"Are you guys okay?" Stella asked as she and Derek fell back a couple of steps from Mac and Penelope.

"We're getting there. With everything that's been happening with work, with Foyet, Canada, even before all that, we've just started to drift apart. It was almost easier to just let us drift further and further apart, then the whole Tamara thing happened, and it showed both of us, just how far apart we have drifted from each other, and honestly Stell, that scared the living crap out of me. I could survive almost anything, losing her, not one of them."

"Glad to hear it Morgan, I was this close to kicking your ass a couple of months ago, you owe Mac a thank you for stopping me."

"Really, I would have thought he would have been the first one in line."

"Oh he is, but he also knows that despite how hurt, disappointed and even angry Pen may be at you, you mean a lot to her and that she would never want any harm come your way."

"So things seem to be going okay with you two?" Mac observed,

"We're a work in progress. There's things that come naturally so it's like nothings changed, but there are other things that are a little harder to move on from, but we're taking it one day at a time, and he's working his ass off. Well, we both are."

"Hence the invitation to New York."

"Yeah, you don't mind do you?" she asked again,

"Of course not Bug." He said draping an arm over her shoulder and pulling her affectionately closer to him as they walked.

Lunch with Mac and Stella was exactly what Penelope needed to de-stress from the last few months. Derek observed that in the last couple of hours that she had been with Mac and Stella, she had never looked more comfortable and happier than he had seen her these last six months. It wasn't until that moment that he realised that her smiles rarely reached her eyes anymore, it wasn't until that moment that he remembered how much he loved her 1000 watt smile that always left a glint in her eye, like there was a secret that only she knew. Their jobs had taken a toll on all of them, and it seems on Penelope the most. He knew how afraid she was of becoming jaded and he vowed to himself that he wouldn't let her get to that point.

"Derek and I will go shopping, you two go. Seriously Mac, we don't mind. We have nothing else to do. You two do your Crime Scene thing, us BAU people can do the shopping."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Mac, I am sure. Now go! I've got keys, we'll meet you back at yours with Pizza ready."

They had just finished lunch when Stella and Mac got paged with a homicide. They were supposed to all go shopping for Christmas dinner that afternoon, but with a new case Mac was worried that he wouldn't get a chance to do the big shop so Penelope had offered her and Derek's shopping services.

"Really Mac, we're pros at this. Pen and I usually end up doing the shopping for Thanksgiving at Rossi's. We love it. Really." Derek assured the older man.

"If you two insist."

"We do. Now go. I still remember how to get to your favourite markets."

"Good girl. See you guys soon." Mac gave Penelope another meaningful squeeze, handing her his credit card before he and Stella headed to the crime scene.

"Kind of feels strange not being the one who gets called away."

"I bet. Well enjoy it Agent Morgan, we don't know when Chief Strauss will feel the spirit of giving again."

"That is true. Shall we?"

"Yup, let's go."

Penelope manoeuvred the markets expertly as she always did in Virginia. It was an art from that Derek enjoyed watching. Hours and several bags later, they stepped into Mac's apartment. It was a decent sized apartment with two bedrooms. The other bedroom was normally where she stayed on her visits, but with Hawkes crashing at Mac's it was on loan, which she didn't mind. It had a large functioning kitchen that Penelope loved to use. Derek could tell that she was well acquainted with the place. He looked around the apartment and saw that though Mac was a minimalist, he was also a sentimental guy. There were photos on the ledge of his fireplace of his parents, his team and Penelope.

"Great photo P." Derek said pointing to the photo of an eighteen year old Mac who had a twelve year old Penelope with pigtails on his back. They were both looking at each other laughing.

"Yeah, it's one of my favourites. He had one made for me on canvas for my birthday. It's in my bedroom." She said answering the look on his face that was clearly searching her apartment in his mind. It had been quite some time since he had set foot in her bedroom. In her apartment,

"When was this taken?" he asked pointing at the picture of Mac and Penelope sitting at the front steps of her apartment building,

"My Birthday, he came to spend my birthday with me. Stella arrived that afternoon and we were hanging out at front waiting for her, she took that shot."

"I thought you were away for your birthday this year." He recalled,

"I was. Away from the office. With Haley and Jack still in protective custody and Foyet out and about, I didn't feel comfortable being too far away in case Hotch needed me. That and Hotch did ask me to stay because he was worried Foyet may get to me too. He knew I was around." Derek nodded. He had promised they would do something for her birthday and they just never got around to it. Before tension could seep into the room Penelope quickly changed the subject and started unpacking the groceries.