Chapter 35

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About three months later, life is going swimmingly for Eliza and the BAU crew. Aaron and Jack have since moved into the penthouse, and Jack loves his new home, and he especially loves learning the piano from Eliza. Soon enough, it's Eliza's birthday again, this time a big one—30. She and the team head out the day before to celebrate once the clock strikes midnight on Sunday. It goes pretty similarly to the year before, except Eliza doesn't end the night with the spins again...good news for her and Aaron both.

They wake up the next morning and head down the stairs to find Jack sitting patiently at the piano. When he sees the pair coming downstairs, he runs over to Eliza.

"Happy birthday, Eliza!!!" He says, giving her a hug.

"Thank you, buddy," she says sweetly back. "Have you been up long?"

"Nope, not that long." He says. "Dad, can I show Eliza my surprise now?"

"Sure, buddy." He says with a smile as Jack heads back toward the piano.

"What is this?" She asks curiously as she and Aaron sit on the couch.

"You'll see," Jack says confidently. He then sits down and plays "Fur Elise" perfectly from memory, a piece he'd had trouble with just weeks before. Her jaw drops with joy as he plays, and she cheers once he finishes the piece.

"That was so good!!!" She says, rushing over to hug him. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, it was all my idea," Jack says proudly.

"Well, it was a great one!" she says with a smile, still kneeling beside him on the bench. "Should we make breakfast now?"

Aaron stands up and heads toward his son and his girlfriend. "Ahhh yes, let me; you're just gonna relax today." He tells Eliza sweetly.

"I'll crack the eggs!" Jack says, running excitedly into the kitchen, leaving Aaron and Eliza by the piano. He gives her a quick kiss.

"Love you," he says.

"Love you," Eliza replies, and Aaron kisses her forehead before they both head into the kitchen.

-

About a month and a half later, the team had a beast of a case...a group of bank robbers who ended up blowing up the bank before kidnapping Will, JJ's partner, and nearly blowing him up, too. Luckily, Emily cracked the code to the bombs, and Will treated his injuries. After that near brush with death, they decided to get married, and Dave decided to host their wedding as a surprise. As he's planning, he calls Eliza for some help and asks her to play as JJ walks down the aisle, which she readily agrees to. Soon enough, it's time to get ready to go. Eliza gets Jack ready before getting herself ready, opting for a strappy, red/maroon dress with lace detailing that hits right above the knee and accessorizing with pale pink Prada pumps and her Tiffany necklace. At this point, she never really took the necklace off. Before checking how Eliza's coming along, Jack pulls his dad into his room to ask him a question.

 Before checking how Eliza's coming along, Jack pulls his dad into his room to ask him a question

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"Dad, are you gonna ask Eliza to marry you at the wedding?"

Aaron smiles. "No, buddy; not tonight. Should be soon, though. Remember, you gotta keep it a secret when it's time."

"I will, Dad." Jack smiles back.

After Eliza finishes getting ready, the trio arrive at Dave's and make their rounds. Soon enough, JJ, Will, and Henry arrive, and after JJ sees her mom, she puts together what is actually happening. As that happens, the girls scoop her up to get her looking bridal-chic.

"Oh JJ, your mother's dress is so beautiful!" Eliza says, carefully taking it out of the garment bag and passing it to JJ to change into.

"Thanks...ahh, I can't believe this is happening right now! I mean, I'm getting married before you," she jokes.

"You deserve this, J. This will most certainly be a night to remember." Eliza smiles.

"Ugh I love everything about this so much. My heart is so full," Penelope gushes. Just then, JJ steps out in the dress.

"Stunning," Eliza says, her heart swelling.

"You look beautiful, Jay-j," Emily says. Penelope simply cries.

"Alright, let's get this veil situated," Eliza says.

"Actually...I'd rather not wear it." JJ says.

"Whatever the bride wants, the bride shall have. You're stunning either way," Eliza says, touching JJ's arm.

"You ready?" Emily asks.

"I—I think so," JJ says, clearly nervous.

"You're ready, my dove. E, I think that's your cue," Penelope says lovingly, gazing out at the open window and toward the piano.

"Yes, you are right! See you down there, queenies," Eliza says as she squeezes past the girls and heads downstairs to the piano. On her way, she finds Will.

"She's stunning." She says, touching his arm as she moves toward the piano. She gives Aaron a wink and starts to play, and the wedding begins. After she plays, she finds her way to Aaron and Jack and takes Aaron's hand. Soon enough, JJ and Will are married, and the party begins. Everyone dances with each other, and Jack and Henry are running around in the backyard. Once Eliza and Derek start to share a dance, Aaron disappears to ask the DJ a question.

"Hey, c—can you play 'Trust In Me' next?"

"Etta James? Yeah man, no problem." Aaron gives a nod as a reply, and he runs into Dave pulling him aside before he can return to his girl.

"Well my friend, Will beat you to the punch."

"Come again?" Aaron asks, confused.

"Cut the BS, Aaron. You've been carrying around that 2 carat dazzler since New Year's Day. When in the hell are you gonna give it to her?!"

"I have a plan; there's just something I gotta do first," he replies softly, glancing at Emily.

Dave nods. "Good." Aaron heads back to the dance floor as "Trust in Me" starts to play. He cuts in from Derek and takes Eliza into his hands.

"Did you do this?" Eliza asks with a smile. He simply smiles back as a reply, and Eliza kisses him. "What did Dave want?"

Aaron gets nervous knowing that she saw him talking to Dave, but he keeps it under control. "You know him, always playing host." She nods, and they continue to dance. Penelope makes her way to Dave, and they watch everyone dance.

"Any leads?" Penelope asks Dave impatiently, both of them still facing the dance floor.

"Nope," Dave says with a similar fed-up tone.

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