A/N At first, a special thanks to guest. Yes everyone is happy for Spencer, and so is Derek. He´s just a bit sad, Spencer always was 'his' pretty boy and now he´s married. And there´s Rossi, getting married too and Hotch, who got Renee. Our hero just feels a bit...lonley. Hope you´ll enjoy the next chapter.
oOo
"And it´s definetly ok for you, if I´m moving in?" Renee asked cautiously, after Mrs. Coffin had left. "I think so, Renee . We ... We 're grown up´s, we should get along with each other, don´t you think?" Renee smiled briefly, " we wanted to take it slow, Hotch. Living together is a big step. I would understand, if you couldn´t handle it. "
"Frankly, Renee. I dunno know how I deal with it. But you ... " Hotch made a pause to find the right words. "You're not indifferent to me, Renee. Absolutely not and I think, you know. We should just be honest with each other and respond if something goes the wrong way, okay?"
"Alright," Renee said. "By the way I still hear you say, you wanted to kiss me? I think, that was in the elevator when I ... " Hotch interrupted her chatter with a kiss.
Down in the bullpen a shared "Ah!" was heard. Hotch had decided, not to close his blinds. "And now I have to interfere," JJ said regretfully, waving a file.
"Where we´re heading?" Rossi asked. " Texas. Fort Worth to be exact. "
oOo
"Then let the horses be saddled," Derek grinned, he had now regained a bit. Of course, he was genuinely pleased for his little genius and he liked Ken, who was a really nice guy. And he loved Reid, Derek was sure about that. It was simply the fact, he´d never expected Reid to be married, ever. He always looked at him like someone under puppy license. But Reid wasn´t a puppy anymore and he was obviously happy. Derek wouldn´t have been surprised if Spencer would have made little hops, while walking and this made him laugh again. And there was also this very cute redhead named Mona, who was waiting for a call. Derek decided, to call her before departure.
oOo
JJ knocked loudly . "I'm really sorry guys. Duty is calling, Hotch." JJ grinned broadly, Hotch made so no attempt to let Renee go, but managed to get out a barely perceptible "I 'm coming."
JJ turned and left Hotch and Renee, to give them some privacy to say good-bye.
"You want me to tell the children, what Mrs. Coffin decided? I´m sure, they´re bursting with curiosity. On the other hand, it would be nice if we would tell them together, right?" Renee wanted to know. Hotch nodded, "we should tell them together. I do not know, how long I 'm gone, Renee. But if I make it till the weekend, we could take some days off and spend some quality time at Sandbridge Beach, what do you think?" And maybe we light a few candles, Hotch thought and this comforting feeling spread out in him again.
"Oh, it´s been ages, since I last was there. Such a nice idea, Aaron. But I think you have to go now. Take good care of yourself, I don´t want to get any calls in the middle of the night, unless you're on the other end, giving me a booty call. " Renee kissed Hotch again, it was hard for her to let him go now. "I'll take care, Renee, I always do."
oOo
Renee decided, to pay Abby Jensen a little visit, spreading the good news, before driving home. She was so lost in thought, she promptly ignored the big glass door that led from the BAU into the hallway. She didn´t hear Hotch, who was yelling at her to prevent the worst. With a loud crash Renee knocked herself out.
A few minutes later, Renee blinked again. "What happened? " she moaned.
"One can´t leave you alone, Renee." Hotch said relieved, Renee was awake again. "You got in trouble with our solid glass door. "
"Did I win?" Renee asked and moaned softly.
"I´m already here, boss! " Garcia handed Hotch a popsicle. "Sorry, there was nothing else in the freezer. What? After all, it's cold. "
Shaking his head, Hotch put the popsicle on Renee´s forehead, an incipient bulge was already visible.
"Ouch ," Renee said and looked at Hotch. "You´re pretty cute. Who are you? " she asked.
"Who I am? Renee, for heaven's sake! It's me, Aaron. Renee? " Hotch had to listen twice, Renee was giggling?
"It's ... sorry , I'm so sorry, I couldn´t resist." Renee laughed and stroked Hotch´s cheek. He was still kneeling beside her. " If you could see your face, Hotch. I´m okay, I think I can get up." Renee reached out her hand and Hotch pulled her up.
" For this, I should put you over my knee, Renee. " Hotch whispered half aloud, "you really okay?" Renee nodded, " I think so. You know my concrete skull." Renee kept on, pressing the ice on the bump. "Aren´t you supposed to be in a meeting?"
"So, you´re okay?" Hotch asked so worried, Renee had to laugh again. "I'm really ok , Aaron." Renee was back safely on her legs. "Now answer the call of duty, my hero."
"I want you to go home and take some rest, I´ll call you later and I´m gonna ask Jack, if you did." Hotch hugged her and walked hesitantly into the meeting room. Renee saw him picking up his phone.
"I'm staying with you a little, Renee. JJ can present the case." Garcia sat Renee on a chair. "Penelope, I'm okay, really." Pen shook her head. "Not at all, little gummy bear. You´ve got a huge bulge and your eye is determined blue." Garcia chuckled, "You seem to be used to this kind of stuff?" Renee rolled her eyes, "I am sometimes like a bumpkin, Penelope."
"But a very sweet bumpkin, I guess, that´s what Hotch is thinking. The way he looked at you, that was sooo sweet."
The two women were approached by a young man. "Excuse me, Dr. Malone? I'm probationary Agent Fiddler. I was told to escort you home, ma'am."
"I'm fine, Agent Fiddler. I can go home by myself."
Fiddler straightened. "Agent Hotchner said, you´d say so. He told me, not to listen. So please, Dr. Malone. Fiddler offered Renee his arm.
"Isn´t Hotch sweet?" Garcia enthused. "Let him take you home, gummy bear, it's for your own good."
"Well," Renee smiled, "Then you may escort me home, probationary Agent Fiddler."
oOo
"At our glass door? Gosh, she´s all right? " Rossi asked in shock. Hotch nodded , "one of the probies is going to drive her home. I'm sure she's fine, Renee is tough. Okay, JJ . What do we have?"
Hotch turned his concentration to the case. Well, he tried at least. Renee was moving in. The words rang in Hotch 's ears. Renee was right, it was an immense step. One in the right direction? Hotch got a bit afraid of his own courage. Again share similarities with a woman. A very beautiful woman. One that was so full of love for everyone. Hotch 's heart skipped a beat, he suddenly longed to hold her in his arms and never let her go. I 'm in love with Renee, Hotch thought in surprise. There was still this deep love for Callie inside of him, but miraculously there was also space for Renee. Hotch was sure the two women would have liked each other, if they had known each other.
oOo
Renee moaned loudly, "Agent Fiddler, please. You´re going to ruin my Jeep. A gear shift is not a saucepan, and the stick isn´t a cooking spoon. Over there. There´s a parking lot, you see? Stop right there."
"But Agent Hotchner said ... "
Renee simply interrupted Fiddler, "if you won´t tell him, I won´t tell him."
Fiddler nodded gratefully, the Jeep without automatic drive was an anathema. A few miles later, Fiddler regretted the exchange of positions. Dr. Malone drove ... uh, sleek, Fiddler thought and held on to the door handle.
"So, here we are already," Renee stated and stopped in front of Abby's House. She had intended to stop by, a small bump wouldn´t stop her. " How you´re getting back to Quantico, Agent Fiddler?" she wanted to know.
" I don´t have to, ma'am. It's my free afternoon, so no problem. Get some rest, Agent Hotchner told me, to remind you."
Renee smiled, " I'll do it, for sure. Bye, Agent Fiddler. "
oOo
Renee rang Abby´s doorbell, when Fiddler had flown the coop.
"Oh dear," Abby said, frightened. "What happened to you, darling?"
Renee had to laugh, " only what often happens to me, an encounter with a glass door."
Abby Jensen asked Renee immediately in and invited her vigorously, to sit on the couch. "I´ve just made some fresh tea , Renee. Can I offer you some? "
Renee nodded, "I´d love to have some tea, Abby. But why don´t you sit down and let me get the teapot? You don´t walk very well."
"Oh stop that rubbish, dear." Abby said and came up with the teapot. "You may take the cups out of the cabinet, if you want. "
Renee very careful took two cups of paper-thin China and put it on the table. "It's beautiful, Abby. "
"It belonged to Rebecca's mother, Renee. I do not use it very often, unfortunately. It´s a shame, it just get´s dusty. But tell me, how did the meeting go?" Abby was curious. Renee lovingly stroked Abby's hand. "You need to stop worrying about the future, Granny Abby . Hotch and I can take care of Becca and we´re really very, very happy about it."
Abby started crying and Renee hugged the older woman. "Not yet, Granny. It's all fine."
" Oh, you don´t know how relieved I am, Renee. I was worrying, day and night. It's all become too much, Renee. The big house, my hip and the little one. I love her so much, but I 'm getting old. She needs young parents."
Renee understood this very well. "But first things first, Abby. Your health is priority, right now. Aaron said, you have been offered an appointment next Tuesday? You´ll have to fix it. Becca is in good hands with us, but you know that." Renee smiled. "The house, it's yours, or just hired ?"
" It was my son´s house , Renee. It now belongs to Becca." Renee thought it over. Becca had no need for this house, at the moment and it was way too large for Abby. She had an idea. "I´m thinking about something, Granny. But I 'd have to talk to my Grandpa. Have you ever thought about a flat share? "
" A flat share ... What is that ? "
" A residential community, Granny. When I was in Berlin, I also had room mates. We were three assistant physicians, who shared an apartment. Why shouldn´t it also work for older aged? "
Abby wasn´t convinced, this never crossed her mind. "Me and Ike? "
"Why not, you both know each other and none of you would be alone. Grandpa's house is big enough and Becca 's house? Well someone might rent it? That would be an additional safeguard for your granddaughter. I don´t want to persuade you to anything, Abby. And you don´t have to rush things. Just think it over, right?"
Abby decided to think very carefully about Renee's proposal. She liked how feisty and prudent Renee was. She had liked her at first sight, Rebecca would get a fabulous mother and Aaron a wonderful woman. Abby chuckled.
oOo
"Brides Heaven? " Mona answered the phone. The number displayed didn´t tell her anything.
" Uh ..." Mona heard a male voice. So this call wasn´t about a wedding dress. The man cleared his throat now. " Hello, I might have the wrong number, I wanted to talk to Mona?"
Mona suddenly grinned, that was the Labrador. His owner, to be correct.
" Is that you, Derek? How is Clooney? "
Derek breathed relieved, right number. " Clooney´s fine. He didn´t eat the socks, they reappeared near the washing machine. And what about Casanova? "
"He´s getting better, but he want´s me to pity him. Typical male." Mona laughed again. She didn´t expect him to call, but she was genuinely pleased, Derek had appeared very likeable to her.
"Oh come on, my species isn´t that bad." Derek objected. There it was again, that laugh.
" Hm," Mona said, "an attempt wouldn´t hurt."
" I think so too . ... I uh.. . " Derek sounded unusually uncertain. Put yourself together, Derek Morgan, he thought. You're not doing this for the first time. "What about dinner, Mona? I´m afraid, I´ll be in Texas for a couple of days, but I probably will be back on Saturday. So if you haven´t got other plans?" Oh God, Derek thought, shaken. I´m stammering around like a teenager.
"There is something on my mind for Saturday, actually. But something a partner can be useful. What do you think about dancing, Derek?"
"Dancing? "
" Yes, dancing. Rumba, Mambo, Salsa ? "
" Not a problem at all," Derek said firmly, ignoring the fact that he had no idea.
" Why don´t we meet then in front of 'El Bodega' at 9 p.m. on Saturday?" Mona asked, "we can make another call, just in case?"
" That's what we´ll do. I am pleased Mona. Bye . "
"Bye Derek," she replied.
"What?" he asked Spencer, who was sitting next to him, suppressing a giggle. "Mona?" Spencer said with difficulty. "And since when are you into Mambo?" Spencer had no choice, but to hear Morgan's somehow strange conversation, when he boarded the plane.
"How difficult can that be?" Derek said optimistically, at least he was good at freestyle and just fantastic in dancing very close.
"What's not difficult?" JJ interjected.
"Mambo," Spencer snorted and tried to be serious again.
"Oh, that's hard work, Derek. Did you ever see 'Dirty Dancing'?" JJ was humming 'time of my life' to herself.
Hotch sat down too. "I carried a watermelon," Hotch muttered and JJ nodded in agreement, so there were men, who had seen the movie.
Derek just didn´t understand anything. Why the hell would Hotch carry a watermelon? For what purpose? Did everyone go crazy?
A/N next chapter an UnSub get´s caught, Mrs. Coffin tells Renee something about her lost love and a movie-night is planned at Casa Rossi.