December 31, 2013 - 12 weeks old
"Can you believe it? One year ago we were together, getting ready to go to Rossi's just like we are now, but I was living in New York and marriage or a baby wasn't even a blip on our radar."
Beth sat on their bed nursing the baby as she watched Hotch get dressed after his shower.
"I'll agree that a baby didn't cross my mind. But marriage had been on my radar for a while."
"Really?" Beth asked him skeptically. "You never mentioned it to me."
"You had your dream job in New York and I didn't want to put any pressure on you. I knew I couldn't uproot Jack or my job but I also knew it wouldn't be fair to ask you to do it for me. So I forced myself to wait and see how things would play out."
"Did you think we wouldn't last?"
"I hoped that we would. But I had to consider the possibility that you would find someone new in New York. Or that eventually the distance would just naturally drift us apart."
"Hotchner, I was head over heels for you. All you had to do was ask and I would have come running back."
Hotch sat down on the bed, stretching out alongside her and stroking Luna's soft hair.
"Our relationship wouldn't be as strong as it is if I had asked you to come back. An unplanned pregnancy wasn't ideal - but I honestly couldn't imagine a better outcome. I am so happy to be here with you, engaged, in our house that we share with our kids. And I'm happy that it was your decision to make this happen."
"Luna wasn't exactly my decision." Beth laughed. "But I get what you mean, and I'm happy too."
Hotch continued to run his fingertips over his daughter's fine, silky hair.
"I would have supported you if you hadn't wanted to go through with the pregnancy."
Beth turned to look at him and awkwardly cupped his face with the hand she wasn't using to hold their daughter.
"I know; and I love you for that. But I'm happy with the decision we made and where it led us."
Hotch leaned in to kiss her. He gently moved his lips against hers and Beth moved her hand from his face down to his chest.
"You guys are GROSS." Jack exclaimed from their open doorway.
Hotch chuckled. "What do you need, Jack?"
"I'm really hungry."
"There's going to be lots of food at Uncle Dave's but if you want a snack you can get a banana."
"When are we leaving?"
"As soon as your sister is done eating."
"She takes forever!" Jack said exasperated. "I'm getting a banana."
They heard his footsteps down the stairs.
"Should we tell him that she's done?" Beth giggled. "Or use these free moments to make out?"
Hotch just smirked at her before taking Luna into his arms.
"I'm going to put her in her carseat and get the car warming up. I'll meet you downstairs."
"Will you pack her pack 'n play and baby monitor so she can sleep in one of the guest bedrooms?"
"Sure, babe." He leaned down and kissed her head before taking the baby downstairs.
Beth touched up her hair and makeup before heading downstairs to meet the rest of her family. Jack was playing with Luna who was strapped into her carseat and Hotch was packing the diaper bag.
"Do you want me to pack her a bottle? Or do you think you'll be okay to nurse?"
Beth glanced at the time. "She'll probably only have one more feed before her long sleep stretch so I'll be fine to nurse her. Besides, I'll DD tonight. You should let loose a little."
"I'm not sure a New Year's Eve party with my coworkers and my kids in attendance is exactly where I want to 'let loose' but I appreciate the thought."
"Fair," Beth laughed. "Bet regardless, I'll be fine to drive."
Hotch picked up the carseat and Beth quietly admired the way his bicep flexed under his sweater as he did.
"Should we head out then?" He asked them and Jack excitedly ran to the garage.
"Do I get to stay up and watch the ball drop tonight, dad?" Jack asked as he climbed into the car.
"Sure, bud." Hotch agreed as he climbed into the driver's seat.
The snow fell slowly and softly around them on their drive to Rossi's where they were greeted with a warm welcome. Jack immediately went off to play with Henry in Rossi's basement where he kept his vintage arcade games.
"Jack, be careful please!" Beth yelled after him, nervous he would break something ridiculously expensive.
"Don't worry about them, let me pour you guys a drink. What will you be having?" Rossi asked them.
"Just a glass of white wine, please!"
"Any dark beer you have is fine for me, thanks Dave."
Penelope scurried up to them gleefully holding a brightly colored drink in her hand.
"Tell me that sweet gorgeous baby of yours isn't sleeping yet and that she can hang out with her Aunt Penelope?!"
"She's all yours, Pen." Beth told her gesturing to the carseat.
Penelope unstrapped her cheerfully and cradled her in her arm opposite her beverage.
"Are we sure we trust a buzzed Garcia with our daughter?" Hotch asked quietly in her ear.
"How do you know she's buzzed?" Beth asked quietly back. "That's exactly how she acts when she's sober too."
Hotch chuckled. "Fair point, but if we see her with a new drink I'm taking the baby."
Beth just turned to kiss his cheek before heading into the living room to sit down with everyone else. She sat down on the couch next to Spencer who's quiet awkwardness she had always been drawn to.
"Aaron mentioned you went to Las Vegas to visit your mom for Christmas. How is she doing?"
"She's good, thanks! Yeah, the doctors seem encouraged about her current medication regimen and she was happy to see me."
"That's excellent. I'm sure she is incredibly proud of you. I'm glad our kids have you as an Uncle."
Spencer just blushed at being complimented.
"Uh what about you? You're going back to work soon, right?"
Beth groaned. "Yes, I go back on Monday. I'm trying to focus on how much I love my job and not on how much I will miss Luna."
"You know, daughters of working moms are more likely to attain degrees themselves and earn a higher income than daughters of stay at home moms."
Beth smiled at him. "Thanks, Spencer."
Spencer just nodded at her.
"Alright! Who's ready for a game?!" Emily shouted as she came into the room carrying a deck of cards and another beer in her hands.
"We could play poker? Or Black Jack?" Spencer suggested.
"Yeah only if you agree to be strictly the dealer," Emily countered.
"We could play a drinking game?" Morgan offered.
"There are children here!" JJ exclaimed.
Morgan just shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "I don't think Luna would care, would you?!"
Derek picked the baby up out of Garcia's arms and brought her to his chest. Luna snuggled right in and let out a yawn.
"She is just the sweetest! Look at you two together." Savannah gushed looking at her boyfriend with the baby.
"Awe no, don't be getting baby fever on me!" Derek joked. "For now we stick to practicing."
"Yeah, and how exactly do you think we ended up with her?" Beth laughed gesturing towards the baby.
"Hm got carried away in a moment of passion and forgot the condom?" Morgan guessed.
"Tell that to my IUD." Beth deadpanned.
"No!" Savannah gasped! "That's what I have!"
"Only about 8 women out of 1,000 will get pregnant over the course of a 5-year IUD." Spencer added helpfully.
"Well apparently all it takes is some champagne and a little NYE magic to become one of the 8." Beth said.
"Beth!" Hotch said, not pleased with the trajectory of this conversation.
"Aw, happy conception day baby Luna!" Derek laughed.
"Technically it's not until tomorrow and it's time for her to go to bed." Hotch said as he stood up to get the baby.
"I'll take her," Beth said, holding out her arms. "She needs to eat again anyway."
Hotch kissed the baby's head before handing her to her mother.
Beth stood and headed for the guestroom where they had set up her portable crib. Sitting in the chair in the corner she gently laid the baby across her knees as she pulled up her sweater and unhooked her bra. Breastfeeding had been tough at first but now she couldn't imagine not having this time with her daughter. Quiet and peaceful, her warm cheek pressed against her skin. She would run her fingers over her daughter's silky hair and listen to the squeaky noises Luna made as she nursed.
"Can I get you anything?"
Beth looked up and Hotch was standing in the doorway.
"No, we're okay. How are things out there?"
"Rowdy." Hotch joked as he sat down on the floor next to her chair. "They're having too much fun."
"Hm," Beth murmured as she ran her hands through his hair. "You're allowed to have fun too, you know."
"I am having fun!"
"By hanging out in a dark, quiet room with your fiance and baby?" Beth questioned.
"Well you two are some of my favorite people." Hotch shrugged.
Beth ruffled his hair before adjusting the baby and pulling her shirt down.
"Out like a light," she said before placing the swaddled baby in her portable crib. "Let's go have some real fun."
They rejoined the living room crowd.
"Beth!" JJ said. "Worst first date you've ever been on."
"Oof, how much time do y'all have?" She laughed. "Probably the one that stands out the most was when this guy told me he was going to treat me to a home cooked meal. He then proceeded to take me to his mothers house where she cooked the meal and ate it with us."
The room filled with laughs and Hotch looked slightly appalled.
"You went to a guys house on the first date?!" He asked her.
"Listen. I was young and dumb and in serious need of some rebound sex after a horrible break-up! Clearly poor decisions were made but I did manage to escape before dessert by having a roommate come pick me up."
"I think it's probably for the best that we met later in life," Hotch joked before Beth gently shoved him.
"Well mine was definitely when it wasn't actually a date at all but really an interview before him asking me if I wanted to be the third with him and his wife," Emily said before cheersing her glass in the air and taking a long gulp.
"Now I want to know why all the girls have a terrible first date story but all the guys have remained suspiciously silent?!" JJ said.
"I once went out on a blind date with a woman who said supposably when she meant supposedly " Spencer offered, confused when everyone just laughed.
The night went by quickly and before they knew it the TV was turned up and the final countdown was underway. Jack and Henry stood in front of the TV shouting the numbers and everyone cheered "Happy New Year" together.
Beth smiled at Hotch before leaning in to meet her lips to his. The kiss was soft and quick before Beth rested her forehead against his.
"Quite the year we had."
"Quite the year, indeed."
