Disclaimer: I own nothing… still.
Emily, "So that is Penelope 2.0?"
"She seems more peppier," Hotch said
"Livelier" Beth said, "as if she was younger."
"Goes to show you age is all in your head," Rossi said, "a secret I've always known"
"Rossi is actually right – they did a study on –"
"I'm just glad she is awake and talking," JJ said interrupting Reid.
"I know it's not the time but what about the third unsub?" Emily asked
"Jackson can you stay for a bit," she asked as they left the room.
"Sure," he said siting at the end of her bed.
"Come closer," she said as pulled him in for a hug. She buried her face in his chest and started to cry. "Hey Sweet Pea," he said rubbing her back. "Hey," he said, "everything is going to be fine." She looked up at him and he said "actually better than fine." He played in her hair. "How can you be sure?" "What if I never remember anything or I don't wake up tomorrow or if I fall and go into a catatonic state."
"I mean what happened to me? What happened to us?"
"Well the doctors want you to get rest and they will tell you everything tomorrow after you eat some crappy food and relax." He teased.
"What about us? You never came to DC, huh? I knew you wouldn't. You can be so stubborn," she said very dejected.
"Hey, I did come to DC and you were happy and in love with Derek. You still are happily in love with him."
"Where you upset?" she asked, "did you duel for my honor? He seems like he would win?" she said playfully baiting him.
He smiled and caressed her cheek, "I was your man of honor."
"Really? I can totally see that! Tell me more-What do I do? Do I still work at the BAU or did I return to teaching?"
He filled her in and made sure to avoid all of the angst—her memories could fill in those lines later.
As the doctor told Derek the next steps, he watched her talk to Jackson and he never felt so grateful in his life. She was awake and talking—he was over the moon with happiness. While the doctor was talking, he mentally thanked god for taking care of her and he promised in that moment to be grateful for every moment they had together.
Dr. Steele, "Tomorrow 10 we will tell her the details of her accident. I will need you to be here at 930 to talk with the psychologist. 1130 we will test her motor skills and reflexes. Lunch at 1pm. Physical and sensory testing till 3pm. She will be pretty tuckered out but you can bring dinner in if you want."
"If all goes well we hope to have a timeline for her release created by the end of the day. Erin Straus wants her to see an FBI psychologist when she returns home and we will talk to her general practitioner as well."
"I'm still in shock," he said, "but I will be here bright and early."
"Miracles happen every day" she said smiling looking at Penelope and Jackson laugh.
As Derek entered the room, the laughter ended. "What's so funny?" he asked
"Jackson was telling me gossip about UCLA—down right shocking," she said laughing.
"I should head out and let you guys catch up."
"Will you come back tomorrow?"
"Of course"
"Can you sneak me in a croissant and coffee?"
"On it- operation croissant"
He kissed her forehead and she said, "I love you."
"Right back atcha" he said deflecting the emotions he saw in her eyes, "Derek, you have a minute?" He wanted to tell him what they chatted about so they would be on the same page.
He nodded. "I'll be right back Penelope," said Derek as he walked out with Jackson.
As Jackson walked out, Spencer & JJ walked in and sat on the edge of the bed.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I've been to hell and back," she said smiling feebly.
"What did you name your little peanut?"
She smiled and said, "Henry—you're his godmother."
"Really?" She said
"And I'm his godfather," Reid said.
"So were like besties? What else?"
They kept it light- Reid told her about their trip to the Jazzfest, while JJ updated her on all celebrity gossip.
"I'm kinda pooped. I think I may take a nap."
They were kissing her goodbye as Derek entered.
"Hey," she said, as the door closed behind JJ and Spencer.
"How are you feeling?"
"The pain killers are starting to work."
"You're insanely attractive. You must beat the women off with a stick,"she said, forgetting that they were married – " am I trained in tactical like you?"
"I showed you a few moves- why?"
"Because, I must have to kick a lot of women's asses for just the looks they give you," she said laughing at her own joke.
"You made me a one woman man," he said laughing. Her eyes had this youthful glow and her face was full of new expressions or maybe he just forgot them since he hadn't seen them in such a long time. "I didn't know that—you don't believe in marriage."
"I'm sure it didn't take much convincing, handsome—I probably asked you," she said flirting with him, "you could make a girl think the sky was purple if you wanted to – I do remember a few things," she said smiling. "I remember, Jackson planned on dragging me kicking and screaming down the aisle, but then I got arrested but you know all of that right?"
He nodded.
"So we have a son."
"And a daughter."
"Really? Do you have pictures?" He sat next to her and they went through the pictures on his phone. It was so hard for her to imagine her as a woman who ran races and was athletic… she did like the body—being a size 8 was awesome since she hadn't been that size since college. She couldn't wait to dress this new body, she thought. She noticed that her mind forced her to make everything light as if there was a monster lurking somewhere—she was freaked out that they wouldn't tell her what happened but she knew she should be glad to be awake. What if she didn't wake up tomorrow and she was back in a coma or worse. All of this thinking made her exhausted and she felt a headache coming on. She didn't want to alert anyone, especially Derek who seemed to be so worried. Instead, she decided to rest her eyes.
She fell asleep on his shoulder.
He fell asleep next to her—it was the best sleep he had in weeks. Thank you dad he whispered as he sailed to sleep.
Chapters 32-34 was supposed to be one chapter- and I decided to break it up cliffhanger style, for my girl Jenny Crum! Off to write the next chapter of Drowning in Chocolate!