A/N: Looks like there will be a few more chapters than I expected. Hope you like our dear Tabby's scenes coming up right now.

Sidenote: So sad to hear the Paget Brewster is leaving the cast again at the end of the season. Looks like the last episode will be a wedding of an established couple, maybe Will and JJ or Garcia and Kevin... I definitely don't want the latter!

I don't own Criminal Minds

Senator Kimmel adjusted uncomfortably in his seat. If Tabby was showing up for a much lower subordinate then it meant she was up to something, and he was pretty sure that meant this subcommittee would be doing nothing but observation any time soon. She had more power, more clout with those who really matter in his world and she knew it. All she needed was to maneuver correctly and he had a feeling she had figured out how.

"Well, now that that is settled. Are you ready to begin Dr. Reid?"

Tabby gently placed her hand over the microphone in front of Reid and leaned into her own. "Before any of that I would like to address the reasons for this having come to inquiry." She was making it clear that she was running this show. Honestly, she was a nervous wreck, feeling a single bead of sweat trickling down her back but she had to push through if she had any hope of her half assed, far-out plan to work.

Senator Kimmel flexed his jaw disjointedly. "It is within our rights to examine the operation of the bureau Director Katz."

Tabby nodded a conciliatory surrender then switched her tactics. "But of course, and far be it for me to question this body's responsibilities. I simply wish to understand why this has been taken up when internal affairs has cleared Dr. Reid of any wrongdoing already." It was a total bluff and her first hurdle was over, seeing the reaction of Senator Kimmel being caught in headlights.

Reid shot her a surprised look. No one was supposed to know those findings yet. He didn't know, Hotch didn't know, but he probably shouldn't be surprised she did, she was Tabby after all.

She gave him a gentle pat on the knee under the table to reassure him. "As the person most primarily responsible for the actions of my agents I must ask why these proceedings have been brought so, in my opinion, unnecessarily far."

Congresswoman Benya took a quick look at Kimmel. "You said the IA report was not yet complete." In fact, that's how he sold them all on taking this matter up, claiming that the fail safes of the system to catch irresponsible agents were in fact failing. She shot him a look which said they would be talking later and turned a more gentle eye on the two before her. "I do apologize for that. However, I do believe while you are all here that myself and the other members of this body would be interested in seeing the progress this team has made since Agent Prentiss's return."

Tabby nodded with agreement. "Understandable of course. Now, as I am the only expert of my field in this room and the only person with a considerable sense of how this team functions I must insist on enlightening you." One thing she was good at was acting superior, it makes dealing with elder agents and politicians all the easier, and now she was baiting a hook. That was important as while she has pretty much cleared Reid in a way she didn't at all expect the fact that they were in an inquiry still technically meant it was up to the committee at this point. She had to make them think otherwise.

Kimmel did not like that this was getting away from him. "I beg your pardon but I am not ignorant of any of this. I have long taken a special interest in this team's dealings and I will –"

She snickered a bit, interrupting him. He walked right into her trap. "Oh yes," she crossed her legs with confidence and leaned back in her chair to show she was well at ease in the moment. He was the one on trial now. "I am well aware of your special interest in this team ranging from the status of Jack Hotchner to one Agent Seaver." She knew she had him, and he knew it too.

The fear in his eyes was unmistakable to every member of the team and Hotch and Penelope exchanged a look… this was taking a surprisingly interesting turn. Twenty minutes ago the two were discussing options for their future, the possibility of Aaron transferring to another area of the Justice Department because they thought they would all be on the receiving end of an incredibly intense interrogation of their impropriety in the work place. Tabby must have been in the cards somewhere, a person designed to enter their life to fight for them.

'Fuck! Is she bluffing?' Kimmel took one look at the capable woman in front of him, daring him to deny her. She never bluffed, she might be sneaky and manipulative but she never hints at anything in the light of day unless she is ready to fully expose it. One of his colleagues learned that the hard way when taking a bribe. Tabby waited four years to pull that one out of her hat and geniusly manipulated a reporter into 'discovering' it less she be accused of hiding the information. She was formidable, maybe even enhanced by her head injury. Before he largest weakness was lonliness, a desire for people to like her. Now, she didn't seem to care much for how others looked at her in that moment other than recognizing the power she held.

And she had a great deal of it in this power play. They both knew all about how bad it would look that he's been wielding his influence in the executive branch where it doesn't belong but worse than that, he and Agent Seaver would be a massive scandal. She had once been his intern when she was in college. So young, fresh from the D.C. political scene. He had fallen in love with her but never pursued it, not until she became an agent with the BAU. He almost had worn down her defenses, gotten her to agree to a date but she reneged on that when Prentiss had 'died'. He still wasn't sure why, but he blames them all for her pulling away.

It wouldn't be that big of a deal, really. They are two consenting adults but there is one small fact in the way. He's still married and has kept up the family image of a healthy marriage for his constituents. He's a 'family values' kind of politician even though he and his wife have been separated for ten years. Tabby knew all about it, she asked him for confirmation the first night they met. So it was either be a cheating husband or a liar to the public. He'd get voted out of office this election cycle either way.

A female senator by the name of Weiss cleared her throat. "What exactly are you speaking on Director Katz?" She had a feeling scandal was about to get her subcommittee which would be great, she's been looking into the chair position for herself for months now.

"I apologize senator. I am not entirely sure if this is relevant." She sent a poignant look at Kimmel. "Perhaps the good senator from Ohio could make that determination." Which was to say, 'Are you going to cooperate or do I have to pull out the dirt?'

Kimmel's lips set into a thin line. Mentally he made a note to get back on Tabby's good side, starting now. Someday down the line she was likely to be very powerful in his arena of politics and he could always use an ally. "Forgive me Director Katz, I did not mean to undermine your expertise. By all means, continue."

Tabby let the undercurrent of smugness continue through her gratitude as she titled her head. "Thank you. Now, as I was saying, I have thorough understanding of all manner of fraternization within this team, as well as others within the bureau."

Congresswoman Weiss spoke up with a small snort of derision. The two never got along, there was begrudging respect at best between them. "Yes, up close and personal I hear."

Tabby didn't even narrow her eyes. "Precisely." She had determined that laying it all on the line, on her own terms was her manner of proceeding before she walked in here. She sent a pleased smile to Weiss as if it was wonderful she was keeping the conversation on topic and in her line of sight. "For the rest of you who are unaware. I have engaged in a romantic relationship with Agent Morgan, whom is the father of my unborn twins. Now, we all know this is against policy but there is a wonderful opportunity here." She wasn't being slowed down in her determined path, instead she looked to the door that just slammed seeing the general director of the bureau having shown up just in time. He would hear all of this.

"Director Gibbons." She greeted with a small sense of thrill. From the corner of her eye she could see Reid paying apt attention to her, probably dissecting her motives, the profiler seeing that underneath her façade she had almost no confidence in this working. "I have a proposal for you which may be of interest to this body so I believe I will present it here if that is to your satisfaction. They are quite curious as to the inner workings of this team." She prayed she had read him right all these years and that he would be in favor of flaunting their influence and clear jurisdiction in front of the subcommittee to keep them in place.

Gibbons took a short moment to wonder what Tabby had up her sleeve. She had sent him an email detailing her relationships with Rossi and Morgan earlier in the day and he had to wonder just why she sent it other than that she claimed as her superior and with Erin Strauss as Morgan and Rossi's superior that they should know. "Please Tabby, I am most eager."

For the first time in walking into this room she felt a small sense of confidence that this actually might work. She spared a moment of prayer thanking God for giving her the inspiration for this earlier today. This is not her usual game, it's more like a culmination of all the little ploys she has played over the years. She was pretty damn sure the only reason this was working is because she was acting outwardly like it should, as if to the world it is obvious that this had been her plan for months. "Since I have returned from my sabbatical this year I have encountered 187 individual instances of fraternization and 211 claims of sexual harassment, more than three quarters of retorts to which include an explanation of a perceived relationship. So here then, is the great opportunity. A pilot program, designed to test a new system of dealing with these relationships."

Kimmel was actually intrigued by this. He knew Tabby had somehow taken over the reins of these proceedings, probably from walking in when she did just a tad late. He wouldn't be surprised if that was a purposeful power ploy. "What do you suggest?"

Tabby knew she had at least half of the five piece subcommittee interested, more importantly Gibbons seemed to be encouraging her. "A registry of these relationships, in selected groups throughout the bureau at the very least. Ideally all relationships would be reported and six individual groups would report to me monthly on how the dynamics of their team is altering and growing throughout the course of the experiment. This team is of course one of those subjects."

Weiss narrowed her eyes at her. "You realize most of those rules were put in place because of him." She pointed directly at Rossi. "And there are priority of life issues to consider."

Dave could have kicked himself. That woman had actually been a conquest of his when he was a younger agent and she was just a young woman interning on capitol hill. He despised her the next day when she had decided that sleeping together somehow gave her ownership of him and she dressed him for work. It was between his first two wives and he was only thankful she hadn't become one as well, but of course his past of sexing women up always seems to rear its head in his professional life. Tabby's suggestion was starting to make sense. Had he been encouraged to register all of these relationships to prevent retaliation he would have spared himself considerable headache. In fact the two women he's never regretted sleeping with were in this very room.

Tabby knew about that history and knew how to handle this. "Yes, Abigail." She actually heard Reid's small chuckle. She was sure he knew what she was doing, disarming the woman by belittling her. Act stupid, get treated that way. "And considerable work in my field has given a great deal of evidence to the fact that priority of life is unlikely to be hindered by a romantic entanglement so long as clear lines of communication are open between team members and superiors. It is that reason, among others that it would be more beneficial for relationships to be openly revealed. The second most important being that false claims of harassment among members of relationships could be avoided. Secrecy has become an HR nightmare as well as a simple burden upon our supervisory agents who need their focus on the field. This I am sure SSA Hotchner could attest to."

Hotch nodded to back her up. Boy did knowing about JJ and Reid cause him a great deal of stress. He had more than once been distracted in the field wondering about them but once he knew he could trust them to work, he just had to worry about keeping them in their positions.

The director spoke up. "And Agent Rossi?" He wanted to hear her response to that, mainly because he wanted nothing to get in the way of trumping Weiss but also because he was genuinely interested in this himself. It would certainly be nice to have a solution to the widespread problem of agents fraternizing. This wasn't the military, this was a professional environment and these things were going to happen, it was inevitable.

Tabby looked back at Dave and smiled, purposely avoiding Derek's gaze. "I have personally sampled from that pool and I can honestly say, does it not make sense that the 'cause' of this policy be included in an examination of its continued usefulness? Truly, every other policy continuously goes under scrutiny for its effectiveness yet this has not. The reason? We haven't had a way to do so before. However, what could have been a compromising position for me is now the bureau's opportunity. My ingratiating myself into the personal aspects of this team's lives and being able to draw comparisons across the board allows for me to see just how open all the teams are being and gain firsthand knowledge of the types of interactions these members have in and out of the workplace. Then, you and I director can more adequately gauge just how effective the anti-frat rules are as they stand."

She looked over to the director and back to the panel. "Now, to get back on topic." She swished her hands in the air and sent an accusation towards everyone else in the room like they were letting her get off topic. "When it comes to discipline for Dr. Reid for any perceived impropriety, that is not your call in the least. He is my subordinate who has been found innocent of the charges against him." She sent another purposeful look to each member of the subcommittee which seemed so dead set in finding flaws in this team's make up. "However I shared my initial discussion of my proposal with you today as I felt you should understand the importance of Dr. Reid's presence within the experiment and understand that when it is approved by the director, which I ask of him only because of my own bias to initiate, I will trump any and every decision you have regarding him and this team other than inappropriate action which can only be determined within the courts. The most vital aspect to this evaluation is the preservation of the team dynamic meaning no involuntary transfers, promotions or reassignments for its duration." She looked to them all. "What do you say?" Threat laid out and served. Quick summary: If you don't want me to tear you down, back the hell off.

The committee was mollified. She was going to set herself up for full responsibility if this eventually failed, something they could see each member of the team in question slowly come to recognize. "I think I can speak for us all when I say you take a great deal of care in your work Tabby." Congressman Jones, one of her favorite men on earth nearly chuckled with her. She was a spit fire and respected his preference of speaking low to the floor. "I must say Director Gibbons you have quite an opportunity before you."

Gibbons felt his is smirk rise. This is why he had advised the search committee to nominate Tabby for this appointment in the first place. Even when she was probably internally screaming in fear she could pull something together. She made good with the panel, making them understand how their decision would look foolish on them if they were only to be overruled. It would have still made Dr. Reid's reputation look awful and of course if he as director himself said no to this proposal which was risky then she would be under the bus with the rest of them for proposing this, and bluffing about the IA report. Only he and Kimmel got it yet. "I assume those are the papers I need to sign?" He pointed to a large stack.

Tabby smiled at him, pushing them to him and turning to the last page for his signature. She knew he would do it in front of this committee, they need to know their place. There is a constant battle between the bureau and the subcommittee for control and she knew on this he had her back. "Just right there." She hadn't expected him to be so willing to sign without further argument, her points must have been more persuasive than she realized… and then it clicked again. He's seeing someone, he's seeing Strauss. That's why he was coming down on her so hard she had to fight tooth and nail to keep the woman's job. Strauss had slipped up, mentioned dating someone in the office to her secretary in front of Tabby. He was over compensating. Tabby had tried to get the information out of Strauss but that woman was tight lipped. None of that helped her when a subordinate accused the older woman of harassment, unaware that Strauss really did have a reason to show she wasn't interested that way. Now it all made sense why Strauss wasn't defending herself or cooperating when it was clear the other claim was unfounded. She just might like that woman after all.

She sat back with relief flooding her as Kimmel dismissed the committee with their decision moot. "Tabby." He held out his hand. "Always an excellent opponent I must say."

She stood, a little shaky on her feet but returned the handshake with a charming smile. "Now, I do hope to be on the same side of the table with you some days."

"As would I, for my own benefit." They both chuckled and he turned to the sound of his assistant trying to rush him off. He rolled his eyes. "I swear, sometimes I'm not sure who works for who. Excuse me Tabby." With that he left, his ear being talked off by his eager staff.

The director watched the last of the subcommittee to leave and turned back to Tabby aware that the rest of the team was gathered behind her and could hear them. "So, since I have agreed to this, how long do we expect this job security of selected members to continue?" He knew her intentions behind this, he wasn't stupid. She managed to make something legitimate out of a desperate internal need to keep the most effective team of the BAU together.

She wrapped her arms protectively around her files. "Oh, ten, fifteen years should do it."

He should be mad but he simply giggled. "Nice play. Good to have you back Tabby. Can't wait for my morning cookies again."

She let him lead her outside the room to the hall exchanging pleasant banter until she turned around when he left. She couldn't believe she managed that. She pulled it all right out of her ass, coming up with it in a strange moment of clarity after Derek gave her back the engagement ring. The way he did it, announcing his intention without seeking her permission or beggin was what sparked this whole plan. Before she was going to go in there and try justifying herself and the team. Today she had decided to turn thouse tables all because of Derek.

Speak of the devil. "Tabby, honey?" Morgan cautiously approached and stopped a few feet in front of her in the wide hall. "You are damned crazy." His tone held reverence and gratitude. She took more than a few risks up there. She exposed their relationship to its fullest extent, she bluffed about Reid's report (he could tell because she always twitches her ankle in poker) and she set herself up for responsibility if priority of life should fail because of this. But she managed to keep everyone together and he hoped that meant she would work as hard to do the same for them.

Her breath caught at the gentleness of his eyes, something she still couldn't get used to when he was proud of her. She had to admit she was ashamed of her reaction to him. She never wanted to end their engagement or threaten his fatherhood. She shyly began examining her shoes. "Yeah, well. I do have a hold in my head."

He chuckled and she did as well, aware that everyone was watching their exchange. "Listen, I would like to take you out on a date tonight, talk everything over? I just have to register my interest with the big boss first."

Tabby nodded, not fully sure she was ready to accept but willing to try for herself, for him, for their kids. "She and half of D.C. by now are aware."

He pulled her into a hug not surprised to feel everyone else encircling them too. "You!" Penelope kissed Tabby's cheek a hundred times. "You need to explain some things missy."

Tabby smirked to herself and instructed everyone to sit down in a nearby conference room, hands folded in her lap. "First, I just want to say personally that I am sorry."

Penelope shook her head and reached her hand out to Tabby, happy when it was taken in turn. "Honey, we understand. You don't know how to have a big family like this. You've only ever had your sister."

Tabby nodded, a small tear poking out her eyes. "How are you and Aaron?" She whispered, hoping to not be pushing boundaries. She was far too emotional at the moment to clearly read situations which is another reasons she had been so scared back there.

Aaron wrapped his arm around Penelope. "Pretty darn good, considering." Yes, they were hurting over Jack but at least they weren't against one another.

Rossi snickered. "Yeah, you don't even want to know where Emily and I caught them earlier in the day." Dave was really starting to allow himself to feel the tension of keeping the group together leave his shoulders. Maybe tonight he should ask the ladies of the group for some advice on the outstanding answer to his marriage proposal. He was admittedly a tad bitter to be the last of the group to not be engaged but he could wait for a formal answer if he just had an idea that he wouldn't be outright rejected. It took a lot for him to consider tieing himself to another person that way again.

Tabby chuckled and vowed internally to catch up on everyone's lives later. "Well, let's get down to the terms of this shall we?" she pulled out several files handing one to each member of the team. "These are your experiment contracts. I must thank Reid for having helped me make up the mock up which I was going to forge filled in versions for all of you as part of that old cover. But, now they can really function."

Aaron took a quick look over it and turned to Reid who of course already read the whole thing for changes. Reid knew everyone was looking for details. "These simply state that we agree to the terms of the experiment in exchange for our positions being isolated from dissolution except in severe circumstances."

"Aaron, it's more than fair." JJ pressed seeing the worried look on Hotch's face. In fact, she knew he was relieved but he was always going to be concerned when it came to the team.

Hotch took a long breath and nodded in agreement. "Of course." And with that, he signed. It's not like he had any other choice.

Tabby smiled in wonder at how they had all come to trust her. "We need to set up some ground rules here. I have to make this look official or it all goes out the window, understand?" They all nodded so she continued. "This means full honesty to at least me and one other member in the group about your relationships. You need a 'witness' in addition to myself. You also need to include how your friendships fare through this time. The good thing is you all will remain working together and there is a hidden bonus that oddly, Strauss pointed out."

Hotch cocked an eyebrow. "Strauss knows about this?"

Tabby nodded. "She has her own interest in this." Rossi caught her eye with an exchange of understanding. He had overheard something was up with Erin and he was going to get more details at some point. Oddly, he had become her best friend over the course of this drama and she wouldn't be able to withhold from him anymore than Derek withheld from Garcia. "Anyhow, when in the field you now all need fewer hotel rooms which opens up a good deal in the budget. So, congratulations Aaron, you have room to request a technical analyst for your sole use and of course, I have assigned Ms. Garcia to the post." She winked and winced as Penelope tackled her.

She was seldom so grateful in her life than to the woman she was squeezing half to death in her arms. That all could have gone so horribly wrong. Tabby really had put it all on the line, do or die, and somehow the coin turned favorably on them. Fate, for once, gave them all a break. And she got to be with her team again, where she belongs.

Tabby was glad to be part of this family again. They accepted her back in with hardly a worry and she didn't see it before, she wasn't going to be rejected by these people. They cared about her as she cared for them and she knew she would do so much to see Penelope this happy all her life, to see that glint in Hotch's eyes over and over when he found out that the team would be whole again. But that reminded her of one more thing and she pulled Penelope away from her and looked at the two of them. "Unfortunately, I can't call off the dogs at Children and Families." She was ashamed, she really was helpless there. Once this sort of thing starts in that department it just keeps going, with good reason. The safety of a child must be above all other interference.

Aaron sighed and wrapped Penelope in a half hug. "Tabby, you don't have to save us from everything. You already did more than we can ever repay. But I have my future bride by my side and six incredible friends. We'll be fine." And he was grateful. If the can just get their son securely in their grasp life would be next to perfect.

Emily echoed the sentiment. "You know, I never thought I would see us all moving so much closer to being normal and healthy."

Reid nodded in agreement. "I know, two years ago I was a drug addict. Today I am a father, a fiancée and securely working with my team. By the way Tabby, how did you get the IA report?"

Tabby had been busy placing her own signatures on their turned in contracts. She planned to give them to her assistant and leave the building right away since she was still pretty tired. She had to literally throw a fit to be released from the hospital and she felt she might have to ask Derek to take it easy on her tonight. So, she didn't look up as she replied. "Never did my young Jedi."

"Jedi?" Derek quirked a brow. "Don't tell me you are a closet nerd Tabby, I won't be able to keep my hands off you." And how he hoped she would be back in his bed soon so he could show her how much that actually does turn him on.

Penelope snorted as she joined Derek. "Hot Sugar, you got that fetish too? You wouldn't know it, but the boss man loves Star Trek the Next Generation."

"Me too." JJ and Emily both spoke up, much to the amusement of everyone else.

Rossi seemed a little startled at that, he never pegged Emily for any of it but she simply shrugged at his look askance. "What can I say? It was one of the few shows in English when living abroad."

He shook his head in humor and pulled her in for a quick kiss. "Later cara, we make use of my box set."

Reid watched on in fascination of this. "I seriously can't believe you're all bigger nerds than me."

-Criminal Minds—

"So my dear Miss Prentiss, when are you going to wear that darn ring already?" Penelope had her friend trapped in the passenger seat of her car and she was going to take the opportunity to 'squeeze the deets' as Aaron so oddly expressed a desire for her to do. He was concerned about Rossi feeling rejected over this and she was equally worried about Em not getting off her butt and saying something.

Emily rubbed her forehead with the heel of her hand. "I expected that would come up. Yeah, I don't know when Pen."

The blonde shot a sideways glance to her friend as they pulled into the parking lot of the supermarket. They were buying the groceries for tonight's dinner and cooking lesson courtesy of Dave. JJ and Reid had an appointment with their lawyer for Reid's establishing his paternity and Derek was off trying to plan his low-key date with Tabby tonight so it was going to be just the two couples and Jack this evening.

Emily shoved open the door the second the car hit park not expecting how quick Garcia can slide out of her car and catch up. "Emily." She warned. "Don't make me ruin your credit rating."

"Uhg! You won't stop until you get your answer will you?" One look to her friend and she realized she already knew that answer. She took a breath as she grabbed a shopping cart from the entrance. "The thing is I am going to say yes."

Penelope wore totally the wrong shoes for jumping up and down on a slippery super market floor. She nearly fell and knocked over a whole bin of peaches. Thankful for her former spy friend's reflexes to catch her she straightened her dress and adjusted the bright red feather in her hair. "Oh this is the best news of my day."

"Seriously? It beats out Tabby saving our asses?"

Penelope nodded with certainly. "Em, you've been breaking Dave's heart. It's tender, it has been trampled on three times already. No one ever thought he would melt from his stone hard stance on never getting back onto that train."

Emily preoccupied herself with judging between two artichokes for dinner, trying to hide her emotions on the next statement. "Yeah well, Tabby did that melting, not me."

Pen threw her bagged selection of tomatoes into the cart, probably bruising them. "Em, give it up. He might have had feelings for her… no he definitely did and she had them from him. But do you see a ring on that finger other than from my Mr. Dark Chocolate? No. And that's because she wasn't the woman to bring him any sense of security in that area. You know him, he probably wanted it on some level with her but it wouldn't work and he recognized that." She was glad to notice Emily stop trying to avoid the conversation and turn fully to her. "Tabby was like target practice for him. He learned how to open back up, find a good woman and recognize his chances for success at marital bliss. Obviously, he sees that in you."

Emily fell silent for several minutes, surprised Penelope allowed her the time to think that last diatribe over. She knew she wasn't jealous of Tabby. She knew she never felt so strongly about anything in her life as she does for Dave. No other man readily accepted the fact she had an abortion at fifteen in Italy. No one else could identify with feeling a little lost in their own world. And certainly no one else could make a language she is fluent in like Italian actually still sound like he is romancing her with a special skill. She spoke the language, he sung it with his soul.

"You know," she ventured as they made it to the automated checkout. "He exceeds his reputation."

Penelope's head shot up from her work scanning her grocery items in. "Oh god Em, lay it on me." She had always wondered just how super the Super Agent was in bed. She once had her own kiss with the department Lothario which will forever remain on the down low because they were both drunk, it was a dare and she felt nothing other than embarrassment for doing it in front of Aaron.

Emily shook her head paying for the items as Penelope bagged. "Well, he's got stamina." She ventured, pushing the cart towards the car, unclear as to how much Penelope wanted to hear. She wasn't quite used to girl talk of this variety but she knew her gutsy friend was. She wondered if she would be asked to paint a picture at some point.

"Good to know, but what's he packing?" Penelope asked with a little impatience, throwing the groceries into the trunk. "You know you are curious about Aaron too."

Emily bit her lip, damn it she was curious. "Uh, well." She didn't want it to be some competition though. She was quite sure if the guys found out how big the other one was there would be some giant pissing contest afoot. "Tell you what, we write it down and exchange at the same time."

Penelope clapped her hands and climbed into the car with Emily not far behind to find two pens and some paper she divided down the middle. "Ok, so length in inches, girth as a diagram in a circle."

Emily shrugged; she wasn't going to get out of this no matter what. And she had to admit to have having a small crush on Aaron over the years. Nothing like how she felt for Dave or anything. Hell, she was pretty sure everyone had a crush on everyone else at some point. Only natural after so many years together. "Here."

They both opened their notes with a good guffaw. Apparently they were pretty close, Aaron longer and David wider. "So I take it he's more than just satisfying since you are jumping him in super markets?" Penelope was surprised at how open and down and dirty Emily was being at the moment. She must really enjoy Dave's company to have loosened up enough.

Emily was trapped in the car yet again. "Oh hell yes. I'm not sure if that is all him though, pregnancy hormones really get to you. Hopefully you'll learn that soon." She had her fingers crossed for baby Hotch number two.

Penelope shot her a quick smile, glad her friends were all so supportive of her and Aaron and another baby. "So, you didn't answer my first question. When will you say yes?"

Emily sighed, relieved that they arrived at Jack's school right then, the line of questioning soon to end. She was well aware that Aaron and Penelope made it their couple's mission to see her and Dave together. "In time Pen. I just need time."

"You should tell him that." She advised before getting out and waiting out front of the cars with the other parents, delighted to see Jack running up to her.

"Ah, my love. How was your day at school?" Penelope felt so much relief from the turn of events today that she was able to push some of her worry about losing Jack to the back of her mind. Of course it was still driving her insane, this constant presence of a doldrums cloudy day. But, at least she could take joy in his smile without wondering if it is his last to share with her.

"Great mommy!" He jumped her in a hug and looked around for his father. "Where's daddy? I want to tell him my big news."

"He's helping Uncle Derek pick out flowers for Auntie Tabby." She paused as she took in his excitement. "What big news little man?"

Jack almost broke but was resolute. "Nope. Telling you together." He made the gesture to zip his lips and walked to the car. He was very excited but he wanted to make it a good moment for his parents. They had been so sad lately that some good news about him was sure to cheer them up.

"Aunt Emily!" He exclaimed in surprise when he climbed into the car. "I missed you." He hugged her from the back seat.

Emily turned around to look in back and pet his head. "I missed you too Jack. How are you feeling since Sunday?" She felt bad she and Dave ended up going after Reid and JJ and didn't get to check in on Jack more than a few phone calls throughout the week. They didn't want to pop over when they knew Derek was there in case he had been angry at them as well, especially at Emily for having taken her away that afternoon.

Jack's smile warmed the whole cab of the antique convertible with the cover still up. "I'm great! Do you know mommy and daddy are trying to have a baby? Daddy talked about it in his sleep last night."

She broke into a smile. Yeah, she knew all about that. Penelope had dragged her to the pharmacy before this and berating her for details on her love life for help in picking out pregnancy tests. She would have to wait a week to test for more accurate results but the blonde was more than hopeful. More like she was insistent her biology not fail her. "Wouldn't that be nice? Me and mommy and Aunt Tabby all pregnant together?"

Jack nodded emphatically. He thought it was a great idea. "And then they can put you all on matching eating schedules." He ignored Aunt Emily's eye roll. He knew he was practical for a kid. "Is Aunt Tabby forgiving Uncle Derek? Because I have been counseling him all week."

Emily loved Jack for many reasons, the least of which being that he was such a caring kid. "I think so honey. They have to talk and work out adult problems and I think she is still sick from everything but they will be ok. You'll have three more cousins before you know it."

Jack clapped his hands with excitement. He really wanted his team all pulled together with cousins and Amelia, especially Amelia.

Outside the car during this conversation Garcia turned to see the match to the deflated voice saying "Hi Pen." to the equally drawn face of Annette, Amelia's mother. She could see her car two vehicles down, Amelia studiously shoving her nose into her nightly reading book.

"Annette. So good to see you." She wrapped her in a friendly hug.

Annette held her tightly. "I am so sorry to hear that the investigation is still going on.

Pen quirked a brow. "How do you know about that?"

The other mother simply shook her head with some humor. "He told Amelia. I get almost consistent updates on him. He's a large topic of conversation at home."

Penelope peaked into the car to see Jack actively engaged in conversation with Emily. "Yeah, it's the same at our house. I don't know about you but I'm almost tempted to endorse that arranged marriage right now. Adorable isn't it?"

For the first time in a long week Annette felt herself giggling at their kidding around. "I am all for that plan. It's amazing, huh? The possibility they found their young love at this age?" She was wistful, wondering if Amelia will get all that someday. She wanted her daughter to be happy and she had always worried about her social skills. At least with Jack she is comparatively a wild flower. It's a sign of good things to come. "They fight like an old married couple sometimes which is beyond adorable."

Penelope flashed to a memory of the night they went to cheer Amelia up and the two got into a little argument about how Jack 'always' fails to clear off all his plate into the trash and how Amelia 'never remembers' to stop nagging him. It must be hard to talk about all this for Annette considering she and her husband just split. "Speaking of which, how um- how are you?"

Annette leaned up against Esther with a slight sigh and crossed her arms. "To be honest, not that great. It's not like Joe and I had been happy for a long time but it still sort of hurts that it is over."

As was her nature, Garcia was tearing up in sympathy for the woman that rapidly became her friend. "But you will be fine. You're beautiful and you can move on."

"My mother had set me up on a date last night telling me it was important to get back in the saddle and trust me you don't argue with that woman." She and Penelope both chuckled a bit. "Anyhow, it didn't go all that great. He was an accountant and had great manners and stuff…"

Penelope felt like it must be girl talk Thursday. She never got so many juicy details thrown about as easily as Emily shared her Rossi-knowledge and now Annette and this date. "But?"

She sighed. She had been disappointed with the lack of a spark last night. She had really needed some rebound sex, she and Joe had been dry for a good six months. "I have a feeling he's just looking for an instant family, he spent the whole night asking me questions about my kids which is cool and all just, weird. I mean isn't he supposed to be wanting to get to know me?"

Penelope switched her posture to mirror Annette's. "Yeah. Something a little hinky there."

Annette's head whipped to her newest friend. That is not the type of word you want to hear from a woman whose entire day is spent chasing down the terrors of the country with her equally burdened fiancé. "What do you mean, hinky? You don't think he was interested in… Oh god. Amelia!" she turned to her car to check on her daughter, terrified on what was implied. She didn't really think that man was a threat but looking back on it as she approached her now empty car she remembered he had been very interested in where Amelia goes to school.