"Ano sa? Do any of you know what that means?" Erin asked as she looked around the room at the Alpha team. Since the last case had ended so oddly for his team, she had taken to sitting in on the briefings. Now, in her thirteenth week of pregnancy, her stomach had begun to swell gently, and she couldn't keep her hands off it, rubbing gently as she focused on her husband.
"It's Japanese," Alex said lowly, trying not to meet her gaze. "It roughly translates to 'hey, you know'. Though why the unsub would carve that on his victim's chests is beyond me."
They both shuddered in tandem, and Erin tried to smile at the woman, hoping this time the olive branch would be accepted. With Penelope gone for two weeks yet in London, she found herself adrift more than she cared to admit. A timid, tender, smile flickered across the other woman's face before being replaced with a more serious look. It was progress, though, and she was glad for it." "I'm at a loss as well."
"Maybe it has something to do with otaku culture. I wish Garcia was here, she could probably make more sense of this. I hope to have a working theory by the time we land in Houston. Wheels up in thirty, everyone."
Hotch stood and left the room, the others following closely at his heels. Erin got up out of her chair and Spencer came up to her, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm going to be fine, I promise you."
"I feel silly, you know. Making you promise me that each time is a little clingy."
"And your hormones are in flux, due to our baby. I understand completely." He kissed her forehead, calming her at once. "Our next appointment is Friday. I'm going to do my best to be here this time for it. I want to see our baby's heartbeat for myself."
She nodded against his chest before bringing her lips up for a kiss. "And then next month, if things go right, we'll confirm she's a girl. It'll be a touch early, but with my youngest, we found out at eighteen weeks she was a girl." He kissed her once more before they walked arm in arm from the rom.
"I love you," he said as they stopped by his desk.
"I love you, too," she replied. Erin kissed his cheek before hurrying back to her office. After settling behind her desk, she pulled out the first file that needed to be worked on. The time seemed to fly by as she focused on her work, and she was startled by her phone ringing. "Hello?"
"Hey! You know, I was hoping I would catch you at the office still. How are things going?"
She smiled as she recognized Penelope's voice. "I miss you. The team is out on a weird case in Houston. It seems the unsub is carving 'ano sa' into his victim's chests. Does that mean anything to you?"
"Not really. It's casual Japanese, but I don't know of any significance to anything in particular. How's the baby?"
"She's fine, I suppose. The morning sickness is actually abating a tiny bit already. I can't go without the Zofran, but it's completely taking away the nausea right now. Do you know how much of a blessing that is?"
"I can only imagine. So, I think I should tell Morgan I'm dating Clyde."
Erin settled back in her chair, eager for the story she was about to be told. "And why is that, Penny?"
"He's coming home with me for a three week vacation." Erin could hear the smile in Penelope's voice and knew she was extremely happy. "We hit it off a lot better than I thought we would, given how things with Kevin ended. Would you like to double date when we get home? I want him to meet all my friends, so he can get to know my life, just like I've gotten to know his."
"I'm sure we can arrange something. Maybe you could come out to the cabin one night." She felt her breath catch oddly and she let out a deep sigh as she rubbed her stomach.
"What's wrong?" Like Spencer, Penelope seemed able to pick up on her shifts in mood and feelings, and it felt good to have a friend such as her in her life.
"Nothing, I think. I just couldn't catch my breath there for a moment. I think it's how she's resting this morning. My Brenna was the same way. She'd move and cram herself up under my diaphragm. It was little surprise that that was her favorite cuddle spot when she was young."
"That is seriously adorable, Erin. I'm sorry, I have to go now. I'll see you soon."
"Until then, Penny." They hung up and Erin settled back in her chair, rubbing her baby bump absently. This was going to be a long two weeks, she could just feel it in her bones.
The rest of her day dragged by, and she left with Helen at five. They walked to the elevator bank together, and the woman surprised her by reaching out and touching her shoulder. "Are you getting enough sleep, Erin? You look exhausted today."
"I didn't take my nap this afternoon. I was busy on the phone with Penelope and it completely slipped my mind. Would you mind making a note to tell me to nap every day? Both Spence and Penelope have told me to do so, and I certainly feel better when I do."
"Of course I can do that, Erin." They exited the elevator and Erin walked slowly over to her Lexus. A strange feeling of foreboding filled her heart, and she drove home carefully. Two miles from her doorstep, three deer ran out in front of her, and she couldn't stop or swerve to avoid them.
"Lord, please protect Diana," she whispered as the car impacted with the middle deer. The last thing she felt was her head hitting the steering wheel before everything went black.
Erin came to consciousness slowly, and the first thing she heard was the beeping of monitors. She tried to lift her right arm, to see if she still had her baby bump, but it was so heavy. She ached everywhere, and as her eyes fluttered open, a few tears began to roll down her cheeks. "Hey! You know you're not supposed to leave me, Heloise. You are my faithful lover."
She looked up into her husband's concerned face and tried to smile. "Tell that to the deer, then. How's Diana?"
"Our baby is fine, Erin. That's how you broke your arm. You were protecting her." Spencer leaned down and kissed her tenderly. "We have someone who is quite anxious to see her friend. Do you feel up to visitors?"
"I guess." She struggled to sit up and he helped her, smiling gently. "Spence? I love you."
"I love you, too." He kissed her once more before going over to the door and opening it slightly. "Garcia, you can come in now."
The woman pushed her way past him, hurrying over to Erin's bedside. "Oh, Sugar Plum! I've been so worried about you and the baby. I took the first flight back home when Reid called me about the accident. Clyde came with me, he's in the waiting room with Derek. They haven't killed each other yet, which is a miracle in and of itself. And you're awake!"
Erin was wrapped in a soft, careful, hug and she did her best to return the embrace. "I didn't mean to worry you," she began, only to feel a gentle finger on her lips.
"Erin Reid, you just concern yourself with getting better. Everyone is here and pulling for you, even Alex. Our new Section Chief grounded the team until you're well enough to go home." She nodded and was rewarded with a soft kiss to her cheek. "They would like to come in and see you, if you'd be okay with that. Reid and I won't leave your side."
"Sure." Spencer nodded and went over to the door once more, signaling to someone. Moments later, her room was filled to the brim with her family and friends. Her girls automatically sat at her side, her eldest resting a hand on her stomach.
"You're not supposed to scare your husband like that, bella. It was a job keeping him calm enough to get safely home." Dave also kissed her cheek before going over to the window and reclining against it.
"As I told Spence, I do not control nature. You and he are going to have to go on a deer hunt and take care of the problem for me." She felt herself tear up once more, overwhelmed by everything, and Penelope clasped her hand tightly. "Thank you all, for coming to see me. I do appreciate it."
Meeting Clyde's eye, she nodded slightly, and he picked up on her mood. "Penny, luv, why don't we take Derek out for supper? Erin's awake now, you can visit again tomorrow."
Her friend frowned slightly before kissing the back of Erin's hand. "If you need anything, anything at all, before I come again, do not hesitate to give me a call. I will be here so quickly that you'll wonder if I even left."
Erin nodded faintly, squeezing Penelope's hand before letting go. "I know you will. That's one of the reasons why I love you." She was rewarded with a sunny smile before the trio took off. "And what about my children? Are you all right now that you know you can't get rid of me this easily?"
"I don't know what I would have done if we'd lost you, Mom." Her son surprised her by hugging her fiercely, placing a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "But you look so tired. Will it be okay if we come back tomorrow and talk?"
"That will be fine, my loves." She kissed each of them in turn before they left the room in a huddle. Sighing, she looked at the others still assembled in her room. "Well, is there anything else I should know?"
"I think we're good, Erin." Alex spoke lowly, not meeting her eye. "Consider all debts cancelled." Erin felt her lips turn up in a small grin and she reached out for her husband's hand.
"That's all I ever wanted, Alex. A level playing field to start over on." The woman nodded and Erin caught the faint shimmer of tear tracks on her cheeks. "Although all this crying over me has to stop. I'm fine, Diana is fine, and we'll be out of here before you know it."
They nodded and filed from the room, Alex looking back to smile at her, as if to reassure herself that Erin was still there. As the door to her room closed, Spencer sank down on the bed next to her, gathering her up in his arms. "I'm sorry that it took a car accident to get her to bury the hatchet with you/"
She nodded before nuzzling her face into his chest. "Are you staying the night with me?" she asked as a doctor bustled into the room, a slight smile on her face.
"Your husband hasn't left your side in the four days you've been in here. I doubt that's going to change now. How are you feeling, Erin?"
"Okay, I think. Has it really been that long?"
"Well, you bumped your head pretty good on the steering wheel, and that gave you quite the concussion. Do you feel up to eating tonight, or would you prefer to wait until breakfast tomorrow?"
She rubbed her stomach uneasily, looking up at Spencer. "Perhaps we could wait until tomorrow. My stomach feels a little oogy at the moment." The doctor nodded and made a note in her chart. "Did Spence tell you about the Zofran?"
"He did, and we've been giving to you intravenously."
"Good." Tears prickled her eyes again and she locked gazes with her husband. "Can he sleep in the same bed as me? We're separated so often due to his job…"
"That will be fine, Erin." The doctor smiled at them as she left, and Erin carefully scooted over to make more room for her husband.
"I missed you. Even though you were in the same room as I was, I couldn't talk with you. Jayje says I took the news of your accident badly. I can't remember anything about that night. If I'd lost you, and Diana, though, I don't know what I would have done." He spooned his body against her, covering her baby bump with his hand.
"I love you," she murmured through a yawn, tugging his hand further around her waist so that he embraced her fully. "What else did I miss while I was asleep?"
"Ron's decided to let you work from home until she's here. Rossi and I agree with his decision."
Erin tried to roll her eyes at their micro-managing, but found she couldn't. "Where would I be without my white knights? Did we get any good mail at the house?"
"A few catalogs. And a package for you."
She smiled slightly. "Did you bring it with you?" she asked eagerly.
"I night have. Do you want me to get up and give it to you?" She nodded enthusiastically and he let go of her to climb out of bed and go over to his go bag. Pulling out a thin package, he came back to her, curling around her once more. "Here, I hope you like this. I picked it out before the accident."
She took the box from his hands and began to open it, finding it hard to do with her broken arm. Finally, the packaging tape came loose and she handed it to him as she pulled another slim box form it. Opening the lid revealed an elegant owl necklace, and she smiled up at her husband. "This is beautiful. Put it on me."
Spencer chuckled as he took it from her hand, draping it around her neck as he clasped it. "My wise Heloise," he murmured as he kissed the nape of her neck. "You know, we've been forbidden from having any sexual relations until that arm of yours is healed."
"What?"
"I know, but too much strenuous activity could see you injuring it further. And you want it to be fully healed by the time Diana makes her appearance."
"You sound so certain now, that she is a girl."
He nodded against her shoulder. "The doctors did a blood test to make sure everything with her was okay. That's when they confirmed her gender. Our perfect little girl will be here in twenty seven weeks."
Erin covered his hands on her stomach. "Life is so very good to us, even with this minor bump in the road. I hope I don't go stir crazy being home alone so much."
"Well, you could ask one of your daughters to move in until Diana's born. Or I'm sure Penelope wouldn't mind watching over you, if one of them can't."
She smiled, thinking of how lovely both of those options might be. "I knew I married you for a reason, Spence. You take such good care of me." Yawning, she turned in his arms, careful not to jostle her broken arm. "I hate being so clingy, but I love you so much that I don't want to go back to sleep. I lost four days with you already."
"The sleep is good for your healing."
"I know that, Spence. But I still want to be awake and in your presence for a little while longer tonight. Will you tell me a story about your childhood?"
"There isn't much to tell, Erin. I didn't really have much of a childhood, since I was so different from other children. I love my intelligence now, but it was such a curse when I was younger." He stopped speaking and cleared his throat. "I understand those kids who kill themselves from bullying, you know."
"Why?" she asked quietly, grasping his hand tightly.
"I wanted to, too. I was bullied unmercifully in school. Yeah, I joked about how Hotch kicks like a girl, but that's only because I know the difference."
"What kept you here with us, then, my love?" She turned her face and kissed his cheek gently.
"Knowing my mother would be totally alone. And that would lead to her being put in one of those awful, poorly funded, sanitariums. I couldn't do that to her. I had to be strong for the both of us." Erin could hear the tears in his voice and she nuzzled in closer to him. "And then, it got better. I learned to cope with the assholes, to know that I could do so much more than they ever could, due to my intelligence and inquisitiveness."
"And then you came to us."
"I did. And then I fell in love with an ash-blonde goddess whose sharp tongue can reduce mere mortals to shreds." She smiled, feeling a wave of contentment wash over her.
"Well, this goddess fell in love with the demigod who brought her back down to Earth." Erin yawned once more, and fell back against the bed. "I don't think I can stay awake any longer, Spence. I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry for, Erin. I'm just so glad you're awake and with us, no longer in that limbo." He pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead and she sighed, letting her eyes flutter closed. "You have been the best thing to happen in my life in such a long time. I'd forgotten what true joy felt like"
"True joy is resting in your arms," she murmured before giving in to sleep, feeling his arms tighten around her.