Chapter 13

AN: I left a few loose ends, so I figured I needed to close those up before I ended this completely. Sorry about that-I wish you all could read my mind. Here are the unanswered questions that I had answered in my mind, but not written! LOL Kricket

"You made it!" Penelope Garcia said, standing up to give Erin a big hug with a grin. She was bedecked in sparkling, lime green bolero jacket over a white and blue flowered dress, and had matching lime green earrings and necklace.

"I did," Erin replied with a smile.

"Hi, Kitten," Dave said, kissing Penelope's cheek.

"Can I get you two anything to drink?" Derek asked, shaking Dave's hand. "I have wine, water, Scotch?"

"White wine?" Erin asked.

Derek shook his head. "Sorry, Chief. My baby only drinks red."

"A fabulous Pinot Noir that is to die for. Come on," Pen said, looping her arm around Erin 's arm. "I'll pour you a glass and we can have girl talk."

Erin gave Dave a quick look, and was rewarded when he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.

"Hurry back."

She knew her look said that was her intention as she followed her hostess into the kitchen.

Penelope Garcia—soon to be Morgan—decided to have a small dinner party to celebrate their new engagement. It was an intimate gathering, just the team and their significants, but it was enough to be a bit daunting. It was the first private gathering Erin had gone to since she'd officially started seeing David Rossi.

"So…how are things going with my favorite super profiler and my favorite section chief?" Penelope asked out in the kitchen as she started pouring the wine.

"Good," Erin answered. "Very good."

"I am so glad," Penelope answered, turning and handing her the glass of wine. "Rossi was lost without you, you know."

She nearly choked on the sip of wine she had dared to sip. No, she hadn't known that!

"Really," she said coolly, still unused to speaking about her emotions.

Penelope's eyes glinted knowingly. "Oh, yes. He pouted around the office and was a positive Orso-" she paused and raised a brow "-That's Italian for bear."

Despite feeling bad for David feeling bad, she smiled. After all, she'd suffered, too.

"When he heard about your possible transfer, he was worse than ever. I put two and two together and snap!" She snapped her multicolored fingertips for effect, then continued, "That was it."

Erin 's heart raced. She had been worried about that transfer. She'd been hasty asking for it, and would do anything to take it back, but-

"Of course," Pen added with a shy and hopeful grin, "That is something that can stay on the back burner forever in the computer bylogs…if you'd rather stay here?"

At that point, Erin figured out exactly why her transfer was held up. It seemed her technical analyst was up to no good again.

Which was a wonderful thing.

She hugged Penelope. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Penelope said, hugging her back. She stepped away and picked up a tray of wine glasses and started towards the door, but not before she winked at Erin . "After all, I couldn't lose someone who was so downright wonderful."

Erin smiled to herself. Dave had guessed it was Penelope who left both the downright mean and downright wonderful comments. He knew his teammates well.

Erin stepped out of the kitchen and headed to David.

"Good girl talk?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her in a protective and loving gesture.

She kissed him lightly and said, "The very best."

And they headed towards the rest of the group of her new friends, ready to face her very happy future.