"Did you hear the news?" Helen asked as she bustled into Erin's office two weeks later, a bright smile on her lips.
"What news?" she asked as she looked at the pink stationary on her desk. "Is the fact that we're hiring a woman so twee that she uses pink scented stationary all over the BAU already?"
Helen laughed as she shook her head, taking a seat in the chair in front of her desk. "No, that is not common knowledge yet. I'm talking about Agent Hotchner's news!" Erin felt the blood drain from her face as she shook her head. "His wife is finally pregnant! According to Gina, they've been trying for three years, so this is most welcome news! Oh, I always love when there's a new baby on the way, even if it's not mine! Oh, who am I kidding? Especially since it's not mine. I'm more of the Auntie Helen type."
Erin gave her a small nod as she felt a wave if dizziness sweep over her system. "I'm certain that they're both overjoyed, Helen. Remember to take note of when she has the baby so that we can send flowers to the house."
"Of course!" Helen smiled at her, shrugging a little. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm dealing with the guilt in the best way possible, by going to the shooting range and practicing every morning." Helen laughed. "It is very therapeutic, Helen. I can even teach you, if you want."
"Maybe someday. Now, I should probably get back to work before your calls back up and you have to yell at me. Remember, anytime you need an ear, mine is open to you!"
She nodded as her assistant got up and scurried out into the outer office, not closing the door behind her. There was something so effervescent about the woman, something that calmed her more than she thought possible, and Erin found herself grateful that she had confided in her, since it felt good to have her secret shared. Turning her attention back to the resume in front of her, she shuddered a little. This Ms. Garcia was quite brilliant, especially since she had ended up on a list that saw her recruited to the FBI at such a young age. Still, it would be a major coup for her to add her to the BAU, and she sighed as she set the resume aside so that she could start to look over the budget proposal for next quarter.
"I have to announce you, Agent Hotchner! You can't just barge in there unannounced!"
Looking up from the proposal, she saw Aaron making a beeline for her desk, a stony expression on his face. "It looks like she's free, thank you." Before Helen could say another word, Aaron had closed the door to her office, and Erin jumped a little in her seat as she watched him stride over to her desk before taking a seat and staring at her.
"Can I help you, Aaron?"
"I think that we have a new team member to discuss. I know that I went over your head to approve her transfer to our department, but since we still haven't found a decent replacement for Benjamin, I thought that we could at least acquire a wonderful technical analyst. You know that I apprehended her, and made the decision to have her join the FBI rather than another agency. The NSA really wanted her for her talents."
"I remember that, yes," she replied as she focused on his face, trying not to look at his lips, to remember what they had felt like against her skin. Though that night was still hazy to her, there were a few memories that swam up in her thoughts at the worst time, like that very moment. Her nostrils flared a little as she drew in a deep breath, and blinked owlishly as she tried to regroup and refocus on the rest of the words coming from his mouth.
"…starts tomorrow. I think that you'll find she'll be a wonderful asset to our team."
"I agree. Have you given any more thought to who you'd like to replace Benjamin?"
Aaron shook his head. "Right now, I just want to focus on healing our team. This trauma is likely to both bond us tightly together and push us apart, and I am doing my best to not let it do the latter, because we need to be a cohesive group, especially if we want Jason to seamlessly fit back in when he returns."
"I understand that, Aaron. Do what you feel is best, then." He nodded and rose to his feet, about to leave the room when she called out once more. "Oh, and I hear that congratulations are in order."
"I'm sorry?" he asked as he turned around to look at her, his eyes narrowing.
"I heard that your wife is expecting a child. It will be your first, yes?" Aaron nodded slowly, still glaring at her. "This is a wonderful time for the both of you, then. The first pregnancy is a magic like nothing else." Her hand unconsciously fluttered down to her stomach, knowing that she was making things awkward between them. "Well, I need to get back to work. Good luck introducing Ms. Garcia to the team."
Aaron gave her a tight nod before leaving her office, closing the door with a jarring thud, and Erin relaxed in her chair as she shook her head. She rubbed her stomach absently, thinking about how much she would have loved to have a fourth child. Alan had been quite adamant that three was enough, though, and had gotten a vasectomy shortly after she had given birth to Tabitha, without telling her beforehand. It was still a bone of contention between them eight years later, and she wished that there was a chance that the procedure had failed. Given that she hadn't gotten pregnant since Tabitha was born, though, she knew that was a pipe dream.
"Do you need me to get you anything, Ma'am?"
Erin shook herself free from thoughts of what was not to be, and let out a long sigh. "Yes, would you mind running out to Jammy Pammy and getting me one of their apple fritters? I know, it's beyond the scope of your job, but I have to finish working on this budget for our meeting at eleven, and I wasn't in the mood for breakfast when I left the house." Erin pulled out her billfold and took out a twenty, handing it to Helen. "Get something for yourself as well, since I'm making you do this."
"It is a joy to help you, Ma'am. My previous boss was not as kind as you are."
"I'm not kind. I'm the Ice Queen."
"Only because you're strict. You have a high standard for yourself, and expect everyone else to hold themselves to that same standard. Maybe if everyone else got on board, then you wouldn't be seen in such a negative light. And, well, you remind me of my big sister, even if I try to keep things professional here."
Erin gave Helen a tiny smile as she chuckled. "I'm an only child, so I wouldn't know what it's like to have a sibling." Her stomach grumbled embarrassingly. "And now, please, save me from this."
"Yes, Ma'am." Helen gave her a wide smile before scurrying from the room and Erin let out another sigh as she thought about her interaction with Aaron. While it could have gone better, at least there was no hostility between them, something that she had been worried about in the aftermath of their drunken night together. And she hoped that it would remain that way from that moment forward.
