"Alright, wheels up in 30," Hotch announces before ending the team meeting. Another new case that interrupted our much needed vacation time. I look around as the team starts leaving and see that Derek is already halfway back to his office. I stand up and head to my office to drop some things off and start some preliminary searches before I follow after him, hoping that nothing bad has happened.
Even from down the hall, I can hear Derek getting upset over the phone. "I know it's my week with him, Savannah, but we just got pulled away on a case…No, I can't just skip this one. This is my job…Can you please just take him this week?...You're where?...Okay, fine. I'll figure something else out. Goodbye." I hear something crash to the floor as I walk into his office.
"What's going on, Hot Stuff?"
He lets out a deep sigh before turning around and facing me. "Savannah's away all week and I don't have anyone who can watch Hank. She wants me to just drop the case and stay with him, but I can't do that. And I would never ask her to do that to one of her patients. She acts like I'm only doing this so that I can get away from Hank. As if there was any part of me that wanted to be away from him."
"Derek. Deep breaths, calm down," I say, moving towards him and rubbing his back. "Why don't I watch Hank? I can drop him off at school before work and pick him up and bring him back here. He can stay at my place or I can stay at yours."
"Would you really do that for me, Pen?" Derek asks, looking at me with his heart in his eyes.
"I would do anything for you." Derek moves towards me and kisses my forehead before turning around and picking up his phone.
"This really means the world to me, Baby Girl. I owe you so badly."
"No you don't. Just stay safe out there and come back home."
"Anything for you." Derek smiles at me before turning around and beginning to make calls to arrange things for Hank to stay with me while I head back to my office.
A few hours later, I pull up outside the school and see Hank standing with a few other kids by their teacher. I walk over to the teacher and Hank comes running towards me as soon as he spots me.
"Hi, buddy!" I say. "Did you have a good day at school?"
"Yes! But it's even better now!"
"Well, you and I are gonna get to hang out together for the next few days while your daddy is away. Does that sound okay?"
"YES! Can we play with my dinos tonight? And can we have mac and cheese for dinner?" Hank is jumping up and down and the worry I had been feeling about this adventure starts to disappear.
"Of course we can! I have to check in with your teacher before we can head out of here, but then we can go to the office and hang out there for a little bit." Hank grabs a hold of my hand and starts running toward his teacher.
"Mrs. S, this is Penelope, my daddy's girlfriend. She's taking me home." I feel myself blushing deeply at Hank's words, but I push aside all of the feelings that the g-word bring up and smile at the woman, pulling out my ID and FBI badge.
"Hi, Agent Derek Morgan called the school earlier to let them know that I'd be picking Hank up for the next few days until he's back from work."
"Oh, yes. The principal told me. I'm Angie Staford, Hank's teacher. It's very nice to meet you. Hank talks about you a lot," she responds, taking my ID and badge and looking them over closely before smiling up at me and handing me my things. I'm blushing even more deeply now, and really just want to get away from the school.
"Alright, you're good to go. I'll see you tomorrow, Hank!"
"Bye, Mrs. S!"
"Goodbye, it was very nice meeting you!" I say, being led away by a very excited Hank who is more than ready to start our week together.
I'm finally home again after one of the worst cases I can remember being on, and being kept away from home for a week that started to feel like a full month. I open the door to the house and turn off the alarm before resetting it once the door is shut and locked. I look around and there are no lights on in the house, so I know Pen had probably passed out soon after putting Hank to bed. I drop my things at the base of the stairs before heading up to find Pen and let her off the hook.
I stop outside Hank's room and look inside but don't see him anywhere. I refuse to let the fear inside me take over at not seeing him and I continue down the hall into my bedroom where I see the most beautiful sight that sets me at ease like nothing else. There, completely passed out, are my son and the woman of my dreams cuddled together underneath the blankets. Penelope has her arm protectively draped over Hank and she looks so at peace with the world. Before I can help myself, I start taking off my clothes and with them, the stress of this case, and I fall into the bed, wrapping my arm around Penelope, pulling her closer to me and Hank on her other side. Everything feels so perfect and right to me in that moment. These are the only two people that I need in my life.
