"Hey, what's up?" Penelope asked as she saw Rossi standing in her doorway. He just shook his head wordlessly and she beckoned him inside. This was their last day before Christmas break, and she knew that the man had been excited to spend the next week with Erin and her kids at the cabin. Looking closely at his face, she took in the tracks of tears there and she stood, going over to her couch, sinking down on it as she patted the spot next to her.
"There was an accident, Kitten. Erin was on her way home with Alison and her husband and the baby…" Those were the only words he could get out before he began to cry once more and Penelope wrapped him up in a tight hug, rocking back and forth.
"Are they at the hospital now?" she asked carefully, not wanting to upset him further. He nodded against her chest and somehow, she got them to stand back up. "Which hospital are they at?"
"St. Vincent's. I don't think I can drive myself. Would you?"
"Of course, Dave. Let's go." She quickly pulled on her coat and then grabbed her purse, shoving her work phone inside. She grabbed hold of his hand and began to tug him out towards the elevators. Blake tried to stop them, but Penelope ignored her and stabbed at the button, praying that the doors would open before they were questioned. Dave didn't need that right now.
Finally, the doors opened and she pushed him inside, pressing the door close button as Hotch stepped out of the bullpen, looking at them quizzically. She shook her head at him, her usual cheerful smile stripped from her face by her friend's revelation. "What if she doesn't make it, Kitten? I was going to ask her to move in with me, so that we would never be apart. I already lost Carolyn, I don't think I could lose her, too."
"Don't give up on hope just yet, Dave, okay?" He tried to smile at her, but his jaw clenched instead as he tried not to cry once more. They fell silent and a heavy sense of foreboding filled the small compartment as she tapped her foot, wishing the blasted thing would go faster.
She led him over to her car and then got behind the wheel. She had been to St. Vincent's many times, and it seemed that she went into autopilot as she drove to the hospital. It didn't take long for their phones to start ringing, but she ignored them, intent on getting to the hospital. Dave pulled his out, sending it to voicemail after looking at the display. "That was Hotch."
"He probably wants to know what's going on. I'll call him later after we get you in to see Erin. Okay?"
From the corner of her eye, she watched him nod and she slipped her hand over to pat his, needing to comfort him in that moment. "And if I lose her?"
The words were soft, almost like a breath, and she felt her heart clench painfully in her chest. "Then we'll help you through that Hell." They were silent the rest of the drive over and then she was parking in the emergency lot. Dave took a long time joining her at the rear of the car, and she clasped his hand tightly as she led him into the waiting room. "Excuse me, we received a call earlier about Erin Strauss and her family?"
The nurse looked up from his paperwork and smiled a little. For some reason, the gesture was not reassuring to Penelope and she unconsciously tightened her grip on Dave's hand. "Yes, well, perhaps the doctors should speak with you. Let me take you to a more private area."
"Okay," she replied in a small voice, the hinky vibes causing the hair on her arms to stand up. They were led into what appeared to be the staff break room and the man, Greg according to his nametag, motioned for them to sit.
"I'll send Dr. Winchester right in." Again, he tried to smile at them, but she caught the sad look in his eyes that told her there was more going on than what he could tell them. Dave let go of her hand to reach into his pocket and pull out his phone.
"This is the only picture I have of us together," he said as he held out the phone to her. The picture had been taken at JJ's wedding in May, and Erin was smiling gently, her head resting on his chest. There was something so achingly beautiful about her, captured in that moment of time, that Penelope felt her throat choke up, the first tears starting to roll down her cheeks.
"She looks so happy here."
"We were. I was going to ask her to be my forever partner. We both have talked about how marriage is not our thing, since all of ours have ended in a big ball of fire." He pulled out a small box from his pocket and handed it to her.
Opening the lid, she gasped at the ring she saw. "Dave…"
"I designed it myself. Picked out which stones I wanted, how I wanted them arranged, everything. And now, she may never know that I wanted to take this next step."
"She will," Penelope murmured as the door opened, revealing a tall, slim, doctor. He looked grim and she reached out for Dave's hand once more, knowing he would need the contact of a friend.
"Hello, Greg told me that you were here about Erin Strauss and her family. I wish I had better news to tell you at this point. Her son in law was killed instantly and her daughter sustained massive injuries. She's still in surgery."
"And my Erin?" His voice cracked when he said her name, and Penelope felt herself begin to cry a little harder.
"She sustained a traumatic brain injury and is currently in a medically induced coma to reduce the swelling on her brain. No other family members have made it here yet, so would you take the baby into custody?"
Dave looked a bit shell-shocked, so Penelope nodded quickly. "That would be fine, Doctor Winchester. May, may we go see Erin?"
"Yes. Follow me." They stood and he led them over to the elevator bank. The ride up to another floor seemed to take forever and Dave seemed to wilt before her very eyes. Finally, the doors opened and they stepped out, following after Doctor Winchester.
The room he led them to was so sterile and Penelope flinched as she remembered the time that she had been in a room very much like this one, no one knowing if she would live or die. She chanced a glance at the bed and saw that Erin appeared to be swallowed up by the tubes and monitors that surrounded her. "Erin!" Dave cried out in anguish, rushing to her side, totally ignoring the crib in the corner of the room that held the baby.
"What's her name?" Penelope asked as she picked the crying girl up.
"Iris. At least, that's what was embroidered on her bag. Here, these are all the supplies that you're left with. If you need something, let one of the nurses know, and we'll set you up before you go home."
"Thank you, Doctor." He nodded and left them alone, closing the door on his way out. "Dave, what should we do with Iris?"
He shrugged, not looking up from Erin. "I suppose his parents should take custody until Alison gets out of the hospital. At this point, I don't really care."
She knew that wasn't him talking, and she cuddled the child closer to her chest. "Mama?" Iris asked, pulling back to look into her eyes.
"No, sweetie, Mama is in surgery right now, the doctors are trying to fix her and make her better so that she can take care of you once more." The baby nodded before snuggling into Penelope's chest, seemingly soothed by the soft way Penelope had spoken to her. She went over to Dave's side, resting her free hand on his shoulder and watching Erin breath through the machines.
Fat tears began to roll down her cheeks and she rubbed Iris's back, needing to do something with her hands. Their phones began to ring once more and Rossi wordlessly thrust his at her. Penelope adjusted how she was holding Iris to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Penelope? Why are you answering Dave's phone? What is going on?" Hotch sounded agitated and she sighed a little.
"You might want to bring the team here, save Blake. She doesn't really like Erin, and we don't need that sort of animosity on a day like today."
"Where are you? Quit speaking in riddles."
"We're at St. Vincent's Hospital. There was a serious car accident and her son in law didn't make it. Erin's in a coma, and the doctor's aren't certain of her chances, either." Her voice broke a little as she said that, and she heard Hotch gasp a little. "Please, we need another friendly face or two here at the moment."
"I'll get there as soon as I can." He hung up on her and she handed the phone back to Rossi, watching him turn it off and stick it in his pocket.
Her phone was still ringing, so she awkwardly pulled it out of her purse and answered. "Yeah?"
"Baby Girl, Blake said that you led Rossi out of work crying. What is going on?"
She felt her shoulders slump a little as she heard her best friend's voice. "There's been a terrible accident, Boo. Erin's really hurt." Once more, her voice broke and she wished he was there, so that she had someone to hold onto. "Hotch is coming here soon."
"Then I'll come with him. I'll see you soon, sugar."
"All right." She hung up and set the phone aside, beginning to rock Iris back and forth. It didn't take long for the baby to fall asleep and Penelope laid her back down in the crib. "Hotch and Morgan will be here soon. I don't know who else will come."
"They have families to get to, you should have told them not to come. Christmas is only four days away now. This is too depressing, even for you, Kitten."
"Stop talking like that!" She was surprised by how sharp her words came out, hot tears welling up out of her eyes. "She's not dead, she's just in a deep and dreamless sleep that you can't control. The doctors know what they're doing and will fix her!"
He finally looked up at her, his eyes swollen and red from his tears. "How can you have such faith, Kitten?"
"Didn't you have that same faith in me, when I was lying there, no one sure I was ever going to wake up again? Morgan told me how you poked and prodded him into hope. Well, I'm going to do the same for you. Don't give up, Dave. She needs you to bring her back to us."
Penelope had no idea why she cared so much, but she did, suddenly, in that moment. Erin had become a quiet part of their lives ever since her return to the office, and they had formed a tentative friendship over late nights in the office. It wasn't something they told anyone else, since it felt right to keep things just between them, but now, she wished that she had told someone else. "She's going to need you, too, Penny. I know how much she's come to value your friendship with her."
Dave stood and embraced her in a tight hug. "She's a wonderful person. I just wish that I had gotten to know her sooner. Prejudices run deep, though."
"That they do." He let go of her and she sat in the chair next to his, reaching out for Erin's hand. The flesh was soft and cool, and Penelope longed to feel her squeeze back, to show some sign of life. The minutes passed by, and then the door opened, revealing Erin's other children. Dave stood and opened his arms to them, and she watched them hug him tightly. This was something else she hadn't known, how close he had become with her family.
"We came as soon as we heard the news. Dad took a little time in getting ahold of us. How's Iris?" The daughter craned her neck to look at the crib and Penelope nodded.
"She's sleeping right now. The doctor said that she was spared any injury. Which is amazing, given the severity of the impact. Alison is still in surgery, I guess."
"We know, we were just up there. Her doctor came out and told us that it could still be another six hours before they get everything finished that they need to. I'm Mark, by the way." Erin's son held out his hand to her and she shook it heartily.
"Penelope Garcia," she replied, trying to smile at him.
"I thought you might be here. Mama really likes you, you know." Mark sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his mother. "She's always talking about something you told her, something she's had to go researching. You challenge her, which is why I think she gravitates to you. And Dave. Without that challenge, she wouldn't have had the courage to come back."
"I see." They all fell silent, Dave resting his hand on her shoulder as he gave up his seat to Erin's youngest. The door opened once more and Hotch and Morgan were stepping in, giving the room a crowded, homey, feel, despite the fact that someone was unable to wake up.
"She looks like Sleeping Beauty," Derek commented lowly as he came up to her side.
"She does. Too bad love's true kiss won't wake her up." The moment the words tumbled out of her lips, she began to cry once more. "I can't leave her side, Honey Bear."
"I figured you might say something like that. Hotch and I brought both your go bags." She smiled a little at him, letting him kiss her forehead sweetly. He set the bags at their feet and looked around the room. "Does anyone want us to grab them something to eat?"
"That would be nice." Dave began to give him an order and the others followed suit. Penelope, though, had no appetite and so she asked him to bring her her usual coffee order. He nodded and then he and Hotch left.
"So, tell me a story about your favorite vacation that you took with your mother," she said lowly, looking at Mark expectantly.
"I was seven, and we were going on our first trip to Disney," he began, soon weaving them up in a wonderful, magical, story.