I do not own Criminal Minds

"Derek, I told you before you don't have to knock." Aaron opened the door wide to let a depressed Morgan through. He had expected the agent to show up tonight, he even told Penelope to put an extra chicken breast in the oven in anticipation of his joining their small family dinner. Work had been difficult that Monday, the day after all hell broke loose in this very house.

Derek stepped in, his head down. "I know. I just didn't know if I would be welcomed back after destroying half your basement last night." He had run down and taken advantage of the sledge hammer to knock some of the wall frames away. "I do intend to remodel for you guys down there anyhow."

Hotch closed the front door behind him and walked him back to the kitchen to pour them each a lemonade that Jack made this afternoon. "I know. Which is why I don't care. You're welcome to destroy that part of the house anytime, especially after what Reid had said."

Morgan looked around for Baby Girl, a little relieved she wasn't there at the moment. "Where's the honey?"

Hotch leaned back against the farmhouse sink. "I'm watching over dinner while she and Jack work on his homework. Apparently he has to learn how to type in his computer class which is clearly her area."

Morgan snickered. "That's the understatement of the century."

Hotch watched as Derek fumbled with his cup, seemingly fascinated by it at the moment. He was avoiding the issue, whatever that was. "So why don't you tell your unit chief what brings you to his home?"

Derek backed up against the refrigerator opposite Aaron and leaned his head against the cool stainless steel. "I got Em to fess up to what happened yesterday. She said that when she got Tabby back to her place Alicia met them and brought her to the emergency room. Apparently Emily had offered to come too but Tabby said 'no offense Em, but I don't want to see any of you ever again.' She even asked her to tell Dave not to come after her. You know he won't take that well." Morgan paused for a long breath. "It took me calling in more than a few favors I wasn't owed to track down Alicia and what hospital Tabby is at. She won't see me Hotch. She had agreed with Alicia to send me updates on my kids but that's it. I can't even apologize! And who the hell knows how long she will be in there. They are keeping her until her symptoms go away. Can't be too cautious in pregnancy."

Aaron was glad his cooking duties called for him to pause from the conversation to check on the chicken's progress. It gave him a chance to pull together his thoughts. While he and Penelope aren't exactly doing fantastic right now they are both more stable than Morgan at this point. Rossi and Emily agreed to keep a good eye on Spencer who was on the verge of collapsing under the weight of the inquiry in three days which could destroy his career in the BAU and otherwise.

In fact, today had been strained to say the least but he was proud of everyone for maintaining professionalism. He was proud of Reid for holding his tongue all day and for Morgan not flipping out at work. "I have to commend you for not questioning Reid as he took lead on those two cold cases today. I don't know if I would have been a big enough man to overlook what he said yesterday."

Reid made two main points which he yelled quite loudly into the desolate face of Morgan two seconds after Tabby made her dramatic exit. The first being that Tabby was giving up a lot in her plan for the group. Apparently she was going to take the fall for having known about thier fraternization and not reporting it. Her plan used Reid's eidetic memory to catalog all of the interactions which occurred within the group over the last two years. He had to write them out with her to look like they had been her own observations. She was going to make it look like one of her social experiments, an excuse for them all being 'allowed' to pursue these fraternization relationships.

It was clearly pointed out that while some might buy that, her being with Derek was a large scandal and she had decided to potentially resign and go into teaching as an alternative. There was no way she could escape their relationship being looked at unfavorably and that angered Derek more than anyone.

As if on the same thought Morgan sighed. "Hotch man, why the hell wouldn't she tell him all of this?"

Aaron shot him a meaningful look. "Would you? Would you tell her you were giving up your position at the BAU which you love more than anything? Think about it. If she told you, you would have stopped her and none of us would have had the chance to benefit from her help. We are all still under fire for this. We haven't begun to face the music yet. And worse, Reid's career isn't just subject to ruin, so is his reputation as a capable man. Tabby knows she is his last chance and our only chance at all being kept together in the same city. Usually when things like this happen to a team they reassign us to different areas of the country. She was trying to avoid that and you—" He pointed directly at Derek. "Would have been an obstacle in her path."

"Damn right I would." He sighed and walked to Aaron's side, helping him mix up the salad for dinner. "She doesn't deserve to be thrown under the bus for us. But that's how she is. She protects who she cares about. And here I said all that crap about her not caring. I don't know what I was thinking Hotch man."

"Spoken like a man spooked." Hotch murmured. "You know damn well what you were worried about. Just admit it, I don't think you need me to profile you."

Derek shot him a warning glare but looked back to his work. "I hate profilers." He muttered through grit teeth. "I know, I know that I am terrified she would leave anyhow." His shoulders rose in their tension. "Seeing you and Baby Girl, I—"

"Didn't have confidence you could keep you and Tabby together too. I know, you both have an ingrained fear of loss because of both losing your fathers at a young age. She pushes you away sometimes right?"

Derek nodded. "A lot of time. She hardly lets me worry about her." Which enrages him. "She's more than happy with letting me rub her belly and share my sentiments on happiness but when it comes to watching over her she's stubborn as Rossi, not wanting to be fussed over."

Aaron clapped an arm around Morgan, a gesture he had never performed before but he knew the truth of 'being like brothers' now that he was marrying Derek's best friend. "Listen. Penelope does the same thing. Emily does the same to Rossi, remember her coma? Even JJ does it, she still insists Reid was overly protective over her after the Carver Hanson incident. They are strong and independent women, the reason we love them also being the reason they drive us insane. It's their job as our wives."

"I heard that honey." Penelope called in mock warning, walking over and dropping a sweet kiss on his lips before pulling her Adonis in for a hug. "Let's eat ok?"

Derek nodded, thankful for this family of friends but felt off. "I um, I had gone to talk to Reid earlier." He muttered as he took his seat next to Jack. "He won't talk to me outside of work."

Jack stabbed a large piece of his chicken with his fork and dunked it in his special St. Patrick's day-green ketchup. "Well duh." He took a small bite so he could keep talking. He didn't like seeing his cool uncle so downtrodden… that was the word of the day in his vocabulary book. "Uncle Spencer is afraid and he was becoming good friends with Aunt Tabby. Can I still call her that?"

Derek looked to Penelope and Hotch but both shot him a look which made it clear this was his call. "Sure you can. How do you know all this?"

Jack shrugged. "Henry and I talk." He grimace at the presence of green peppers in the salad but ate them anyhow. He only got to choose one vegetable every month that he didn't have to eat and he always chose brussel sprouts to avoid. "He and aunt JJ were talking all night and he said his daddy is writing a resig—umm, resina—"

"Resignation?" Hotch supplied helpfully, but with fear.

"That's it! A resignation letter. What's that?"

"Crap. Hotch, you have to stop this. He won't listen to me." Morgan was at a loss right now. He can't believe that Spencer was about to give up fighting for his job. "Jack, does Henry know why he said that?"

Jack took a big bite of his macaroni and cheese which was useful in masking the green peppers he hates. "Yeah. He said without Aunt Tabby that even if things go good this week… I don't know what that means." He was fairly preoccupied with his meal as he repeated what Henry told him was happening at his house. "he said none of you will be ok without her and Aunt JJ wants to stay working with daddy."

"Oh Lord in heaven." Penelope silently looked upwards for guidance. "Honey, call him."

Aaron sighed and put his napkin back on the dinner table to make the call. He figured this would happen at some point in the next few days so he had a little speech prepared for it, mainly consisting of letting Reid know that even if he did resign that he would still have to go through the inquiry.

"Baby Girl," Derek got her attention after Jack left the dinner table too. He had firmly told them he was making everyone a special dessert and no one should come into the kitchen. "how are things for you guys?"

She smiled a frown at him. He's sweet to worry. "We worked it out that we need to work through this together. He's right you know, all of us women push you guys away but once you break back through we collapse into your arms… which is why I think we push away to begin with. But, anyhow." She took a fortifying sip of her wine. "Jack is probably going to be sleeping in our bed until this is over. He had a nightmare last night that Caroline came and took him from his bed in the middle of the night. But he did fine at school today. He said Amelia kissed him extra hard to make him feel better, so good I guess."

It still was overwhelmingly cute that Jack has a little girlfriend. A part of her hoped that would turn into some sweetly romantic lifelong childhood sweetheart thing.

Morgan, for the first time since yesterday morning, let his bright grin shine. "Jack's a little ladies man huh?"

Penelope nodded. "He's good with her. She was sad last week. I guess her parents decided to split up and she and her brother got to choose who to live with. She chose her mother and Kevin chose his dad. Their father is moving to California next week, so that will be hard on them."

Now Derek's head was in his hands, his elbows propped on either side of his half-finished plate. "Jesus Pen, how do we all deal with our kids gone?"

'Now we're getting to the brass tacks.' "Well my former love muffin, we pray it doesn't come to that." She shifted around the table to Jack's seat, noticing Aaron standing back and watching from afar. "We just take a day at a time. But trust me, you will see your twins. Tabby might have said it as a threat, but the fact that she worded it as advice tells us she wants you to see them."

"She's right Morgan." Hotch sat in agreement, happy to see Jack's dessert that was being carried in was balsamic strawberries that Dave had taught him to make and not the ice cream he's been eating too much of. "Why don't you stay here tonight at least, maybe the next few days? We need someone to take a dry run in the guest room and you could use the company I think."

Morgan hadn't even thought of that but considering going back to his lonely apartment again, like last night was simply unbearable. "Thank you Hotch."

"Any time."

-Criminal Minds—

"Why are you so sad today?" Jack asked as he picked up a roller brush. Uncle Derek had taught him how to paint yesterday and the first completed room of the basement needed its second coat. This was going to be a rec room with a pool table and everything.

"Jack!" Morgan jumped. "You scared me you rascal. You shouldn't be up for an hour."

Derek spent the last three nights at Penelope and Aaron's house. He started to isolate himself from everyone other than them, and even then it was mostly Jack he talked to as the boy insisted he teach him some carpentry skills as he worked in the basement. One thing about Jack, he's persistent when he wants to learn something.

Jack thought it was stupid that Aunt Tabby and Uncle Derek don't just kiss and make up. So on Thursday morning when he woke up early and Uncle Derek was painting downstairs he decided to have a talk with him.

"Did you send her flowers?"

Morgan's brows met in the center. "You mean to Tabby? Yeah buddy, I tried your advice. She sent them back to my office." Which of course hurt like hell to see. "She did send a print out of her sonogram for me though." That was something, she was keeping him in the loop about the two lives they created together.

"You two are stupid. I had a fight with Amelia and we kissed and made up no problem. Shouldn't you just forget whatever it was? Was it really a big deal?" Jack and Amelia didn't talk for a whole day at school. She told him to stop defending her against Curtis, her biggest bully and he wasn't happy about that.

Morgan stopped his work and pulled Jack aside to sit on a crate next to him. "Sometimes things are more complicated with adults. You might understand someday."

Jack kicked at the paint can in front of him forcing a few drops to pop up. "I woke up early because I heard mommy talking on her cell phone." It was just after eight in the morning. His school was starting on a two hour delay because of conferences and his parents weren't going in to work until after lunch for some inquiry thingy.

"Oh. I didn't know anyone was up." It must stink for her to be consumed by the problems of her old team with this inquiry while also serving her new team. He saw her for the last few days, her and Hotch. Aaron really knows how to talk to her, calm her, keep her sane when the world goes upside down. Two children were murdered in Kentucky and her team was sent on the call. She had to virtually chase down an unsub which turned out to be the gardener, obsessed with virginal blood. "Did she seem ok?"

Jack nodded but kicked the can again. He knew Uncle Derek was going to ask him more so he beat him to the punch. "Aunt Tabby called her."

Derek shot up to standing. "Garcia!" he yelled up the stairs feeling Jack at his heels when he got to the kitchen hall. "Pen!"

"Shh. Aaron's still asleep. Come here." She motioned with her ear to her phone and led him into the family room. Jack got distracted by Sponge Bob on TV. "Sit down." She ordered as she covered the phone with her hand, obviously wanting who he assumed was Tabby on the other side to not hear his presence.

"Uh huh." She nodded into the phone. "I have time. What room?" She mentally took note of room 466. "Ok, give me an hour. I have to take care of some things first." She stared at the phone when she was hung up on.

"Baby Girl." Derek warned with impatience.

She held a hand in front of her to stop him. "Listen, it's a professional call apparently. She wants to talk to me one last time before the inquiry. JJ already went last night."

Derek locked down his jaw to keep from making a comment on neither JJ nor Reid telling him. Neither were particularly fond of him at the moment after he grabbed Spencer's arm a little too forecefully on Tuesday trying to get his attention. He left bruises. "What am I going to do baby girl?"

Penelope pulled her seat close to him so she was inches from his face. "You my dear chocolate love are going to go there with me. Once we finish our 'interview'" she made the air quotes, admittedly worried about how professional Tabby's tone was on the phone. "You are going to go into that room and tell her you're sorry."

"I just—" he scratched at his scruffy face. He wasn't much for grooming the last few days. "What if she kicks me out?"

Penelope stood. "She probably will, but we can try. Now go get all sexy again while I wake up Aaron. He'll need to drive Jack to school."

Half an hour later Penelope and Morgan walked into the hospital, Morgan taking a seat in the waiting area outside of Tabby's room as instructed.

"Hey Tabby." Penelope tried to sound cheerful and friendly, they were always that way even back at Quantico. Her face fell a bit when she realized that Tabby was dressed in her pantsuit and blazer despite being hooked up to an IV. She was in a chair with a table between them, her laptop set up in what looked like a make shift office.

"Ms. Garcia, please take a seat." She motioned to the chair on the other side of her table. She could see Penelope's unease at this being so professional but she was not willing to be personal again. She opened up once to them, she never does that. She was under no delusions that this group of people that in one short week had come to feel like a family were loyal to Derek and so she cut off her emotional attachments. Or so, that was the party line inside her head. She knew full well she couldn't be her normally friendly self right now or else risk being hurt even more. "I have a few questions I must ask before you testify this afternoon."

"Um, ok." Penelope shifted in the uncomfortable chair, more at unease because of the situation. She never talked to Tabby with anything other than a friendly and open playing field. But now, she was closed off, even her body language with arms crossed in front of her. "Didn't we already talk before?"

Tabby shook her head and tapped her pen to a note pad. "I have to have this official Ms. Garcia. Erin Strauss is currently out of the state and someone must interview witnesses before and after inquiry for quality control purposes." That's the easiest way to explain it at least. It's more like someone needs to see the differences in the confidence of their stories before and after the joint house-senate sub-committee gets their hands on them. These reports have always gone to her, just are usually conducted by a unit chief or section director. Neither person would be suitable right now which is why she's left conducting business in her hospital room.

"OK." She figured there was no way out of this. "Ask away."

"Thank you. First, do you believe that Dr. Reid acted inappropriately in firing his weapon upon Carver Hanson?"

"No." Penelope answered resolutely. "He saved my life."

Tabby nodded. She knew full well that was the case. This whole inquiry is ridiculous in her opinion and now she knew why it came about. She's good at recon, even from-her-hospital-bed recon. Senator Kimmel, the same who led the witch hunt against Prentiss, was at it again. He was the man to demand this inquiry go forth, and a little secret birdie named her former secretary who still loves her let her know that the good senator was responsible for demanding such a thorough investigation from Children and Families. Apparently he has it out for this team and has been following them like a hawk.

Despite her vow to never go to bat for them again, that man rubbed her the wrong way and none of them deserved this. Personally and professionally, she wanted to protect them. She just wasn't sure how yet. She wished she had more time to gather dirt from the plants she has in his staff… she has plants everywhere when it comes to DC. That's how she got to where she is. Build loyalty, keep people happy and their bellies filled with cookies and they will tell you anything.

"And you don't believe he did so out of revenge for the Hanson's treatment of Agent Jareau?"

Penelope was a little shocked by how formal Tabby was keeping this. She hadn't ever heard her use their formal titles before. "Not in the least. Spencer is the type of man that even if he were feeling that way wouldn't let it interfere with his work. He's moral, repsonsbile, logical to a fault." She noticed Tabby writing her responses down word for word.

Tabby looked up from her tablet of paper. "And do you feel that Unit Chief Hotchner would have acted in such a way if it had been him to discover you?"

Pen's eyes narrowed. "What is the source of that question?"

Tabby knew this is where things would get difficult. "He indicated that if anyone would have acted inappropriately at that time then it would have been him due to the building romantic relationship between the two of you at the time." She read off of her file. "He said this to Erin Strauss the night of your return from Dallas. She reported the incident the next morning."

Penelope's fists clutched at her skirt. "Is Aaron in trouble?"

Tabby winced and lowered her pen for a moment. "Off the record?"

"Please." Penelope begged.

"Unfortunately, if I am correct in my assumption, you will all be ambushed today when you get in there." The very reason she sent Erin Strauss to a conference in Seattle so she had an excuse to call her in. "the chair has it out for your team since Emily's return." She picked her pen back up, waiting until Penelope seemed to calm enough for her to continue.

It took a few minutes but finally the spunky blonde managed to catch her breath. She noticed Tabby switch back into official mode. "No, I do not believe that Agent Hotchner would have acted inappropriate. He may have had the urge, but he is not a man that gives into urges ligtly. This I am experienced with."

Tabby was starting to feel her stomach flip over and over wanting to just reach out and hug her friend, well maybe 'former' friend would be more precise. She didn't think she could be open with anyone at the moment. She was too fragile and busy trying to save them from afar since apparently doing it directly and hiding what needs to be hidden is somehow flaunting her position in front of… yeah, she was bitter. "Just one more question."

"Alright."

"Are you unhappy with your reassignment?"

What a loaded question. She huffed a sigh and ran her hand through her hair, messing up her nice bun. "It is a relief in the sense that before hand I was being shared by three teams with this last one as my main team. So, I am a lot less stressed with only two. However, I despise it. I am not working to my top capacity simply because I find it hard to mesh with my coworkers, particularly the women who all feel I am an office slut of sorts. I am marrying the man for goodness sake!" she was sure this didn't look good. "I mean, they never say anything like that and one actually told me she thought it was romantic but still, they are not the easiest people to work with. They do not understand my personality nor do they trust my information. So, yes I am unhappy."

Tabby's chest constricted under the pressure of trying to not tear up. She hated seeing that pain. "Thank you Ms. Garcia. That is all for now."

She was dismissed. She felt like a lowly little creature but she knew something was up, something was wrong. Tabby was wrong and hurt and still looking frail despite her suit. She popped open the door and headed into the hall, Derek passing her instantly to get inside and see the woman he loves.

"God girl, are you ok?" He stopped in his determined tracks to see her still pale and hooked up to the IV and a monitor. He had been listening at the door, he heard how professional she had kept all this with Baby Girl but he didn't give a damn, that woman is carrying his kids.

"Derek." She swallowed halfway through his name. She was not prepared for this. Her heart entirely belongs to him and him alone. She knows that won't ever change either but that didn't mean she was prepared to face him. "I am fine."

"You're lieing." His simply accused and pointed at the monitor. "You look like hell. Are they ok? You? In pain?"

She closed her eyes, wishing she could just make him go away. "They are fine, their heart beats are strong and I am no longer anemic. I just had a low blood oxygen level which is being corrected and frequent nausea which is a combination of morning sickness and the head injury."

He tried to sit in front of her but she panicked and he could read that in her eyes so he quickly stood and held his hands in front of him making peace. He was regretting ambushing her this way. "I don't want to upset or stress you more." He had to think fast. "I just want you to know that this." he fetched the engagement ring he's been carrying around since she threw it back at him on the table. "Is still my offer. I will wait years if that's what it takes for you to forgive me for being a fool."

With that he retreated from her room and left with Penelope trailing. Tabby stared at the door for several minutes before calling for the nurse.

-Criminal Minds—

"Where's Morgan?" Aaron asked as he climbed into Penelope's car. She was picking him up to go to lunch before the inquiry with Rossi and Emily.

"He asked me to drop him home. He wanted to change into a suit which he doesn't have here." She was tongue in cheek at the moment, not wanting to talk much more about her morning just yet.

He ran that through his mind for a few minutes wondering what was off with his future wife. "Honey, did something happen?"

She took a good breath. "I will talk it over lunch alright? Can we just be us for the drive there? Hold my hand, tell me you like my eyes?"

He loved that tiny glimmer of mischief in her eyes. "How about I tell you how incredible I find your scent." He leaned across to kiss her neck as she stared straight ahead at the road, taking in her floral perfume of honey and lilac. "Intoxicating. And how I love the round of your breasts." He gently traced over her nipple through her shirt.

"Aaron." She warned. "I can't drive like this." She could feel his simple actions sending all signals go to her nether regions.

Whispering into her ear between little nips he moaned slowly. "But you did the same to me once if I remember correctly." He let his hand slither lower, edging up the hem of her skirt.

"Oh god!" she tried shifting away from him in her seat but it only encouraged him. "Please, stop." She tried pushing his hand away and could feel him shaking his head.

"No. We have plenty of time before lunch. Pull over behind the restaurant."

God help her, she didn't even think of arguing. She pulled into the parking lot, threw the car around back and before she had the gear in park Aaron was climbing into the back seat. "Really? Right here?"

Aaron unzipped his pants and slid them down his thighs revealing his large and erect penis to her eyes. "Climb aboard."

Oh holy hell he was hot like this, demanding, adventurous. "You are crazy."

He smirked at her little defiance. He could smell her arousal, he could see her nipples hardened under the fabric of her shirt. "Come on precious." He pat his lap. "Don't you want your love machine to live up to his name?"

She shuddered watching him begin to stroke himself as he stared at her breasts and commanded. "Unbutton your top, and come back here."

She climbed into the back of Esther, her fingers quickly removing the fabric between her husband's gaze and her bosom. He pulled her directly to straddle his lap and moved the fabric of her bra down to suck on her nipples causing her head to fly back. "Oh Aaron." She moaned, her body grinding over his thighs.

"Come a little closer Pen." He pulled on her ass, positioning her above him. "We don't need these." He informed her as he snapped the fabric of her underwear right off.

"Hey!" as unbelievably sexy it was that he can rip her clothing off with little effort she did have to go to lunch and an inquiry after this. "I needed them later."

Hotch pulled her down for a searing kiss. "Brought you another pair." He mumbled against her lips.

She hit him uselessly. "You little twirp, you planned this."

"I'm a responsible man, I'm all about family planning." He reached between them feeling her flooding heat. "Like that baby?"

She nodded helplessly as her whole body simply complied to whatever wish he had. He could have asked her to move to Montana and start a duck farm and she would have said yes. "gahhg." She tried to say something, what she didn't know.

That was Aaron's cue and with precision he raised his hips to slide directly into her, almost instantly consumed by the intense pleasure of her body gripping him like a vice, her hips taking over the work as she began to dominate the situation.

She pressed his shoulders back into the seat, giving herself the leverage to hop, twist, grind and swirl above him, the angle totally new due to the incline of the rear bucket seat. She could feel him in every inch of her, feel as his body began to shudder beneath, one hand teasing through the cleavage of her rear cheeks as the other teased her nipples.

He was about to lose it. She was a goddess on his lap, moving him to new heights that every time they do this it seems like the first. She was sensitive everywhere, she responded to each little movement of his hands and legs, lips on her neck and jaw. "Oh God Pen!" She just started a pendulous grind on him which was sure to bring him over the edge. "More." He begged, knowing she was almost there too.

"Yes." She grunted between barred teeth. "Come inside me."

That demand was it, his load shooting up and into her, fulfilling them both in pure pleasure her whole body shuddered with satisfaction. She collapsed on top of him and that's when they heard the knock on the back window.

"Fuck!" Penelope hastily buttoned her shirt dress back up, rolling off Aaron as he redid his fly and rolled down the back window.

"You kids seemed to have fun. Good thing Princess here and I spotted you. A LEO was on his way to disturb the scene." Dave was one big smirk. He was glad that these two are still rekindling their romance all the time. He never got to see Aaron is so many compromising situations before.

"Give us a few minutes." Hotch shortly replied, rolling the window back up and reaching into his briefcase. "Here." He handed Penelope her underwear and chuckled at her glare to him as he stepped out of the car.

Inside, they tried to ignore the fact that they were caught like teenagers. "Dave, not a word." Aaron warned.

"Oh good, I can still comment." Emily threatened with a big smirk. Her morning sickness seemed totally abated and she was becoming increasingly horny in her second trimester. "If it makes you feel better I jumped Dave in the super market yesterday. He had to drag me to a stock room and throw the lock."

Penelope rolled her eyes, imagining just how much this was stroking the guys egos right now. "Anyhow, let's order." She warned as the waitress came by. They all got the same thing, tuna on rye.

"Wow, talk about pack mentality." Emily commented as the waitress put in their order.

Penelope sighed. "Unfortunately we have a problem in the pack. We are all going to get reamed today at the inquiry." She had to warn them. This was their lives too.

Emily stopped mid sip. "What?"

Hotch didn't have any answers and knew the other two agents were looking at him like he did. "Pen, honey? Did Tabby warn you?"

Pen nodded, feeling tears at her eyes. "She's still so angry and I think she feels we were going to reject her since she and Derek are arguing. But she cares, lord does she care. If you think I'm scarry… let me tell ya."

Dave nodded. "She's got loyalties everywhere. Matter of time before she runs for office herself." He quirked his lips. "Though after getting with Morgan that's unlikely now."

"Damn, she did give up a lot." Emily bemoaned. She loved that woman. "So, we're walking into a trap I assume?"

"Yeah." Pen nodded. "So prepare yourselves. After this meal we are all going to be fighting to stay."

-Criminal Minds—

"Are you ready for this?" Spencer sat wearily next to Penelope. He hadn't spoken with her much lately and he missed that. She was always good to confide in, always someone who could put a smile on his face.

She nodded. "Yes sweetie. You have the most to lose of anyone though."

Spencer ran his hands through his mop head, worry about his and JJ's futures in the BAU evident. "I'm just glad I have Hotch here with me." He was allowed a superior at his side and even though Hotch wasn't a favorite of the bureau or the subcommittee he was at least someone to draw strength from.

"Glad to be here kid." Hotch sat next to Penelope, nervous but not showing it. He hoped he was still as good at thinking on his feet as he used to be in the court room.

"So, um. Did you ever ask Haley's parents about Easter? JJ wanted to know what the plan for all that is…" he didn't need to say he wondered if they were still invited over after how everything has gone down. He only just managed to say he hoped Derek was dealing alright just ten minutes ago. It seemed like all his pent up everything against Derek came out at the worst time and he was deeply sorry for it.

"We plan on having you all still. We haven't called though." Penelope was thoughtful and turned to Hotch. "Maybe we should call now."

Hotch rose an eyebrow at her. "Now? Don't you want to wait when we aren't terrified?"

"Honey, I will be terrified calling them no matter what. Let's just rip the Band-Aid off now while already in the bad mood."

He sighed, she had a point, and pulled out his phone. "Hi, it's Aaron." He looked at Penelope. "They hung up on me."

Penelope gruffed and pulled out her iPad. "I can fix that."

"What are going to do?" It always amazed him how she can just pull out a device and create magic.

"Nothing…" she tried to hide her smirk but he poked her. "Fine, I'm going to force the call open and carry the signal of their cell phone over their wireless speaker system. Jack told me all about their set up."

Aaron chuckled. "You are a scary woman. Hell, all four of you women are terrifying."

"Thank you. You're dialing."

Aaron put the phone to his ear. "It's Aaron." He announced yet again, hearing his former father-in-law swear under his breath.

"What the hell do you want Aaron?" Penelope could hear him as well, she hacked her way into the conversation and had a mic set up on her headphones. She would let Aaron handle this for now.

"Penelope and I would like to invite you both for Easter dinner." He used his calm, measured voice that he uses to caress suspects from hysteria.

"Oh yeah, you and the whore huh?"

Garcia put a hand to Aaron's arm to calm him from his obvious desire to verbally return the attack and in her calmest voice cut in. "Now, I think that's a bit unfair. Regardless, I would like you to spend time with him and the rest of our family."

"You ain't my family woman." He accused, this woman who wants to replace his daughter. Even Jessica had called her 'sisterly'. That was the moment he decided to cut her out of his will.

"Never claimed to be. But Jack is your family and he's part of mine and Aaron's. I realize you are upset so we won't push for an answer now. I will email you our new address, we bought a house. If you decide to show up just come by Easter weekend. Aaron's old apartment still has a bed and linens, you can stay there."

She cut off the connection to save them from hearing the long grumble of a protest. "We did what we could."

He examined the woman he loved with new eyes. "You are incredibly diplomatic."

She smiled as he began to trail kisses over her cheeks, nose, lips. "Honey." She needed to stop him before they started making out with their friends all around, waiting outside the inquiry room.

"Oh guys, again?" Emily chuckled her little admonishment. "We're being called in."

Reluctantly Aaron stood and hugged her quickly before letting her go. He let her enter first, with JJ as the two had to be seated on one side of the room as victims in the case. Rossi and Emily and Morgan took spots on the other side in rows set up behind the long table up front which faced the panel, already seated. He and Reid entered last, both nervous as they took their seats upfront.

Senator Kimmel looked to his fellow sub-committee members before beginning the proceedings. "Dr. Reid, are you ready to begin?"

"Sorry I'm late Charlie!" A familiar female tone rang from the back, interrupting Reid's reply.

Penelope could see the eyes of her chocolate hero widen and his gaze automatically shift to the sound. Tabby, in all her pale glory sauntered up with some effort to the other side of Reid, behind Aaron's seat.

"Director Katz," Senator Kimmel and the rest of the room was stunned to see her. "We were not expecting you. You're presence is not required and with your injury…"

Tabby didn't bother to dignify the man. "Agent Hotchner, please vacate this seat. As only Dr. Reid is to be questioned here and as I am the most senior official in the room it is my duty to sit beside him."

Aaron nodded, still in shock and removed himself to the bench in front of Morgan watching as Tabby tucked herself close to Spencer.

"Tabby, what are you doing here?" Reid whispered a little loudly, but only the team members could hear, the sub-committee was too far away to hear them.

Tabby straightened in her seat and pulled out a large stack of papers which she slammed onto the desk as she looked at him with what could be termed as sly determination. "Just doing what I do best."

"Which is?" Spencer could feel his smirk rise, despite the situation.

Tabby could feel the slight tug on her lips in return. "My job, helping my agents kick ass."