Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds...I just play with it.

WOW! Over 100 reviews! Thank you guys all so much! Well, here's the latest installment and I'm also coming out with chapters for my CM/Grey's and CM/Psych crossovers. Until next time :)

"Well, Ms. Garcia, your baby looks fine," the doctor said, looking at her charts. "For months without seeing a doctor, you're remarkably healthy. As is your baby." Looking back up at Penelope, she asked more gently, "Did the man holding you captive hurt you in any way?"

Shaking her head mutely, Penelope held onto Derek's hand and whispered, "No. He didn't."

Nodding, she said, "Okay then. You're in perfect health as is your little girl. I see no reason to keep you here overnight. You can go home as soon as you take care of some paperwork."

Derek's face looked at the doctor. "We're having a baby girl?" he asked hoarsely.

Smiling, she said, "Yes. And she's perfectly healthy. A strong heartbeat, everything looks like it's developing properly. I'm expecting her to be born in August." She looked at both of them and said, "Is there anything else you need?"

Penelope still hadn't spoken and Derek looked at her sadly. Shaking his head, but not removing his eyes from her, he said, "No. We're all good for right now."

As soon as the doctor left, Derek sat on the exam table next to a stone-still Penelope and pulled her into his arms. Resting his chin in the crook of her neck, he said, "We're having a little girl, Baby."

"Yeah," she murmured, leaning against him. "Yeah, we are." Turning her head to look at him, she asked, "Can you take me home?"

He bit his lip nervously and said, "Baby, your landlord had us take your stuff because no one had seen you. We took out a storage unit and put it all there." She didn't say anything and he added, "Why don't you stay in the spare room at my place?" He hopped off the table and held out his hands for her to take.

"Derek, we still need to talk," she said, putting her hands on his chest and resting them there. "We never managed to all those months ago."

He sighed. "I know we do, Baby Girl," he said. She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off by putting his finger to her lips. "But before you say anything, if you say you want some space, I'll respect it. But I will spend the rest of my life trying to get you to marry me. Because that's what I want Penelope. I want you to be with me as my one true companion for the rest of our lives. I want to see you pregnant with more of my babies. I want to make you the happiest woman in the world because you deserve the best in life. And I know we didn't part on the best of terms before you were taken, but I'll always love you. I loved you the entire time we weren't speaking and when I heard you and Zoe arguing that night we got back I was coming to reconcile with you. I can't stand to be apart from you…ever."

Penelope smiled at him and took her hand up to his cheek. "I know, Hot Stuff," she whispered. "And let's face it. I'll probably end up marrying you, but for right now I think it would be best if we just focus on our daughter. I'll live with you, but in your guest room. In four months, let's see how we're doing."

Smiling widely, Derek leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Okay," he said. Then he put his hands around her belly and added, "We're going to meet you in just a few months, little girl."

When Penelope was in her clothes after changing from her hospital gown, she came out of the small bathroom and she smiled sadly. "Let's go."

XXXXX

Penelope had been living with Derek for two weeks and at least three times she'd woken up in the middle of the night screaming. Derek sat bolt up in his bed and raced out of his room to the guest room where Penelope lay thrashing on the bed. Her face was streaked with tears.

"Penelope, wake up," he said, shaking her shoulders. "Baby, it's okay." Her eyes opened and she sat up with startled eyes. He ran his thumb over her cheekbone and wiped her tears. "Hey you," he said sadly. "You were just having another nightmare."

With her lower lip quivering she relayed her dream. "It was that day," she sobbed. "His blood was all over my hands and I still couldn't get it off. I can still see his eyes as he died in front of me, Derek!" She fell into his open arms and cried against his chest. "Why won't he go away? Is he mad at me that he died trying to save me?"

Derek rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. He knew Joe's death was still weighing heavily on Penelope and she was feeling guilty that he'd died throwing himself in front of a bullet meant for her. Pushing some of her hair back, he murmured, "No, Baby Girl. He would never be mad at you. He saved you because you were the only one who ever showed him true compassion. It is not your fault that he died. Don't you ever blame yourself for that."

Still sobbing, she looked up at him and said, "Can you just hold me? At least until I fall asleep?"

"I will hold you for the rest of our lives if you want," he said, taking her in his arms and letting her lean into him. Wrapping her in his arms, he laid down with her and they fell asleep together into the early light of dawn, neither of them disturbed again by nightmares or the past.

XXXXX

4 Months Later

Penelope sat on her hospital bed, the nurses telling her she had to push. She cursed the team for being called away when she was in labor because she didn't know if she could do this without Derek with her.

"C'mon Penelope, you're going to have to push," one of the nurses said, trying to coach her through getting her baby out. "You can do it."

"No I fucking can't," Penelope spat, a curse word falling unusually out of her mouth. "God, I'm going to kill Derek for this! Why the hell did the team have to get called away now?"

"Penelope, you need to focus on pushing right now," she repeat. "I know you want your husband here –"

"That's the thing, he's not my husband!" she cried. "He wants to marry me, but because I'm scared I keep pushing him away. It's all my fault!"

"Penelope, calm down," she repeated. "You're just stressing yourself out and that's not good for the baby or for you."

"You don't understand!" Penelope was crying now. The tears were coming at an uncontrollable rate and she couldn't stop them. "I drove him off and all he's done is love me. I don't understand who he can forgive me and treat me so well when I can't even forgive myself!"

"Have I missed it?" Derek burst into the room, breathing heavily and looking haphazardly dressed. He looked like he'd run a marathon to get there. Immediately he was by Penelope's side and grasping her hand. "Hey, you," he said, trying to sooth her. "Easy there."

The nurse rejoiced and said, "Thank God you're here. She's been talking non-stop for almost two hours and stressing herself out."

Kissing the top of Penelope's head, he laughed and said, "Woman, what have I told you about running your motor mouth."

Snarling at him, Penelope replied, "When this is over I'm going to smack you so hard for being late. And then I'm going to smack Hotch for making you go on that case. And then I'm going to smack the unsub for making you all be called out on the case. And then –"

"Penelope," Derek said, cutting her off. "You need to listen to the nurse."

Looking at him gratefully, the nurse said, refocusing her attention on Penelope, "Alright Penelope, you need to push. You can do it." Letting out a shriek, Penelope gave a solid push and the nurse praised her. "Excellent. Just a few more and then you can meet your baby."

Breathing heavily, Penelope said, "Yeah, easy for you to say." She let Derek smooth some of her hair back before she gave another push, wincing the entire time.

"You're doing great, Baby Girl," Derek said, holding her hand. "You've got this."

"I see your daughter's head, Penelope," the nurse said. "One more push and you get to meet her."

With one last, ear-splitting shriek, Penelope gave one final push and the cry of a baby could be heard in the room. Smiling tiredly, she leaned her head against Derek's chest and said, "Thank God that's over!" She looked at the nurses who were cleaning up her daughter and asked, "Can I hold my baby?"

The nurse who'd been telling her to push turned around with a pink bundle and their cleaned up daughter. With a smile, she brought her over and set her in Penelope's waiting arms. "Here's your baby," she said. "She's gorgeous." Penelope smiled at her daughter. On top of her head was a mass of curly black hair and her skin was a shade lighter than Derek's. Her eyes were just like Penelope's, wide and bright.

Penelope stroked a finger down her baby's cheek and grinned. "Yeah, she is," she murmured. When she looked up at Derek, she saw that his eyes were swimming with tears and he was smiling. Holding up their daughter, she nodded and said, "Hold her."

Eagerly, Derek took his daughter in his arms and kissed her forehead. "Hey little girl," he whispered. He sat down on the hospital bed next to Penelope and leaned his head against hers. "Baby Girl, I'm the happiest man in the world right now," he said, kissing her cheek. "I hope you know that."

Nodding, she replied, "I know that, Hot Stuff. And I'm the happiest woman."

XXXXX

"So what's your name, little girl?" Penelope asked her baby as she sat on her bed, looking down at her and smiling softly. "What're we going to call you?"

"How about Mila?" Derek asked, coming back in the room from getting something to drink. He held out a cup of coffee for Penelope and smiled. "Bet it's been a while since you've had this," he said with a grin.

Nodding her thanks, she said, "I like Mila. Are you okay with that, little girl?" Their daughter gurgled and Penelope looked up at Derek with a grin. "Looks like Mila it is, Hot Stuff." She smiled as Derek sat down on the edge of the bed and held out his arms for the baby. Placing Mila in them, Penelope watched him looking at their daughter and smiled. He seemed so at ease with her, holding her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. It was at that moment that she realized just how much he meant to her. He was her best friend, her lover, her everything.

"Derek," she said with a deep breath.

He looked up at her and smiled softly. "Yeah, Baby Girl?" he asked.

She felt tears in her eyes and she nodded. "I'm ready," she said, putting her hand on his cheek. "I'm ready for everything."

Leaning forward with Mila still in his arms, he kissed her softly on the lips and smiled. "As am I, Baby Girl," he answered. "As am I."

So, just the epilogue left! Thank you again to all of you who have read and reviewed!