Chapter One

Penelope sat in her lair trying to convince herself he was okay.

He had to be okay.

He was too stubborn to let a bullet take him out.

He had to be okay.

He was her Hot stuff, her baby boy, her angelfish, her best friend, the love of her life.

Wait.

No.

She couldn't go there. She couldn't let those thoughts come back. She had tried so hard to put them away, move on the best she could. He was with Savannah now, and she had Sam. They were both happily taken. Well he was, she, well she was trying her best to be because she knew Sam was a good guy and he cared about her. This is the way it had to be. She wanted him to be happy and if that meant staying his best friend and letting him be with Savannah that's the way it had to be. Besides she knew he'd never see her that way. I mean sure they played, and joked around, but that's all it was. Joking. Well on his part it was joking. Penelope knew if he ever wanted to take her up on her numerous offers she'd jump at the chance.

Loud ringing jarred her from her thoughts…

"Penelope?"

"Reid?! Reid, please tell me he's okay! I heard you all yelling at him to stop, to wait for y'all to go in together, and I know he didn't listen. I heard the shots. I heard you all yelling and calling for medics. Reid please just tell me he's okay…Reid? Reid?" Penelope rambled on, she knew she wasn't giving him a real chance to answer, but she couldn't help it she was so scared he was hurt.

"Penelope he's fine. It grazed him, but he'll be fine. I think the ass chewing Hotch gave him hurt him more than that bullet did." Reid said trying to soothe his best friend's worries. He knew how much Penelope loved Morgan, hell everyone knew, well except for Morgan. He was too blind to see she was just as crazy about him as he was her.

"Oh thank god! I was so scared. I mean I always worry about you all. You know I do. I was just so afraid that he… You tell him I'm so going to get him when he gets back here. God that man he has no clue how bad he scares me when he does this. I think my heart literally stopped for a minute there." Penelope was so relieved he was okay, but she also felt so frustrated with him for once again putting himself in unnecessary danger. She knew their jobs were dangerous, but he could've easily waited for the others to go in with him. He didn't always have to be the hero.

"I'll tell him, I'm heading in the hospital now. I'll call or have J.J. text you when we get to leave."

"Thanks Boy Genius!"

"Anytime Penelope." Reid said hanging up.

Penelope sighed. What was she going to do with this man? She loved him so much. When she thought he was hurt, her heart dropped into her stomach. She just didn't know what she'd do if she lost him. She knew it was more than just because he was her best friend. She knew it was because she loved him more than she'd ever loved anyone.

Penelope had tried ignoring it. She had tried dating Kevin after being shot. She was really trying to move on and forget these feeling, and it kind of worked, but after a while he'd wanted more. Kevin wanted marriage and a real future with her, but she knew it wouldn't be fair to marry him when her heart wasn't in it.

Then she had thought maybe they could have something, it seemed like they were getting closer after she and Kevin broke up, she was building her courage to talk to him, but then Savannah came along. She saw how serious he seemed to be about her. So when Sam asked showed interest in her and asked her out she decided to forget her silly idea's and started dating Sam.

Penelope let out a said sigh. It was just never their time.

But today she could've lost him. He could've died and he'd never known she'd been in love with him. Penelope kept thinking about how if he died, not ever knowing how she felt, how could she live with herself. But she had Sam. She knew this wasn't fair to him. Sam was a good guy. He deserved so much more than she could give him. Penelope knew what she had to do. She had to break up with Sam, and tell Derek the truth. It might change everything, but she couldn't keep living like this. And if it ruined their friendship, and working relationship then she could just request a transfer to a different unit. At least she would know she had tried.

Memorial Hospital, Jacksonville, Florida:

Derek sat on his hospital bed waiting. This was ridiculous. The bullet grazed his shoulder. It was a minor flesh wound. There was no reason for him to be sitting here. This wasn't the first time he'd been shot, and he knew it sure as hell wouldn't be the last. Unsub's loved their weapons. He heard the door open, and looked up. Reid was walking in with J.J. right behind him.

"Hey Pretty Boy, hey Jayje."

"Morgan, Garcia said she is going to get you when you get back." Reid said taking a seat in the chair by his hospital bed, J.J. sitting on his lap.

"She keeps making these promises and I'm not seeing any results." Morgan joked. He knew she was probably worried sick about him. He'd have to call her when he finally got out of here.

"You know all you'd have to do is tell her you want her and she'd be yours." J.J. said looking at him. She didn't know how someone so smart and perceptive could be so blind.

"Yeah you keep saying that and she has yet to be mine, and I've made it more than obvious I want her. Last time I checked she was still with Sam." Morgan said with a shake of his head.

"That's only because you're with Savannah. I know for a fact that the day you told her you were dating Savannah she was going to…Never mind. It's not my place." J.J. quickly shut up. She knew Garcia didn't want him to know. She was afraid it would change things. If only she knew exactly how in love with her Morgan really was. God this frustrated her. If they both weren't in relationships she'd just lock them in the damn supply closet on the tenth floor and not let them out until they had worked things out. She and Emily were honestly about to until Savannah and Sam came into the picture. And it wasn't as if she didn't like Sam and Savannah. They were okay people. It's just that she knew her best friends were made for each other and they deserved a chance at true happiness.

"No don't try that with me. What were you about to say Jayje?" Morgan said giving her a look that said this was far from over.

Thankfully at that point the nurse came in with his discharge papers. J.J. and Reid stepped outside so that they could talk. Seeing Hotch, Emily and Rossi standing not that far they decided to join them and wait for Morgan to join them so they could leave.

"You know he's not going to let that go." Reid said as they joined their team in the waiting area.

"I know. I didn't mean to let it slip, but this is driving me crazy. You know as well as I do they belong together." J.J. said getting frustrated again.

"What happen?" Emily asked hearing their conversation. Hotch and Rossi looked over as well, hearing how frustrated J.J. was getting.

"Morgan was being oblivious about Garcia's feelings for him again, and I kind of started to let it slip how she was going to tell him how she felt the day he told her he was dating Savannah." J.J. said looking at Emily, seeing Emily's understanding look. Emily had been there with J.J. when Penelope had told them she was going to tell Morgan. They were so excited thinking the time was finally going to come for them to finally get it right, only to be the ones consoling her later that night as she cried. Hotch Rossi and Reid all looked at them knowing full well how frustrating this whole back and forth thing between their friends was.

"Well how much did you say? You know he's not going to drop this now." Emily said looking to see Morgan walking out of the examination area.

"Oh I know. The flight home is going to be so much fun." J.J. said checking the time on her phone and sending Garcie a text to let her know when they'd be home.

Morgan walked up hearing the end of J.J.'s statement.

"Well you could save us all some time and just tell me what you had started to." Morgan said as they started to walk out.

"Morgan I can't it's not my place." J.J. said walking out of the hospital.

"If it's pertaining to me and my Baby Girl it's officially my business, and since you know about it, then it's obviously your place to tell me what it is." Morgan said giving his friend a smirk.

"I can't Garcie would kill me." J.J. said looking to Emily for help.

"Don't look at me. Personally I think he should've been told forever and a day go." Emily said as she climbed into the SUV to head to the air strip.