Disclaimer I hate you so much for making me keep saying this: I do not own Criminal Minds.

Penelope had told Derek she needed to go to the loo, she'd lied to him and he knew it. She knew it too the moment she went to close the door so she could had have a quick cry and Derek took her in his arms and closed the door and just held her closely as she broke down fully.

'It's okay baby, I got you.' Derek soothed as she sobbed. 'I think they need to see this side of you. See that what went down all those years ago still hits you hard.'

'I don't have the energy to do this right now. I thought I did but I really don't.' She said as Derek helped her sit down on the toilet, he crouched in front of her, his eyes looking straight at her, letting her know he was ready for her to talk. 'I'm exhausted, I'm in pain and I thought now would be the time to do this.' She laughed and wiped her face. 'Yeah a week after a car crash is the prime time for a family reunion, who am I kidding?'

'You're not kidding anyone Pen.' Derek said calmly. 'You acted on instinct, and once this is over with, the initial meetings then all you have to do is nothing but rest.'

'I don't know if this is a good idea.' She added and sat back placing her hands on her stomach. 'I mean look at me, who am I fooling?' She admitted. 'I always thought that if I was ever to meet my brother's again, I'd be skinnier and more confident.'

'Excuse me?' Derek said and sat back on his heels. 'Don't talk like that Baby, you're perfect the way you, absolutely beautiful and you're confident. You're Penelope Morgan; you exude confidence from every pore on your body and know why?'

'Why?'

'Because you're a foxy mamma, literally, and you know who you are, no one else has to take that from you. You know who you are and you know who loves you.' He said and then leant back in, taking her face in his hands, his left thumb brushed over a cut. 'All the cuts and grazes, they'll go and you can show how the true Penelope Garcia, post hurt, acts. But for now, if you wanna cry, if you wanna act unlike you then you do so because this is only a period you're in, when you're all healed up and our bubba's getting closer to being born then you can dress in those multi-coloured clothes and not tracksuits and then you can strut your stuff Penelope style.' Penelope smiled at him. 'See that's all they need to see. That smile and they know you've never ever changed for anyone.' He stood up and put his hands out. 'Flush the loo and let's get back.' He said to make it look like she really did go to the loo.

'What would I do without you? I mean, right now I don't have the energy to do most things yet you're always here for me and you ask for nothing in return.'

'I get everything I need to make me feel like it's worth it. Your smile makes me feel better Baby Girl.' He said unlocking the door and helping her out, when they made back they saw Carlos and Elizabeth getting up to leave.

'Where are you going?' Penelope asked almost hurt. 'Were you going to leave?'

'Penny, honey, we can't do this.'

'You can't do this?' Penelope asked back and broke away from Derek and stood there. 'You think this is easy for me? Do you think this is a walk in the park because believe me it's far from it! I can't tolerate you up and leaving again, I don't physically or mentally have the energy to tackle it all and you're just gonna leave because you can't do this.'

'Penny...'

'When you look at me what do you see? Do you see even see me as your daughter because if you walk out of that door I don't think I could even acknowledge you as my parents anymore.'

'Penelope!' Carlos almost shouted. 'You can't be like that.'

'You're invited into my house, I wanted to do this, get the truth out now so we could move on. I could've left it be, could've ignored it for a while but I've lived with too much to just waste the opportunity. So I haven't but if you want to leave, then do so but understand that you walk out of that door and I won't give you another opportunity. It's now or never.' She said firmly and Derek just stood ready to take Penelope for support proudly. 'You leave that door; you lose your daughter for good.'

'You really mean it?' Carlos asked as Elizabeth stood shocked.

'Believe me I mean it.' Penelope said as a tear trickled down her cheek. 'You cannot even begin to understand how fucked up I was when you died, and there's no point living in the past, but what you need to realise now is that you have a daughter, you have me, who wants to give you my family, my husband and our child and you would just walk out on it all. And Nick, Nick's got two kids, one that actually called me Aunt Penny from just me telling her my name.' Carlos and Elizabeth's eyes changed then, their heads bowed with shame. 'So you walk out of that door and you lose that, you'll lose your entire family all over again.'

'You always knew how to use words chica.' Carlos said and stepped forward. 'You drive a hard bargain and I'd rather face whatever trouble we could get in than lose you again.' Penelope's face softened then.

'You've been living next to an FBI agent for months now, and a whole team of agents know, I think your secrets safe.'

'We can't compromise you like that.' Carlos said with concern. 'We can't put your lives in danger that way.'

'I'm with Pen on this, I'm not telling anyone, we can make up some reason why you needed name changes, why you left but we're a family and we look after one another.' Derek said and put his arm around Pen's shoulder again. 'Now can I get you sat down Baby Girl?'

'I don't think I can do this.' Elizabeth finally spoke up, her tone a little shocked. 'You don't need me, or us, you moved on.'

'You think I don't need you?'

'You have a mom now, you don't need me.'

'Fran?' Penelope asked and Elizabeth nodded. 'Fran, okay, she's my mom to all intent and purposes but with every marriage the other gains another mom, she was no different. She straightened me out when I needed a mother, yes okay she was there for me when I was in need of my mom and I call her that but I need my real mom too. There's no law against it. I love both my moms.' She then looked at Carlos. 'I love my dad too.'

'She's right Lizzie, you know it, so get down from whatever idea you've perched yourself on and let's get our family back.'

Elizabeth stepped forward, walked right up to Penelope, placed a hand on Pen's bruised cheek, wiped the tears that had soaked her skin. 'I've missed you baby.' She said and engulfed Penelope into a gentle embrace and Penelope cried openly then.

The feel of her mother hugging her eclipsed all her heart break. One of the few things she still pined for was happening. The feel of one her mom's hugs and here she was engulfed in one lovingly and nothing felt better in that moment. Everything stopped in that moment and Penelope held on tightly as though if she let go it would go with it.

'Hey petal, I'm not going anywhere.'

'I just want to make sure.' Penelope whispered and Elizabeth ran her hands up Penelope's back comforting her the best she could. 'God I've missed you so much.' She said as she finally pulled away and looked at Carlos. 'And you too.' She said and her dad took her in his arms, she didn't care if he wasn't her biological father, he was her father through and through. Carlos cradled the back of Penelope's head with one hand while the other kept her close to him. As he pulled back Penelope saw a track of a tear and he looked away and at Derek.

'Thank you for saving my little girl.' He said and hugged Derek quickly, everything about it pouring masculinity and appreciation.

'I would've died trying to saving her Carlos.' Derek said casually, and it was the truth. 'The rest of my life I'll keep doing that.' He finished and Carlos smiled and turned to Penelope. 'Come on Baby Girl, on the couch you need to rest.' He said and helped her down as her mom got a cushion for her leg, Carlos grabbing a drink and medication as Derek guided him around the kitchen.

Derek sat next to Penelope as Elizabeth joined Carlos to make coffee and put his arm around her and she snuggled tiredly. 'Worn yourself out.' He observed and she nodded into his chest. 'You okay?'

'Yeah I'm just in need of a sleep.'

'Well you sleep for a bit.' He said, he'd forgotten about the time completely and as Penelope got completely comfortable the doorbell went. Groaning Penelope sat up, and Derek stood and went to the door.

'Can I help you?'

'Erm, does Penelope Garcia live here?'