OK, here is my take on this prompt! In my version of events, Penelope and Hotch go as friends ( who both want more than friendship) to Will and JJ’s wedding, they start dating soon after, are engaged by Season 9 ( a bit after Route 66), get married and discover Penelope is expecting triplets soon after their honeymoon. So they move to a bigger place, get a massive car and are starting to settle in before their 3 kids are born. This was so much fun to write, and I’ve included some lore from the show that I thought made a clever « get me out of here » code… Any ideas for a title gratefully appreciated, as I struggle with those a lot!
« Sorry, Penny, I’m stuck in traffic. There’s been a massive pile-up so I’m going to have to find another way back from the university. Tell Jack I’ll be there as soon as I can. I love all 5 of you » Aaron said to his wife.
« OK, Aaron, drive carefully. Jack, the pickles and I need you back in one piece », Penelope replied, the phone tucked between her head and her shoulder, one hand cradling her ever-growing baby bump.
Being pregnant with triplets was no walk in the park, especially as an unexpected and not exactly planned first pregnancy.
At least she had a really cute outfit for the neighbourhood barbecue in their new residence. Her green dress with the white spots flowed and clung to all the right places, and she’d found cat eye glasses and a pair of ballet flats ( alas, high heels were not going to be an option for the foreseeable future, but having three babies made up for it) in a perfect matching shade of green. A white flowery heabdand and cardigan, plus a pair of diamond and pearl earrings ( a « just because » present from her lovely, handsome husband) completed the look.
Calling out to Jack as she reached the kitchen, she somehow managed to grab hold of the mac and cheese dish that was the Garcia-Hotchner contribution to the social event. Holding the dish proved a little complicated, as her nails had just been done and were longer than she usually opted for. They were painted a pearlescent white with green spots and she loved them.
Jack arrived, wearing his shoes and jacket.
« Where’s Dad? He said he’d be here! It’s not like he’s with the FBI anymore, he’s a professor, so what’s his excuse? » Jack grumbled, clearly upset at missing out on Dad time.
Penelope quickly explained the situation, whoch seemed to mollify the pre-teen.
He grabbed a bottle of soda from the fridge, as well as the house keys, and the two left the house.
Once they arrived at Sarah Jones’ residence, they made their way to the garden, where there was a group of dads milling around the grill, drinking beers and chatting as the women brought out trays of sausages, burgers, kebabs and assorted cuts of chicken for them to cook.
Penelope dropped off the mac and cheese on the nearby table, which was heaving with all sorts of salads, rolls, chips, dips and crudites. Jack placed the bottle of Coca-Cola he’d been carrying in the gigantic cooler that was under the table, before running off to play basketball with Sarah’s twin boys, Matt and Luke.
Penelope looked around, taking in the women around her, who were clustered in little groups of 4 or 5.
Her eyes met Celia’s, who was mother to Charlotte, a girl in Jack’s fifth grade class.
Penelope sighed inwardly as Celia waved at her, gesticulating for her to come and join her coven.
« Hi Penelope, glad you could make it. I think you’ve met Caro, Jen and Liz, right? », Celia asked, sipping some sort of fancy, fruity alcoholic beverage whilst simultaneously smoothing her already perfectly coiffed dark bob.
« Yes, how lovely to see you all again », Penelope lied, as she had no interest in joining their mindless chitchat about shopping, having lunch out, shopping, gossiping about other moms and their perceived failings, or whose husband they were sleeping with and shopping. She was sure she had been or still was their preferred topic of discussion, as none of them seemed to believe that she was actually married to her tall drink of water of a husband.
She participated in the conversation about the PTA, the upcoming school trip, how the lunch menu needs to be improved. She twisted her wedding and engagement rings, the diamonds, opals and pearls glinting as they caught the light.
Where on earth was Hotch?
Her thoughts were interrupted by an exuberant « Hi Dad! » from the other side of the yard. She watched Jack run to his father, who hugged him and smiled broadly at his son.
He ruffled Jack’s hair as she called out to him.
« Hi honey, over here! »
« Sorry for the delay, sweetheart, the alternate route home took forever! » he replied, before sliding his arms around her, dipping her and giving her a kiss worthy of a Hollywood movie.
« Hello ladies, thank you for keeping my wife company. Now, Penelope, let’s see if we can get you a non alcoholic version of whatever your friends are drinking » Hotch declared, his hand on Penelope’s back, before guiding her away.
The two of them ended up sitting on a bench, virgin mojito and beer in hand, watching Jack play with his friends. Aaron’s free hand was either holding his wife’s or was gently resting on her prominent belly, which he kissed tenderly.
The abandoned clique of mothers, plus anyone else in the vicinity could not help but admire the blissfully happy couple, who seemed to be in their own little bubble of not so newlywed joy.
I'm once again thinking about Gotch moving to a new neighborhood and there's a neighbors party and Penelope arrives before Aaron can get out of work so she's out there making instant-friends with everyone she meets and it's loud and funny and her hair is pink this month and she's wearing a new white and green polka dot dress with nails that look like you can't do anything with your hands wearing those but she manages and when Aaron gets there he just sees her surrounded by everyone and the people he's met in passing over the couple of weeks since they've moved there look at him and then her and go "Oh? Oh! Oh wow." because they are so different no one expects they'd be together, but they really are, and Aaron calms Penelope without silencing her and Penelope brightens the light in his eyes without pushing him too far out of his comfort zone and by the time he's got an arm around her waist and hers is looped around his neck playing with the hair at his nape, they look like they belong with each other so completely that the neighbors just, hearteyes at them.