Penelope was cooking dinner while talking to Emily on the phone. They spoke almost as often with her in London as they did when they were both in Virginia. Between Reid, JJ, Hotch, Dave and Emily she spoke to at least one of them a day. Admittedly the girls were more frivolous with their phone calls, long and nonsensical but comforting to them all.

"So how are things with Charlie Brown?"
"It's going really well. He's brought up moving in together."
"Oh wow! That's a great thing right?" Penelope asked sensing her friend's hesitation
"It is, and don't get me wrong I want to be with him, but I don't know Pen. Is that moving it to the next level too fast."
"Says the lady who thought he would never feel the same way or ever commit to her."
"Okay, the 'I told you so' tone of voice isn't really helpful right now Pen." Penelope chuckled,
"Honey, it's okay to feel scared. It's okay to hesitate, it's a big step, and you have Jack to think of now too. Just keep him in the loop of what goes on in that head of yours, you know Hotch, he's a gentleman and he would want you to get there in your own time."
"I know, and I have made a conscious decision to do that and we've talked. He knows that I love him, but he also knows that I'm still scared that he'd change his mind and it would be too late, I would be too far gone."
"Honey, you don't need to move in with him for that. You passed 'too far gone' a long time ago."
"Again, not helping Penelope."
"I'm sorry!" she apologised
"Consider yourself hugged."
"How are things in London town?" Emily asked.
"It's cold, winter is just around the corner, but the outfits that are coming out are fabulous. You and Jayje really need to get your butts here so we can SHOP till we drop."
"That sounds heavenly right now. We've been working back to back for months."
"No rests for my superheroes?"
"Sadly not. How's the boys?" Em asked, as if on queue the front door opened,
"HONEY WE'RE HOME…." Gabriel bellowed, and within moments the three stooges as she referred to Gabe, Aidan and Piper were in the kitchen.
"They're good, as you can hear they are as obnoxious as ever." She answered swatting Piper's hand with hers as he was about dipped his finger into the sauce she was stirring
"Owww, she hit me." He whined while Emily laughed.
"You'll live. You can say hi to Em while I check the oven." She said passing the phone to Piper,
"Hey Beautiful! When are you finally going to grace us with your presence so that we can finally meet you?" Penelope rolled her eyes. From day one, the boys had heard all about Penelope's BAU family and were now all well acquainted with each other.
"Do you want to bread in there Mags?" Gabe asked lifting the tray from the counter,
"Yes please." She replied appreciatively, they were great guys and she adored them. Upon hearing her brothers call her Mags, they had all started calling her Mags. After Aidan had his chance to say Hi, Gabe said his quick hello to Em before handing the phone back to Penelope
"I see that your life as Den mother is as eventful as ever."
"Tell me about it." Penelope's transition to London was successful in large part to her house/work mates. They had enveloped her lovingly into their fold and took care of her. For that Emily couldn't help but be grateful. She had admitted to Aaron when they came home from the airport that she was worried that Penelope would hide in her shell and shut herself off from the world, but seeing/hearing her interaction with the boys, she knew that her friend was learning to move on. They all avoided the topic of Derek. She didn't ask any questions and they surely did not provide any.

In truth Emily could see that it was Derek who was struggling, that he had lost a spark in him that was always present when Penelope was around. He was no longer the carefree fun loving guy. He was serious almost all the time, and it seemed as though he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. He had learned that Penelope was in London, and that she was settling in quite well, already blowing them over, just as they all knew she could and would. His friends/team mates were considerate in not discussing her in his presence, but he knew JJ and Emily were in constant contact with her. When Hotch and Emily had organised a dinner at Hotch's to celebrate Baby Morgan he had seen the countless postcards that were stuck on Jack's wall from her. Jack had immediately climbed on his lap upon his arrival and was insistent on having Uncle Derek tuck him in, he realised Emily and Hotch's hesitation as soon as he walked into Jack's room and seeing his Aunt P designated area. After Jack had fallen asleep he found himself lingering in his room, looking at the postcards and photos that she had sent, along with a Paddington bear that he was now clutching close to his chest as he slept.

"Everything okay?" Hotch asked quietly as he found Morgan staring at Jack's wall.
"Yeah, I guess she's doing okay." Derek observed pointing at the postcards.
"She is. She's making the best of it, just like you."
"She just dropped me from her life Hotch. Like we never existed. How can she do that? Did I mean that little to her?" he said quietly and bitterly.
"Does it ease your guilt putting it all on her?" Hotch answered evenly. Derek looked up and saw the anger in Hotch's eyes.
"You walked out of her life way before she walked out of yours. You don't get to be angry because you didn't even know what it was doing to her, what you were doing to her ignoring her existence for months. You don't get to begrudge that she's decided to move on with her life without you when you've had a head start. I understand that you're hurt, but before you start shooting off with the accusations, just remember that you played a part in this too."
"Don't you think I know that?" Morgan said softly
"I don't know Derek, do you?" Hotch challenged
"Hey guys, cool it." Emily said interrupting them. She had grown worried when Hotch and Derek hadn't returned. Emily placed a hand on Hotch's chest,
"Honey, she wouldn't want this. You promised." Em reminded him. Hotch dropped his gaze to the floor
"I'm sorry." He said in a whisper looking up at Derek
"I get it Man, I do. For the record, I do know what part I played in this and I will never be able to fully express how sorry I am, but just because I was the ass, doesn't mean I don't get miss her too." Em placed a hand on Derek's arm reassuringly.

Derek and Tamara's wedding was planned shortly after Penelope's departure. Tamara insistent on getting married before she started showing certainly jump started and catapulted the event a lot sooner than Derek was ready for. A fact that everyone who knew him knew, it seemed the only person oblivious to it all was his bride to be. Derek had asked Spencer to be his Best Man, and it wasn't lost on Derek that there was a moment's hesitation on Reid's part, which he knew was a sense of loyalty to Penelope. Despite their well controlled disapproval, they had all come along side him to support him. Emily especially had made the most effort. He knew without a doubt that Penelope had asked her to do that.

It was an extravagant wedding, one fit for a fairytale and the majority on his side of the family felt it was all wrong. His mother, Desiree, Sarah, Ted, and the twins had flown in for the wedding. They had arrived a few days before the wedding, not so much to help with the preparation but to spend time with him. Fran had caught Derek in his own world too many times in the short amount of time she had spent with him, and she knew only too well where his thoughts were, and the regret in which he toiled with. But he had made his bed, and all she could do was love him. He had to make his own mistakes, and he needed to learn from them himself. It pained her to watch, but as a mother, she needed to let him navigate his own life.

The whole event was planned and executed by Tamara and her girlfriends. All Derek had to do was show up, which he knew would never have flown with anyone else.

As Derek repeated his vow before the priest, God and all of his family and friends, tears began to run down from his eyes. As though each word was squeezing his heart tighter and tighter, he knew with each word he said out loud he was killing what was, and what could ever be. Fran sat at the front pew, handkerchief on hand wiping her own tears, knowing what his tears were for.

Penelope stood there, unable to move, unable to react. It was like her whole body had refused to acknowledge her surroundings for its own self preservation, knowing that it possibly not be able to contain her grief if she allowed herself to feel. She felt two strong hands on her shoulders offering the comfort she needed and looked up at Gabe with an appreciative smiled. When she had found out, she was determined not to acknowledge it, but as the days drew closer, a part of her wanted to see it for herself, as much as she knew it would hurt, she figured it was what was going to release her from him, permanently and forever. The boys had all offered to jump on the plane to offer their moral support, and before she knew it the four of them had flown back for the weekend. Gabe had won the toss to accompany her to the church while Aidan and Piper stayed in the hotel.

"It's over. It's finally over." She whispered, to herself, to Derek, to God, to the universe.
"Let's go." She said turning to Gabriel as he nodded and led her out the door.