Penelope let out a little sigh as she stepped out onto the roof of the building. She had a brief bit of time to herself before she had to be back and at the beck and call of her team, and she was going to use them as she had used a lot of her late nights spent at the BAU – on the roof, looking for the evening star. Though she knew that it was at most, a pipe dream, a part of her hoped that there was some truth to the legend that if you said goodnight to your someone on the first glimpse of the evening star, you could send your love across the transom and reach them. It was a long shot, she knew, but maybe there was some way that her someone would receive the message she wished upon that star, every night that she could.
As she took a few more steps out onto the roof, she shivered a little and rubbed her arms briskly in an effort to warm herself a little. While it was February, she hadn't expected it to be quite that cold. Still, she should have thought to grab her cardigan before heading up, but she was there now, and wouldn't leave until she had seen the evening star. Penelope hoped that the night sky was clear enough to determine where the star was so that she could say goodnight to her someone. Just as her eyes alighted on said star, she heard a soft voice begin to sing a familiar song from The Music Man, and after she had said a hurried goodnight to her someone, Penelope looked around to see who she was sharing the roof with.
A shocked gasp slipped from her lips when she saw a familiar blonde head staring up at the night sky, a tender smile on her lips as she finished up the song. Penelope knew that she couldn't intrude on this intimate space, and that she had to let her know that she was there. Clearing her throat, Penelope braced herself for the tongue lashing she was almost certain she was going to receive now that she had announced her presence.
Erin jumped a little as she whirled around to face her, and Penelope gave her a shy smile as she waved at her. "I, I didn't realise that anyone else would be up here. Usually I'm alone when I come up to speak to the evening star."
"Usually I am, too. Or I'm home in time to step outside." There was something so silvery and sad about Erin's voice in that moment that Penelope couldn't help but step forward and close the distance between them before reaching out for Erin's hand, clasping it tightly as she let out a soft sigh of commiseration. A watery chuckle slipped from Erin's lips before she brushed away a few tears that lingered on her cheeks. "Though I know that my someone will never speak to me again, it is nice to speak to them in the evening."
Penelope knew that she would never tell Erin that she knew who her someone was based on that description alone, as she knew that the other woman wouldn't like being so exposed to Penelope. "My someone is someone I shouldn't be pining over. But I've adored him ever since he first defended me against Gideon. In my heart of hearts, I know that he'll never see me as anything other than an annoying little sister that you have to love, because she's family."
"Then Agent Hotchner is a fool, Penelope."
She cocked her head to one side as she looked at Erin, trying not to gape like a fish at having been so transparent that even her boss could tell that who her crush was. "I never mentioned his name."
"And you are being very kind by not mentioning her name, but I know that you know who my someone is." Erin gave her a shaky smile before taking a deep breath. "I knew that you had feelings for him that ran deeper than platonic love at the inquest into Haley's death. You all were open books to me during that time, and I read a little too deeply when it came to you. I think, on a purely non-professional level, that you and he would work well together, and I would encourage you to seek out that relationship. There are still favors that I can call in, if you can find your bravery and reach out to him."
"I'll be brave if you are brave," she said in a rush, knowing that she was pushing them both out of their comfort zones in that moment. "I mean, I can start softening up your someone, since she's starting to thaw to me a little. And you could drop hints to Hotch. That's how friendship works, right? We have each other's backs when push comes to shove. And I think that we're friends. I mean, we danced together at Jayje's wedding, even though I was drunk as a skunk, and you were so kind to me while I was in London."
Erin reached out and rested her hand on Penelope's shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze. "I can't make promises, but I will continue to reach out to her. And maybe your gentle prods will get her to relent a little. We're both prideful women."
"No!" she teased, watching Erin relax a little as she giggled with a small nod. "But I think that your pride has eased a little, since your brief fling with Rossi. Now come on, let's head back inside. I am freezing!"
"I was hoping you'd say that shortly. I should have worn my cardigan tonight, but I didn't think that I'd be waylaid by a very kind fellow evening star wisher," she said as she linked arms with Penelope and led her back over to the stairwell. As Penelope went to open the door, though, Erin stopped her and pulled her into a fierce, tight, hug. "Thank you for your kindness," she whispered in Penelope's ear before slipping through the door, and Penelope stared after her in awe for a moment before she headed inside herself.
Erin was waiting for her by the elevators, holding the doors open so that she could step inside before she pressed the button for their floor. "I'll bring coffee for all of us tomorrow. Hotch said that he would try to get everyone home for Valentine's Day, even if it's only Jayje who has someone to canoodle with at the moment."
"That's right, it's in two days. I'd forgotten. If only…"
"There are miracles, right?"
Erin laughed a little as she nodded. "And I know about your talents, however forty eight hours is too short a timespan to melt the wall of ice between us."
"I can still try," Penelope replied as they stepped out of the elevator. Erin gave her a warm smile as they parted ways, and she took that as her cue to really start working on Alex. After all, there were two days at her disposal, and she could use that time wisely. Once she had gotten back to her office, she took a seat at her computer and hurriedly called the woman from her work phone.
"I can't really talk now, Garcia. We're about to reach the unsub's hideout."
"Oh, sorry, no one called to update me. Will you give me a call when you have a free moment? I have a few questions that I'd like to ask."
"Of course. Talk to you soon."
Before Penelope could say another word, Alex had hung up, and she pouted a little as she leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers against the arm in an effort to stop thinking about her twin missions. Finally, she got up and went over to her sofa and settled into the corner of it, curling up as best she could and pulling out her personal phone so that she could distract herself with a few games.
Time passed by quickly as she lost herself in her current favorite, and then said phone was vibrating in her hand as Hotch's name appeared in the upper part of her screen. Fumbling a little with the device, she finally tapped on his name and brought the phone to her ear. "Hey, Hotch!"
"Are you still at the office?"
"Yeah, I was waiting to get word from you that it was okay to go home. I didn't even know that you were headed out after the unsub until I called Blake."
There was a small pause, and Penelope could just imagine that Aaron was rubbing the back of his head in consternation. "I did try calling your office phone, but you were out. And then we were in the middle of the chase, and I didn't have time to contact you."
"I sort of figured that was the case. Did you get him?"
"We did. Blake was the one who managed to collar him, and based on the evidence that we gathered, he shouldn't see the light of day outside of a prison cell ever again. I'd rather it happen this way, as these people need to face justice for those that remain."
"You still talk like a prosecutor at times, don't you?" she teased, and he chuckled a little. "It's one of your more endearing qualities. Now, when are you guys going to be home?"
"It's too late in the day to fly, especially with the adrenaline crash after catching an unsub, so we'll head home first thing in the morning. Why? That anxious to see Morgan's face?"
She shook her head fervently, even though he couldn't see it, as she answered. "It's not his face that I miss," she whispered before she could control her tongue, and she listened to his sharp intake of breath as she realized what she had said. Thankfully, Alex began to call in that moment, and she cleared her throat before hurriedly saying, "That's Blake. I have to take this call. See you later!" Without waiting for him to reply, she switched the call over to Alex and waited to hear the woman's voice.
"You wanted to talk, Garcia?"
"Yes! And you just saved me after I put my foot in my mouth with Hotch. Though that doesn't preclude the same happening between us in the course of this conversation, since I have the feeling that I'll be prodding into a few sensitive topics. And I know, even before you say anything, that you're a private person, and don't like to open up to people, but I have a few things that I want to clear up, if you don't mind."
"We'll talk until JJ comes out of the bathroom, though given that she's on the phone with Will, that means I could be on the line with you for a good long while."
Penelope giggled as she made herself a little more comfortable on her sofa, kicking off her shoes so that she could bring her legs beneath her. "That might yield me a lot of knowledge."
"Or I could obfuscate every detail that I speak about, leaving you to wonder what is truth and what is confabulation."
"Keeping me on my toes, I get that. We still don't really know each other all that well. Anyway, I have been sitting on this for months, since you started with the BAU. What in the world is between you and Strauss?"
She listened to Alex draw in a long breath before she coughed a few times. "You certainly don't hold any punches."
"Well, I could have asked the obvious question, which is when did you two end your affair, but I thought that was a little gauche."
Alex let out a rich, throaty, laugh, which was a relief to Penelope, as she hadn't been certain how the woman would react to that question. "You're right, that would be gauche. And we did share something, years ago, but that time in our lives is over. There's too much bad blood between us now to ever go back to what we had. Now, what's going on between you and Hotch?"
Penelope choked on the breath she was taking, coughing loudly as she tried to think about how she would respond to Alex. "There's nothing, at the moment. He'll never, well, I'm waiting on a miracle, and wishing goodnight to my someone."
This time, Alex was the one to pause. "Have you been talking to Erin?"
"No, why?"
"The Music Man is one of her favorite musicals."
"Huh. It was the first musical that I was in as a child. I played Gracie Shinn, though I wanted to be Amaryllis."
"Why does that not surprise me?"
"Because I'm over the top?" she shot back, listening to Alex laugh once more. "Seriously, though, please don't let him know that I told you I say goodnight to him on the evening star every night. But I wonder who Erin says goodnight to?" she asked, hoping that she sounded merely curious and not like she was trying to fish for information that she already knew.
"I wouldn't know anymore," Alex whispered, and that was the moment that Penelope knew there was an opening for both of them to receive their Valentines wishes.
"Maybe you do, and you just don't want to admit it?" she dared to say before she rushed on with another thought. "Well, if you all are going to spend the night there, I'm going to head home and get some much needed sleep. Talk to you soon!" Penelope hung up with yet another person that evening, and she let out a long breath of air as she began to shut down her systems before heading out.
She stopped by Erin's office to see if the woman was still there, but the lights were all off, and she hoped that the woman was going to have a good evening as she went back to the elevators. By the time she arrived home, Penelope was anxiously thinking about all the conversations that she had had that evening, knowing that there was a very good possibility that she had managed to blow everything out of the water for all four of them.
Stepping out of the shower, Penelope wrapped a dressing gown around her body and dried her hair before making her way into her bedroom and shimmying into fresh pyjamas before slipping beneath the covers. Just as she was about to fall asleep, her personal phone rumbled three times in quick succession on her nightstand. Groaning, she picked the device up and saw that she had three messages from the three people she had spoken with at length that evening.
I texted her. It's your fault if this blows up in my face.
She texted me! I didn't know how much of a miracle worker you are, but she reached out! Thank you, Penelope.
We need to talk when I'm back in the office. Aaron.
Penelope didn't know if she should smile or frown at those messages, and decided she'd worry about that in the morning. Slipping off her glasses, she placed them next to her phone and then flipped off her light before turning on her side and drifting off to sleep, thinking of her someone as the darkness claimed her.
"Did you have a good weekend?" Anderson asked as they met in the break room Monday morning.
"It was uneventful," she replied, reaching for the pot of coffee that was already brewed.
"Would you mind filling my tumbler up, Garcia?"
She stiffened a little to hear Alex's voice behind her, and she turned, giving her a wide smile as she nodded, filling Alex's cup before her own. "So, did you have a good weekend?" she asked, giving Anderson a small look that he rolled his eyes at before nodding.
"It would have been better had I received a text back from either of the two people I texted Friday evening."
Penelope blushed a little as they approached Alex's desk. "Yeah, well, I wasn't certain that you'd want to hear from me before you heard from her. Hopefully, you'll hear from her soon. Or maybe you could go see her in her office before our day gets underway?"
"We might as well rename you Peitho," the woman muttered as she took a sip from her tumbler. "It can't be Cupid, since he was a man, well, god. Again, if this goes wrong…"
"Then I'll bear the brunt of both your anger and sorrow. I know."
"What are you doing now, Garcia?" She looked up into Hotch's face, seeing that while his typical stoic mask was on his face, there was a twinkle in his eyes that told her he was just putting on a show. "Well?"
"Perhaps we could discuss this in your office? After all, you said that you needed to talk to me today." She gave him a little wink before glancing down at Alex once more. "Seriously, you can't hold on to a burning brand forever. Sometimes, you need to let it go."
Alex nodded as they walked away from her, and Penelope drew in a deep breath through her nose, taking in the scent of Aaron's cologne. It was too short a walk to his office, and she shivered a little as his fingers brushed against her back as he ushered her inside. "So, we left things in a rather nebulous place on Friday, and I think that we need to discuss our conversation."
"Can I say that I was over tired and blame it all on that? You know that my tongue loosens and I say things that I might not entirely mean." Penelope tried to give him an innocent smile, and he shook his head a little as they took a seat on the sofa. He was entirely too close to her, she couldn't focus, and it was almost as if he knew that he had that reaction on her and wanted to keep her off kilter.
"I think that you know that that would be a lie, and that I don't like lies."
Penelope nodded as she scooted back into the sofa, trying to put a little more space between them. "It's not Derek that I want to be my Valentine. He would never look at me like that, anyway. But then, neither would…"
Her voice trailed off as she looked away from him, hoping that he wouldn't fill in the rest of her sentence. There was a short, soft, pause before his hand reached out to curl around her shoulder. Almost unconsciously, he began to rub his thumb back and forth, and she sighed as she tried not to lean into the touch. "For all that you exude confidence and joy, I'm surprised that you can't just come out and say what you mean."
She turned her head sharply to look at him, a frown starting to settle on her features. "And embarrass myself? Watch you turn me down gently because I'm not your type? No, I'd rather dream, if dreams there be, Aaron."
Hotch gave her a gentle smile as he shook his head. "The brave man, or in this case, woman, only dies five hundred deaths."
She couldn't help but giggle at the reference, rolling her eyes affectionately. "You are not Harold Hill, Aaron."
"No, but I got to play Marcellus in high school, thanks to Haley." She nodded and looked away from him, hating that she felt a stab of jealousy at the mention of Haley's name. "But even though that was in the past, there's still the future to think about."
"If you pile up enough tomorrows, all you'll be left with is empty yesterdays," she murmured as she tried to scoot away from him, only for Aaron to press down on her shoulder with a little more force. It wasn't a harsh touch, but rather one that was asking her to stay. Penelope turned her face towards him once more, and she let out a soft sigh as she shook her head. "Are you trying to say that this isn't really a pipe dream of mine?"
"I'm saying that I'd like to spend Valentine's Day evening with you and see where things might lead. We work well together as friends, and that base might lead to a great partnership. But we have to take that first step into the unknown."
"Okay." That word came out much softer than she had anticipated, and Aaron gave her a tender smile in return. "So, where are you going to take me?"
"I know of a nice restaurant where we could head to after work?"
"Fancy nice or just nice?"
"Fancy nice," he replied with a little laugh, and she reached out and smacked his upper arm lightly. "What was that for?"
"You know me! I want to dress appropriately for the occasion!"
He nodded as he reached out to touch her hair, only to let his hand hover so close to her that she could feel the warmth of it. After she gave a small dip of her chin, Aaron tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear before pulling away from her a little. "All right, I will pick you up at your apartment tonight at six. Now, would you like to tell me why Blake might be upset with you?"
Penelope took a deep breath before shaking her head no. "That is something between the three of us, Aaron. I'm certain that you'll know soon enough, one way or the other, but it isn't my story to tell. Trust me on this?"
"I don't really have a choice, do I?" She shook her head once more, giving him a cheeky grin as she leaned in and kissed his cheek softly. "Penelope?"
"That's to tide you over until tonight," she said, making certain to add a sultry purr to her voice as she got to her feet. Waggling her fingers at him, she left his office before scurrying down to her own and closing herself in. It was hard to stop the racing of her heart as she pulled out her phone and tried to text Erin with shaking fingers.
Aaron is taking me out to supper tonight. To a fancy restaurant! This is more than I ever thought possible, which means that saying goodnight on the evening star has worked for me, and it has to work for you, too! Right? I know Blake went to talk to you. I need details! Xoxo
Penelope pressed send before she could rethink her words, and then took a seat behind her computer and began to get on with her work, humming beneath her breath as she typed away to look for the answers her teams needed. It wasn't until lunchtime that she looked up to find a visitor in her office. "Erin! You're not crying, so that's a good sign, yes?"
The older woman gave her a flicker of a smile as she gestured towards the couch. Penelope nodded as she got to her feet, joining the older woman on the couch before reaching out and taking hold of her hand, somehow knowing that Erin needed the support from that touch. "Alex and I had a long discussion about things between us. It turns out that she had been softening towards me over the last few months, as I left things alone and didn't push her to make amends. We, we're going out to supper tonight, too. I don't think it will be romantic, like your supper, but it's a start. Maybe you really are a miracle worker, just like Aaron's reports say. And before you ask, yes, I'll text you with the outcome, whatever it might be."
"You might not have opened up to me until very recently, but I am so glad that we connected at just the right point in our lives. Do you mind if I let you know how my date turns out, too?"
"It would be quite remiss of you if you didn't, Penelope. Are you going to leave early to get ready for tonight?"
"I would love to do that, but I don't think that my boss will give me permission. Even if he is the one taking me out."
"Maybe his boss will have to be the nice one in this case. Start getting ready to head home, I'll let him know that his team is free to leave at any time they choose in order to get ready for any plans they might have tonight." Erin rose to her feet, giving Penelope a small smile before she turned on her heel and sashayed from the office. Penelope knew that Aaron would wonder about the sudden change in Erin, but she knew that she was most likely going home herself, to get ready for Alex. Letting out a little giggle, Penelope called Kevin, letting him know that she was stepping out of the office in a few minutes, so that he could take over for her. With that out of the way, she forwarded all the information that he would need before shutting down her systems and packing her bag, taking it with her as she headed out the door.
It didn't surprise her to see that Blake was already gone, and she allowed her smile to widen a little as she passed by Derek, giving him a small nod as she swept out of the bullpen and over to the elevators. There was something so freeing about heading out of work earlier than normal, knowing that she was looking forward to something special. Penelope allowed her thoughts to wander the entire way to her apartment and through her getting ready, and she didn't look up until she heard her intercom buzzing.
Hurriedly, she stepped into the heels that matched her outfit before scurrying over and pressing the talk button. "Hello?" she asked, hoping that she didn't sound as breathless as she felt.
"It's Aaron. Are you ready to head out?"
Penelope took a deep breath as she smoothed her hair a little. "Give me a moment to put my coat on and grab my purse. I'll be down in about five minutes." She let go of the button and went over to the door, shrugging into a coat that wouldn't crush her outfit before slinging her purse over her shoulder and making her way downstairs.
Aaron was standing on the corner of her stoop as she slipped outside, and a warm smile spread across her lips as she came over to his side and rested her hand on his upper arm. "Was I quick enough?" she asked as he looked down at her, giving her an appreciative onceover.
"You were quite quick, yes. Shall we?" He held out his elbow, and she slipped her hand into the crook, allowing him to guide her over to his waiting car. Though she wanted to say something more to him on the drive to the restaurant, but she couldn't find the right words to carry out a conversation. He seemed to notice her nerves, as Aaron slid his hand off the wheel to take hold of hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze before returning to the wheel as he finished up the drive. "We're outside the office, Penelope. You don't have to think of me as your boss," he said as he pulled into the line for valet parking.
"But you're my Boss Man," she whispered as they reached the podium, allowing the young man to open the door for her and help her out. Within moments, though, Aaron was by her side, taking hold of her hand and guiding her inside. There were quite a few people waiting, which shouldn't have surprised her, but she did feel a little pressed in by the crowds.
"Everything will be easier when we have our table," he murmured in her ear as he led them over to a more secluded part of the waiting area. Penelope nodded as she stepped even closer to him, daring enough to rest her head on his upper arm as they waited. There was something comforting about the scent of his aftershave, and she breathed in deeply as they waited. About five minutes passed before she heard his last name called, and once more her nerves started to act up as they were led further into the restaurant.
From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a familiar blonde head, and her smile grew by a few magnitudes when Erin looked up at her. Waggling her fingers at the woman, she gave her a small wink as they were led past the pair and shown to a table not that far from them. "This is a pretty swanky restaurant, Aaron," she said as she looked over the menu, finding that it was a prix fixe event. Thankfully, there was a vegetarian version, and she set the menu aside as their server approached.
"Good evening. As you can see, we are serving a prix fixe meal tonight, however, if that won't work for you, you may order from the other menu."
"No, this will be fine. I'll take the vegetarian option, however," Penelope said before picking up her water and taking a long sip. After setting it aside, she unconsciously began to tap her fingers against the table, her eyes darting over towards Erin's table. Unfortunately, her back was towards Penelope, so she couldn't catch the woman's eye, but Alex caught her looking their way and gave her a small smile as she rolled her eyes.
"I know that you want to go over there and talk to them."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Aaron."
He gave her a searching look before arching his eyebrow and indicating towards their table with his head. "That is what Blake was worried about, you playing matchmaker between the two of them. Are you willing to face the blowback if this does not end well?"
Penelope sighed as she nodded. "I have the feeling that everything will work out exactly as it should," she replied with a gentle smile on her lips. "After all, we're here, aren't we?" He nodded, giving her a longsuffering look in return as he reached across the table to take hold of her hand and giving it a little squeeze. Their server dropped off the appetizers just as Alex got to her feet and headed in the direction of the restroom, giving Penelope a knowing smirk as she passed by their table. "And now I am going to head over there, Aaron. Be back in a few moments!"
She stood and began to walk past him, leaning down to brush her lips against his cheek before going to Erin's table and taking the seat that Alex had just vacated. "That didn't take you too long, Penelope," Erin said archly, though there was a slight smile on her lips. "Enjoying your evening with Aaron?"
"So far, yes! I can't believe that we ended up in the same restaurant, though! What a coincidence!" She leaned in close and looked closely at Erin's face, trying to read her expression as she took a deep breath. "Alex seems in a good mood."
"Just as much as I am," she replied with an even tone, her smile softening into something a little more romantic. "And before you ask, I probably will not tell you all the details of the evening, no matter how much you pester me. I might count you as a new friend, given what we shared on the roof, but there are some details that will remain private. All right?"
"I suppose, though you should know by now that I like to dig and dig and dig until I get the answers that I want. Just, let me know when I'm blowing past boundaries in an effort to know you better. Do you mind if I give you all the juicy details about anything that might happen tonight?"
Erin let out a trill of laughter as she shook her head. "I don't think that I want to think of Aaron like that. I'd rather not like to think of you like that, either, dear, because there are some things that should be kept private."
"I guess I can keep the more salacious details for just me and Jayje, but could we at least talk a little about our nights? Especially because we're both having an evening with our someones?"
Erin gave her a small nod before looking up and over her shoulder. This drew Penelope's gaze upwards as well, and she saw that Alex had returned. "Hey! Didn't mean to steal your date, but I just had to touch base a second. So good to see both of you here!" she said as she popped to her feet, reaching out to squeeze Alex's elbow as she scooted past her to return to Aaron.
"Did you get it out of your system?" There was a little note of teasing in his voice, and she nodded as she picked up her fork and tucked into her food.
"Yes, and I think that things are going to end up very good for both Erin and myself. You have nothing to worry about with regards to tension between Alex and Erin tomorrow."
A faint blush stained his cheeks, as if he was reading more into her statement than she had intended, and then Aaron was clearing his throat before picking up his wine and taking a long sip. "As long as you don't give me any details of what either of them might tell you, we'll be fine."
"That will be an easy task to accomplish," she said as they finished their appetizer and moved smoothly on to the main course. By the time dessert rolled around, Penelope knew that things were going to end very well for her that evening, and she looked up to watch Alex help Erin to her feet as they left. Both women looked over at her as Alex held Erin's coat for her, and they exchanged knowing nods before the two women left, Alex's arm tightly around Erin's waist. "Does Jessica have Jack over at her place tonight?"
Penelope could feel a faint blush stain her cheeks at her bold question, but Aaron took it in stride as he nodded. "Though I did notice that you didn't bring a bag down with you. I always have mine in the trunk, if you'd feel more comfortable with me spending the night at your apartment. I mean, this is where things are leading tonight? I haven't read the situation wrong?"
"No, you have read the situation very correctly. I just wanted you to be as comfortable as possible, and I know that my apartment might be a little too over the top for you."
"Your apartment is a reflection of you, so I think I know what I'm getting myself into." He began to eat his piece of cake, and Penelope followed his lead, wanting to get this part of the evening over so that she could experience what she really wanted with him. He seemed to pick up on her desires, as he chuckled a little before reaching over and caressing her hand. "There's no need to rush. We have the whole evening."
"And hopefully a few more in the future?" she asked before biting her lip and looking down at her plate. She hadn't meant to be so bold, but again her words were tumbling out before she had a chance to catch them.
"We have to see what happens tonight, but I have a good feeling that there will be more than one night to this relationship of ours. I just want to make certain that we can work well together in the bedroom and act normally when we're at the office. Is that all right?"
Penelope looked up to see that he was giving her a probing look, and she smiled a little as she nodded. "You have a very good point, but somehow I have the feeling that Erin will be on our side when we have to navigate how our relationship will work. I mean, she is going to be in a relationship with her own subordinate."
"You are playing sneaky," he said with a chuckle as he finished up his dessert, and Penelope shrugged before nodding and popping the late bite of her cake into her mouth. "Let me settle the bill and then we can head back to your place for our nightcap."
Again, she found herself blushing, and she wondered if it would always be like this when they were together. She wanted to feel normal around him, like everything was natural, but this was so new and unexpected that she hadn't had a chance to truly process things. While Penelope was lost in her thoughts, Aaron settled the check and helped her to her feet. She gave him a dreamy smile as they went back out to his car, and Penelope allowed him to help her into the vehicle.
During the drive back to her apartment, Penelope felt a mix of anticipation and nerves swirl in the pit of her stomach. Her phone buzzing against her thigh was a welcome distraction in that moment, and she pulled it out to see that Erin had texted her a picture of her and Alex holding hands inside what looked to be Alex's car. The smile that had not left her lips grew as she tapped back a quick reply and then slipped the phone back into her pocket and turning her attention to Aaron. "Did you get a message from Erin?" he asked as he turned onto her street.
"Yes, and it was super sweet. But now we get to focus on our own sweetness." Penelope turned her face up towards Aaron, giving him a sweet smile before she leaned over and kissed his cheek. There wasn't much more to say, other than to guide Aaron into her parking lot and over to her car before they headed towards her building. She would have been content with holding his hand all the way up to her apartment, but after she'd let them in, he slipped his arm around her waist as they went to her door.
She fumbled and dropped her keys after pulling them from her purse, and Aaron was quick to crouch down and pick them up, smoothly inserting the right key into the lock and turning it. Penelope tried not to think about how cluttered her apartment looked, since she hadn't been expecting to have company. Still, she was grateful that Aaron didn't mention anything as she closed and locked the door before stepping out of her shoes, losing a few inches in height to him. Turning, Penelope looked up at him expectantly, not knowing what to say, only that she wanted him to kiss her senseless.
Aaron took a few steps towards her, reaching out to cup her cheek and brushing his thumb back and forth against her skin as he leaned down and kissed her gently. "You do want this, yes?" he whispered in her ear before pressing his lips to the sensitive skin there.
"I wouldn't have invited you in if I didn't want to take this next step, Aaron," she whispered back before slinging her arm around his neck and guiding his lips back to hers, capturing them in a bruising kiss as she led him into her bedroom. Penelope thought that her mind had been completely present as they kissed, until she felt the cool air of the room caress her skin. Stepping away from him, she saw that they had somehow managed to divest themselves of most of their clothes, and she giggled a little as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, feeling her blush extend over her face and down her chest. "How did that happen?" she asked breathlessly as she reached out and spread her hands on his chest, relishing the feel of his skin beneath her fingers. It was difficult to ignore the scars that Foyet had left him with, as she didn't want to make their first time together sad.
"I'm not certain myself," he replied as he slipped his fingers beneath the straps of her bra and slid them down her arms. Without hesitation, she pulled her arms free and then he reached behind her back to unhook the garment, letting it fall to the floor. Aaron stared at her, and Penelope felt her flush deepen a little as he continued his scrutiny.
"Like what you see, lover?" She hoped the question came off nonchalant, but wasn't able to completely tell.
"I more than like what I see, Penny." She let out a small squeak of surprise when he pulled them both onto the bed. She stared up at him before letting out a low groan when he lowered himself further and began to kiss his way down her neck and upper chest, seeking out the spots that brought her the most pleasure. Penelope groaned once more when he enclosed one of her nipples in his mouth, digging her fingers into the meat of his shoulders as he continued to suck and nip at her sensitive skin. She was almost certain that she was going to orgasm from that attention alone, and Aaron noticed, as he pulled away from her, blowing a steady stream of air against her breast before kissing his way down her stomach before gently spreading her legs and fitting himself between them. "This is an even prettier view," he said, his voice rough with desire.
Penelope nodded a little, wrapping her legs around his waist as he entered her pliant body, welcoming the pleasant way he filled her body. They moved in tandem, and Penelope swore that she hadn't felt this right with someone in a long time. She could tell that Aaron wasn't going to last, based on the rhythm he was using, and she smiled a little as she reached between their bodies to tease her clit with her thumb, speeding up her own orgasm in order for them to fall apart together.
There was something infinitely delicious about the weight of his body collapsing atop hers, and Penelope sighed a little as she wrapped her arms around his body, feeling the way that he managed to contort himself in order to gather up the covers and pull them over their bodies before snuggling her close. "You are everything that I've been waiting for," she murmured against his neck, not caring if he heard her or not as she drifted off to sleep. But from the way that his arms tightened around her, she had the small inkling that he had, and a pleased smile spread across her lips as sleep finally took hold.
In the morning, Penelope woke up to the delicious scent of breakfast cooking, and she sat up with a stretch, peering out the doorway of her bedroom to try and see what was going on. That was precious little that she could see from her current angle, so she reached out for the robe she always kept by her bedside, wrapping it around her body as she padded out into the kitchen.
"Good morning, Penny. If you want to shower before we eat, I still have about fifteen minutes left before everything is ready." Aaron spoke without even turning around, and she rolled her eyes a little as she scampered into the kitchen and hugged him quickly before heading into the bathroom. Shedding the robe, she stepped into her shower, taking note of the fact that the bottom was already a little wet, which told her that he had been in there recently himself. It was difficult not to imagine him standing there, beneath the stream of water, touching himself where so recently she had touched him, and Penelope let out a quiet moan as she turned on the water and began to wash the night off her body.
After thoroughly getting clean, Penelope turned off the water before stepping onto the rug and wrapping one of her thick towels around her chest and hurriedly drying her hair off before going into her bedroom and letting the towel fall to the floor as she dressed. Once she felt somewhat more ready for the day, she joined Aaron in the kitchen, taking a seat at the table just as he was setting down their plates. "Since you drove here, you can leave at any time, I know you don't want to be late to work. I still have to do my hair and makeup, and it wouldn't look good if we were to pull into the parking garage together."
"Are you certain?"
She nodded as she picked up her fork and began to eat the pancakes he had prepared. They were delicious, and she fought not to make any noises as she ate. "Yeah, but we still have a little time to talk this morning."
"About what?"
"About when we're going to do this again. And while yes, the sex is great, I was thinking more about going on dates. We go well together." Penelope tucked a hank of hair behind her ear in an effort to hide her blush.
"I agree that we do go well together, there's always been that spark there. Though if you tell Strauss that the next time you talk, I might have to take drastic measures." Though his voice was serious, she could see a slight hint of teasing in his expression, and she nodded. "Well, how about we make plans for the next Saturday that I'm home? I'll have Jessica watch Jack for the weekend, so that you can feel comfortable waking up in my bed, and not have to worry about him bursting into a compromising situation."
"I love the way your brain thinks!" Penelope gave him a small wink before they fell into a more normal conversation. Everything about these moments together felt so comfortable and right, that she had to wonder about why they hadn't acted on these feelings before. When the meal was over, Aaron cleared the table before dropping a kiss to her cheek and then gently pushing her towards the bathroom once more. Penelope smiled brilliantly at him before heading there.
By the time her makeup and hair was looking like she wanted it, Aaron had left for the office, though her kitchen was sparkling clean, with the dishes put away, and she let out a sigh to know that that was how their life together would probably be. Humming beneath her breath, Penelope stepped into shoes that matched her outfit before shrugging into a jacket and then slinging her bag over her shoulder and heading out to her car.
The entire drive into the office was on autopilot, and she somehow managed to park next to Aaron safely before heading up to her office. After stepping out of the elevator, she began to head into the bullpen, only to feel someone reach out and take gentle hold of her wrist. "I have been trying to get your attention since you stepped into the elevator, Ms. Garcia. May I see you in my office, please?"
Penelope focused on Erin's face, seeing that she was smiling at her warmly, and nodded as she allowed the older woman to guide her into her office. Her assistant gave them a short nod before Erin ushered her into her inner sanctum, closing the door behind them with a firm thud. "Sorry, I guess that I'm just a bit twitterpated this morning, Erin. How did your night go?"
Erin coughed lightly as she took a seat behind her desk, and Penelope looked at her intently, feeling like there was something different about her. It took a few moments for her to recognize that Erin was wearing a dapper purple scarf around her neck, something that she never wore, since she preferred to have her neck bare. "Not a word, Penelope."
"But…"
Erin sighed as she looked to the door before hurriedly pulling the scarf off her neck, revealing a series of hickeys that ran down the length of her neck and beneath her blouse. "There. Happy?"
She nodded and leaned forward, a mischievous grin on her lips. "How far down do they go? Aaron was a complete gentleman and made certain not to leave any visible marks. I had no idea Alex was quite so passionate!"
"Aaron has great control, something that Alex and I lacked last night. Though I think that she covered the worst of hers up with makeup, and her hair covers the rest." There was a faint blush on Erin's cheeks as she sighed. "But it was magical, being with my someone. I hope it was the same for you."
"It was. I'm so glad that we found happiness last night. Do you have plans to meet again?" Erin nodded. "The first Saturday that the team is home?" Another nod, and Penelope giggled sweetly. "We could always double date."
Erin shook her head a little as she let out her own chuckle. "Maybe in the future, once things are a little more settled between us. I want to hold onto this magical feeling for just a little while longer." Penelope nodded as she leaned back in her chair, still smiling at Erin. "And it was magical, Penny. It was like the last few decades had been just a minute of my life, and we fell back into that gorgeous…" Her voice trailed off, and Penelope nodded, trying not to tear up at the sheer dreaminess of Erin's expression.
"That's okay, keep that special feeling to yourself. I think I know a little of what you might feel, even though things between Aaron and I are so new, compared to you."
Erin met her eyes once more and gave her a small nod. "If you want, we can have lunch together, somewhere we won't be as easily overheard. I have been given permission to tell you a few more details of our evening together, so long as I get a few details from you."
Penelope grinned as she nodded, getting to her feet. "That is a deal! I'll see you in a few hours." Erin waggled her fingers at Penelope before turning to her computer and settling into her work. It didn't take long to get into the bullpen, and she couldn't help but look over at Alex as she approached the stairs. The woman looked up at her, giving her a sheepish grin as she curved her hand around her neck instinctively. Penelope stifled her giggle as best she could as she went up to her office, her heart feeling lighter than air in knowing that things had worked out so perfectly for her and her friend.
