When Erin felt the hand touch her shoulder, this time she did scream as she turned to see Penelope next to her, terror stark on her face. "Why would you do that?" she bellowed, holstering her weapon hurriedly, her hands shaking at how close she had come to hitting Penelope with the weapon. "I could have shot you! And you're supposed to be in the study, with the others!"

Penelope shrugged a little before tugging Erin into a fierce hug, pulling her over to the sidewalk before she promptly burst into tears. "I texted Jess to let her know what was going on before following after you. I couldn't allow you to face him down alone. Someone had to stand with you, and better me than Jessica."

"That was so foolish," she muttered before allowing herself to cry as well. "I didn't even get any information from his car. I failed."

"You're alive, and that's all that matters." Penelope took firm hold of her hand and led her back to the house. From there, it didn't take too long to gather in the study, and Erin smiled a little to hear Jessica telling a story to the little ones while Tabitha was reading a book. Bruce and Karen weren't there, and it was then that Erin remembered they were working that afternoon. "See, they're okay. But now we're going to do what I should have had you do the moment you came to me with your suspicions."

Erin looked at her quizzically, and Penelope gave her a short smile before leading her out of the study and into the living room. "What else can we do? I am facing a roadblock, thanks to the subcommittee denying us the proper resources to take care of this issue, and I obviously can't get the information that we need."

"You're allowing your shaken nerves to talk right now, Erin. There is another resource that we can turn to, one that works outside the lines and has the approval to do so." Erin frowned as they took a seat on the sofa, pulling a throw pillow to her chest as she stared out the window, not wanting to look at the other woman, as she didn't want to start crying once more. "Sam's team. The Red Cell team. They work outside the lines, on the margins, and push as many boundaries as they can in order to get the necessary results. Now, sit there, calm your heart as best you can, and I am going to call Prophet."

"Shouldn't you call Sam?" she quietly asked as she continued to stare outside. The beautiful day that had so enamored her earlier was now sickly bright, and she closed her eyes as she burrowed back into the sofa, awaiting Penelope's reply.

"I would, but I know that Prophet will be the one to answer first. He always answers my calls." There was a moment of silence as Penelope made the call, and Erin tried to take some calming breaths, even as her heart continued to race at the thought of being so close to John, and yet so far away. Before Penelope began to speak once more, she felt someone come up behind her, and she tipped her head back to see Jessica standing there, a pensive look on her face. Erin nodded a little as Jessica bent down and encircled her neck with her arms.

"Are you all right?" she whispered as Penelope began to speak lowly with Prophet, and Erin shrugged a little. Jessica sighed before pressing her lips to Erin's forehead. "I wish that I was trained to help you out with this, as I feel so helpless."

"You take care of my children, which allows me to focus on this. I wouldn't be able to do this without you. Here, come sit down next to me."

Jessica nodded as she did just that, fitting herself between Penelope and Erin before she reached out for Erin's hand, threading their fingers together as they waited for Penelope to end her call. "I knew that you would agree to see things my way, Prophet. Tell Sam that I'll read him into the loop more on Monday, if he'll meet me in the clean room. That's the only place safe enough to go in detail, and not have to worry about other ears overhearing things that they shouldn't. Thanks again."

After ending the call, Penelope slipped her phone into her pocket before letting out a long breath. "So, what did you get Prophet to agree to?" she asked as she allowed her head to come to rest on Jessica's shoulder, finding comfort from her presence.

"One of the team is going to watch over you. If I remember correctly, this is the first break in pattern when it comes to Curtis. Normally, he watches the house when Rossi's home, right?" Erin nodded. "Well, that's when the Red Cell team is going to watch over you and the family. Unless you'd rather them do so when he's gone?"

"I'd rather be able to do this on my own," she answered truthfully. "But if we're talking our safety, I think that having them keep watch at night, when I'm home from work, and alone with the children. I'm good with a gun, but I don't want to have to draw it when I'm around them. Even the most careful marksman can make mistakes when the adrenaline is coursing a little too high."

"I will tell Sam that on Monday. But now we're going to focus on what we were going to do this weekend, since Rossi's still away on a case. We're going to pamper you and get your mind off all this bullshit. That is, if I can wheedle with Tabitha a little in order to get her to watch the kiddos while we're doing our fun adult things."

"I think that I can be persuaded to do that, yes."

Erin looked up to see her daughter in the doorway, her eyes so infinitely sad as she came around to the front of the sofa and plopped down onto Erin's lap. "You're a little too old for that, aren't you, Tabby girl?"

"You're never too old to cuddle with your mama. Especially after a day like today. Don't worry, between Karen, Bruce, and myself, we can handle the kiddos, Jack included. We'll even take them to Elise's lesson tomorrow morning, so that you can sleep in and get some extra rest." Her daughter kissed her cheek before getting to her feet once more. "I'll even call in an order for pizza for supper. Okay?"

"Okay," Erin replied as she watched her daughter leave the room. Once she was gone, she let out a strangled sob as she turned into Jessica and buried her face in the crook of her shoulder. "I'm destroying her childhood. They shouldn't have to worry about me like this," she managed to choke out as Jessica rubbed her back softly.

"You didn't ask for Curtis to stalk you, Erin. Of course they're going to be concerned about what's happening to you, since this is the second unsub that's targeted you. But it was never your actions that led to their decisions. You are not responsible for the way that Foyet or Curtis have decided to act out on their anger and hatred. Okay?"

She knew that Penelope was right, but she still felt the heavy weight of guilt and responsibility crash down on her shoulders as she clung to Jessica, knowing that this was far from over, and yet wanting nothing more than to bring John to justice and move on from this dark chapter in her life.