He woke up a few hours later to the phone ringing. Stirring with a groan, he sat up and reached for the bedside handset. "Hello?" he mumbled, looking over at Erin, who was still sleeping, her hair tousled out on the pillow.

"Aaron, hi, it's Becca. I'm hoping I'm not interrupting anything."

"No, we were just napping. What can I do for you?"

"Molly called earlier in hysterics. She said her life was over. What's wrong now?"

Aaron rubbed Erin's shoulder lightly and she stirred, looking up at him with a lazy smile on her face. "Your mom and I got married today."

"That's wonderful, Aaron. She's wanted that for a few months now. I'll let Josh know the good news. I'm coming home for spring break in three weeks. Is there anything you want me to bring back? One of my friends here has a vineyard."

"We can't have wine until September."

Aaron heard her draw in a breath of air and braced himself for the coming tirade. "Oh, Aaron! That's wonderful! Jack will have a little brother or sister. Can I talk with Mama now?"

"Sure." He handed over the phone and watched Erin listen to her daughter. She sprawled out on Aaron, her head coming to rest on his lap so she could smile up at him.

"Yes, I know, honey, it was a shock to me as well. We were going to look into adoption soon, since I thought that the baby factory was closed. Turns out there was time for one last late model. Well, Jack wants a sister, so I hope it's a girl. But as long as the baby is healthy, it doesn't matter to me. I'll see you in three weeks, then. I love you, too, Rebecca. Bye."

She hung up the phone and handed it to him. Aaron set it back in the cradle and then bent down to kiss her. "So, that's two of four who know. How do you think Josh will react?"

"He likes you and knew this would be coming eventually. It's like everyone around us saw the writing on the wall and we just ignored the message until now. I love you. I shouldn't, you're not my type, but maybe I never knew my true type. Erik stayed and that was enough at the time. I did love him."

"Just as I loved Haley. But I think you're spot on with your analogy of pedestal love versus abiding love." She nodded and as he gazed into her eyes, he saw no guilt there, no self-recrimination. A warm smile spread across his lips and she returned it, breaking out into a deep, rich, laugh. "I love you, Rin."

"Good, because you're stuck with me now." He reached down and caressed her face, enjoying the way she nuzzled into him. "Do you want to go for a walk?" she suddenly asked.

"Okay."

"Great. Afterwards, we can pick Jack up and tell him the wonderful news." Stretching, she reached up and kissed him before getting out of bed and putting on her bra. "My panties are still in the kitchen, aren't they?" He nodded and saw her shake her head as she took out a fresh pair from the dresser. Erin pulled on the same skirt she'd worn earlier, but put on a deep green sweater. "Well?"

"I just love watching you," he replied as he got up and grabbed his boxers from where he'd thrown them. "You're sexy, what can I say?"

She grinned as she brushed her hair into some semblance of order. "I won't be for much longer. I look like I've swallowed a beach ball when I'm pregnant. The only good thing about pregnancy is the change up here. Erik couldn't keep his hands off my breasts when I was expecting. He could never wait for me, though."

"Then he missed out on half the fun. Hearing you make those wonderful sounds when you're about to come is so rewarding." He tucked his shirt into his pants and then zipped them up. "You, my Erin, are a complete and utter delight."

"Only because you make sex so wonderful and not a duty." She smiled at him and they went downstairs. She picked up the panties from the floor while he grabbed their coats from the car. Once back in from the garage, he helped her into her coat and then they went outside. He locked the door securely before taking her arm, tucking into the crook of his elbow.

"Rin…"

"Yes, Aaron?"

"We have to tell the team. They should know about this. That we're going to be together, forever." He changed how he was holding her, releasing her to wrap his arm around her waist.

"Could we wait until tomorrow? I want to spend this day just with you and Jack, no intruders on our bliss." She squeezed her arm around his waist, fitting her hand into his pocket.

"Are you sure you don't want to tell Penelope?"

"Well, she'll find out when we pick up Jack tonight." Erin snuggled closer and they fell silent. He was so content just to hold her and know that she'd be by his side, always. They walked a few more blocks until her shivering became so great her teeth chattered.

When they'd gotten home, there were two new messages on the answering machine. Erin hit the play button while he hung their coats up. "Hello, Mother, Aaron. Becca just called with the news. Congratulations! I want to spend the summer with you, helping out. Let me know, okay? Oh, and I'm going to be published. I'll tell you more about that later. I love you both. Talk to you soon!" Erin grinned at him as he came up to her.

"Hey, Becca told me the news just a little bit ago. Man, a big brother at my age? Well, anyway, many happy returns and all that. Talk to you soon!"

She turned to him and threw her arms around his neck. "I love you," she whispered. "I can't tell you enough how much I love you." She kissed his cheek lightly and then stepped back, yawning slightly. "I think I'm going to lay down for a little bit before we head out. You just wore me out today, honey."

Aaron chuckled a little as he picked her up, carrying her upstairs to their bedroom. "You have just as much stamina as I do, Rin. I promise; we'll get some rest sometime this week." He laid her down on the bed and then spooned up against her. She tugged his arm around her waist and exhaled a soft sound of contentment.

"Life was never supposed to be this easy for me. Aaron, I hate to say this, but I have that hinky feeling once more."

He rested his chin atop her head, rubbing her stomach gently. "Perhaps you're worrying too much. I know, you were right about that case in Michigan, but Ashley's okay now. Or as okay as she can be after being in an extended coma. And we're off until Monday, so none of us are in danger yet."

She turned in his arms, a small smile on her lips. "Why would Haley have ever wanted to leave you?" Erin leaned forward and kissed him softly as her eyes fluttered closed. Aaron drew her all the more closely to him, curling pieces of her hair around his finger.

Not really tired, he found himself content to hold his wife while she napped. "Haley wanted to be a lawyer's wife," he whispered to her sleeping form. "We loved each other, yes, but she couldn't deal with the horror I brought home. I drove her away, and yet you ran to me." He kissed her cheek and fell silent, listening to her breathe softly.

Aaron let her sleep for twenty minutes before waking her up. She smiled lazily up at him. "Your child is ravenous, Aaron. Do we have any leftovers in the fridge?" She stretched and sat up, kissing his cheek. "You'll have to shave before we go, you've a little bit of stubble going on."

"What? You don't want me with a beard?" She shook her head vehemently and slipped off the bed. "You go raid the kitchen, and I'll go shave and then join you." He got off the bed and went down the hall to the bathroom, quickly shaving. When he made it down to the kitchen, she was sitting on the island, eating some chicken.

"Are you ready to head out? I want to pick up some pickles on the way home. Those sound really good right now." She let him pick her up and settle her on the ground next to him. "Get ready for the cravings, honey. I had some pretty out there ones with all my pregnancies."

"Pickles aren't too bad." He held out her coat and she slipped her arms into it before taking his arm and going out to the car.

"You didn't ask me what kind of pickles." She sat in the car and put on her belt and then he was backing down the drive, thinking about her comment. Haley had been bad enough with her peanut butter marshmallow banana sandwiches at two in the morning. What was he in for with Erin? "Don't worry, at least too much. The worst was when I craved fresh persimmons. Erik had the hardest time finding those at three in the morning."

Shaking his head, he drove out to the Rossi home. "Good afternoon, Dave. Where're Penelope and Jack?" he asked, his arm around Erin's waist.

"He's playing videogames in the den. Penny's upstairs in the nursery, feeding Irene."

"Actually, I just finished, honey. Rin! Why didn't you tell me that you were pregnant?"

"I wanted to tell Aaron first, but it seems Doctor Reid let the cat out of the bag. I'm sorry." Penelope threw her arms around his wife, hugging her tightly.

"Don't be sorry, be happy! You're going to have a baby! Oh, honey, I'm so glad for you. Have you told Jack yet?" Erin shook her head and Penelope took hold of her hand, starting to tug on her when she stopped. "Is there something else you want to tell us?"

She looked up at him, smiling sweetly. "I'm now Mrs. Aaron Hotchner."

"I thought you were just going to ask her to marry you yesterday?" Dave clapped him on the back and he smiled.

"Well, we're going to be together forever, especially with the baby coming. What did we have to wait for?" Aaron found himself grinning at Dave and Penelope. "We're happy and want to be that way until we face the next great adventure." Penelope nodded at him, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

"This is too perfect. My Boss Man and Rin are married and going to be parents! Let's go tell Jack the awesome news!" She linked her other arm with Aaron and led them into the den.

"We have some news for you, Jack," Erin said as she sat next to him on the couch. "Today, Daddy and I got married. And…"

"There's more?" he asked excitedly, touching her face softly.

"What did you ask for at Christmas?" Aaron asked, taking a seat on the other side of Jack.

He began to bounce as he looked between his father and Erin. "That Jesus would give me a baby sister." He threw his arms around Erin, squeezing her tightly. "Do you have a baby in your tummy like Aunt Penny did?"

"Yes, I do, sweetie. They'll be here sometime in September, probably. I have to visit a baby doctor to be sure when they'll make their entrance." Erin closed her arms around Jack, tears rolling down her face, a bright smile on her lips. Aaron leaned forward and kissed her sweetly, enfolding both in a tender embrace.