Erin shook her head as she looked at the text message she had just received from Aaron on her work phone, and she looked over at her fiancé, reaching out for his hand and gripping it tightly. They knew that the surgery to repair Elise's heart would take anywhere between four to six hours, but that still didn't mean that she wouldn't look up anxiously every time someone entered or exited the waiting room. And this text from Aaron was not helping things in the slightest. "What is it, Erin?"

"Things are headed south with this case quickly, and I don't know if I can deal with the stress of that and Elise. I just want to flee to the nearest bar and get so drunk that I forget this is even happening?"

He slung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to his side before pressing a tender kiss to the side of her head. "And I wouldn't let you do that, Erin. Because you know that won't solve any problems, it would just create new ones. Now, what seems to be the problem with Aaron and his team?"

She let out a deep breath and showed him the text. "It looks like the sheriff has been taken by the unsub, and it's complete chaos. Why couldn't they have picked up an easy case to deal with?" Erin burst into tears, turning her face into his chest so that she could cry without being seen, welcoming the way his arms encircled her shoulders, holding her close as he dropped a few more kisses to the top of her head.

"Do you want me to call Director Shepperd and have him field any calls and requests for this case?"

"Yes and no? I need the distraction to focus my mind away from what's happening to Elise, but I need it to be less stressful."

"All right, I'll text Hotch back with a message that hopefully sounds like you, telling him to let you know when they find the sheriff. Will that help you?" She nodded, listening to the way he spoke beneath his breath as he slowly pecked out the reply to Aaron, taking much longer than it would have taken her.

"I need to get you more comfortable with technology, darling. You're too accustomed to that ancient flip phone."

He chuckled, and she clung to that sound, finding that it helped to settle her a little as she sat up and wiped away the tears lingering on her face. "I like my ancient flip phone. It gets the job done. Why would I want to fix something that isn't broken?"

"I suppose," she murmured as he handed the phone back to her, and she slipped it into her pocket as she looked at the clock on the wall once more. Her shoulders slumped when she saw that only five minutes had passed, and then she was curling up close to David once more. "I need to stop looking at the clock."

"Did you bring a book to read, like the surgeon suggested?"

Erin nodded as she reached into her purse and pulled out the book she'd brought. "Karen said that I needed something light to take my mind off what was happening, and suggested I bring one of her books, since it wouldn't take too much brainpower to read."

"She has a point. And Alan was all right with the change in visitation?"

"I think so. Though any time he can spend with the children will always be welcome to him. I am so glad that we've managed to iron out all these bumps in the road between us, because the children have to come first, no matter what, and I think we're finally both realise that." Erin dropped her purse to the floor once more as she settled her head on his chest and opened the book, trying to read the words on the page. That seemed like a losing battle, however, as she found herself reading the same paragraph over and over again, not really retaining anything that the author was trying to say. Letting out a frustrated breath, she closed the book and shoved it between her and David as she curled up closer to him and rubbed her cheek against his chest.

"Do you think that you could get some sleep?"

"I don't know."

"Close your eyes, then, and rest. Listen to my heartbeat and I'll keep watch on the clock for you." She nodded as she allowed her eyes to slide closed, focusing on the steady rhythm of his heartbeat as she tried to relax. She didn't know how much time passed, but soon enough she smelled a familiar perfume, and she frowned as she pushed away from David to sit up and look at their visitor.

"I know, I'm probably the last person that you wanted to see today, but I thought that I'd see how everything was going before I headed in to work. Since the team is in Nevada, I don't have to be there right at eight. Have you heard anything about how the surgery is going?" Penelope gave her a small smile as she took a seat in the chair next to David. "And before you ask, I didn't snoop to see where you were. I asked Helen about this, since I noticed that you had taken another two weeks off, after having two weeks off for Christmas, and I was worried."

"Thank you for your concern," Erin said lowly as she took hold of David's hand, holding on tightly. "Elise has been in surgery for ninety minutes so far, and at the least, there are two and a half hours left. If everything goes well, and the surgeon's fingers fly. I, I just want to hold my baby."

She tried to blink back her tears, but failed, and then Penelope was out of her chair and giving her a warm, tight, hug as she clung to David's hand. "I can only imagine, Erin. Listen, I'm going to get together with Helen and we're going to make a meal schedule, so that you and Rossi don't have to worry about that, at least. It will be the five of you for the next two weeks, yes?"

"Actually, Ms. Garcia, it will just be Erin and myself at home, or here. We thought it would be less disruptive for the kids if they spent this time with their father. He's promised to bring them around once Elise has been transferred to the critical care unit. But will be nice if you two want to prepare food for us. One less thing to worry about."

Penelope nodded before hugging Erin closely once more. "I can do that for you both. And I hate to leave so soon, but I know that traffic will be a nightmare from here to the BAU, but this was more important. Please, let me know as soon as Elise is out of surgery?"

"I will, Penelope." Erin gave her a shaky smile as the woman straightened her skirt and then gave them a little wave before leaving the waiting room. "She reminds me of a more over the top Helen more and more, David."

"Is that a good thing?"

"I think that it might be. I'm starting to trust her more, at least. Because God knows that I need another friendly face at the BAU. They don't trust me, and I understand that. I'm a bitch who slept with their boss, and that is hard to move on from."

"If they could see you right now…"

"I don't think that would change anything, and I have to be all right with that. As long as I have you and the children, that's all I really need in life." He nodded as he pulled her close once more, and she sighed as she rested her head on his chest. "Maybe I'll try reading once more. Seeing Penelope brought a small measure of peace to my heart." He nodded before dropping a soft kiss to the top of her head, and she smiled as she picked up the book once more, opening the pages and trying to lose herself in a world far removed from her current one.