Family

A/N: Here is my story for CCOAC's 2012 Christmas Gift Fic Exchange! I'm super excited because this will be my first challenge. Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas pandorabox82, here is your Christmas Gift. I hope you like it.

Prompts: "I Wonder as I Wander", early morning Christmas service, cookies, the perfect Christmas present. I used three of the four prompts. Pairing: Erin Straus/ Penelope Garcia.

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family." - Anthony Brandt

A joyful smile blossomed over Penelope Garcia's face as she woke up. There were many explanations for her blissful demeanor; fresh snow decorated the view from her window, she did not have to go to work, and the most significant reason was that it was Christmas Eve.

Penelope loved the holidays. It was a time to cherish your family. As a young girl, she had always loved Christmas, and not just for the presents she would open that fateful morning. She adored the days that she would have to celebrate with her mother and step-father. Just being together; spending time decorating the house, preparing a Christmas meal and snuggling by the hearth with hot cocoa had always been more important to the blonde than the countless sparkly gifts she would receive.

So the years after the death of her parents had sent the technical analyst into a downward spiral. For her first eighteen years of life she had been so accustomed to their family traditions, so the sudden upheaval of her life caused her to revolt against Christmas. How was she supposed to celebrate a holiday that she believed centred around family; she couldn't. In the years she was underground, each passing day was the same. The light that is commonly associated with Penelope Garcia did not exist; there was no joy or laughter and most definitely no Christmas.

It wasn't until she joined the BAU that her life began to change around. The light had returned; a splash of colour here and there, a spring in her step. And it was all due to family. The people she had come to love in the BAU had renewed her Christmas spirit.

For the last few years Penelope had been hosting a Christmas dinner. Her whole family was invited. Her sense of belonging, her sense of home, her sense of Christmas was all wrapped in with her BAU family.

Everyone had promised to attend, well except for Agent Blake. Hotch and Jack were coming, because they were having Christmas Eve dinner with Jessica. Reid was going to eat with them and then catch the red eye out to visit his mother later that night for the remainder of the holidays. Morgan's mother was flying in on Boxing Day to spend some quality time with her son, which left him free for dinner. Other than a date with his cottage, Rossi had nothing else planned for the holiday season. JJ, Will and Henry were all prepared to join the fun. This meant the Penelope's whole family was going to be together.

The blonde rose from her bed and decided that she would tidy her quaint apartment. Every year, someone would bring up the fact that she had one of the smallest homes, but no one wanted to break their tradition by moving the gathering to another location. So as long as they didn't mind eating on couches and mismatched chairs - which is not the worse place they had ever caught a meal due to their profession - the evening would go just as well as the other years.

After the minimal cleaning that was required to ensure her place was passable for guests, Penelope set to work making her Christmas cookies. Every year, as part of her tradition the blonde would make an abundance of cookies. She would make gingerbread, chocolate chip, shortbread and sugar cookies.

She liked to bake on Christmas Eve because it gave her a lot of time to focus on the cookies. So on Christmas day, which was hectic as she worked to prepare the meal, cookies were one less thing she didn't have to worry about.

In order to bake cookies she needed to put on her beloved Christmas CD. It was one that she complied filled with all her festive favourites. Now with the warm soft sounds of Christmas carols filling her home she could begin her baking.

Penelope loved to bake, it allowed her mind to set to a place that the far away from the horrors that she visualized upon her screens on a daily basis. Cookies were simple. But not so mundane that the perky analyst was bored with them. The magical thing about Christmas cookies was that she could decorate them with multiple colours of icing, sprinkles and sugary decorations.

Each year she would designate a special cookie for each person. It would fit with their personality or quirks. Reid often got a book reading snow man, and Jack would get a super heroes. Penelope sang along with the songs as she finished up the cookies until the last song on the CD came on.

She froze, goose-bumps rose on her skin causing her to get chills. "I Wonder as I Wander" had always been a song that triggered deep emotions within her. Ever since Penelope was a child, this song just hit her. For some reason the powerful notes of the song took her.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die

For poor on'ry people like you and like I;

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

This song made her feel so alone- a wandering soul; it portrayed an emptiness of human kind but at the same contained hope. It was an enigma. Almost like Christmas in a way. For those who had a family to surround them the season was full of love, but for those who had no one, it was simply another cold and lonely day.

At least she had her family, but what about those who didn't, like the families of the victims she had seen at work. People lost a piece of themselves when their loved ones were taken away. A sombre aura filled the usually bubbly analyst's kitchen. She began to think of people who had no one and one name kept coming to mind.

Strauss- was she alone. It was no surprise to any of the BAU members when they had heard that Strauss' marriage had fallen apart. A job in the bureau was the culprit for many failed marriages.

Suddenly Penelope grabbed her cell phone, she had an idea. Quickly scrolling through her contact she pressed the button before she faltered and changed her mind.

"Strauss," a curt tone answered.

"Ma'am? It's Penelope- ah, Technical Analyst Garcia," she stuttered out.

"Yes?"

"Well I'm having a Christmas dinner tomorrow night, and I'm inviting you to join."

"Really?" Strauss' question was laced with sarcasm but also a hopeful hint of surprise.

Strauss short responses were taking their toll on Penelope, "Yes, come over at 5, I'll email you my address…no need to bring anything. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Excu-"

Penelope quickly hung up as to not give the woman time to decline the invitation. Now there was a slim chance that Strauss would come, but just in case she did Penelope had to get a present. So the Technical Analyst went to get ready for shopping, one of her favourite pastimes.

Before the stores closed the blonde had to find the perfect Christmas present for the woman who had over time changed; from the evil tyrant out to ruin the lives of the BAU agents into a boss who almost seemed like she understood the hardship her agent faced. Penelope needed to find the perfect gift, one that said thank- you, one that showed Strauss that she was not alone, one that showed her that she was part of the family.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The next day, Penelope spent the whole day preparing for the Christmas meal. Everyone was going to be showing up soon for dinner. She was glad that JJ had promised to prepare some of the food at her house and then bring it over. And the Morgan had said her would take care of dessert.

Around 4:30 the doorbell rang, Penelope's family had arrived. The perky blonde quickly went to answer it. Within ten minutes Penelope's apartment had transformed from an empty place to a room full with warmth and laughter.

"Let's eat!" Derek Morgan grinned.

"Well we have to wait for everyone," Penelope stated awkwardly.

Everyone looked around and bravely David Rossi asked, "Who else is coming?"

"Now before you guys get mad at me, you know that I always say that Christmas is about family, and having everyone together. Nobody wants to be alone on Christmas and, if I let that happen-"

"Baby Girl! Slow down," Morgan tried to calm his obviously disgruntled friend.

"Penelope, you know we won't be mad. Who else did you invite?" JJ asked calmly.

"Str-cough, cough," the blonde tried to hide her response.

"Garcia?" Hotch demanded, because he was always wary of change and just wanted to know who was invited.

"Strauss."

"Really? Why?" Only Morgan was brave enough to ask as the others just looked at her slightly taken back.

Before Penelope had a chance to defend her actions, Reid cut in, "She already said why because nobody should be alone on Christmas."

"Thank you Boy Wonder. Now my lovelies, you will all be on your best behaviour and treat her kindly. It is Christmas, and Strauss is part of the BAU thus making her part of the family."

A knock sounded on the door, which silenced the BAU agents. Penelope could hardly believe it; Strauss had decided to show up.

Since the whole team was rather shocked, some for the face that Strauss was invited and others for the reason that she had actually taken up the offer. This meant that no one went to answer the door, and the person on the other side knocked again.

JJ was the first to regain her composure and promptly went to open the door. With a nod of her head "Ma'am," she let the woman through the threshold.

Some of the other team members also greeted the Section Chief. "I was invited wasn't I?" Strauss questioned, while the tension in the room continued to build.

"Yes, of course!" Penelope volunteered, "Let me take your coat."

Strauss didn't move from her position just inside the door, "Ah I see," she commented as she went to back up, "I was invited but on the premise that it would be highly unlikely that I would attend. I will see myself out."

With that the older woman turned on her heel and left the apartment heading back outside. She had known that that showing up for the BAU Christmas celebration was a foolish idea. Why would they want their boss at their party? She had some unrealistic notion that the invitation had been like the proverbial olive branch, a peacemaking effort. But if the evident look of shock on some of her agent's faces made it too obvious that they never believed she would take them up on their offer.

Now all she was left with was a lonely Christmas. Her children were grown up; preferring to spend the holidays with their partners, and friends. Her husband was off somewhere. They were separated, practically divorced but neither wanted to make it official. So she really was on her own.

Just as she was about to exit the building, "Chief Strauss, please wait!"

The older woman turned around to see the perky blonde. "Yes?"

"Please come back inside. I wanted you to show up the whole time. That was my idea; I even got you a gift. It's just that I didn't tell the team that you were going to be joining us so it was a bit of surprise for them. That is my fault and I apologise, I really want you to come back in… so does everyone else," Penelope rambled, "Please come back inside."

The Section Chief had every intention of not going back into the apartment, but there was just something about the bubbly blonde, and she couldn't say no to her. Maybe it was the analyst's pleading eyes, or her hideous Christmas colour combination outfit that the older woman had failed to notice until now but Strauss gave in. "Alright, it's not like I had any other plans," she sighed.

The technical analyst was so happy with the turn of events; she linked arms with her boss and practically dragged her upstairs.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Once Strauss had joined the BAU team at the dinner table, it was almost as if everyone had over looked their differences and passed quarrels. She soon blended right in to the family. Strauss was teasing Reid, taking Morgan's flirtatious banter in stride and had even offered to help with the dishes. Penelope could not have been more pleased with the outcome.

They had promised not to get each other presents, because it often became too difficult to buy them for each other especially with their unpredictable working schedules. So instead, Penelope's gift was hosting Christmas. JJ's gift to the team was helping prepare the meal. The desert that Morgan had brought became his contribution. Rossi had brought some spiked eggnog to be enjoyed towards the end of the night. Reid had compiled a list of Christmas facts that would hopefully keep Henry and Jack occupied for a while. And Hotch was going to be driving everyone who was incapable of doing so home at the end of the night.

The time flew at Penelope's they were all having a rather enjoyable time, until Rossi stumbled or rather fell while trying to get out of his chair. It seemed the man indulged a little too much in his eggnog. The BAU members looked at the man on the ground and realised that it was getting late. Morgan helped Rossi up and Hotch lifted a sleeping Jack into his arms.

"Thanks for Christmas, Baby Girl," Morgan pressed a kiss to the technical analyst cheek as he helped Rossi out the door.

Hotch said good bye at the door as well, "Thank you, Garcia, but it seems I have to get Jack and Rossi home."

JJ too decided that she was going to take a tired Henry home, "Sorry, Penelope, I would have loved to stay later but it looks like this little man is ready for bed."

"I'm not tired, Mama," Henry argued as he snuggled deeper into his mother's embrace.

The blondes exchanged Merry Christmas' at the door. Strauss and Reid had remained in their seats as the other left. When Reid quickly noted that the time had flown by and he would need to get home so he could catch his flight, "My flight home goes out soon. I better be going."

Penelope returned to the living room and looked at now obliviously tense Strauss, "It's getting late," she brought up to break the silence.

"Oh, well then I'll be on my way," Strauss quickly gets up to leave. The older woman didn't want to leave; she didn't want to return to her empty home alone.

With her hands up, "No, wait. I don't mean you have to leave…actually the opposite. Can you wait here for nanosecond?"

Penelope speedily left the room to retrieve the present that she had picked up for Strauss. "Here you go!" She thrust the wrapped box at the older woman.

Strauss took the box and rolled in over in hand, and before she could say anything Penelope interrupted with a squeal, "Well open it!"

Strauss calmly nodded her head and began to meticulously remove the paper. As soon as she got it open she looked to the perky blonde who nodded for her to continue. The older woman, began to open the nondescript box, and gasped as soon as she saw what was inside.

Once again glancing at the computer genius, Strauss failed to form words. This prompted Penelope to fling her arms around the Section Chief, "Merry Christmas!"

"Bu-but how?" Strauss was at a loss.

"How did I know it was perfect?" Penelope coyly asked. The other woman merely nodded. So the happy blonde continued, "You always know what your family needs."

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." - Burton Hillis

A/N: Bahaha, yes I am going to leave the perfect Christmas gift up to your own imagination. Sorry if that's evil. If you want to know what I think it is, just ask.