Chapter Text
Christmas time at the FBI was less than impressive.
They never did much, and family time was important, so a lot of the agents took the few days off that they got and spent it with their family. For those that had no one, or would rather spend it alone, the FBI building hosted a get together for all the departments in that region, as well as any visiting agents from other areas who happened to be in town on business. Almost like a traditional Christmas office party.
Penelope Garcia loved parties, and since she had helped decorate and host the Christmas party that year, she decided to go all out.
As she stood in front of her floor length mirror adjusting her glittery hair piece that matched her tight red party dress, she smiled to herself. “Oh yeah, this is Christmas-y,” she commented out loud, smoothing down the sides of her dress, her fingers running over the stylish bumps that made up the intricate designs to the festive patterns.
***
Arriving early, she put the final touches of Christmas tinsel on the walls and arranged the sweets, paper cups, plates, and various other things that were sure to be enjoyed by her fellow agent acquaintances.
As the night trailed on, Penelope found herself becoming more and more intoxicated. She had just called things off with her now ex-boyfriend, Kevin, a week earlier. They were not on the same page, and she was no longer happy in that situation, so she did the only thing she felt was best. She ran.
“Is there someone else?” Echoed in her ears, Kevin’s jealous tone slowly fading into nothing as she downed another one of her Christmas cocktails. ‘Ruldoph’s Nose,’ she called it. It was just Vodka Cranberry with a candy cherry on top, laced with red coloured sugar around the rim. Penelope was proud of her ability to create themed drinks, although her Halloween themed ones were self-acclaimed to be The Best.
With every drink she finished, she could hear Kevin’s voice in her head get softer and softer.
“You shouldn’t drink so much.”
“Should you really wear something so revealing?”
“I don't think you should go out tonight.”
Until he faded away from her thoughts.
***
Penelope doesn’t remember much of how the rest of the night went. It was all a blur, really. She remembered bumping into a tall, sweet smelling, stocky man, wearing an eye-catching cobalt blue button up shirt with snowflake shaped patterns on it and dragging him to the closest supply closet.
She remembered pressing him against the shelving in the dark room, the door just ajar enough to illuminate his stunning brown eyes.
She remembers him mumbling something against her jaw as he planted sloppy drunken kisses against her skin.
She remembered propping her leg up, resting it on one of the lower shelves for support while she reached down for his fly to free him.
She remembers the smell of his whiskey breath, mixed with peppermint candy canes and a particular woody fragrance
She remembers it lasting over 60 seconds but under 120. But that was about it.
***
Her next coherent thought came after she awoke on her living room floor the next morning. Her body was aching from the awkward sleeping position she found herself in on the hardwood floor, and her head was pounding from the headache she had.
She felt like shit, but the hangover she got from the Christmas party wasn't the only thing she brought home with her.
***
Her period was often irregular, the stress she found herself under due to work was a big factor of that, so the fact she was 2 weeks late for her period wasn’t concerning to her. But when she started getting all the usual menstrual symptoms but no period, she made a trip down to the local pharmacist to pick up a box of pregnancy tests.
She recalled what she did at the Christmas party, she remembered the sex in the closet, but she didn’t quite connect the dots.
It wasn’t until she was staring at the two little very pink lines on the white pregnancy test that it started to sink in.
“Oh, fuck,” she said out loud to no one but the four walls of her bathroom.
A child was clearly not in her 5 year plan, but she wasn't exactly upset about it. Sure, it wasn’t going to be easy, but it wasn’t the end of the world. She thought back to the Christmas party, deciding she had no intention of tracking the guy down and springing this information on to him. He was a visiting agent after all, and she had no idea of how to go about finding his name or tracking him down. She knew she could do it, sure. She could do anything. But she didn’t want to. What if she found out the guy had a family back wherever home was already? What if he wanted her to move out to be with him? No. She was better off not telling him. Her baby would be better. She knew things would be easier with a partner by her side, but she also knew she’d never harbor any ill-will against the guy. It wasn’t his fault.
Besides, it wasn’t like she would be doing this alone, she knew she had such a great support system through her work friends. She knew they will support her through this.
She was going to raise that baby on her own, with some help from her friends, but it would just be her and her baby bean, and they're going to be happy.
***
Penelope was terrified. During her 8 week scan all these horrible thoughts start rushing through her head.
What if something goes wrong?
What if she's not fit to be a mother?
What if her baby hates her?
What if her body betrays her and she fails to feed her baby?
Will she still be able to continue working at the BAU?
Will she be able to afford the life this baby deserves?
What if she's not enough ?
All her troubles melt away the moment she sees the little silhouette of her baby on the monitor.
“Here we go, I know it's not much right now, but there’s your little baby!” The nurse maneuvered the gelled up instrument around Penelope's belly.
“There’s the head, and the spine and the body, I’d estimate the due date to be around late August, early September.”
Penelope smiled. She knew for a fact no one else could have gotten her pregnant at any other time other than that christmas party, but for a moment she feared it could have been Kevin’s, that in some way they were both so careless at the end of their relationship that he got her pregnant before the break up. That would have crushed Penelope, to be trapped in a loveless relationship with a man who wasn’t even that good a fit for her. It would have shattered her soul. But, based on what the nurse said, she was confident that it was indeed at the christmas party. For extra reassurance she asked anyway..
“Can you tell exactly when I conceived?” Penelope asked, almost embarrassed. She didn't want to be judged for seemingly being promiscuous.
With a soft smile, the nurse nodded.
“That depends on when your last period was. But according to your charts you said it was november?”
“Yeah, that's right.”
“Then I’d place it anywhere between the 20th to the 27th of December as a possible conception date.”
Penelope smiled widely as she breathes out a sigh of relief.
SHe wiped her brow. “Oh, thank God.”
As the nurse handed her some wet wipes to clean off the sticky gel from her belly, she smiled to herself.
The fact that she’d rather it be a random stranger than her ex-boyfriend was really quite telling. However, she was happy with this. She was having a baby. She was going to be a mother. She could not wait to meet him them, she doesn't even know if she was hoping for a boy or a girl, she just knew she wanted her baby to be happy and healthy.
Penelope didn't know how to tell the team, or even when a good time for that conversation to happen would be, but she knew that she was going to have a baby, and she could already feel all the love in the world for that little one.
—
In her quest to find a perfect time to tell the team, months elapsed before she did, and the next thing she knew, she was five months pregnant.
She was beyond excited to see her baby again, plus, that time she was going to find out what she was having.
She was so much more confident walking into the room and popping herself on the reclining chair, pulling her shirt up right away
The nurse chuckled a little “Someone’s eager”
“I get to find out what I’m having today! Which means I get to start shopping for clothes!” She paused before speaking again and clarified. “Not that I believe in gendered clothes!”
The nurse giggled and prepared the machine. “It’s okay, I understand. It must be such an exciting time for you!”
As the nurse moved the instrument around, Penelope eagerly watched the screen, hoping to work it out before she was even told
“So, you want to know, right?” The nurse lightly teased.
“Yes!” Penelope almost squealed.
“Congratulations, Mumma, looks like you’re having a little boy.”
Penelope felt the tears forming in her eyes. The smile on he face could not possibly get any wider
“A boy? I’m having a boy? Oh my god, is he healthy? Is he okay? Is he growing?”
The nurse smiled a little “I'm not allowed to interpret the results, all I can do is tell you what I just did. I'll send the scans to your GP, and they can discuss it with you. Would you like a copy to take home?” She offered, removing the stick from her belly.
“Please.”
Penelope stared at the little printed out scan, running her thumb along the outline of her baby’s bean-like shape while her other hand rested on her belly.
“I cannot wait to meet you little one. You are so loved”
She decides now was a good time to break the news to the team
It made sense to Penelope to tell them now, she was only just started to show. She decided on her way to work the following day that she was going to tell them right away.
She power shuffled to the briefing room in her Converse flats and barged in the door, slightly out of breath
“Hi! Hey, so, uh before you all jet off, I have an announcement.”
The team looked up at her, looks of concern plastered across their faces.
“Everything okay, Momma?” Derek Morgan speaks up, using one of the many affectionate pet names he had for his co-worker
Penelope was never one to pass up the opportunity to snatch up a perfectly laid out segue.
“Ha, funny you say that. I just got back from the clinic from my sonogram appointment, I’m actually pregnant.” Penelope could not hide the smile on her face, she was positively beaming.
JJ chimed in. “I’m sorry, what? It sounded like you just said you were pregnant?”
“No, no you heard right,” Penelope confirmed, pressing her hands to her belly with a big grin.
“What?” Derek choked out. To say he was shocked would be an understatement. “I didn’t even know you were seeing someone?”
“Well I’m not, and it's a long story that I won’t get into, but yes. I’m pregnant.”
JJ was the first to jump up and wrap her arms around her friend, offering her a big hug “Your face says it all Penelope. We’re all so happy for you!”
“I guess that explains the lack of heels lately,” Spencer observed, which caused people to chuckle.
“How far along are you?” David Rossi questioned.
“Half way, I’m due in September”
“You’re five months pregnant and you never said anything!?” JJ shouted before covering her mouth to calm herself down.
“Wait, is it Kevin’s?” Derek felt his heart sink. He understood more than anyone else there just how much Penelope was struggling towards the end of her and Kevin’s relationship.
“No, thankfully not,” Penelope giggled, rubbing her hand on her belly
“What are you having?” Spencer asked.
“A baby boy! I still haven't settled on a name though, but I have time. Anyway! We can discuss this further upon your triumphant return. Safe travels, my beautiful crime fighters!”
Aaron Hotchener would be the last to leave, but before he did, he turned his body to face Penelope, his arms folded in front of him. “You could have told me, you know.”
“When was the right time? So much has happened to this team in the last 12 months, you lost…” She trails off. “ well, now that it’s just you and Jack, it felt wrong to bring up something that makes me so happy..”
“Garcia.” His voice soft and delicate. “Your happiness does not stop just because others are struggling, Garcia. This job makes it hard to see the good things in life, but everyday you remind me, remind us that there is good, and now you’re going to bring even more good into this world. Don’t ever be scared to share your happiness ever again.” He smiled softly. “That’s an order” he added, causing Penelope to giggle a little.
As her began to head out the door, Penelope calls out to him
“Hey! Since we’re going to be single parents of boys, maybe we could organise playdates together?”
This causes Aaron to chuckle with a soft smile
“Consider it done”