A/N: I don't own anything but the plot. And even that could be credited to the television series "The Brady Bunch." Okay, now we're getting to fun stuffs. Anything in the aligned center is a flashback, those I try and own. Some is cannon, some isn't.
A/N2: Inspired by the "BAU Bunch" Youtube video.
BAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAUBAU
At the end of the night, Erin stood at the edge of the dance floor - watching Dave spin Emily out, laughing at the end of his arm. She spins on her heels to see Davina watching over a sleeping Spencer and Jennifer, to the left of them Penelope is rubbing her eyes on Erin's dad's lap and Erin's mom is chatting away with Derek. She wonders how this is her life. She wonders how he got so lucky. She wonders how somehow they made it through meeting each other's children, Dave rejoining Erin's FBI team on request of the director, separating Erin Strauss from Erin Rossi. But it lead her here, married to the man of her dreams, and surrounded by so many people who love them.
Erin doesn't really care how she got here, actually; she only wishes there were someone to thank for it, because she's really, really grateful. Maybe Dave Andrews, the Director of the FBI?
"It looks good on you," Emily hugs her mother, slipping her arm through Erins.
"The dress?" Erin looks down at her peach dress, something right off the rack at Keinfeld Bridal, in New York City. Emily's face flushes as she shakes her head.
"Being married," Emily pauses a beat, "to the right man."
"Thanks, Emily," Erin says. Her heart feels so tranquil. She rubs her ring finger, sliding over the engagement ring and newly place wedding band with her thumb and smiles a little. She really is married. To Dave. "It's been a great day. It's been perfect.".
Dave doesn't know how his heart can be this full, but as Erin turns toward him with a smile, her hands over her heart, he just doesn't know how to feel anything but happy. He glances at the guests in front of them, as the DJ tells the crowd that the party is over.
"Go," Davina handed Dave the keycard to their one-night only honeymoon suite. "I've got them. Besides, Mr. and Mrs. Strauss are here."
"Don't go. Don't leave me." Derek wrapped his arms around Dave's legs and whined. "Don't leave us." After prying his son from his legs, he hushed him down and handed him over to Davina. Kissing their children, the newlyweds climbed back into the waiting limo.
"I hope the girls will be okay." Erin mused as she looked out the window.
"I hope the boys will be okay." Dave chuckled, looking at his wife's serious face. Erin knew that tonight was the first night the blended family was blended and the matriarch and patriarch wasn't around to help them.
Erin and the girls gave up their apartment in Dumfries and were officially moving into Dave's house in Potomac Heights. Aaron was staying with Derek in Derek's room, Emily and Penelope moving into Aaron's old room. The bunk beds in Spencer's room was the only change because tonight, Jennifer slept on the bottom bunk. Erin really hoped the kids didn't kill each other before she and Dave returned home.
It was 11 p.m., and Erin and Dave walked arm in arm into the Candlewood Suites in Fort Belvoir, Maryland. The hotel lobby was a cheery blush pink and awful brown shag carpet. The three black couches around the lobby and an occasional vase of faux flowers brightened it up a bit.
Flashing the keycard Davina handed him earlier, Dave and Erin walked past the receptionist (he was silently sending up a prayer of thanks for Davina checking them in earlier) to the elevators, which led them to one of the three top floor suites.
Rose petals flourished the white carpet, candles burned the scent of lavender, and the ice bucket held the champagne and strawberries. Erin gasped at the sight in front of her; it was perfect.
Erin giggled as Dave opened the champagne and it flowed everywhere, down Dave's hands, and into the waiting ice bucket. Grabbing two flutes from the table, Erin held them for Dave to pour the liquid into. Dropping a strawberry into Erin's glass, Dave sat on the bed watching his wife slowly kick off her heels with one hand and hold the glass in the other.
"Do you remember your proposal, Dave?" Erin popped the berry into her mouth as Dave kicked off his black Italian leather dress shoes.
"I definitely do," he laughed as Erin crawled near him laying her head in his lap. "Best decision I ever made."
"Best night I ever had -" Erin wanted to say more but Dave's mouth on hers stopped her.
Taking Erin to dinner at Bastille in Alexandria, Dave decided on secretly putting the ring into Erin's champagne glass at dinner with their families. Erin was completely unaware that Dave would be proposing that night at dinner. Erin's parents (in on it the whole time), because Dave had asked for her hand in marriage, and the kids did a good job of making her think it was just an average night out.
Erin noted that Dave looked extremely nervous. He was just coming home from a military presentation in some country town in rural Oklahoma. His flight was almost late, his baggage lost and the two oldest children anxious to get out of their parents grasp because it was a Friday over winter break.
At dinner, everyone, except the children who had non-alcoholic champagne, was presented with a glass of champagne because it was the 'restaurants anniversary.' Strawberries were plated and put on the table. Dave was just about blow a fuse, because the ring wasn't on the plate like he had planned, when the restaurant's owners, Sarah and Elijah, came out from the kitchen and interrupted the meal at Dave's table only.
"Mr. Rossi, family, we have to apologize." Sarah started, "Elijah dropped the cork inside the bottle used for your table. Please check your glasses carefully before drinking." Erin looked in her glass and saw nothing at first. This was probably due to the bad choice on the Sarah's part of using rosé instead of white champagne.
Glass in hand; Erin noticed the whole table staring at her. The waitstaff lined up behind her and Dave and she eyed Dave suspicious. As she started to rack her brain, she noted the kids were semi quiet only talking when they were asked a question. She looked down and saw something shining in the bottom of the glass. She turned her head to Dave as another glass was put in front of her.
Grabbing her hand, Dave got on knee and began, "Erin Elizabeth Strauss. This has been the most intense two years of my life. Rejoining the bureau, meeting you, realizing you of all people was my section chief, learning to separate Agent Rossi from David Rossi, thank you. Can I make you Section Chief Rossi?" Erin started to cry and she didn't hide it. Derek came over with an open box in his hand.
"Will you marry our dad?" Aaron, who was behind Derek, asked. The white gold ring contained each of the six kids' names the entwined bands that embraced the center of the ring: the birthstones.
"Say yes, mommy," Jennifer pipped up from her spot on her grandfather's knee. No words would form. All Erin could do was nod. Dave got up off his knee and kissed Erin.
"David Rossi, is that something else, or are you just happy to see me," Erin whispered in his ear as they became flush against each other.
The military man waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Erin. "It's the real engagement ring." Pulling out the velvet box, he slid the diamond center stone with pave set diamond and blue sapphire accents on Erin's finger.
Whispering into Dave's kisses, "You're absolutely hopeless, David Rossi. He nodded, pulling her against him on the bed, allowing the Erin's weight to bear down on him.
Erin let out a sigh of contentment, kissing her husband, "I know."
Awkward silence took over the hotel room. The soft glow of candles illuminated the room and the sound of ice melting into water and clinking against the bucket was the only sound. Erin's hand laid on Dave' chest. The empty glasses moved to the table once more.
When Erin sighed, her husband nodded, and pulled her out of her thoughts. "Let's go."
Hand in hand, the waited for the elevator back down the stairs. Startling the receptionist, they took off to the car that was waiting for them (Davina and Dave's sister-in-law checked them in and left Dave's car while they were taking pictures). "Mr. Rossi!"
Dave waved his free hand at the hotel worker, "Don't worry, we'll be back!"
They got into Dave's Chevy Suburban and took off for home.
