Chapter 2

AN: Hi, guys and gals! First things first – thanks to everyone who reviewed the first part or put it on alert. You really made me happy. Since you asked so nicely, I give you, as promised, the continuation of the story. Set about a week after the events in Chapter 1. Heads up, there's a kind of a revelation hidden in there. Might contain probably some OOCness.

Disclaimer (which I forgot in Chapter 1): Sadly, the FBI's finest are not in my property. Only in my dream, which is the best way for everyone, believe me.

It was exactly a week after their trip to Washington's "Little Italy", when David Rossi went to set stage two of his plan in motion. Since he knew the details about her sour mood on the last case, it was high time to work on the other side of the plan, best known to him under the name Aaron Hotchner. Being the top profiler he was, Rossi recognized the change in the ways his younger friend treated the tech kitten in the last few weeks. For example, Aaron always went to see her in her office instead of summoning her to his lair. When he arrived at the office in the morning, he made a detour to her, placing a cup of coffee from the coffee shop around his corner on her desk, claiming that she recommended the shop to him in the first place. But David Rossi knew better. His long-time friend, the usual stoic and sometimes scaring Aaron Hotchner, was on a straight way to win the heart of Pen Garcia over.

When Aaron arrived back home from his trip to the mall with his son Jack, he was a bit surprised to see David sitting on the stairs of his doorstep. And he couldn't help but wonder about the real motives of his colleague/friend for visiting him on a Saturday.

"Dave, something's wrong? Do we have a case?"

"No, no. Don't worry, Aaron, everything's fine. Can't I come over and visit my "nephew"?"

Said "nephew" Jack was jumping up and down between the two men, showing his joy about having an afternoon with his "uncle" to the world.

"Of course you can. I was just a little bit surprised, sorry."

"Don't be sorry. After all we've seen the last couple of weeks, I'm not a bit surprised that you, like I think the rest of us, are a bit on the edge. And that's why I'm here."

"And what's your plan?"

"Why don't we go inside and I explain?"

"Sure, but first you could give me hand on the purchases."

Twenty minutes later found the two and a half men sitting on the porch, eating a bowl of mixed salad and sipping ice tea, enjoying the warm spring day and the down time as well.

"About your "plan"?"

"Well, I heard that…"

David couldn't finish his sentence, thanks to Aaron's phone ringing in the living room. Judging by the look on his friend's face, Rossi could deduct that it wasn't a case call from Strauss.

"What happened?"

Aaron joined them again, sitting down with a light smile gracing his lips.

"You were saying something when you were interrupted?"

"Yes. I heard that in a small town outside they have a circus festival this weekend. And since we're on down time, I thought I could take Jack to the circus."

"Did you know about the phone call coming in right now?"

"No, why should I? Who was it anyway?"

"Penelope. She asked me if I could help her refurnish her apartment. Do you have any idea why she's asking me instead of Derek or Kevin?"

"Well, about Derek – I don't know. But about Kevin? Well, I heard it through the grapevine that they had a breakup a few weeks ago."

"Which would finally explain her sour mood on the last case, right?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"You know what? I think you should take Jack to the circus, and I'm gonna lend a hand to Penelope."

With that, Aaron rose up from the table, not noticing the bright smile David had plastered on his face the second Aaron's back was turned to him.

While David Rossi drove with his precious cargo to the circus, Aaron Hotchner pulled up at Penelope's apartment building, parking his SUV next to her "Esther". He still had his doubts about being here in the first place, but on the other hand he couldn't care less about what other people thought about. They were both, as he knew now, single, and right now, they weren't coworkers at the FBI, they were just two friends helping each other out. And there was nothing wrong with that.

"Hey, bossman, you plan on rooting right there or moving over to me?"

Her bubbly, joyful voice brought him out of his train of thoughts. He blinked a few times, then put a full dimpled smile on his face and walked over to her.

"Hey, Penelope, no bossman today. Just Aaron, okay?"

"Oookay… Aaron. Come in."

They entered her apartment, and although he had been here previously, he couldn't help but smile about the uniqueness of the interior. Different styles were mixed up in a way that practically screamed her name.

"So, you said something about refurnishing on the phone?"

"Yeah, but before we go shopping, I need a second opinion. Follow me."

Without waiting on him, she strolled over to her bedroom door, stopping right in the door.

"You wanna get a new bed?"

"Yeah. But which one?"

He grabbed her by her shoulders, turning her softly around to face him. With two fingers under her chin he made her to look him in the eye. But he wasn't quite prepared at the emotions he could read there. Insecurity, love, angst, hope. What was going on with their tech goddess?

"Penelope, why don't you tell the real reason why I'm here?"

"I can't."

She said it with such a small voice that he had to strain his ears to hear it.

"Why can't you say it?"

In the meantime, he had led her over to her couch, sitting them both down.

"I'm… I'm afraid that you would want me to transfer to another unit or to quit the FBI for good."

"Pen, you know me better than I do myself. And you always try to see the good in people in the first place, so why would you think such things about me?"

"Because…" She practically started to squirm when his dark eyes literally dove into hers. "I don't know… too many reasons… because it's wrong in the first place."

"What is wrong, Penelope?" Her look gave it away for her. "You mean, having feelings for a man who's supposed to be your boss?"

She didn't answer him, only nodded her head in a way to say yes. Once again, he put two fingers under her chin to raise her head, in more than one manner of speaking.

"Well, what would you say if I tell you that this man, your boss, has stronger feelings than only friendship for you for quite a time now? That he's worried sick about you dealing with the gruesome cases we had in the last time? That he has to force himself to stop consoling you in front of the team, afraid that it might backfire at you? That…."

He was stopped by her lips crashing down on his, jumping over all their fears and ready to take on the next level with him.

Back at the circus, David and Jack had a lot of fun. Especially Jack was enthralled with the clowns, while Dave enjoyed the artistes a bit more. But the most enjoyable thing on this weekend was the short text message he found on his cell phone after exiting the circus tent. Clipped as always, Aaron asked him to keep Jack for the rest of the weekend. As it seemed, the man had more urgent topics to tend to. With a smile on his face, he got into his car, driving his fast asleep young companion back to his house, happy to have brought some happiness to his colleagues.

FIN