A/N: Thanks everyone for the reviews and feedback! It's much appreciated. If anyone has ideas for future fanfics, PM me and let me know!

"I'd like that too," Aaron said, looking intently at the burnette. "Though, I must ask, what exactly should I be forgetting about and moving on from?"

"Well, uh.." she began.

Focusing on Kate, Aaron watched her push a strand of hair behind one ear and clear her throat. Was she going to admit to having feelings for him at last? He surely hoped so. Or maybe this was just an apology on her part for everything that had happened to them in the last day...

Kate sucked in a breath. "What I said," she replied quietly. "Is what I want a do-over with. I want you to forget that I ever said I didn't care for you in that way. Because I do. I care about you a lot."

There was complete silence between them, but the weight was instantly lifted from Kate's shoulders. She could breathe again. The anxiety over telling him was over, and her worries over the team breaking apart were now shared with him. He was just as responsible for the night before as she was. One was not more guilty than the other.

Kate snuck a glance at Aaron, hoping he wasn't going to reject her, as hypocritical as that was. To her surprise, he was laughing.

"What?" she asked, mouth agape. "What are you laughing at?"

"You," he said between chuckles. "I'm ecstatic to hear your confession. Really, I truly am. I care for you too, and I have for a while."

"I'm happy to hear that," Kate said uncertainly. Why was Aaron laughing exactly?

"What's been up with you though? It's like you've done a 360 in the last hour, Callahan," he said. "Most people don't do that."

She gave him a small smile. "Do you really want to know?" she asked and he nodded.

Kate filled him on everything. How Rossi had seen them kissing, his warning, her worries over Sylvia disbanding the BAU, and how she had talked to JJ earlier.

"I'm still concerned," Kate said. "Sylvia's definitely not going to like 75% of the team being involved with one another. I can't say that I blame her either. It doesn't seem very professional."

Hotch waved her off. "You leave Sylvia to me," he said. "I'll handle her."

"You and the ice queen are friends?" Kate asked incredulously. "Why?"

"She's really not that bad away from the office," Aaron said. "She's actually a nice person. She's just put on a tighter rope than Strauss ever was. She has a lot of pressure on her."

Kate only looked at him, trying to hide her smile. "Are you sure you can handle that fire breathing dragon on your own?" she asked. "I'm more than willing to tag along to make things easier for you."

"Kate, darling," Aaron said, tipping his head back into the sun. "You have nothing to worry about. Sylvia owes me a few favors anyway."

He slowly leaned back onto the grass, taking Kate with him. They were laying in the sun, sprawled out like kids watching the clouds, listening as Jack and Henry ran around the lake splashing and yelling to one another.

"I'm glad that we took this trip," Kate said.

"Me too," Aaron replied. "Especially since it led me to you."


Derek thought he was going to die. He was running as fast as his legs would carry him, but it didn't seem to be enough. He still hadn't caught up to Penelope and Rossi.

He never ran this fast. His workouts never needed to be this intense as long as they were consistent. Heck, the more Derek thought about it, the more he realized the last time he had reached this speed was during his FBI physical three years ago.

His legs ached as he went uphill again, calling her name. She had to be around here somewhere. He knew Penelope, and her speed in hiking was never fast. She liked taking her time and enjoying the scenery. Rossi was the same way.

"Penelope!" Derek yelled. "Baby Girl!"

He looked around him wildly, hoping to see her and Rossi lagging behind or coming back to see who was calling them.

Her words from that note were still haunting him in his chase. We both seem to want different things out of life, Derek, she had written. When we get back to Quantico, we should take a break. Maybe even see other people.

Why had Derek ever told her that he didn't want kids? Of course he wanted them with her. It wasn't like he planned to stay in the bedroom all their lives and have nothing come of it. He had other plans, he just hadn't planned on them happening any time soon.

The note again.

I love you more than anything. I can't imagine my life without you, Derek. I just know that it wouldn't be fair for me to stay with you when I want other things. I don't want to grow resentful of you through the years.

He couldn't imagine his life without her either. That's why he needed to find her before they reached the parking lot at the end of the trail. Derek didn't want her back in Quantico until he fixed everything. It was like their trip home was a ticking time bomb on their relationship.

He tried to peer in the distance, but he still didn't see them. How were they keeping such a fast pace? Was Penelope that desperate to get away from him?

I always thought my future was with you. I never thought ahead with Kevin or Sam, and I suppose that's what hurts the most. I thought I was that one for you. That's why I don't think I can move on from this or have you in my life anymore. At least not the way you have been.

It was at that memory when he took off running at full speed. "PENELOPE!" he yelled to the wind. "Baby Girl!"

What if he didn't make it to her on time?


JJ and Reid were packing their things and talking among themselves. It seemed everyone else on the team was dealing with a bit of drama except for them.

"I hope Derek finds her," Reid said. "Penelope and him are soulmates."

JJ looked at him, a smile on her lips. "I thought you said you didn't believe in soulmates," she said. "You said it was statistically impossible to have only one person in the world that belonged with you."

Reid looked embarrassed then. "It is scientifically impossible for only one person to make you fall in love," he said. "You can match with a numerous amount of people. Attraction is blind to that."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I don't believe in the science side of that argument anymore," he explained. "Just because statistics and data say one thing doesn't make it true. I've known since the day I met you that you were the one for me."

Setting down her tent, JJ walked over to him. He continued talking: "There's no one else that makes me feel this way. No one at all. All the time I was with other people I was thinking of you."

JJ kissed him then. "You're my soulmate too," she said. "I've never loved anyone as much as I love you."


Penelope and Rossi had stopped to look at the view. Rossi was snapping pictures with his camera, but Penelope felt detached. All she wanted was to turn around and run back to Derek. They could work it out, couldn't they? Was she just overreacting?

No, she realized sadly. She wasn't. Her and Derek were simply not meant to be anymore. They wanted different things. It wasn't fair to either one of them to be with someone who didn't share their plans for the future.

"Penelope!"

She turned toward Rossi, thinking the older man was the one yelling her name. Rossi looked at her in bewilderment, and they turned back to the trees just in time to see a figure slice through them.

It was Derek.

Penelope's heart instantly sped up and she felt better. Whole again. Even though she was angry and hurt, she was beyond happy to see him.

She didn't show it though. She knew that would be a mistake on her end. Penelope needed to keep herself together and not fall under Derek's spell. If she did, it wasn't a guarantee she could return from it.

"Baby Girl," Derek said, gasping for air. He had ran the whole way. "We need to talk. Right now."

She glanced over at Rossi. "I'll take my cue," he said. "There's some other pictures I want to take back there anyway."

He left the two of them alone.

Once he was out of earshot, Penelope crossed her arms. "Please say whatever it is that you want to say," she said. "I have quite a bit of hiking left to do."

"Baby Girl…" Derek started but she interrupted him.

"Don't you dare call me that!" she roared. "You have lost that right." Then, taking a deep breath to calm herself: "Didn't you get my note? I asked Henry to give it to you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. "I did," he said. "I read it, and we need to talk."

Penelope scoffed at him, turning to see that Rossi was out of sight. He had left them completely alone. She pressed her lips together, trying to hold her bearings, and looked at Derek.

"Seriously?" she asked. "Why? So you can tell me again how much you don't want my children? Please don't Derek. It hurt enough the first time you said it."

"Penelope…"

"I mean, I thought my future was with you. I thought we were going to get married and that would be us someday," she babbled. "I always imagined us being like JJ and Reid. That'll never be us, though, will it?"

"Penelope," Derek said, finally getting a word in edgewise. It seemed she had finished her rant. "Please listen to me. Please. I need to tell you the truth."

"The truth?" she cried. "You already told me the truth! You told me you didn't want kids. Even if they were with me."

She was crying then.

Derek took a deep breath. He reached out to her, letting his fingers brush her shoulder carefully. To her surprise, she didn't push him away.

"Can I please talk without an interruption?" he asked, pulling her closer to him.. "If you would give me the chance to explain myself, you'd realize I have something else to confess."

"Fine," she whispered in defeat. "What is it?"

"I lied," he said. "You freaked me out this morning, okay? We haven't been together all that long, and I guess...I guess I thought you meant you wanted to get pregnant soon. I don't know."

Penelope didn't say anything at first. She looked up at him, her mascara smeared down her cheeks, the hurt evident in her eyes still. Did she even believe him?

"What are you saying?" she asked. "Just spit it out."

Derek closed his eyes for a second. "You terrify me sometimes," he admitted. "Especially when you bring up things like kids. I love you. I really do. And...sometimes...when you love someone, you really screw things up."

She started to talk, but he held up a hand. "Let me finish. I do want kids with you. Okay? That was the lie. I've always thought about it and dreamed about it. I just...never talked about it out loud before. So it scared me."

Penelope watched him stumble over his words, feeling horrible the entire time. Why hadn't she talked with him before leaving the campsite? It was so unfair of her. She knew Derek's phobia of commitments.

"Derek," she finally said. "Here's the thing."


Rossi stood on the other end of the trees, trying his hardest to stay distracted. Derek and Penelope were going to be a while, he knew. Derek loved her, and he would do anything to win her back. Besides, Rossi had a hard time believing that Derek didn't want to have kids. It was out of character for him. He loved them.

At that thought, Rossi had to smile. Knowing how much Derek and Penelope loved each other reminded him of Erin. Whether she ever admitted it or not, she had always secretly wished they would get together. They all had.

"You know they're going to be together one day," Rossi had said to the section chief. They had been discussing the employee fraternization rules. "I don't think you can scare them enough to stop them."

Erin looked at him from her computer, grinning. "Who said I was trying to stop them?" she asked flippantly. "I happen to think they would make the perfect couple."

"Seriously?"

"Yes," she insisted. "I do. If Derek ever asks Penelope out, I'll look the other way. As long as they keep their personal lives at home, I don't mind. As long as they don't..." She paused a second to make sure one was nearby. "have sexual relations at FBI headquarters."

Rossi only shook his head. "Someone got bit by the Morcia bug."

"Morcia?"

He laughed awkwardly. "That's what the teams call them. It's their couple name. They never say it in front of Morgan though. He'd kill them. I'm not sure Penelope knows about it either."

Erin only smiled, peering out of her office window. "Speaking of the devil," she said. "It looks like Derek is coming in to see us now. Do you think that's what he's going to tell us? That they're finally together?"

"We'll have to wait and see," Rossi said. Then, to Derek: "Have a seat, Morgan. What brings you here?"

Rossi looked up at the sky, the memory of Erin hitting him hard. She had been so excited after Derek admitted their relationship that day. They were both quick to approve and fill out the required paperwork. The young man had been shocked.

Erin hadn't been alive long enough to see the outcome of what she approved though.

Rossi glanced back in the direction of the couple, hoping Derek was talking some sense into Penelope. They belonged together. There was no way his favorite couple would break up for good. The signs had always been there. They were even a reminder of what he had with Erin.

They were soulmates. No doubt about it. Now, if only Morgan could convince Penelope to forgive him, and all would be right again.


"You can't lie to me anymore," Penelope whispered. "Do you hear me? You can't lie to me again. I love you and it hurts too much. Especially about something as big as that."

"I won't," Derek swore. "You have my word."

"Then I forgive you," she said. "But you've still got a long way to go until you're out of the doghouse with me, Hot Stuff."

His heart sped up at the sound of his nickname. "Well, I do have forever to find a way to make it up to you, don't I?"

"Why yes," she replied. "You do."

"I kinda love you, Penelope Garcia."

"And I kinda love you, Derek Morgan."

Then they were kissing right in the middle of the woods. Penelope was practically clinging to him, and Derek was holding her as close as humanly possible.

Thankfully the team wasn't there to watch this time around. They had their privacy. They knew Rossi wouldn't disturb them for anything in the world.

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed. Thank you again for all the reviews. Don't forget to leave one with any final thoughts! : )