Part 11

"So is there any chance of you finally settling down, son?" inquired Rebecca Rossi, Dave's mother. "Penny, is a lovely lady..."

"Yes, she is and I believe that I am falling in love with her," Dave told his mother and father. "However, I'm taking it slow. I don't want to rush into anything and be wrong. Still, I really like her. She's intelligent, funny and kind and not at all silly and shallow. I couldn't stand someone silly or shallow for very long. By silly, I mean someone who is only interested in fashion, what others are wearing, and also men, whoever they're friends are dating or married to and who act like they don't have any brains at all. They talk about how much that man is worth than if they think it's a good match and so forth. Someone like that would drive me insane in no time, as all they care about is status and other subjects that really don't matter in the end. Such subjects are all well and good, but I don't want to be married to someone like that. If I was stupid enough to turn someone like that immortal I'd only have myself to blame. Penny is not only one of the most intelligent, kindest, funniest people I know she's also sensible. She always looks good, but it's not her only area of interest. She doesn't obsess over what to wear all the time unless it's a really special event."

"That's only sensible," Dave's father Jacob agreed. "Hopefully, it will work out."

"I hope so," Dave said sincerely.

"I just want some more grandchildren," Rebecca told Dave, causing both husband and son to laugh at her.

"It's not like you don't have plenty of those," Dave told his mother affectionately.

"So I can always use more," Rebecca shrugged in response to her husband's and son's laughter.

"Well, soon Aaron and Emily will have children and then you'll have those grandchildren you crave," Dave suggested. "You think of Aaron like a son anyway."

"Yes, I do," Rebecca admitted. "If Emily is already immortal..."

"She is," Dave promised. "The two of them didn't resist having sex, especially after being parted for so long, when they both knew they couldn't have children until Emily was just like Aaron," Dave said. "It wasn't like either one of them were virgins, so why wait?"

Rebecca and Jacob already knew how Emily was the reincarnation of Berenice, Aaron's wife who had died from the influenza, a long time before there was any cure.

"I'm not going to rush my relationship, just to give you grandchildren, mom. I like her a lot, but we need to love each other for what will technically be multiple lifetimes. I refuse to be rushed into possibly making a mistake. I'm not saying that's what's happening here, I just want to make sure, before I take it to the next step and tell her about immortality."

"He's right, dear," Jacob told his wife. "We don't want either of them to be miserable because he chose wrongly. If he wasn't immortal than it wouldn't matter so much, as they could just divorce."

"I suppose so," Rebecca sighed dramatically.

"You don't fool me, mom," Dave grinned at her. "You might want to marry me off, but you also want me to be happy with my choice and for the lady in question to also be happy.

Now, let's quit talking about it before Penelope returns. I'm sure neither of you want her to get the wrong idea."

Jacob and Rebecca couldn't help but agree with their son, as they didn't want Dave's girlfriend to get the wrong idea.

"So long as I know it's a definite possibility that you will ask Penny to marry you that's enough for now," Rebecca said.

"Good, because I won't be pressured, you know that, mom," Dave told his mother firmly. "We're not just talking decades here, but centuries."

Rebecca had to admit her son was correct. She might want grandchildren out of her oldest son, but she also didn't want him to be miserable or the lady in question either, so she would be patient. She had a good feeling about Dave's and Penelope's relationship however.

"So son are you going to introduce us to your friend Taro and his wife?" Jacob asked.

"Of course, dad, I'm sure they'll be very pleased to meet you," Dave said warmly. "Aaron and I are quite close to them, particularly Taro. I can see from here that they're out on the dance floor, so you'll just have to wait until they finish dancing and then I'll bring them over here to meet you. We told them both about immortality recently as Taro at least has been curious for a long time. We've supported several of his projects, including one he's just started in Chicago. The one in Chicago will help a lot of the poor folks get jobs with decent pay. He's building a shopping complex with a hotel alongside. It will supply thousands of jobs."

Both parents looked at the handsome couple an older man and his wife. The man was all steel gray hair, with age lines around his mouth and eyes, tall and slim, but really he didn't look his age, which was over 60. The wife was also lovely, though much shorter then her husband, but at least her hair still had black in it, and she had less crow's feet around her eyes and mouth and looked much younger then her actual age.

"He sounds like a good man," Jacob said.

"He is," Dave agreed. "Neither Aaron or I would've told him about immortality if he wasn't an honorable man. He comes from a poor family himself and he's also the oldest son. His family expected him to make something of himself, so he got scholarships and went to college. He tries his best to help the poor, and that's mainly what this project is about. The mob of course doesn't like that, because it helps people that are even now addicted to drugs because they don't have any hope of a better life. The shopping complex and hotel will help a lot of those poor families and it's also in the poor area. Of course, that's only if he doesn't get himself killed first."

"You told us that he had already been nearly killed by a bunch of goons with submachine guns," Rebecca said.

"And so he was," Dave agreed. "Aaron and I will try our best to save his life, but he refuses to accept bodyguards and I can't really blame him for that, because they would probably just get in his way of what he feels like he has to do. He's the only businessman I have ever met that actually remembers his past and doesn't pretend it doesn't exist. He uses what he knows to help others, which is one of the reasons that Aaron and I have supported several of his other projects, though the returns on them, as two of the main investors, are good as well. This is probably the most dangerous and ambitious project he has ever undertaken, because he likes to see to most of the details personally. He likes to make sure it's done right and whoever he hired doesn't cut corners. You can't help but respect a person for having that kind of unshakable ethics. People in the past have tried to bribe him and he simply isn't bribable. To the Japanese, losing your honor means, you might as well commit suicide, as honor is everything. Taro is the epitome of the Japanese belief on honor."

"Which is probably what led to that attempt to kill him," Jacob guessed.

"That's what Aaron and I believe," Dave agreed. "Looks like that Taro and Aiya are finally done dancing, so I'll go get them now and introduce you."

"Sounds just fine, son," Rebecca said kissing her son's bearded cheek.

The three continued to talk for a few minutes before Dave went to retrieve Taro and his wife, so they could meet his parents and his grandparents to if they wanted to.

~~~Criminal Minds~~~

The next day

"You two go and enjoy your honeymoon," Dave told Aaron and Emily laughing. "I think Penny and I will be fine without you for a few weeks."

"What about Taro's project?" Aaron asked.

"We'll decide what to do about that when you return," Dave said. "I shan't make any decisions without you."

Penelope was the only one that didn't know what they were talking about as Emily had been informed as soon as her memories had returned.

"Go enjoy yourselves," Penelope urged them. "Dave and I will be fine by ourselves."

Neither Emily or Aaron needed Penelope to draw them a diagram.

"We'll make sure we call every few days," Emily promised.

"I'm sure we'll keep ourselves occupied without your presence," Dave grinned.

He already had plans for himself and Penelope once his two friends were gone on their honeymoon.

Finally, the two left laughing, before they missed their flight, assured that Dave and Penelope would keep themselves occupied. Aaron had a suspicion, that Dave would basically move into Penny's apartment until he and Emily returned, as they had been staying with Taro and his wife for long enough, though they knew they were still welcome. Still, they had both decided that after the wedding they find themselves somewhere else to stay.

They had been staying with Taro for over six months now and that was more than enough.

Emily and Aaron waved goodbye after Dave dropped them off at the entrance to the airport. They had a flight catch.

"So what now that Emily and Aaron are gone for the next few weeks?" Penelope asked Dave once her friends had disappeared into the airport doors.

"Well, first, I thought I'd take you out for a nice lunch," Dave said. "After that, we'll do whatever you want too."

"Lunch sounds good," Penelope agreed smiling. "After that we'll see. Perhaps, we can go see the new action flick that I've been wanting to see."

"Sounds fine," Dave said relieved she hadn't suggested a romance.

"You're just happy I didn't suggest a romantic flick," Penelope teased him, as if sensing his thoughts.

"If you had I just would've had to go along with it," Dave shrugged. "If Aaron ever found out I went to a romantic movie though, he'd never stop teasing me. Even if I tell him I went because it's what you wanted to see I doubt he'd stop teasing me about it for a long time."

"He won't ever find out," Penelope promised.

"Okay then, we can go see a romantic flick while they're gone. They're going to Bora Bora for their honeymoon. It was a wedding present from Emily's mother. I know she's very glad that her daughter finally got married to someone she approved of. Aaron has money of his own, so he can't be called a gold digger," Dave said.

"I hear that Bora Bora supposed to be lovely," Penelope said dreamily. "White sandy beaches, some of the finest food in the world and plenty of other activities to see and do."

Dave said nothing, but it certainly gave him ideas for their own honeymoon if they reached that stage. He hadn't told his mother that he was pretty sure he was in love with Penelope Garcia. He had told her that he might be, but wasn't sure, as he had wanted her to push him into telling Penelope about immortality and then proposing. His mother probably suspected his real feelings actually, as she knew her son and was very perceptive, but he refused to be pushed. He was determined take his time.

~~~Criminal Minds~~~

"So what's this project Aaron mentioned?" Penelope asked once they had settled into a little café and lunch had been served.

"It's a shopping complex and hotel that Taro is building in Chicago," Dave explained. "It's supposed to be built in a poor area where it will help a lot of poor people get decent pay. Aaron and I have supported him on several other expensive projects, but this will be the most ambitious one yet."

"So I assume the main goal is to give people who don't have any jobs or at least can't pay the bills decent pay," said Penelope.

"Yes," Dave agreed, as he took a bite of his sandwich. "Of course, in order to maintain their jobs they still have to stay away from drugs, gangs and the mob. Whoever Taro hires will be looking out for that kind of thing and that person will be given three warnings and then fired."

"That's the way it should be," Penelope said approvingly. "They do that at other jobs to and it's not discrimination at all. You don't want that kind of drugged out junky around your customers, as it doesn't exactly do your store's reputation any good if you keep on someone like that, which means that no one will shop there or at least not enough to maintain your business."

"It all trickles down," Dave agreed. "Still, so long as they stay away from drugs it'll give them a decent job with a living wage. It might not afford you many creature comforts, but at least it will be at least buy you a place to live, food, clothing."

"Sounds like a good project," Penelope said.

"It is. Taro's a good man. Me and Aaron have known him for a long time, which is why when he contacted us we happily agreed to be part of this project, as we know he's honest and we have the funds to support him. The fact, that we get a nice return on our investment is only a secondary consideration."

"Which I'm sure the criminals in Chicago don't like," Penelope suggested

"No, they don't, which is why they made attempt on Taro's life, though they were a little preemptive," Dave said. Dave described the entire incident to Penelope, and told her that Aaron had only gotten a flesh wound

"I'm sorry about that guy that died," Penelope said sadly. "I'm certainly glad the rest of you came out okay. I've never understood why people can't just get along."

"That's just not human nature, sweetie," Dave told loving her caring nature.

"I know and it's sad," Penelope said, even now she ate her lunch.

Dave said nothing just continued to eat his lunch, but happened to agree with her on that subject.

~~~Criminal Minds~~~