A/N: By popular demand, the story goes on. Thanks for the encouragement!

Chapter 12

Keeping a Promise

Penelope

If this was a dream, she didn't want to wake up.

But it's not a dream. 'Cause if it was, I wouldn't be this sore. Garcia grinned, taking in the sight of the man lying next to her as the morning sun streamed onto his back. His dark hair was mussed up, and the serene expression on his face made him look ten years younger. So this is what you look like when you don't have a million things on your mind, she thought lovingly. If she could produce such a sweet, rested look in her surly unit chief, maybe she was a bit of a goddess, after all.

Feeling her gaze, Aaron's brown eyes fluttered. "What are you over there smiling about?" his gritty voice rumbled behind a faint smirk.

"Trying to figure out if I'm deliriously happy or just delirious," she said giddily.

"Well, if you feel anything like I do, happy has to be at least part of it," Hotch simpered, leaning in for a chaste kiss. "Although I'm not ruling out delirious."

Pretending offense, she smacked the exposed side of his head, earning a low chuckle. As if on cue, her phone alarm creened David Bowie's Let's Dance. "Ugh. Eight o'clock," Penelope groaned, flipping over to turn it off.

Behind her, Hotch sat up. "You sound disappointed. I would think you'd want me to go so you could get back to sleep." He appeasingly kissed her shoulder.

"Oh, hells no! I like you right where you are, my darling," she flirted. "But, if you'll recall, I gave us enough just enough time for me to make you breakfast, so I get to keep you around a little bit longer." Sitting up, she reached behind her to pat his leg. "Veggie omelette sound okay?"

"Sounds great. I'm starving," he admitted.

"Yeah, I guess you really worked up an appetite, huh?" she said mischievously, wiggling her brows at him. Penelope leaned towards him for a quick peck on the lips. "Okay, two veggie omelettes and some juice, coming right up – as soon as I can pry these contacts out of my eyes and wash up."

Recalling that this man had just seen, touched, and kissed every part of her body, Garcia overcame her shyness enough to slide out of bed and scurry to the adjoining bathroom. She quickly washed her face and pulled her hair out of her eyes with a headband, knowing his disdain for the pigtails. Getting her contacts out was a laborious process. She sternly reminded herself never to forget and sleep in them again. With glasses and a knee-length pink robe on, she came out and found Aaron fully dressed. It was hard not to giggle at how cute he was with his rumpled clothes and sexed-up hair. "Bathroom's yours, handsome. I'm off to the kitchen."

"Be right there," he promised.

Ten minutes later, she was scooping two fluffy omelettes onto plates for them both, while Hotch was eyeing her open laptop on the table. "Even at breakfast?" he wondered aloud.

"That's for you, silly. I pulled up the Sunday edition." She brought him a plate with a grin. "Service with a smile. That's my policy."

Clearly unused to being so taken care of, he blinked a few times. "You really do think of everything. Thanks."

"My very great pleasure. Bon appetit." She sat beside him and tried to remember to eat and not just stare. My goodness, that man is fine. She'd always thought Hotch was good-looking, but breakfast never seemed so totally unappetizing as it did when compared with that big hunk of white chocolate fudge sitting beside her.

Seemingly oblivious to her gawking, Aaron scrolled down, grazing over the headlines and absentmindedly masticating. "So, how did things go with Reid the other night?"

"Not so great. He barely talked," Penelope relayed sadly.

That got his attention. Reid was naturally a chatterbox, happy to spout out streams of information on any given topic; he only turned silent when he was deeply troubled. Hotch looked up from the online newspaper, worry evident in his expression. "I know why he's hesitant with the rest of us, but I hoped he would talk to you."

"Maybe it's just too soon," she suggested.

"Maybe." He sighed heavily. "Speaking of the team, we need to discuss how this is going to work. I assume you haven't told anyone yet."

Garcia shook her head. "Until last night, there was nothing to tell. But Rossi knows, obviously."

"He talked to you about it?" Aaron's brows shot up to his hairline.

She shrugged. "Well, yeah. I never would have known how you felt if he hadn't told me."

Her lover scoffed, then chuckled. "I should have known. I guess if Prentiss doesn't know already, she will soon."

"Why would she know?" Penelope wondered aloud.

"Let's just say we aren't the first ones in the BAU to break the fraternization rule," Aaron alluded with a smirk.

"What?" She had to pick her jaw up off the floor when she realized what he meant. "Oh my God – Rossi? No way!"

"Way," he affirmed mirthfully.

Garcia laughed out loud. "Are they serious?"

"If they're not yet, they will be," Hotch informed her. "Just between us, Dave's planning to propose before long."

"Oh my GOSH! That is so great!" she pealed, hopping up and down excitedly in her chair. "I mean, they've always been such good friends. I think they'll be really happy." Her heart overflowed with joy for them. "So, does this mean the rule about not fraternizing doesn't really matter that much?"

Hotch frowned. "The anti-fraternization policies were put in place to discourage sexual harassment," he said, as though reading from a textbook. "They can't forbid legitimate relationships or marriages, although in some cases, partners have been reassigned to other units."

Garcia frowned as she read between the lines. "So, if we were to come out and say we're dating…one of us might have to leave the BAU?"

"That's the risk," Aaron nodded solemnly. "Dave doesn't mind taking it. He's got his career as a writer and a fortune to fall back on. Worst case scenario, he goes back into retirement and comes back on a semi-regular basis to consult on cases, while Emily stays with us full-time."

As he fell quiet, her throat suddenly felt dry. "We can't say anything, can we?" she presumed.

"We can't be open about it," he slightly amended. "I don't mind JJ and Reid knowing, but if we want to keep the team together, it can't go any further than that." Hotch locked her gaze to impress the gravity of his point. "At work, we'll be the same as we've always been, and outside of work, we'll be free to pursue this. Can you live with that?"

"Of course. Whatever it takes to keep us all together," Garcia nodded readily.

"Thank you. I know it's unfair, but for now, this is the only solution." Aaron reached for her hand. "I need to go in a minute, but first I have a promise to keep."

Penelope searched her love-befuddled mind, trying to think of what that might be. "A promise?" she finally echoed, drawing a blank.

"To Jack. I told him I'd ask you a question," he explained, eyes twinkling. "Penelope, will you be my girlfriend?"

Oh! Sweet preciousness! That really was what Jack was trying to do! "I most certainly will," she beamed.

"Good." Visibly pleased, he squeezed her palm. "Well, now that it's official, what are my girlfriend's plans for the day?" he jokingly asked.

Girlfriend. Oh, I like the sound of that! In fact, she liked it so much, it was hard to sit still and refrain from letting out an excited squeal. "Play practice at six. Victims' families support group at eight-thirty," she rattled off. "And what are my boyfriend's plans?"

"Spend some quality time with his son, and hopefully the aforementioned girlfriend?" he suggested, standing.

"You know, those sound like great plans," Penelope nodded smugly, following him to the front door.

"I thought so. Come here." Hotch drew her in for another of his knee-weakening, thought-inhibiting kisses. "Lunch with Jack and me, one o'clock, at my place?"

Her head spun. Those kisses were going to take some serious getting used to – not that she minded. "Okay," she agreed breathlessly.

"Then, I'll see you in a little while. And I want to hear all about your play later. Don't forget," he winked as he left.

Forget? she thought as she surreptitiously ogled his backside walking to his car. Oh no, my Smokin' Hot-chner. I won't forget. Not one delicious fraction of a second. Ignoring the ache between her thighs, she danced all the way to the shower.

*LL*

When she got to the door of Aaron's apartment, she could smell the aroma of baked fish wafting into the hall. Jack was waiting to greet her, grinning like the cat who ate the canary. "Hi, Miss Penelope."

"Hey, Jack Rabbit. Can I come in?"

"Yes," he nodded, letting her inside.

"Thanks," Penelope nodded graciously. She closed the door behind them. "So, where's your dad?"

"In the kitchen." He turned around and called into the other room. "Daddy, your girlfriend is here!"

Garcia stifled a laugh. Obviously, Hotch had already told him.

"Come on back," he invited. "Lunch is almost ready."

Garcia strode into the small kitchen, where Aaron was taking the fish out of the oven. "Hey there."

"Hi," he murmured, chocolate eyes still shining from their morning together. It was enough to give her shivers.

"Need any help?" she asked before she could get too lost in his lover's gaze.

"Um, sure. Do you care to get the plates and forks out? And glasses for the drinks?"

"You got it. And Jack can tell me where everything is, right?"

"Uh-huh." Eager to help, the sandy-haired boy pointed to the cabinets and drawers she needed. He put the silverware on the table, giving the couple time for a quick kiss – or so they thought, until they broke and saw him hiding his eyes. "Daddy, you're gonna get cooties," he warned, shaking his head.

"I am?" Hotch grinned, winking at Garcia. "Are you sure?"

"That's what happens when you kiss a girl," Jack flatly informed him.

"Oh. Well, you know you can't catch them, right?" his father asked.

"You can't?"

"No. But they're actually not that bad."

"They're not?"

"When you get older, they're actually good for you," Hotch said wisely. "So, are you hungry?"

"Yeah." The diversion worked. Jack took a basket of bread to the table while they took the other dishes, and the three sat together to share their meal.

Hotch turned out to be a decent cook. He even mentioned that Rossi had given him a few recipes to try. Not that it's surprising, Penelope thought, savoring the fish and the perfectly steamed rice and vegetables. I'm pretty sure the man is good at everything.

The afternoon was as lighthearted as the night had been intense. At the nearest park, they took a walk and let Jack play with the other kids who were out to enjoy the sunshine. While the boy was climbing the fortress and waving down at them, Garcia felt Aaron's long fingers lace through hers and tickle her palm. They shared a smile. No words were necessary; their eyes said it all. I'm so happy. This means so much to me. I can't wait to be with you again. I'm yours, for as long as you want me. God knows I want you.

It was like being in a dream. Somehow, in less than forty-eight hours, she had totally fallen in love with this man, and every look, every word just made it that much deeper. Maybe I've loved him for ages and didn't know it, she considered now. It wasn't outside the realm of possibility. Whatever the case, any feelings she'd ever had for Kevin or even Morgan paled in comparison.

"You never told me about your play," he reminded her then, bringing them back to the real world.

"Arsenic and Old Lace. I'm Aunt Abby," Penelope informed him.

Hotch's brows raised slightly. "Should I be concerned? This is the second time you've been cast as a female unsub," he chaffed.

"Sweetheart, you are completely safe from me," she bantered. "Besides, why would I kill people when I can destroy their lives with a few clicks of my keyboard?"

"And you thought Andi Swann was terrifying," he remarked, shaking his head. "She's got nothing on you."

Garcia giggled. "Well, luckily for you, I'm on your side."

"I am lucky," Aaron replied, making her pleasantly shudder. "I've got the best technical analyst in the world on my team, and now, thanks to you, I've got cooties."

*LL*

A/N: Coming up, the team's reactions, and Morgan finds out too... As always, reviews are love, so please share!