"The Zofran isn't helping this morning, Spence," she said softly as she rubbed her stomach.
"You're nervous about going to see Shepperd. Do you want me to come up with you?"
She thought about his question. She had been such an independent woman, so strong and self-assured until alcohol had destroyed everything. Now she found herself relying on Spencer and others. A part of her welcomed the support she was receiving, and another part of her chafed against it. And then her husband smiled at her, and her chafing heart subsided. "Yes, I would love it if you came with me."
He nodded and they got out of the car. When they got to the elevator, they met up with Jennifer and she smiled kindly. "Good morning, you two! How are you feeling today, Erin?"
"Nervous. We're going to see Shepperd this morning, and tell him about my pregnancy. I'm a quarter of the way there this week."
"Ten weeks along already?" Erin nodded. "I can't believe you're showing already."
"This is my fifth pregnancy. You tend to show earlier and earlier with each one." Spencer slid his arm around her waist protectively as she recognized her slip.
"Fifth? But you only… Oh, Erin." The woman reached out and touched her shoulder, her eyes sparkling with tears. "You, too?" She nodded and then Jennifer was stepping forward and hugging her tightly.
"Please, don't let the others know."
"Of course, I understand completely. It's such a private experience to go through." She stepped back and Erin squeezed her husband's hand tightly. "If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask. Penelope or I will be happy to do it for you."
She nodded shortly as the elevator stopped on the sixth floor. "Jennifer? Keep us in your thoughts?"
"Will do, Erin." The woman smiled kindly at her as she exited the elevator and then they were alone on their ride up to the tenth floor.
Spencer held her hand as they walked down the hall towards Shepperd's office. A few of the people milling around looked at them askance, and she tried to ignore their glances as she straightened her shoulder and placed her free hand protectively on her stomach. Karen was at her desk already, and Erin cleared her throat to get the woman's attention. "Yes?"
"We need to speak with Ron, please," she said softly.
"He's on a conference all right now. I think he should be just another ten minutes or so, if you want to have a seat and wait for him." She nodded and they went over to the sofa, taking a seat close together.
"You know these minutes are going to feel like years, Spence." Erin bit her lip as she rubbed her stomach, trying to calm the roiling there.
"Look at me, my Heloise." She did as he asked and saw he was smiling tenderly at her. "No matter what happens today, you are my wife and the mother of my child. We'll get through this and be stringer for it."
"I love you, Spencer." She pressed two fingers to her lips and he copied the movement before touching his fingers to her. She smiled and settled back on the couch to wait. Spencer's arm came to rest around her shoulders and she leaned against him.
The interminable minutes passed and finally Karen looked up at them. "You can go on in. He's off his call." They nodded and stood. Spencer slid his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him as they walked into the inner office. Ron was bent over a stack of papers and she felt her stomach flip flop.
"Good morning, Ron."
He looked up at them, a relaxed smile crossing his lips. "Erin, Spencer, what can I do for you?"
Erin took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant, Ron."
His smile faltered and he looked at her in concern. "Is the morning sickness as bad this time?"
"Yes, but I'm on Zofran again. I think I'm going to retire once she's here."
Ron motioned for them to take a seat in front of him. "Is that what you really want, Erin?"
She shook her head. "No. But you know how difficult my pregnancies are. I really just want to take good care of this baby."
"I see." He sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he looked at them. A few minutes passed and she reached out for Spencer's hand. The Director smiled at the tender gesture and some of her anxiety passed away. "Would an extended maternity leave work better for you, perhaps?"
She locked eyes with him as she nodded. "That might actually be perfect. My doctor hasn't said it yet, but I'm assuming it will be half days at twenty four weeks again. But I can take more of the paperwork home with me, and do it there."
"That did work well for your previous pregnancies. Is Spencer taking care of you?"
Looking over at her husband, she returned his gentle smile. "He is the perfect helpmeet to me."
"That's wonderful." Ron stood and they followed suit. Erin was not surprised when he came around to the other side of the desk and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Congratulations."
"Thank you." He guided them over to the door and followed them out to the elevators. "I'll keep you updated with my progress, Ron. Oh, and did HR get our change of address?"
He nodded. "And I noticed how close it is to Dave. You haven't killed each other yet, which is a good sign."
"Fifty acres and a lake separate us. I think we'll be fine." She grinned as the elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. "Have a good day."
He waved to them and once the doors were closed, she collapsed against her husband. "That went a lot better than you thought it would," Spencer said as he rubbed her side gently. "In another ten weeks, we'll be halfway through our pregnancy. It seems hard to believe that time is passing so quickly."
"Not quickly, lightly. We're so happy that the passage of time just happens. Would you be able to stay with me until the briefing? I don't want to be clingy, but…I want you near me for a few hours longer."
He nodded. "I can do that, Erin." The elevator doors opened and they stepped out. She clasped his hand as they went to her office and she felt more and more at ease. Helen smiled up at them as they entered.
"Good morning. The files from the last case are on your desk and waiting for you to review them."
"Thank you, Helen." They went into her office and Spencer led her over to the sofa. "I think you're heading out on a case today. Mike's been trying to keep me in the loop," she said as they sat. She picked up the first file and curled up into his side. Automatically, his arm came to rest around her shoulders and she sighed happily.
Spencer's phone buzzing was her cue to stand and he joined her, wrapping his arms around her. "Don't do anything foolish while I'm gone, Erin. Okay?"
"I promise that I won't. I love you, Spence."
"I love you, too." He kissed her softly and she tried to blink back her tears. "Your hormones are working overtime today." She nodded, trying to laugh a little. It came out all wrong to her ears, though, and she hugged him again.
"Come see me the moment you get back." He nodded, caressing her face as his phone buzzed once more. "Duty calls, Spencer. You don't want to upset Aaron." They kissed once more before he left the room and she sank back down on the sofa. These next thirty weeks are going to be awful, she thought as she picked up the next report she had to work on.
She didn't look up from the busy work until she smelt lunch. Setting the last report aside, she saw Penelope standing in the doorway of her office and she beckoned her in. "Reid told me I had to bring you lunch today."
Erin smiled as Penelope sat next to her. "What did you bring us?"
"I got you the number ten meal, while I got the number seven from Burger Meister. He told me you'd been craving mushrooms, so that influenced what I got you." The woman handed her a takeout box and she opened it, breathing in the delicious scent.
"Did you happen to pick up utensils?" she asked as she picked up a fry. The seasonings, which she normally loved, unsettled her stomach, and she quickly put the rest of it down, picking up the pickle spear instead and taking a small, cautious, bite. The acidity settled her stomach a little, and she sighed in relief as she took the fork and knife from Penelope's hand.
"Are you feeling okay? Do you need me to get your Zofran?" she asked in concern.
Erin smiled weakly and nodded. "It's in my purse, in the bottom left hand drawer of my desk." The woman got up and hurried over to the desk, quickly finding the bottle and bringing it to her. After she'd taken a dose, she sat back and rubbed her stomach. "If you ever get pregnant, do not use me as a frame of reference. Okay?"
"It will go away, though. Right?"
Erin shook her head as a soft knock came at the door. She looked up to see Helen there, a bag of food in her hands. "Would you mind if I joined you?"
"I'd like that, Helen." The other woman sat down next to Erin and pulled out her lunch. "I was just telling Penelope that the morning sickness doesn't go away for me."
"Erin's right. I was here for her last pregnancy, and held her hair back many a time. My own pregnancy was a breeze in comparison."
Erin cut her burger in half and picked up a half, taking a bite. Whatever was in it seemed to agree with the baby and she wolfed the whole thing down in short order. "I think I'm going to have you pick this up for me again tomorrow, Helen." She pushed away the container. "But no fries. Maybe they have a fruit substitute."
"I'll check when I order." Erin nodded and sat back, covering her stomach with her hands. "This pregnancy is going better than your others, though, isn't it?"
"So far. But there's always time for that to change." Sighing, she looked first at Helen and then at Penelope. "But I think it's time we got back to work. Have a good day, ladies." She stood and went over to her desk, placing the completed reports in her out box.
As Erin took a seat behind her desk, she smiled at the picture of her and Spencer. Looking up, she saw Penelope was still there. "Erin?"
"Yes, Penelope?"
"Clyde wants me to come visit him. I don't know if I want that, though."
"Why not?"
"I don't know." Erin frowned slightly and Penelope shrugged. "Okay, so maybe I do know. I guess I'm a little scared to be taking this next step. Going there to see him will make everything a little more serious." Penelope curled up in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "But I would like to spend some time with him."
Her smile grew as she realized how smitten Penelope was. "Why don't I see what Mike and I can come up with. I think I heard murmurings about someone going over to Interpol and spending some time there on assignment."
The joy that swept over her friend's face was infectious, and Erin felt her own joy bubble up. "That would be really amazing, Erin! Thank you!"
"It's not a done deal, Penny. I still have to talk with him." The woman nodded and stood, coming over to her side and hugging her tightly.
"I know, but I'm really grateful that you would do this for me." Erin returned the embrace, welcoming the touch. That was one thing she had started getting more used to, since being with Spencer. Everyone around him was so touchy feely. Oh, it was mainly little brushes against her arm, or nudges in her side, but Penelope never did things by half. And Erin secretly loved that. "Do you have plans for supper tonight?"
"French dip and a movie. Why? Thinking of crashing?"
Penelope blushed and nodded. "If you wouldn't mind. Jessica and Will are having a boy's night with Henry and Jack, and I'm having a hard time finding anything in common with Alex. She and Reid talk so much about things I don't understand. I swear, she deliberately shuts the rest of us out. I know, I should try harder to get along, but…"
Erin felt a flicker of jealousy flare up in her chest when Penelope mentioned Spencer and that woman talking, and she rubbed her stomach absently. "Has she said anything about me?"
"Well…yes. I've learned to tune that out, too. She really hates when Reid talks about you and your relationship. Hey, do you want to get her goat this afternoon?" She nodded. "Great! Come with me, then."
She stood and followed the woman down to the bullpen. The people there were busy working and she smiled a little as Anderson met her eye. Once safely behind the door to Penelope's office, she was ushered over to the plush office chair. "What am I going to be doing?"
"Giving the team their first breadcrumb of information. I've had a couple searches running while we were eating, so there should be something to report to them. You can call her directly."
"Penelope's smile was wicked and Erin couldn't help but feel the same way as she accepted the Bluetooth from her friend's hand. As she pointed to what Erin had to tell Alex, a familiar knot of apprehension popped up in her stomach as the phone rang. "Hello, Alex. I've got some news on the case for you," she said as the woman answered, hoping she sounded calmer than she felt.
"Erin. How…nice to hear from you. What news is there?"
She ran down the list, following Penelope's finger as she read. "Oh, and would you please tell my husband that we miss him?"
"We?"
"Oh, you didn't know? We're having a baby in thirty weeks."
There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and then Alex spoke once more. "I guess congratulations are in order, then. I'll pass on the message." The phone abruptly cut off and she smiled tiredly at Penelope.
"No one told her about the sprog?"
"I guess it slipped our minds. Did that feel good, though?"
"A little, yes. Though I shouldn't let needling like that make me happy. I should be better than that."
Penelope reached out for her hand, clasping it tightly. "And she should have accepted your amends. You gave her a heartfelt apology and she threw it in your face. I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"That she hurt you so. I saw the look on your face when they got back from Texas. In ten seconds, she broke your heart." Leaning forward, she kissed her cheek softly. "Now, I think it is nap time for you and the baby. You look exhausted."
"My husband put you up to this, didn't he?"
Penelope blushed as she nodded. "He read that naps are good for you and the baby. I'm only supposed to let you sleep for twenty minutes, since supposedly that's the optimal nap length." Erin tried to not roll her eyes as she slipped off her heels. "Why don't you get comfortable on the sofa while I grab out a blanket?"
"All right," she replied as she stretched out on the sofa, moving the pillow to better cradle her head. To her surprise, she did feel tired, and as Penelope settled the blanket around her, she yawned. "Thank you, Penelope."
"You're welcome, Sugar Plum." A wobbly smile crossed her face. "I love you both, so much. I won't let her hurt you."
"Love makes us vulnerable to life's hurts, Penny. That's just how it is. But I am so glad that we have a friend like you." Erin reached out for Penelope's hand, and the woman clasped it tightly. "I love you, too," she whispered as she fell asleep, feeling safe in the presence of her friend.
When Penelope shook her awake, it seemed like no time at all had passed. "It's been half an hour, I let you sleep ten extra minutes. I guess it's time to get back to work."
"I guess," she said through a yawn as she stretched. "I do feel a lot better, though."
"See, a nap is good for what ails you." Penelope smiled and helped her to stand up. "Oh, and the package arrived for you and Reid today. He's going to put the stroller together when he gets home and you are not allowed to lift that package when you get home. Doctor Reid's orders."
"He was tracking it, wasn't he?"
"Down to the minute. Seems his princess isn't going to want for anything in this world."
Erin rubbed her stomach gently. "Between all of us spoiling her, I should say not. But that's okay. She's going to be loved and wanted from the minute she's born. I do have a favor to ask, Penelope."
"Name it."
"I'm hopeless with knitting and crocheting. Would you mind helping me make some blankets and what not?"
"Of course I can do that, Sugar Plum! Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" The woman hugged her tightly and Erin found herself silently agreeing. This was going to be such fun.