Hello all,

Wow, it's been a long time since I've updated this story. This next chapter picks up where the last chapter left off. This is a conversation that needs to happen.

"Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great."

-John D. Rockefeller-

"Maybe," Erin conceded the argument with one foot on the stairs and her hand on the rail, "but I don't know if I want to make friends with your team."

"Why not?" Dave kept a stair between them as he followed her.

"I have boundaries, David."

"Since when?" He fired back as they came to their bedroom door.

"Spending time with them is uncomfortable, I don't want to compromise my position with them if things get personal."

"You weren't so worried about 'getting personal' with me," Dave said and pushed the door open.

"That was different and you know it." She said tossing the throw pillows off their bed. "We were friendly before things got personal and I knew you would still respect me when we didn't see eye to eye." She went into the en-suite bathroom and began scrubbing her face.

She had him there, the team as a collective could be a little judgemental and he didn't want to be the fodder for the bureau's gossip mill either.

"You won't give them a chance, Erin. They love you and they want to spend time with you."

He let himself into the bathroom and sat down on the closed toilet, "would it be easier if we had everyone over here? I could cook and you would be in control."

Erin snatched the hand towel off the rack. "It would be easier if Andy Robinson would be mindful of my weekends."

"What did he want?"

She abandoned her shoes in front of the sink and stood in front of Dave, "Will you unzip me?"

He stood up and gathered her hair with his left hand and pulled the zipper with his right. The thin line of silver trailed down her back. He planted his lips against her shoulder and shoved the flimsy fabric to the floor. "As long as you're undressing me, you can take the bra too."

"You're hilarious." He stood up leaving her naked and alone in the bathroom.

"You're cruel," she countered as goose bumps started to crawl up her arms.

"Have a sweatshirt." He offered as one came flying towards her face.

She caught it and yanked it over her head.

Are you going to tell me what he wanted?" Dave pressed as he shucked off his coat and tossed his tie in the hamper.

"He offered me a promotion."

"You don't sound excited." He said and pulled back the blankets on the bed.

"I'm not." She sighed heavily, "I have seventy-two hours to decide. Is it wrong that I don't want to take it? It feels wrong, I've worked my whole life to get to this point and now I want to let it go."

Dave took her by the shoulders to look her in the eye, "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. If you want to stay home with the kids, I can take care of us."

"David-"

"Don't say it, Babe. I know I'm getting up there but I make the mortgage with mailbox money from my books. Trust me when I say The Bureau needs me more than I need it."

"That's probably true, I'm not sure I can keep going as Section Chief, much less as the Director."

"Listen," Dave said with some hesitation. "Could we be Ward and June Cleaver for awhile?"

"Oh, you want separate beds?" She snarked and stepped pulled herself onto the bed from the footstool.

"No," I want us to be more…" he paused, trying to think of the right word. "Traditional, at least for now; want you to raise our kids.." He leaned against her side of the bed and unbuttoned his shirt

"I can't imagine leaving them to go to work everyday." She said, shifting towards him on her left side. Her hips ached and she tried to get comfortable. "Hey, will you hand me the pillow out of the closet?"

"Finally, I was wondering when the pillow would see some action," he said and retrieved the box from the walk in closet.

"Well it's your fault," she grumbled. She watched him unwrap the 2 ft long body pillow and she wondered how the three of them were going to share the king size bed. "You wouldn't let me return it."

"You'll thank me later." He said, with the bright yellow pillow in hand, he brought it to her side of the bed. "Sit up some," he instructed and placed one end of the pillow between her knees and wrapped the other end behind her shoulder.

"Is it too early to thank you now?" She sighed in relief as the pressure on her hips lessened.

"Glad I could help," he mumbled and pulled on his pajama pants.

"What's wrong?" she reached for the hem of his shirt as he pulled away.

"I just noticed that until tonight I had never been left before. I thought we were going to have a really great night with the team and instead I nursed a scotch, waiting for you. You didn't call and it was embarrassing."

"I'm sorry," She caught his hand and pulled him closer. "I tried to call you but I didn't have a charger. By the time I was done I thought…" her voice trailed off, "I don't know what I thought, but I know I'm sorry. If it means that much to you, we can have everyone over this weekend." She offered the olive branch, boundaries or not. She was leaving the BAU so her office reputation wouldn't matter anyway.

"Are you sure? I'm not trying to guilt trip you into anything."

"I'm sure," she nodded. "Send out a group text, let everyone know we're catering from Max's Friday night."

"Why Max's?" He asked, as he reached for his phone.

"Because I can't stop thinking about their steak."

His stomach gave a loud growl in return, "Yeah I don't blame you. I could go for one right now."

"You didn't eat with the team?"

"I said I nursed a scotch." He replied glibly.

"I assumed that included a meal."

"No, I was waiting for you." He said, without looking up from his phone. "Sent, there's no turning back now."

"Good. Now what are we going to eat?" She asked, bringing him back on task.

"Didn't you have pizza with the kids?

"No, I came home and got distracted with Paul."

Dave shook his head and grinned, "Aren't we a sorry pair?"

"Two grown adults who can't remember to feed themselves," she finished his thought and moved to get out of bed. "I'm starving, I'll make grilled cheese."

Dave shook his head and held up one hand. "You stay put, I'll make grilled cheese and I'm willing to bet there's a can of soup in the pantry."

"Are you sure you don't want any help?"
He shook his head, "I'll be back in 10 minutes, tops."

"Before you go," she hedged, "What do you think of promoting in-house?"

"I think Hotch or J.J. would appreciate the offer."

"Do you think they would accept?"

Dave shrugged, "That's hard to say. Talk it over with them. Now, I'm starving. I don't want to talk shop anymore."

He closed the bedroom door and headed downstairs, he peeked in Mackenzie's room first, she was snoring in her bed with Mudgie at her feet.

He pulled the door closed and continued down the hallway, Paige's door was cracked and he pulled it closed without looking in. He started towards Paul's room when a bone-chilling, guttural scream reached his ears.

"David, help me!"