Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds

A/N: So um... here's a bit of an update. I haven't had time. AT ALL. I knew I'd come back to the story eventually, I just needed some time and all. I know it's been ten months, and this probably isn't my best work... but I really hope you guys like this.

"Where have you been!?" Haley nearly shrieked, her eyes wide as saucers. Hotch looked quite stern as well, while Emily wouldn't face Derek, and JJ and Spencer looked speechless. Haley pointed to the clock. "Do you know how worried we were?!"

Derek stared at them blankly. What could he say? How could he explain this to them? "Things happened." Emily facepalmed because that was the same exact excuse that she gave them. It looks like Haley and Hotch realized that too because they looked even angrier than before.

"What kind of things?!" Haley pressed, narrowing her eyes. "Derek, answer me!"

The shame was radiating through his body. "I... can't.

"Wait a minute," Hotch noted, frowning. "Where is Penelope?"

Beat.

"I don't know," Derek answered honestly. "She... she just left."

"What do you mean she just left?!" exclaimed Haley. "Why would she just leave?!"

"She probably feels guilty about what she did," Emily remarked, finally speaking up.

Derek's eyes flashed angrily at his older sister. "You told them?!"

Emily remained unsurprised by his outburst.

"Of course I told them!" snapped Emily. She looked toward Emily and Hotch, who both looked hard in thought. "Didn't you both tell me that family does come first?!"

"JJ and Spencer, go upstairs," Hotch ordered the two youngest curtly. They didn't bother arguing and did what they were told. Soon after they were out of earshot, Hotch said to the older two. "Yes, family does come first. But that doesn't mean Penelope shouldn't feel safe coming home if she feels guilty."

"Is she going to be in trouble?" Derek asked anxiously, dreading the worst. "She can't be in trouble! She did what she had to do!"

"She should be in trouble," Emily said angrily. "If she's not, then that's ridiculous-"

"Want to tell why you were out?! Tell them about the fancy vape you were going to buy-"

"Snitch!" Emily sneered at Derek.

"You snitched first!"

"Enough!" Haley shouted over the arguing. They stopped, as Haley continued in frustration. "No one is in trouble. No one will be in any trouble of the sort. Right now, we need to focus on getting Penelope back. It's freezing cold out and I'm worried sick for her!"

Emily and Derek exchanged a glance of anger.

"Both of you, go to your rooms," Hotch ordered. "Don't come downstairs until we say that it's okay." Again, the two exchanged another glance, before heading upstairs and slamming their doors shut.

Haley bit her lip nervously. "Aaron... what are the odds?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Hotch answered, sighing deeply. "I guess we're going to have to call the police and Kate."

"This is becoming so much," Haley admitted, looking like she was on the verge of a break. "Why can't... why can't people see that we give a shit?! And when I say people, I mean our kids! I just don't understand this."

"Look... we're going to bring back Penelope," Hotch said determinedly. "That's a promise."

"But what if we don't?"

"We will," Hotch said, this time more assertively. His voice, however, grew softer: "We have to..."

Penelope liked to wonder what her life would've been like if she hadn't met the Hotchner family. She isn't talking about her entering the foster system, it was more about if she hadn't taken Spencer's scarf. If she hadn't done anything like that, it's very possible that she'd still be living on the streets. However, here she was, back again. It was if life was trying to tell her something. She was not meant to have a proper family, a proper home, a stable environment.

As if... she was born to live on the streets.

As optimistic as she tried to be, as optimistic as any other nine-year-old should be, Penelope just couldn't do it anymore. Like she had said many times before, it was so fucked up. All Penelope wanted in her life was stability, and it looked like she wasn't going to get it anytime soon.

A cold breeze hit her as her stomach growled.

Just when that happened, her head started to pound against her skull.

Yep, it was back to the old grind.

"Derek... JJ told me to be more connected with my emotions... my therapist said that too, so I know something isn't right-"

"I'm not telling you, kid."

Spencer blinked twice. "But-"

"No," Derek said again, this time more sharply. "Go read that Mark Twain book... leave me alone." He sat in his bed, staring at the ceiling as Spencer read his book on the corner of the floor. Spencer had been watching his older brother, like a science experiment, and just knew something was up. Spencer Reid was not stupid. Nonetheless, he went back to reading, still keeping a watchful eye on Derek every ten seconds. The worry would never leave him unless Derek spoke to him.

Derek wanted to sleep... yes, that's what he wanted. Just as he was about to close his eyes, Emily barged into his room.

"Spencer, go to my room," Emily barked an order at him already.

Spencer sat up straight, biting his lip apprehensively. "Why?"

"Just do as I say, it's really important," Emily said, this time a little more softly than before.

"No kid, don't listen to her," Derek said, glaring at Emily. "Just because she's the oldest doesn't mean she gets to boss us around."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Trust me, you want him to leave the room."

Spencer flew out of the room, he couldn't stand them fighting anymore.

He got off his bed and stood face-to-face with Emily. "What the hell is your fucking problem?!" He finally snapped at Emily. "You know... I really thought you changed... I thought you became a better person, but no, you're still the same bitchy Emily Prentiss we all know."

Emily didn't let this outburst faze her. Something was up ever since she left them in the city. He hadn't acted like this since he first arrived here as a foster kid. Again, this sentence repeats in her head over and over again; like the beat of a drum.

He hadn't acted like this since he first arrived here as a foster kid.

Emily stared, wide-eyed at the possibilities that could've taken place. "What the hell happened?"

Beat.

"He threatened to go after her," Derek muttered softly, his eyes shining with tears. "I had to protect her."

Emily stood still.

"He..." Derek took in a shuddering breath. "It was either her... or me."

Beat.

"He? Who's he?" Emily pressed, frightened.

"I don't know, this old man," Derek said, something flashing in his sad eyes. "But he's probably going after her anyway... I- I should've stayed."

"So basically," Emily started off, her voice low and barely steady. "This man... said that he was going after Penelope, or he'd go after you."

Derek nodded, not being able to say anything else.

"Did he, do things?"

He nodded once more.

Emily was struck speechless. Her eyes were filled with guilt, and she felt she'd remain like this for the rest of her life. She didn't know if she should hug him, that was probably the last thing Derek wanted right now. "Are you going to tell your therapist?"

"No," said Derek.

Emily faltered for a minute. "Are you going to tell mom or dad?"

This time, it was more firm: "No."

"Are you going to tell anyone?"

Derek sighed, looking down at the floor. He immediately regrets it; by the way he softly said: "...No."

She didn't know how to help him. "What are you going to do?"

"Bottle it up inside until I can't anymore," Derek said sardonically.

Emily sighed. "You know you can't do that."

"Yeah... well... I thought this wouldn't happen to me again."

"It didn't have to happen-"

"Yes it did," Derek interrupted coldly, looking at Emily with frustration. "If it wasn't me, it would've been her. She's... she's too young for that shit. Imagine... what if that was JJ?"

Emily ran a hand through her hair in distress. "I just hope she gets back here."

"Same here," added Derek, leaning against the wall. "But... does she even want to be found?" He asked doubtfully.

"It doesn't look like she has a choice," replied Emily. "She has people who actually give two fucks about her now."

911 was called, as well as Kate. There were many questions that Derek and Emily were asked, like where were they last with Penelope, and they answered accordingly to the best of their abilities.

Dave had arrived on the scene of it all, looking flustered himself. "What in the hell is going on?"

"Penelope," was Hotch's answer. "She ran off... into the city."

Emily and Derek exchanged a guilty look.

"I... Oh my god..." was all Dave could say, shaking his head. "Where would she go? It's under thirty degrees outside."

"I don't know, but she better be found soon," Haley said with increasing worry. "Hypothermia is very real."

"I'm here!" Kate said, running over to the family and hugging Haley with all her might. "First of all, are you okay?"

"That's an awful question and you know it," Haley countered, sighing at her foul mood. "I'm sorry... I'm just-"

"Don't worry," reassured Kate. "I understand."

"Kate," said Hotch, curious. "What is going to happen to Penelope if we find her?"

She had to think for a second. "Well... she might be sent back here, or to a different foster home. However..." She paused, looking very serious than Haley has ever seen her. "It is possible that she could be sent to a juvenile facility."

"Why?" snapped Haley. "There is no need for that! She..."

"I'm not saying that will happen," Kate quickly interjected. "I'm just saying... that if she breaks any sort of laws while running away and living on the streets, and she is caught, and the police get there, it's very possible she could be arrested, but... that is very unlikely to happen since you notified us about her running away."

"That would be terrible if something like that were to happen," remarked Dave. "What can we do?"

"All you can do... is let us handle this," advised Kate. "Let the police do their job. Let me do my job. We will make sure Penelope is brought back to safety. You can count on it."

"Aren't you... not allowed to be certain about these things?" Haley said anxiously.

Kate, however, wasn't anxious. She was determined. She remembers having Penelope in her office when she was trying to help her find a foster home. Kate remembers hearing her story - and how Kate miraculously came to the conclusion that Penelope Garica was truly one of the bravest kids she had ever met. Penelope was brave, she had lived on the street for six months. Even though her file talks about the trauma she went through, Kate was sure that she went through more.

"Penelope is a fighter," Kate said sharply. "She will hold on, wherever she is."

A/N: Yes, I know... it's so weird for me to be back and writing CM fanfiction. This is absolutely strange to me to be back, so my writing might seem a bit... off. But, nonetheless, I really hope you guys enjoyed another chapter. More chapters will be posted soon, hopefully!