David had been acting a little squirrely for the last week, which told Erin that there was something happening behind the scenes, something that the others didn't think that she needed to know, and she knew that they needed to have a talk as soon as he stepped foot in the door. Thankfully, that occurred after Catherine and Elise had already gone to sleep, and while Karen and Bruce were still at work. Tabitha had decided to spend the night at her best friend's house, so it truly was the perfect time to pin him to the board and get a few answers out of him.
Knowing that he would most likely head into the study, Erin made her way there after checking one last time on Catherine. While she waited, she poured herself a glass of Drambuie and sipped at it as she curled up in his usual chair, breathing in the strong scent of cologne. "I didn't expect to find you in here, Erin."
"Yes, well, we need to have a talk about what you've been doing behind my back. I know that you'll try to deny that there's anything going on, but I know that you're all actively looking for Ian Doyle. That's why you've taken cases close to home lately, because that is more important. Am I right?"
He actually blushed a little as he nodded, pouring himself a glass of gin before sinking down onto the matching footstool in front of Erin. "Yes. Morgan feels like he's really close to getting the answers that he's been seeking, and I want to support them as much as possible. I miss Emily, too."
"I think that we all do, despite her not really caring for me. Do you think that it's time Aaron returned home?"
David swirled his drink in his glass as he stared into the liquid. "Do you think that you could bring him back? Sending him out there was above your paygrade in the first place."
"I think that I might be able to, yes. I know that Director Shepperd is frustrated with Aaron's absence, and if I apply the correct amount of pressure onto the right place, I feel that I could be the fulcrum that sees Aaron return as soon as possible."
"Please, do that. If we're about to take down Doyle, and I feel that that is quite close, we're going to need all hands on deck."
Erin nodded as she finished her drink, setting the glass on the table next to her as she sighed. "I think that there's room for you here, next to me. This chair is a bit oversized, after all," she said as she scooted over to make a spot for him. He gave her a warm smile as he did just that, and Erin squeaked a little bit when he pulled her into his lap with his free arm before leaning in to kiss her deeply.
"I know that you don't understand this need in us, but it feels like Emily is still with us."
"Maybe she is."
She knew that the alcohol may have loosened her tongue a little more than healthy, and she felt David's arm tighten around her waist as she turned her head to look into his face. "What do you know, Erin?"
"Nothing. I'm just putting that thought out there. Maybe things happened to protect her, and maybe you think that same way. There's nothing concrete to prove our thoughts, but it might be there?"
He frowned a little, clearly not buying her explanation. "I have felt like Hotch was keeping something from us at the hospital, but I chalked it up to all our emotions running high. You aren't keeping anything from me, are you, Erin?"
She pursed her lips a little before reaching out for his hand, clasping it as she took a deep breath. "I don't want to lie to you, so I would ask that you please not ask me to answer that question. There is more at risk than our relationship if you were to find me in a lie. You trusted me enough to take care of me after everything went to hell in my life. I know, this isn't the answer that you wanted to hear, but please, trust me."
He nodded before leaning in and kissing her. "You haven't really given me cause not to in the past, so if this is as serious as you're intimating, I suppose that I have to hold tightly to that trust until it's the right time."
"Thank you, darling. I don't like holding things back from you, and the truth will come home when the time is right." She kissed him softly before closing her arms around his neck and burying her face in his hair, feeling like she was close to tears.
"Let's head to bed, stellina. It's been a rough week for us all," David whispered in her ear and she gave a small nod before tightening her hold around his neck. "If I drop you while carrying you upstairs, Helen will have my neck, you realise."
Erin giggled before gasping a little as he got to his feet, his grip never slackening as he began to head for the door. "Here, let me adjust how I'm in your arms before I truly do fall." He paused in the doorway, and Erin carefully turned into him a little more, adjusting her hold on his neck so that she wouldn't choke him as they continued on their way upstairs. Somehow, he managed to get them into their bedroom without stumbling, and she felt her love for him grow a little more as he went over to their dresser and pulled out nightwear. "Are you going to undress me, David?"
"Yes, and then we are going to sleep. Much though I would love to have sex tonight, I know that I am too tired for that to happen. I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry for, darling." Leaning forward, she smiled tiredly as his hands began to make short work of the buttons on her blouse. While he was occupied with that, Erin followed suit, easily slipping the buttons on his shirt from their holes before pushing it from his shoulders and rising to her feet to allow him to undo the zip on her skirt before tugging her hose down her legs. "If you hadn't already brought my pyjamas over here, I would have said that we could sleep like this," she murmured after pushing his pants to the floor.
"I can leave them on the trunk, if we get early morning visitors."
"I like the way you think, darling," she replied as she unhooked her bra and added it to the pile of clothes that he had picked up. "I'll wait for you here."
Chuckling, David leaned in and kissed her softly before he disappeared into the master bathroom to take care of their clothing. Sighing, Erin crawled beneath the covers before turning onto her side to stare at his spot. It was going to take all her political maneuvering skills to talk the Director into bringing Aaron home. But if the others were truly as close to cornering Ian Doyle as David had intimated, then it was truly time for him to be back, and she would do anything in her power to ensure that happened.
