"All right, Aunt Jessica is going to take you over to visit with your grandfather, since he's been missing you. Do you need anything before you go with her?"

Aaron gave Jack a warm smile as he continued to look at his son, wondering what thoughts were running through his head. He knew that Jack enjoyed spending as much time as he possibly could with him when he was home, but he also didn't want to keep him from spending time with his grandfather, especially since his own mother had never made the effort to reach out and get to know her grandson. "No, I just wish that you could come with us, Daddy."

"I wish that, too, buddy, but you need time with your grandfather." He reached out to ruffle Jack's hair lightly as he looked up at Jessica. She was wearing a grateful smile, which told him that she knew he was trying to spare Jack from knowing just how much Roy despised Aaron for getting his daughter killed. Jack hugged him tightly before turning and running over to Jessica's side and taking hold of her hand. "Be good, and have fun!"

"I will!" Jessica waved to him before leading Jack over to her car, and Aaron leaned against the doorjamb as he watched them drive down the road. Knowing he didn't want to be alone, he wondered if Erin would mind having a visit from him that afternoon. Heading back into the house, Aaron quickly made up a picnic basket for them, crossing his fingers that Lauren would allow him to either bring Erin to a park or that they could head out into a secluded part of the property and have a secluded late lunch together. If that was what Erin wanted.

On the drive to the facility, Aaron stopped and picked up a large bottle of water for them to share before swinging by Patti Jo's flower shop. "Good afternoon, Aaron. I take it that you're headed out to see Erin again this afternoon?"

"You would be correct," he replied as he watched the older woman disappear into the back of her shop. Fifteen minutes later, she reemerged with yet another gorgeous bouquet that took his breath away, and he grinned at her in pleasure. "It almost seems like I'm the only one who allows you carte blanche to make arrangements."

"You would be correct. Usually people come in here with no idea what they want, they ask to see a book, and pick something out of there. You are the first man in a long while to allow me to be creative, and I enjoy it." Her smile was one of pure pleasure, and he nodded in return as he paid for the flowers. "Enjoy your time with Erin today."

"I will, thank you." He gave Patti Jo a small wave before leaving the shop and continuing on to where Erin was. There were quite a few cars in the parking lot that afternoon, which made him happy, since that meant there were more chances for him to blend in with the crowd. Somehow, it always felt like Erin was more comfortable with more people around, and a part of him was keenly invested in her comfort. Allowing the picnic basket to rest on his forearm, he picked up the bouquet of flowers and made his way inside the building, signing in before heading into the common room to try and find Erin.

She was again working on a puzzle, and Aaron made a beeline for her side, standing quietly until she acknowledged him. "Good afternoon, Aaron."

"Hello," he replied, handing over the flowers. "I brought a picnic for us, and was thinking perhaps you could come with me to a nearby park to enjoy it?"

She shook her head as she gracefully rose to her feet. "I'm not allowed off property just yet. If you had chosen this gesture two weeks from now, things would be different."

"You can head outside. Near the back of the property is a rather large pond with a willow tree next to it. Since it's still a little cool, not many people are choosing to be outside today."

He jumped a little as Lauren suddenly appeared by their sides, a mischievous smile on her lips. "I think that you need to wear louder shoes," Erin sniffed out as she stepped closer to Aaron's side, allowing him to breathe in the delicate scent of her body wash and perfume. "But thank you for the advice. Are you coming, Aaron?"

Erin took off before he could wrap his mind around what had happened, and he shook his head a little as he gave Lauren a small sheepish smile. "It was a rough day in group session yesterday, and I think that Erin is still bristling from that a bit. I'm glad that you're here to help even out her mood, as she's been missing seeing your face the last two weeks."

He nodded before taking off after the woman and soon caught up to her, reaching out for her hand and clasping it softly as he let her lead them over to the pond that Lauren had mentioned. The willow tree was indeed quite large, and he smiled as he set the picnic basket on the ground before tugging out the blanket and spreading it out. Erin sank down onto it, burying her face in the flowers as he took a seat on the ground next to her.

"I never thanked you for the flowers this week. These are gorgeous."

"Patti Jo does a great job, yes."

Erin glanced up at him, delight dancing on her features. "You know your florist by name?" He nodded. "That is entirely you, and one of the things I always admired about you, even when we butted heads so terribly."

"I'm glad that there were things that you admired about me even then." She shrugged a little as she accepted the food from his hand, reclining against the tree trunk as she began to eat. "Jack's with Roy this afternoon, and I took the chance that you wouldn't have your children here."

"They're coming tomorrow after church," she replied as he copied her posture. "That's something that I truly miss about being here, as I've never gone this long without being there. There's a small, nondenominational service here, but it's not the same." He nodded as her head came to rest on his upper arm, and he let out a low hum as they continued to eat. This new peek into who Erin was told him that there was far more to her than he had first assumed, and he hoped that they could continue to share little bits and pieces of themselves as it became more comfortable to do so. "I, I'm not certain how to react around them at times. They see me as fragile, and I want to be strong for them."

Erin set aside her half-eaten plate before she gestured for him to do the same. When he had done so, he was surprised to find her sliding onto his lap, her head coming to rest in the crook of his neck as she allowed herself to cry. Aaron couldn't see her face, and he knew that that had been the point of her move, so he started to rub her side tenderly, taking care to keep his hand in places that were appropriate. "You are strong, Erin." She let out a scoffing laugh. "Don't do that to yourself. You are rebuilding your life after battling with a disease that takes no prisoners. Reid did the same thing. Do you think of him as weak?"

"No."

"There you go." Erin shifted in his lap, contorting her body a little so that she could stare into his eyes, obviously trying to read his intentions. When she found them to her liking, Erin leaned in and pressed her lips to his in a fierce kiss before she reached around his neck to hold him close as she deepened the kiss. He groaned a little as he pulled her closer to his chest, his hands wandering over her body until they finally came to rest on her hips, holding her in place as they continued to make out like hormonal teenagers. Though he wanted to be respectful of her boundaries, it seemed as if Erin was intent on feeling as much pleasure as she could before their afternoon together was over, and he decided to let her take the lead, knowing that she would know her own limits and when it would be time to go back to eating and talking. Until then, he'd enjoy the feel of her lips against his as their kisses continued and lingered into the chill of the afternoon.