Disclaimer: I own nothing – what a sad world it is! =(

-=-=-=-=-=-=-Chapter One-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Derek Morgan wasn't the type of man to get angry over a girl but when it came to Penelope Garcia all his usual rules didn't apply anymore. She ripped his inner being out and exposed the real Derek Morgan but lately she'd been closing off and he'd had enough. For the third time in their lives they'd both said that they loved the other in one way or another and yet she still didn't feel he needed to know that she would just be running off for God knew how long.

"You need to calm it." Emily said as she sat back with her coffee in her hands. "It's not like you're her partner or anything."

"Maybe not." He growled at her and leant forward. "She had no right to just disappear on us without an explanation."

"So what Penelope's not allowed to go off and sort herself out?"

"Not for 5 weeks she isn't!" He near enough yelled and yet Emily didn't even flinch. "She answered my call once and told me she was fine and ever since she just ignores all out calls. What if she's hurt or ill and she's hiding it from us?"

"Morgan, shut up and let her come back. She's been through too much lately. Battle, Foyet, Alaska, Kevin, she needs time to make herself be who she wants to be."

"I'm supposed to be her best friend."

"Yeah maybe so but have you ever thought that you played a part in this all too?" Derek's dace contorted then, his eyebrows knitting together in confused frustration. "She doesn't know if she's coming or going with you. I seriously don't blame her. In Alaska I could see something triggering in both of you but no it did the normal for Morgan and Garcia, it stone walled itself."

"Prentiss..." He warned.

"No, she gets shot, that should've been your big break but no she gets with Kevin, then we carry on with life and you go with Tamara, oh and what the hell was with that? Then you've nearly died a couple of times, most of which were with her on the other end of the line." Emily leant in then too, quietening her voice. "Then Haley dies, again she was listening, that should've been a moment for you to swoop in and save her from whatever took over her dreams. Then the case lately, you two seemed to be getting so much closer and you still do but something's not right. And to top it all Kevin Lynch is finally gone from the picture, been gone for a good solid 4 months, and you still don't do a thing."

"It's not like that..."

"The way I see it is that you need to man up and realise how you want that woman before she leaves for good because lately, with her going it's a cry for help."

"I don't care, we deserve an explanation and she's going to know that when she gets back."

"I really hate you and your god darn pride sometimes Derek Morgan." She said and got up in a huff, grabbing her mug as she went and going to the kitchenette.

Derek wasn't satisfied at that moment, he wanted, no demanded, answers from the one woman that affected him the most and he would get them even if he had to push for them. He thought about it, he supposed it was down to the one inkling he had held in him, that same piece of his heart that flourished at the thought at her. That part of him would remain hidden deep in the core of him. He'd been let down by her time and time again with his 'I love you's and he was done. It always got turned back on him and he was left to pick up the pieces of his love all over again.

Hotch had watched Derek over the weeks and although he knew Penelope's absence would affect them all, he had to realise that to keep Penelope on the team, he needed her to take a break. He had made her go after pressurising her to because he'd seen many a agent's bend and break and although Penelope was just a tech he still didn't want to hold out and keeping pushing her to her absolute issues. From sitting her down he'd leant more about Penelope Garcia in under an hour than he had in the entire time they'd work together.

Come the end of the 6th week and as Monday rolled by Penelope came back to work, everyone welcomed her but Derek who held his front up and kept his distance because he wanted to and because for once he wasn't going to give in so easily.

It was in this first day back that Penelope had found her break, or Sabbatical as Hotch had put it, to be a mistake. She'd hadn't lessened her problems any she had only magnified them by fleeing to the other side of the country. She'd gone to talk to Derek but he'd turned and walked away and she felt herself slip so she'd dismissed herself and gone to her post, and got on with being the best tech she could be.

When she went to get herself a bottle of water she turned into the bullpen and saw Derek making a coffee, he didn't even notice that she'd entered and as she pulled the fridge door opened she looked at him. "Do I get a hello now?" She asked in her usual chirpy tone.

"Hi Garcia." He said as he stirred the coffee, he didn't even look at her or use her last name in a friendly manner, he didn't see Penelope stiffen.

"Yo Morgan!" Came a cheery voice and Derek looked up at the blonde coming towards him and Penelope, she just stood and stared at her. "Still on for tonight sunny Jim?"

"Sure am Sweets, same place, same time."

Penelope could always tell when Derek was smiling even without looking at his face and right now he was smiling, and her heart broke. Without another word and without getting the drink she shut the fridge door and left the room.

Taking a time out was the worst mistake of her life.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-Chapter One-=-=-=-=-=-=-

A/N: Riiight this is gonna be angsty! Or so I hope but I hope you enjoy nonetheless!

More Soon!