Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds in any way, shape or form and I'm not making any profit off this story.
Summary: Emily's not sure about taking the job in London because she has more than just herself to think about before making the decision.
This is for CCoAC's April Challenge. It quite a bit different from my usual stuff but ever since one of my favorite authors wrote something similar, I've wanted to give this pairing a shot.
Warning: Three-way relationship.
…
She hadn't heard him approach and ending up jumping when his hand landed heavily on her shoulder. Turning she breathed out a sigh of relief as she saw Aaron standing there "Hotch! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"We need to talk Penelope," he said seriously.
She frowned and nodded.
Aaron moved away so that he could shut the door to her office, locking it as he did so.
Penelope stared at him biting her lip, she could tell that he was agitated "What's wrong Hon?" she said looking him up and down.
Aaron turned back around and sighed. He walked towards her and then crouched down in front of her, taking her hand. Penelope allowed him but started to worry when he squeezed her hand in his.
"Emily told me that you're upset with her," Aaron stated.
Immediately Penelope scowled and tried to pull her hand away.
Aaron raised an eyebrow at her and kept his grip on her hand "None of that Pen," he said rubbing her knee with his other hand "She told me that you've been avoiding her. You know that we agreed to be open with each other when we entered into this relationship, to make sure things didn't become complicated at work."
Penelope huffed "Well that doesn't apply anyway now does it? Emily no longer works here so there will be no chance of us not being able to get along here."
Aaron shook his head at her biting tone but knew that deep down Penelope was just hurting. He could see it in her eyes as they began to tear up.
"It's not fair Aaron," Penelope whispered to him.
"I know," Aaron answered, leaning up to wipe the tears away from her face "and I'm sorry but we have to support Emily in her decision. You know that if it was the other way around, and one of us had decided to leave, she would have supported us unconditionally."
Penelope sniffed "It's so hard," she whispered "I love both of you so much and I can't imagine my life without you guys. What if Emily decides to take that job in London? Long distance relationships never work; I don't want to go through that pain."
"So avoiding Emily is going to make it easier?" Aaron asked.
Penelope looked at him guiltily "No," she said "I was just so mad when she told me. I don't understand why she wants to leave and I don't want to lose her! We're her family, not just me and you but the whole team, why would she want to leave us?"
"I don't think that's how she sees it Penelope. She doesn't want to leave us but there are some underlying issues with the job. You know she hasn't been the same since Doyle."
Penelope frowned at the mention of that bastard.
"Yeah, I know" she stated.
Aaron sighed "I don't know what to tell you Penelope. I'm not sure what Emily will choose and I don't know how things will work out but I do know that if you let Emily go now, if you push her away and stay mad at her, one day you'll regret that decision. But by then it will most likely be too late. You don't want that do you?"
More tears rolled down Penelope's cheeks "No," she choked out "I love Emily; I was just scared of things changing again. I'd never let her leave thinking that I was angry with her."
"That's good to hear," Aaron said smiling at her "so, what do you say we leave here and head over to Emily's place now, to let her know just how much we both care?"
Penelope's face lit up with a small smile "Yes," she agreed. She stood up and wrapped her arms around Aaron placing a soft kiss on his lips "Thank you."
Aaron returned the kiss and then moved back so that Penelope could turn off her monitors and grab her things.
After she had pulled on her coat she turned to Aaron, he had moved to the door and was waiting for her before he unlocked it "You ready?" he asked.
She didn't answer his question right away, just stood there watching him.
"Penelope?" he asked, his voice full of concern, he stepped away from the door and back to her until he was only a few feet away.
"Aaron…" she said her voice catching slightly.
"What is it?" Aaron asked "What's wrong?"
"We're…" she trailed off her eyes looking down to her feet "We're going to be okay right? No matter what happens, we will find a way to make it work?"
Penelope felt Aaron's fingers on her chin, making her look at him. Once their eyes were locked, he pulled her close and said firmly "We are going to be fine. One way or another we are going to make this work, we promised each other that and I don't intend to break it anytime soon."
"Please don't ever leave," Penelope said her voice quiet.
"I won't," Aaron answered honestly, he placed a kiss on her forehead and then his hand moved to her lower back as he led her to the door.
She opened it for them and they made their way to the elevators. Aaron had moved his hand away from her back since no one in the office knew about their relationship but he stayed close. His presence calming her as they headed to his car.
"Can we make a quick stop first before we go to Emily's?" Penelope asked as got into the passenger's side.
"You're not trying to run away again are you?" Aaron asked.
"No," Penelope said "I just need to get something."
Aaron nodded as he put his car in drive "Okay, where too?"
"Lola's Flowers," Penelope answered, and noticed Aaron's lips twitch up into a small smile.
…
Penelope stared out the window, watching as they passed house after house, she was lost in her thoughts.
She was still worried that Emily would end up leaving them but having Aaron by her side kept her calm.
She knew that they were an oddity. Her relationship with Aaron and Emily, if it ever got out it would be severely frowned upon and not just by the bureau but by most of society. She knew it was unusual to be in a relationship with more than one person and if anyone had told her a year ago that she would have been in one, she would have laughed them off.
She never would have picked to be in one, but as she had found out earlier that year, love doesn't always follow specific guidelines. When it had come to the love between her, Aaron and Emily there had been no right or wrong, it hadn't been planned, it had just happened.
They had all just seemed to fall in together. One night after a rough case and a few drinks at the bar, they had ended up at her place (slightly drunk) and things had just happened.
When they had woken up in the morning they had all felt a little shy and embarrassed about what had happened.
They had agreed to pretend it had never happened but within the next few months they kept being drawn back together (always while they were completely sober) and one night they decided to go back to Emily's and have a rational conversation about it.
They wouldn't decide anything until they got an understanding for what each of their thoughts and feelings were.
In the end they had decided to give the new and strange relationship a try. It had been weird at first, trying to figure out where each one fit, there had been some uncertainties and a few arguments but in the end they realized they worked better as a trio together than they ever had in other relationships.
They still had some issues, like with keeping their budding relationship a secret. Aaron had trouble keeping his relationship with the girls and his family life with Jack apart, none of them wanted to confuse the little boy.
But so far they had made it work.
Now however Penelope didn't know what was going to happen. She had known for a while that Emily wasn't as happy working for the BAU as she had once been and deep down though she hated to admit it, she had known it would most likely come to this.
She turned to look at Aaron as he slowed the car down.
"You ready?" he asked looking over and catching her eye.
Penelope nodded; she unbuckled her seatbelt and gently picked up the bouquet of red, white and cream tulips sitting on her lap.
Aaron got out and quickly walked around to open Penelope's door. He held out his hand and helped her out of the car, then he led her up to the front of Emily's apartment. When they were at the door, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the fob Emily had given him. He buzzed them in.
He nodded to Penelope and she stepped through the door. They quickly hopped on an elevator and made their way up to the seventh floor.
Penelope stepped out of the elevator and walked determinedly over to Emily's door, knocking before she lost her nerve. Aaron caught up and stepped up beside her as they waited.
They heard shuffling on the inside of the apartment and then a flustered Emily opened the door. She looked surprised when she saw who it was.
"Hi," Penelope said quietly.
"Hi," Emily replied.
Penelope bit her lip and then lunged forward, pulling Emily into a hug "Em, I'm so sorry. I know I was horrible to you, but I was just so scared of losing you!"
Emily patted Penelope on the back gently as she nodded at Aaron who stepped in and shut the door behind him. "It's okay Pen…" Emily began but Penelope shook her head and pulled away.
"No it's not. I did what we promised each other we wouldn't. I got angry at you and ran from you in a time when you needed me the most."
Penelope's shoulders slumped and she turned away from Emily "I don't deserve your forgiveness."
"Penelope, you're being so dramatic…though I know I shouldn't expect anything less. Yes it hurt when you were mad but it's a stressful time for all of us and we all have our own ways of dealing. I know you, and so I know that the reason you ran was because you were hurt but that you still loved me. I knew you would come back, you just needed someone to talk some sense into you."
Penelope looked between Emily and Aaron sheepishly "Profilers…" she muttered causing them both to laugh.
"Come here," Emily said grabbing Penelope's hand and pulling her close. Penelope rested her head in the crook of Emily's neck and Emily smiled when Aaron walked over to embrace them both.
"Now, I don't know what's going to happen in the future because I haven't made any decisions, but I love both of you and I know that I couldn't live without you, so whatever happens we will make it work."
Penelope smiled up at Emily and the brunette leaned down to kiss her, then she turned her head away from Penelope and leaned into kiss Aaron.
They all sighed in content.
Penelope pulled away slowly and held up her slightly crushed tulips. She handed them to Emily and watched as a bright smile crossed her face, she knew that Emily knew exactly what she was trying to say with the flowers.
"I mean every word," Penelope said.
"I know you do," Emily said "and I return your sentiments, to both of you."
She gently placed the flowers on the kitchen counter and then she took both of her lovers' hands and led them to the bedroom "What do you say we do some making up?"
There were no complaints from either of her companions.
…
A few hours later found all three curled up comfortably in each other's arms, knowing that for as long as they were together they would be safe.
…
A/N: White tulips are for apologies, red tulips are for love and cream tulips are for commitment.