A/N: This chapter was ready to post last night, of course the site wouldn't let me. It's a little long, but I had to put all this in here.

Second note: It appears that the site is still buggy right now, I apologize for those who have been unable to read yet.

Thanks again for reading and reviews!

I don't own Criminal Minds

He could have slapped himself. He didn't need to be that honest to make her see why putting him in charge wasn't a good idea. Sure, he could have said nothing but if the bureau were to find out later, and in this situation they would then it would only make things worse.

Also, the looks on everyone's face was enough to make him regret leaking the secret on Em. "It will have to be Morgan." He finished lamely, hoping that maybe that would distract everyone.

It didn't. The room suddenly filled with a cacophony of voices trying to get whatever details they could about how long they had been together, if they were in fact living together as Penelope suspected considering she went into his house and grabbed a nightgown for Emily from the master suite. Others were simply offering congratulations and hugs until Strauss slammed down her stack of files.

"For your insubordination and your fraternization you are suspended until further notice, Rossi. This is just unspeakable. At least with Hotchner and Garcia she is an analyst but you are Prentiss's superior. And you all just accept this!" She was about at the end of her chain with this group. They were too close, not professional anymore. If she were smart she would dissolve the whole thing.

"Don't bother. I quit." Rossi didn't need this job and he wasn't going to be scolded for finally getting what he wants. Well, almost getting what he wants.

They all shot horrified glances at him. Penelope was a second away from collapsing into a sobbing mess. Why couldn't he even try to keep his job? Sure, he doesn't need it but still. And now he's still going off on a tangent.

"And I will tell you something Junior Director. I am pretty sure you weren't on vacation yesterday and when I find out what you are really up to let's just say I won't be taking it easy on you." His voice was cold and firm and he wasn't sure if there was anything really behind that threat but he had to say something. "I will be at the hospital praying for my partner and my baby. If you want me you all know what room."

With that he stormed out of there and to his office to collect his things, namely that expensive scotch he keeps tucked in the bottom drawer of his desk.

No one was entirely sure where to look, Strauss was still standing there with an unreadable expression until Morgan coughed to knock her out of it. "Your disciplinary actions still stand. You will all be interviewed for the investigation within the next few days. Morgan, the team is yours."

He nodded and ushered her out the door before closing it with everyone else still inside. "Well, that solves that mystery doesn't it?"

Garcia drew her brows together. "You mean, you didn't know?"

He shook his head. "I suspected it. But no, she only told me she was pregnant, no details or anything. I only knew because she was vomiting in my trashcan one day and I was ready to send her home." He actually giggled at the memory; it was rather funny when you think on it.

"But, hot muffin, what's been going on with you?" He said he's been keeping a secret, it appears he might be moving in with someone. Why can't he just say that?

Morgan let one of his charming smiles out, that one that tells everyone all will be alright. "We already solved one mystery today. Let's just focus on what to do now. Baby girl since you have done all your paperwork and don't have your new assignment, it's up to you. Stay, go. It's your choice. You can all make that choice today alright?" They all nodded. "I'm going after Rossi. Excuse me."

He wasn't sure what he was going to say to the older profiler. Beg him to stay around? Ask him to explain about 'woman he intends to marry'? They of course all caught it, but that word 'intends' implies something…. Maybe he hadn't asked yet, perhaps. He rounded the corner and looked into the (former) profiler's office where he was basically just throwing things indiscriminately into a box.

"Dave. Please, stop." He edged his way in and closed the door behind him. "We can find a way around this. I will find a way around it all." He wasn't just saying that, it was a vow. He had one shot, something he wasn't sure would work but he was going to try goddamn it. "Just calm down a second ok?"

Dave lowered his hand which held a photograph of him and Emily to his side. "How dare she call her a whore." And really, that bothered him more than anything Strauss could have ever said.

Derek sighed and leaned against the wall. "She's just making this personal between you two. She knows you feel that sense of family with us that she doesn't really understand. And we all know how she feels about Emily since the Doyle thing." He wasn't going to say that it's not the first time she called her a whore. When she had found out just how deep Em's cover had to be she pretty much ran the gambit on sexual insults… bordering on harassment if Emily were still alive. While that had bothered him, that she slept with Doyle, her name calling had been a source of several arguments between the two of them. He only got out of insubordination because he apologized and feigned emotional distress.

Rossi started staring at the picture in his hand. It was one of them at Garcia's last Halloween party. He was Caesar, she was Cleopatra per the rules of 'historical figures' of the party. You could see just in the corner of the picture Penelope and Aaron dressed as Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne. How those two hadn't figured out they were dating in their own way was beyond everyone at that point. "I was so happy at this party."

Derek stood to take a look and chuckled a bit. "Can you believe Reid convinced me to go as Leopold and Loeb? I'm not sure what's worse, that we dressed as them or that you guys could actually pick up on it." He swung his arm around the other man, hoping his friend wouldn't pull away. When he didn't he felt it was safe to ask. "Why is it such a happy memory for you?"

Rossi sighed but with a wistful, guilty smile. "We made out in Pumpkin's shower. Almost got caught too when JJ and Will went in there to finish out their argument. Apparently he wasn't too happy that she was hanging around with Reid so often." He shrugged, they all knew about that now.

"Why were you keeping this such a secret? Not the pregnancy, I can understand waiting until the risk of miscarriage is low. But you guys, why?"

Rossi moved to lean against his desk. "It hasn't exactly been the cool trend to date in the office until a couple weeks ago has it?"

Derek quirked a well groomed eyebrow, that's true but there must be a little something more. "Dave, she's terrified isn't she? I know that girl. She's my partner and I am pretty sure she saves all her bravery for the field."

Suddenly Rossi felt like a good weight was lifted from his shoulders. "She won't give me an answer. I understand that, I do. But it's been almost two months."

Aaron walked in at this point. "That's the ring she's carrying around in her pocket, not ready to answer yet? She was talking about herself at that diner?"

Rossi nodded and turned back to his packing, trying to hide his frown. "I need to get back to the hospital. I want to be there if she wakes up."

Aaron stopped his friend's progress out of the office with an extended hand and a look right in his eyes. "I'm not leaving you alone. I have a meeting I have to go to though, take Reid and I will be there in two hours. I have to stop home first, the hospital says its ok to take a pet for therapy. Sometimes it can help with these things… we have Sergio and your dog too."

The Italian could feel himself about to cry. He looked down into his box and hoped he could convey how grateful he was. "You're a good friend. Both of you. Please send Reid out, I can't take hanging around here any longer." And with that, he left.

-Criminal Minds-

Penelope was beyond her ability to cheer up at this point. Her life has gone to hell in a matter of twenty four hours. Yesterday she was the blushing bride, today she is the woman crying her eyes out because she might lose her son, might lose her friend and has lost her team.

Thank god for JJ. The friend, who a week ago was an absolute mess was now stroking Pen's hair as they lay in Jack's bed. "Shhsh Pen. It will be alright. We can figure this out."

That just made Pen's cries more aggressive. She couldn't catch a calming breath. It was too much. She was losing everything other than Aaron. If she lost him, like Rossi is losing Emily… she almost choked on her tears. Boy was she glad that Aaron had sent her home and made JJ drive. She wouldn't have been safe on the road and she needed to be here, in her son's room hoping he will always occupy it.

It took a few minutes but JJ's stroking calmed her enough where she could breathe, talk. "Jessica said she might try to take Jack away. Her parents will certainly do what they can to yank him from us." She was numb at this point. She couldn't even let herself try to feel that pain. She would die from it, she was sure.

JJ's eyes bugged, so she was glad Pen had her face mostly buried in the pillows. She had to school her voice as calm and encouraging because as a mother herself she was terrified for her friend. "They can't take him away. It will be fine. Ok?"

Penelope shook her head, still buried in the pillow she gave Jack from her apartment a year ago because he likes purple dinosaurs. "You can't repeat this alright?" she waited until JJ agreed and then moved her face to look to JJ, her voice low and strangled. "Her parents tried to prove Aaron as unfit last year. There was an open investigation and everything. He was so scared he told me about it and they are going to try again."

JJ was horrified. "But he's a great father! What could they possibly..." oh. "The job?"

Pen nodded. "They said he was an absent father. The social worker didn't agree, thank God. But what if the next one does? What if this suspension and what not comes down bad on us? I'm telling you right now JJ I'll take that boy before I let him leave his father. It's not happening."

"Of course it isn't. And it won't come to that." JJ could feel herself rising in her seat on the bed. "I'm not letting anything happen to your family. I might not have been able to save Evelyn but I will save you from this." She of course knew Evelyn wasn't that woman's real name but that's who she bonded with. And she wasn't helpless anymore. She was a woman needing to protect her sister. That was what Penelope is, has always been. "I'm going to call my contacts, try to get a leg up on this, ok?" She laid back down, deciding that so much more than just this was going on too. "I don't want you to worry about this right now. I know you will but I am here, Aaron is here and the whole team is behind you."

Penelope was glad to have a friend like her. "I don't know what I would do without you, you know that? Any of you. What are we going to do JJ? What if Em never wakes up?"

JJ could see Aaron's form in the door. He came and sat on the other side of Garcia, rubbing her back and kissing behind her ear. "We can't think that way. She will be alright, one way or another."

JJ nodded. "I'm scared too, hell I'm terrified. But Reid spent all night at the library reading everything he could on this. And I mean everything. Between him, the doctors, and that new procedure we will get her back. I promise." Reid had a lot of pressure on him helping Rossi make the right decision. He was almost manic in his searching for information that she had to keep calling the night librarian to make sure he was alright.

Garcia nodded. "Yes, but what about their baby?"

All three sighed and for the first time JJ saw real tears in Hotch's eyes. "We'll see. That's all we can do. Honey," he pulled her into a very tight hug. "All we can do is be there for them, all three of them."

Penelope nodded but had to take a few minutes. This was supposed to be the happiest time of her life. The man holding her would soon be her husband and with luck they would have another baby sooner rather than later. They should be buying a house, taking care of Jack. Working for the protection of an innocent public. "Did Jessica call back?"

Hotch sighed. "She said she will come tonight for dinner. But I'll cancel, we can do this some other time."

Penelope shot up. "No! We have to do it now. It's not going to look good. Please, I can't risk, I can't"

JJ pulled Pen into a hug yet again. "Sweetie, keep the dinner. Emily would understand. Want to visit quick and then come back? I'll help you clean and cook and all that."

Hotch was relieved, he knew Jessica wouldn't take kindly to being canceled on at this point. "Thank you JJ. Come on, Jack gets out in half an hour. Let's pick him up and visit Emily alright?"

She nodded and hugged him with everything she had. "I love you so much."

He pulled her in close too. "And I love you. I won't let anything happen to our family. Ok?"

"Ok."

-Criminal Minds—

Morgan spent a good six hours at the office after everyone left going over paperwork before he told himself he had to go home. He wasn't ready to submit Rossi's resignation nor was he prepared to deal with where baby girl was going. He didn't want her on another team. He could understand Rossi's frustration; he was almost tempted to quit himself.

He stopped by the hospital knowing that the couples with a child each needed to take care of their sons, have dinner, do family things. So he brought Rossi his afternoon latte and a cannoli. "How's she doing?"

Rossi was sitting as he always seemed to, holding Emily's hand and looking at her face. Derek could only imagine what goes through his mind as he sits with the woman too afraid to make the commitment to him that he so wants. "She's different from the others, isn't she?" he asked as he pulls up a seat next to him.

Rossi's tone was just shy of combative. "You mean from my other wives? Yes."

Morgan understood his tone. Emily probably didn't entirely believe that, or at least not trust it enough. "Come on, eat. Emily doesn't want you to be like this."

Reluctantly, Rossi let go of her hand. She was it, all he had in life. He turned to Derek pulling out the lattes and pastries, his heart clenching when he saw where they were from. His place, his place with Emily. "I once told Aaron that I was more married to my job than I ever was to my wives. I guess Emily won't have to worry about that. Like it would be a threat anyhow."

Derek was so sad over this. "When she comes to I'm going to tell her to stop being such a pussy over this. She loves you, ya know."

Rossi simply nodded and played with his food. "Rossi, seriously man. She told me once." He wasn't sure if this was something he should share. He seemed to hold lots of halves of secrets for Emily. But she is screwing her own life up just because she is scared. She needs to learn to trust, if not everyone then just this one man.

Rossi's hands stopped making progress on his pastry. "What do you mean she told you?"

Derek sighed and sipped from his coffee to give him a second to gather his thoughts. "You know how when she got back I made her train over and over again?"

Rossi nodded. "Yeah. Hotch and I assumed it was out of a need for you to see that she can handle herself in the field."

Derek just knew they had picked up on it. "Yeah. Well, one of our first sessions I noticed something was up with her. She tried shrugging it off as she always does but she couldn't." he paused and gathered a breath. "I had tossed her as part of the exercises and it seemed like she wasn't even trying anymore. She was lethargic, just lying on a matt staring at the ceiling. So I asked her what was wrong. She said she and my Baby Girl went to a movie the night before, some romantic comedy. She had been depressed since. It doesn't take a profiler to figure out there's only a couple reasons for that." He shrugged. "Either she was lonely or she was missing someone so I pushed for an answer. She told me how she left it in Paris with you two."

At this point both men's gaze shifted to Emily in her bed. Garcia had dressed her in a soft satin nightgown that Rossi himself had bought her. Thankfully she now only had a single tube running in her and several monitors hooked up. Only Rossi had to see her while intubated. That was a frightful sight. She was helpless, and so was his baby. "Do you know why she left? I never had the courage to ask. I don't know what she meant by 'I'm sorry'."

Morgan took a thoughtful breath before responding. He had to be sure to get her words exactly as she had said them. David deserved the whole truth. "She said 'I couldn't let him be dragged down in this life. I was a woman on the run, not a woman to settle down with. I'm never going to escape my past.'"

Rossi looked back at Emily. "You idiot." He told her. "No one can, but we could have fought it together." That hurt him more than he thought. She didn't even have faith in him to be her partner in this. "I should thank you Morgan. I never did."

Derek's brows drew together in his confusion. "For what?" His last comments just hurt this man and now he is thanking him?

"For your vendetta, for making the circumstances that led my Princess home." He turned in his seat to fully look at the man. They had never been the best of friends like some of the other relationships in the group but they were friends nonetheless. "Living with knowing she was out there, living with the memories of that night together. It haunted me and still does, even after I got her again. I still feel like I don't have her at all sometimes."

"But she spends all her time with you."

"We do practically live together don't we?" A small smile crawled on Dave's face. The big sources of his happiness were all the nights since she returned that became more frequent. She would come over claiming to need a cooking lesson, end up making out with him in the kitchen, letting him slip into her in the hall, coming in the bedroom. She would stay most nights, wake in his arms with a smile on her face but by the time she pulled up to the BAU office it was as if nothing between them existed, as if she didn't cry his name out in ecstasy twice a night. It was entirely confusing.

Especially when that pattern had changed over the last seven months. At that point they had started doing everything together. She would go grocery shopping with him, he would rub her feet and make her talk to him after a hard case. It was a little less confusing. Actually, it was amazing. He told Morgan about this, about how she started leaving clothing there when she would change into things from her go bag. "I would just take her dirty stuff and add it to my laundry. By two weeks she had a good portion of my closet and stopped bringing things over. She had what she needed there. I even bought her favorite shampoo which let me tell you took a good long fight to let it stay. She wasn't ready but a small push here and there and she slowly accepted it." He moved back to the seat by Emily's side. "I had told her I loved her more than a few times. I accepted that she probably wouldn't return it but finally I had it one night. I locked her in the den with me and I just had to ask her if she felt that way." His mind flashed back to that night.

She had gone home to feed Sergio and change his litter box before going to Rossi's. He had been excited to see her, excited to love and make love to her. But when she came in she went right for the sex. Now, he wasn't exactly complaining when her perfectly pink lips met his own, or when her hands slipped between them and began stroking him through his pants. But suddenly he felt almost, dirty or used. "Stop Em. Stop."

She quirked her eyebrow at him. "You don't like this?" she asked in that seductive tone he never before turned down, continuing to stroke him.

Being a man of passion of course he let her continue on for a moment, his mind whirling in the sensations coursing through him just from her petting but he fought the urge and pushed her away. He had to talk to her, a real talk that she had avoided for weeks. So he used what tools he had available and grabbed her hand and drew her into his den.

"Ooh. We haven't done it in this room." She smiled with a mischievous twinge; she loved it when he got demanding. It always led to some new discovery of his many, many talents.

He just wanted to pin her against his desk, bury his hands in those espresso locks, taste every inch of her. He would, but after. He made to the door and locked it, admittedly enjoying the increased heat in her eyes at the action. He turned to stalk to her, wrapping his hands gently on her wrists because he knew she tends to get violent or pull away when he talks emotions. "Emily." He whispered into her ears. "I just need to know there is more to this."

She pulled back to look at him. He could see how unsure she was at the moment, that she was holding back. "What do you mean by more?"

He nervously licked his lips. "You know I love you. I tell you often and you never say it. It's ok if you can't if you aren't ready to say it. But you did once, and-I-" he couldn't finish. He should have thought this out before going through with it.

"You need to know if I meant it?" She relaxed her stance, gently tugging from his grasp on her wrist and stroked his cheek.

It took him what seemed like hours but was a few mere seconds before he could look up into her eyes. He hadn't expected her gentle tone, or for her to understand. Yes, that was exactly his problem. He nodded, still shy over this, terrified she hadn't meant it.

She sighed and pulled his gaze back to hers. He hadn't been able to keep eye contact for more than a few seconds at a time. "Rossi." He looked away. "Dave." She pleaded gently.

"You don't have to say the words." He never felt this vulnerable in his life. "I just need to know the truth, if that is it, if it's not—I need to know."

"Dave, I meant it then and I mean it now. I do love you."

Those three words never felt so good to him. Tens of women have said them to him but with her, it was like hitting the greatest jackpot he could imagine. His smile grew so large it gave him a headache as he picked her up and swung her into a kiss.

It was the last time she said them.

Morgan waved his hand in front of Rossi's face. "Dave, snap out of it."

"Wha-What?" He blinked the images out of his eyes and remembered where he was. "Sorry, I just got lost there for a minute."

"Listen, I want to stay but Baby Girl is freaking out right now."

Rossi rose in his seat as Derek stood. "What do you mean? What's going on?" His voice held nothing but concern.

Derek sighed with sadness. "I didn't want to tell you, you have enough problems."

Dave waved Derek's concerns aside. "Shut up and tell me."

Reluctantly, Morgan began. "Jessica might try to take Jack away from Hotch and Baby Girl. She found out about the adoption thing last night, she is beyond pissed and I guess it wouldn't be the first time Haley's parents tried something like this."

Rossi's face fell and anger boiled over. "How can she even think of that!"

Derek was just as pissed off. "I don't know. But they invited her over tonight for dinner and JJ has been helping but Pen is so nervous she can't even cut her vegetables for the dish. This is their chance, the chance to show her this is a real family. I have to try to help."

Rossi nodded and reached for his coat. "Then let's go show Jessica what a real family this all is."

Morgan stopped Dave's sudden walk to the door with purpose. "Whoa. Where are you going?"

Rossi shot him a meaningful 'don't mess with me' look. "I am the master of the kitchen in this family. I can't just stay around here doing nothing." With that he pushed past Morgan, glad when he heard the other man's footsteps behind him.

-Criminal Minds-

Penelope was a weepy mess. She hadn't even had the strength to go to the hospital today to see her friend and she was regretting suggesting this dinner for tonight. Why couldn't she have picked another time? A time when maybe she hadn't just got the shaft at work? A time when her best friend wasn't in a coma? A time when one of her other best fiends hadn't just left the team?

"Pen, honey. Try to stay calm. Aaron will be home soon, Derek will be here and we will get everything taken care of. I promise." JJ was doing her best to be consoling. Reid and Aaron had gone to meet with someone from human resources to see if they had any options of recourse for Strauss's disciplinary actions. Anything would help at this point.

The bell rang just then and both women set into panic, especially Penelope. "Oh God, you don't think that's her is it? Derek just comes right in." Even at Hotch's Derek had just walked right in after his first brief visit at Pen's new home. Aaron knew that's what he was used to and invited the action.

"Go, answer the door and I will try to clean up this mess." JJ urged. The kitchen was a disaster. Penelope had tried to puree something for a sauce and it flew everywhere and she herself wasn't the most helpful in the kitchen today. They were both an emotional disaster and as Rossi once said, never cook when you are upset because it comes out into your cooking.

Pen tried to pull herself straight, wipe the bleeding mascara under her eyes before answering the door to the best sight she has ever seen.

"Dave!" she cried in glee, wrapping her arms around the man carrying two large bags of groceries. Morgan was running up the hall behind him with a half case of wine and some deserts. "What are you doing here?"

"A bird told me you need help in the kitchen, and clearly you need the best." He belonged here, and he knew it.

"I can't tell you how relieved I am, but what about Emily?" She hated herself for not being able to handle this stress, taking a man away from the woman he loves.

"It's alright. I need to do something where I am useful. Now, may this old man make a suggestion?" He asked as he put the grocery bags on the counter.

"Anything. You are saving my ass here." She meant it, at this point she would give him her precious car if he asked.

He moved around the counter to holder her shoulders. "Take a deep breath. Then, let us all help and stay for dinner. She's going to see this whole family and all the people she's going to have to fight tooth and nail to get that boy from you. Got it?"

These tears were happy tears as she wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you, just thank you."

He nodded and began barking orders about. First, the kitchen needed to be cleaned. He was glad everything else seemed clean as well, there were just enough toys in the living room to look neat but lived in by a child.

Once everything was clear he began chopping vegetables, instructing JJ on the sauce, Penelope on setting the table and how to warm the plates. Derek made the salad, and took stock of all the ingredients as everyone continued to work.

"Hey, what did you buy the cream for?" Everything seemed to be cooking at this point. Rossi was working on the chicken and the girls were actually managing the side dishes with his help.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Go to my car and get the ice cream maker in back." He threw his keys to Morgan then turned his attention to Penelope. "I had bought it as a housewarming for you, but it will come in handy tonight."

She was still so overwhelmed by the good and bad of life right now. She had problems, big problems. But she also had a fiancée and a son, and a family of people pulling together to let her keep it that way. "Why's that?"

"Because when Jessica gets here you are going to teach Jack how to make ice cream. Show her that you and he have a bond, that he's learning to cook and do things that are productive from you." He was shocked when she jumped him in a hug. "Oh Pumpkin. It will all be alright."

She nodded, relieved when she heard Aaron coming into the kitchen. "Hugging my best friend Pen?" he teased. "I should be jealous."

She smiled despite herself and kissed him with all she had. "Our family are the greatest people ever."

He nodded, he knew that already and Morgan had told him all about everyone doing this dinner together. He couldn't be more pleased. "I have good news too. We got the key back to show the house. Reid talked to the realtor, she was appalled at what is happening and actually drove it over to the BAU even though she's on vacation." He was impressed at that. Reid had always been thoughtful but to take such initiative… he's grown so much in the last few weeks, just like everyone else.

"Good. We can show all of you tonight! I can't lie, I am excited about JJ and Reid and Morgan getting their first peak."

"Peak at what?" Jack asked, rubbing his eyes. He had fallen for a nap after he spent a good time crying when he got home. He didn't want to see Aunt Jessica tonight. He wanted to just go see Aunt Emily and cuddle with his parents again. It didn't help that he got picked on for defending Amelia at lunch today.

Penelope smiled. No matter what she was feeling, her son always put a smile on her face. "You get to see the house tonight. And everyone will come after they stay for dinner." She was so glad to see his eyes brighten so she bent more to him and whispered in his ear. "And Uncle Rossi is the coolest, so cool he's teaching us how to make… wait for it… ice cream!"

Henry, who came in with Reid and Aaron heard that too and both started jumping up and down and running to hug Rossi's legs. It was a happy moment all around until the doorbell rang once again.

"Oh," Jessica peaked behind Aaron into the crowded apartment. "Are you having a party?"

He managed to keep his teeth from grinding in favor of a polite smile and letting her in. "Just a family night." She gave him an odd look but followed his lead in towards the kitchen.

While they were cooking earlier, Derek and Dave both agreed that it would be good for Jessica to see everyone involved in the meal in some way. It would drive home the message of this being something normal, effortless. So Penelope took over as hostess of the night, making sure everyone had what they needed and helped Rossi finish everything off. Henry and Jack did their job asking what everyone wants to drink as Aaron dispensed wine and milk and water into the cups they brought to the table. JJ and Reid put the platters of food on the table so they would all eat family style and Morgan did his assigned job. He was to charm the pants off Jessica. It wasn't that hard to do.

He shot her one of his lopsided, wide smiles that light up his eyes. "May I take your coat? It's a little warm in here, don't you think?"

She nodded, unsure of why she was letting him help her off with it. "Um, thank you." She slightly followed him as he hung it on the full coat rack that almost tipped over. He had purposely put it where it might go off balance, make a little funny thing of it. "Whoa! I'm gonna have to make sure that new house has a coat closet." He teased and shot her a more simple grin.

She grinned back. "I-um. I guess I am the bad guy tonight." She nervously scratched her arm as she watched the friends all function together, Jack happily dispensing bread for everyone with the boy he called his cousin.

Derek hadn't expected her to open up that quickly. He was supposed to be her semi-confidant tonight but it seemed she was more insecure in this decision to take Jack away than she let on. He took a chance in his charming self and reached out as he stood behind her to graze one of her biceps comfortingly. "Just relax and come eat. It's nothing too special, though any time Dave and Pen team up to make dinner it's nothing but delicious. Trust me, you're in good hands."

She gave an awkward smile and nodded in agreement to let him guide her to the table.

"Mommy, can I sit between you and Daddy?" Jack asked and Jessica caught the title.

Penelope wondered if being called mom was helping or hurting her but that is what she is. Jack started it and she wasn't going to change anything. "Sure sweetie. Did you ask Aunt Jessica what she wants to drink?" It was killing her that he was avoiding his aunt. He rebuffed her hug earlier.

Jack wasn't happy to have to talk to her. She made him and daddy and mommy sad last night but his mom asked him to do something. "Alright. Aunt Jessica, do you want wine? Because I'm not allowed to pour the wine."

She was relieved he was talking to her. "How 'bout milk then?"

Jack nodded and poured milk for her, and helped Henry pour his second glass of the night. He brought Jessica's over to the table and looked to Reid sitting next to her, a question on his lips. "Uncle Spencer, how is Aunt Emily eating if she's in a coma?"

Reid winced at the reminder but pulled Jack onto his free knee, Henry was on the other. The last of the plates had yet to come out so they had a couple minutes for him to explain. "Well, you know that tube in her arm?"

Jessica seemed to blink a hundred times, watching the lanky younger man explain the medicine of this to her nephew. She turned to Derek on her other side. "Who is in a coma?"

Morgan sighed. "Our friend Emily. She's more like a sister. She's pregnant, didn't know she was hypoglycemic." He pointed to Rossi. "He's the father and he needs tonight. It's a miracle I could pry him from the hospital. We've all been so worried."

She bit her lip. There was a lot going on for this group of people. "I'm sorry to hear that. It's hard when someone you care about it in trouble."

He nodded. "Unfortunately we are all too used to it. The job puts us in danger a lot but we join together, get through as a team and family. No one here is ever alone. Even today when Baby Girl, that's what I call Penelope. Even when she cried all day because of Emily and because of well…" he held his hands out towards her and Jack. "This. JJ and Aaron were there for her. I was there, Rossi with a comatose girlfriend and Reid with all the responsibility of helping him make medical decisions because of his big brain… we were all there." He shook his head playfully and held up his wine glass. "Sorry, it's just hard not to talk about how much I love them all."

She turned back to the table as Aaron and Penelope finally sat down, having put the green beans in the center of the table. "Daddy, I want to pray tonight!" Jack asked. It wasn't planned but it was something that they had been doing for a while now.

"Can I help?" Henry felt a little left out but Jack nodded so he smiled. "Everyone hold hands."

Jessica couldn't help feel the little pride at her nephew sharing the stage with his friend as he began. And his prayer was beyond sweet, it nearly made her cry.

"God. Thank you for our food and for my mommy and daddy and aunts and uncles and Henry. And please bless my mommy Haley in heaven and my fish Jones who died last month. And please make Aunt Emily and her baby better." He almost left off right there but remembered something important. "and please have mommy and daddy let me have Amelia over to play soon. Thank you."

Everyone gave a little giggle at the end and set to eating. Over the clanks of forks and talking around the table Jessica leaned in to Penelope since Jack was busy discussing his school day with Aaron. "Who's Amelia?" She had never heard that name come up before.

Penelope smiled for several reasons. One, Jessica was speaking to her. Two, she knew more about this than the other woman, she had been worried she wasn't as prepared. "She's Jack's friend. She's two grades ahead of him but only a year older." She leaned in to give a half whisper of conspiracy. "I think it's a little girlfriend, she kissed him."

"Mommy!" Jack covered his face in embarrassment. "She only kissed me twice."

Aaron and Penelope both broke into huge grins as did Derek who remembered Jack discussing this on the ride to the hospital. "Twice Jack? Did she do that again today? I told you girls like a man they need to take care of."

Jack shook his head and closed his lips tight in protest of talking about it. When he crossed his arms in front of him and leaned back in what threatened to be a fit Penelope noticed a mark on his arm near his cast that she hadn't seen. "Jack." Her voice held some alarm. "Did you hurt your arm even more?"

Jack tried to cover the mark but she pulled his hand away and held his arm out, encouraging Reid to take a look. Reid leaned in closer and examined it. He knew exactly what that was from personal experience. "Jack, who's bullying you?"

"What?" Penelope was horrified someone was hurting him and she pulled him into a hug, stroking his back. "Sweetie, what's been going on? You can tell me."

He shook his head no but she pulled back and tipped his chin to look at her. "I need to know honey. You know it's wrong for someone to bully, right?"

He nodded and looked away, trying to eat again. "They weren't bulling me. They were picking on Amelia." Now they were really going to think she was his girlfriend. "She kissed me after they left us alone."

"Oh Jack," Aaron patted his back. "It's very brave to stand up to bullies but you have to tell adults ok? Did you tell your teacher?"

Jack looked at his plate with all his attention. "No. They said they would pick on Amelia again." He looked to Reid. "Uncle Spencer. Why don't people like smart kids?"

Jessica was watching this with apt attention. She didn't like that her nephew was having to deal with this but it did seem like he felt he had support at home. She watched as Spence made a face which conveyed his thought of 'yikes'. He knew he couldn't give a real answer here. "Jack, some kids just don't feel powerful so they pick on others."

Aaron nodded. "Yeah. You just have to be responsible and tell an adult when it happens."

"And be her friend through it all, like the good boy you are." Pen added. "Now come on, eat up so we can make the ice cream and go show Aunt Jessica and everyone else the house while it freezes."

They did just that. Everyone helped clear the table and while Pen and Rossi had Jack and Henry making ice cream, JJ and Reid got into a small water fight doing the dishes (which got Aaron more wet than anyone). Morgan and Jessica were clearing some of the table linens together when she struck up more conversation with him. "Is it always like this?"

He wasn't sure what she meant. "You mean dinner?"

She nodded and then shook her head. "Yes. No. I mean, is this some show being put on for my benefit?"

He took a quick second to debate on how to answer that and finally settled on a careful truth. "Honestly, it's not like we share dinner every night. But we do get together pretty often. We have picnics and dinners at each other's houses. We all played a part in their engagement, stayed while Jack went in for his cast. We all wanted to be here tonight so you can meet just who Jack has around him."

She nodded. "And Aaron and Penelope? How long? I was surprised to hear he was seeing anyone, never mind engaged."

He stopped his work and turned to her. "They haven't been official long. Their first 'real' date was only Valentine 's Day. But they have loved each other for years. Jack has loved her for years, but you know that." He knew she would remember Jack always asking for Pen when he was sick, all the times he wanted her to babysit him instead of Aunt Jessica. There were more than a few times during the short relationship between Hotch and Beth that Penelope ended up watching Jack and he would stay with her, the three watching a movie. "She's a natural with him. And I know what you must think of this coming from me, but really, she never forced the mother identity on him. He called her mommy her first night staying here and it was the happiest moment of her life I think."

Jessica mulled over those words as everyone drove over to the new house. She had been impressed that they had keys to the place and she listened to Morgan's version of the marriage proposal. She had to admit she didn't think Hotch had that kind of romance in him. She said as much and Morgan chuckled, as did JJ and Reid in the back seat. "He had help, all of our help in pulling it off. But it really was all him."

They pulled up and she noticed how perfect the place looked. Jack darted out of the other car with Henry and Dave in either hand, eager to see the house. She didn't like that they hadn't brought him to get his opinion but then, the circumstances weren't exactly normal either.

As soon as they stepped in Jack jumped up and down. "Mommy, where's my bedroom?"

She smiled. "Upstairs. First door on the left. Don't run! Your arm!" She shook her head side to side as he barely restrained his run, Henry behind him. She muttered to Jessica. "I swear, he's going to give me a heart attack someday."

Jessica understood that feeling. "Yeah, he's an adventurous one." She was keenly uncomfortable. The house was great, every room held lots of potential. But she knew she was the odd woman out here, she was the one threatening this life Aaron and Penelope (and the rest of this group) were trying to build.

"Aaron, could I talk to you for a sec?" She tried for a whisper but it didn't come out as quiet as she would have liked.

"Sure, I'll show you the nursery." It was next on the tour anyhow, she might as well get the hint that there will be more babies in this house at some point.

"Aaron, I-" she took a deep breath to try to figure out how to say this. "I like her. I do. Jack seems happy. And that's enough for me."

He sensed hesitation in her voice. "But?"

She sighed in dread. "But my parents won't want to hear any of this. I was stupid and I told them today because I was so upset from last night. Aaron, they know they can't legally stop the adoption. I think they are going to try to prove you, both of you, unfit." She was starting to sob now. She shouldn't have said anything. "I won't help them. I know you are a good father and she's" She didn't like that she had to admit this. "she's a good mother."

Hotch put a hand on her shoulder to try to comfort her. "Jessica. Will you help us though? Will you tell whatever social workers the real motivations behind this?" When she nodded he pulled her in for a hug.

"Jessica." Penelope walked over and pulled her into a hug too. She heard all of that through the bathroom door. "Hey. We will work it out alright? And I want you to have time with Jack. Your parents too. Alright?"

Jessica felt so ashamed. She wasn't happy about this, she still hurt from thinking her nephew might be taken away. But this woman was actually making her feel worse, she was forgiving her. "Why would you be nice to me after all this? I know you cried all day, I know I am screwing up your life!"

Penelope pulled away so she could look her in the face. "Jessica look at me. You were emotional, you said things. I get it. I thought of about a hundred ways I could ruin your whole life with just a few key strokes and wanted to do it I was so angry, but I get it. It's not just Haley's memory, it's your role in his life too, isn't it?"

Jessica nodded and Pen understood even more fully. "Jess, we need you too. There are some times I have to go into the field and we'll need a good sitter and who better than family? But we also want you here for fun stuff. Parties, birthdays, Christmas. Please, tell me you want that too." She really did want a whole family experience. "My parents died when I was eighteen and I have no other family outside of the people here. But with Aaron comes Jack and with Jack comes you."

Jessica nodded and let her tears dry as the two women talked, looked around the house and made fun of the horrendous downstairs half bath. As they walked back towards the cars Jessica pulled Penelope aside for a second while watching Morgan climb into the driver's seat. "Is he single by any chance?"

Penelope smiled, Derek had been really on tonight. "He's seeing someone, but masterfully hiding who. I'll let you know if that changes."

Jessica smiled at her, and then let it falter to a frown. "I really am sorry about my parents."

Penelope tried to keep her calm but her words came out with a choke of worry. "We will just have to fight this storm, together."

"I just hope we can."