First of all, I have to say thanks to all those who left lovely reviews, and those who alerted this story, you guys rock! And secondly, this chapter was totally all thanks to the super amazing flashpenguin. Who has this weird way of getting inside my head and finishing a chapter if I can't find the words to fit what is running around in my head. And this is a prime example of her creepy talent to get into my head and put the contents of my head onto paper. Anyways, she's awesome, she rocks and I love her. That's all.

Now onward to the story!

The haze lifted and Penelope found herself standing before a pair of large oak doors. Just beyond the doors, the sound of soft hymns filled the air. Standing in the empty foyer, she quickly scanned her surroundings. White lilies captured her eye. Placed strategically on either side of the door they seemed so innocent, but she knew they were lying. There was death beyond the doors.

Casting her gaze towards the floor, she noticed the more conservative black dress that fell just below the knees, and simple black pumps. The normally bright colored tech quickly realized the morbidity of the situation. It had to be a dream! She never wore black - not since her parents' funeral and Haley Hotchner's. Where was she?

Pressing her shaking hand against the heavy door, she quietly stepped into the back of the church. She had had this same dream for years since her parents death, but the first thing she noticed once she stepped inside was the lone casket at front surrounded by dozens of varying arrangements of flowers. There should be two. What happened to the other one? Had her wishful thinking led her to arrange the funeral to believe that one of her parents had lived?

Making her way down the aisle, the soft clicking of her heels caused the other guests to turn in her direction and cast a small sad smile her way. Quickly scanning the crowd, she searched for a familiar face but none were found. Even in her dream, she broke out in a sweat as her heart began to beat furiously.

As she approached the casket, she noticed a small table covered with pictures. Passing the last pew of people, Penelope stood alone at the altar in front of the single casket. Stepping towards the table, her heart beating louder with every step, her heart beating so loud that it has drown out the sounds of weeping and soft music, the only thing she could hear was her heart and her labored breathing as she reached the table.

Taking a deep breath, she glanced down at the table full of pictures - memories of the life that had ended. Her heart stopped as she noticed a picture of her team - her family - on the table. Averting her gaze as a tear slipped from her eye. Her eyes fell upon the largest picture on the table. Unprepared for what she saw, she couldn't help the sob that escaped her lips.

"No!" She wept. "No!"

Grabbing the picture in her hand, she traced familiar brown eyes with her finger. She lingered over the familiar lips as her tears fell against the glass of the picture frame. Her sobs drowned out the music as the realization of the moment dawned on her.

Clutching the picture to her chest tightly, she closed her eyes. "Aaron" she whispered as she turned towards the casket and wept.

Sitting up straight in bed, Pen frantically looked around the dark room as she tried to get her bearings. Where was she? Where was Aaron?

Aaron! Oh God!

Frightened, she reached out for the warm body beside her. Where was he? her brain screamed as she touched the mattress. Suddenly her hands found the familiar lump she had come to associate with security.

"Aaron," she whispered on a sob. Cautiously, she placed her hand on his heart…and waited. "Please," she begged under her breath. "Please." As she felt his heart pound, her tears flowed fast. He was alive. It was only a dream. Just a dream.

"Penny?" Hotch murmured in his sleep. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she wept.

"What's wrong?" he asked. He tried to shake off the deep slumber as his arms reached for the sobbing woman.

"Nothing."

He pushed himself up into a sitting position. "Come here," he offered and opened his arms. Willingly, she threw herself into them and held on for dear life. Tenderly, he stroked her hair. "Tell me what happened."

"I had a nightmare."

"What about?" he asked. Pen shook her head violently. "What ever it was, was enough to upset you. Tell me about it." Silence. "Was it your parents' funeral?" he wondered.

"Yes. No. It was a funeral."

"Whose funeral?" he asked. Pen's sobs increased. "Was it mine?"

"Yes," she wept.

"It was just a dream," he comforted.

Pen pushed herself up to look at him. Between the dark room and her nearsightedness, Hotch's face was a blur, but she knew his eyes. "It wasn't a dream! It was a premonition!"

"Did you actually see my body?" he asked.

"No," she admitted. "There were pictures beside the casket."

"So, you don't know for sure it was me in there."

"But it was real!" she argued. "I felt it when I walked into the church. You were…gone."

"Penny…"

"It was that same feeling I got when I heard about the bombing in New York. But this time it was stronger. You died, Aaron." She didn't try to hide the tears that fell on to his chest.

"Nothing is going to happen," he stated firmly.

"It was so real. I felt it."

"I know," he soothed.

"I've been there; I know what it's like. Something is going to happen…I know it. This guy, who is after you, is going to do something to take you away from me."

Hotch shook his head. "That isn't going to happen. Not ever."

"You've cheated death twice," she reminded. "The third time is never a charm."

"Actually, I've cheated death three times," he admitted.

"When?" She searched her brain for the information she should have had ready.

"When I was fifteen, I was out driving with my friends. We were in a jeep and I was driving. I was going too fast and rounded a corner…the jeep flipped over and we were thrown out."

"Oh my god, Aaron," she gasped as her hand flew to her mouth.

"The jeep rolled over on me, but it happened so fast that it didn't hurt me. I had some bumps and bruises, but I survived. That was the first, New York was the second, and Foyet was the third. I have passed the test; nothing is going to happen."

"That was supposed to bring me comfort?" her voice cracked.

"It is supposed to let you know that superstitions aren't always right. Whatever is happening right now is not connected to my past. We will find out who is behind the letters, and when we find him, everything will go back to normal." He stroked her soft blonde hair. There was so much he wanted to tell her, but now was not the time as her tears dropped on his bare chest. Instead, he tried to comfort her as he memorized the feel of her body pressed to his.

"But I felt it," she stated firmly.

"That doesn't mean it's going to come true," he corrected. "You know that dreams are the brain's way of working things out."

"But it was real." She sighed and closed her eyes. She couldn't shake that feeling but for right now his arms were wrapped around her tightly and she was safe. But most of all, Aaron was alive. "Now go back to sleep," he ordered.

"I love you, Aaron," she whispered as she drifted off.

The words danced on Hotch's lips, he wanted to say them, but he couldn't. And as Pen's light snoring reached his ears, somehow it didn't matter anymore.

But he hoped one day he could say them before it was too late.