Disclaimer: I own nadda...sadly.
So, I have decided to make this my last installment of this story :( This has been an incredible ride and I want to tell you all how much I appreciate your reviews, favorites, and follows. I'm very grateful and I hope to convey that to you all. Now, I know what my next fairytale retelling will be (JJ/Hotch in a Sleeping Beauty retelling I'm titling 'Awaken') but I'm eager to do another one with Morgan and Garcia. So (after Awaken is finished, of course) the choices for fairy tales for our Hot Stuff and Baby Girl are: Little Mermaid or Snow White. You know what, I'll even throw in Aladdin, which will take a little more time, but it's doable. Please let me know about which of these three only. I'm not too fond of Cinderella for Penelope and Derek. I'd maybe do it for JJ, though.
As always, thank you for your kind reviews and I hope this wraps up in a way you'll like it :)
5 Years Later
"As the Prince lay dying, the Princess said three little words. Do you remember what words they are?"
Her child, who was leaning against her shoulder and had her arms wrapped around her waist, grinned. Smiling brightly, she yelled happily, "I love you! She said 'I love you,' Mama!"
Penelope smiled. "That's right, sweetie? And you remember what happened after that don't you?" She already knew the answer. Her child loved hearing this story over and over. It was her favorite bedtime story. She heard it every night before she went to sleep.
"They lived happily ever after!"
"Good job, sweetie. And then the Prince and the Princess lived happily ever after," Penelope murmured, stroking her four year old daughter's brown hair. She kissed her forehead and smiled. "You never get tired of that story, do you?" Again, she knew the exact answer.
Her daughter shook her head and grinned, showing off her baby teeth. "I would never get tired of that story," she responded. "It's my favorite." She perked up again and pointed to the glass cage in the corner of her room. "Mama, can I give a goodnight kiss to Whiskers?"
Smirking at the cage, she sighed dramatically and nodded. "I suppose so," she said. Ever since he had been changed to a rat five years ago, Brad had served one purpose: a pet for her children. At first she had wanted to get rid of him, release him into the woods to be eaten by a bigger animal that might find him. Or at the very least trampled. But then when thought about it, she wanted him to witness how happy she and Derek were. She wanted him to see everything that her life had to offer. She did not know if he was aware of what was going on or if he had a true rat's brain, but he at least served one good purpose: a pet for her children. At least until he died anyway.
Not to mention the name her daughter had affectionately bestowed upon him. Whiskers wasn't quite the name he would have wanted in his human years.
Untucking her daughter from the covers, she pulled her along towards the cage and opened it, pulling the rat out and letting her kiss it on the top of his head. Then she put him back. "Alright you," she said, picking her up and kissing her cheek. "Time for bed. You need your beauty sleep if you want to grow up just like the Princess."
Her daughter yawned and let Penelope tuck her back in. A soft knock sounded from the door and she looked in the direction of it to find her father coming in, cradling little seven month old Greyson in his arms. He flashed her his brilliant smile and she yelped out, "Daddy!" A smile covered her face and her father sat on the opposite side of the bed to Penelope.
"Hey little girl," he said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. Greyson gurgled in protest, but otherwise remained quiet. He was a shockingly quiet baby, preferring silence to the loud mouth his sister had on her. "You ready for bed?"
"Mama told me the story about the beautiful princess and the prince who was ugly until she told him she loved him," she said proudly.
Derek cocked a brow. "Didn't Aunt Ashley tell you that just before she left to go home?"
She nodded sincerely. "Aunt JJ told it to me too," she said smugly.
He shook his head and laughed. "You do love that story, don't you?" he asked fondly.
"I do love that story," she said happily. She yawned again and snuggled into her covers, hugging her toy lion to her chest. "But now I'm sleepy."
"I know you are, Baby Doll," he murmured, stroking her hair. "You sleep tight now."
"Okay," she said, her eyes fluttering shut. Derek rose from the bed and Penelope leaned down to kiss her daughter on the forehead.
"Sweet dreams, my little Belle," she whispered lovingly.
XXXXX
"They both asleep?" Penelope asked as Derek came back into their room and shut the door. They were staying at the mansion for their Christmas and were enjoying every moment of it. They had even invited Strauss to the party, however she was otherwise "engaged." Whatever that meant. But they didn't care anymore. The woman had brought them together. As far as Penelope and Derek were concerned, Erin Strauss would never receive another dirty look again.
Unless she messed with the BAU's way of working, of course.
He nodded and stripped down to his boxers, crawling into bed beside his wife. "Yep," he murmured. "Both of them are out like lights." He kissed the side of her neck, railing his mouth down her shoulder, then back up to her ear.
"Can you believe how fast they're both growing?" Penelope whispered. "I never want them to grow up. Then I could keep them forever with us."
"Yeah, but you'll be okay," he said. "You'll be so proud of them, it will seem like these worries are just a thing of the past."
She turned to face him and grasped his face in both her hands. She kissed him softly. "You're right. But that still doesn't change how I feel now. I'll wait for the future to get over it."
He grinned. "Sounds good, Baby Girl," he murmured. He yawned. "I think it's time we turn the lights out." He leaned over her and turned the light out. "I love you, my Beauty."
"And I love you, Mr. Morgan," she giggled back before closing her eyes and drifting into a deep, dreamful slumber.
Very short, but hopefully a sufficient Happily Ever After :)