I know this is short and I apologize but I didn't want to make you wait any longer than you already have. Also I felt that this was a good place to stop. I hope you enjoy this chapter

Chapter 4: A Cry for Help

JJ was terrified as to what she would find when she entered Penelope's house. She knew she should've probably had Rossi come with her just in case Max tried something. She sighed as she pulled the car in front of the house. She looked around as she walked to the door and knocked.

Max opened the door, "What do you want?"

"Is Penelope home?"

Max shook his head, "She's at the hospital with Emma. Now if you don't mind Jennifer, I'm very busy."

JJ shook her head as she stuck her foot in the door to prevent Max from shutting it, "I know she's not at the hospital Max. Where is she? Don't play with me, I can have your ass arrested."

"For what, refusing you to enter my house? Get off my property Jareau or I will call the cops on you."

JJ shook her head, "I can't do that Max, not until I see Penelope."

Max growled, shoving JJ hard enough that she stumbled and tripped. He smirked before shutting the door and locking it. JJ sighed, standing up and brushing her pants off as she headed to the car. She had no intention of calling Rossi, but she needed help. She really feared the worst for her friend.

~~~ACH~~~

Max headed down the hallway, stopping in his daughter's bedroom. He sighed, kissing her forehead. She was too young for this. He brushed her hair back from her face.

"Daddy loves you baby. I'll take care of you," he said before he stood and left the room and continued down the hallway.

He unlocked the basement door and headed down the stairs.

"Max, please," Penelope whimpered.

"What did you tell her?" Max growled.

"Nothing. She asked if we could go out to lunch when she came back and I said yes. She probably went to the coffee shop and they told her I hadn't shown up."

Max picked up his discarded belt, "What did you tell her?!"

"Nothing, I swear! Max, please, no!"

Max gripped her hair, "You stupid bitch, you told her something! You complained to her about me hitting you didn't you?"

"No, I swear, Max!" Penelope sobbed.

Max dropped the belt and dragged Penelope to her feet and gave her bruising kiss, "Go upstairs and take a shower and clean yourself up. I'm taking Emma to the hospital and then I have things to do. We won't be back until dinner time. You better have it done right this time or…" he didn't complete his sentence.

He didn't need to, Penelope understood. She nodded and hurried up the stairs.

~~~ACH~~~

Unbeknown to JJ, Dave had followed her to her friend's house. Not that he didn't trust JJ, but he had his own suspicions. From afar he saw the altercation between JJ and the man at the door who he assumed was Penelope's boyfriend. He watched JJ brush herself off and get in her car and drive away. He decided that he would wait until the boyfriend left the house before approaching Penelope.

Half an hour later, Dave saw the boyfriend leave the house with a little girl. It was the same girl he had seen in the coffee shop. He assumed this was Penelope's daughter. After watching the boyfriend drive away and he waited a few more minutes to be sure that he wasn't coming back, Dave walked up to the walkway and knocked on the door.

Penelope gasped as she opened the door, "Dave? I-I mean Agent Rossi? What are you doing here?"

"Are you okay caro? Your friend said you didn't show up to work."

Penelope glanced around outside before pulling him inside the house, "So you came to my house to check up on me? That has got to be the stupidest yet sweetest thing anyone has ever done."

Dave smiled and gently stroked her cheek, noticing the bruise on her face, "Penelope, caro, what happened?"

Penelope shook her head, "Nothing a little ice won't fix. Emma was having a nightmare and I went to wake her up and she accidentally hit me," she lied. "What's caro?"

"It means darling."

Penelope knew she was playing with fire by having Dave in her house. If Max came back… But she really liked having Dave in the house with her. She liked having company instead of being alone. Just then the phone rang and she flinched.

Dave frowned, noticing her flinch, "Penelope?"

Penelope ignored him as she answered the phone listening on the end. She sighed, "Max, calm down," she said instantly flinching as she heard him yell at her.

"I-I'm sorry. I'll see you guys when you get home. I-I'll have her favorite snack ready," she said hanging up the phone.

She turned to Dave, "I'm sorry but you have leave. Now."

"What's the rush? Who was on the phone?"

Penelope shook her head, "None of your business. Please leave. I promise I'll see you tomorrow," she said pushing Dave out of the door.

Dave looked at her, "Penelope…"

Penelope gave him a smile, "Trust me, Dave."

To anyone else, the smile that she gave Dave would've gone dismissed as an "I'm okay", but to David Rossi, the profiler the smile wasn't a smile it was a cry for help.

TBC...

So I'm sure anyone can guess what's coming up within the next few chapters hopefully ;)