Author's Note: Here's tonight's second chapter! Let me know what you think!

Chapter 6

Avery's POV:

"Arrow?" I heard a voice say from behind me. I'm not sure which of the ladies it was, but I knew it wasn't Garcia. Her voice was very…distinctive. I looked over my shoulder to see Prentiss and JJ on the verge of smiles, lips bit to keep from doing so. Garcia however was blatantly grinning, clearly enjoying Arrow's nickname. I turned my head back to see that he was less than impressed with the women of his team, and I gave him a sheepish look.

"I'm gonna throw it out there that I managed to call you Hotch the entire time you were gone. So I should at least get brownie points for that", I told him. He chuckled.

"Well I wasn't really expecting you to call me anything else, nor would I want you to", he replied, with a hint of smile. My heart lifted, Arrow wasn't mad at me. "However I would like it to be very clear that she is the ONLY one who has authorization to call me that", he said pointedly to the group behind me. Tired of having to turn my head, I positioned my chair so I could see both groups at once. Amelia was almost finished with her bottle anyways, I could stand soon. The women looked like they had regained their composures somewhat, and they each answered with a 'yes sir' or 'sorry Hotch'. I raised an eyebrow. Sir? I watched as Spencer and Morgan regained their team. Spencer's face looked slightly pink, and I wondered what they'd been talking about. My speculations were interrupted by Arrow, when he said,

"I got their car seats, and I also got Amelia one of those pack and play things for now until we can get her a crib", Arrow said. "We can go as soon as she's done?"

"Oh yeah good thinking", I said thankfully. Although there was no way I was letting Arrow buy Amelia a crib. I was her guardian, I would get the crib. Even if I had to work 12 hour days every day, I would. I didn't want anyone's charity.

"Wait she doesn't have a crib?" Garcia questioned.

"Not one of her own. The room we had at the shelter had one, but it wasn't ours to keep", I explained. They all looked at me with blank stares, so I continued on. "Our room was technically ours, but it only locked from the inside. So anything that we have we carry with us in that stroller. If we would've left anything in our room it would have been stolen". I began to burp Amelia, who was now finished with her bottle, and waited for their reaction. This was the part I hated most about my situation, the stupid pity. Thankfully, most of the team just nodded, as if that made sense. I was elated to note that they didn't look as if they thought my situation was so unfortunate. I was really starting to like this team.

Garcia's POV:

As Avery explained that her entire life was in that stroller, literally, I thought I might start crying. I was falling deeply in love with her, her siblings, and the romance between her and Reid that I was already picturing. Seriously, those two were perfect for each other in a fantastical, I wanna write a book about it kind of way. To think that everything she had for herself and her babies was limited to just one half of a double stroller was heartbreaking. I didn't want to pity her, she certainly didn't pity herself. I mean the girl was the poster child for taking life with a spoonful of sugar. I couldn't help myself, I heard myself say,

"Brain blast lovelies! We should have a birthday party/ baby shower for Miss Avery next weekend". It all sort of came out very fast, as things tended to when I was excited, and boy was I excited. This was a great idea! Avery's birthday was this week she said, and she clearly needed some things for Amelia and Henry that she wasn't willing to ask for. Avery looked less than thrilled.

"That's very kind of you Garcia, but that really isn't necessary. I don't really celebrate my own birthday, and I can get Amelia everything she needs. She's six months old anyways, that's pretty late for a baby shower", Avery said politely. God I loved this girl. I wasn't letting her off the hook that easily though. This was possibly my greatest idea ever, so I wasn't about to let her sense of pride get in the way.

"Oh sweetie, it's going to happen. I haven't planned a baby shower in years, and it's going to be fabulous. We won't go crazy with the presents, I swear. This is just going to be a fun way for you and your siblings to meet our team! Promise", I said putting up a hand like I was being sworn in. Avery still didn't look convinced. "I'll plan everything and I'll text you!" I said as I began to walk way, lest she protest some more. I heard her begin to say something, but I simply threw a "Goodbye loves!" over my shoulders and speed walked back to my office. I was planning this, whether Avery wanted to or not. She was, at least in my mind, a part of our family now. This is what families did for each other.

As I sat in my office I started to think about Reid. He had it bad for Avery, of that much I was certain. The question was, how was I going to get them alone together? And alone without Avery's siblings too, that was going to be tough. Reid seemed to think that Hotch wasn't going to allow anything to happen between them, but I was confident that he could learn to deal with it. Probably. First things first, I needed to find a way to force them to admit that they were in love with each other. Hmm…

Spencer's POV:

After Morgan had thoroughly grilled me about everything that had happened with Avery since the moment I met her, I'm sure my face was redder than a tomato. I managed to placate him somehow, by promising to keep an open mind about Hotch. Morgan seemed to think if I slowly eased into things with Avery that Hotch could learn to accept things. I still wasn't convinced. Even if Avery was attracted to me, which still seemed impossible to me, I'm sure she wouldn't stay that way for too long. I just needed to sit and be alone with my thoughts, they were starting to swirl around and hurt my head. I was so consumed in my thoughts that I barely noticed that we'd walked back to where our team was standing, still talking to Avery. The familiar butterflies I felt in my stomach at the sight of Avery were silenced by the sight of Hotch standing so near to her. I know I'd discussed him with Morgan just minutes before, but suddenly seeing him made everything we'd talk about seem so real. Hotch wasn't a hypothetical situation, he was really here, and he was really imposing. I pictured him berating me for even considering going near Avery. I shuddered. Somewhere in the midst of all those thoughts, I heard Garcia speak excitedly and leave our group. I looked up to see Avery look sort of exasperated, and wondered what Garcia had said.

"Well Avery are you ready to go?" Hotch asked. It seemed that Amelia had finished her bottle, and Avery was indeed ready to go. She nodded and put her sister back in her stroller. Amelia began to fuss, so Avery dug a rattle of sorts out of one of the bags and handed it to her. She told Henry to pick up his things, and then she turned back to the rest of the group.

"I'm really glad to have met you", she said looking directly at me. I felt my entire stomach do some sort of flip. Anatomically impossible of course, but I swear if anyone could defy the laws of science it was Avery. "To have met all of you", she amended, breaking eye contact with me and looking at everyone with a smile. She began to give everyone a hug, right down the team's line, until she got to me. She smiled as she reached out her arms for a hug and leaned in. I thought my heart was going to explode until she actually pulled me into her arms. At that point I'm pretty sure my heart stopped, and I didn't mind in the slightest. I hugged her back tightly, thinking that no words could describe how utterly right this seemed. We stood there holding each other for what felt like forever, for what I wished could really be forever, before we broke apart. Judging by the way the team was grinning, and the suspicious look on Hotch's face I guessed that we had been hugging for a much longer time than anyone else. My face reddened, and I said goodbye. She gave me one last smile, grabbed Henry's hand and pushed her stroller away. I wondered sadly when I would see her again. I sincerely hoped Garcia got her way and we had a party for Avery. I needed an excuse to see her again, and that was a perfect excuse. I already missed her; her voice, her hair, her beautiful eyes, and the way she held me close…

I really hoped Garcia got her way.