"He is risen," Pastor Matt intoned.
"He is risen, indeed," they repeated. Aaron looked around at their pew and smiled. They had managed to fill an entire row this year and he couldn't be happier. Penelope and Erin were seated next to each other, as usual, though the babies were being held by other people.
"Before you're seated, please greet those around you." Pastor Matt came down to their pew and shook his hand. "How are you today, Aaron?"
"Great. It's been a wonderful year."
"That it has. Remember, at the end of the service, Pastor Tom is going to call you and your family up to the front and welcome you to the congregation."
Aaron nodded and the young man left, going back up front. It felt good to be a part of this church that had welcomed them so. They sang more two hymns before sitting and listening to Mary sing a solo.
During offertory, Ruth began to fuss and that set Naomi off. The girls were quickly given to their mothers and fed, and he smiled at the contented look on Penelope's face He pulled her closer to him and she snuggled back, listening to the choir sing. He could feel his shirt become damp and looked down at his wife. Though she was smiling, she was crying and she held tightly to Erin's hand.
Their bond had only grown stronger in the six weeks since Ruth was born. He was reminded of Haley and Jessica's relationship, how they seemed to know without saying what they were feeling. JJ seemed to finally be accepting the new status quo, which was good, especially with the impending birth of her second child.
The sermon was on the depth of God's love for them and he watched Reid take notes furiously, seeming engaged in what the man was saying. This surprised Aaron, since he knew he was there only to humor Penelope.
They sang one final song before Pastor Seifert stood before them once more. "As we celebrate the new life we have in Christ, we also want to celebrate the new members we're adding to our church. Would Aaron and Penelope Hotchner please come forward?"
They stepped out of the pew and he led her forward to the platform. As they stood there, Pastor Seifert gave them each a certificate commemorating the occasion. "Please join me in welcoming them to our congregation." The other applauded as they followed their senior pastor back into the narthex.
The team joined them moments later and stood nearby as they greeted the other members. George began to cry, and Penelope sat on the bench behind them, feeding him discreetly.
Once everyone was gone, they regrouped, Erin hugging Penelope tightly. "Our reservations aren't until two, I thought we'd get out later today," Dave said as he rocked Ruth back and forth in his arms.
"Well, we could head over to the restaurant. Maybe they'll seat us early," Morgan said. He nodded and they all headed out to their cars.
Aaron and Penelope each put a carrier in its base while Jack got buckled into his booster seat. The drive to Hammond's didn't take very long and they were shown to a private dining room for their group.
Two waiters came through and took their drink orders while they got situated around the long table. "It's too bad Sean and his girlfriend couldn't make it down," Penelope said as she hooked Naomi into the overturned highchair.
"He's going to try and come down for a week in June. Chelsea's mom is sick, I guess."
"I see." She cooed at Naomi and he smiled at them. "I suppose I should look over the menu and decide what I want."
By the time the waiters had come around with their drinks, he'd decided, though Penelope was still weighing her options. "Sweet Pea, get something special. It's Easter Sunday, after all." She nodded and set the menu aside, sipping at her lemonade.
Erin was once more holding Ruth, feeding her for the second time that day. "Your daughter has your appetite, Derek," she said wryly, looking down the table at him.
Emily laughed loudly and Morgan play punched her on the shoulder. "We've noticed the same thing at her midnight feedings. I just thought she was making up for getting here a little earlier. Six pounds, two ounces is small for a newborn these days."
"But she's beautiful, just like her mother," Dave said, rubbing his wife's shoulder. As one, the other women sighed and Dave just shook his head.
Erin arched an eyebrow at him, smirking. "He's mine, ladies. Stick to your own guys." Penelope giggled and Erin dissolved into laughter as well. Aaron was surprised at the silvery tone of her mirth, after the time of hardship they'd gone through with Ruth's birth. "Would you hand me her pacifier, Dave?"
He nodded and dug through the diaper bag, pulling the pink binky out and handing it over to her. Once she had Ruth burped, Derek reached for his daughter and Aaron watched the table play pass the baby. "I forgot to tell you, Mama's coming for a visit. She says the baby gives her an excuse to travel now."
"And will she stay at your place or ours?" Dave asked, sipping at his water. Aaron had noticed that since Ruth's birth, both he and Erin had cut down on their alcohol consumption, switching to water and tea or coffee.
"Don't make her get a hotel room, Derek. She can stay in our guestroom." Erin squeezed Dave's hand slightly and he smiled. "So, I have an announcement to make. The Director has chosen my replacement and she'll start tomorrow."
"I thought you wanted Dave to replace you," Aaron said as a server set down a salad in front of him.
"Well, with other situations arising, I wanted there to be a little stability in your team. I put in a good word for her, and Director Shepperd agreed with me."
"Don't keep us in suspense, Erin. Who is it going to be?" JJ asked as everyone looked at her expectantly.
"Jordan Todd. She's ready to stay home once in a while, and I know she worked well with the team during Jennifer's maternity leave. I hope I made a good choice."
Aaron smiled, thinking back to his interactions with Jordan. This would be a good mesh for their team. "I think you picked the perfect replacement, Erin."
"Yeah, it's going to be great seeing an old colleague on a more frequent basis." Reid looked at her from his end of the table. "But what other situations are you referring to?"
"No one can get anything past you, can they, Spencer?" Erin glanced over at Penelope. "But perhaps Penny should be the one to tell you the other piece of business changing tomorrow."
Aaron rubbed his wife's back as she took a deep breath. "Well, after I'd rescued Kevin from the wilds of Alaska," she glared first at him and then Dave, "I asked him to take over for me when my maternity leave ended. We have our twins to think about, and I just couldn't see myself going back."
"We have to deal with him, Baby Girl?" Morgan moaned, holding Ruth close to his chest. "He out-geeks Reid."
"I know. And I know that he cheated on me, and I shouldn't be willing to let him work with you, but well, his decision left me free to have these wonderful babies with the man I love so dearly. After me, he's the best analyst the FBI has."
George woke up with a sharp cry and Aaron got him out of his car seat and bounced him lightly, trying to calm him down. He was not having any of that, though, so he handed his son over to Penelope. "He doesn't want me, Sweet Pea."
"He's probably hungry, too." She covered her left side with a blanket and began to feed their son. "So, anyway, if you guys need anything on the field and he's taking too long, you know who to call. I still plan on being the Oracle of All Knowing."
"It's just not going to be the same without you, Penelope. Especially with Kevin in your place. Though I can't wait for Morgan to mess up and call him one of your pet names." Reid grinned over at the other man and he looked like he was ready to slug him.
"Well, the first time you try to out-geek him on anything, I'm yanking your phone privileges." They all laughed then, before focusing on the food in front of them.
"Make sure you stop by our house before going home, Penny. It seems an extra basket for Jack showed up on our doorstep this morning." Erin smiled at Jack, who was beaming with joy. "And there might be something for you, too."
Penelope nodded and set George back in his carrier so that she could eat. By the end of the meal, all the babies were slightly cranky and they headed out to their cars. "Emily and I are going out to the park for a while. If anyone wants to join us, you're more than welcome."
"Oh, thanks, Sug, but we're going to head over to Erin's and then home."
"All right. Have a good night." Morgan hugged his wife tightly before taking Emily's arm and leading her over to his Jeep.
Aaron loaded the babies inside the van while Penelope got settled in the passenger seat. They followed Dave and Erin back to the house, and the drive lulled the twins to sleep. He parked and watched as his wife and Erin linked arms, going into the house as he unloaded the babies.
"Can I carry one inside for you, Mr. Hotchner?" Kara smiled at him eagerly and he felt himself smile back at her. The girl had become so helpful in the last few months, easing some of Penelope's and Erin's burdens.
"Of course you may, Kara." He handed Naomi to her and she sighed happily, taking her girlfriend's hand and going inside. He and Jack followed them in, going to the living room. A large basket sat on the coffee table and Jack hurried over to it.
"Is this mine, Aunt Erin?" he asked, staring at the stuffed bunny longingly.
"All yours, Jackers. And this is for you." Erin held out a small wrapped box to Penelope and they snuggled back onto the couch as Kara and Maggie cooed over the babies.
"You didn't have to get me anything, Erin. But, I got you something, too." Penelope pulled out an equally small box and gave it to Erin.
Dave handed him a mug of coffee. "Our wives love to shop."
"That they do." Aaron sat down in a chair and watched his wife hug her friend after they'd opened the boxes to reveal matching butterfly pins. "So, did you know about Jordan's promotion?"
"For about two weeks now. Erin was pouring over the dossiers that Shepperd dropped off before finally settling on her. She's not quite the same, though. I hope the others are prepared for that."
"In what way?" Aaron asked, sipping at his coffee.
"She's a bit more like the Erin of two years ago. I guess she was involved in an incident in Damascus, and that changed her. Hell, it would probably have changed me, too." Dave sighed a little and sat in another of the plush chairs, watching Kara and Maggie interact with the babies. "I'm still trying to understand John's wholesale rejection of his daughter. She's the perfect reflection of Erin."
"Sometimes, we have trouble seeing things as they are. That's why I'm glad I have Penelope in my life. She can always get to the heart of the matter." Aaron smiled at his wife. She happened to look up at him just then, and she returned the smile. "How did something so right, so amazing, ever happen to us?"
"I ask myself that every day. Ruthie is so perfect. I'd been alone for so long until Erin came into my life. And now I have another chance at being a father. At my age, I would never have expected this."
Ruth chose that moment to begin crying, and he stood, setting his mug on the table as he knelt on the floor and took Ruth out of her car seat, holding her close, He sung lowly to her, bouncing slightly as he walked around the room.
"Could you toss me their diaper bag, Mr. Hotchner? George and Mimi need to be changed." Kara looked over her shoulder at him, smiling slightly. He got up and handed the bag to her before sitting next to Penelope. She and Erin were talking lowly and she leaned back against him.
"Honey, are you going to be okay with us going on the retreat in June? Elizabeth needs to know by Wednesday."
"It's going to be fine, Penny. You'll just need to make sure to leave enough supplies for us." He rubbed her shoulder and she snuggled into him. The future looked so bright for them, and it was all because he had allowed an amazing love to enter his life.