Sorry for the short length of this chapter. I tried to lengthen it but it didn't seem... right. Thank you all soo, soo, soo much for the reviews. This is me before a review: :/ and this is me after a review: :D
Anyways, good morning and happy reading. And as usual I do not own Criminal Minds.
The next morning Penelope sat down at the kitchen table and stared blankly into the space in front of her; ignoring the coffee that was slowly becoming cold.
"What's wrong Dear?"
Fran's voice snapped Penelope back to the real world. "Huh? What do you mean Fran?"
"Well," The older lady took a seat beside the young woman. "I may not be a profiler but I know when something is eating at somebody. And Dear something is eating away at you. Now come on and spit it out before you get more grey hair."
"It's nothing." Penelope bit her lip. "Alright, so it is something. I know teenagers are supposed to be moody, unpredictable, and sometimes thick headed people. But, I can't get past the feeling that something is wrong with my little girl. She is snappy one minute and perfectly quiet the next. She's happy then miserable. And Fran, I know she is stubborn and proud but yesterday was soo not like her. She is usually more cautious, more apt to be safe... She knows what can happen, she has seen the aftermath on my screens. My mother sense is on high alert."
Fran's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Penelope, if you feel that something is a big enough issue to upset Grace this much then maybe it is time to confront and ask her." She sighed heavily. "I often wished I followed my gut and asked Derek about Carl. Something about that man ate at me but he was such a good influence on Derek I ignored that feeling. When I found out... it broke my heart that I felt something was wrong but did not take and act on it."
"How do I talk to her? I mean my little girl has always been so open and forward with her thoughts and emotions. I have never had to confront her on anything. Ricky yes, I've had to talk to him a couple of times and force things out but not Gracie."
"She knows that she can talk to you about anything, right? The she will open up when she is ready to. Penelope, unless your gut is telling you that something is life threatening or putting her at a great risk, leave it be until she is ready. I know it is hard."
Penelope shook her head. "Fran, why do my babies have to be all secretive now? What happened to my little babies? They used to be all sweet and innocent."
Fran extended a hand and held onto Penelope's left hand tightly. "They are growing up like all kids do. Like mine did, like Aaron's son did. And this is just another step in your lives together. Enjoy it. Before you know it they will be grown up and out of the house."
"I don't want to think about that." Penelope sniffed. "I want to live in self denial at the moment. I want to just keep telling myself that they will be close by forever. And I know Ricky will be. He's a homebody and very close to everyone else. Grace though, I do not know. She will be one to travel and see the world. My only hope is that she will always come back to me."
"I will Momma."
Both women turned to see a very pale Grace. "Mom, I will always come home. Don't worry."
"Hi Sweetie." Penelope released her hand from Fran's and gently gripped Grace's closest arm. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"My head is killing me." Grace groaned. "And it feels as if every sound is multiplied by... by a very large number. Please tell me that there is still come coffee..."
"There is, but water would be much better for you Hun. Here, sit down and I'll get you a glass."
"Nah, it is alright." Grace stood up and held out a hand to stop her mom. "I can get it myself. Oh god. I swear after this I won't even touch Nonno's wine. No more alcohol. Ever." She poured herself a glass of water and sat the the table with her right hand cradling her head.
Penelope scoffed. "Yeah, I've said the same thing myself. I wish you luck Kiddo." She took a sip of her coffee. "You actually reminded me of a funny moment with your dad."
Grace perked up. "Yeah, what was it?"
"One time after I had a huge fight with Lynch, your dad came over to drink wine with me and watch movies. Well he brought wine and I already had a bottle. And you know how I am after three glasses. I think that night I had like seven or more. Enough that my memory blanked out." She gave her daughter a look. "Don't look at me like that Missy. I knew your dad. It was safe. Safer than I though actually. So, morning comes and I am half asleep and hungover when Aunt J.J. calls me into the office. While on the phone I hear someone in the shower.
"And since I did not recall your Dad coming over I thought I was Lynch. Shower stops, I panic over the phone and your aunt J.J. leaves me to the dogs. I get off the phone with her and the someone knocks on the door. I bustle out of bed with my clothes all askew and answer it to see Lynch with a peace offering. He had stormed out. I close the door and turn around to see..." Penelope grinned at the memory. "your Dad only wearing a towel in my living room, all wet and drippy. For the entire case I thought that we... for the lack of a better word, hooked up. But, as you might have guessed nothing happened."
She sighed. "After they got back I swore off wine, and you know how well that went."
Fran sighed wistfully. "It is a shame nothing happened that night. It would have been nice. Maybe you two would have gotten married and had more children. Don't get me wrong Grace. I love you and your brother with all my heart but I pictured Derek with a huge brood of children."
"Like the way I pictured myself but," Penelope slid an arm around Grace's shoulder and drew her in close. "I love my twinnies and would not interchange them with anything. Even if you two get to be a handful once in a while." She kissed the top of her daughter's head. "Everything happens for a reason and I like to think that we held off for so long so you two could be borne."
Grace nestled into her mother's shoulder in a futile attempt to feel better. "It still would have been nice to meet Dad."
"I know Sug. I know. But he is watching over you. I am sure of it."
"You don't know that for sure." Grace wiggled out from her mom's shoulder and glared. "So don't act or imply like you do." She got up and grabbed a mug. "To do so makes you appear arrogant."
Penelope glanced at Fran. Wordlessly telling her that this is what she was talking about when she had been voicing her concerns for Grace.
"Calm down Sug. I wasn't trying to imply anything." She titled her head at the sound of footsteps upstairs. "Looks like your bother is up. How do you feel about going out for ribs for lunch? Fran said last night that she knows the best place in town at Dearborn Station."
"Uh." Grace covered her mouth with her hand. "Please do not mention food right now. Just the thought makes me want to throw up."
"Well dearie, if you don't feel up to is by lunch we'll go but we'll bring you back some. But I do hope you come Sug." Penelope looked hopefully at her daughter. "This vacation is to make memories and frankly I want you to be part of those memories. Lord knows this might be the last summer I have with the both of you before you take off for college and begin your lives away from me..."
"I'll try Mom. But right now... I don't even want coffee..."
"Do you need something for your tummy Grace?" Fran got up and went to a drawer on the far right of the kitchen. "I have some ginger extract that should help your stomach, here." She passed the bottle to Grace. "Take a couple and lay down. We'll check up on you before we leave. How does that sound?"
She grabbed the bottle, opened it, and popped a couple pills in her mouth. "Sounds fair. Once again. I am really sorry for yesterday. I should have known better but..." Grace bit her lip and looked around the kitchen.
"But what honey?" Penelope put her mug down. "You can tell us anything you know that, right?"
"I know... but..." Grace filled put a little bit of water in her glass and promptly swallowed. Permanently casting the ginger pills down her throat. "Never mind... I'm going back to bed." She put the glass down and sulked out of the kitchen.
Penelope watched her daughter leave, her hazel eyes clouded with concern.
/
Upstairs Grace slowly made her way to her room, but not before Ricky spotted her. "Grace."
She groaned and leaned against the wall. Careful not to knock down any of the pictures that littered the walls of the hallway. "What is it Ricky?"
"How are you feeling?"
She looked up to see her brother giving her a concerned look. "Like shit. I swear I've never been this hung over in my entire life. And I also swear I will never drink again."
"Good luck with that one Sis. But seriously, you've been off lately. And don't tell me it is nothing. Because I know when something is up and something is up." He leaned down and placed a finger under Grace's chin, and lifted her eyes to meet his. "Is it Owen? Did he do something to you? If he did I swear to god I will get a posse together and show him a world of hurt."
Grace looked down. "No, he didn't do anything. And I would appreciate it if you stayed out of my life Richard. It is not like I spend my free time prying into your life. Now, I am hungover and tired. If you excuse me I would like to be allowed to go to bed." She brushed past Ricky and made a line for her room.
"Gracie?"
His voice was so laced with worry that Grace couldn't help but pause and turn around. "Yeah?"
"Promise me you are going to be alright?"
Grace blinked back her tears in an effort to compose herself. "I'll try."
Inside the room she closed the door and leaned against the cold wood. She knew eventually she would have to tell her family. It was inevitable. But Grace wanted time to compartmentalize and wrap her mind around this before bringing it out into the open.
She still couldn't find a reason why. Despite asking day after day. Each time she was met with a wall of silence. Her mom always says everything happens for a reason but at the moment Grace's heart was in the process of being shattered and she could not see a reason why she should be feeling this amount of pain.
Grace walked to the bed and nestled herself beneath the covers. Hugging tightly she allowed herself to cry until sleep overtook her. All the while her phone sat on the side table poised to answer her questions.
/
It had been over four hours since Grace had left and Penelope was getting ready to go out with Fran and Ricky for ribs at a place called Adam's.
She walked up to the door, her heals quiet on the carpet of the hallway. Gently Penelope pushed open the door. "Sug. Can I come in?" She waited a moment before breaking the stillness of the room. Penelope entered and sat down on the bed beside Grace.
"Sug," Her voice was barely a whisper. "I don't know what is wrong but you can tell me. You can always tell me because no matter what I will always love you." She brushed aside a strand of hair and noticed Grace had been crying. "Everything is going to be alright. Don't worry." Penelope tucked Grace in before kissing her cheek and leaving the room. Gently she closed the door and forced herself to leave her daughter in the dark room.
/
Grace stirred a little while later and reached for her phone. Instinctively she went to her messages and checked. There were a couple from Andrea, one from Kate, and three from Austin. But none from Owen. He hadn't called or texted her since... since he broke up with her while she was in San Francisco. He had done it without saying why. Not telling her what she did... or even if it was something that she did. He left her clueless.
Being this far away from Quantico right now was killing her. She loved being in Chicago with her family. But at the moment all Grace wanted to do was go home and confront Owen so she could get some answers.
