Penelope found herself feeling a guilty as she boarded the plane to New York even though she knew there was no reason to. A part of her found herself questioning her own motives. Had she only taken this position to see him unravel as he undoubtedly was before here very eyes. Did she only want to take something away from him that he had taken from her. So that he could feel a smidgen of what she had felt when he abandoned her, but no, it was more than that. Her life had been so intertwined with Morgan from the moment they met. As the corny Jerry Maguire quote goes, he had here at hello. Or in their case 'Baby Girl...' Though their adoration was unquestioningly mutual, in her heart she knew she had always wanted more from Morgan. Her reaction to Tamara Barnes killed any false pretenses she had with herself, and she knew her friends deduced as much. Only Morgan had remained oblivious to it all, which to her was a tell tale sign that the feelings she felt were far from reciprocated. The realization broke her heart and every moment she spent with him these days only hurt her. They had a great Christmas together and she would treasure him always, but being in such close vicinity only inflicted unnecessary pain. Pain she decided was too much.

Though she didn't expect him to be there, she wasn't at all surprised to see Mac waiting for her at the airport. Nor did she blink an eye to see Jo standing beside him grinning widely. Penelope broke into a huge smile and walked straight into their embrace, feeling immediately at home squashing the doubts that plagued her in her short plane ride.

"Oh my word after so long we are finally in the same room." Jo declared happily keeping the arm she threw around her friend sit comfortably on her shoulder.
"Should the prospect of the two of you together scare me?" Mac asked uncertainly
"Probably!" they replied in unison as they broke apart to link an arm through each to his.
"Lord help me," he muttered, but the glint in his eyes was hard to miss.
"So tell me again how you two know each other?"
"When I first got to Virginia Jo was my first friend,"
"This is THE JO?" he asked with emphasis and a raised eyebrow.
"You told him everything we got up to didn't you?"
"Well, he's like my brother and he has that whole interrogation thing down pat. When I first started I was rather shy, and Jo took me under her wing. How's Tyler and my not so little Ellie."
"Both growing like weeds. Mac met Ellie couple of weeks ago. Tyler is busy, he has loads of work all the time, and he's picked up a job as an intern in a law firm. He's loving it."
"Ellie adjusting slowly?" Penelope asked knowingly. Though Jo and Penelope had not see each other for a couple of years due to their work schedules never synching, they kept in close contact. Penelope knew each child closely and personally.
"Yep, slowly. Mac had to witness little miss' demand to return to Virginia."
"She's a fireball."
"I'm starting to think she takes right after her mother." Mac replied earning a chuckle from Jo.
"You'll find that out soon enough." Penelope assured him,
"Hey you're supposed to be on my side." Jo said in protest.
"Oops, sorry!"
"Anyway, Ellie is very excited at the prospect of you staying with us this weekend. Don't you even start Taylor, I called dibs first." Jo said warningly.
"Children, no need to fight. I will be your neighbour soon enough."
"You can stay with me you know. I do have a spare room, a room you claimed yours when you visit."
"I know, and I appreciate that. But I wouldn't mind my own place. Something tells me that JJ and Emily will be regular visitors and as much as you love me, that would get old real quick."
"And Derek?"
"I don't know hey." Penelope said absently. Jo and Mac exchanged a glance and dropped the subject.