Erin woke up to the delicious scent of roses. Opening her eyes, she saw Sarah and Martha smiling down at her. "Happy Mother's Day, Mama."

"How?"

"Dave let us in just a few minutes ago. He's making us breakfast, and told us we had to bring you down to the kitchen. Here's your robe." Sarah handed her the silk robe Dave had bought her for her birthday last week.

Erin sat up and tugged the robe on over the matching negligee. "You look ravishing, Mama. Do you really love him that much?"

"Yes, I do. You don't like that answer, do you, Martha?"

"No. I still want you to love Daddy."

Erin sighed, climbing out of the bed to hug her youngest daughter. "There were things we just couldn't get past, honey. I tried, believe me, I did, but he wouldn't meet me half way. Davie supports me."

"And he's the best thing for you. I haven't ever seen you this happy, Mama." Sarah leaned in and kissed her gently before giving her a tight hug. "Now, let's see what he's made us for breakfast. It smelled heavenly, whatever it was."

Sarah threaded her arm through Erin's and they went downstairs together, Martha trailing behind them. By the time they got to the kitchen, Dave had laid out four plates on the island and was pulling out the stools. "Happy Mother's Day, Erin." He kissed her cheek and she smiled at him as he helped her up.

"Thank you for planning this, mo chroi," she whispered in his ear as he took his seat next to her, the girls fighting over who would sit next to her. "Eggs Benedict! You remembered my favorite!"

"I'm trying to remember everything I can about you, my sweet English rose."

"I did not realize you two were so mushy." Martha made a face before digging into her food.

"So, your kid doesn't like mush. I can turn it up a notch," he whispered in her ear.

"David!" She giggled slightly before swatting his shoulder. "All right."

He smiled and tipped her face up, claiming her lips in a sweet kiss. "The sun rises and sets in your eyes, my sweet English rose."

"Really?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him. "Go on."

"Who will believe my verse in time to come, If it were filled with your most high deserts? Though yet heaven knows it is but as a tomb Which hides your life, and shows not half your parts. If I could write the beauty of your eyes, And in fresh numbers number all your graces, The age to come would say 'This poet lies; Such heavenly touches ne'er touched earthly faces.' So should my papers, yellowed with their age, Be scorned, like old men of less truth than tongue, And your true rights be termed a poet's rage And stretched metre of an antique song: But were some child of yours alive at that time, You should live twice, in it, and in my rhyme." He clasped her hand gently, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

"Shakespeare, Dave? You wooed her with Shakespeare? No wonder she fell for you. She loves Shakespeare." Sarah sighed sweetly, looking at them. "See, Martha, I told you he was the best. You got to go to their wedding supper, couldn't you see it then?"

"Of course I did, Sarah. It's just, I don't know…"

"We were together for so long? That's what I told myself when he served me the divorce papers last year. I tried to keep it together, but look how well that worked. I have a really great support system in place now, though, and you are more than welcome here, in our home, at any time." She reached out and stroked Martha's cheek "David and the others support me, where as your father didn't want to deal with my alcoholism. I had a problem long before I went into rehab, dears."

"I know, Mama. I wanted to help you, but I didn't know how." Sarah bit her lip, going back to eating her food as she struggled not to cry.

"Daddy said you were weak, that's why you drank."

Erin fixed her gaze on Martha, a spark of anger lighting in her breast. "And why do you think I drank?"

"You've been strong for too long. I remember when you first started working with the BAU, how much you cried every night after supper. Daddy never liked it when anyone cried, and I know he yelled at you more often because of that."

Erin felt Dave tense next to her, and she leaned back against him, letting him stroke her arm. "I didn't realize how much you both knew."

Her girls nodded and finished their breakfast, and then watched her and Dave eat. "Well, we have to get going. We're going to the Home to visit Grandma today, and you know how long a drive that is." Sarah stood and kissed her cheek before hugging her tightly. "I love you, Mama."

Martha followed suit, wetting Erin's shoulder with her tears. "Mama," she whispered, kissing her sweetly. "I'm sorry. I just wanted the happy fantasy."

"I know, Sugar. I understand. Now go, have a good time seeing Grandma. I'll always be here when you return." Erin let her daughter go and walked them to the door. Dave came up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "So, do you want to hear a story?"

"I think that I'd better, Erin, from what I could infer from your children." He led her into the living room and she smiled as she saw the bouquet of pink roses on the coffee table. She tugged one out of the bouquet and sniffed deeply. "Pink for down here, red up in our bedroom. I bet you didn't even notice the white ones in the kitchen."

"I did. But why roses?"

"Roses for Mama. It's what I bought my mother every year for Mother's Day. And then I continued the tradition with Carolyn when I found out she was pregnant with James, and every year afterwards, even after we'd divorced. Now, I'm continuing it with you."

Erin sat down next to him, curling her feet up under her. "I hope you don't mind if we skip church this morning. After what I tell you…well, I suppose I should just start from the beginning." She leaned against him, wanting to feel the comfort of his arm around her.

"Am I going to be angry with Art?"

"Yes, you will. But promise me you will not hurt him, no matter what I tell you, okay?"

He nodded. "For you, I will promise that. Though I may regret that promise."

"You might, mo chroi." She took a deep breath. "So, I was pregnant four times. There would have been a baby after Martha. I had gotten knocked up just after I got the Section Chief title. Arthur never liked tears, Sarah was right. That's why he hated all my pregnancies. The hormones had me sobbing at the drop of a hat, and he got a little more violent with each one. Did you know that a pillowcase with oranges in it doesn't really leave a bruise?"

His hand tightened around her, and she heard him growl lowly. "Erin, my love…"

"I dealt with it. He didn't know I was pregnant with our fourth child when he hit my stomach one night. I came in to work the next morning, cramping something horrible. I knew that I was losing the child, but I managed to put half a day in. Helen took me in to the hospital at lunch time. They couldn't save the baby, though they did try. There was too much damage to save my womb, so they had to do an emergency hysterectomy."

"You were gone from work for a week, I remember that now. Oh, Erin."

"Don't pity me, Davie. It was better in the long run. I didn't have to worry about bringing another baby into that house."

"Why did you stay with him, Erin?"

"For the children. I wanted to give them a stable home, and so I tolerated his bullshit while I poured myself into my work. It became so easy to drink my feelings away, though. And then everything came crashing down around me when he filed for divorce the second Martha graduated from high school. My drinking spiraled out of control until Hotch and Morgan had to take me to the rehab sponsored by the EAP." She lifted her head to kiss his jaw. "I'm just sorry I can't give you a child."

"You've given me three, hopefully. And you already took care of the hard part. Now I just have to buy them gifts at Christmas and on their birthdays." She laughed through her tears and turned around so that she could face him. "I could just have Penelope take care of him, too, you know. She can be very discreet when it comes to things of that nature."

"No, David. I have everything I need right here, I do not need anyone to make his life difficult." Leaning forward, she kissed him sweetly, nipping at his lower lip. "Take me upstairs? I want to work off breakfast."

"I thought I would be the one to ask you that." He stood and helped her up. Erin closed her arms around his neck, vaulting herself up, letting his arms hold her tightly as he carried her upstairs.

Dave gently deposited her on the bed and she splayed her arms out like she knew he liked. "Are you going to make me a happy mother, Davie?"

"Oh, I plan on it, babe. I don't want you to cry anymore today. I don't care how much you cry, my sweet English rose, since I know that tears are just a beautiful sign of how strong you are. But I want you to be happy with me, with your life."

He knelt over her and she smiled up at him. "Have I told you that I love you?"

"Every day in a thousand little ways. And I love you, Erin." Gently, he lowered himself onto her body, and she sighed. "Sighs?"

"Happy ones. I love how your weight anchors me, makes me feel connected and loved and cherished. Even if we never had sex again," they both shuddered at that thought given voice, "I would be content with this feeling. Though I would like you to make love to me now."

He kissed her and she thrust her tongue against his lips, seeking entrance inside his mouth. He opened up and drew her tongue inside, sucking and nipping at it as she dueled with him. Just as his hand came up to cup her breast, the phone rang. They groaned in tandem and he sat up, picking up the receiver. "Hello?" he growled. "Oh, hey, Kitten. Just a second."

Erin took the phone from his hand and sighed. "Penny?"

"Could you come over, Erin? Derek and I got in an awful fight and I need a shoulder to cry on."

She looked at Dave and pouted a little. "I'll be there as soon as I get dressed, honey. Until I get there, put your feet up and try to relax. Stress isn't good for the baby."

"I'll try. Thank you."

Erin hung up and just stared at her husband. "I'm sorry, this is going to have to wait until later. She needs me."

"What happened?"

"All she would tell me is that she and Derek got into a fight. She sounds devastated, though. Forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive, my love. I'll just take care of some things around here while you're gone." He kissed her once more and then got off the bed. "Stay safe out there, Erin."

"I will, Dave." She watched him head to the bathroom and she smiled. "Wait! There's time for this." Beckoning him to her side by crooking her finger, she slid off the bed and knelt in front of him, quickly undoing his pants and tugging them down to his ankles along with his boxers. Just as I thought, hard and throbbing already. Licking her lips, she closed her hand around his erection and stroked it lazily, causing his hips to arch forward into her.

"Erin…"

"David." She puckered her lips and kissed the weeping head of his cock, licking and sucking at the pre-cum. "You always taste so good. But I can't waste time now." Opening her mouth, she engulfed him, bobbing her head up and down his heavy length. Clenching her left thumb in her fist, she deep-throated him, eager to take him all in. She felt his hands dig into her hair, holding her there, and she reveled in the loss of control on her part.

"Oh god, Erin, this is too much." She skimmed her teeth over the sensitive flesh and felt him shudder. Picking up her pace, she could tell when he lost his own magnificent control and then he was cumming inside her mouth. She quickly swallowed, still not exactly comfortable with the action. "You are amazing," he muttered as he tugged her up to kiss her deeply.

"So are you, mo chroi. Now, what should I wear today?" She shed the robe and negligee, seeing him pick the garments up off the floor from the corner of her eye. Erin giggled slightly when she felt him kiss the small of her back. He continued placing butterfly kisses up her spine and she leaned back against him. "This solves nothing, Davie. You know I take a little bit more priming before I get off."

"I know," he replied, stepping away from her to open their closet and look for an outfit. While he was deciding, she went to the bureau and pulled out fresh panties and a matching purple lace bra, knowing how much he loved that color on her. "Here, wear this." David handed her a low cut burgundy blouse and her tight black skirt.

"Easy access."

"Don't I know it, love." He kissed her cheek and stepped over to the bathroom, closing the door. Sighing, she quickly dressed and made her way downstairs, eager to help out her friend.