After that night at the bar Morgan was attached to Pen at the hip. He wanted to know who she was dating and when she told him no one, he still didn't leave her alone. After not spending anytime time together in the last four months, he suddenly wanted to do movie nights and lunches. She had told Aaron she would do lunches with him but not movies nights. Aaron didn't like it but as long as Pen came home to him, which she did, he let it go.

At one lunch, she asked about Monica and he told her where he met her and how long they have been dating. He went on and on about how special she was and how understood his job. She told him how happy she was for him and that maybe she was the one for him. She noticed the way he was staring at her. It made her nervous. He asked her if she had a date for the Christmas party and she no. He told her they could go together and she said she didn't think she was going to go. He studied her and knew she was lying. Pen couldn't pull off a lie.

Now here she was getting ready for the party after having a spa day with the girls. She had her nails painted a bright red, she waxed what needed waxing, had a message, and of course a facial. She was at her apartment getting ready because she didn't want Aaron to see her dress. He was unhappy but it was so going to be worth it when she saw his face. She ran her hands over her dress and checked one last time in the mirror. She drove to the hotel and got there at the same time as Rossi. She waited for him to go in before she got out. She walked in and immediately her gaze sought out Aaron. She found him and his eyes widen and she smiled: mission accomplished. She walked straight to her team who were all gathered together. The men had their jaws open and the women had a smirk on their faces. Pen was wearing a red velvet dress that hugged her curves and showed enough of her ample cleavage to tempt any man or woman for that matter. The dress also had trim on faux fur around the collar, cuffs, and the hem. She also had a Santa hat on and earrings in the shapes of candy canes in her ears.

"Wow Pen that dress looks amazing." JJ said.

"Yeah, the men can't even say anything yet."

Pen, JJ and Emily all laughed at the men. As she took a drink off a waited, she could feel Aaron's eyes on her. After about thirty minutes, Derek showed up with passing Monica on his arms. He took one look at Pen and couldn't stop staring at her. Monica noticed it too. She danced with Reid and then Dave.

"You know Aaron is dying a long slow death."

"Why do you say that?"

"You show up in that dress and he can't stake his claim like he wants to and there's the fact that Derek can't keep his eyes off of you."

"I'm not worried about Derek or where his eyes are. I'm only worried about Aaron. I love him Dave and Morgan was just fantasy I had, a nice fantasy but a fantasy just the same."

"Well then I'd say that you have Aaron wrapped around your finger. He loves you and would do anything for you. You make him happy, more than I think he ever was with Haley."

Just then someone tapped Rossi shoulders and they turned to see Mick Rawson. He was standing there with a big grin on his face.

"Mind if I cut in?"

"No not at all."

Dave handed Pen over to Rawson and he swept her into his arms and they laughed as they danced. Rossi walked back over to Aaron who was fuming.

"Why did you let him cut in?"

"Relax Aaron. She loves you and no one is going to change that."

"You know Rawson has always been interested in Pen since she started helping out Coop's team. He's even asked her out."

"And she said no..."

Aaron watched as Rawson twirled Pen around the dance floor. When she had enough she made her way back to where Aaron and Dave where at. She saw the look on Aarons face and knew he was mad. Dinner was served and the entire team and the significant others sat down to eat. Pen and Aaron sat next to each other and she grabbed his hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. He didn't react and she knew he wouldn't. After dinner, the dancing continued and before Rawson could come back and ask her to dance, Aaron drew to her to the floor. They didn't talk and Pen couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm sorry I made you mad."

"Oh Pen. I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at the situation. I want everyone to know we are together but then I don't. Everyone will be in our business and I don't want that right now. I was jealous seeing you dance with Rawson. I know he feels something for you …"

"But I don't feel anything for him. If I did I would have acted on it a long time ago. I love you Aaron and only you." she whispered. "When can we go home?"

"Not for a while yet but be ready when we can."

They danced a few more times and then she excused herself to go to the bathroom. She came out and when she did she heard Derek arguing with Monica.

"What is your problem, Monica?"

"Why do you just keep staring at that woman?"

"That woman has a name and she happens to be my best friend."

"Really, well how come I've never heard anything about her in the four months we have been dating?"

She turned around and went the other way. So that was the reason he stopped talking to her like he used and the reason their movie dates no longer existed. She thought that was it but couldn't be sure. She snorted when she remembered the "best friend" comment. They might have been best friends for over seven years but that had stopped four months ago. She found Aaron and he nodded at her. She said her goodbyes to the team and everyone else and then left. Aaron left ten minutes later and met her at parking lot of his apartment. He walked to her car and opened her door and helped her out. Holding hands they walked to his apartment and to the bedroom where he removed Pen dress and lingerie and made love to her like a man taking his last breath. When Pen screamed his name, he smiled in satisfaction. He waited for Pen to come down from her orgasm and then he made love to her slowly, taking his time to bring her to the brink just to leave her panting and wanting release. When he finally let her have a release, she moaned his name and clung to him as if he was her life line.

The days passed into weeks. Christmas came and went along with the New Year. Christmas went fine with Aaron and Pen. She spent a lot of time with Jack, making sure he didn't feel alone. They took him to Haley's grave to put flowers on it for Christmas and insisted that Auntie Pen went with them. She stayed to the side and listed to Jack talk to his mom about how much he missed and loved her. He then spoke about his Auntie Pen how much she was taking of him and his daddy. He told Haley how much he loved his Auntie Pen. That made Pen cry and Aaron knew she would be emotional. The only mar for the holiday is that the Brook's refused to go to Aaron's while Pen was there. They asked for Jack to come to Jessica's but he didn't want to. It was Pen who finally convinced him and told him that they loved him and wanted to see him. She stayed at the apartment while Aaron dropped him off Christmas afternoon and was with him when he picked Jack up later that night, just as she promised.

January came and went and the cases became longer and harder. Some of them took their toll on Aaron but she was there when he needed her. Her daily routine consisted of taking jack to school, picking him up from daycare; which he started when Aaron over heard what Jessica and her mom said about Pen. Jack was happy and that was all that mattered but Jessica and her parents were not. They've had very heated discussions about Jessica taking of Jack but nothing changed. After she picked up Jack they went to Aaron's apartment and she made Jack dinner, then helped him get ready for bed. She worked from Aaron's office if the team needed her.

February had the team on a case and it was a bad one. They have been in an UNSUB was kidnaping women, torturing them and then raping them before killing them. It was especially difficult for the team and specially Aaron: all the woman were blond and curvaceous and bore an uncanny resemblance to Pen. Aaron was worried about her looking at pictures and more worried about her safety. She had gave them the information they needed to arrest the UNSUB now she sat there waiting for Aaron to call her. She waited nervously as the time went by. Her phone rang. It wasn't Aaron it was Rossi. Her hands shook as she answered.

"Pen, its Aaron."