Penelope sighed as she looked out the window of the bullpen. The snow refused to quit falling and at this rate, she'd never be able to make it home in time for Christmas. A last minute case had called her team out, and they were out in California while she was here in Quantico, wishing that she had taken her partner's advice and worked from home that day.
Letting out another disconsolate sigh, she turned from the window and made her way back to her office, shutting out the buzz of people talking about their plans as they left. There was no way she was going to be leaving for another three hours or more.
Plopping down in front of her main computer, she looked at the results of her current search and let her shoulders slump as she saw there was nothing new to report to Hotch and the others. After a few more minutes had passed, she felt a heavy, warm, hand come to rest on her shoulder. "Go home, Penelope. Kevin agreed to take over the rest of this case. I know you have someone special waiting for you at home."
Looking up, she smiled at Matt, shrugging a little. "I can see this through to the end."
"It's an order, Garcia. Don't make me tell you twice." She giggled a little at his fake authoritative voice. "I mean it. She's waiting for you."
"I know. I got her a ring."
He arched an eyebrow as he spun her around in her chair. "After eight months' of dating?"
"It's a promise ring. Neither of us want marriage. Hers ended badly, and well, my parents hippy-dippy ways sort of bled into me in that regard. Oh, I hope she likes the ring. I asked her youngest daughter, Tabitha, what she might like, and she looked at me like I had grown another head. What if this is a bad idea?"
"What does your heart tell you?"
She smiled dreamily, thinking of her beloved and how much she loved her. "That she's the one. The one meant only for me."
"Then that's all that matters. Go home, tell her you love her, and give her that ring."
"Yes, sir!" She stood up and hugged him tightly. "Thanks for the pep talk. It was just what I needed to hear." He nodded and she grabbed her coat off the chair, wrapping herself up in it before picking up her bag and scurrying from the room.
On the way to the elevator, she smacked into Kevin, and bit her lip as she looked up at him, guilt filling her mind. "Hey, Penny."
"Kevin. Hey. Um, thanks for giving up your Christmas for me."
He nodded, a sad look passing over his face. "Well, sometimes plans change." He looked away from her and she wondered what else was on his mind. "Gina went home to Washington for the holiday, anyway."
"And you didn't go with her?" she probed gently, resting her hand on his arm.
"Her mom doesn't like me all that well. She sees me as a downgrade from Agent Anderson."
"Oh." She felt badly for him, and she closed her arm around his bicep, squeezing tenderly. "Hey, next time you do see that old bat, tell her that without us, her precious Agent Anderson would have no way of finding the bad guys. We're the ones that get all the data."
He gave her a small smile and nodded. "There is that, I suppose. Thanks, Plum Sauce." She smiled at the use of her nickname and leaned in, pecking his cheek. "Erin's a lucky woman."
"We're both lucky, Kev. We've survived a lot." Penelope stepped away from him and pressed the down button on the elevator. "Evil tried to kill us, and yet here we are, still alive. Still loving. Still amazing."
Kevin laughed lowly as he pushed her into the open doors. "Go home, Penny. Have a merry Christmas."
Penelope gave him a winning smile and pressed the button for the garage. Humming to herself, she bounced on the balls of her feet as the elevator crawled its way to the bottom. A blast of cold air caused her to shiver as she stepped out into the parking garage and she was suddenly glad that Erin had convinced her to take the Range Rover this morning.
She had just started it up when her phone rang, and she fished it out of her purse. "Hello, buttercup."
"Where are you?"
"In the car. What's up?"
"Could you pick up some more tinsel on the way home? There was an incident…"
Penelope couldn't stop the giggle that slipped from her lips. "Another one?" she teased, backing out of her spot and putting Erin on speakerphone. "I thought the mishap earlier this week was going to be the only one."
"That one was not my fault. Your kitten decided to climb the tree and get tied up in tinsel." Erin sighed. "Remember, gold or silver. And maybe some Advil."
"Are you okay?" She sobered instantly, worry gnawing at her gut.
"I'm fine, I just twisted my knee a little getting Queenie down from the top of the tree."
"Keep ice on it until I get home, buttercup. Love you."
"I love you, too."
They hung up and Penelope drove to the nearest department store. It was a madhouse, but she wouldn't expect anything less two days before Christmas. Hurrying back to the Christmas decorations, she honed in on the tinsel and found some gorgeous gold and silver blend. She picked up three bundles of it, setting it in her basket before heading over to the pharmacy area and grabbing a pack of Advil.
The lines were long, and she fought not to tap her foot impatiently. Thankfully, Erin called back five minutes later, and she smiled as she answered. "What else do you need me to pick up, honey?"
"Nothing, I was just getting anxious. I wanted to hear your voice."
"Oh, buttercup, what's really wrong?"
She let out a deep sigh. "Tabitha called to cancel Christmas plans. I guess she got a last minute invite to her boyfriend's parent's cabin in Vermont."
"Oh, darling, I'm so sorry. I'm in line right now, and as soon as I get home, we'll hang the tinsel and cuddle together under the electric blanket."
"That sounds lovely. I want a drink."
"Erin, no. You are stronger than that, my heart. Here, just keep talking to me until I get home. Tell me a story about when you were young. Tell me a dream that you had of what you wanted to be. Just, focus on me and take your mind off that."
There was a short pause and then a river of words began to spill from Erin's lips. Penelope listened intently and smiled as she began to discover unknown facets of her beloved. "I think that was what made me realize that Christmas was my favorite holiday. The blanket of snow on the ground, the crispness of the air. The anticipation of gifts. The wonder of the miracle. Hurry home?"
"Yes, buttercup." Finally reaching the head of the line, she smiled at the cashier. "I have to go now. I'll see you in a few minutes."
"All right. I love you."
"Not as much as I love you." She hung up before Erin could reply and slipped her phone back into her pocket. "How are you this evening?"
"Good, but ready for Christmas to be over." Penelope nodded in sympathy and helped the cashier bag her things before she paid. "But you have a wonderful holiday."
"You, too. It'll get better in two days."
"There is that," the woman replied with a laugh and Penelope smiled before heading out to their car and driving home.
She couldn't suppress her grin as she saw Erin standing in the front window, watching for her. Pulling into the garage, she parked and bounded out of the car. The garage door opened and she giggled as she launched herself into her lover's arms, kissing her deeply. "You're home."
"I am. And I'll be here until the New Year. Ten whole days with you, wherever shall I begin?" she murmured before kissing Erin once more, her hand slipping down to cup her ass, squeezing softly.
"Umm, that would be a good place to start." Erin pulled her inside and she kicked the door shut before tugging Erin flush against her once more. She kissed her deeply, relishing the feel of Erin's fingers fumbling with the buttons on her coat. "Ouch."
"What?"
"My knee. I banged it against the door."
Penelope pulled away and cupped Erin's face, running her thumb along her cheek. "That's it, time for your Advil." She thrust the shopping bag at her and slipped out of her coat, hanging it on the hook. As she watched, Erin rubbed her knee and then pulled herself up onto the counter, fishing out a glass and filling it with water before taking two of the pills. "Other than that, how was your day?"
"Lovely. I finished my shopping."
"I thought you were finished?"
Erin shook her head a little. "No. I had to find one more perfect thing."
Penelope was intrigued by her lover's statement and she felt her brow furrow. "Do I get to open anything early?"
"No. We open our stockings when we wake up Christmas morning. We open gifts after supper. Nothing earlier." She stuck her tongue out at Erin and then went over to her, making certain to stay out of reach of her arms. "Penelope?"
"Not even one, small, gift?" she asked sweetly, reaching up and undoing the first button on her blouse. Erin shook her head decisively, which made Penelope smile a little wider. "Are you sure?" She undid three more buttons, pulling apart the fabric and never taking her eyes off her beloved. A deep flush was starting to cover her skin, her breathing was starting to become thready, and her pupils were beginning to dilate.
"No, not a single gift."
"Um, well then, I guess these will be off limits until Christmas day." She went to close her blouse, only for Erin to slip off the counter and flounce off in the direction of the living room. It took Penelope a few beats for her to follow after her lover, and she smiled at the words coming from Erin's lips.
"Seriously? How the frak is this cord tangled again already? I frakking untangled it twenty minutes ago. What the frak?" Penelope couldn't stop the giggle that erupted from her lips and Erin looked up at her, glaring. "Just what the frak are you laughing at?"
"You! You sound like Saul Tigh. All I need to do is put an eyepatch on you and the whole thing would just come together!" Erin's glare did not lessen as she thrust out her hand, a small box held there. "What's that?"
"Your frakking gift. The one you want to open early. You can't leave me like that, so open the damn gift and let me make love to you." Erin huffed out an impatient gift and Penelope's smile widened into a grin. "Well?"
"Get that lovely ass of yours up on the sofa, my sweet Erin." Sighing a little, her lover complied, and Penelope fished out the ring from her pile of gifts before taking a seat next to her. "It's only fair if you open a real gift. You get to unwrap me every day."
That caused Erin to smile and she pulled the electric blanket up around her lap, turning it on. Penelope was a bit concerned when she heard it crackle and hiss and she tugged it off Erin's lap. "Penny?"
"Turn it off. It's making weird noises." Erin nodded and flipped the switch, gasping in shock. "Honey?"
"Um, it shocked it. And it hurt. A lot." Penelope nodded and got up, setting her gift aside before tugging the plug from the wall and bundling everything up.
"This is going to go outside, in the middle of the lawn. I will be right back."
Erin nodded absently, turning her gift over and over in her hand. Penelope hurriedly left the room, balling up the blanket and throwing it as hard as she could out the back door. It landed with a plop in the yard, snow billowing out from under it. Then she went back to her Erin, further unbuttoning her blouse and slipping it from her shoulders as she went. "Oh, that is much better, Penelope."
She smirked at her lover as she sat next to her once more. "I thought that you'd enjoy this view. Now, go on, open your gift."
Erin nodded and slipped her finger beneath the tape, carefully peeling off the paper so as not to rip it. "My children hate opening gifts with me. I take my time."
"Anticipation is the best, isn't it?" she murmured, running her fingers along the tops of her breasts, shivering at her own light touches.
"Yes, it can be." Erin frowned down at the box. "I thought we weren't…"
"Open it, my silly love."
She did as told and gasped at the sight of the ring. "Penelope," she breathed out, running her thumb over the large opal.
"It's a promise ring. I promise that I will always be faithful to you, no matter. I promise that I will always love you, no matter how often we fight. I promise that I'm yours."
Tears made Erin's eyes sparkle as she nodded slowly. "Put it on me," she whispered, holding out her left hand. Penelope slipped the ring from the velvet bed and slid it onto her lover's finger. "Oh, god, I love you so much," she whispered once more, leaning in and capturing her lips in a deep kiss. "Go on, open this gift."
Penelope took less care in unwrapping her gift, tearing the paper off the ring box in her hand. She threw open the lid and giggled a little. "You got me an opal, too?"
"Yes. I loved the way the light brought out all these colors in the stone. It reminded me of you. I want you to be mine."
"Yes." Penelope held out her hand, and Erin slid the ring home before bringing said hand to her lips and caressing it. "It is perfect, you know."
"Good." And then, she pushed her back on the couch, her hands tugging the straps of her bra down her arms. "Because you're perfect to me. I love everything about you." She began to pepper Penelope's chest with kisses as her fingers made quick work of the rest of her clothes. Penelope was not about to be the only one naked, and she ran the zipper of her dress down her back, unclasping her bra at the same time.
Erin arched against her body as she drew the dress off her shoulders. "I love you," Penelope murmured as she leaned in and pressed open mouthed kisses against the soft flesh of her upper chest. Erin hummed a little against her skin, and she drew her fingers through her hair. "I do."
"I know." Erin sounded breathless as she pulled away to look at Penelope. "Should we go upstairs? My back ached for days after our last romp on the sofa."
"Whatever you want, Erin." Penelope sat up and held out her hand. Erin clasped it and led her up to their bedroom, shedding clothes along the way. "Merry Christmas, my dearest love."
"Merry Christmas," Erin murmured as she kicked the door shut with her foot.