Aaron looked down into the bullpen at Ashley's empty desk. It had been three weeks since the case in Grand Rapids, and yet he still expected to see her smiling face. Instead, she was in a medically induced coma at George Washington, fighting for her life. They'd caught the unsub, but not in time to save Ashely or the pas of Rockford Baptist.
Shaking his head, he sat back down at his desk and tried to concentrate on finishing the report of their latest case so he could get it turned in. He'd just started working on it when his phone buzzed. Pulling it out, he saw it was an AP Mobile news alert.
"Ian Doyle, international weapons smuggler, has been killed in Switzerland," he read aloud, gasping slightly. Standing, he walked over to JJ's office, finding the woman on the phone in a deep conversation with someone. JJ nodded at him and wrapped up the conversation.
"I take it you just got the news about Doyle," she said lowly.
"Yeah. How long has he been dead?"
"Three days. Jason took the kill shot. They went to notify Emily, but she's already in the wind."
"What?"
"The marshal assigned to her told her the news when it happened. Sometime during the night, she left, destination unknown." She looked up at Aaron. "What are we going to do?"
"Tell the team, I suppose." JJ nodded and stood up, following him into the bullpen. The others were gathered around one of the big screen televisions, watching the coverage of Doyle. "Jason was the one to bring Doyle down."
"That doesn't surprise me," Erin said as she joined the group. "My assistant just gave me the news. Have there been any other developments?"
"No; other than that, I've not received any further details." Aaron instinctively wrapped his arm around Erin's waist, pulling her close to him. He watched Rossi copy the move on Penelope, splaying a hand out over her stomach. JJ took a deep breath, looking at everyone and Aaron nodded encouragingly. "I also have some news for you. In order to throw Doyle off –"
"So, why's everyone watching TV when there are bad guys to catch?" a familiar voice asked. As one, they turned to look at one Emily Prentiss.
"You're dead." Penelope whispered, taking a small step forward. "What is going on?" A wince crossed her face and Aaron felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. Before any of them could react, Penelope fainted, crumpling to the floor.
Erin sprang into action first, like any good leader. "Morgan, I want you and Aaron to help Dan carry Penny to his office. Would someone else find me a first aid kit that has smelling salts and bring it up right away?" Not looking at the others, she grabbed hold of Penelope's hand, following the others up toe Dave's office.
Aaron pulled her aside as Dave got her situated on the couch. "Honey, I think she's gone into early labor. That wince reminded me so of Haley right before she gave birth to Jack."
"I know. I recognized that look myself. I thought you were going to warn us!"
"I was. Emily had other plans." He wrapped his arm around her waist as they waited for the smelling salts, not wanting to let her go.
"Chief Strauss, I found what you were asking for."
"Thank you, Doctor Reid." She took the small capsule from his outstretched hand and went to Penelope's side. Kneeling, she cracked open the container and Penelope's eyes fluttered open as she reacted to the smell. "Honey, stay still, you just had a major shock. How are you feeling?"
"Not, not well. When I heard Emily's voice, it felt like my stomach dropped. And now it's starting to hurt, badly." She winced again and looked up fearfully at Erin. "I think my water just broke."
"I was afraid of that, sweetheart. All right, just try to relax, I'll get the men organized and ready to go." Patting Penelope's hand, she stood and faced the others. "This baby is coming and we need to get Penny to hospital right away. PPROM is nothing to frak around with. Dave, is her hospital bag in your car?"
"Yes."
"Wonderful. You and Aaron will help her down to the parking garage. Morgan, Reid, I want you to follow us with JJ and Prentiss. She'll need you there for when Irene enters the world. Let's get moving, people." Aaron watched her gently help Penelope to stand and they wrapped arms around each other's waists. Dave came up to the other side of his wife and put his hand on her back.
"Let's get moving," he echoed, seeming in a daze. They went out first, followed by Aaron. "You'll have to drive, Hotch. I don't think I can."
"Of course, Dave." They got on the elevator and rode down. Erin clasped his hand tightly, squeezing with every breath she took. Somehow, they managed to get Penelope into the car and while Aaron drove, Dave called their obstetrician.
"We need to bring her to George Washington. The OB is there right now, and she'll be waiting for us at admissions to red-line us up to labor and delivery."
Aaron saw Penelope nod from the rearview mirror, tears streaming down her face. Eager to take her mind off the early birth, he asked, "Why did you settle on Irene?"
"For Erin. I didn't want a direct, ooh, homage, that would have been awkward when we got together."
"That's lovely, Penelope," He replied, pressing his foot to the gas a little harder. Soon, he was pulling into the hospitals' parking lot and getting the others situated. Once more, Dave and Erin held onto Penelope as Aaron carried the duffle bag, following them.
True to her word, the doctor was waiting for them at admissions and they quickly followed her up to the proper floor. "Aaron, will you wait out here for the others? I just want Dave and Rin with me."
"Certainly, Penelope." He handed the bag over to Erin, kissing her before they disappeared inside a room. Aaron stared at the closed door for a few moments before making his way to the waiting room. He took a seat and waited, watching the clock nervously.
After about fifteen minutes, he heard a familiar voice in the hall. "I think the waiting room is right around the corner," JJ said. Aaron jumped up and peeked his head out, waving them over. Jack was with them, and he broke free from Reid's light grip and ran over to his father, hugging him tightly.
"Any news on Penelope, yet?" Morgan asked, sitting on one of the hard chairs.
"No. It could be hours and hours yet."
"Good thing we stopped and grabbed coffee, then." Emily entered the room, carrying a carafe and a sack of paper cups. "I didn't know she was pregnant."
"Thirty three weeks today," Morgan replied, looking at the floor.
"That's not quite full term."
"No. We've been worried about this happening for the last five months. There have been complications along the way."
Emily sank don next to Morgan, not objecting to his arm around her waist. "I probably should have eased into my homecoming, huh? I just wanted to get back to all of you." She looked up at Aaron. "What else has changed since I've been gone?"
"Aaron's seeing our Section Chief," Reid said, a teasing lilt in his voice.
"I see." Emily frowned a little bit. "You couldn't have fallen for oh, I don't know, Gina?"
"No," he said shortly as he took a seat on the sofa, letting Jack climb up into his lap.
"I see." Silence fell over the room as they watched the clock anxiously. JJ took Jack to go over to her house while she got food for the team after several hours had passed. Emily surprised him by taking a seat on the couch next to him once she had gone. "So, I might have reacted badly to the notion of you and Strauss. Everyone seems okay with this and here I am, being a negative Nellie."
"It was never planned, I can assure you of that. Life just sort of happened and we ended up together. If you got to know her, you'd see why she is the way she is."
"She's changed, Hotch. She's not as much of a hard ass." Reid smiled nervously at him. "If she'd always been like this, everyone would like her."
JJ returned with the food minutes later, and they ate, still watching the clock. Finally, at midnight, Erin came out into the waiting room, her face a tight mask.
"How is she?" Morgan asked, leaping to his feet.
"Penelope's okay," she said lowly, walking over to Aaron. He stood and she collapsed against him. "We are all so exhausted, Hotch."
"I can imagine, Rin. How's the baby?"
"I don't know, really. She was small, only five pounds, eight ounces. And her Apgar score was low."
"How low?" JJ asked nervously, approaching them and forming the beginning of a circle.
"Irene scored a five, to match her weight. They took her up to the NICU before any of us could hold her. Dave's with Penny right now. She's so devastated." Erin buried her face in his shoulder, turning from them into him. Aaron felt his shirt become wet and he gently rubbed her back.
"But the baby's alive, right?" Morgan asked hopefully, looking at them as he took the spot on Erin's side.
"Yes."
"Tell us the good news, then, Reid. You always have facts and statistics at the forefront."
He joined him, along with Emily, closing the circle. "The Apgar test will be administered again in half an hour, and Irene will be reassessed. A five is close to good, she need only improve in two areas to be a seven, or healthy. And there have been smaller babies born before. She was only three weeks away from the early spectrum of full term."
"See, there's always room to be optimistic." Aaron was surprised when Morgan reached out and touched Erin's shoulder tenderly. "I know you two are close, so it hurts me, just like it hurts me more, but Irene will be fine. Look at how string her parents are."
Aaron smiled at Morgan as he felt his lover relax a little in his arms. Her weight suddenly became quite heavy, and he looked down to see that she'd fallen asleep on her feet. "Jayje, could you help me get her over to the couch?" Together, they moved her inert form and he carefully settled her down on top of him.
"We should get going now. Tell Rossi we'll be back in the morning," Emily said, grabbing Derek's hand possessively.
"Jack's okay with us. I'll run him to school in the morning before coming here," JJ said softly before she left, too, taking Reid with her.
Aaron bent awkwardly and kissed Erin's forehead before getting himself settled better on the couch. He fell asleep with her head on his heart, her soft breath fanning against his neck. He knew in that last moment before sleep claimed him that he wanted to be with her forever.