A/N: I'm the luckiest fic writer with so many loyal readers! As always, here is your daily chapter. Don't see this ending any time too soon.

I don't own Criminal Minds

When he got outside the paramedics were loading her in on the stretcher, her body still convulsing and eyes rolling back. "I'm coming!" he shouted as they got her half way in. Derek was dashing out of the bridal shop too, getting to the ambulance back at the same time.

"Sorry, sirs, we can't take—"

Both Rossi and Morgan flashed their badges. "Federal Agents." Rossi's tone left no room for argument. "We're coming." He didn't give them a chance to argue, he climbed in and let Derek sit beside him, knowing the younger man needed to be sure she was safe too. The source of their need to protect her, well it was different but he couldn't deny this to anyone. He needed her safe.

The driver began to take off before the doors fully closed; this both scared and relieved the concerned men. But at least it gave the opportunity to see that Hotch had taken over Reid's caravan, popped the police light on top and everyone scrammed inside to follow. They really were a family and they would all be there.

The paramedics were fussing all over Emily, checking her pupils, administering a drug intravenously to stop her seizures. "This should have taken effect by now." The older paramedic proclaimed, then looking to the agents that were (thankfully) trying to stay out of the way. "I need to know everything going on with this woman." His tone was demanding, he couldn't do his job properly without all the facts.

Derek hadn't even had the chance to say anything to them yet about her condition. For some reason he was not coping well at all. "She's pregnant."

The paramedic nodded, looking for more details. "How far along?"

Derek held his hand to his forehead. "I don't know." He answered, honestly. She told him right before they left for Dallas, and she hadn't exactly been keen to say anything more.

The ambulance suddenly jerked to a stop and the paramedics jumped out informing the doctors of her pregnancy status, drugs they had to use, and her vitals. The doctors also instantly asked how far along she was and before Derek could say he didn't know, Rossi finally got his opportunity to talk in the sudden rush of everything.

"Ten weeks yesterday." Rossi butt in. He was surprised Derek knew, more surprised he didn't know more. "Her morning sickness hasn't gone away. Even though she says she is starving all the time I have to force her to eat. She's been light headed here and there and irritable. But that's normal, isn't it?"

The doctor shook his head imperceptively and went to work ordering this test and that test on the quick journey to trauma room one. Once again, Emily's body began to convulse and Rossi wanted nothing more than to rush to her side but they were stopped by the nurse.

"Are you the responsible party?" She asked Morgan, he shook his head no then she repeated it to Rossi.

He wasn't sure how to answer that, unclear on exactly what the nurse was asking. Did she want to know if he was Emily's lover? The baby's father? Her husband? Friend? What? He wasn't sure how to answer but he decided that he would be taking this over anyhow, he now had Em's power of attorney since she came back from the dead. No one would trust Hotch with it after he lied about her death. "I am."

"Come with me." She commanded as she pulled him to the room next door. It had blinds that allowed a view of the room as Emily's contorting body was being handled by the physicians all trying to hold her down to get a needle inside of her.

His chest was tightening, rocking back and forth and his stomach was simply not up to this. He couldn't even hear her questions; he simply excused himself to the hall for a moment to gather his breath.

"You alright there?" Morgan dropped his height a bit with bent knees to look into Dave's face. The older man was about to hyperventilate.

"She's- I never thought I could be this scared." Rossi wasn't used to vulnerability like this woman brought out in him. He's loved many women in his life, but never any that made him feel helpless in gathering their love, never any that made him wonder every night if it would be their last to share together because she would be killed by an unsub, a person from her past, or simply tire of his company.

"You do love her." Derek's tone was only partially disbelieving. He knew that it was true months ago, but he didn't expect it to be this fervent. The man looked helpless.

"Where is she? What's happening?" JJ's shrill demands could be heard from the end of the hall. It knocked Rossi out of his scare and he jumped back into the room to observe what was happening. He had to man up, the woman he loved was in there.

He could see everyone gather and be led by an orderly to the waiting area down the hall when the door opened and the doctor came in. "I'm Dr. Flint, trauma attending. I need to ask you some questions."

Rossi's face paled as he took in the doctor's demeanor. He was searching for answers, which was good. But his profiler mind could gleam what one never wants to see from a doctor. Uncertainty. "I'll tell you everything I know."

The doctor nodded, appreciatively. It is surprising how much people hesitated to share information that could be vital in these situations. It's an odd human behavior that he didn't quite understand when someone's life in on the line. But he heard this man was FBI and so he had hoped for this. "Is she on any narcotics? Or prescription medication? Does she have a history of diabetes, heart disease?"

"None. Do you have her medical history from her stab wound?" He had told the nurse all about it, hoping the records were transferred to this hospital as Emily's primary doctor is affiliated here.

"Yes. Now, I have to ask this. Is there any reason to suspect she might have been committing—"

Rossi interrupted him with hands out. "I profile for a living. No."

The doctor nodded. "Then I almost hate the alternative. Ms. Prentiss appears to have severe hypoglycemia which may or may not be pregnancy related since it was not caused by insulin overdose or a reaction to medication. Since it was undiagnosed it is not surprising that she arrives like this. I am afraid she may have been in severe shock for a while now. Her glucose in now below forty. At this level, and in pregnancy…"

"Spit it out."

"It is likely she will be in a coma for some time."

Rossi could feel the hardness of the ground under him before he could wrap his head around the words. Coma. She was in a diabetic coma.

The nurse was at his side. "Come on, you can't see this." She helped him stand from his fallen crouch and tried to hide his view of the room where Emily was now being intubated and poked with more tubes than he could count, but he did see it all.

He was in a daze for a whole minute as she guided him to another room. "Is she going to be ok?"

The nurse's shoulders fell. "The good news is that we have been able to stop the seizures. The bad news is that unlike simple hypoglycemic shock or unconsciousness, her body is now at a phase of shutting down. Her brain is not receiving adequate nutrients and in order to prevent further damage, the brain shuts down all unessential operative processes. She may very well come out of this without permanent damage."

She was trying to be consoling but it wasn't working. Good, she might not have permanent damage, but mentioning that meant that it was a possibility. "Look. I need straight answers because I can tell when you are holding back. What are the chances here? And what about the baby?"

She scratched the back of her neck nervously. "We can't know yet. She is almost stable now. She will be transported to a room in the ICU within the hour. For now, go sit with your friends and we will keep you updated. Please stick around in case we need more information." She put a hand on his shoulder as she walked him out to the hall. "And sir, I am very sorry you have to go through this. One would have to be blind to miss how you love them both."

He nodded in a thank you and turned to the waiting area thinking on her words. Emily must be blind indeed.

-Criminal Minds—

"Mommy, I'm so scared." Jack whined in a near cry as he tucked his head into Penelope's shoulder. He wasn't leaving her side for a second.

She rocked him back and forth on her lap. Seeing what he saw, being the one to have to come run for help. That is a lot on a child. "Sweetie, it will be ok. I promise." She knew she shouldn't make such promises but she had to. Emily had to be ok.

Aaron had his arms wrapped possessively around Penelope, never more thankful that they moved so fast. What if that had been her to collapse? What if he had missed his chance at being with her? He knew before that he was going to cherish every second of their lives together, but now it was an imperative. He whispered into her hair. "God, I love you Pen. Just know that, ok?"

She could hear the terror in his voice and she understood it. "I'm not going anywhere. I almost broke that promise once. I won't do it again." She assured him. She would do everything to keep that so.

"Did you ask Aunt Emily?" Henry came to stand in front of Jack, his eyes still wet from when he saw her being loaded into the ambulance.

Jack nodded. "She said yes."

Hotch furrowed his brow, along with everyone else there. "Said yes to what Jack?" His son always seemed to be up to something.

Jack sniffled. He knew it was supposed to be a secret but she was sick and daddy always told him to not keep secrets if it's more important to tell the truth. "That she is gonna mommy her baby."

The sweet statement sent a ripple through all the adults there. Neither JJ or Reid knew, and Hotch only found out through Penelope. How did his son and Henry know? "Jack. How do you know about that?"

"Daddy. She throws up her food and whenever a kid or baby is around she gets a weird look. And when she was watching us when aunt JJ went missing I saw her reading a book on babies." He rolled his eyes. This was obvious. "She was just going to tell me who the daddy was when…" he couldn't think about that again.

Hotch took in his son, his tears, his knowledge of a situation he only just found out about. "Jack, I want you to go play ok?" he stood to take his son, about to offer to bring Henry to the play area at the other end of the extremely large waiting room.

"I'll take them." Morgan rose from his seat. He needed something to do. Once again Prentiss was in a hospital fighting for her life and he couldn't do anything for her.

Hotch tried a quick read but could gleam no more than just that and let the boys go, noticing Rossi approaching.

"How is she?" Hotch was a little uneasy not knowing. Last time, he had been Emily's power of attorney but after how he had to lie to everyone, it had been decided that for the trust of the team that Rossi would take that role.

Rossi threw himself into a chair with force, unwilling to look at anyone just yet. "She's in a diabetic coma because she wouldn't fucking eat like I told her to." Anger, he hit this step of grieving just now. If he had known that she was hypoglycemic then he would have been more forceful in shoving food down her throat. He knew how important eating was to her pregnancy but she didn't want to listen and she chocked it up to him being an old Italian. That damn woman! If he didn't love her he would ring her neck.

Reid eased himself into the chair next to Rossi. "Tell me everything they said."

Rossi was glad he was the one to ask. He wasn't just trying to get the information, he would know more, be able to explain it to him and everyone else. So, he opened the flood gates on everything he said, heard, saw.

Reid listening attentively and sat back once the older man finished, with a deep calming breath. Emily was a big sister to him. She looked out for him, loved him and he loved her because this was a family. He had a sneaking suspicion she might be pregnant when he noticed an increased frequency in her trips to the bathroom. That and that she was doing it with who he assumed was the father in the break room several months ago.

He sighed and explained how incredibly low that blood glucose level was to everyone, how it could have gone unnoticed as the symptoms are so similar to pregnancy and just not feeling well. He was surprised that she hadn't been diagnosed with this and then Rossi got a terrible feeling. He pulled out Emily's cell phone from her purse that Derek had grabbed before leaving the bridal salon.

He tried to check the messages but Prentiss had it password protected. Lucky for him he's an FBI agent with one of the best hackers in the world sitting across the aisle from him. "Pumpkin, could you get around the passcode to her voicemail for me?"

She nodded, took the phone and a couple minutes later handed it over. He put it to his ear and heard the automated message. You have ten new messages. Message one. Emily, please call my office at once. Your blood results are in. This is serious… I don't care what murderer you are hunting down right now. All but one of her messages was from the same female doctor, who he was allowed to meet two of her three prenatal appointments thus far. She had said she needed him for the first two, the last one they had another small fight that morning. She forbid him from accompanying her. He knew that was mostly fear, but it hurt like a bitch. He dialed the doctor's number back.

"Oh thank God Emily!" Dr. Sprague had taken a special interest in Emily, a personal connection. The woman was scared, someone who risked her life all the time for the good of the public. And once her staff informed her that Emily hadn't called back for her test results she had become increasingly worried, making the calls herself.

"This is her friend Dave, Dr. Sprague. Emily is in a hypoglycemic coma." He had to hold the phone away when he heard a long and excessively loud string of curses come from the line. He agreed with every one of them, especially that Emily needs to put herself first more often.

"Dave. Tell me what hospital you are at. I'm coming in to discuss this." It was her day off, but this was a patient that needed and deserved the extra care.

He was surprised, thankful and told her everything he could think. She told him to expect her there within the hour.

It was the longest hour of his life. He spent it just staring at the far end of the room where Derek was making his best attempt to keep cheer on his face so that the little ones wouldn't be upset anymore. They laughed, and played, cried occasionally.

Just watching them made his heart swell. Only a few people know that he had a son for exactly three hours and twenty four minutes from his first wife. He died his first day, he didn't even get a chance to be a father and had been adamant to never repeat any of that again. The pain was too much. It tore apart his first marriage. The second still suffered from all the mixed pain of the first, the third from the pain all before. But he was a lover of women, and so his reputation built.

Then, there was Emily. Emily who he was in such ardent denial over her death that he demanded JJ tell him the truth one drunken night and surprisingly, she did. Emily who he took a three week vacation to go to Paris and found on his fifth day. Emily who he was still so concerned and afraid to approach that he rented a flat in her building, followed to see what life she had built and after two days of seeing nothing but a lonely and beautiful woman, finally approached her door with a bottle of scotch in one hand and a picture of Penelope with Sergio in the other. Emily, who he fell in love with years ago, but only allowed himself to get over the workplace problems and insecurities of his age once she was gone.

When she had opened that door and saw him, he read shock and relief. She wasn't alone anymore, and he wanted to make sure she knew he was never leaving her alone again. He stayed up with her just talking about the group, what had really happened. She almost cried, but held back as was her nature. Years of schooling her emotions as a diplomat's daughter, then a spy made this woman the most repressed and vulnerable character of strength he ever met. It was part of why he loved her, why he took the chance to pull her into an embrace and why he felt the surge of happiness that almost caused a fatal arrhythmia when she cuddled back into him, an arm wrapped around his waist. She fell asleep with her head on his chest that night and he stayed right where he was just watching her troubled dreams until he too drifted off.

He spent the next few days doing much the same with her. They would talk, see the sights, fall asleep cuddled on the sofa. Finally one night she woke in his arms in the (innocent) embrace and tugged him awake enough where they groggily moved to the bedroom. He had offered to leave but her eyes filled with panic. He didn't let her ask him to stay, she had it hard enough.

But nothing happened until the last night he was there. He didn't want to push her, he didn't think he deserved her. She, a true beauty so brave and strong. Independent, bold, delicate, protective all at once. She was is goddess and when she turned down wine with dinner saying she wanted to stay sober he decided it was time and he took his chance, kissing her innocently as they stood in the kitchen. When she didn't pull away from the soft swipe of his lips against hers he landed it more fully and she responded, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into her fully. His mind was blown and for the first time, in all his kisses he ever had, he felt nothing but a feeling of what he could only describe as 'home'. She was it for him and they made love for hours that night. It was passionate, needy and possessive but couldn't be termed anything like sex or something more vulgar. He made love to that woman, letting her know exactly how he felt as he looked into her eyes after their first session ended. And she told him she loved him too.

His dreams had been filled with skipping his flight home, tendering his resignation from abroad and telling everyone he met a woman to run away with. But when he woke, she was gone. When he went to find her at her flat across the hall, her things were gone and the landlord let him know that she moved. She left no forwarding address, just a note. I'm sorry.

"Rossi?" Aaron moved to the other side of Dave, nudging him after the man hadn't blinked for what seemed like forever. "Are you alright?"

Dave shook the memories that broke his heart out of his head and looked to his watch to feign impatience. "Why haven't they gotten me? Where is that doctor?"

Right on cue, Drs. Sprague and Flint came towards him, with a third doctor in tow. He stood automatically. "Can I see her?"

Penelope watched all this with fascination. She knew that man loved her. He acted like Aaron had when she was in the hospital after the Carver Hanson incident. He was protective and he needed to know what was going on with his woman. She prayed over and over again he was that baby's father. While chocolate Adonis loved her too, she knew it had to be more as her work partner than her life partner. She hated to think of the two bringing a life into the world from sheer lust. A child deserved love, and even if Rossi wasn't the father she as sure he would love it as if he were, just as she loves Jack as her own.

"Is it alright if they all hear this too?" Dr. Flint asked. He knew this man was her power of attorney but wondered if he wasn't more. They all seemed more than friends. They functioned as a unit, a team and he functioned as a spouse in his opinion.

Dave nodded and took a seat across from the three doctors. Reid retained his spot next to him, ready to launch into any explanation necessary and ask the questions only he could ask. Aaron stayed on the other side, the best friend emotional support.

Dr. Sprague was glad to see so many people here for Emily. The woman always seemed so lonely, of her three appointments, only Dave's name was ever mentioned. But last time she seemed angry with him and she didn't know why. "Dave. The big downside to Emily not knowing about her condition was that none of you knew either. It is extremely rare for gestational diabetes to manifest as hypoglycemia."

Reid cut in at this point with a statistic and then shut up, letting her continue. "Exactly, and of course it is more rare for a woman to not know before something like this happens. So, the drugs she was given in the ambulance complicated her condition further. She is stable, but it is unlikely she will emerge from this any time soon, if at all."

At this point, Garcia started balling her eyes out at the look on Dave's face. No one expected that and Aaron had to peel her away, draw her in for a hug and let Reid and JJ deal with the rest of this meeting.

His voice was barely above a whisper, overwhelmed by the news. "And… the baby?"

Dr. Flint spoke up. "The baby's vitals are stable. We may have to worry about some nutritional deficiencies and because of her age, she is a risky candidate but bed rest should be sufficient to carry to term with no difficulty. She may even be cleared for the field again in time, if we resolve this issue."

Dr. Cardon, the head of neurology took this opportunity to introduce himself and make a bold suggestion. "We need your permission to try an experimental procedure that might save them both."

Dave's head shot up. Experimental? He didn't like the sound of that at all.

Dr. Flint understood that look, and the hesitation. He had a wife himself. "You have to understand that these things are tricky to predict. She could very well wake up tomorrow or never again. The one thing that is consistent is that once things go this far there is little medicine can do other than try to stabilize her glucose levels. This has already been done. She is within a normal range."

Reid cut in, to Rossi. "Once our bodies receive this type of shock they don't just come out of it. Unlike other types of comas this could be relieved once the body's internal mechanisms pick up that the problem has been resolved. But her pregnancy complicates this because the underlying problem still exists. It needs to be shocked back into consciousness." He turned to Dr. Cardon. "Are you suggesting stimulus to the prefrontal cortex?"

The doctor nodded, thankful one of her friends was familiar with this. "There has been some evidence that this may begin the process of stimulating consciousness in other cases similar to these. However, none of the other patients have been pregnant. There is some risk of overstimulation to the fetus through the electrical impulses we must send."

Reid thought this over. He knew Rossi was going to need his help with this decision but for once in his life, his heart over ruled his ability to think in situations like this. "If this were your wife, your sister or friend, what would you do?"

Dr. Cardon shifted in his seat. He hated when patients looked to him for this type of guidance when a child was involved. He had taken a risk for a totally different medical problem with his wife and they lost their baby. He sighed and told them just that but that he had confidence in this procedure. And if it was successful, it could save many others from coma as well.

"I need a while to think about this." Dave calmly stated, relieved that Aaron took Garcia away somewhere to cry. Seeing her break down in front of him was making his own emotions try to shut down, he couldn't handle the pain, he couldn't handle the idea of Hotch ever having to face this with her if it ever happened. Hotch was team dad, soon to marry team mom. This hit him hard and he hoped that while he was debating this decision within himself, getting Reid to answer and explain everything that those two would be off trying to reconnect. They needed it. He needed them to fulfill that need. He sent a text, having earned wisdom from this experience. Go, make love to your future wife.

-Criminal Minds-

Hotch had to walk away from this. He couldn't take hearing Dave's indecisive grumbles. Even if he is the man's best friend he was no form of support right now. He was too stressed over not being able to do anything, about the possibility of ever having to go through that with Penelope. He needed to be with her right now.

They walked around the wing, then through cardiology, then through radiology until they were lost. One look in her eyes and tears broke from both of them, almost collapsing in the hall. A hand on his shoulder shook him to standing more firmly. He turned to face an orderly with concern on her face, offering them the sanctuary of one of the hospital's open, private rooms to think and be together after hearing what was going on.

He realized that they were in one of the family rooms in the maternity ward, where mothers can visit large groups of family that come to see their newborn. How many times had he wanted to be in one of these rooms again? He always wanted a fairly large family. He at least wanted more than one child, Jack should have siblings. And more importantly, he wanted to have a child with the woman he loved. She was younger than Emily, she had years for this. Not a lot of them, but time.

They flicked on the television, he hoping that it would be a distraction from everything coursing through him, all the feelings that were wrapped up and around him. But, it didn't work. "I want to have a baby with you, soon." He blurted it out, the first thing he said to her since walking into this room and flipping the lock on the door closed.

"I'll stop taking my birth control." Her answer was robotic, but she was swimming inside. She knew she wanted this more than anything and she understood why it was coming up now. They both needed to cling to a future, to one another. And they both wanted it.

"You're ready for that?" He didn't want to push her, and he didn't want this to be a reaction to what is going on. But he loved this woman and had wanted to create kids with her for years if he was honest with himself.

She smiled at him before joining him in a loving kiss. "In my heart, you are already my husband. Of course I am ready for that with you." She pulled back and cupped his cheek, enjoying his lean into it.

He never thought he'd ever heard such wonderful words. This was right up there with "I love you too" and "Yes" when he proposed. It was the first time she called him husband, it was bliss. He attacked her mouth with a sweet and sweeping passion, grinning against her when a small mew of surprise escaped her soft, willing lips.

"Here?" she asked, not opposed to the setting necessarily, just the face that Emily is in a coma and…

"I need my wife. I need you." He murmured as his kisses trailed over her neck. "I need to be with you."

He was saying it far less out of lust and far more of a need for emotional satisfaction, healing, bonding. "You're scared to lose me?"

He sighed against her and nodded, his hair tickling her nose. He should stop. Their friend was downstairs but then, with the day they had. Between Jack and adoption, a decision to start having a baby, Emily… She pulled his face to hers and kissed him back with passion, crawling into his lap which sat in the middle of the incredibly uncomfortable sofa.

He had to adjust her on his lap when his phone rang, hoping the text wasn't more bad news but it simply instructed him to make love to Penelope. He showed it to her and it erased the hesitation she still had.

"I love you." She rushed out, pulling off her shirt and bra in a single movement. "I love you." It was like a prayer, a prayer to make everything all right.

He leaned her back across the sofa, discarding his own shirt in the process before running his lips and tongue over every inch of her exposed skin he could find. He wished so dearly for Reid's eidetic memory, he wished he could remember this whenever he missed her, whenever he would be away or she would be in trouble. He had to live for this moment and took her nipples between his lips, flicking his tongue and sucking on her, but never taking his eyes from hers.

She arched her back, forcing him closer to her, reveling in his arms wrapping behind her back. "I need you." She begged. She had to connect to him. "Make love to me. Help me make a baby."

His head snapped up. That was both the most important statement he ever heard and the hottest. He yanked off her pants as his mouth found hers again, deeply probing and mixing his tongue with hers. Her hands had his belt buckle off faster than he thought possible, soon the cold sterile air of the hospital hitting his bottom as he found his pants around his ankles and his back against the cushion. She pulled off his shoes, socks, finished removing her own clothing and pulled him back atop her, wrapping her legs around his waist and urging him forward.

He ground their bodies together, just wanting to feel her softness, the caresses she lavished on his back. Being with her was both erotic and emotionally fulfilling every time. Every curve, wiggle, giggle, the way her eyes shine when he is in her. It was more than he ever had with another woman. And he realized just then why Rossi sent that message… that's how he feels about Emily.

His eyes widened at the realization of just how deep this ran for his friends and that last guilt he could have faced in doing this, here and now was gone. The message he got today: Don't waste what others can't have.

He lowered his lips and slowed the pace of their grinding giving just a chaste peck to Penelope's lips. "You're the love of my life." He said proudly and with truth as he looked into her eyes and slowly sunk into her.

Her eyes rolled back in pleasure and her hands gripped into his hair. Nothing could have made this moment better for her, nothing was so intimate in knowing that not only did she have a future with this man, she didn't have to worry about his past. Haley had been important, but she herself was the woman for him.

"Aaron. God." She moaned, not given the chance to respond to the declaration as his thrusts took an even and moderate pace that left her breathless, especially as he slightly rolled his hips in circles as she loved. It always hit that special spot when he did that. She found her nails sinking into his back as an orgasm began to build within her. "God!" she yelled as she threw her head back when the waved crashed on top of her. "Mine" she grunted out possessively. He was hers. And that proclamation would have to do until she could have breath for more.

He smiled down at her and set back to work, slowing, cherishing her body's responses to his own, feeling every inch of her softness inside and out. She was warm, she was loving, she was a sanctuary unto herself. "Mine." He agreed when her hair pulling set him off again, losing that control over his pace. It almost made him mad at himself but then, this was all part of making love to this goddess wasn't it? She was the only person on earth that let him, no made him, lose all of his control.

"Pen!" he yelled, almost getting there as she began to thrust her hips back up to him. "Oh Pen."

"Let go." She demanded, just about there herself. Whenever they come together its earth shattering just like this moment right now. "Oh Aaron!" her scream drowned out his.

He dropped on top of her, still inside and riding those aftershocks with her, kissing her with everything he had. It was sloppy and needy and loving in every way. He was never more thankful.

She kept meeting his small, left over thrusts with her own and soon their kisses slowed to a rhythmic gentle meeting of lips. Finally her breath relaxed and she realized that while she felt so vulnerable she felt safe in that vulnerability with him. "You meant that didn't you?"

He nodded. A small part of him felt guilty for admitting it, that Haley had importance, but not this one. "You're the one I was meant for."

Her grin was so large her cheeks hurt as she starting humming the melody to that song by Jewel. He recognized it and tickled her until she latched onto his lips with one more kiss and pulled away before she lost her breath again. "I knew during our first fight that you were the one for me. I could never love anyone like I love you."

They collapsed together, just holding one another until finally they each felt ready to face life again. She stroked his hair, trying to straighten it out and together they got dressed, left the room and made their way back to their friends, hand in hand knowing they had found their source of strength. Now they needed to be that source for their family

They returned to the waiting room and took Jack into their arms, wrapping him with more affection than he could handle. They looked over and noticed JJ doing just the same with Henry, holding him tucked under her chin, rocking him to his afternoon nap. Morgan got up and began an active discussion on his phone that Penelope couldn't quite overhear, but it was someone important she could see. It gave her hope that he found love. It gave her hope that Emily had found it with Rossi. It made her hope that this time Emily would come off the table and into the arms of one charming and caring older man still rocked by the decision he had to face, pacing the room with Reid as they discussed his options.