Erin took a deep breath as she stepped off the elevator the next morning. She had been too nervous to eat or drink anything that morning, and David had understood, though he had tried to tempt her with French toast, which had brought a smile to her lips. Glancing over at her partner, she saw that he was gazing at her, support and love shining from his face as they made their way into the bullpen.

Alex looked up from her desk and gave her a quizzical look. Erin made certain to smile at her, feeling like she was about to come apart at the seams as they continued on their way up to David's office. "I just need to sort through some emails before Aaron calls us all together to brief the case. But I know that you won't be able to focus on anything else in your office, so you're welcome to keep me company."

"Or you could visit with me."

They both looked over at Penelope, and Erin felt put at ease by her open smile. "That might be nice, Penelope."

She looked back at David, giving him a small nod before stepping away from him and following after the younger woman, disappearing into what David had often called Kitten's tech cave. "So, a little Italian sparrow may have texted me this morning to say that you were planning on talking with the team before they left on their next case. And I thought that you could use a friendly face to talk at you before you head into the veritable lion's den. I know, they won't eat you up, but you're going to feel like that."

Erin nodded as she reached her hand out towards Penelope, not certain what she would do. In an instant, Penelope was taking hold of it, threading their fingers together as she led Erin over to her low chaise. They sat in tandem, and Erin smiled when Penelope thrust an overly pink stress ball into her hands. "Why am I not surprised by this at all?" she murmured as she absently started to squeeze the ball, finding that it did help to alleviate some of the nerves attacking her stomach.

"Because you know exactly who I am, and you have ever since you saw my application for the BAU." Penelope's grin was infectious, and Erin smiled back as she nodded. "Now, did you want to run through what you were going to say before we head over there, or do you just want to wing it?"

"I think, in this case, I'm just going to wing it. If I try to prepare a pat speech, words will fail me when I need them most. I just want to be here and rest until the time comes. Would you mind telling me a story?"

"What would you like to hear?" Penelope asked as she got up and crossed over to her desk, picking up her tablet and a fuzzy pen. Erin shrugged as the other woman sank onto her office chair and wheeled back over to her. "Put your legs up on the chaise. Relax. Everything will be okay in the end. And if it's not okay, it's not the end."

"Platitudes do little to set me at ease, Penny," she murmured as she leaned back against the arm of the chaise. "And tell me about your first day of school. I want to know what kindergarten Penelope was like."

Penelope giggled a little as she nodded, starting to talk about her early school days. There was a relaxing lilt to her voice, and Erin found herself growing more and more at ease as she continued listening. It wasn't until the intercom on Penelope's phone chimed that they both realized how late in the morning it had gotten, and she stood and stretched, still holding the stress ball in her left hand. "Penelope, Erin, I'm just about to call the team into the ready room."

"Thanks, Hotch," Penelope replied as she also got up, still smiling at Erin. "All right, follow me." Erin nodded, and they went into the ready room through the back door. As Erin watched, Penelope quickly set the room up for the briefing, and she struggled to keep from pacing back and forth in front of the screen as she waited for the others to appear. It seemed like all of her earlier peace was evaporating as the hour drew near, and she began to worry the stress ball even more between her hands. "Erin!"

She looked up at Penelope, feeling like a spooked doe, and then, to her horror, her lower lip began to tremble. "I, I can't do this."

"Yes, you can. And you will. With Dave and I by your side, you'll get through this, and be all the stronger for it. I promise you." The smile on Penelope's lips encouraged her, and she gave a shallow nod, still feeling the butterflies dancing a drunken tattoo in her stomach.

The door to the ready room opened, and David and Hotch were the first ones through, and they both smiled at her before taking seats at the table, David sitting closest to where she was standing. Next, Reid and Morgan were through the doors, deep in conversation, and she felt the butterflies start to multiply, knowing that Alex would soon be making her appearance through that door. And then, the very woman she had been thinking of entered the room, a tense smile on her lips. Their eyes met, and Erin thought she saw a brief flicker of kindness before she was shut out once more. Alex took a seat next to Reid, joining in the conversation while they all awaited Agent Jareau.

Finally, the younger woman rushed in, a harried look on her face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hold you up, Chief Strauss. I just had to take a call from home, and soothe Henry."

Erin nodded, understanding completely. Children were always the first priority, even when they had to deal with such evil in the world. "All right, I am not certain how much Aaron or David told you about what I was going to speak about today. A few days ago, Alex said something in the heat of the moment that was both true and profoundly hurtful to me and David."

Penelope brushed her fingers against Erin's hand, and she hooked pinkies with the woman, finding herself needing the friendly contact. Clearing her throat, she took a look around the room, meeting the eyes of everyone at the table. There was a friendly smile on Derek's lips, open curiosity on Reid's face, and a small tinge of sorrow in Jennifer's eyes. Alex, though, was almost openly crying, and Erin felt her heart break a little at that sight. "Bella, it's all right, none of us our judging you."

She nodded before drawing in a deep, full, breath. "Thirty one years ago, when I was younger, and more impressionable, David and I had a love affair that resulted in a beautiful little girl named Maddie. And I loved them both so much. Alexandra was right, when she said that I killed our child. There was a car accident, I took my eyes off the road for one moment to check on Maddie in the back, and that was all it took to change our lives forever. David had already lost James, and then I went and cost him a second child. It is one of my greatest failings. I know some of you will continue to think of me as weak, and awful, but there is nothing that you could think about me that I haven't already thought about myself."

Penelope went to say something, but Erin shook her head, fixing her gaze on David. "There may come a day when I am able to talk about my daughter with you all. Until then, I ask that you please respect my, our, privacy, and just know that Maddie was dearly loved."

"By us both," David said, his voice a low rumble. She nodded and then let go of Penelope, hurrying from the room in order to at least keep up the appearance of being in control of her emotions. She knew, deep in her heart, that that was a lie and that they all knew the truth of her weakness in full now.