"Thank you for agreeing to see me on such short notice, Doctor Brunner. I know that I have a crazy schedule to try and accommodate."
"It's fine, Erin. I am a little concerned about your blood pressure, so I'll want you to monitor that each day, keeping a log of it morning and night. You can purchase a good blood pressure monitor at your pharmacy, just have one of the pharmacists show you how to use it correctly before you take it home. Also, I'd like to see that you take daily walks of twenty minutes or so. I know that you have a desk job, but during your lunch hour, or after you get home, just try to get some extra movement in. And for goodness sakes, please try to avoid as much stress as possible. I'd like to make certain that this baby stays in for as long as possible. Tabitha's pregnancy was really rocky, and the more steps we can take to make sure that does not repeat with this pregnancy, the better."
"I'm trying. But I know that the divorce is not helping things, either. At least I have David to help support me as I go through this. And I've started the prenatal vitamins that you called in on Friday, so that's good, yes?" Her doctor nodded. "All right. I need to get back to work before all hell breaks loose once more. Any other things I should keep in mind before our next appointment?"
"I'd like you to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. If all else fails, make them into a smoothie, as those can be easier on your stomach. I vaguely remember from last time that certain foods reacted poorly with you."
"That is good to know, thank you." Erin smoothed her shirt down over the small rise of her stomach and gave the doctor a small smile. "So, will I see you again in a month?"
"Two weeks. This is a high-risk pregnancy, Erin, and I want to keep a close eye on the baby's development. I know, it's not convenient for you, but if you want the best chance at a healthy baby, that's what needs to happen."
She nodded, knowing that she would have to discuss that with Director Shepperd. As soon as Doctor Brunner left, Erin let out a long breath before texting David to let him know that the exam went well. After that, she checked out with the receptionist and booked her next appointment before heading back to the office, knowing that she would have to pick up the blood pressure monitor on her way home that evening, since she was already running late to get back, and still needed to get lunch.
As Erin drove back to the FBI building, she called Helen. "Yes, Erin?"
"Would you please order lunch for me? I'm running late, since Doctor Brunner was late to my appointment, and I just don't have time to pick anything up."
"Of course, I'll get you something from your favorite deli, and hopefully it will get here around the same time that you get back."
"Thank you," she replied before ending the call and heading towards work as quickly and safely as she could. Turning the radio up, she began to sing along to the current song, finding that it soothed her a little. Touching her stomach, Erin thought about what was going to come in the next few weeks, since she hadn't anticipated spending so much time seeing the obstetrician. Still, she knew that David would agree that she needed to take every precaution that she could with the pregnancy.
Finally, she arrived back at work, and as she rode up on the elevator, she allowed herself to get lost in her thoughts as she caressed her stomach. "Baby, even though you're entering the world in a less than ideal way, I am so glad that you're going to be here."
Stepping off the elevator, Erin kept her chin held high as she made her way to her office, ignoring the whispers that happened as soon as she passed by certain people, since they didn't really matter, or so she kept telling herself. Helen was just coming out of her office when Erin walked in, and she gave her assistant a small, worn, smile as she paused next to her side. "Please tell me that you just dropped off lunch."
"Yes, Erin. How did things go?"
"For the most part good. I need to purchase a blood pressure monitor on the way home tonight, but other than that, everything looks on track. And before you ask, I need to get it myself, since Doctor Brunner would like the pharmacist to show me how to use it, so I can keep an accurate record for her." Helen nodded and reached out to pat her arm as they changed spots, and Erin took a seat at her table, pulling one of the files that Helen had placed next to her lunch close to her side so that she could read and eat.
A sudden commotion caught her attention, and she frowned as she pulled off her reading glasses to see what was going on. Before Helen could prepare her, Aaron was storming into her sanctuary, and she shrank away from him as he closed the door firmly and then stalked over to her side. "Just what the hell do you think you're playing at, Erin? Why would you tell such a huge lie to the Director?"
She took a deep breath as her stomach started to roil at the sight of his angry visage, looming over her. Erin knew that she couldn't show him any weakness, that he would use that against her, and she tightened her jaw as she lifted her chin in defiance. "Why would you think that I'm lying, Aaron?" she said as calmly as she could, feeling her stomach roil as she stared at him.
"You aren't someone to carry on an affair, you love your husband too much to do something like that. Just like I love Haley too much to have an affair. What we did once –"
"Twice. Remember when you pushed your way into my home?" she bit out, shrinking away from him as he came into her space even more, sitting next to her on the sofa as he glared at her. "Well, Aaron? Do you not remember how we fucked in my living room?"
"I was doing my best to forget that, actually. And it looks like you're attempting to rewrite history by claiming some ridiculous relationship with my best friend! He would have told me about you, if you were truly sleeping together."
"I swore him to secrecy, Aaron. It's no secret that we parted on bad terms when he retired, and since I was still with Alan, the need for secrecy was paramount." Drawing in a deep breath, Erin tried to keep her thoughts and emotions in check, knowing that the stress of this current situation was not good for the baby. "Now, if you would please leave, I have to eat while finishing up these reports before heading into a budget meeting."
Erin turned her body so that she was faced front and reached out for her sandwich, only to have Aaron take hold of her wrist and still her movements. Erin refused to look in his direction, not until he tightened his hold on her wrist, and then she whipped her head around to glare up at him. "We're not done here, Erin, and you will not dismiss me like this. You may have fooled the Director, but you won't fool me. No, you as much as admitted that this was my baby when I came to see you at your home after your little discussion with Ms. Garcia. And since this is my child, I think that I deserve to know what you plan on doing!"
His voice rose in pitch and volume with each word that came out of his mouth, and for the first time in her working with him, Erin felt genuinely afraid of what Aaron might do. To her immense relief, Helen came bursting into the office moments later, a cool look on her face. "Ma'am, Director Shepperd is on the phone for you. I tried to explain that you were in a meeting with Agent Hotchner at the moment, but he insisted that it was urgent, and that you needed complete privacy to speak with him."
Aaron narrowed his eyes as he looked between the two of them, and Erin once more tipped her chin up as she coolly regarded him. "This conversation is far from over, I'll have you know."
"You have your answer, Aaron. This is David's baby, and no matter how much you might rail against the notion that I could sleep with three men in the same span of time, it will still be true at the end of the day." Roughly, she pulled her wrist free from his hand and stalked over to her desk, picking up the receiver of her phone and giving Aaron a pointed look. "Leave, now."
He gave her a dark look as he stormed out of the office, and Erin collapsed in on herself as she finally allowed herself to cry, replacing the receiver as Helen closed her office door. "Do you need me to call David?"
She shook her head. "I'll be fine in a few moments. Though I seem to have lost my appetite. Please put my sandwich in the refrigerator, and I'll try to eat it later." Helen nodded as they both drifted over to her sofa, and Erin took a seat before letting her head come to rest in the corner of it. "And if I'm asleep when you come to remind me about the meeting at three, gently wake me?"
"Yes, Erin," Helen replied as she gave her a small smile, and she nodded, curling her legs beneath her as she absently rubbed her stomach, trying not to think about the days ahead of her.