Penelope took one last look at herself in the bathroom mirror, frowning as she took a look at her reflection. Though she had tried to tone down her look, to make herself look more like Jayje or Emily. She had chosen a pale blue blouse and a dark blue skirt that had golden swirls of stars and comets strewn across it. While the skirt reached her calves, Penelope couldn't help but add a few petticoats beneath to lend the skirt some body, unable to sacrifice that one nod to her own style. "Hopefully, the nanny isn't too put off by this," she murmured as she applied a fresh coat of lip gloss, smacking her lips together a few times in an effort to calm her nerves before leaving the bathroom and stepping out into the hallway.
Aaron was just coming out of the bullpen, and she caught his eye and smiled before waggling her fingers at him. He nodded and came up to her side, reaching out to rest his hand on her shoulder. "You look nice today, I never told you that."
"Thank you. I feel so underdressed, but this is more appropriate for what we're going to do. I don't know what time I'll be home, so I'll text to let you know that it's okay to call. Hopefully, we'll have the weekend together."
"I hope so, too," he replied, squeezing her shoulder three times before letting go. "I hope that you have an enjoyable evening."
"I hope that it goes well, for Erin's sake. See you later!" She gave him a small wink before turning and making her way to Erin's office. Helen gave her a little smile as she nodded, and Penelope slipped right into the inner office, heading over to Erin's desk and taking a seat in front of her, waiting for Erin to finish her call before clearing her throat and shrugging a little. "This was as toned down as I could get, Erin. It's not too much, is it?"
"No, you look lovely. Again, thank you for indulging Tabitha like this. I know that your time with Aaron is precious and fleeting, and you could be home with him tonight."
"Sugar, there will be other nights, and we have ways to stay in contact when he's out in the field. This? Is so much more important than my relationship with him, for all that I love him. He understands, because of Jackers. So, let's head out and meet Tabitha at IHOP." She made certain to keep her smile open and wide, knowing that Erin was most likely hurting deeper than she let on in that moment.
They both rose to their feet at the same time, and Erin picked up her purse from her desk as they left the office. "Helen, hold all my calls until tomorrow, unless it's the Director, and then inform him that I am on a visit with my daughter. I'll see you in the morning."
"Of course, Chief Strauss. I hope that you both have a good evening with her!"
Penelope felt her brow wrinkle a little at the tone in Helen's voice, thinking that there was something almost a little too friendly in that moment. It wasn't until they were in the elevator, heading down to the ground floor, that she asked the question burning in her throat. "Helen does know that I'm dating Hotch, right?"
Erin blushed a little as she nodded. "I believe that since I have few friendships inside the BAU, or outside, for that matter, Helen feels like there's something special about you. She just doesn't know that you're thoroughly stubborn in making certain that people like you, and that you've somehow worked that spell on me. And, I do, too, in reply to your text."
Erin fell silent as she pulled out her phone and began to scroll through something on her screen, leaving Penelope silent as she thought about their last text exchange. "Oh," she breathed out as it hit her, what she had said. Darting her eyes over at Erin, she could just detect the faintest hint of a pleased smile on her lips, and she nodded in response, knowing that there would be no point in pressing Erin to say anything else aloud, as that wasn't her style. Instead, Penelope just let out a pleased sigh as she shifted a tiny bit closer to her friend as they rode the rest of the way down.
The drive to the restaurant didn't take as long as she thought it might, though since it was an odd hour, that might explain for a little of that. Tabitha was waiting outside the doors, an expectant, hopeful, look on her face, and when she caught sight of them, the smile that spread across her lips seemed to dazzle more brightly than diamonds. "Mama!" she called out as she pulled away from the woman standing dourly next to her, and Penelope had to fight to keep her expression placid when the woman narrowed her eyes at them.
Drawing in a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and approached her side, allowing Erin and Tabitha some privacy. "Hello, I'm Erin's friend, Penelope Garcia," she said as she held out her hand to the woman.
She had been expecting a limp fish handshake, and so was pleasantly surprised at the firm grip she received instead. "I'm Dawn Cole. I didn't realise that Erin would bring a friend with her tonight."
"Yes, well, Tabitha invited me, and I find it really hard to say no to sweet young women like her, probably because I wish that I had had a mentor when I was her age. I believe that Erin informed you Tabitha decided to watch Shrek?"
"Yes, though this will be my fifth time seeing it, since my children have become obsessed with the movie."
Penelope nodded as Erin and Tabitha joined them. Her daughter was glued to her side, one arm wrapped around her waist as if to dare Dawn to try and separate them. Penelope gave her a tiny wink as they went inside and they were seated within minutes. Penelope had expected to sit by Dawn's side, but from the look the woman gave Tabitha, she knew that that wasn't going to happen, and she fought not to frown as she slid into the booth and picked up her menu, trying not to snap at Dawn when she felt Erin's leg trembling against hers, letting her know just how much that move upset her.
The meal was stilted, even though Penelope tried to keep up a running conversation with all of them, and she was grateful when Tabitha's nanny cleared her throat after she had paid for the meal. "We'll meet you at the movie theatre. The showing that I booked tickets for begins in thirty minutes, which should leave enough time to get snacks beforehand, if you want."
"That will be fine, we'll meet you there." Erin's reply was frosty, and Penelope knew that she was trying to hold herself together. As soon as Tabitha was dragged off by Dawn, Penelope turned to Erin, about to say something. "Don't. Please, don't. I need, I need, I need something that I can't ask of you in this moment."
"What? You can't ask me for a hug? Honey, friends hug all the time, and you are so my friend." Before Erin could protest, Penelope leaned over and hugged her tightly, pressing her lips against her cheek in a fast kiss before sliding out of the booth and smiling down at her. "I just want you to be happy, Erin. And I will do everything in my power to make ensure that happens for you. Now, let's head out. Popcorn and Swedish Fish are calling my name! Plus, we need to make certain that we get good seats. In fact, why don't you and Tabitha grab us a place to sit while I get snacks with Ms Cole?"
"If you can get her to agree to that, I would love it."
Penelope nodded as they climbed into Erin's car and headed to the theatre. Somehow, they found a spot right next to Dawn's car, and they all went into the building together. "So, let's get those snacks while Erin and Tabitha find us some good seats," she said as she took hold of the woman's arm and steered her over to the food counter. "After all, ten minutes alone, in a movie theatre, won't harm anything, will it?"
To her surprise, the woman shook her head, even though she frowned at Penelope as they got in line. "You are trying to help Erin's chances of getting custody, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Good, she needs good people by her side, and Mark might just have met his match in you." She looked around, as if she expected someone to be listening in on their conversation, before focusing on Penelope once more. "I have to be harsh, because I have to appear impartial. I know that you'll find it hard to believe that, but I cannot look like I'm showing any leniency towards her. But if she has a friend like you, willing to keep her on the straight and narrow, I'm certain that she'll win out in the end."
From those words, Penelope knew that there was more to Erin's story than what she had been told, and she knew that she had to dig a little deeper with her friend, if only to help ensure that her children returned to her sooner rather than later. "I will keep that in mind and do whatever I can to make Erin's way as easy as possible, as long as you promise to be as fair as possible. That is the only way that we can win, agreed?"
"Agreed." Dawn nodded firmly as they approached the cashier and placed their order, and Penelope only hoped that they would truly be able to work together, and that Aaron wouldn't mind her taking on a new challenge. Only time would tell, however, though she hoped the outcome would always be in their favor.
