The premier was sort of disappointing for being such a landmark episode... Also, Lisa being there was totally irrelevant, there must be more coming from that otherwise, why bother? But also, what an irrelevant story line. The majority of that cast is chronically single and they give him a gf when they know how many of us ship Garvez... I think they like pissing me off. Anyway, I want to love CM again but they make it tough sometimes. I have said it before and I will say it again, they could've just left him single. We could still have our Garvez shipping hearts intact and cling on to any eye contact they had, but no, give him a gf when he's the last person who needs a significant other. We know the least about his background of anyone. There is so much more to explore there than a relationship... whatever.

Anyway, I am posting this chapter of Manor because so many of you seem to shy away from this fic because it takes a lot of twists and turns so hopefully this gives everyone a sense of calm. I think this was the story I was most personally attached to besides Fog so I hope that you all end up liking it as much as I do, because unfortunately those two pics seem to have been the least popular overall. Thanks everyone. And yes, I am still having some bad days but CM can rile me up in a heartbeat.

Luke and Penelope finally made it to the pool around four in the afternoon. The day was almost over, but they finally got some sleep in and had also done it two more times. Neither of them cared if they missed the water activities. Nothing was going to bring either of them more pleasure than having agreed to be together again. She was worried about having to explain their apparent overnight change of heart, but Luke assured her that they were all still a few steps behind, and this could only help with letting other details fall by the wayside.

They were unfortunately greeted by everybody when they strolled in because everyone that had been out on the water had tired themselves out in the past six hours. They were all in the clubhouse together, having drinks and using the pool and jacuzzi.

"So…" JJ said as she smirked at the two newcomers.

"Does everybody have to get quiet at the same time?" Penelope asked, already exasperated from the interrogation that hadn't happened yet.

"Well, inquiring minds, Penelope," Emily said with just as much excitement on her face as JJ.

"We're back together. Thank you. That is all to see here, folks. Please return to your regular programming." Penelope shook her head.

"Uh uh! You think we're going to leave it there? We didn't know you even had a serious relationship, we didn't know you broke up, we still don't know why, and now you're back together? Are you serious?" Derek asked in disbelief.

"We were together, we broke up, for a good reason at the time, but we've decided the reason wasn't worth it, so we are back together. It's not actually that complicated, Boo."

She watched Derek sigh, and she felt bad. She knew that he, as well as the others, just felt excluded. The time she had to herself while they were so caught up in their own lives actually seemed to do her some good. It gave her a different perspective on life and how miniscule some things really were.

"Fine. Look. Tonight we'll all have big family dinner, and you can all ask whatever you want, okay?" She was over it. Talking about it wasn't going to hurt her again, nor was it going to tear them apart. Their transformative joining the night before reassured her of that.

She nodded at the various faces around her that seemed to not only accept that answer but were already anticipating the conversation.

"Maybe I should start drinking now," she muttered to a round of laughter.

Luke took her aside. "Don't feel obligated."

"I don't anymore, Baby. I'm just ready to let it all go. What better way than this?" She gave him a kiss but stopped when she heard an ooh coming from Rossi of all people. She rolled her eyes. "Or we could just elope, move to Sweden, and never see these people again."

He put his tongue to his teeth, letting delight cross his face. "Don't tempt me."

….

"Where are they? Food's ready. We need talk," JJ said as she rubbed her hands together.

"I know. I put my kids to bed early. I tricked my children for this," Kristy agreed.

"I bribed Jack," Hotch added. "He's upstairs helping Amanda and Mrs. Reid do a puzzle."

"Alright, alright. They'll be here," Emily assured before looking at her watch. "Although, they could speed it up."

Layla was uncharacteristically quiet, sitting at the same table from the night before with a glaring Kelsey right next to her. Phil had his wheelchair pulled up to the head of the table, tipping his head to the two ladies there with him.

Luke came down the stairs wanting to shout at everyone for silencing themselves almost every time he appeared now, but at least they were all paying attention. "Penny isn't feeling good. Maybe we can do this another time?"

"What? Wait, is she just trying to avoid us?" Tara asked.

"God I wish she was, but, no, she actually does feel sick."

"Should I go look at her?" Savannah asked

Luke shook his head. "I told her to let you, Kelsey, or Layla know, but she says she's fine. She just wants to rest." He shrugged.

"I have my kit with me. It's no trouble." Kelsey stood up, worried.

"No, no need." They heard Penelope's weak voice coming towards them. She shuffled through the kitchen to stand next to Luke.

"I told you I would take care of it," he said, immediately putting his arms around her.

"I know, I know, but then this will never end." She shook her head, taking a seat with Luke on the long settee near the wall that let them be in the front of the expansive room. She waved a hand at them all, indicating they should ask away.

Suddenly everyone seemed to have filters because no one jumped to speak first. Penelope rolled her eyes. "Look it's-" She cut herself off and held onto her side as she took a sharp intake of breath as she tried to contain the pain.

"Layla, go get my kit," Kelsey ordered. Layla was gone and back before Kelsey could even kneel in front of Penelope.

Phil wheeled closer to the group of four. He could see the others wanting to jump in, but he held a hand up. "Just stay calm right now, okay?" He tried to make eye contact with most everyone as he set himself nearby but out of the way. Layla was kneeling next to Kelsey, ready to help her while Luke held Penelope helplessly as she curled over in pain.

"When did the pain start?" Kelsey questioned.

"She was already complaining about tummy aches the day we got here," Luke answered.

Penelope took a deep breath. "My period is supposed to start, so I just thought…" She trailed off as she felt another swoop of pain.

"What day were you supposed to start?"

"Like, yesterday maybe, but at least we know I'm not pregnant."

"It's been steadily worse?" Kelsey asked as she pushed on Penelope's stomach.

"Well it was alright last night, obviously, but today, yes," she answered.

"Have your periods been getting lighter ever since then?" Penelope nodded. "Okay. Lay, call an ambulance," Kelsey told her. Layla ran past the shocked faces of the others to her phone. "I think you're going to need the surgery we talked about, but we're going to get an ultrasound and see if we're at that stage yet."

"Three minutes." Layla returned. "Adhesion buildup?"

"Most likely."

"Is this what you were saying was the rare but possible complication?" Luke asked, trying to stay calm.

Kelsey moved to the side, holding Penelope's wrist just to keep herself sure that she was okay. "Yes, most likely her cervix is blocked by adhesions. There was more destruction of the uterine lining than we'd hoped. Get them moved," Kelsey nodded to the crowded room.

"Everyone stand to the sides of the room," Phil said authoritatively. They all listened to him, most of them concerned and wanting to jump in but knowing they would only be in the way.

Layla ran out to the front deck so she could wave the paramedics in. "I can walk to the door," Penelope said.

"I don't think-"

She cut Luke off. "No, I can walk to the front door. It'll be quicker than if they have to come in here."

Luke deferred to Kelsey who nodded and got on Penelope's other side, walking with her to the entrance. The paramedics were coming up the walkway, and they met them on the front porch, "Complications from a C&D three months ago, most likely Asherman's. Call it in, tell them Dr. Kelsey Alvez will probably need an O.R. I should still have visiting physician status." Kelsey's voice was the most clear anyone had heard it since meeting her. Layla stood in the entrance, not wanting to be in the way. Kelsey came up to her and kissed her soundly on the lips. "Sorry, Baby, we shouldn't be fighting right now." Everyone watched helplessly as Kelsey and Luke got in the ambulance with Penelope.

Layla sighed exhaustedly before turning around to the shocked and scared faces in front of her. She shut the door and took a deep breath. "Well fuck, Phil. Looks like it's me and you now." She motioned for the others to sit, most of them did, but Derek started pacing the side of the room.

"Shouldn't we go to the hospital?" he growled angrily.

"Hey, Derek, dude, I know I don't know you that well, but calm down, bro. You can't do anything right now. But maybe you can all understand, and that way you can be there for both of them when she comes out of surgery." Layla saw that he could be a hot head, but right now was not the time.

Phil put a hand on Layla's arm when she came to sit next to him. "Please, everyone, let us give you the explanation you've wanted, and that you now need."

As the two people now on the hotseat took a few breaths to prepare themselves, Savannah questioned quietly, "Asherman's?" When she saw Layla nod, she sat back not meeting her husband's gaze, wanting to let them all understand and needing Layla to start from the beginning.

"So as you know they were together. It was serious. And it was- is a very good relationship," Phil said calmly.

"So good in fact that neither of them seemed to care about preventing pregnancy," Layla muttered.

"When all of you were on the Challenger case, and you were being carted back and forth to protective custody and watching bodies drop, Penelope didn't even realize she was pregnant for a couple months," Phil informed them.

"They finally figured it out when she collapsed while we were all here together. Luckily, Kelsey seemed to figure out what was wrong right away. Kelsey thought that they figured it out in time, but a couple days later..."Layla let a couple of tears fall.

"There was a lot of… She needed to have a procedure called dilation and curettage, D&C. Her body, for whatever reason, didn't actually complete the miscarriage. They perform the procedure when the miscarriage is incomplete," Phil added. He knew more about this process than he ever thought he would.

"It's not great, but it's not entirely invasive either. But sometimes it can lead to Asherman's syndrome, which can be a bad complication depending on the grade. It means essentially that there was extensive destruction of her uterine lining or that adhesions have grown and are blocking her cervix, preventing her blood from exiting her uterus." Layla let Phil wipe her tears before speaking again. "If it's a bad grade, then she'll need a rare and invasive surgery. Only a handful of doctors have enough experience with A.S. to truly perform it safely. Thank God my wife is one of them." She let her tears fall as she felt a sob invade her body.

The room was silent, and most of the people were crying or attempting not to. "Is she going to be okay?" JJ asked in between her own small sobs.

"She should be. If she was bleeding still last month, that means it can't be as- It's a better place to be," Layla said as she wiped her face on Phil's shoulder.

"They didn't want to burden you with more than you were already dealing with. It wasn't that alarming at the time. It was, but wasn't. The pregnancy was a surprise, but they didn't even have enough time to tell anyone, even if they wanted to, because the miscarriage happened before we left here that week. There was only about a week where she knew she was pregnant before... D&C is performed in one day. She was released five hours later. All of you were on leave, so she had a few days to recuperate without ever having to let it affect work. It just never seemed like a good time," Phil added as he held Layla's head against his shoulder.

"But then- But why- How did- I mean I understand that it's emotional, but they- Luke said she broke his heart, I'm not-" Derek trailed off not sure what he was asking or if he even cared at the moment.

"She did. She was pretending to be okay, but, when they went back to work, she wouldn't let him come over or see her. She told him to focus on the case. You all had to go out of town, he was going to ask to stay, she didn't want him to, and she pushed him away. When he got back, she had moved her stuff out of his house. She wouldn't see him except at work. Then when he went to confront her after he had given her a week to herself, she broke up with him. She told him she didn't want to be with him," Layla told them.

"She was shutting down. She was probably depressed. To be honest, so was he, but they couldn't let you all down. You needed them to help catch that unsub, so they tried to compartmentalize, but he still didn't want to lose her. There was another two days they had off at the same time when you all were rotating. He went to her apartment to try and talk sense into her again, but she was drunkenly kissing some guy at her door," Phil added.

"Luke was- He was- I don't even know if crushed, if gutted- I don't know if there's a word for it. He was just so utterly broken," Layla added through tears.

"Yeah worse than when his PTSS was-" Phil cut himself off.

"He came to Philadelphia to talk to Kelsey and me. Kelsey deals with this all the time. She knows these things can break people up. When she first figured out Penelope was pregnant, she promised that her and her baby would be alright. Kelsey thought that she got her prenatal care quickly enough. It was assumed that Penelope only passed out from stress and lack of rest, at a time when she would need more. No one was looking for anything more to be wrong." Layla used the back of her hand to wipe the tears away. "Anyway, Kelsey didn't know what to say. She said she had never seen him so lost in all the years she's known him, and I've been with her for almost twelve."

"She decided to call Penelope after Luke left her office. She wanted to talk to her, to apologize for getting her hopes up, to tell her she couldn't retreat like that, to tell her to fight. She told her that Luke was there and how he was doing. She told her to go to him and make it right," Phil added.

"Something about what Kelsey said got through to her. Penelope went to his house and let herself in. She knew she'd acted stupid, and she knew she wanted to fix everything, but because they are the two dumbest people I know," Layla took a deep breath, "she walked in on him making out with Kelsey's sister. She had come to Kelsey's office to go to lunch with her and ran into Luke. They obviously know each other. He was looking for- I don't know, but she drove with him back to D.C. They went out and got shit faced drunk." Layla broke down into tears again.

"You can imagine, Penelope saw that and didn't want to deal with it. He chased after her, and she tried to shut him out all over again. That month was vicious for both of them, and yes, it was only a month. They've only been apart for three; the past two have been cautious but good. They both knew the other only went out with someone else because they were hurt. Luke knew why Penelope pushed him away. Penelope knew she had hurt him and, well, they got back to being them. Honestly, they did so fairly easily once they started communicating again, but she felt like she couldn't trust him which I understand. He felt like he couldn't trust her at first either," Phil added.

"She had a harder time with it probably because he slept with Kelsey's sister like ten years ago and also because he was the one telling her not to run away, and that's kind of what he did." Layla continued to wipe away her now silent tears.

"Damn, what the hell happened to us? Why didn't we see this?" Matt was the first one to speak, even though he was just as astonished as the rest of them.

"Hey man, you don't need to play that game with yourselves. We were there for them, but that's not what mattered. They didn't need other people; they needed each other. Even if you all knew, they probably would have still taken the long way around," Phil assured them. "Plus I know what you all were going through. I was obviously taken hostage," Phil gestured to his wheelchair. "Half of you were taken, all of you were threatened, and your families were taken away from you. There was no reason to do anything besides run your race, and get to the bottom of everything."

"Is that why? Is that why? The stress? The job?" JJ was quietly sobbing.

"No. Maybe." Layla wiped another tear away. "She had an abnormally high level of mercury in her system. Exposure to that can be harder to pinpoint, but there's a lot of chemicals in various computer parts like cadium and mercury. She was taking them apart and putting them back together a lot because she wanted to make sure she had the most effective machine she could. I'm sure the stress didn't help, but you can't do that either, try to pinpoint the reason," Layla assured her. "That's what Kelsey did to herself. She was so angry that she didn't see that something bigger was wrong."

"Is that why they said they didn't want kids? Because of that?" Savannah asked.

"Oh God, we were teasing them about it." Kristy put her hand to her chest.

Layla shook her head. "As far as I know, they never did want them. That week they discussed it and decided to change their life plans, but then it didn't work out that way anyway. Those few days in between, they were almost excited about it. But, not only does exposure to cadium and mercury make you sick, it also causes infertility and then, with the D&C, it's unlikely they could ever conceive now even if they wanted to."

"This procedure, it causes more infertility?" Emily asked.

"It can make it harder to get and maintain a healthy pregnancy," Layla nodded at her.

"I don't understand how we could have-" Rossi began.

"No wonder they didn't want to talk about it," Spencer agreed.

"We were joking about it all like it was nothing," Will said.

"Damn this is- this is-" Derek stood up to pace again. "And I owe Kelsey an apology."

"You thought she cheated with him," Phil stated rather than asked and waited for the nod. "And you thought I'd lower my standards enough to sleep with Layla." He tried to make a joke. At least Layla let a smile grace her face as she swatted Phil's bicep. "Luke would never." He assured the people in front of him. Phil was almost angry that they didn't know that about his best friend, but now was not the time.

"We didn't know that either, that you two are married," Hotch indicated Layla.

"You were reacting to your friend being upset. You went with the option that made more sense. Why would you assume all of this? To be honest, they were hiding from themselves too. Seriously I've played this game, and taking on the burden for them isn't how to do it. You just need to be there for them going forward, but you don't need to rehash what's already been. It will get you nowhere," Phil said soundly.

"We should probably go to the hospital. She'll be in surgery I'm sure, but Luke…" Layla said.

"We can't all go sit there. It will make Luke feel claustrophobic and like he has to think about us and not her," Hayden told them all as she saw them wanting to move.

"She's right. He'll start worrying about all of you. We need to let him have some peace," Phil told the group.

"He's one of my best friends. I need to go," Matt said to Phil who nodded at him.

"Penelope is my best friend. I need to go too." JJ stood up wiping her eyes.

"So do I," Derek said.

"The five of us can head over. If needed, we can switch out in shifts, but let's just see what's going on first." Phil was in charge here, and he needed to make sure that everyone did what was right for both Penelope and Luke. "Let's go."