Chap 10. California

Thanks a lot for the reviews… enjoy…

As soon as she hung up on Derek, Penelope phoned Hotch to ask for some time off. She was going out of the BAU when she bumped into JJ.

"Pen? Where are you going?"

"JJ… I have some days off...I have to go now." Pen said avoiding her eyes.

"Pen… Derek is…"

"That's ok JJ really. I just need to get out of here for some time. Take good care of him." She said heading to the elevator.

"He loves you Pen.

Penelope stopped and turned towards her friend.

"Yeah. I know he loves me, we're friends. He just doesn't love me the way I do."

"You're so mistaken…"

"I doubt that JJ. I have to go now. Goodbye."

JJ stared at her before the elevator's door shut. She sighed and took her phone to call Hotch.

Penelope quickly took a small bag and put some clothes inside of it. She had some time before her flight but feared that her friends come to her place. So, she decides to go directly to the airport.

When she finally reached her destination, she went to the hotel and slept until the next morning.

The next day, she rented a car and went where she wanted to go since she left Virginia.

She parked in front of a pretty townhouse. She stared at two children playing in the front garden. Then a pretty woman came out and called for the children.

15 minutes later a tall man parked in front of the house. When she saw him going out of the car, Penelope gasped. It was him…

"Rick " she whispered.

She saw the children running out. He lifted the younger who was a boy and kissed him on the cheek. He then leaned down and kissed the little girl head.

The woman went out and kissed him on the lips. Penelope watched the happy family picture with a little sadness, and then she left her spot quickly.

"He is happy. I was just a mistake in his life," she muttered sadly.

She kept replaying Derek's words in her mind. "It's all your fault…"

"How can I face him again?" She thought.

During her time in California, Penelope turned off her phone. She needed this time to make some decisions.

She went to Rick's house twice. She needed to put this part of her life behind her. He had hurt her so much and now, her greatest fear was that someone hurt her again… In that case, Derek…

Sorry for that annoying chapter but I needed to write it for the story.