It didn't take long for Michael to take a turn for the worst. Penelope had taken an indefinite personal leave wanting to spend as much time with him as possible, not wanting to miss a moment. As always her BAU family rallied around her, around them both. In the last six years Michael had become equally important to them. He was a great friend to all, and when he took his last breath, they were all in Penelope's living room. The howl that escaped Penelope's lips would haunt them for days to come. Thankfully Gabe was not in the house. After he had said his goodbyes to Gabe, Michael had asked Reid to take Gabe out for a few hours, as though he knew and wanted to spare the little boy the image of his mother fall apart as he knew she would.

Hotch and Derek had jumped to their feet rushing to her Michael's room. They were giving the privacy they needed after they had all their turn to say goodbye to Michael. Derek's heart broke at the sight of Penelope on the bed beside Michael, his arms wrapped protectively around her as she clutched his shirt as she lay her head on his heart knowing that he was indeed gone. The one person that loved her so unconditionally from the first moment they met. The one person who understood her, accepted and loved her fully for who she was and helped her glue back the pieces of her broken heart when she didn't think she would ever be able to pull it together. He was gone, and her heart hurt for him. She willed him to wake up. Begged as she sobbed into his chest,

"You can't. I still need you. Please, please open your eyes Michael. You and me together, you promised. Wake up! Michael please!" Derek glanced at Hotch with desperation in his eyes, he couldn't watch her like this. Hotch walked towards the bed with purpose,

"Pen, sweetheart." Penelope looked up at Hotch,

"No! Aaron, he can't be gone. Make him come back."

"I wish I could sweetheart. If I could do it, I would do it in a heartbeat, but I can't and I'm sorry." Penelope wordlessly turned her head towards Michael once more and hugged him,

"Say goodbye sweetheart."

"No, I can't. Please Hotch, don't make me." Hotch's heart clenched unable to deny her the moment, even though he knew it wasn't healthy. Wordlessly Derek walked up to her on the bed, gently put his arms beneath her legs and bag gently lifting her out of the bed,

"No, let me go."

"P, he wouldn't want you to do this to yourself."

"How would you know? You didn't know him. You don't know what we had. You don't get it and you never will. Michael was there, every moment of every day from the moment I met him. He kept me together, he loved me. He loved me when you didn't and wouldn't." She cried in out in anguish as she beat his chest with her hands.

"I'm sorry I bailed P, words can never fully explain or make it better, but I'm sorry, but you're wrong, not a day has gone by that I stopped loving you."

"You just didn't love me enough. I wasn't enough for you so you ran. It's your MO Morgan, it will always be your MO. Just let me go, leave. You're going to eventually." She stated in resolution.

"I am never leaving you again Baby Girl. Hand on my heart I will be here for you for the rest of our lives whether you want me or not." He promised bringing her closer to his chest as he sat down pulling her as close to him as possible. Exhausted Penelope buried her head in his neck as she sobbed. Penelope fell limp in his arms as she gave into her devastation. Emily and JJ stood by the door with tears in their eyes, both turned into Rossi's arms as he comforted them both. Hotch had slipped out to call Reid and the coroner, making sure to co-ordinate it so that Gabe would not have to see his beloved Michael being taken in a body bag.

Derek's arms remained tightly around Penelope as she cried in his arms, his face buried into her hair murmuring words of love and comfort. He knew it would be a tough road ahead for them both, but he was willing to stick it out, no matter how hard she tried to push him away.

After one last good bye to Michael, they closed the door behind them as the Coroner got him ready to be taken away. The sound of his body bag being zipped up was like a nail being scratched on the blackboard for Penelope's ears. It made the hair on the back of her hair stand up.

Not long after he was taken away, Reid and Gabe returned and the moment he did, Penelope rose to her feet and conjured up all the bravery she could muster to tell her son that the father he had grown up in having had gone to heaven. Gabe, an astute little boy looked at his mother then to his Uncle Aaron, to his father for confirmation who all nodded answering the question he wordlessly asked. As his lower lip quivered he threw his arms around his mother's neck,

"It's okay Momma, I'll take care of you. I love you. You and me forever remember?" Penelope's eyes filled with tears once more,

"Thank you Baby. I love you too." She replied in a grateful whisper hugging him as tight as she could without crushing him.