Chapter Text
As the days inched closer and closer to her due date, the knot that Penelope could feel in her chest got tighter and tighter. It was becoming very,
very
real now.
In a matter of days, Penelope would be holding her baby boy in her arms.
She worked up to the 9-month mark, allowing four weeks to prepare herself for the massive shift that was about to happen in her life.
Penelope was beyond grateful for her friends, who helped build her baby boy’s nursery in the months leading up to his arrival.
The BAU made it a Weekend Working Bee to get Penelope's house prepped and ready.
Hotch and Derek were building the crib and carrying in the large rocking chair and drawers, courtesy of Papa Rossi. JJ, dressed in the cutest pair of overalls, was painting the walls a light blue-lilac shade.
“Have you settled on a name yet?” JJ questioned, turning her head towards the mother-to-be.
“Mhm, but I’m keeping it to myself until he’s earth-side.” Penelope smiled fondly, leaning against the door frame and rubbing her hands all around her belly, feeling for her baby boy's kicks.
“Bah, you’re the worst,” JJ joked before she turned back to the wall to continue rolling the paint roller up and down it.
Penelope giggled as she headed to the kitchen to prepare some snacks and sandwiches for her friends.
Penelope rubbed her belly as she chatted to her baby boy.
“Not long to go now, sweet boy, Mama cannot wait to meet you. I’m also very much over the swollen ankles and looking forward to the day I can wear my heels again.”
Penelope felt him kick, and her face was beaming with utmost pride.
“You are so loved, little one. It’s just going to be you and me, and a heap of Aunties and Uncles. But you will never not know love. That’s my promise to you.”
—--
In the early hours of Monday, the 6th of September, Penelope awoke to a sudden urge to pee. She felt the warmth between her legs and sighed, realising she hadn't made it out of bed before she could get to the bathroom. Then she felt a sharp, cramp-like pain through her stomach.
“Oh god, is it time?” She asked herself, reaching for her phone in the dark squinting at the time. It read 3:13 AM.
As the pain sent waves through her body, she called Derek, who she was extremely grateful had been added to her quick dial contacts.
“Baby girl, is everything okay? Is it time?”
Penelope's only reply was a deep guttural groan as she doubled over on the side of the bed.
Derek was there in an instant. He carried her to his car and raced to the hospital, holding her hand with one of his, and steering the wheel with the other.
“You squeeze it as much as you need to, all right? Don't forget to breathe.”
After what seemed like a 4-hour car ride, even with the high-speed driving of Derek Morgan, they arrived and were promptly placed in a room.
Penelope had it in her birthing plan that Derek was to be by her side the whole time, which they didn’t contest at all.
***
Penelope struggled through each contraction. When she thought there was going to be no end in sight, she turned her face to look at Derek and began to sob
“I can't do this, Derek. I’m not strong enough!”
“Hey, stop, listen to me. You are the strongest woman I know. Breathe and focus. This baby boy is ready to meet his Mama, you got this baby girl, don't give up on me, you hear me?.”
Through whimpers, screams, blood, sweat, and tears, she brought her baby boy into the world.
She waited and listened for his little cries, something to tell her that he was okay and that her body didn't hurt him in any way.
Suddenly the room erupted in tiny screams as her child got all the air he needed into his tiny lungs.
The nurses checked his vitals and ran quick tests before placing him on Penelope's chest.
“Oh my god, my baby boy, hello! Hello baby, I'm your Mama, welcome to the world. Oh, look at you! You’re so little.” She placed her finger against the palm of his tiny little hand, and his baby reflexes grasped onto her. Penelope felt fresh tears blur her vision for a moment and then roll down her cheeks. All the fear, pain, and doubt rushed off her like water.
Derek smiled so wide, his best friend had just brought life into the world, and he was beyond proud of her.
“Look at you, mama, you did it!”
“I did it… thank you, Derek, thank you.” Penelope looked down at her little boy.
“So, what’s the little guy's name?”
Penelope smiled as she looked into her son’s eyes. “Felix Emilio Garcia. Emilio, in honour of my dad. And Felix... Well, I wanted a name that meant something good, happy, fortunate, lucky… because he made me all of those things… and Felix in Latin means just that. At least, that’s what Reid told me.”
“Perfect name for a perfect boy.”
***
All of baby Felix’s tests came back normal, he was a very healthy baby boy. That was all that Penelope could have ever hoped for.
She knew that it was going to be a long journey, but she was going to make sure her son had the best life possible.
***
Penelope took 12 months off from on-site work. She spent a few months focusing on just her and her son, then picked up working from home. It wasn’t as secure as it was at Quantico, but it was enough to keep her feeling like a solid part of the team and bring in some money to make sure she had everything she and her baby boy needed.
She was dreading the day she had to go back to work. The thought of leaving Felix with someone else crushed her, but she knew she had to keep working to give him the best life possible.
She researched in great detail the best of the best childcare places to leave her baby boy with when that time came. But, for the time being, she got to watch him grow.
Penelope had a whole village behind her ready to help her at any given moment.
JJ gifted Penelope Henry’s baby clothes that he had grown out of. JJ understood how hard it was for her, being a first-time mum, but she also recognized how blessed she was to have Will by her side the whole time.
Penelope was alone, so she wanted to make sure she was able to help in any way she could.
Month one was tough, Penelope almost forgot what sleep even was, and she was terrified to let her son out of her sight. She had a small bassinet at the foot of her bed so she could be ready for her son at a moment's notice.
Felix fed well, he took to Penelope’s breast milk naturally, which was one thing Penelope was terrified of. That she wouldn't be able to nurse, that her body would betray her. But that, like a lot of Penelope's other worries, was all simply in her head.
Felix was the happiest little baby ever.
The first year of Felix’s life went by in a flash, one minute he was on his belly holding his head up and looking around at his world. Then, before she knew it, he was 9 months old, pulling himself up on the couch to stand up, taking little tiny steps towards his mum with his little arms out towards her.
She blinked and suddenly he was celebrating his first birthday with a pastel purple “Smash Cake” made by Penelope herself.
Penelope sat on the floor in front of her baby boy with the large cake between them. She was sure she snapped 400 photos as his little eyes went wide and his face crashed into the cake. Her apartment was filled with her laughter and the sound of Felix’s nomming and happy squeals as he destroyed the cake.
“Happy birthday, baby boy! I can’t believe you’re one!” Penelope smiled and looked at her son over her camera, lowering it to take in the moment.
Felix giggled and opened his mouth. “Mama!” he exclaimed. For the first. Time. Ever. He had gotten close before, but it was really just “m” sounds. That was the first time he had actually enunciated it. Penelope could feel the tears forming in her eyes.
“Yes, yes! That’s right, I’m Mama!” Her voice croaked as she let the tears fall down her cheeks. Her baby said his first word, she was over the moon.
Felix clapped his hands and giggled, smushing even more cake between his fingers. He was covered in cake and purple frosting.
Penelope pulled her baby boy into her arms and covered him in kisses before recording a small video in the hopes he’d say it again.
“Felix, Felix, baby, can you say ‘Mama’ again?”
“Mama! Maahhhh-maaaaaa”