"Mom! Jack and I are going outside to play!" Henry shouted as he ran past her and Erin, his snow pants making a whisking sound as he went. Erin laughed lightly and JJ smiled at her, reaching out to tweak her nose.

"What was that for?" she asked, smiling.

"You being adorable. Thank you for letting Jack stay over last night, even though it is so close to Christmas. I thought it would be best to give Hotch and Beth a little bit of alone time before the baby arrives."

Erin sighed, rubbing her arms briskly as she stared into the fire. "Well, with the way it's snowing, Jack might not get home tonight, either. I hope she doesn't go into labor."

"That would be a true disaster, wouldn't it?" JJ snuggled closer to her lover and rested her head on her shoulder. "But, since we've no place to go, I say, let it snow!"

"You, my lovely one, are incorrigible." Erin turned to kiss the top of her head, nestling her arm around JJ's shoulders. "Are you sure Will doesn't mind that we have Henry this Christmas? I know he was upset about Thanksgiving getting messed up like that."

"He's fine with it. He and Gina are going to spend the holiday with her parents and then celebrate with Hen on the sixth. He felt our second Christmas together should be as a family." Erin nodded, her eyes sparkling with tears. JJ leaned in and kissed her sweetly.

"I can't believe we've lasted this long, honestly. Does that make me a bad girlfriend?"

"No, Erin, it makes you realistic. After the way Rossi treated you, I would be leery, too. But I hope that we've proved to be faithful."

Erin cocked her head to one side, a gentle smile on her lips. "You have, and I've loved taking Henry on outings and watching him grow into a fine young man. It's hard to believe he's seven already."

JJ bobbed her head in agreement. "Your early retirement has been a blessing in that regard. I just wish it hadn't been because of what we share." She thought back to that awful moment Erin had been called up to the Director's office, only to return not ten minutes later, her eyes red-rimmed from crying.

"That's how life goes sometimes. You have to take the bitter with the sweet. And you are very sweet, my dear one." Erin kissed her once more and tugged JJ up. "Let's go out and check on our son and his friend."
JJ felt a warm glow build in the pit of her stomach at the words Erin said. It had taken two years to finally get her to refer to them as a family, to consider Henry hers. "Have I told you that I love you?"

"Not this afternoon," she replied as she slung an arm around her waist and began to lead her out to the hallway. The phone rang just as they were reaching into the closet to grab their coats and Erin groaned. "Who could possibly be calling?"

"I'll get it, you put on your coat." Erin nodded and JJ went over to the end table, picking up the receiver and holding it up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, Jayje. So, it looks like we're going to be parents again, possibly tonight, most likely tomorrow. Could you keep Jack one more night?" She met Erin's eyes and smiled ruefully. "And bring over some of his presents just in case we're in the hospital longer than we expect. I know Haley's labor was relatively short, but we could be here for a day or more, I guess."
She giggled a little and nodded at Erin. "We can do that. Would you mind if Jack got to open those gifts tonight?"

"I suppose that would be okay. It's close enough to Christmas." JJ smiled and let out a soft sigh. "But I need to get going now. I'll call you with updates."

"Sounds like a plan Hotch. Talk to you later." She hung up and saw that Erin was smiling ruefully at her. "Looks like that baby is coming now. Hotch wants us to keep Jack until Beth has the baby. And we're supposed to go over to his house and pick out a few presents for him to open tonight."

"Well, what are we waiting for, then? I'll round up the boys, you get the car warmed up." Erin leaned in a kissed JJ, burying a hand in her hair as she held her close. "That is going to have to last us until tonight."

"Is that so? Well, then, give me one second to taste you a little more fully." Quickly, JJ skated a hand underneath Erin's sweater and cupped one of her breasts, thumbing the nipple to hardness before pinching and tugging on it gently. Erin groaned lowly and leaned into her, letting JJ suck and bite on her neck. "Until tonight," she said lowly, pushing Erin away from her.

"That is so not fair, Jenny."

"But it just sharpens your hunger for the evening to come." She winked at her lover and saw her blush as she pulled her coat closed. Erin sashayed past her, hips swaying, and JJ had to struggle not to follow after her and drag her to the downstairs bathroom to fuck her senseless.

JJ buttoned her coat instead and picked up her keys, going out to the Lexus and starting it, turning on the heated seat on Erin's side, knowing how quickly she got cold. It only took a few minutes for the boys and her lover to join her and she smiled at her son in the rearview mirror. "JJ, why is Beth having the baby now? This is going to ruin Christmas! I wanted it to be just us three this year again. Couldn't Michelle have waited a little longer?"

"No, sweetie. Nature decrees when things like this will happen and this was her time to come. Try to look at her as a wonderful Christmas present. And now you'll have a little sister to protect and love."

Jack pouted a little, staring out the window at the houses. "I guess."

"Remember, I also told you that you get to pick out a few presents to open tonight with us," Erin said gently. "And while I know we're not exactly family, you're Henry's best friend and we think of you like family. So, it will be wonderful to celebrate this blessed season with you."

This seemed to mollify Jack a little and he chattered away with Henry on the drive over to his house. Erin ushered them inside and while she took the boys into the living room to pick out a few presents for Jack, JJ went up and grabbed some more clothes for him. The task didn't take very long and she met them at the door. "Are we ready to head back?"

"Yes, Mom," Henry replied, holding tightly to Erin's hand. They trooped out together and Jack surprised her by taking the passenger seat this time instead of Erin. Her lover shrugged and slid in next to Henry, carefully setting the packages between them. "Erin, would you mind if I called you Mom, too?"

JJ and Erin met eyes in the rearview mirror and she saw the tears that were quickly pooling in her eyes. Nodding, she saw Erin smile in return and then nod back. "That would be fine, Hen. I'd rather like that."

JJ had a hard time trying to keep from crying while she drove home, so touched by her son's sweetness. The boys tumbled out and took to playing in the snow once more while she and Erin carried in the gifts and things. Since Jack had picked out three gifts to open that night, JJ also chose three gifts for Henry to open and then picked out a special one for Erin.

"Let's start supper, Jenny," she heard her lover whisper in her ear as she came up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist.

"I was thinking pot pie?"

"Sounds absolutely delicious. Good thing I was on that same train of thought." They went into the kitchen and got down to business making the dish. Once it was in the oven, JJ boosted herself up onto the counter and watched Erin rinse out the dishes before putting them in the washer. "So, are we going to open up any gifts early?"
"Well, there is one that I have picked, specially for you. Is there anything that you want me to open tonight?"

"Me," her lover answered softly and JJ frowned a little. "I want you to hear a few things about me that I haven't told you before, after the boys go to bed. I want to begin a new chapter tonight, one that lasts forever."

It was the first time that she had ever spoken like that, and JJ slipped off the counter to wrap her arms around Erin, holding her close. "I love you."

"Just as I love you." Erin turned her head and kissed JJ's cheek before rubbing her nose against her shoulder. "I love you. Despite what Blake tried to pull, despite how Morgan and Will reacted, despite every obstacle that life has thrown at us, I love you more today than I ever thought possible. I'm so glad that my kids warmed up to you, too."

"That's what I was worried about, honestly." Erin pulled back so that she could look at JJ, reaching up to rest her hand against her face.

"But once they met me and saw how over the top happy we were, they came to accept us together." Erin leaned in and kissed her quickly.

"And everyone is coming here Christmas Day for supper." JJ sighed with domestic bliss. "Even my mom and brother." Erin stiffened a little and JJ laughed. "You've talked to them before, now you get to meet them. This will be perfect."

"I'm going to trust you on this one, Jenny." They went into the living room and cuddled up together on the sofa to watch television. Soon, the boys joined them, Henry snuggling in between them, resting his head on Erin's chest. "You are really cold, Henry. Do you want me to build up the fire?"

"No, Mom. I'll warm up soon enough. Just don't move, okay?" Erin nodded and JJ felt herself grin widely. The buzzer on the oven went off thirty minutes later and they all trooped out to the kitchen. JJ had the boys set the table while Erin pulled the potpie out, setting it on the table. "So, after we do the dishes, we can open presents, right? I know that you and Mom picked out some for me to open, too."

His winning grin reminded JJ so much of Will in that moment, and she reached out to ruffle his hair. "Yes, we'll open the presents after dishes are done."

"Yes!" both boys exclaimed and Erin laughed. JJ was still growing used to the rich sound of her lover's laugh, since it came so infrequently still. They hurriedly ate and then helped Erin stuff the dishes in the washer, turning it on and then running out to the living room.

"I suppose we should follow them before they tear into everything," she said, holding her hand out to Erin. She clasped it and they joined the boys. They were sitting on the floor in front of the sofa, expectant smiles on their faces. "Now, I know it's only December twenty-third, which is why you're opening only three gifts each. Hopefully, if Beth has the baby tonight, they'll be released on Christmas and you can celebrate together."

"I know, JJ," Jack said, picking up one of his gifts and shaking it. "Can we open them now?"

She nodded and the boys tore into the gifts, having them open in mere minutes. "We're going up to my room to play now, Mom!"

"All right, Hen. Have fun, and no later to bed than midnight. Erin and I are going to have private time this evening, so unless something disastrous happens, don't disturb us." They nodded and took off once more. Erin sighed as she settled back in the sofa, holding a small box in her hands. "Is that for me?"

"Of course it is, Jennifer. Here." She handed it over and JJ unwrapped it quickly, taking the lid off the box to reveal a small key on a chain.

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

"This is the key to my heart. With it, I open myself to you and any question you ask, I will answer." There were tears shining in her lover's eyes, and JJ leaned forward and kissed her sweetly. "And it looks like you have something for me."

"I do." JJ handed over a similarly small box to Erin and felt her stomach knot up a little as she methodically took the paper off. The gasp that erupted from her lips had JJ staring at her lips, taking in the small smile that now resided there. "So, if you're going to answer all my questions, answer me this one. Erin, will you marry me?"

"Yes." Her reply was whispered, low, and JJ felt her heart lift. "Yes. Oh, God, yes." She slipped the ring on her finger and then fell into JJ's open arms, letting her hug her tightly. "Is this why everyone is coming here for Christmas and why Will wasn't upset about anything?"

"Maybe. Maybe he just pointed out how I couldn't live without you and how I should make it official. Are you ready to head upstairs now?" she asked as she slipped her necklace on, tucking it underneath her sweater.

"I am." They stood up and made their way upstairs to their bedroom, stealing kisses along the way. Henry and Jack peeked out of his room, grinning at them. JJ gave them a thumb's up and Henry nodded excitedly, pulling his friend back in the room, closing the door quietly.

As JJ shut the door to their room, Erin made her way over to the bed, pulling her sweater off. JJ joined her, and soon their clothes were in a pile on the floor, and JJ was kissing Erin all over her body. "You are mine, forever and always," she murmured against Erin's stomach, loving the soft feel of her skin beneath her lips.

Somehow, they tumbled back on the bed and she was nestling a leg between Erin's legs. JJ could feel how wet her lover was already and she groaned lowly against her lips. "I need you to give me release, Jenny. Please," she whimpered, grinding against her leg.

"All right, Erin," she crooned, slipping her thumb between her folds and quickly stroking her clit as they kissed. The orgasm that tore through her lover's body triggered her own and they collapsed back on the bed, JJ on top, stroking Erin's hair. "So, what do you want to tell me about you?" she asked breathlessly.

"There's still a part of me that loves Dave." The words were hesitant, as if she was afraid that JJ would reject her right then and there.

"And there's still a part of me that loves Will. I'm not in love with him anymore, though. Are you?"

"No," was the quick reply and JJ smiled as she kissed her sweetly. "No, I am completely in love with you and only you." She reached down and pulled the sheet up over them. "So, since tonight is about revelations, I think I owe it to you to let you know why I didn't fight very hard to keep the State Department from taking you."

"That's water under the bridge, Erin…"

"Be that as it may, I still want you to know that the reason I let you go is because I had a highly inappropriate crush on you. You were so beautiful and smart and loving and I couldn't reconcile that with how I was supposed to regard you. So, I let you go, hoping that would end the infatuation. And then Dave stepped in and filled the hole that you had left behind. He helped me claw my way back to the top, and yet, when you broke things off with Will, I knew that crush wasn't completely gone."

JJ's heart melted at the tender admission and she bundled Erin up in a tight hug. "You've had it bad for me for that long? I had no idea."

"And I tried to keep it that way, until Penelope asked me to go out on a girl's night with you two and we got up to sing…"

"Holding Out For a Hero! Yes! I think PG knew there was something there on your end, because she kept nudging me towards you. Our first kiss was what, three days later?"

"Uh huh. And I knew then that there would be no turning back for me." Erin kissed her gently and then wrapped her arm around JJ's waist. "I love this family that we've created, Jenny. I love that you let me call you Jenny. I love feeling this happy and knowing that there's not going to be a skeleton popping out of our closets to disrupt things. I know we argue…" She blushed a little, obviously thinking of their last one, which had resulted in some rather creative make up sex in JJ's office. "But we always, always, make certain that we don't go to bed angry. Alan and I never did that, David and I never did. Only you have cared enough to make sure that we settle everything before our eyes close on the day."

"Mom taught me that. That you have to work at your life together to make it beautiful. And that is what we have, something achingly beautiful." Erin nodded as she began to cry. JJ wiped the tears away, letting her lover bury her face in her hair as she rubbed her back. "And we are going to face our future together, I promise. Happy Christmas, my love, and welcome home."

"All the way home," she murmured through a yawn, her eyes fluttering closed. Soon, the sounds of her breathing had evened out and JJ smiled, letting sleep claim her as well, knowing that everything would be fine as they began this new chapter of their relationship.