Monday morning, Erin stretched as she woke up. Downstairs, she could smell breakfast cooking and she let out a deep sigh. Climbing out of bed, she made her way into the bathroom and took a quick shower.
After pulling on a crisp navy linen suit, she made her way downstairs and stepped into the kitchen. "Good morning, Penelope."
"Good morning, Erin. A bouquet of flowers just arrived for you. Three guesses as to who they're from."
"I only need one, what with the way you're grimacing. What did the card say?"
"Sit, eat, I'll read it to you." Penelope cleared her throat as she set a plate down in front of Erin. Taking a seat next to her, she picked up the card and began to read. "Dearest Erin, I've used this weekend to think about the state of our relationship. I was wrong to cheat on you, especially with her. I forgive you for yelling at me, please say that you'll take me back. Ever and always, your Dave."
Erin burst into a fit of giggles as she speared a piece of egg. "Does he seriously believe I'm going to buy that?"
"I think so. Doesn't he know that he's already lost you?" Erin smiled as she swallowed her bite of food.
"He has lost me, to a younger person." Penelope blushed slightly and bent her head over her plate, picking at her food. "What?"
"I don't know. I just find you adorable and I worry that even though I want this to move fast, it will move too fast, and I'll lose this chance at happiness. I just want to be deliriously happy, you know?"
"I do." Erin reached out and Penelope clasped her hand tightly. "We will make this work somehow. First as friends, then as…more."
"Exactly what I'm hoping. So, do you want to head out to supper tonight after work? Get to know each other a little better?"
"I wish I could, but I have an AA meeting tonight. Tell you what, come have lunch in my office with Helen and myself. We could make it a thing, every Monday."
"That sounds nice. Kevin and I always had date night on Tuesday. What is the best night for you?"
"Fridays, actually. Alan has time with Samantha from Friday after school until Tuesday morning. We figured this would work the best, since I found that the Monday meeting is made up of people that I can actually stand."
"That is really important, if you want to get better." Penelope smiled at her kindly. "When will I get to meet your children?"
"In a few weeks, perhaps. I have to introduce them to the idea that I've fallen for a woman this time around. I'm not too certain how they'll take it, as they've only ever known me with men." She reached across her table for Penelope's hand. "Is that all right with you?"
"Perfectly. I want you to be comfortable with everything, Erin. I know this is rather sudden for both of us, you'll be my first woman, too, and we have to grow accustomed to the things that make us different as well as the same. The things that make you absolutely adorable." Penelope ran her thumb along the back of Erin's hand. "There's so much I don't know about you."
"Just like I don't know that much about you. Other than what Aaron has written in his yearly reviews."
"Ooh, care to fill me in?"
"Unfortunately, I can't. They are considered classified. Though the gist of them is that you are more than capable of doing your job and that you are an absolutely lovely woman to work with." She smiled at her and then let go of her hand, standing up to put the dishes in the washer. "My meeting gets out at eight, and I'm home by half past. If you wanted to call me."
"That would be nice. I'll put your numbers in my phone at lunchtime." She nodded as Penelope stood up as well, coming up to her side. "Are you ready to head in?"
"As I'll ever be." The woman smiled at her and reached out, tugging on the tips of her hair. "So, what would you like for lunch? Helen can order us food from any restaurant you'd like."
"There's this French bistro downtown that I absolutely love. But can you really get take out from a place like that?"
"I'm a Section Chief with the FBI, I have a bit of pull. There's not a lot of time I can get away for lunches, sometimes I have meetings, or too much work to do. Or sometimes, I have friends in my office and don't want to take time to run out and get something." Penelope grinned and then leaned forward. This time, Erin anticipated the kiss, meeting her halfway. It was soft and sweet, and she sighed when they pulled away from each other.
"Those sweet kisses are going to keep me intoxicated all morning long, Erin." Penelope licked her lips quickly before giving her another quick kiss. "In the very best way," she murmured, caressing her cheek.
"Foundations, my dear." Erin smirked as she reached out and cupped one of Penelope's breasts, squeezing gently.
"Oh, that is so not fair, Erin! Why do you get to cop a feel and I'm stuck with kisses?"
She shrugged, going over to the counter and picking up her purse and keys. "Just giving you something to think about until lunch, dearest." She sashayed out the door to the garage and smiled as she heard Penelope groan, following her out. Erin locked the house and opened the garage door, climbing into her car. Penelope stepped out into the drive and got into her own car, driving off as Erin backed out.
She followed her soon to be lover the entire way in, trying to keep her mind occupied on the day ahead and not on the way Penelope's lips felt against hers, the way her hair smelled, the way she felt in her arms. They parked next to each other and Erin waited for Penelope to join her at her side before they made their way in the building.
They rode the elevator up in silence, Erin keenly aware of the other people in the car. Instead of speaking with her, she stood as close as she possibly dared to the other woman, letting the back of their hands brush as the elevator continued on its way. Penelope took the hint and began to deliberately knock her hand about. A deep smile spread across her face, and she began to hum a little.
By the time they reached the sixth floor, she wanted nothing more than to go home and snuggle with Penelope in their bed. Catching Penelope's eye, she was almost certain the other woman could read her mind as she nodded at her. "I'll see you at lunchtime with those reports, Chief Strauss."
"Sounds good." They parted ways and Erin fought not to turn around and watch Penelope disappear into the bullpen. Here I am, moonstruck over a woman fifteen years younger than I am. There has to be something in the air about her, she thought as she stepped into her office. "Good morning, Helen."
"Good morning, Erin. You have two messages already, one from Agent Rossi, and the other from Agent Jareau. Oh, and you are going to hate your office, I'm warning you now."
"Why? What happened?" She narrowed her eyes at her assistant and rested on the edge of the woman's desk, wanting to know what was up.
"It seems as if a whole flower shop was delivered to you. I had to help the man unload the arrangements from his cart. Agent Hotchner came in a helped a little, too." Erin buried her face in her hand. "He's going to be by in a little bit to discuss the elephant in the room."
"Send him in as soon as you see him. And hold all my calls unless they're from Penelope." Helen nodded, a bright smile on her lips, and Erin went into her office. She was overwhelmed by the scent of all those flowers and just shook her head. "Overkill never got you anywhere, David." Sighing, she plucked all the cards from the bouquets and brought them over to her desk.
She didn't even bother to read what he'd written, instead tossing the stack in the trashcan next to her desk. A sharp tapping on her door had her looking up at Agent Hotchner and she beckoned him inside. "Good morning, Erin. How are you enjoying your greenhouse?"
"They're cloying, Aaron. Would you please let him know that such displays are not going to win him any points. I'm with Penelope now." She watched his eyes widen and realized exactly what she had said. "We're just friends at the moment, though. She wants more, and so do I, but I want to build up a tight friendship first. Dave and I gave ourselves over to passion only, and look how that turned out. Him cheating on me, behind my back."
Aaron nodded sympathetically, resting his hand on her upper arm. "How did you catch him?"
"I went to his house last Wednesday. I knew that he would be bothered by the case you had just finished and wanted to comfort him. Up until that point, we had just stuck to hotel rooms. I guess I know why, now." To her horror, her eyes welled up and the tears rolled down her cheeks.
"And how did Penelope get caught up in this all? She's about ready to wring his neck. And JJ is upset with her, too."
Erin sighed. "She found me here that night. Without hesitation, she became my friend. And once we're on solid ground, we will be an exclusive couple. Even if we never live together, or get married. I respect her boundaries, even if Mr. Lynch couldn't."
"Oh, Erin." They both looked up into Penelope's smiling face and Erin felt herself smile back. "He's looking for you, Hotch. I think he wants to know how the flowers went over. Tell him that Erin already has a garden of living flowers, she doesn't need anything dead."
He nodded and switched places with Penelope. "We have the profile to draw up for Kansas City at ten. I'll see you then?" Penelope nodded and he left the room.
"All right, so I'm a little early for lunch, but I heard him bragging to Jayje that this would be sure to bring you back to him and keep your mouth shut. God, is he really that conceited to think simple flowers will fix what he destroyed?"
"I think he is, Penelope. Do you see any of these that you like? I'm not going to throw them away just because they're from him." She looked around at the profusion and wondered how everything could have gone to Hell so quickly.
"I think I'll take this one, with the birds of paradise flowers." Penelope picked up the vase and came over to her side. "I'll be back after we do the profile. It usually takes two hours when we're just doing a consult."
Erin nodded, going over to her desk. "I'll try to make it through until then. Aaron knows that you're fighting with Jennifer. He's noticed the tension already. You need to work at being nice." She saw that Penelope was getting ready to interrupt her. "No, honey, I mean it. It is going to suck and hurt, but you need to be the bigger person in this situation and pretend like everything is fine."
Penelope nodded slowly, frowning a little. "Fine, but I want an incentive."
"Of course." Erin stood beside her desk and waited, knowing a little of how Penelope's mind worked. The woman crossed the room in a few easy strides, stopping next to her. Erin let her eyes close as she waited, and soon she felt those soft lips against hers once more. She returned the kiss hesitantly, letting her hand cup the back of Penelope's head as she held her there, loving the taste of the woman.
"That was a lovely incentive. I'm sure I can get along with Jayje for an entire week now." Penelope sashayed from the room, and Erin sat behind her desk, trying to find the focus to do her work.