"Friends are the family you choose."

-Jess C. Scott

"Go ahead and eat," Dave said, stepping off the staircase. "Hotch and I are putting together the cribs."

"Oh, good." Erin said, around a bite of lasagna. She was starving and exhausted. Meanwhile, Dave looked like the cat that caught the canary.

J.J. sat next to her at the table, "do you need any help?" She asked, picking at her salad.

"Nope." Dave brushed her off and got his toolkit from underneath the kitchen sink.

J.J. looked at her watch and stood up. "I should get home to Henry." She said, and started to wash her plate in the sink. While Dave disappeared back upstairs.

"Leave it," Erin said, putting down her fork."The good china was Dave's idea. He can clean it up."

"I think we're being a little too hard on him," J.J. said and washed the plate. "Listen," J.J. paused, awkwardly. She stood over Erin's chair. "If you ever want to do this again...just call."

Erin stood up from her seat. "Thank you…I had a nice time. Thank you for the distraction today."

J.J. nodded. "Anytime."

"Come on, I'll walk you out."

"That's okay," J.J. said softly and smiled, "I'll show myself out. Goodnight, Erin."

"Goodnight."

Erin heard the front door close. There was silence in the room. It was deafening. Mudgie wandered up to her and laid his head against her leg. "What's up, Boy?" She asked, rubbing her hand across his head. His ears were velvet between her fingertips. "Do you miss the kids?"

Mudgie whined and lowered himself onto the floor to sit beside her.

"Come on." Erin picked up her plate and scraped it into the garbage can, her back hurt and her ankles were swollen. She put the plate and fork in the sink. The dog stuck to her like velcro. Mudgie followed her to the sofa, while she kicked her way through a pile of shopping bags and sat down on the couch. Putting her feet on the coffee table. Mudgie dropped his head on her lap and didn't move. Together, they listened to Dave and Derek argue over the set up of the crib, while Aaron tried and failed to convince them to read the manual.

Erin looked at the dog and asked "What do you think Mudgie, should we go up there and put them all in time out? Mudgie looked up at her, not even lifting his head and yawned. Erin took that as a sign that the dog agreed with her, it was too much work. "My thoughts exactly, Boy. Unless, someone is bleeding, I'm not getting up, either.

Meanwhile upstairs, Aaron was ready to throw both Dave and Derek out of the room so he could work in peace. The arguing only stopped when they heard a thump and groan coming from the guest bedroom next door.

Derek chuckled, "it sounds like Pretty Boy's awake."

"Drive him home," Hotch grumbled, without looking away from the instruction manual.

Derek got up from the floor and headed for the office. "Are you two okay in here?" He asked, poking his head inside, he flipped on the light switch.

"Uh huh.." Penelope groaned, raising her head from the floor. "It was dark. I tripped over Reid."

Derek could hold back his chuckle, her hair was a mess her blonde curls turned frizzy and her voice was thick with sleepiness.

"Come on, Baby Girl." He said, helping her to her feet. "Wake up Pretty Boy and I'll drive you home."

Penelope shook Reid by the shoulder, "Come on, Boy genius. Wakey wakey."

Reid groaned and threw his arm over his face.

Derek bent over, getting nose to nose with Reid. "Get up, Reid." Derek said sternly. "I will throw you over my shoulder if I have to, trust me. That's not something you want."

"I might," Penelope said, she shook her head at Reid, who scrambled to his feet, grabbed his bag and headed for the door.

"You three better be quiet on those stairs," Dave growled, without looking up from the screw he was tightening. "It's after 10, I know Erin's on the couch." He looked up, flashing Derek a meaningful look. To remind him of their earlier discussion.

"Goodnight, guys." Derek said, just loud enough for Hotch and Dave to hear. "If you can't figure it out by the morning, call me."

Hotch shook his head, "thanks, but between the manual and youtube, I think we got it."

Very carefully, Derek, Reid and Penelope tiptoed down the stairs.

Just as Derek's foot touched the bottom step, he heard a voice say, "Trying to sneak out with your tails between your legs?"

"Um... Ma'am," Penelope stammered.

"Section Chief Strauss," Reid said.

"Rossi's going to kill me." Derek said lowly.

When Rossi said she was on the couch and to be quiet, they assumed, he meant she would be asleep.

"Join me, please." Strauss made it sound like an invitation but it was a command and they knew it. "We need to talk about what occurred here today."

"Oh boy…" Penelope gulped.

Erin shook her head, eyeing the group critically. "Dr. Reid?" She said, "are you alright?"

Reid swallowed tightly and nodded his head. "Yes, ma'am. I-"

"Stop." Erin held up her hand. "You're an adult. You don't need to apologize, although, your timing for a stunt like this, leaves something to be desired. Go get some water, you look a little green."

Reid did as he was told and disappeared into the kitchen.

Derek waited for her to turn on him, he felt Penelope stiffen beside him.

"Chief Strauss," Derek said. "We didn't mean to disrespect your home today. We got out of hand and I should have kept a better eye on, Pretty Boy. I know Penelope only had one drink."

Erin nodded, "thank you for saying that." She looked at the clock hanging over the mantle. It was late. What she was about to say went against everything she was comfortable with, but she knew what Dave would offer if he were in the room. She paused and took a breath. "With the luck the BAU has had recently, I think you all should stay the night. You can ask David about the sleeping arrangements."

"I'm okay to drive," Penelope said quietly. "It's not that I'm not comfortable here-" Penelope rambled, "but I need to get back to feed Sergio." Penelope got up and grabbed her purse and hurried for the front door.

Erin held her hands up, "the offer stands. There's food on the table if you're hungry."

"Thank you," Derek said and went to help himself to lasagna.

With that job done, Erin stretched out on the sofa, with Mudgie's head on her knees. She would never say it out loud, but she'd gotten too comfortable, her body was sunk into the couch and she couldn't get up. Dave would come downstairs eventually, she would make him help her up. Until then, she was determined to make the best of the situation.

Erin heard the door open again.

Derek came out of the kitchen with a plate of lasagna. "Hey, Baby Girl, I thought you left?"

"No car." Penelope shrugged," I forgot when I made my dramatic exit, I rode with Lynch."

"I guess you're joining the fun at Camp Rossi tonight. Or I guess it's Camp Strauss-Rossi all things considered. Either way, we can be bunk buddies, I call dibs this time." Derek said, with a wink.

"Derek!" Garcia slugged him in the shoulder "I can't believe you said that in front of our Section Chief. Did you forget she has the power to fire us?"

"Come on Baby Girl, lighten up." Derek grouched, "That almost hurt. Those workouts we've been getting in, are working." Morgan said, using the hand that wasn't holding the plate to rub at the spot on his arm. "If she didn't threaten to fire us for the shenanigans we pulled earlier… especially after Reid set the curtain on fire with that candle, then I highly doubt she is going to fire us because we platonically share a bed for one night."

Penelope smacked herself on her forehead, she couldn't believe what Derek had just revealed. His profiler spidey sense not to mention his sense of self preservation must have still been gin soaked, even though they were drinking scotch, so maybe the correct term would be scotch soaked in this case, but whichever it was, she could not believe he hadn't noticed from the look on Strauss' face that she had no clue about the incident he had just disclosed. The raised voice coming from the sofa, didn't allow him to stay unaware long.

"Dr. Reid did what to my curtains?" Erin tried to sit up, but failed. "Which ones? I hope we're not talking about my brand new set." Erin's voice got more strident with each word. Before Derek could backtrack on what he said, Strauss' voice cracked like thunder "Spencer William Reid, get in here." She wasn't his mother but he acted like a child in her house and now was time he paid the piper. She wanted to be in a position to really lay into him so she snapped at Morgan, "Help me up."

Reid scurried into the room quickly. He might have been green before but all the color had drained out of his face when Strauss had called his whole government name. How the heck did she know it anyway? He wanted to ask but one look at her face and he knew it wasn't prudent to open his mouth until he found out what he had done. He swallowed tightly, "yes, Ma'am?"

"You set my curtains on fire! I am going to go and see which ones and how much damage was done. You better pray it wasn't my new hand sewn set that David had imported from Italy to hang in the nursery." Strauss looked at Morgan and Garcia and said, "Which one of you is going to show me the damage?"

"I'll show you." Garcia volunteered, Morgan had already said too much and she hoped she could plead her friend's case.

Derek grabbed Erin's arm with one hand and helped her stand up.

"Erin, don't you dare step on those stairs!" Dave bellowed, he rushed down the stairs with a length of fabric in his hand. Erin paled, recognizing the cream and light blue organza curtain in his hand. "Someone," he said, from the middle of the staircase, "Tried to burn down my house today."

He stepped off the staircase and handed Erin the singed curtain. It was wet and ugly black soot discolored the cream fabric. She wanted to cry. The fabric had been hand woven by David's grandfather. It was the only heirloom she had to pass down to her twins, from their father's side of the family. She thought she was preserving them by hanging them in the office before setting up the nursery. Apparently, she was very, very wrong.

Dave's eyes locked onto Reid and he was furious! Erin could see the glint in David's eye, he was on the hunt, ready to attack. Her maternal instincts wouldn't let Dr. Reid be the target.

"David you need to calm down-" She said, but her plea fell on deaf ears.

"Tell me something, Kid." Dave said, his voice was soft, barely above a whisper. "Is there enough room in your apartment for me, my wife and our five kids?" He grabbed Reid by the shoulders, not hard, but enough to get his attention.

"Don't be so hard on him," Erin cut in.

Dave ignored her and focused on Reid. "What the hell were you doing with a candle in the office?"

"I'm sorry," Reid said and shoved Dave's hand away but failed. "I was trying to show Penelope a magic trick!"

"You're brilliant!" Dave released him, roughly. "But you're so damn stupid sometimes. When are the three of you going to grow up? Prank calls and a drink are one thing, but you could have burned down my house!" Dave said, his temper boiling under the surface.

"David!" Erin said sharply, her voice rose in pitch. "Don't talk to them like that." She grabbed his arm, trying to calm him down. "It was an accident!"

"I think we should go," Derek cut in.

Dave shook his head, half disappointed in his friends, half embarrassed at his quick temper. "Are you sober?"

"Very," Derek said coldly. "Let's go, guys."

"Take some of this food," Erin said. Trying to smooth things over.

Derek shook his head. "We're good, Strauss."

Reid and Garcia made a hasty exit behind Morgan, with Reid giving Rossi a wide berth as he passed by him. All three of them mumbled apologies to both Strauss and Rossi as they left. Reid's face as he apologized was heartbreaking. He looked like a lost puppy.

As the front door closed, Erin turned on Dave, "Was that really necessary? I'm just as upset as you are, but it was an accident and no one was hurt, David. I know those curtains mean a lot to you-"

"It's not about the curtains, Erin." Dave said harshly, "it's the fact that they didn't care enough about me and our family to not be so reckless. What would have happened if the fire had spread?"

Erin shook her head, "Was anything damaged besides the curtains?"

Dave replied quietly, "No, thank God."

"It was an accident, no real damage was done to the house. There was no need to over react."

"They-" He tried to defend himself, why couldn't she see that this was bigger than the curtain?

"No," She held up her hand. "They expect me to ream them out for something like this but from the look on their faces, I can tell they never thought you'd speak to them that way."

"What was I supposed to do? This isn't a game or a prank, Erin. What would have happened if the kids were here? We're in enough trouble as it is, with the investigation-"

"The kids weren't here, David. Erin cut in. "I think you owe them an apology. The house is fine. Your family is safe, but I am not so sure about your friendships."

"Is this the part where you lecture me for losing my temper?"

"Yes." She nodded resolutely. "You turned in your badge, but they were still willing to come help us today. We both know that they wouldn't come to my rescue, without you. Today, I finally saw what you have been trying to get me to open my eyes to all this time. It's not about the job for them, they truly and genuinely care about you, I think you owe them an apology."

"She's right," Hotch said from the stairs. He heard the commotion and followed Dave down the stairs, stopping on the landing, as he had the good sense of self preservation to not step into the fray, until things had calmed down.

Dave looked from Hotch to Erin and back again, "I'll send Penelope some flowers and Derek probably needs a new drill.

"And Dr. Reid?" Erin pressed.

"I'm sure I can find a vintage book, or three around here somewhere." Dave grumbled.

"You can't buy them off," Erin said. "We need to get them back here, for a real get together. No booze and no investigations."

"What about my present?" Hotch joked, stepping off the stairs. "Your cribs are set up."

"Thank you Aaron," Erin said. "With the rate David and I were going, the babies would have come home from the hospital with the cribs still in the box.

"They would've been sleeping in dresser drawers," Dave agreed and pulled out his wallet. "What do we owe you?"

"A team dinner," Hotch said, heavily.

"Are you pressuring me?"

Hotch nodded, "Just a loaded suggestion."

Erin crossed her arms across her chest and tapped her foot impatiently. She glared daggers at Dave. " Aaron's right. You need to get them back here and apologize - Soon. You tell them you're sorry. You say you had too much to drink. I don't care what you have to do, David Rossi, you will fix this."

"You're right," Dave said, "I'll handle it."

"Tomorrow." She demanded, leaving no room for argument. With that settled, Strauss marched off towards their bedroom to get ready for bed. It had been a long, emotional day on top of the stress they were already facing. A few more days like this and the ethics committee wouldn't have to worry about firing her, she'd check herself into a padded room.

"Goodnight, Aaron," She said, brushing passed him. "Thank you again for putting the cribs together."

Hotch dropped his shoulder, "A godfather's work is never done."

Erin was exhausted. All she wanted to do was fall into bed, but a hot shower didn't sound too bad. She went into the bathroom and ran the shower until steam filled the room. She stepped inside and let dirt and drama of the day roll down the drain. She stepped out of the shower and dried off. As she passed the full length mirror she took inventory of her body and how it was changing, the twins were definitely making their presence known. "Alright, you two, settle down." She said and ran her hand over her abdomen. She sighed, it made her sad that she had not documented this pregnancy like she had with her other children. What would her twins when they were older, when they realized that their mother didn't have a lot of fond memories of when she was carrying them? Would they understand how crippled she felt by the anxiety that her body would let her down and they would pay the price by never being born? She couldn't turn her brain off. What if she was indicted? That was the worst case scenario. Would her children understand how much she loved them? The very thought of being pregnant while in prison, sent acid up her throat. She sat down at the desk in her temporary bedroom and rifled through the drawers until she found what she was looking for. She flipped the top of the bottle of Tums and poured three chalky tablets in her hand and ate them, while applying her face cream. Then she brushed her hair and dressed for bed. At the moment, there were very few things she could control. Except how she was remembered. From now on, she needed to document her pregnancy. At least then, if something were to happen and she couldn't be there for her children they would know that she wanted grabbed her cell phone, and snapped some selfies, in front of the full-length mirror, showing off her growing belly. She had no idea what the future held, but even if she went to prison and couldn't document her pregnancy via photographs, she could still describe how she was feeling in a journal. One way or another, from now on, she would leave a record to let her babies know how much she cherished them.

Suddenly, she heard the bedroom door open.

"Can I help?" Dave asked, softly. He stood in the doorway, watching her. She and the twins were in their own little world and he didn't want to shatter the fragile moment between them.

She watched him through the reflection in the mirror."Has Aaron left?" She asked, turning around.

"He left. The house is locked and the leftovers are put away."

She snapped another picture, ignoring him. "I guess you can come hold the camera."

"I'd rather hold you but I will take what I can get." He stepped into the room and reached for her phone. When she sat it down on the dresser, he said,"How long are you going to keep me in the dog house for this afternoon?"

"I haven't decided yet." She turned away from the mirror, to face him and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Look, Erin. I know I shouldn't have let things get out of hand with the drinking, but it's been a long time since we have been able to get together and just enjoy each other's company. So, yeah, I was a little too free with the scotch. Is that really a crime?"

He paused and waited for her to respond, when she didn't say anything, he kept going.

"The team is my family, too. I don't want them to think that I value my booze more than I value them. Even if I forgot that tonight when my temper got the best of me. They should feel welcome to enjoy whatever I offer them, when they come to our home."

She shook her head, "David, I want you to have those relationships. Your team loves you but I need you to understand that I'm in the biggest fight of my life, for my job and my freedom."

Dave felt himself growing heated. "Did you think I forgot? The team came here today to help us."

"I know that." She said, and Dave felt like they were back at Quantico, negotiating a business deal. "But Dr. Reid-"

"Is an adult," Dave said.

"An adult who idolizes you. The way you acted tonight, I hope he's changed his mind."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"He wants to be one of the guys, so badly that he's willing to do anything to earn your approval, even if it's detrimental to his well being. You can't get him drunk and then throw him out of the house. Would you have done the same thing to Paul?" She spat, "what about your son? Would you have thrown him out onto the street?"

"Of course not!" He fired back, "our kids are different." She wouldn't see his perspective if it bit her. "Reid is a grown man. Do you know how horrifying it was to see that curtain, hanging in the office, right next to the nursery? Let me tell you, you don't know, Erin." He said her name in a vicious tone. At that moment, she believed he hated her."You won't know." He continued, with his heart in his throat."I found it, so you wouldn't have to!"

Whatever anger she faked this afternoon, was replaced with real frustration.

"Fine!" She held up one hand, "you're right. Okay? I've had enough of this. I'm tired and I'm going to bed." She said, in her best Section chief tone. She grabbed her body pillow off the bed and headed for the living room. She heard the door snap closed behind her as he followed her.

"Come on, Erin." Dave threw his hands up, "Don't walk away from me like this."

"I'm not." She snapped, turning to face him. "I'm not mad, but I'm exhausted and your children keep reminding me that they don't like lasagna."

Dave's mouth fell open aghast. "Hold up," he barked. "What do you mean, my italian children don't like lasagna!" He wagged his finger towards her belly in disbelief, "there's something seriously wrong here." He shook his head. "No child of mine turns down homemade lasagna. This must be your mama's genes." He grumbled in utter shock and patted her bump.

She rolled her eyes, "Are you going to kiss me like you mean it, or keep bitching about your children's food preferences?"

He leaned forward and tilted her jaw towards him. He kissed her deep and slow, she almost wanted to go to bed with him. Heartburn be damned.

Her lips were tinged pink when he pulled away. "Can I tuck you in?"

She turned around to face him, "I'm as big as a house, David. I can't fit on this sofa. This pillow is for you." She said pointedly.

His mouth pulled to the side. "You're kidding, right?"

"Not if you're really going to consider letting me sleep on the sofa all night."

"You're the one who wanted neutral corners." He shook his head in disbelief. "I was trying to avoid another argument."

"David Stephen Rossi! I can't believe you are seriously considering letting your pregnant fiance sleep anywhere but the king sized bed." The blonde woman was looking at him with a look of serious disbelief.

"Hey," he held up his palms," if I recall correctly, that sofa is not all that uncomfortable." Erin was about to blast him and tell him he could spend the rest of the week sleeping there if that was how he felt, when he continued "I seem to recall us getting some very comfortable rest on that same piece of furniture after several rather blissful episodes of afternoon delight when the kids were spending the weekend with their father." From the look on Erin's face, it seemed she was recalling just how pleasurable and restful those times were. He walked over to her and asked "May I?" before he took her hand gently in his, grabbing her body pillow with the other hand and led her back to their bedroom. Rossi walked her over to the bed, tossed the body pillow onto the bed, out of the way, and gently pushed her into a seated position on the bed. He opened her bedside table drawer.

"What are you doing?" She asked, repressing a yawn.

Dave held his index finger over his lips, "Shh..Just sit here." He withdrew something from within the drawer that she couldn't see. He took the tube into the bathroom and ran the water in the sink until it steamed up the mirror. Then he placed the tube in the glass of hot water while he got a hand towel and washcloth from the rack over the toilet. He then took the items with him into the bedroom, set the glass with the tube and hand towel on the nightstand and crawled on the bed behind Erin.

"David Rossi, if you think you are going to seduce your way out of trouble, you have another thing coming," His fiance told him.

Dave took the tube of massage oil out of the glass of water that had been warming it. He wiped it dry on the wash cloth before laying it on the bed to wipe his hands on, when finished. "Shh.." he mumbled against the back of her neck. He kissed her neck and allowed his hands to wander around to the front of her pajama top. His fingers worked the two buttons loose and slipped the shirt off her shoulders and laid it to the side before uncapping the oil and pouring some in the palm of his hands. He recapped it and began to massage the oil into her body starting on her back as As he worked, he spoke. "I'm not doing this to settle an argument."

"Are you sure?" She asked, as her body melted against his touch. "Because I think it's working."

" It's weird and I don't know how to explain it."

"Try." She gasped as he ran the heel of his palm down her spine, with just the right amount of pressure.

"Seeing the ruined curtains in the nursery drove the point home that I have a family now. I'm the dad."

"Y-you are," Erin whispered as he gripped the back of her neck and kneaded the knots.

" I'm responsible for their wellbeing and safety…." He continued to massage her neck, but his speech paused to gather his thoughts. "The strange thing is that with what we do for a living, our actions are responsible for hundreds of people's safety throughout the year, but this is my family, it's different. It's personal." He paused again, he didn't want to say the wrong thing. "Erin I've been on my own a long time, with no one to think about but myself. Now, I have a family depending on me in a way that I haven't experienced before. I love my team, but I have to put the people in our household first."

"And you do that so well," Erin said, she reached up to touch his hand on her shoulder. "You take good care of us."

"I'm glad you think so." He kissed her fingers then moved her hand onto the bed. "We're going to have two innocent, helpless infants soon. I and the people I have around me have to take greater care to make sure we do nothing that could put them in danger. I already lost one child, to circumstances beyond my control but I refuse to lose a child to someone's carelessness."

When he put it that way, Erin couldn't help but understand why he overreacted earlier. She did the same thing for months, in her own screwed up hormonal way. Just because she was scared her body would fail them and she would have to see the haunted look in David's eyes grow even deeper; when she would have to tell him, they lost the babies they wanted so dearly. She knew she needed to apologize but David was still speaking and he deserved to be heard, all the way out. Dave lay the towel down so the pillows and sheets would not get oil on them and helped Erin lie back. Slightly elevated on the pillows, he helped her adjust until she was comfortable, before he continued the massage on the front of her upper body. Dave continued to speak his heart out, as his hands wandered up and down her body.

"With everything happening lately, I feel like I've neglected you. My mama raised me better than that."

"I feel taken care of tonight," Erin whispered in the dim light. "Wait-hold on-" Erin sat up slightly. "David you take care of all of us, plus the house. I feel like I'm not doing my part."

His brow furrowed, was she serious? "Erin, what kind of man would I be if I let you scrub floors right now? We're working together." He pushed her back onto the pillows, "I miss the romance." He admitted, "It's in my blood. I can't fix everything that's gone wrong, but I can fix that part of us. So, sit back and relax while I take care of you.." He commanded, daring her to protest, while he worked his way in gentle strokes down to her calf, his hands slipped down to her swollen ankles. He massaged her calves with the heels of his hands with gentle pressure. His fingers danced down her skin and applied firm pressure to her ankles to reduce the swelling. She laid on their bed, in another world, languorously allowing him to worship her body with his hands.

"You're a good man, David Rossi," Erin sighed as her eyelids fluttered closed.

Her eyes popped back open when she felt Dave, take her left foot in his hand, kiss it directly in the center and then run his tongue up the seam. Erin gripped the sheets and said, "No fair David, you know what that does to me." and then moaned in pleasure. He repeated the action with her other foot before he gently poured a little more oil in his hand and began to massage the top and bottom of her feet, gently squeezing the swollen appendages. As he caressed her feet, he would occasionally blow on the center. Dave could tell by the look on Erin's face, he was doing something right. He moved back up her body, and took her hip in his hand trying to loosen the tense muscle. "How's my pressure?" He mumbled as he dropped a kiss against her hip bone. He felt her body shudder against his chin when his goatee scratched her tender skin.

"A little to the left," she gasped in pleasure shifting to the side, when the stress in her muscles began to melt away under his touch.

"Yes, Ma'am." He replied dutifully and moved his fingers as she asked, continuing to work away at the muscles across the small of her back and around her hips.

"Is this foreplay?" She asked, barely holding back a yawn.

'No." He shook his head and kissed her rounded abdomen. "I'm trying to help you relax so you can sleep."

"Are you sure?" she purred.

"Erin..I will never turn you down, but we're both running on empty tonight. Rest and we'll revisit the prospect of a nooner tomorrow."

"Noon!" She said, aghast. "Yeah right, Rossi. I know, when the rooster crows, the sun isn't the only thing that will be up."

A lecherous grin slipped across his face in the darkness. "You know me so well. Now come to Papa". Dave gently dragged her into his arms, before whispering " Goodnight, Erin." The couple spent a blissful night of sleep, wrapped up in each other's arms. They were so exhausted, they slept through their alarm the next morning. When Erin's phone rang from the nightstand, Dave pulled his eyes open and nudged her awake.

"Answer it," she mumbled into the pillow, unwilling to give up a few more precious minutes of sleep. "You know my password."

He picked up the phone and slid his thumb across the screen. "Erin's phone." He said, his voice sounded more chipper than he felt. He listened briefly and Erin felt his arm tighten around her.

"David?"Panicked, she sat up and pulled away from him. "What's wrong? Is it the kids?"

He continued speaking to the caller"Yeah? You said everything was fine!" He argued. "She's right here. Hold on." He pulled the phone away from his face and activated the speaker.

Erin looked down at the Caller ID. Damn...any plans she had for a romantic morning were busted. "Mary, what's wrong?"