope said. "What's this about? Where's Fran?"

"Fran is helping our guest get ready." Rossi said. "We're celebrating a lot tonight. And I believe some folks in our inner circle have some news."

Penelope started looking around their intimate circle. "OK, spill it! Who's got a secret?"

Emily and Hotch looked at each other and Mia and Reid scanned the group.

"Don't make me call you out", Rossi said.

Everyone remained quiet, looking at each other, trying to figure out who had something to tell. As the kids ran around, toddled and sat playing on the garden floor, the adults were impatiently looking from one to another.

"Really?" Rossi said. "OK, I guess this is how it's going to be. We have a surprise for all of us, but one of us in particular, and someone here, and I'm showing great restraint by not saying who, has a big secret too."

Morgan piped up. "Oh c'mon guys, who ever it is, just tell us before we all burst!"

Abagail walked over to JJ and looked up at her and smiled. She patted her stomach and said "Angel".

JJ picked Abagail and began to silently shed tears.

"Jayje?" Reid said.

"Honey?" Will said.

"I just confirmed it today" JJ said. "I was trying to wait until at least the third trimester. I just didn't want to jinx anything." She turned to Will. "The doctor everything looks well. Very well. I'm 5 months Will. We're going to have a baby!"

Will stood very quietly next to JJ and it was only when Morgan patted him on the back did he start to speak.

"Are you OK? I mean, are you healthy?" Will said hugging his wife and daughter.

"Momma good, Daddy", Abagail said, wiggling out of JJ's arms and running over to the other children.

"JJ that's, that's…" Penelope said.

"Amazing, I know!" She turned towards Rossi. "How did you know?"

"Easy", Rossi said. "You stopped drinking coffee and opted for decaf tea and milk." He hugged JJ. "I pay attention." Rossi left and went inside of the house for a moment.

"JJ", Will said.

"I wanted it to be true, Will. I needed it to be, but I wasn't going to put you through that if, if…" JJ trailed off.

Will looked her in the eyes and held he close. "Don't ever keep things from me. I want to share everything with you, and you will not go through anything alone. Deal?" he kissed her softly.

"Deal." JJ said, hugging Will close.

Mia hugged Reid. "I love this garden."

"Me too", Reid said kissing her cheek.

Rossi walked back out. "OK, everybody, take your seats. Surprise number two coming at you!" Rossi pressed play on the stereo and Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville started sing about not know much, but knowing that they loved each other.

"Oh. I love this song!" Mia said. "My mom used to sing this all the time. She said that it always reminded her of my dad. Wait…"

Out from behind a small screen on the right hand side that no one seemed to noticed, a mid-sized not-so-portly man anymore stepped out with a minister.

"All rise, please" the minister said.

Walking out from the house holding on to Rossi's arm was Sarah, dressed in an off white dress suit looking absolutely stunning.

"Mom!" Mia whispered loudly, tears flowing from her eyes. Emma wiped them away and leaned into her, hugging her.

Reid stifled a tear. "She's absolutely beautiful."

Russell wiped his eyes as he watched his bride come and join him by the minister.

"Bella", Rossi started, choking up.

"Thank you. Thank you Dave for watching over him. Thank you for bringing him back to me."

"Anything for you." Rossi took his seat next Fran as he watched his sister and Russell renew their vows in front of his family.

"You may now kiss the bride", the minister said as Russell and Sarah shared a tender kiss. Hugs and kisses went around, the biggest of all from Mia.

"How come you didn't tell me?" Mia said, hugging her mom.

"I wanted to surprise you. You father finally got clearance to leave. We can finally be together again."

"We never lost touch, Baby", Russell said. "I wrote your mother all the time and Dave was watching over her and you."

"Can you finally say why you were gone for so long?" Morgan said leaning forward.

"Well, yes. But only a bit. I'll say this, this is not the first time I've met the fair Jennifer Jareau." Russell looked at JJ and wink.

"You were involved in the Bin Laden case?" Morgan said.

"Yeah. Being Italian and African American, my skin tone looks a lot like Middle Eastern. I spent a lot of time learning the languages, mannerisms, the dialect. Before long, I didn't recognize me." Russell grabbed his wife's hand.

"I went so far undercover that if I tried to leave more than my life would have been at stake. Agent Strauss kept my secret when she brought Agent Jareau and Agent Cruz back and said that the operation was scrapped. It wasn't, and I was in way to deep. The only way to keep my cover was to go underground."

"That's where I come in", Rossi said. "I had to pull a few strings to keep him not only safe, but to keep the operation successful. And as you all know…"

Penelope whistled. "Wow, that's one heck of a story!"

"And now that I'm free and clear", Russell said, kissing his wife's cheek,"I get to take care of my beautiful bride and watch my very smart grand baby grow up." He reached for Emma. "And I hear she's talking?"

"A mile a minute", Mia said.

"And saying goofy words like you daughter", Reid said, nudging Mia playfully.

"What like "ahoy?" Russell said.

Mia blushed. "Exactly", Mia said quietly.

"It's cute, Mi Mi", Reid said.

Rossi went over to the stereo and pushed play. The soft melody of "It Had to be You" started playing.

Emily stood up and grabbed Hotch's hand. "He does love this song, doesn't he? C'mon Handsome, dance with me."

"With pleasure", Hotch said, twirling Emily on the dance floor.

"My lady", Russell said, standing up.

"Always, Sweetheart." Sarah said, holding on to her husband.

JJ and Will took the floor and Morgan stood up with Penelope. "Wanna cut a rug, Goddess?"

"Anytime Hotstuff", she said giggling.

Mia took Reid's hand. "Wanna show the old folks how to do this?" she asked.

"Oh yeah", Reid said, expertly dipping his wife.

Fran stood up and hugged her husband sideways. "This is all your fault", Fran said.

"I know", Rossi said, smiling. "What I can say, I love being a schemer."

"And you are so good at it." Fran laughed and then stopped abruptly. "Wait a minute. You planned the Vegas trip and put the couples together. Did you plan us too?"

"My dear, you were the one thing I never planned on." He leaned over and kissed his wife tenderly. "That scheme I give to God. I could never have pulled that off." He took Fran by the hand and led her to dance floor and danced to ending of the song. He leaned over and sang in Fran's ear.

"It had to be you, wonderful you, it had to be you."

*I gotta tell you guys, it has been an utmost pleasure to write for you. New stories coming soon and I may just continue Mia and Reid some kind of way. Thanks for the love and don't forget to R&R! I love you guys!*