Author's note: Thank you to everyone who reads this and especially those who leave comments! This chapter has mixed POVs and is set just after 13x07. It is just lots of lots of connection and lovely fluff...nothing particularly smutty...basically we are working up to me trying to explain how and why Lisa actually happened the way it did. It's a real conundrum. Recently I have had the feeling that it would be nice if what was going on was a bit more complex and deliberate than them not being interested in each other yet or being in denial or skittish about telling each other or not actually aware of each other's feelings...so this is my attempt to figure it out...I hope you enjoy!
Neither Penelope nor Luke have stopped smiling since they left a very happy but tired Phil and a happy but even sleepier Lou.
After the big reveal at Phil's physical therapy appointment, and once it was established that Lou was going to ride home with Phil in his usual pre-arranged taxi, they had made a quick plan to rendez-vous at Phil's place. Luke and Pen had then spent a more than just a few hours helping Phil set up his house as a doggie paradise. While Luke installed a doggie door to the backyard and made sure there was no way the puppy could escape the small yard by mending the fence in a couple places, Penelope and Phil got to work finding the perfect places for the about a million things that they had brought in from Luke's truck.
There was enough food for Lou's first week (similar to Roxy's diet but modified for Lou's puppiness), organic dog biscuits, food and water bowls, a slightly sparkly but still butch doggie placemat, a crate for home, a travel carrier, a grooming kit, two different pooper scooper contraptions, a rainbow of differently patterned poop bags, several themed leash / collar sets, doggie booties for rain and different ones for winter, a doggie raincoat, a doggie winter coat, three doggie sweaters in progressively bigger sizes, one doggie Christmas stocking, no less than five different doggie beds, and at least one of one of every type of doggie toy available at the local pet store.
Luke and Penny had basically conducted a raid of the establishment earlier that day before picking up Lou as arranged with a local breeder. The two FBI agents had been like kids in a candy store - laughing and joking - eventually each were pushing an overflowing cart. Penelope swears she saw Luke skip a few times... and the result was that Lou may be the most recent winner of "dog with the most things" award. The eyes of the lady at the checkout had been as big as saucers as she rang up the giant bill; which was then paid for by Luke with a laugh and flourish of his charge card.
The last thing they presented to Phil was a gift certificate for puppy obedience lessons and another equivalent to three doggie spa sessions with a local groomer. Penelope had, of course, checked that both businesses would be fully accessible to Phil whether he was in a wheelchair or not. As they left, Luke promised to drop in tomorrow to see how man and puppy were doing - while Penelope programmed her cell number into Phil's phone and demanded to be texted doggie photos DAILY.
Luke places his hand on Penelope's lower back as she boosts herself into the passenger seat of his truck. Not only could he not seem to stop touching her today - a palm to her lower back, his fingers on her elbow as he guided her to the truck as she carried Lou, an arm slung over her shoulder as they stood watching Phil get to know his new buddy - he knew he couldn't remember a better day. He was so glad he had gone against his first instinct to do it all himself - even when his first Google search for a puppy came up snake eyes - and had instead asked the BAU's resident tech genius and all around expert in pet things to help him. Together they had been able to find the perfect puppy for his best friend. Plus, on top of the joy of finally feeling like he had done something good for his best friend, doing it with her made the whole experience extra incredible.
As Luke jumped into his side of the car, he looked over at the beaming blond and felt his heart beat a bit harder. He really didn't want the day to end. So as he is backing out of Phil's driveway he asks...
"Hey, I'm starving - do you want to go grab something to eat before I drop you home?"
"um...I should probably get home...I need to feed Sergio...and um turn in."
"We don't have to work tomorrow - or at least hopefully - let me say thank you for all your help today. If you want we can stop by your place first and feed Sergio... and..." he glanced at the dashboard clock "..in fact, um it's later than I thought it would be...Roxy's due home in less than an hour...how about we feed Sergio - then pick up some food and go back to my place? Pretty please? With sugar on top?" He reaches over and squeezes her knee over her skirt "You can choose what we order...I just really don't want today to end."
"I get to choose what we order? And we stop in to check on Sergio? And I get to see your sweet girl?"
"Scouts honour, Chica."
"Oh alright. You've caught me in a weak moment."
She puts both of her hands over the one he's put on her knee. His insides do a giant summersault.
He can't help but glance at her quickly as he asks:
"Yeah?
She nods and grins.
"Yeah."
He flips his hand on her knee over so he's holding her hand.
"Yeah?!"
She's laughing and nodding now. She intertwines her fingers with his.
"Yeah!"
He squeezes her hand and smiles at her quickly.
"Cool. We'll eat."
She's squeezes back and smiles and nods some more.
"Yeah!"
They both look straight ahead grinning ear to ear.
After a few minutes she turns her head cheekily...
"Alvez?
"Yeah?"
"I'm still never going to stop giving you crap."
They laugh and hold hands all the way to her place.
Sergio is on the top of his new super glam cat tree. It's clear from the fur all over it that it is a well used and loved addition to the apartment. He opens one eye when he hears "Ok we've got 15 minutes to devote to Sergio then we gotta split if we're going to be back in time to meet Roxy's sitter!" from down the hall outside the apartment "So no dillydallying Ms Garcia!" then there's a much more feminine and familiar "I bet I am faster than you! Race you to the door!" then a deep "You're on!" followed by a squealed "Wait!Alrighty Mr. Super Special Agent...1,2,3..." then a low-ish kinda squealy "Hey!" then a high breathy giggly "Go!" and then the sound of running heeled-footsteps and Penelope's screaming laugh in the hall... .
Now Sergio picks up that the deep human voice is also laughing and there are more footsteps - no heels - "Tickling is cheating! Oh no you don't! I'm going to get you Penelope Garcia!" It sounds like she's being chased down the hall but in way that Sergio might describe as kitten-ish since she sounds to be enjoying it.
Next thing Sergio knows, there is a thump against the door and her laugher gets more and more wild and breathless "Stop it! I need to find my key!" more giggling and then "Stop! Stop!" "Ok, Chica but no more cheating in foot races!" then a triumphant "Found it!" and the key can be heard in the lock.
Humans! Sergio stretches but stays on his perch so that he can be ready for whatever mayhem Penelope has brought home. Although it had better include dinner and an ear scratch or he'll have to think up some suitable revenge.
The two humans practically fall into the apartment when the door opens. His Penelope, of course, addresses him right away as is proper and crosses to reach up and scratch his head. Sergio notes that the man is the one who delivered his current throne - so he supposes he's allowed to stay for at least a few moments.
"Hey Sergio! Good day, little man? Scritch then dinner?"
Sergio meows assent, so she gives one last round of ear scritches and then heads to the kitchen. Sergio, for his part, starts to make his way down the tree - pausing to sharpen his claws a bit on one of the posts and then again to let the man stroke him a couple times.
"See how much Sergio loves his tree you got him? I still don't know how I will ever thank you enough, Luke!"
"Penelope - first of all you have given Roxy like a billion things and second of all even of you had never done anything nice for me or Roxy ever before today - which we both know is not the case - I'm pretty sure you've paid your debt today!"
"Today was wonderful. I should be thanking you for letting me a part of it! Who knew giving puppies to good homes would be my jam?"
"Survey says...ding ding ding ding..In number one place for "Penelope's Jams", that was our number one answer, folks!"
"Oh shush."
But their eyes catch and they are both smiling again at each other for a long moment.
Luke is the first to break the moment and asks:
"So...can I do anything to help? Do you need to change or grab anything before we go out again? We've got..." he looks at his watch "exactly 7 minutes until we should be back on the road."
"Um if you could refresh Sergio's water - I'll just run and make sure his box is tidy and maybe I'll just throw on something a bit cozier? We're just going to hang out eat and maybe watch some TV or um something right?"
"That was what I was thinking."
He's got that look that she'd begun to think of as his heart-eyes again...but she doesn't want to think too hard about it. Today has been too special - so she smiles and spins off to make sure Sergio has nice clean litter. She doesn't have much time - so she can't freak out or fret too much about finding the perfect outfit. She wants to be comfy and sure a bit cute...but also she doesn't want it too look too much like she's trying...honnestly she has no idea exactly what is happening between the two of them - which would normally freak her out - but for some reason it's not. She quickly settles on a nice lacy copper and teal underwear and bra set...trying not to think about why that pair appeals to her in this moment - then a favorite pair of pink polka dot fleece pants and a lilac t-shirt with a wide neck that shows her bra strap. The front has a line drawing of a winking cat and coppery purple curly letters shouting out "Cats are better than people - but you're alright". She puts on a comfy but cute pair of runners - they will probably take Roxy for a walk - does a lightning quick hair accessory and glasses change - both frames and hair bow are coppery and teal and sort of steampunk inspired but not over the top - and gives herself a quick once over in the mirror - perfect. At the last minute, she bites her lip and then makes a decision. She grabs a little wooden box from the drawer of her bedside table.
She's back out in the living room in 6 minutes and 30 seconds flat.
"Ta da!"
She does a little pirouette, grabs her purse and slips the box in quickly, then chooses a coat, bends over to give a quick but loving goodbye pat to Sergio, and then, as she heads for the door, calls over her shoulder to a staring Luke Alvez with a wink:
"Whatcha waiting for, Newbie? We don't want to be late! To the truck! No dillydallying now, Mr. Alvez."
The evening was pretty much the definition of awesome perfectness. They arrived at Luke's house just moments before Roxy and her sitter, ate an amazing meal ordered from an amazing Thai place she loved - and Luke even ordered all vegetarian without her even needing to remind him that she didn't eat meat. They had all then taken a walk around the neighborhood and when the three of them got back - man, dog, and woman - sat together and watched a new movie none of them had seen yet. The movie was definately what Spencer would call a film not a movie - and turned out to be as engaging, thought provoking, and even funny and sweet as the previews had promised. During the movie - ahem film - she had rested her head on his shoulder and put a hand on his thigh. He had put his arm around her shoulders - his fingers drawing circles on her upper shoulder just under where the neckline crosses her arm.
As the credits roll, Luke marvels at how in this moment everything felt very - what could describe it... adult and comfortable seemed to be in the right ballpark. What was it about her that made him feel so particular about words? It had felt like they were a couple today - an old married couple who forgot their cues and got annoyed and forgave small transgressions and touched and smiled and laughed and worked together as a team. He was still very aware of her and how sexy she was - how part of him was having a total body freak out party just because she was in the room ...not to mention he was touching her. He was still very aware of how much he wanted to do things with her - but another part of him felt a different type of joy that left him at peace and whole. There had been hints of this before between them - but nothing compared to what he was feeling now. So what was next? What to do with all of this?
He didn't know but for some reason he also wasn't in a hurry to solve the riddle. He was ok with letting things be. That didn't mean what he was feeling wasn't intense or even a bit scary - but it did mean he was willing to trust this strange new in-between.
Penelope was having similar thoughts. The fact that her mind felt calm and clear in this moment - comfortable rather than anxious was novel and gently addictive. She too was aware of his body and strength and her fierce attraction to him that stemmed from the realm of physical but was coloured with many more layers. Today had been momentous - she had known for awhile that Luke was a truly remarkable - respectable - man, but today she had seen that it went even deeper. Oh, she knew neither of them were perfect, but somehow they made a very good team. They seemed to balance each other and bring out the best qualities they each had to offer. She was in awe of this man for what he brought to the world: the battles he had faced and the heart that he was still willing to open. She knew it was love she was feeling - but she wasn't quite sure yet what type of love. After all didn't she love every single member of her BAU Family and Luke was part of that.
One thing she knew was that there wasn't the panicky showy insecurity that often ran through her with potential romantic partners...the feeling that she usually took as evidence she was interested in someone. That feeling had raced through her when she first met this man - this man she was comfortably and without fear sitting beside - it was those feelings that had caused her to fight or scurry away whenever he was near.
No, that near-panic-easily-confused-as-lust-or-love-or-anger-or-danger was no longer what she felt around this man...but she wasn't sure what it meant - except she knew it was somehow sacred and precious. So what to do? What would adult Penelope do now?
Finally the last of the credits have run and the screen goes to black. They sit there for another few minutes not moving or speaking. Just being with each other and their thoughts. Penelope surprises even herself when she looks up at him - pulling back slightly so she can see his eyes - and speaks quietly and confidently but in a voice that is still true sparkly blue Penelope:
"I did a thing."
To be continued...
