Curious glances met them at the door. They had been gone for awhile, and it took all of their self control not to walk on over to Penelope's apartment to check on them. Casually Penelope entered the new Hotchner home and sank into the couch beside Dave, followed close behind by Morgan who took a seat next to Prentiss trying to catch Penelope's eye.

"You are so not going to believe what has just transpired in the last half hour." She muttered quietly enough that no one but Rossi heard her. He raised an eyebrow in question,
"Later, I think I may have screwed up."
"Ahhh," he answered with a nod,
"Stupid Penelope!" she mumbled to herself as she picked up the magazine on the coffee table and began flicking through it.

Discreetly Dave had draped an arm over her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. The moment Penelope and Derek made their way to Hotch's apartment, doubts started flying through her head, regrets even. Derek knew by the look on Penelope's face that she had begun to process what had just happened between them. That evidently, transition was not going to be as easy as he had hoped. She was processing with her mind and not her heart.

For the rest of the evening Penelope was seemingly pre-occupied, and they were willing to write it off as a tough day knowing Rossi and Derek knew better.

"Aunt P, will you tuck me in?" Jack asked.
"Of course honey, go brush our teeth and I'll be up in a minute." They watched as excitedly run up the stairs and into his room.
"We should go and let you guys settle in for the night." Rossi suggested trying to usher everyone out of there. Penelope had to smirk seeing right through him.
"He's right." JJ said taking his cue picking up their things to go, Reid, and Emily followed suit while there was a distinct reluctance in Derek's stance.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow." She said with a wave as she went upstairs to tuck Jack in.
"I'll walk the guys out if you want to finish up in the study Hotch."
"Thanks that would be great. Thanks for all that you guys have done, words can't express how grateful I am."
"You're welcome," they chorused as they headed out. Dave walked them to the elevator standing side by side with Emily they waved at the rest of their friends. When the doors closed Emily turned to Dave,
"What in the heck was that? I'll walk them out."
"You practically escorted Derek out of the premises, were you not the one who was harping on about cutting the guy some slack?"
"Yes, but if we didn't walk him out, he would be heading straight to Penelope's waiting for her there till she went home, and let's just say she's not quite ready to see him."
"Something happen?"
"I don't know, Prentiss! You've got us standing in a hallway sounding like a bunch of busybodies."
"You started it! Hang on, what's stopping him from coming back up when the coast is clear."
"The new security code that Hotch had installed and only confirmed with your girls today."
"Ahhh, you are not just a pretty face my friend."
"Why thank you Emily. You coming back with?" He replied dryly.
"Of course." She answered with a smile looping her arm through his.

Penelope had to laugh as she saw Dave, Emily and Hotch sitting on the couch presumably waiting for her.

"Is this an intervention? Smooth by the way Dave. Real smooth. You realise it doesn't stop him from camping out in my apartment as we speak?"
"Ahh, but as I had pointed out to young Prentiss here, due to new security measures of your floor, only those with the security code can come up the lift, and Hotch had only handed you girls the code while you were washing up."
"Wow, you are good."
"Yeah well, what can I say. It's the way I roll."
"He's so modest!" Emily observed with an eye roll.
"It won't stop him from staying in his car and ringing me incessantly till I answer."
"Sad for him you left your phone at home." Hotch reminded her.
"Hmm, I did too. You guys are good."
"So spill!" Emily demanded unable to wait any longer.
"He kissed me," Hotch and Rossi exchanged a smirk,
"Oi, none of that." Penelope warned throwing at pillow at them each.
"He started telling me he was sorry, and how he realised through everything that was going on that I was the one he loved and could not live without, and you can guess what my reaction to that was."
"Disbelief?" Rossi offered
"Damn straight disbelief, he can't just all of a sudden think it's me, after years and years of nothingness."
"And then he kissed you," Hotch provided,
"Err yeah,"
"And all reason fell out the window?" Emily completed.
"Do I need to be here for this conversation? You guys are doing a great job without me."
"So what troubles you?" Rossi probed,
"That I made out with him for half an hour when I'm not even sure if I trust him. Actually, I don't trust him. What's wrong with me? I made out with him."
"Honey, it's only natural. It's been an emotion filled week. He provided you that physical comfort, not to mention it's something you've wanted for as long as you've known him."
"Thanks Em, you just made me sound like a hormonal teenager."
"You know what I mean."
"Sadly I do. But I made things even more complicated than it already was. Say I was willing to throw away my cares, take his word for it. I can't guarantee that I won't find the urge to throw this back in his face when I get mad at him and I don't want to enter our relationship with all that bitterness and resentment."
"Then ask him for some time. You don't have to jump into a relationship right now. He's had almost six years to process his feelings for you. Just because he's finally caught up doesn't mean you have to jump to it now. Make him wait." Rossi advised,
"So you're telling me to play hard to get?" she asked chuckling,
"No, we're telling you to let him woo you." Emily re-defined.
"Po-tay-toh, Po-tah-to. Bottom line is Penelope, what do you want?"
"I wish I knew Aaron. I thought I did, and now that it's here. I'm not so sure."
"But is that your fear talking?" Hotch challenged,
"Of course it's my fear talking. He hurt me, and I can barely look at him."
"And yet you made out with him," Emily teased,
"So not helping Em!" Penelope said throwing the last pillow in her chair at Emily who caught it laughing.
"Pen, you're the most forgiving person I know. I know that when you're ready you'll be able to forgive him and that's not the real issue. You're more scared about finally getting what you've always wanted than getting hurt by him again. Because if you finally get what you want, you finally have to shed those insecurities you so hide behind because they're no longer valid."
"Have I mentioned how much I love having profilers as my best friends?" Penelope said out loud as she sighed knowing they were right.
"We love you too." The three stooges replied in unison.

After another hour Pen, Emily and Dave finally left Hotch's apartment. They walked him to the elevator and hugged him goodbye. As they walked towards their own apartments Emily stopped at her front door,

"Pen, it's not weakness allowing him back in your life and wanting him."
"I'm scared Em. I've never loved anyone as much as I have loved Derek Morgan and as a result no one has ever hurt me as much as he has."
"And that's okay, but if you love him, and he loves you and you have that chance, can you really just walk away from that because you're too scared?"
"I don't know." Penelope answered honestly.
"You know where I am if you need to bounce some more."
"Thanks Em."
"Sure thing. I'll see you tomorrow hey."
"Yup, bright and sparky."

She had barely opened the door when she heard her phone ringing. Her machine clicked in to take a message and his voice filled the room,

"So I've just seen Rossi leave the building so I am assuming that you're on your way back to your apartment, or you've just gotten there and you just don't want to talk to me. I know things got out of hand today. That what I was trying to say was distracted by just wanting to show you how much I loved you, and I can see how I've just made our situation even more confusing. So, let me dumb it down.

I screwed up P. I truly did. I wish I had an excuse. But I don't. The intensity of what I felt for you just scared me. We flirt and bantered supposedly so innocently, but it stopped being innocent after you got shot. I knew then that I loved you. Then Lynch came along and it changed us as hard as we tried not to allow it. I got mad at you because I told you I loved you and you went out with him. I realise that you didn't know that how I meant that, and that was my fault for not clarifying it. Then Tamara came along, she was this breath of fresh air who knew nothing of what we saw, after Canada, after Hotch, I just needed something separate and that's what she was for me, a window to the outside world, but you were right, she was ready for a forever and I was only equipped for now. It made me feel like one of those players you teased me about being, so I stuck it out, wanting to prove it to all of you, to myself that I could be that guy who wasn't commitment phobic. But it was never about being a player P, it was just I was never with the right person. Every person that crossed my path, just wasn't right, and that's because I already had the right person, and I just didn't see her, and for that I am sorry P. I took you for granted and as the person I love most in this world, I so didn't show you that.

I don't deserve your forgiveness after I drove you away from my life, for hurting you the way I did. To apologise would almost be insulting, but you have to know be I am so sorry for hurting you. The only thing I can offer you is my love, and a promise that I will love you wholeheartedly for the rest of my life, whether you love me or not. I would rather spend the rest of my life alone than not have you.

I am asking you to take a chance P. I'm asking you to let me try and be your friend. Not be as we once were, I don't think we can even if we wanted to, but let's start from scratch and see where that takes us. I promise to no longer use my lips as convincing tools."

Penelope smiled at that. She heard him sigh, she knew he was wondering if she was there or not and making sure that he hadn't forgotten anything.

"I guess I'll see you at the Picnic tomorrow at the park. You have a good night baby girl. I love you." Derek closed his phone letting out another deep breath,

"I can't promise you much…" Derek turned to see Penelope standing outside the doorway with her arms protectively around her,
"You hurt me Derek, and as much as I say that life is short. All is forgiven. I don't know if I can ever truly trust you and I don't want to start an us finally with all of that. I have wanted an us for so long that I don't want it to start on these basis. I need you to be my friend and then maybe, who knows. I'm not trying to punish you I swear, I just …"
"I get it P, and I'm here for the long run. If all you want to be is friends right now, then that's what we'll be. But be warned that I am not giving up on us, and that when you least expect it, I am going to woo you, and sweep you off your feet like you deserve. I want to be that man to knock you off your socks."
"Honey, you know you smile at my direction and you knock my socks off. I don't doubt you already have me, I'm just asking for a little time."
"Then you have it P."
"Thank you."
"You better go on up. It's getting cold."
"Drive safe."
"I will. Sleep well Baby Girl."

So, should I keep going or end it there???