A/N: Once again, thank you everyone for your lovely reviews. They truly make my heart glad!

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Criminal Minds. I'm just playing a little :)


Chapter 11 - Gossip and Pity

Penelope had taken to having her dinner at the little table in the kitchen since Kevin had left. He had preferred to eat on the sofa in the living room, generally in front of the television. It felt good to set a place for herself with her beautiful china, with cutlery and napkins – in fact, the whole works, even to pouring her apple juice into a wine glass.

She had thought that she'd feel lonely the first time she did it, but was pleasantly surprised to find that the time and care she took – just for herself – soothed her and made her enjoy her meal that much more. Tonight, she definitely needed to feel a little of that soothing comfort.

Today would go down as the worst day of her New York working life, there was no doubt. It couldn't possibly get worse than today had been. However, telling herself that didn't really help. She still had to go to work tomorrow and face the gossip and the pitying stares. Penelope normally abhorred violence, but it didn't stop her now from wishing some visited on one Supervisory Special Asshole Agent Anna Patterson. Honestly, Penelope thought, the woman could give Erin Strauss a run for her money!

Earlier today, Penelope had been in the small kitchen on the second floor of the FBI Field Office building. It housed the Computer Crimes Task Force to which she was currently attached, along with two other departments. The room had been full of agents and other staffers getting coffee, having breakfast, and generally gearing themselves up for the day ahead. Penelope had been standing at one of the two coffee machines when SSA Anna Patterson came up beside her, coffee cup and bagel in hand.

"Hello Mrs. Lynch." Just three words from the woman were enough to make Penelope's hackles rise and she was instantly on guard. It was bad enough that Penelope had to still occasionally hear herself called Mrs. Lynch at work. She also knew this woman had done it deliberately. Most persons at work called her Garcia as a way to distinguish her and Kevin, a practice that started when they had gone through orientation together.

SSA Patterson was one of the more senior agents on Penelope's team, and while their working relationship was cordial, they definitely were not friends. From the moment she had transferred to the CCTF, Pen had always understood that the pixie-cut redhead who wore too much makeup was no fan of hers, though she didn't know why. She had mumbled a 'hello' to the other woman's greeting, hoping against hope that Agent Patterson would just walk away. No chance.

Instead, in a sickly-sweet voice, oozing with false sympathy, Patterson said with a gesture towards Penelope's now slightly showing tummy, "My dear, how are you ever going to manage now that your husband's taken himself all the way to the other side of the world!"

Penelope's mouth had dropped open and before she was able to speak a single word, the woman had gone on in that horrible tone.

"I mean, it's not like the Tel Aviv posting is a temporary one!"

Unfortunately, Agent Patterson had picked the one moment when there was a lull in the conversation, so her words resounded loud and clear into the room. Penelope was acutely conscious of the multiple heads that turned in their direction, many not even pretending not to listen. God, she thought, what a bunch of old lady gossips!

Resisting the urge to dump her now cooling cup of coffee all over Agent Patterson's eggshell blue suit, Penelope had drawn herself up to her full five foot, seven inch height, and looked down into the slightly shorter woman's face, ignoring the rest of the room.

"My marriage and my pregnancy are MY business, Agent Nosy!" Penelope had responded through gritted teeth, an undertone of menace underscoring her words. "If you ever make a single reference to either one again, or for that matter, address me on anything that does not relate to the job, be prepared to have your entire credit history re-written and an IRS audit every year for the rest of your life!"

It had been the other woman's turn to have her mouth drop open in shock. Agent Patterson began to splutter at Penelope's retreating back as she turned to leave, "Well I … you … you can't! How dare you?"

Penelope had stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Oh, I definitely can. And make no mistake, I dare!"

Then she had walked out proudly of the kitchen, head held high – and immediately fled to the privacy of her little office – where she let the tears she had been forcing back course freely down her cheeks.

Now, as she looked at the food in front of her, Penelope noticed that remembering her horrible day had caused her to quite lose her appetite. Great! A perfect ending to a perfect day! The sarcastic thought once again brought tears to her eyes, as she rose to put the garbage disposal to use.

Once more, she was feeling the sting of Kevin's decision to leave them, and on top of that she was tired at heart from the pitying looks she had received all day, and would no doubt continue to receive for months to come. Why couldn't they all just leave her alone!

So when the knock sounded at her door, Penelope was in no frame of mind to humor the hapless visitor on the on the other side.


Standing in the hallway outside the door of Penelope's walk-up, Derek tried to steel himself for what was coming. He knew Penelope well enough to be certain she wouldn't want him there. It was the main reason he had not let JJ know what he was planning to do.

Instead, once the team had wrapped up for the night, he had declined their offers to go out for drinks, implying that he had a date. He'd headed home, calling the kennel where he boarded Clooney on the way, and arranging to extend the dog's stay for possibly a couple more days.

On the three hour drive up, he tried hard not to think about the past year. Instead, he turned the music up loud and let himself get lost in the rhythmic hip-hop beat. He also didn't want to think of what he had done after speaking to Hotch earlier in the day, but he couldn't help it.

He had called the New York Field Office and used his not inconsiderable charms, and his FBI credentials, to get Penelope's address from none other than the secretary to the Assistant Director in Charge. He was pretty sure that both he and the charming young woman would get some flack if that ever came out, but hey, he wasn't telling anyone… and he was pretty sure she wasn't either.

Now, as he stood in front of the conventional brown apartment door, hand raised to knock, Derek thought how inconsequential everything else became in light of the fact that in moments, he would see her again – and somehow, get the answers he needed.

Ignoring the fact that his hand was shaking ever so slightly, he reached forward and rapped sharply on the door.


Penelope flung the door wide, already prepared to give the clueless person a piece of her mind. Instead, when she registered the face before her, she froze in shock, absolutely unable to formulate words, her mouth opening and shutting helplessly.