Thank you very much for all the reviews and the alerts. Sorry about the lateness. Real life and medical tests comes first. The good news is that I'm healthy all the tests came back negative.

It took the teams three days to weed through all of the passed cases and evidence to find the unsubs. It was Tony and Morgan who chased down the unsubs and arrested them.

At news conference announcing the arrest of the suspects director Vance thanked the BAU for their assistance in apprehending the suspects. Smiling in front of the cameras with Gibbs on one side of him and Hotchner on the other for the press. Three alpha men with a no nonsense air about them made a great story.

While Vance was giving the press conference, Tony and Morgan were sitting on Ducky's tables while he administered first aid to the cuts and scraped that they both got running through a thick patch of thorny bushes and undergrowth..

"I know Anthony's tetanus shot is up to day what about yours Derek?"

"All set Ducky. My mother is a nurse and she always stresses the importance of keeping track of those things."

"Quit right. I'm surprised that the lovely Penelope is not here as well. She did help in finding the criminals as well."

"She has other teams that she works for Ducky." Morgan reminds him.

"Yes I remember now, it slipped my mind."

"I very much doubt anything slips your mind Dr. Mallard. What is it that you what to know?"

"Did you profile me, young man?"

"Hazards of the job I'm afraid we do it without thinking."

" Very astute Derek, I noticed when we spent yesterday at your offices that you all have photographs of your families on your desks, but when I peaked into her office to share a cup of tea with her she did not. She had photographs of your team and of other teams that she works with."

Morgan looks at Tony and when he sees Tony nod his head ever so slightly, He inhales deeply before he answers. "Simply really Ducky, Penelope has no family, she has been alone since she was eighteen."

"Surly she must have some family somewhere?"

"No one Ducky. " Tony confirms. " Her mother and step-father were killed by a drunk driver, she has no siblings, no uncles, aunts or cousins. She has no idea who her biological father is, her mother never told her."

"I feel like a foolish old man she hid it from me so well."

"Don't be she hid it from all of us for years." Morgan tells him.

"Ducky, MP, Penelope likes to play dumb. But don't let her fool you for a minute. The only thing that she has that I wish she didn't is a heart that hurts too much from everything that she sees. She has a hear of gold and will do anything for any of her friends at the drop of a hat. And now that you are included in that group don't be surprised if you find small packages coming your way for no reason at all."

"Why? I wonder." Ducky says softly.

"You wonder what Dr. Mallard?" Reid asks after the doors close behind him.

"Young Spencer, what can I do for you?"

"I was sent to tell you that we are going out, the two team, as soon as the paperwork is done. Agent Gibbs says to tell you "Move it DiNozzo." Reid says as he looks at Tony.

"What did Hotch say?" Morgan asks with a grin.

"He glared, turned and walked toward the empty conference room."

"I've seen that glare. It might be fun watching which one of our bosses could out glare each other." Tony says as he jumps off of the autopsy table.

"It would be better if they had a few drinks in them first." Morgan adds.

TPTPTPTP

Five hours later he finds himself standing outside of her apartment door knocking. Just as he is about to knock again he can hear footfalls on the other side of the door.

She opens the door and smiles as Tony comes in, he takes his shoes off then kicks the door closed before reaching behind and locking the door.

"I brought food and a movie a little light hearted comedy for us to watch."

"Thanks for that. It's been one of those days." She tells him.

"I know Penelope, but we are alive to tell the tale the bad guys are in jail. We win for today at least."

Nodding her head she leans over and pats his shoulder. "So what did you bring me to eat?"

"Vegetable curry, rice and that Indian bread you like so much. I got chicken curry for me."

"Tomorrows a work day for me, so tea or chai tea" She asks him.

"Chai sound great."

He leaves three hours later both of them in better moods and no longer feeling the tension of the day.

He walks up to his car only to find Gibbs leaning on it.

"I thought you would be longer."

"Why? Dinner and a movie shouldn't take all night."

"You're no longer working as a team."

"You got it all wrong Boss. Penelope and I aren't like that, remember she told you friends nothing more just good friends. Yes I care for her, but not like that, just like she cares for me."

"So just how often do you two get together like this?" Gibbs asks as he watches Penelope close her curtains and pull the blinds down.

"Twice a month I guess. Sometimes once. I've gone to her plays and we meet for lunch once in a great while. We talk on the phone a couple of times a week. Like I said just friends. No more no less."

Gibbs looks at his senior field agent and waits.

"It's nice having a girl for a friend with no strings."

"What about Gillian?"

"Ha, you thought I was cheating on my girlfriend. That's why you went into that spiel about rule twelve in front of her team. No Gillian knows about Penelope in fact they get together more than, I do with her. Besides I told Gillian from the start that Penelope was my friend and that I've known her longer and if she couldn't trust me to be with Penelope then it wouldn't work. Lovers and girlfriends come and go but a real friend, well they stay with you for life."

"Well don't make a mess of it."

"I won't. I'm thinking of introducing her to my buddy Glen. I'll have to see if he is available to come to Ducky's birthday party, Ducky already invited Penelope to come."

"When did he do that?"

"Today just before we all went out for that late lunch."

" I see, Ducky's party is a month away." Gibbs reminds him.

"I know that, but Glen is a cop and he had to put in for time off in advance."

"As long as he doesn't hurt her. I've come to like her."

"You just like the coffee she gets for the BAU. None of that cop shop coffee, she gets the real stuff."

"That too." Gibbs replies as he leaves Tony and goes to his own car.