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

Come the next day Penelope found herself waking up, the darkness outside, she breathed in deeply and found herself thirsty. Sure enough, Derek placed a straw to her lips and she sucked the cool liquid of juice and lavished the feel of it.

'Good to see you wake up.'

'I haven't been out that long.' She told him and took a bit more drink, Derek just laughed. 'What?'

'You've been asleep like 36 hours give or take.'

'No way.' Penelope breathed out in disbelief and Derek just nodded. 'That's kinder odd.'

'Nope, you're being moved out of the ICU tomorrow.' He told her and settled into the chair. 'They started the last 24 hour ob's about 5 hours ago so 5pm tomorrow afternoon you won't be here; you'll be in a normal room and on your way to recovery.'

'It's 10 at night?' She asked in shock.

'Yup, 10pm Wednesday night.' He sat forward and smirked at her. 'The only reason I'm here is because we have a tradition and the doc agreed to give you some normalcy.' Penelope raised an eyebrow. 'I've got a bed.' He pointed at the cot under the window and then pointed to the telly. 'A TV, a DVD player.' He pointed to the box underneath it. 'My Baby Girl.' He said with a smirk on his lips. 'So we're doing out movie fest.'

Penelope felt her eyes water at that moment; he'd done all this for her. Derek turned to see the tear run down her cheek, and he just gently lifted his hand and wiped it away. 'You're the best Derek.'

He pursed his lips slightly, first names was a serious note. 'I've got a woman to look after and if she wants movies, so be it, she'll get them. If she wants ice cream, so be it, I'll leave and find her some. If she wants sleep, so be it, she'll sleep and I'll sleep.'

'Put a movie on but I'm not promising I'll see the end.'

'I'm not holding much hope either.' He teased and she laughed slightly and stopped as her chest seized up. 'How painful is it?' He asked as he forgot about the DVD for a moment and Penelope became his main concern.

'It's just tight and laughing just pulls but the strange thing is, I like to laugh and the pain doesn't put me off.'

'Well I'm going to take that as a good thing. I love your laugh; I want to hear it as often as I can.'

'Put the DVD on before you turn into a pile of mush Handsome.' She joked and Derek laughed as he gave in a put the DVD on, he then pulled the chair as close to bed as possible and sat down, wrapping his arm around Penelope's. 'I wished I could snuggle into you.' Penelope admitted quietly.

'Soon, then you can have all the snuggles you want.'

'You've definitely gone soft, you said snuggles. You usually say cuddles.'

'Snuggles, cuddles? Potato, potatah, whatever my goddess wants my goddess gets.' He told her and looked over his shoulder at her. 'But you rest and you could get it sooner than you think.' He winked at her and turned back to the DVD. Penelope just remained staring at him until the lull of drugs took over, she knew now that after at least 4, maybe 5, minutes of drugs being administered she couldn't fight it anymore; she needed to take the sleep.

Derek knew from the feel of her hand that Penelope was asleep, it'd been good while it had lasted, and although he couldn't have her in his arms entirely he was feeling like a normal life was reoccurring some.

He got up and turned the film off, and crawled into the cot, he knew the light above the bed had to be left on and from it he saw Penelope easily. He fell asleep staring at her and that night he dreamt of past memories but shot awake when their argument happened again, and the tears began to pour from Penelope's eyes all over again and soon he was immersed in water and drowning fast. He sat up and ran his hands over his face, it was daylight out, Penelope was still asleep and he looked up to see Sarah lingering at the door.

'You okay bro?' She asked concerned. 'Some jump you did there.'

'Yeah I'm fine.' He said and found his sister sitting down and handing over a coffee.

'Mom and Des are bringing up breakfast; she wants to see you eat.'

'Doesn't believe I have been?'

'She doesn't doubt it for a moment but mother's prerogative.' Sarah said and then bounced slightly on the bed. 'Lumpy. How'd you sleep?'

'Roughly.'

'I can tell.' She said and laughed slightly. 'Does Penelope love the stubbly look?'

'Penelope's loves it all.' Pen said as she breathed in deeply and slowly opened her eyes to close them again due to the brightness from the window. Sarah got up and closed the blinds before going over to the bed. 'Well look what Chicago brings me.' Penelope said dryly and smiled.

'Well I could hardly not come could I?' Sarah asked her and put a hand on her hip. 'We've been getting everything ready for your safe return home.' She continued with a smile. 'I've got to go back Saturday but don't discredit that I'll be back.'

'But the kids?'

'Let's say they're paying Quantico a big ole visit.' She said as she sat on the bed gently. 'But I mean come on, a visit to their uncle Derek and Aunt P? 5 year olds can get so excited by the simplest of things.'

'Don't bring them here when it's all going to be chaos and boring.'

'I'll bring them whenever I want to Penelope, so don't go against my plans.'

'I think I just got told.' Penelope started and looked at Derek who was sitting quietly on the cot, staring off, his hand to his lip thoughtfully. 'What's got him looking so Einstein?'

'I think it's you.'

'Pfft.' Penelope said and looked back at him. 'Hey Handsome!' She said weakened, her hand going to rest under her breasts, a bid for some comfort. 'Deeerek.' She pulled his name out but she was being too quiet. 'Go slap his head.'

'No don't slap my head.' He said as he looked up at her and smiled brightly, that smile never ceased to amaze Penelope, and it always made her feel better.

'Good thing you snapped out of your stare, beginning to wonder if you were cationic for a moment.'

'No reason to be catatonic, every thing's looking up.' He told her and kissed her lips. 'How you feeling today baby?'

'Sore, extremely sore.' She said with evident disgust at the feeling of the wound on her chest. 'And tied down.' The pair looked at her and Derek shook his head, her face showed what she was thinking.

'Don't go there Penelope, my sister, older sister might I add, does not need to know anymore.'

'Whoa!' Sarah said putting her hands up and pushing away in mock horror. 'Please do not taint my worldly view of my brother Pen, what you two do in your house is your business.'

'And the office.' Penelope added with a smirk and Derek put his hands on his head and couldn't help but laugh.

'We didn't all need to know that.' Hotch said from the doorway and Penelope's pale complexion gained about two shades of a blush.