L A Y L A ' S   P O V

Derek and I are standing on our front porch in the middle of what some might call an argument, but we like to call it a work related discussion.

In order to maintain some sort of work life balance we make sure to never discuss anything work related in the house because that is our one place we can get away from it all. So unfortunately for us it leaves us standing on our porch three nights a week when we can't seem to reach a conclusion on whatever it is we're talking about because once that key turns in the lock all work discussions are on standby until we step outside tomorrow morning. It keeps us sane.

Derek sighs. "Agree to disagree?"

I don't agree because I'm right, but I'm also hungry. So I nod. "Yeah. Let's go inside."

And just like that, the switch in our brains is turned off and all I can think about is getting something to eat, cuddling up on the couch, watching something that takes absolutely no energy to focus on and falling asleep on Derek's chest. My ideal Friday night.

"What are you thinking for dinner?" Derek asks, throwing his keys down on the entry way table.

"I don't know," I say kicking off my shoes. We've been so busy I don't remember the last time we went grocery shopping. "Do we even have anyth—"

Derek and I both freeze in the middle of the hallway when a strange noise comes from the kitchen. Our eyes meet in a split second of panic before protection mode kicks in and his body immediately covers mine, shielding me.

"Fuck," I whisper when he pulls out his gun, aiming it at the kitchen door. I didn't really anticipate getting burgled tonight. Silly me. "I left mine in the office."

As Derek inches towards the kitchen I stay close behind him, eyes scanning the area. Nothing looks out of place. Our eyes meet again and on a silent count to three Derek pushes open the door, barrelling into the kitchen.

The gun is pointing at... all of our family and friends.

"Surprise!"

The faces that were supposed to be joyous of the whole team and their kids, Derek's mom and sisters, my dad, Adam and Violet turn to horror as the celebratory confetti cannons go off.

"What the fuck," The sigh of relief is audible as Derek tucks his gun away. He looks like he doesn't know whether to yell or laugh. "You can't do that to us!"

"You said you didn't want a party, what did you want us to do?" Penelope asked, bewildered. "Not celebrate you guys getting engaged?"

"No, we wanted you to break into our house obviously." Derek's mom is the first one I reach so I greet her with a huge hug.

"Wait.. how did you guys get here before us?" Derek asks, and I have to say I'm curious too. Obviously our family flew in but we were literally just with the team at the office and left at basically the same time.

Emily winces behind her wine glass. "There may be several speeding tickets coming in the mail that Hotch needs to find a way to wave."

Hotch raise one finger slightly. "I did not agree to that part of the plan."

Food is passed around, the champagne is popped and our celebration begins. Derek's first order of business is to bring my dad on a tour of the house. As they disappear into the living room I can already hear the rough plan of my dad trying to con Derek into renoing his kitchen.

Derek's mom and sisters have been here before so they forgo the tour and huddle around me to see the ring instead.

Derek and I kept the engagement to ourselves for a day and since they all live in Chicago, we had to tell our family over the phone. Which is not ideal, but their reactions did not disappoint. All of the love and happiness that they poured into us on those phone calls could make me cry thinking about it.

My dad's most important question was how Derek's conversion to Judaism is coming along.

We went over to Averie and Spencer's house early Monday morning to tell them. Spencer couldn't have looked prouder, Aidan was so genuinely excited when we explained that now he is going to actually be related to his uncle Derek, and Averie, who is going through a very emotional last stage in her pregnancy could barely get a word out through her overjoyed sobs.

We told the team when we got to the office Monday morning and we were met with hugs and congratulations all around. Penelope was in her office when we told everyone so we went straight to tell her next. I opened her door, flashed her the ring and several eardrums were burst.. all the way down to the first floor. Needless to say, she's excited for us.

She has also agreed to be my very detailed wedding planner. I walked into her office yesterday and she had spreadsheets upon spreadsheets of venues, caterers and florists and still, I have no idea where to start.

When Derek gets back from his tour Spencer catches his attention immediately and he grins, placing a bag into Derek's hands. "I got you a gift. I hope you love it."

Derek opens the bag and he pulls out a sweatshirt. He holds it up, breaking into a fit of laughter as he reads. He flips it around for us to see printed across the chest is 'Layla's bitch'.

"I love it," He smiles, immediately pulling it on. He's not joking. I've never seen him look so proud to be wearing anything. "Thank you."

We all eat some more, have some more champagne and have a good laugh when Aidan, Jack and Henry rope Derek into a game of Simon says. I can't say my heart doesn't melt a little each time he 'loses'. He's so good with them.

"Hey," Derek says, catching me in a rare alone moment in the kitchen. He presses a kiss to my cheek, slightly out of breath. Simon just said do one hundred jumping jacks. "You okay?"

"I'm good," I smile and yes, he's still wearing the sweatshirt. "But I can't take you seriously wearing that."

"I love it..I might get one for everyday of the week," He teases, giving me a spin. "Or one in every colour."

"Do you have any teas?" Derek's mom asks us as she approaches.

"Done with the champagne already?" I ask, opening up our mug cabinet.

"Two glasses is my limit." She smiles in thanks when I pass her a mug. "You'll understand when you hit your..forties."

"Forties?" Derek all but bursts out laughing. "Mom you... look just as beautiful and young as ever."

"Nice save." Half amused, half unimpressed Fran mutters.

Derek gets the boxes of tea down from the top shelf for her just as three little menaces appear at Derek's feet, tapping his leg to get his attention.

"Can we play duck duck goose next?"

"Okay," Derek says as he disappears into the living room with them in tow. "But only if I get to be the goose."

"Layla can I ask you something?" Derek's mom asks, delicately dipping her tea bag into the mug of hot water.

"You want me to ask them can you be the goose?"

"Maybe next time," Her laugh warms my heart. "I was wondering if it's something you would be comfortable with.." Her gentle touch lands on my arm and soft eyes meet mine. "I would really love to go with you to pick out your wedding dress."

Since my mom passed away I haven't had very many older female figures to look up to, especially coming into my adult years. So when I met Derek's mom I didn't want to force a connection, or even know how to start one. But ever since she found out about me and met me, which happened to be the same day thanks to Derek, she has never failed to make an effort to encourage our relationship.

She calls me at least twice a week, sometimes just to ask how my day has been and more often than not she will ask if Derek is being good to me and I know for a fact that if my answer was ever anything other than 'he's a saint' she would be on the first flight here to help me kick his ass.

I can't count how many times I've picked up my phone to call her for her advice before going to google. I now know that my dark laundry should be washed in cold water to avoid fading and to never use metal utensils on a non stick pan. I don't even want to admit how many pans I ruined before she let me in on that secret.

She's the closest thing I have to a mom and I'm so grateful she sees me as one of her own.

"That's not even a question, Fran." I say, smiling softly. "Of course you are coming with me."

-

The good thing about having friends and family with kids mean that parties get cut short because of bedtime. Which I'm grateful for because it's past my bedtime too.

Adam and Violet left the baby in Chicago with her parents so they've gone out to explore the city and Derek's sisters took them up on their offer to join them.

Derek's mom went to bed a while ago and Derek wasn't too far behind her which leaves me and my dad eating left over pizza in the kitchen.

"Do you think you guys will ever move home?"

"Not right now." Derek and I have talked about maybe considering moving back to Chicago in the future, but for now we're happy here. "Would you ever move down here?"

To my dismay, he shakes his head. Despite the fact that he was born there, built his whole life, works and another than a vacation he's practically never left Chicago, all I'm hearing is that he can't leave because my brother lives there too.

My eyes narrow teasingly. "So Adam is more important to you than me?"

"Adam?" He laughs. "Yeah, right." An eyebrow arches, showing me just how serious he is. "I can't leave my granddaughter. She worships me, Layla. It may or may not be because I give her cookies but that's not important."

My laugh is instant. "Do Adam and Violet know you give her cookies?"

"Sure. Let's go with that." Nodding, his shoulders shrug. "Layla, I have something to give you."

"You do?" My eyes close instinctively and I hold out my hands, bringing some humour to the sudden shift in atmosphere. "Is it a cookie?"

Disappointed is an understatement when I open my eyes to find an envelope placed over my palms and not a sweet treat.

Ripping it open, my confusion only grows when out of the envelope falls a cheque with a tremendous amount of money on it, made out to me.

I lift my eyes back up to my dad. "What is this?"

"Half of your mom's life insurance. Adam got the other half."

I was barely a teenager when she died so of course I didn't ask or know anything about life insurance and as I grew older I never asked because it was never important. I have been very fortunate my whole life to grow up never having had any financial struggles. Dad always made more than enough to support us all even after my mom passed, so it would make sense that he would have never had to use this money.

"Adam got his half when he was getting married because I was under strict instructions from your mom to not give you guys that money until I felt you were settled, I guess." He says, prompting me to look up at him. I can't even believe that this is real, but it is and it's in my hands. "She wanted to be able to help you get a house or invest it in your future.." He levels me with a pointed stare. "Not piss it away on designer high heels."

"That was one time!" I say defensively. Silly sixteen year old me didn't know my dad could trace exactly where his credit card transactions came from. "You need to let that go."

He laughs lightly, pulling me into a hug and presses a kiss to the crown of my head. "So, what do you think you'll do with it?"

"I don't know," I say honestly. "Pay off the house? Pay for our wedding?" I'm assuming that's what Adam did with his half, their beautiful house in the Chicago suburbs is to show for that. "I'll have to talk to Derek about it."

"Or you could spend it all on shoes," He shrugs, leaning back against the kitchen countertop. "How would she know?"

I'm well accustomed to my father's dark sense of humour by now, but the odd time he does catch me off guard. I whack his arm. "Dad.."

"You have to laugh, sweetheart," He's smiling but there's still an underlying hurt behind his eyes that I wish I could take away. He's quiet for a minute, then eventually comes out with, "I personally vote for a sports car."

I have to laugh, swiping a fake tear from underneath my eye. "It's just what she would have wanted."

"I'm going to go to bed," my dad squeezes me tight, pressing another kiss to the top of my head. "Good night, sweetheart."

I'm not that far behind him, but I can't say I don't stay in the kitchen for a minute to take it all in. Once it sinks in that this is my reality the first thing I do is lock the cheque away in our safe because I really don't trust myself not to accidentally tear it, spontaneously light it on fire or spill a glass of water all over it.

Derek is sitting up in bed on his laptop when I get into our bedroom. "Babe," He says before I get a chance to say anything. "Look at this."

He flips the laptop around to show bid accepted written across the screen. "You got it?" I ask excitedly. Derek's been looking at this property not too far from here and it needs a lot of work, but he sees the potential. "That's great, Derek. I'm so happy."

Derek has so much passion and ambition for a lot of things but this is one of his main ones. I love the way his eyes light up when he talks about what he plans to do with the renovation. And then he says something that throws me off on my big news.

"Once I flip and sell this house we could be mortgage free by next year."

Okay.. "So if we hypothetically won the lottery you wouldn't pay off the mortgage?"

"Well, I mean yes, but as we are now there's no point," He shrugs. "We're pretty close as is."

"So again, hypothetically, what would you do with the money? Pay for our wedding?"

The only word I could use to describe the look on his face is scared. "How big is the wedding you're planning?"

I have to laugh. "I'll take that as a no."

Not realising my hypothetical theory is actually quite literal, Derek moves past my questions quickly and circles back to talking about making this house which is basically inhabitable into a home for some family someday.

And that very reason is maybe why I don't mention the cheque to him. He is always thinking of others first I think it's about time for someone to do something just for him, something he's always wanted.

I think it's time I surprise him with something and I hope I can be the one to help his dream become a reality.

-

A/N: I hope you guys liked this chapter!! I just want to say thank you for your patience with me writing this story, a lot has changed in my life this year (not in a good way lol) so trying to find time and motivation to write has been hard but I'm trying🤍 also, the camping birth chapter may be next🫶