"And who's a good girl?" Erin asked, a singsong tone to her voice as she smiled at Norah. The baby clapped her hands as she smiled in return. Mary just rolled her eyes at them, relaxing against Eleanor's body, her head on her shoulder.
"You know, I made my mother promise not to use the cutesy voices with her, what makes you think you're any different?"
"My girlfriend got kidnapped by one of your witnesses?" she asked, shrugging a little. It was enjoyable to watch the woman squirm a little, wanting to protest but knowing that Erin had a valid point. "When are they going to get here again?"
"Soon, Erin." Eleanor smiled at her kindly. "And then we can head home."
She nodded and snuggled the child close to her heart, breathing in the familiar, relaxing, scent of baby. "I cannot wait until my children give me grandbabies. I didn't realize how much I missed this feeling," she murmured as she stroked Norah's hair.
"Children are a blessing," Eleanor replied, a wistful look on her face. Mary rubbed her arm gently and they moved closer together. Time seemed to stand still as they all reacted to the sound of the elevator doors opening. Erin stiffened, not certain if she wanted to turn and see if Penelope was there, that gentle smile on her face. "They're home."
She nodded slightly, her grip on Norah tightening as she drew in a deep breath as she turned the chair to face the doorway. Marshall was the first one to appear, followed by Aaron and Dave. Then she caught sight of a very familiar skirt and tears clouded her eyes. Blindly, she handed Norah over to Mary before standing and taking a hesitant step towards her fiancé.
Penelope pushed past the others, running at her and throwing her arms around her waist as they both began to sob. "Honey blossom," she managed to choke out as she buried her face in the crook of her neck. They stood there like that for minutes, and she just breathed in the scent of her lover, taking in the sharp stale sweat that mingled with her perfume. "You're home."
"I am. Marry me."
She gasped lightly, pulling back to look into those gorgeous brown eyes. "I thought you didn't believe in marriage?"
"I didn't. And then I almost lost you. I know we call each other engaged, but let's take that next step and make things official. Permanent. Forever."
Erin smiled as she mashed her lips against Penelope's, kissing her long and hard. "Yes. A hundred times over, yes. I love you."
Finally, they let go of each other to acknowledge the others standing around them. "So, we get to plan another BAU wedding. I seriously hope this one ends up better than mine did," JJ said, smiling at them through her tears.
"Oh, Jayje, this is going to be amazing! And maybe this can help get your mind off Will staying in New Orleans." Erin nodded and JJ sighed, wiping her eyes free of tears. "Now, when are we heading home? I cannot wait to sleep in my own bed."
"We can have wheel's up in about an hour."
"Perfect." Penelope refused to let go of her waist, and Erin didn't blame her. She didn't want to let go of her either.
"Will that work for you?" she asked as she looked over at Eleanor and Mary.
"Jinx packed me a bag and brought it when she dropped Norah off. I am ready to go whenever." She tried to look disinterested, but the soft light in her eyes told Erin that she was more than happy to be coming with them, even if she didn't want to admit it.
"Well, does someone want to drive me and Erin to the hotel so that I can pack?" Penelope asked as she rested her head on Erin's shoulder. Unconsciously, she began to stroke her back in large circles, occasionally slipping down to caress her ass.
"I think that I'll just pack everything up in our room, PG. If we waited for you two to finish that, we wouldn't take off until tomorrow."
Erin felt her cheeks redden a little and stilled her hand on the small of her lover's back. "We're not teenagers any longer, JJ. We can control ourselves."
"In normal situations, yes. However, this is not a normal situation. I agree with JJ, we'll go the hotel and pack for everyone, just wait here for us to get back." Hotch smiled at her kindly before reaching out and squeezing Erin's shoulder lightly. "We'll be home soon enough, I promise."
She nodded and melted into Penelope even more, letting her caress her back as they watched the duo leave. "So, are you going to introduce me to our new friends?" Penelope asked as she turned them to face Mary and Eleanor.
"Of course. Penelope, this is Eleanor. She works for the FBI back home, and managed to get me here with no fuss. I know you met Mary, and she's holding her daughter, Norah. They're riding home with us."
"I know, Marshall told me a little bit about them on the ride here." She smiled sweetly and held out her hand to Eleanor. The other woman shook it lightly before stepping back next to Mary. It seemed they were copying her and Penelope's pose, as Eleanor just sank into Mary's side, letting Norah play with her hair.
"It's just a short vacation. Mary never really took to the idea of having some time just to herself. It will be nice to spend some days with her." Erin watched Eleanor look up at Mary, her eyes filled with tenderness, and recognized the first blossoming of love unfold before them. Penelope must have also caught that look, as she sighed before turning her head and kissing Erin's cheek softly.
"You are turning into me, sugar dumpling," she said through a yawn, burrowing closer to Erin, as if seeking out her warmth. "Do you think the Director will mind if we take the rest of the week off and spend it at home?"
"I'll see that he doesn't, Kitten." Dave came up to them, hugging them both tightly before kissing their cheeks. "I am so glad that this turned out all right. I don't think any of us would have been able to pick up the pieces."
"Derek would have been able to," Erin murmured, looking at the other man over Dave's shoulder. He caught her look and smiled easily. "He cares for us both so well."
She was surprised to see Dave blush a little and stared at him, a slight frown wrinkling her brow. "I'm just a little surprised, that's all." She nodded and watched him walk away as Derek came up and joined them.
"Would you like me to run you home once we land?" he asked anxiously, reaching out to rest his hand on Erin's shoulder.
"That would be great, my sweet Boo. As long as you don't mind Erin and I necking in the back seat as you drive."
"I'm always up for a show," he gently teased. Erin let an easy smile spread across her face as she nodded. "Oh, so there's a bit of a voyeur in you, too?"
"You never know what you're going to find out about people, Der. Sometimes it's the quiet ones you have to keep an eye on," she replied saucily, feeling light as a feather with the knowledge that her lover was safe in her arms and they were headed home to begin planning the ceremony that would bind them together for all time.