"Where are you off to in such a hurry, Boss Man?"

Aaron looked up at Penelope, giving her an easy, open, smile. "I have been giving guitar lessons to someone for a few weeks now, and I've finally gotten to the point where I'm actually looking forward to working with her."

"Ooh, how are you managing that with our schedule?"

He shrugged a little as he tightened his grip on his briefcase handle. "This will only be our third lesson, for that very reason. Though she is an apt pupil, going above and beyond between our times together."

"You almost sound like you have a crush on her."

Though he knew Penelope was only teasing, he still shook his head vehemently. "She is very much married, Penelope, and I do not meddle in things like that." She nodded in return, scurrying down the stairs to come up to his side. "What is it?"

"Have you heard how Erin's doing? We were exchanging emails fairly regularly there for a bit, but it's been radio silence on her end for the last three months. I miss getting updates on the twins, and talking with her. And I just thought, since you're Rossi's best friend, that you might have seen her or heard from her."

"There's a lot going on in their life right now, Penelope. But if I get the chance to talk to her, I will tell her that you miss talking."

"Thank you!" She wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, and he cleared his throat a little as he felt the quick brush of her lips against his cheek. "Seriously, after everything she went through, I just want to make sure that there are people who are going to support her. Emily lost so many friends after her brush with death, after all."

He nodded as he stepped away from her. "You have a good heart, Penelope. Never lose it."

She smiled sunnily at him before pivoting around and scurrying back up to her office, waving a little to him before disappearing into her office. Letting out a soft chuckle, he also turned and made his way out of the bullpen and over to the elevator. Dave was still up in his office, he could see the light still on, and that made him a touch happier, since that meant they would be alone for her lesson, and that hopefully would lead to Erin being a little more relaxed.

Whistling a little, he walked over to his car and tossed his briefcase into the passenger seat. Jessica had graciously agreed to look after Jack for the extra hour that he would be gone, and he looked forward to being able to spend time with Erin without having to worry about hurrying home.

The drive over to Dave's house didn't take too long, and as he pulled into the drive, an odd feeling of nervousness swept over him, which was ridiculous. He had been over there numerous times, and had always been welcome. This was no different. Drawing in a deep breath, he shook his head and climbed out of the car, popping the trunk so that he could grab his guitar case.

As soon as it was in his hand, Aaron made his way to the front door, loosening his tie before ringing the doorbell. Once more, the sound of little feet thundering towards him caused him to smile, and then Erin was wrenching the door open, sticking one leg out to stop Isabella from escaping outside. "Is Dave right behind you?"

"No, he decided to stay back and finish some things up. I'm certain he'll be home for supper, though." Coming inside, he toed off his shoes, welcoming the feel of little arms wrapping around his leg in a too tight hold. "Hey, kiddo. Where's your sister?"

"With Bernie."

"Which is where you should be, too, Bella. Go, please?"

"Yes, Mommy," the toddler lisped out, and Aaron watched her run full tilt towards the stairs, thundering up them and down the hall.

"I wish that I still had that sort of energy," he said lowly as he shrugged out of his suit coat, hanging it on a hook by the door. She shook her head a little as she picked up his guitar case and took off for the study. He followed at a more sedate pace, knowing that Erin needed some time to collect herself for some reason.

Once he had joined her, he ambled over to the couch and quickly tuned his guitar, seeing that Erin had her instrument out and in her hands already. As he tightened the strings, he looked at Erin, giving her a soft smile. "What?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to smile."

"Like me, you don't smile. Ever."

"Maybe I have a reason to smile, Erin." She blushed a little and brushed her fingers along the strings of her instrument, not making eye contact. "Also, Penelope and I had a little chat before I came over."

"Yes?"

"She misses talking to you. You haven't emailed her in months? Why?"

Erin sighed deeply, starting to play a slightly familiar tune. "You know her. She can discern anything about anyone from the tiniest bit of information. It's what she's paid to do, I get that. But, but, I don't want her to know how miserable I am right now. I'm trying my hardest to make things work with Dave, but my best and hardest doesn't seem to be good enough at this point."

As he watched her face, silvery tears began to track down her cheeks, and he reached out, resting his hand on her shoulder and rubbing his thumb in soft circles in an effort to comfort her. Finally, she looked up at him, a wounded look in her eyes. "You don't have to keep living like this, you know."

"He'd get custody of the girls in a heartbeat. I have no income, no way to support myself, let along our children, and who would hire someone my age? So, until the girls turn eighteen, yes, I have to."

"You have your pension from the FBI. That's not nothing."

"It's not enough, not when I signed a prenup. And before you say one word about being a lawyer, I know. I also know that you haven't kept up on your license, and therefore cannot find a way to help me wriggle out from under that. Besides, you're Dave's best friend and your loyalty belong to him, first and foremost."

"No, Erin. He may be my best friend, but that doesn't mean I won't take into consideration what I've seen here. You've made an impression on me."

A flash of guilt swept over her face before she looked back down at her guitar. "You don't want to get too close to me, Aaron. Nothing ever goes right."

"Let me make that decision. Please?" She gave a sharp nod before reaching out and grabbing a few pieces of paper.

"I want to learn how to play this song, but it seems like my fingers won't cooperate. Play it for me?"

Aaron looked down at the tabs, and frowned a little. "I'm not certain I know this song?"

"Your mum never listened to Buddy Holly? I mean, I know we're a few years apart, but…" She sighed and pulled out her phone. "Here, listen," Erin said a few minutes later, after calling up a YouTube video of Heartbeat.

As he listened to the slightly calypso feeling of the guitar and the plaintive sound of Buddy Holly's voice, Aaron began to feel that despite the cheeriness of the song, there was an undercurrent of regret and sadness to it. And after glancing at Erin's face, he knew that she heard it to. "It might take me some time to get this under my fingers, Erin."

"I don't care. Please, try playing it for me."

The insistent tone in her voice told him that she desperately needed to hear this live, in that moment, and so he nodded, trying to hold onto the melody in his head as he strummed out the chords. It must have been enough to appease Erin, since she set her guitar in its stand and relaxed back against the couch, a sorrowful smile on her face.

Once more, as he got going, Erin began to sing along, and he smiled as he listened to her voice, the feeling, the meaning, of the song swept over him and he find his own eyes misting up. "You still love him."

"Desperately."

"You deserve better."

"Yes."

Their eyes met, and he leaned in a little, continuing to smile. "You'd have support, if you wanted to leave." She gave a small nod, unconsciously closing the distance between them even more. And just as it seemed like they were going to kiss, the door from the garage slammed shut, and they both pulled away, as if they had been burned. A bright blush stained Erin's cheeks, he noticed, and he picked his guitar back up and started to play Heartbeat once more, knowing that they had to have a plausible cover, should Dave come into the room and check on them. But a part of him was strangely disappointed to have missed that connection with her.