Chapter 21
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners.
AN: REMEMBER, if there are specific episodes/storylines you want me to address I'm willing to take requests. HOWEVER. I've decided that instead of just following episodes I'd do my own storylines and just address the 'big' cannon events/storylines.
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It has been a few days since the team had their movie night in Penelope's apartment, and in that time the team have started working a case in Las Vegas, which means Penelope has been alone in her apartment for the first time since Emily started to stay with her.
Even though the case is over the team are staying in Vegas for the night, and because of that everyone but Reid, who is spending time with his mother, are about to go to dinner.
As she gets ready in her hotel room Emily pulls out her phone and calls Penelope.
"Hello, my gorgeous Pal." Penelope says, answering the phone.
"Hey PG." Emily responds, smiling at Penelope's greeting, "How you doing?"
"Not great, the nightmares were back last night." Penelope admits, pain in her voice, as she, unknown to Emily, walks into her apartment.
"Damn, I'm sorry." Emily says, wishing there was more she could say.
"Me too, on the plus side I didn't have the usual panic when I woke." Penelope reveals.
"That's progress." Emily admits, as she hears a sound that she can't quiet place coming though Penelope's end of the call, "What are you doing?"
"Just getting home, locking my door, you?" Penelope asks.
"Getting ready for dinner, we're all meeting up." Emily admits, "Or all of us except for Reid are."
"Ah, does that mean you have to get going?" Penelope asks curious.
"Not quiet, but soon." Emily admits.
"So, a night in Vegas, what are your big plans?" Penelope asks curious, as she sits down on the couch.
"I'm thinking the usual." Emily admits, "I'll drink too much, win some money."
"Good plan." Penelope says, looking amused, "I wish I was with you."
"I was you were too." Emily responds, "What about you? What are your night plans?"
"Do some reading, listen to some music." Penelope admits, "Maybe drink that wine Dad left the other night."
"Good plan." Emily tells her friend, "Pen, if you need anything, no matter the time, just call." Emily requests.
"I will." Penelope responds, "I should let you go, I don't want to make you late for dinner."
"I don't mind." Emily responds, as she quiet enjoys talking to Penelope.
"Goodnight Emily."
"Goodnight Penelope." Emily responds, and both she and Penelope hang up their phones.
A few hours later Penelope is just getting changed after getting out of the bath where she has spent the last couple of hours reading and drinking wine when her phone rings. Expecting it to be Emily Penelope walks over to answer, and is a little surprised when it is not Emily's name on the caller ID, but her father's.
"Hey Dad." Penelope greats.
"Hey Kiddo." Rossi responds, "I'm just calling to check in, how you doing?"
"I'm okay." Penelope says, knowing that she hasn't tried to sleep so that may change, "What about you? Have you got on a winning streak and decided to marry the dealer yet?" Penelope asks her father, and as she does Rossi can practically hear the smirk in his daughter's voice.
"You're never going to let me forget that, are you?" Rossi asks his daughter.
"Never." Penelope assures her father.
"For the record, I've decided to give the tables a miss." Rossi admits.
"Good call."
"I thought so." Rossi reveals.
"How was Dinner? Em says you were all having it together." Penelope says, and Rossi isn't at all surprised that his daughter has already talked to Emily.
"It good, really nice." Rossi admits, "I may not be gambling tonight, but I'm up for doing some shopping, any requests?" Rossi asks his daughter curious.
"Just a postcard." Penelope answers.
"You got it Kiddo." Rossi responds, and as he does he hears Penelope try to hold in a yawn, "Sounds like you need to get some sleep, Kiddo." Rossi tells his daughter.
"I know." Penelope says, "I was going to try when you rang." Penelope admits.
"Then you should try. If you need anything just call." Rossi tells his daughter.
"I know, love you Dad." Penelope responds.
"Love you too, Kitten." Rossi tells his daughter, before hanging up.
After she hangs up with her father Penelope heads over her bed and, desperately hoping she doesn't have nightmares, she lays down and attempts to fall asleep.
The following morning, in Vegas, Morgan, Emily, and Rossi are in the lobby of the hotel they are staying at, while Morgan is playing on one of the slot machines, Emily is very much regretting her actions of the night before.
"Come on, baby, give it to me, give it to me." Morgan says to the slot machine,
"Morgan, can you." Emily says, putting her hand on Morgan's back, "Please, can you, my head." Emily says, as she sits down next to Rossi who is reading on the couch.
"My bad. You know these things are rigged, right?" Morgan asks Emily, as he stands up.
"Late night?" Rossi asks Emily, looking amused.
"I hate Vegas." Emily reveals, closing her eyes and putting her head in her hands.
"Come on, Prentiss. How can you hate Vegas? This is a grown folks playground." Morgan comments, but Emily is saved from answering by JJ walking up.
"Anyone see Reid?" JJ asks.
"I know he stayed with his Mom last night." Morgan comments.
"Well, he should be here by now." JJ says, feeling a little concerned. "He knows the departure time." JJ says, and as she does she realises something so she reaches out, going to press the button on the slot machine Morgan was using, "This thing still has credit on it." she says, but before she can press the button Emily.
"JJ, I swear to god…" Emily says, putting her head against her arm as she points to JJ.
"What?" JJ asks confused, and as she does Rossi uses hand signals to illustrate that Emily drunk too much and is now hungover, "Oh." JJ says, with an amused laugh.
"Here he comes right now." Morgan says, seeing Reid, "What'd you do? Sleep through your alarm?" he asks.
"Sorry to keep you guys waiting, I…." Reid starts to say.
"Hotch is already at the airstrip. How fast can you pack?" JJ asks.
"Actually, I'm gonna stay for a couple of days." Reid reveals.
"Is everything all right?" Rossi asks concerned.
"Yeah, I just, um, I haven't seen my Mom for a really long time, so I'd like a few more days." Reid explains, it being more than clear to the others, even hangover Emily, that there is something he's not saying,
"You sure?" Rossi asks.
"Yeah."
"Okay, take a few days. Do what you need to do." Rossi says, before he, Emily, and Morgan walk past Reid and leave. Once JJ talks to Reid she leaves too.
A few hours later Emily, JJ, and Hotch are arriving back at the BAU. Morgan, and Rossi on the other hand have elected to stay in Vegas to help Reid.
"I'll see you both later." Emily says to JJ and Hotch as the three of them walk out of the elevators, and honestly neither of them are surprised to see Emily go in the direction of Penelope's office.
About a minute later Emily walks into Penelope's office and she finds her friend sitting back in her chair, with her eyes closed.
"Penelope, it's Emily." Emily says, as she walks forward, knowing that scaring Penelope isn't a good idea.
"Hey." Penelope says, opening her eyes, and looking at Emily, "Did you guys just get back?"
"JJ, Hotch and I did. Your Dad, and Morgan are still in Vegas, trying to help Reid." Emily explains, as she sits on one of Penelope's desk.
"How's he doing?" Penelope asks curious.
"I'm not sure." Emily admits, "How was last night?" she asks, looking over at Penelope.
"One nightmare." Penelope admits, "But I was able to get to get back to sleep pretty quickly." Penelope admits.
"Pen that's great." Emily says, smiling at her, but then she realises what she said, "I don't mean the nightmare, obviously, I mean…"
"I know what you meant." Penelope assures her, "And I guess it is good."
"It's better than good." Emily tells her.
"So, how was your night last night?" Penelope asks curious.
"Let's just say my head would have preferred that I stayed in my hotel room last night and leave it that." Emily says.
"Good to know." Penelope says, laughing slightly.
"Yeah, I should probably get started on my paperwork." Emily realises, "I'll see you later."
"See you later." Penelope says, and as she does Emily gets up and leaves.
A few hours later Rossi, Reid, and Morgan have been working on a case in Vegas that Reid is sure is connected to his father while the others are doing what they can in DC.
Having just come from seeing his father for the first time in a very, very long time Reid is on the phone with Penelope as his father said to get a warrant if they want information.
"We can't get a warrant, so we have to go under the radar on this one, Garcia." Reid says to his friend.
"You want me to hack your father's network? You sure about this?" Penelope asks.
"I really wish people would stop asking me that." Reid admits.
"Look I get it, I spent twelve years angry at my Dad, hating him, so I get what you're feeling Kid." Penelope admits, "But I'm still asking because doing this will open a door you can't close, you might find out things you thought you wanted to know but really don't, things you wish you didn't know." Penelope says, speaking from experience.
"I need to know, Garcia, I thought you off all people would get that." Reid says, as he knows Penelope has tracked her father over the years.
"I do, but I still need to know if you're sure." Penelope admits, knowing that Reid is opening a can of worms.
"I'm sure." Reid assures her.
"Okay. I'll let you know what I find." Penelope says, before hanging up.
A little while later Penelope has done a lot of research on Reid's father, and has been joined in her office by Emily and Hotch, because of that Penelope is calling Morgan to give him an update.
"Yeah, talk to me, Baby Girl." Morgan says.
"I'm not interrupting boy time at crazy horse two am I?" Penelope asks, with a teasing grin.
"You know that's not my thing. I'm more for in-room entertainment." Morgan responds with his usual teasing banter.
"I can't help you, but I do give good phone." Penelope responds, causing Emily and Hotch to exchange looks.
"Penelope." Rossi says, sounding both disturbed and completely done.
"Sorry Dad." Penelope says, looking slightly sheepish.
"Let's just hear what you've got." Rossi requests, really wanting to move past his daughters' comment.
"You've got it. Reid, we've been all up in your father's business." Penelope reveals.
"What did you find?" Reid asks curious.
"Well, let me tell you first what I did not find. No kiddie porn, no membership to illicit websites, no dubious emails, no chat room history." Penelope explains.
"What about finances?" Reid asks curious.
"We went back ten years. No questionable transactions that we can find." Hotch reveals.
"Well, he did buy a ticket to see Celine Dion six months ago, but I think we can overlook that." Emily reveals, causing Penelope to look at her in amusement.
"He's smart. Is it possible he kept things under the table?" Reid asks.
"Well, of course, but from what we call, Reid, he doesn't fit the profile." Hotch reveals.
"We can tell you other things about him, if you want to know." Emily suggests.
"I'm listening." Reid says, after a few moments of hesitation.
"He's a workaholic, he actually logs more hours than we do." Emily explains, "He makes decent money, but he doesn't spend a lot of it. He has a modest house. He drives a hybrid. He doesn't travel much. He stays away from the casinos. Um, and according to his veterinary bills, he has a very sick cat." Emily explains, flipping through the papers she has in her hands.
"He appears to spend most of his free time alone, he goes to the movies a lot, and he reads. And from his collection of first editions, it seems his favourite author is…" Hotch starts to say.
"Isaac Asimov, I remember that one." Reid admits.
"He does have one other major interest." Penelope reveals, "On his home computer, he's archived, like, a ka-jillion thing on one common subject." Penelope explains.
"What?" Ried asks curious.
"You, Kiddo." Penelope reveals, "He's got, like, everything that's been published online. Every article you've been quoted in, pieces you've written for behavioural science journals, He even has a copy of your dissertation." Penelope reveals.
"He's keeping tabs on you. That's saying something." Rossi says to Reid, knowing that he tried to do the same thing when he and Penelope weren't talking, but Penelope was completely off the grid and so he kept calling her instead
"Yeah, he googled me. That makes up for everything." Reid says, sounding less than happy, "I'm going to get some air." Reid says, before walking away.
"You guys still there?" Morgan asks.
"I thought we were giving him good news." Penelope admits, sounding sad about that fact.
"What else can we do?" Hotch asks.
"Look up a name for us, if you would. Gary Brendan Michaels." Morgan requests.
"You like this Gary guy for the Riley Murder?" Emily asks curious.
"Somebody does." Rossi admits, as the phone call ends.
"Let me know if you get anything." Hotch says, before leaving Penelope's office.
"He's going to be okay right, Reid?" Penelope asks, looking at Emily.
"Of course, he is, it's Reid. He's just needs answers, you know what that's like." Emily tells her friend.
"Yeah." Penelope confirms.
A little while later Rossi and Reid are on their way to a hypnotherapist's office as Reid suspects that it may help him to remember what happened when he was a kid.
"Dave can I ask you something?" Reid asks curious, sounding hesitant, but there is something he wants to know, and he is pretty sure that Rossi can give him an answer.
"Of course." Rossi answers.
"Penelope refused to talk to you for twelve years, but you kept trying to reach out, didn't you?" Reid asks, remembering what he has heard Penelope say.
"Yeah. I called, a lot, I even went to her apartment a few times when she was still in California, but she wouldn't talk to me." Rossi reveals, pain in his voice as he remembers that.
"Would you have ever stopped trying? Would there have been everything that would have made you stop trying to be in your child's life?" Reid asks curious.
"No." Rossi answers, without hesitation, "Look Spence, I never understood how a parent could walk out of their child's life. When Debra took Penelope to San Francisco I promised Penelope, and myself, that I'd always be a part of her life, so I can't tell you why your father left, why he didn't contact you." Rossi tells Reid, "What I can tell you is your Dad's the only one with the answers you want, and that from what I've seen, and what Penelope told us, he does care." Rossi reveals, looking at Reid.
"Thanks Rossi." Reid says, looking glad, and the two of them drift into silence as the drive.
A little while later Penelope is still in her office but rather than being joined by Hotch and Emily, JJ and the women who will be taking over JJ's press liaison job, Jorden Todd, are in Penelope's office.
"Talk to me, Garcia." Morgan, who Penelope has just called, says.
"So, this guy Gary Michael's you asked me to track down seems to have peeled himself right of the grid." Penelope admits.
"What did he do? Skip town?" Morgan asks.
"Feels it." Penelope admits, "Maybe he took a new name, too. everything in his name laps form non-use in the year after the Riley Jenkins murder." Penelope reveals.
"Maybe he didn't want to stick around for the investigation." Morgan guesses.
"In addition to the indecent exposure wrap, he also had some lewd behaviours, trespassing." JJ reveals.
"Trespassing?" Morgan asks.
"At a nursery school." JJ explains.
"Hard to believe the cops never pegged this guy as a suspect." Jordan comments.
"Any other avenues to find him?" Morgan asks.
"You betcha, they swabbed him in '85 for the exposure beef, so I'm sending up balloons through VICAP and CODIS." Penelope explains.
"If he's offended against over the past twenty years under a different name…" JJ starts to say.
"Which, considering his type, he probably has." Penelope adds.
"He'll pop up somewhere." JJ finishes.
"All right. Keep me in the loop." Morgan requests.
"Later." Penelope says, and as she does she notices JJ wince, "What's with the wincing? You okay?" Penelope asks concerned.
"Fine." JJ says, continuing to wince.
"Are you sure? I noticed this earlier." Jordan admits.
"Earlier? How often?" Penelope asks, leaning forward.
"Um, in the last hour, I'd say every ten minutes." JJ reveals.
"JJ why didn't you tell anyone?" Penelope asks shocked.
"Because I'm not due for another three weeks." JJ explains.
"Newsflash! You're in labour." Penelope says, taking off her earpiece.
"No, no, no, because Reid needs us right now." JJ says,
"You need you, right now. Come on, get up." Penelope says, helping JJ up and together the two of them, and Jordan head to the bullpen.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm not a doctor, I don't even play one on TV, but I believe young JJ's going into labour." Penelope says, walking into the bullpen, near the kitchen, where Emily and Hotch are.
"Are you okay?" Emily asks concerned, walking over to Penelope and JJ.
"I'll get the car." Hotch says.
"I need to call Will." JJ says, as Emily and Penelope stand either side of her, to help if needed, and the three of them start to walk.
"From the car, Honey, break and walk, breathe and walk." Penelope says, as she, Emily and JJ do exactly that.
"Agent Todd, I hope you're ready because your job starts right now." Emily says, as she, JJ, and Penelope head out of the BAU.
After fifteen hours of labour JJ has given birth to a son and Reid has found out the truth about what happened when he was a child.
"Will, he looks just like you." Penelope comments as she, Emily, and Hotch are in a room with Will, JJ, and their newborn son.
"Let's hope he grows out of that." Will comments.
"Just as long as he doesn't inherit that accent." Emily says, with a teasing look, and as she speaks the door opens slightly.
"Is there room for one more in here?" Reid asks, from the doorway.
"Spence hi." JJ greats, looking glad to see him.
"Welcome back." Hotch says, as Reid walks into the room.
"Wow, congratulations." Reid says, looking at the baby JJ is holding.
"Thank you." Will says, to him.
"How is it that I just went through fifteen hours of labour and you look worse than I do?" JJ asks.
"Don't be ridiculous. You look beautiful." Reid tells her, completely meaning that.
"Well, I could use some coffee. Anyone else?" Will asks curious.
"Sure." Hotch says
"My treat." Will responds and he, Emily, Hotch, and Penelope head out of the room, leaving JJ and Reid.
About a minute later the group walk out into a tea room where Morgan and Rossi both are, seeing them Penelope walks over and hugs her father, and as they hug Rossi places a kiss on Penelope's head.
"Congratulations Will." Morgan says, and the two of them exchange handshakes.
"Welcome to fatherhood, your life will never be the same again." Rossi says, handing a cigar to Will.
"Thank you." Will says, glad to have the cigar.
"He's right there." Hotch says, "And you'll never forget today, I still remember ever detail of the day Jack was born." He says.
"And I remember everything about when Penelope was born." Rossi reveals, "You were four months early." He says, looking at his daughter.
"I know." Penelope says, as she has heard that many time before.
"From the second I saw him I loved him, it felt like nothing I ever felt before." Will admits.
"That never goes away, trust me." Rossi says, once more putting his arm around his daughters' shoulders.
A little while later Penelope and Emily are arriving back at Penelope's apartment.
"I can't believe it, JJ's a mom." Penelope says, sounding amazed.
"It is incredible." Emily says, closing the door behind her, "She's going to be great though."
"She really is." Penelope confirms, as she and Emily and walk over to the couch, sitting close to one another even though there is plenty of room on the couch, "Do you want to watch a movie?"
"Nah." Emily says, "I think it's time for me to go, Pen."
"What?" Penelope asks shocked, "Em…" Penelope starts to say, but then before she can finish the question Emily has moved so that she is right in front of Penelope's and taken both her hands.
"If you don't think you're ready then I won't go, but I think you are, Pen." Emily assures her friend, "I'm still going to be here for you, no matter what." Emily promises, "And if it turns out you're not ready I'll come back." Emily promises.
"I don't want you to go." Penelope admits, "But I know that if you don't go now I'm never going to be able to let you go." Penelope says, "I'll miss having you here."
"And I'll miss being here." Emily says, telling the complete truth, "You're beating him, Pen and you're going to keep beating him, whether I'm sleeping on your couch or not." Emily reveals, "I believe that." Emily says, and Penelope just hugs her friend tightly.
"Thank you." Penelope says, "For everything." She says, knowing she wouldn't have gotten through the last few weeks without Emily.
"You don't have to thank me, Pen, I'm just glad I could help." Emily says, as they break apart.
"You did, you really did." Penelope responds.
"I need you to promise me something." Emily reveals.
"What?"
"If you do need me, you call." Emily requests, "Whether that means wanting to talk to me after a nightmare, or because your scared, or whatever, no matter what you'll call."
"I promise." Penelope responds, and once she does Emily once more hugs her friend, tightly, and for a little while, longer than their last hug, the two women embrace before finally breaking apart.
"I guess I should go." Emily says.
"Yeah, guess so." Penelope says, and Emily stands up, as she does she reaches into her pocket, and pulls out a key, which she goes to hand back to Penelope.
"Keep it, I'd feel better knowing you have it." Penelope admits.
"Okay." Emily says, with a nod, and she collects her stuff before leaving.
After Emily leaves Penelope feels like the apartment is a whole lot emptier, and she can't help but look around at the emptiness, the apartment that feels so much bigger now that it's just her.
The following morning Penelope is woken, after a night of only slightly interrupted sleep, by her phone ringing. Not even looking at the caller ID Penelope reaches over and answers it.
"Hello." Penelope says, answering.
"Hey Pen, it's Emily. I'm out in the hall, with breakfast, can I come in?" Emily asks curious.
"Yeah, sure." Penelope answers, before hanging up, and once she hangs up she starts to get up, walking into her living room just as Emily is closing the door behind her.
"Morning." Emily tells her friend.
"Morning." Penelope says, as they both walk over to the couch, "Whatever you brought smells great."
"I got it from Brumby's." Emily explains, as they both sit down.
"Nice." Penelope says with a smile, "You know you didn't have to bring breakfast over."
"I know, I wanted to." Emily says, as the truth is she was worrying about Penelope, "How'd you sleep?"
"Not great, but not horribly either." Penelope admits, "I'd call it a good night." She admits.
"As you should." Emily says, and as she does she and Penelope exchange looks, and grins, and together the two of them start to enjoy their breakfast together.