"…and another thing, Penelope. You're always with her lately. I swear, your nose is so far up her ass that you could see out her mouth if she opened it."
Penelope's eyes filled with tears as she cocked her head to one side, trying to comprehend her best friend's words. "Jayje, she just was able to return from WitSec. Almost two years has passed her by while she was in hiding, waiting for the Red Cell team to finish their investigation into John Curtis and what he did. Everything is different for her, she has no home, no job, and no lover, since Rossi's moved on with Callahan. And yeah, I like them together, but seeing the hurt on her face when she came to me, after Rossi had told her." She sighed and pulled off her glasses, pinching the bridge of her nose in an effort to stop her tears. "I can have more than one friend, even if it seems like I'm ignoring you at the moment. And might I remind you of the fact that you were the one who kept Emily's death a secret from us? That you deliberately withheld information because you didn't think that you could trust me well enough to keep a secret so big?"
JJ at least blushed a little before shrugging. "That was different. Of course I was closer to Emily, she and I were together more often."
Those words did little to soothe Penelope's soul, and she shook her head. "I guess that says it all, doesn't it? I'm just your fair weather friend, good for when you have no one else in your life. Please, get out before I say something that rips apart our friendship even more."
It looked like her friend wanted to say something, and Penelope turned her head a little, unwilling to gaze on her any longer. It wasn't fair, really, that JJ was jealous about her relationship with Erin. JJ didn't own her or her feelings, after all. From the corner of her eye, she watched JJ turn and leave, the door closing with a soft click. Once she was certain the woman was gone, she began to sob, letting her feelings out as she fumbled for her phone. Blindly, she touched what she hoped was Erin's number before bringing the phone to her ear.
"Penelope? What's wrong?" the older woman asked without preamble, as if she knew that there was a problem.
"JJ, JJ doesn't want us to be friends!" she wailed out, clutching at her phone. "She thinks that we're too close and that I'm ignoring her and that you're a bad influence on me!"
Vaguely, she heard Erin sigh and the sound calmed her for some strange reason. "Can you slip out of the office and meet me for brunch? Food always seems to settle me when I'm upset."
"I would really love that. My treat, and we'll meet at Waffle House?"
"We'll meet there, but I'm not making any promises about who will pick up the check. After all, I was the one who asked you out."
There was something about those words that sent a shiver of anticipation down Penelope's back, and she nodded a little before responding. "All right, we'll flip a coin for the honor, then. See you in forty minutes?"
"That sounds perfect."
They hung up, and Penelope pulled out a tissue to wipe at her eyes before checking her makeup in her compact. Once she was happy with how she looked, she slipped out of her office and made her way over to Hotch's. He was bent over his desk, pen flying over report. "Hotch, I'm going to head out for a few hours. Erin invited me out to brunch."
Looking up, his mouth tightened a little before it eased into a sad smile. "That will be nice. Make sure you tell her that I said hello, all right?" She nodded. "And Garcia? Try not to let JJ get under your skin. I know that she's been a little odd about your friendship with Erin, but I think that she's just worried about losing one more relationship."
She nodded a little, thinking about how things had quietly ended between Will and JJ just a few weeks ago. It did make sense, when Hotch put it that way, but it still hurt. "I'll try to keep that in mind, Hotch. And you know, you two would be a really cute couple, when she's ready to move on with someone. I've always thought so."
Penelope thought she detected a faint blush on his cheeks as he looked back down at his report. "Be that as it may, I still cannot go out with a subordinate. Those are the rules."
"Rules were made to be changed. And I think that could be worked around, if JJ reported to Rossi rather than you." He gave a tiny nod before shooing her out the door, and she left, her heart feeling a little more at ease. As she stepped onto the elevator, she noticed JJ watching her, and she waved a little. The other woman just narrowed her eyes a little before turning with a huff to face Kate. Sighing, her pressed the button for the ground floor and struggled not to cry once more.
Even though it was a bit brisk, she decided to walk to the Waffle House, needing the cool air to clear her senses. By the time she arrived at the restaurant, she had almost come to terms with JJ's jealousy, and she found that Erin was waiting for her in the lobby. "Honey, you're so pale! Did you walk here?" the older woman asked as she enveloped Penelope in a tight hug.
"Yeah, I wanted to clear my head. I guess I didn't notice the cold until you mentioned it," she murmured in reply as she linked arms with Erin. They went up to the host podium, and she shivered a little before stepping closer to Erin as they waited. As soon as they were seated, Penelope leaned back against the booth, staring up at the ceiling of the building. "Would you mind ordering something for me? When I get to feeling like this, I just can't make up my mind."
"All right, but if it's something you don't like, you still have to eat it. We don't want to be wasteful," Erin replied off-handedly as she perused the menu.
"Yes, Mom," Penelope quickly retorted, only to see Erin look at her over the menu, eyebrow arched. "Meep!"
"Meep?" Erin asked, chuckling a little as she nodded. "I suppose that's some sort of internet thing, since I've heard that from Tabitha before, too."
"Tabitha's your youngest, right?" Erin nodded. "You know, I need to actually meet these mysterious children of yours someday. All I have to go on are pictures and stories."
A wistful smile spread across Erin's lips. "I would love for you to meet them, too, Penny. We'd have to take a bit of a road trip, though, since their father moved them to Massachusetts when he thought I was dead." The woman's lower lip trembled almost imperceptibly, and Penelope reached across the table to grab for her hand, threading their fingers together once more. "Sorry, I just miss them at the oddest times."
"I can only imagine, Erin," she whispered as she brought her hand up to her lips and kissed the back of it. Erin stiffened a little, but didn't pull her hand away at the spontaneous gesture. Instead, their eyes locked, and something fell into place in that moment, something that Penelope had only felt once before in her life. "Um, so, Erin…"
"My place after we eat?"
Penelope was quick to nod, wanting to see where this was leading, knowing that in that moment everything about her life had shifted onto a different track. Their waitress came by, and Erin ordered them both hot chocolate and grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato bisque. The very moment she said those words, Penelope's stomach growled hungrily, and Erin grinned at her. "You know me so well, Erin," she said once the waitress had left them alone once more.
"I always look after the apples of my eye." The slightly cryptic remark had Penelope wondering just how deep the woman's feelings ran for her, and she nodded absently, letting a pregnant silence descend over them as they waited for their meal. She found that they didn't need to make small talk as they ate, as everything that needed to be communicated was done through glances and smiles. Eventually looks gave way to small touches, fingers grazing as they picked up cups to sip from, a soft squeeze when Penelope dropped her hand to the table.
"I'll take the check," she said to the waitress the moment she refilled their mugs. Erin let out a soft scoffing sound, and Penelope shook her head. "No, I have this. Let me take care of you." She desperately hoped that Erin could hear the double meaning in the words, and after a long moment, she finally nodded, her lips once more trembling as she smiled.
"I'm not used to be taken care of, Penelope. It's been so many months that I've had to be self-sufficient."
"Well, it's a good thing that I take care of people, then. You deserve to be cherished."
Their waitress cleared her throat a little as she set the check down in front of Penelope, clearing their plates. "I can take that whenever you're ready, miss," she remarked before turning and fleeing from their presence.
Erin giggled a little as Penelope dug her pocketbook out of her purse. "I don't think she knows what to make of us, Penny."
"I don't really know what to make of us, Erin." Erin's look turned sad, and she winced for having inadvertently hurting the woman. "No, don't think the worst! I meant, something changed this afternoon, shifted into a place of rightness in my heart, and I don't know what to make of that, save that I know I'm safe with you."
A soft sigh broke from Erin's lips as she blinked rapidly. "You're going to keep my feelings on tenterhooks for a while, aren't you?"
"That's the same place that my feelings are, so we're in good company." Erin nodded, and Penelope fished out enough money to cover bill and tip, slipping it in the book before setting it aside to pick up her mug and sip at her hot chocolate. "Did it feel the same to you, when I kissed your hand?"
Erin nodded. "It did. It confirmed something I thought only I felt and would never have acted on, unless I got a clear signal from you. But, we can have this discussion at home. I'd feel safer there, away from the jealous ears of the outside world."
She smiled before handing the book to the waitress. "You're all set. Have a great day." Sliding out of the booth, she waited for Erin to join her. The moment she was at her side, Penelope closed her arm around her waist and walked closely next to her again. It didn't take long to get to her car, and Penelope slid into the passenger side, feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of what was going to take place. There was something there between them, and she was running towards it full force. The last time that had happened, she'd been caught by the FBI, and lost the love of her young life.
"Penny for your thoughts, Penelope?" Erin asked as she started the car, pulling out into traffic.
"Oh, I was just thinking about the fact that the last time I felt like this was right before Hotch and Derek came calling on the Black Queen. I haven't been hacking lately, so hopefully that's a better portent for this relationship."
"Relationship?"
Penelope winced a little as she nodded. "Yeah."
"Okay." The casual acceptance made Penelope purr with pleasure, and she reached out to rest her hand in the crook of Erin's elbow as she drove, needing, craving, the contact with her. When they pulled into the drive of a quaint little cottage, Penelope felt her heart fall in love with it. "This is home now."
"It's so beautiful, Erin. I'd almost want to stay forever," she said lowly as she got out of the car and followed the woman inside.
"You have your friendship with JJ to consider, Penelope. Staying forever might disrupt things further."
"I don't care," she found herself saying, knowing that the words were true. "I've always listened to my heart, and my heart is yelling for me to chase after you. If you'll have me, if this works, you might be the one."
Erin sighed a little as she clasped Penelope's hand. "Well, let's see if we're compatible, first. Okay?"
"Okay." They clasped hands once more, and Penelope felt the same thrum of energy flow through her as she let Erin lead her up to the bedroom. "This is so lovely, Erin," she gasped out as she glanced around the room, taking in all the little details that spoke of Erin.
"After I got out of the hospital, the FBI rewarded me quite handsomely for what happened. It doesn't really look good for an agent to be almost murdered by another agent. And I was able to buy this and decorate it as I saw fit. This is my heart here on display."
"Then you have a very lovely heart," she said as she closed the distance between them and reached out to rest her hand on Erin's shoulder. "How long have you been in love with me? How was I so blind as to not see it?"
A soft blush bloomed on Erin's face as she led Penelope to the bed, pulling them both down onto it. "I think I knew the moment you sought me out, when you made sure that I was all right after everything that had gone down. And when you wouldn't give up on me. You showed me that you loved me, even before it was passion, you know? And I am ever so good at hiding my true self away, of showing only the face I want seen."
"And then I upset the apple cart by looking behind that mask." Erin nodded, and she smiled a little before leaning over to kiss her softly. As their arms tangled around each other, Penelope pulled her down onto the bed, not letting the kisses stop. She was a teensy bit surprised that there wasn't more frenzy to the embraces, that it was so different from the start of sex with Kevin or Sam. And yet, it felt so right, just kissing her, that she wasn't certain she ever wanted to stop. "I could give you a million kisses and still not grow tired of tasting your lips," she finally managed to gasp out before she rested her head on Erin's shoulder, letting her hand play with a few tendrils of the woman's hair.
"Your kisses are intoxicatingly sweet, Penny. This is going to sound so odd, after those kisses we just exchanged, but…"
"Yes, I want to cuddle with you. I haven't been held like this in ages, it seems, and this is so lovely. If JJ only knew what her jealousy would spark between us, I don't think she would have been quite so quick to get angry with me."
Erin let out a little giggle as she shook her head. "Probably not. Though I am rather glad that she did get upset. It opened the door for us a lot sooner than I thought would happen. Do you believe in love at first sight?"
"I do." She leaned in and kissed Erin with a little more passion, her hands quickly tugging the blouse from her skirt so that she could snake up her back and unclasp her bra. "If you don't mind, I'd like to feel your skin on mine. Please?"
Erin nodded before tugging off her blouse and then letting Penelope pull off her bra. Reaching out, Erin made short work of the zipper on Penelope's blouse, making certain to run her knuckles over the swell of her breasts. Penelope smiled lazily as she arched into the touches, relishing the feel of her cool flesh stroking her.
Somehow, they managed to shimmy out of everything but their panties, and Penelope snuggled in close once more, rubbing her cheek against the soft swell of Erin's upper chest. "Are you a breast woman, Penny?"
"Guilty. But then, you have such lovely breasts, Erin." A large yawn split her mouth open, and then Penelope was pressing her open mouth against her breasts, her tongue lapping at the skin delicately, loving the way that Erin sighed and buried her hand in her hair, tugging ever so gently. "I think I'm going to nap now. You'll be here when I wake up, right?"
"Yes, Penny." Erin tightened her free arm around her waist, "I will be here, jealously guarding you from the outside world, for as long as you'll have me." She sighed at those words and lifted her face for one last kiss before she slipped off to sleep. Erin obliged her, and she kept her lips pressed against Erin's as she let the darkness of sleep overtake her.