Dave had left for the office before Penelope and Erin were ready to leave, and he tried not to feel nervous on her behalf as he made his way into the bullpen that morning. Derek was just coming out of the break room, and Dave caught his eye, gesturing for him to return there, getting a short nod in return. "What did I do, Rossi?"
"Nothing, I just want to prepare you for what's about to happen this morning. Erin wants to thank you for the flowers you sent yesterday, in person. This will be the first time she's willingly left the house since we brought her home that first, awful, night, so I know that she'll be a little fragile."
"Fragile like a bomb," Derek replied, and he nodded at how apt that analogy was for Erin. "How's she really doing?"
Dave took a deep breath, trying not to think about the how she had felt in his arms that morning, plastered to his side as if she didn't ever want to let him go, before answering. "She's coping. I think we might be facing another month of her out of the office, though I'm hoping that she feels better enough to come back sooner, of course. I just don't want to rush her."
Derek nodded as they exited the break room, and he turned his head to look towards the doors, seeing Penelope come in first, deep in conversation with Kevin as they went up to her office. And suddenly, all those dirty thoughts he had had the previous evening about her came rushing back to the front of his mind. Shaking his head a little, he took a deep breath as he waited for Erin to appear. It only took a few seconds before she came into the bullpen, her eyes wide, her expression tight and almost feral. Then she looked to them, and she relaxed almost imperceptibly, hurrying to their sides.
"Derek, I wanted to thank you so much for the flowers you've sent me. They have been such a bright spot in these dark days. And your words have touched me much more than I can ever say." Tears started to pool in her eyes before she quickly leaned in and hugged him tightly before fleeing up the stairs and into Penelope's office, the door closing firmly behind her.
"I'm sorry, did I just see Strauss hug you?" JJ asked as she and Reid came up to their sides, disbelief written across their faces. Emily sauntered up a few moments later, a more pensive look on her face. "Derek, come on, fill us in!"
"Yes, Morgan, fill us in."
Dave stiffened to hear Aaron's voice come from the platform outside his office, knowing that the confrontation he had been avoiding so far was about to come. Derek threw him a look, and he shrugged a little as the man slowly started down the stairs, stalking over to their sides. The look on his face was pure, controlled, anger and Dave shivered a little to see that he had not lost much, if any, of the animosity that he was holding towards him and Erin. "Daveā¦"
"Don't ask Rossi for permission, I'm still your supervisor. Tell me what is going on."
Dave shook his head at Derek, receiving a small nod in return. The others frowned a little until they heard Penelope's door open, and they all looked up to see Erin and Penelope exit the room, Erin in tears as Penelope held her close. She didn't even acknowledge Dave as they brushed past them, and that hurt more than anything, though he tried not to let his emotions show in his face. "I'm going after them, Dave. You can handle things here."
"Thanks," he muttered as Derek left, taking a deep breath as he looked at the rest of his team, feeling a bit hopeful at the fact that, barring Hotch, there was no animosity in their expressions.
"When can we expect Erin to be led to rehab once more?"
He heard Emily suck in a shocked breath, and he nodded a little as his nostrils flared from anger. "Erin is going through one of the most difficult times in her life right now, Aaron. It would cost you nothing to spare her a little compassion."
He was surprised to hear just how firmly Emily defended Erin, and he gave her a tiny smile of thanks. Aaron didn't like that answer, though, as his face tightened before he let out a little scoff of laughter. "It must be so difficult to fall off the wagon for the third time."
"For God's sake, Aaron!" he bit out, no longer able to hold his tongue with his best friend. "You know I love you like a brother, but this anger is so misplaced, so over the top, that I don't know where it's coming from. And for the last time, she did not fall off the wagon! Her family was the one that was destroyed in that helicopter accident a few weeks ago. She lost everyone in a matter of seconds, and rather than go back to drinking, she tried to join them, not wanting to be on this planet without her family. So forgive me if I protect her at a time like this, but she needs someone to care and make certain that she doesn't do something rash."
His voice never raised beyond than his normal tone, but he could see that maybe his words had gotten through to his friend. Reid and JJ were both staring at him in shock, and he felt his eyes well up at the fact that Erin's secret was now out in the open. Aaron shook his head a little before turning on his heel and making his way back towards his office. "Hotch, wait! You don't have anything to say?" Reid called out, incredulity filling every syllable that he spoke.
"You need to remember the quality of mercy, Aaron!" His best friend stiffened a little as he climbed the stairs, and he knew that his words had made their mark before he turned his attention back to the rest of his team. "She never wanted you all to know. She wanted to go through this alone, because she thought that you wouldn't understand her sorrow, that you would pity her."
"This isn't pity that I feel, Dave, it's overwhelming sadness. Is this why Penelope hasn't been in the office? Is this why you're the acting section chief?" JJ asked, reaching out to touch his arm lightly.
"Yes, and yes. We both rallied around her that night, when we found her on the roof. If we hadn't returned from the case when we did, we would be facing a much different outcome. And now, we're trying to do everything that we can to fix her and help her feel strong enough to return. All I ask of you is that you treat her kindly. She needs to know that people won't judge her for her grief and her mistakes."
"That wasn't a mistake, that was a heart broken in a moment, and only being able to see one way out. Just like Roz," JJ whispered, her eyes finally letting go of the tears she had been struggling to keep in as she reflexively reached for a necklace that wasn't around her neck. "If you'll excuse me," she whispered before turning and hurrying over to her office.
Dave watched her go before looking at Reid and Emily. "I know, this is a shock, but I think that we can pull together as a team to support her, we just have to win Aaron over to our way of thinking about her. I know, she's never been the nicest to our team, but this is her crucible, and I know, deep in my heart, that she will not come out on the other side of this unchanged. Now, I need to make certain that she's all right. We'll touch base when I'm back in my office?"
"Of course, sir," Reid replied, giving him a tight smile as he turned and went over to his desk, Emily following him closely, though she did pat his arm as she walked past him. Dave spared one last look at Hotch's office before he left the bullpen and went to Erin's office, knowing that would afford Erin the privacy that she needed in that moment.
"Did Agent Hotchner set Erin off, sir?" Helen asked as she looked up at him from her computer.
"No, she was just feeling a little overwhelmed by being back here so soon. You know, you're always welcome to come over and join us for supper. Just call or text Penelope or me. Erin needs other people to start reaching out and including her once more, if she's ever to truly start moving forward. She'll never get past what happened, but she can find a new normal. We just have to provide that for her."
"I might take you up on that, sir. As long as I can bring Grant with me. He's been so kind to ask after Erin, and I know that he's a good egg."
"Of course, he's welcome, too." He gave Helen a small wink before heading into Erin's office, looking around to find where they were. An easy smile spread across his face to see that they were gathered around her table, Erin's head resting on Penelope's arm as a quiet conversation flowed between them all. "Can I join in?"
"David! Of course you can!" Erin smiled quickly as she sat up a little straighter. "Is Aaron still upset?"
"Yes, but not as much as he was, I hope. I think I may have finally gotten through to him. Now, Derek and I can't be here too long, we still have to get some work done today, after all. And what would you say to having company for supper tonight? I think that Helen misses seeing you, and would like to come over."
"I think that I'd like that. We'll just have to make another grocery run today, after we leave here. You don't mind, do you, Penny?"
"That will be fine," she replied, giving Dave a warm smile before starting the conversation back up once more, and he settled right in, knowing that this just might be the start of Erin's return back to her new normal, and he would do anything to facilitate that recovery.
