As painful as it was to leave Quantico, James, and her friends there was no doubt in Penelope's mind that it was the right thing to do. Exhausted Penelope left her boxes in the corner and collapsed on her couch. They had arrived the night before and after unloading the car the three of them ordered Chinese and watched a DVD while they ate and talked.

Earlier that morning Penelope went for a long run in Central Park and sat in the shower for a good half hour before slipping into her jeans and sweater. With a book in hand she was ready to spend the day reading.

A knock on her door woke her from her trance as she reluctantly rolled off her comfortable couch to answer the door, thinking it was Donnie who promised to drop off her dry cleaning that she forgot in his car. She contemplated on what to do for lunch as she opened the door. Penelope dropped her book as she came face to face with Derek.

"What are you doing here?" she stammered.
"You didn't even say goodbye P. You hate me that much?" Penelope sighed.
"I don't hate you Dirk, you frustrate me to no end, you make me mad, but I've never hated you. Come in," she said ushering him into her humble abode. With the exception of the neatly stacked boxes in the corner he saw that Penelope was completely moved in. Her one bedroom apartment was completely lived in with little trinkets, photos and frames that made it Penelope. There was a collection of framed artwork that he recognised as his sons on the feature wall behind the TV.
"Can I get you a drink?" she offered as he shook his head.
"I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye. After our conversation at the hospital there didn't seem to be a point. We would only end up going in circles Derek. All that needed to be said, was said."
"And this?" he said hurt holding up the necklace in his hand. Penelope flinched. She loved that cross, she never took it off, a fact they were both aware of.
"It hurt too much to keep it."
"So you gave it all back? Like you didn't want to keep any part of it at all. Like it meant nothing at all? Pen you put it in a box,"
"I just couldn't be surrounded by reminders, it was hard enough without them, I don't need them to remember you or us. Derek my whole world revolved around you for years, do you honestly think I need stuffed animals, and trinkets to remember you by?"
"P, you were wrong and you'll have to let me finish. You had your say, let me have mine." Penelope merely nodded knowing saying No was not an option.
"You and I have been best friends for what six years?"
"More or less." She answered realizing that perhaps it was a rhetorical question.
"From the moment I called you Gomez, we have been friends. We had this amazing rapport, we clicked and just got each other. You had and have this innate ability to read me and see right through me. No one has ever been able to do that, my mother at times, but even then few and far between, not even my sisters, past relationships, no one. It made you invaluable, I knew there was no other person in this world like you. So I protected it, I put you on this shelf of untouchable, for the fear of losing it was inconceivable. Yes, I admit that I have never considered and I know that was hurtful to you, but it's not for the reasons you think. It's not because I don't find you attractive, or I've never felt that kind of attraction to you. I'm a man Penelope and you're beautiful." Penelope rolled her eyes involuntarily,
"Don't P, hear me out. Don't project your warped sense of self on me and just hear what I'm saying."
"Fine, go on…" Penelope grumbled. Derek realized he could have worded it better but thankful it worked.
"You're amazing P, you're beautiful, you're smart, and you're the most compassionate person I know. You have the biggest heart known to man, and I have been lucky enough to be in the front row of your life. Sharing my every day with you has meant the world to me, and selfishly, I never wanted to change that. So I boxed you in, held you up on a pedestal. I called you Goddess, and meant it in every way possible. I never considered an US, because I couldn't see what you would want in me. I'm a commitment phobic player who has had a past. I never thought of you that way because I have always believed you deserve better. I've never had a long term relationship because there hasn't been anyone that I've wanted to spend my life time with, so I go on date after date looking for the one, and what I've come to realize is that I've been a blind moron, because she's been standing beside me for years. It's you P, it's always been you and I am sorry it took so long for me to realize." Penelope was in a state of shock, his face and his eyes vouched for his sincerity she knew that despite the time it took for him to realize it, he felt it. Yet it wasn't that easy to be elated to hear the words she had waited to hear for far too long.
"Derek, I don't quite know what to say here, or how to feel. I mean, had I heard this eight months ago, totally different story, but now, all these months later, and being away, it's just not that simple. I have a whole life finally outside the realms of this world that we had managed to create and live in. I finally know who I am, and I actually like who I am, which was never your fault. You were such an easy target to blame for my insecurities, and how did you put it, my warped sense of self. You may have thought, or even think that I am some fabulous person, but I have never seen that person you described earlier, until recently. Being here, has totally taught me to see myself differently. To see past what I can see. It's not just about loving you anymore Derek. I have loved you for as long as I can remember, and quite frankly the idea of going back to that scares me. Loving you scares me." She said softly and honestly looking into his eyes allowing him to see her vulnerability. Derek tucked a lose strand of hair that fell out of her ponytail behind her ear and held her face gently in his hand, looking right into her eyes.
"I just want a chance P. I'm not asking you to move back to Quantico, to give up the life you've made here. I'm not even asking you to go back as we once were. What I am asking for is a chance to get to know this new part of your life, for us to start from the beginning, to get to know each other again. No boundaries, no filters, complete honesty. We give this a fair go. If it doesn't work, at least we were willing to give it a chance. I want to be a part of your every day world and I want you to be a part of mine. If it means we're doing it by weekend visits, daily phone calls, Skype and text messages, so be it. I'm willing to do that, I want you to want that too. I want to know that you want this as much as I do that you're willing to give this a go, that despite how scared you are, you're going to gamble. P, what do we have to lose? I've already lived through the worst months of my life at the thought of losing you. Please P, let's give this a go." Tears began to roll down her cheeks as Derek brought his forehead cupping her face with both hands.
"Please P." he pleaded eyes boring to hers.
"Damn you Derek Morgan." She muttered as he chuckled hoping that he had broken her resolve,
"Does that mean you're willing to do this with me?" he asked.
"Yes, but be warned. It's not going to be easy, and I will more than likely pick a fight every chance I get."
"I'm up for the challenge. Permission to hug you." He requested with that famous Derek Morgan smile that always made her knees weak. Penelope rolled her eyes,
"Permission denied. I know your moves Dirk." Penelope answered with a chuckle getting up from the couch.
"Ouch," Derek replied with a laugh, just as he was about to plead his case a knock came on the door.

"Your dry cleaning my lady." Flack greeted as she opened the door.
"Hey Don, thank you so much! As you would notice you are carrying my work appropriate attire. Without it I would have to go to work in jeans." Penelope said as she hugged him hello, not at all oblivious to the web of jealousy that she knew Derek was weaving from her couch.
"Well there is your jogging outfit that we all love."
"Very funny Flack. Come in for a moment, I want to introduce you to a friend of mine." Doing as he was told Flack came in and hung up Penelope's dry cleaning in her closet. Derek had noted that Flack knew exactly where he was going and there was a sense of comfortableness he exuded as he confidently strolled to where Derek was holding his hand out.

"Donnie Flack, NYPD."
"Derek Morgan, BAU."
"The famous Derek Morgan?" Donnie asked with his eyebrows raised. Penelope came from behind Donnie and gave the back of his head a light tap.
"You're obnoxious and you may now leave." Derek stifled a laugh as Donnie rubbed the back of his head.
"What?"
"I'll see you tomorrow Don, same time, same place. If you're thinking of what I think you are thinking, you can forget it. I am turning my phone off, and you and Danny can rot."
"Aww Pen, I am hurt."
"You'll live my friend. Now get out of my apartment." Donnie grinned and dropped a kiss on Penelope's cheek before giving Derek a quick wave. Just as she had locked her door her phone began to ring,
"Unbelievable…" she muttered good naturedly as she grabbed the phone and turned it off without answering.