Penelope got everything ready for their third meeting, knowing that Alex would be cutting it close, if she even was able to make it at all. She had been out on a case for the last group get together, and the absence had hurt her keenly. Erin had picked up on that feeling, encouraging her to focus her energy elsewhere in that moment. They had spent much of that night speaking quietly, until Penelope had broken down crying, allowing Erin to hold her close as she cried herself to sleep. And yet, she still found herself keyed up and anxious as she awaited Alex's return to them.

"She's on her way," Erin said lowly as Penelope shifted the mugs around on the table for at least the hundredth time in as many seconds. Looking up at Erin, she gave her friend a small smile as she nodded. "I know that you're keyed up about her absence. We can all read that, clear as day, and I can read that James is getting more and more tense around you, too. She hasn't told him about whatever has deepened between the two of you yet, and the storm is coming."

"I know, but…I can't turn this off. I've tried."

Erin nodded sadly as she went over to her side and hugged her softly. "Just tread carefully, I would hate to see you hurt." She nodded against her shoulder before stepping away from Erin and taking a deep breath. The doorbell rang at almost the same time the garage door opened. "Go, answer the door."

She nodded, trying not to pout as she went over to the front door and let Jill and Becca in. There was a tin of cookies in Jill's hands, and she grinned, knowing that they were in for a true treat that evening, since her baking skills were phenomenal. "It's so good to see you again this week! Alex just arrived home, too, so everyone is right on time."

"We saw her coming, actually. Was she out on a case?" Penelope nodded as they entered the house, and she followed them into the kitchen, accepting the mug of coffee that Alex pressed into her hand.

"Sit next to me, Penny," she said lowly, and from the tremor in her voice, Penelope knew that she was going to be sharing something deeply personal that evening. Nodding, Penelope allowed her to lead her over to the two chairs closest to the stove, and she didn't comment when Alex scooted her chair so that she was very close to Penelope, close enough that she could feel the heat of her skin through their clothes. Shivering a little, she took a sip of coffee before bending a little closer to Alex, wanting to feel like she was as close as possible to the woman.

"All right, who would like to begin this evening?" she asked brightly, wondering if Alex would go first, or allow one of the others to speak. From the way that Alex shifted in her seat, she anticipated Alex starting to speak before anyone else could. Dropping her hand down, she hoped that the woman would clasp it as she spoke.

"I suppose that it's time for me to share. I'm sorry that I missed last week, but unsubs certainly don't make things convenient, let me tell you." Becca chuckled a little as she nodded. "I wish that this was easier to talk about, but I also know that this is a safe space to talk about these things. When I started at the FBI, I was under immense amounts of pressure. Working on my PhD, trying to prove myself in a male dominated environment, and having a child who was dying. There was a case that went badly, and I lost someone that I dearly loved to our mutual pride and stubbornness, and in the fallout of that, I lost my son."

The words poured from her throat in a harsh cadence, as if she wanted to get them out before she lost her courage, and then she was grabbing hold of Penelope's so tightly that she thought she would lose feeling it very quickly. Shaking their hands a little, she threaded their fingers together, allowing Alex to hold on as tightly as she wanted in this more comfortable position. "Ethan was always a beautiful child," Erin replied softly, and from the way Alex rapidly squeezed her hand, she knew the woman was close to tears. "If things had been softer between us, I would have attended the funeral. That will always be one of my largest regrets."

Alex nodded quickly before taking the tissue Jill held out towards her, dabbing at her eyes before she let her head come to rest on Penelope's shoulder, allowing Becca to take over with sharing a personal story about the loss of her own child. Though Penelope hadn't realized it at the time, asking her to be a part of the group had been the best decision she had made, since it gave Alex someone to bond with that wasn't her or Erin.

The rest of the hour was spent quietly talking between the four of them, and Penelope was quite pleased that Alex never let go of her hand, even after Jill and Becca had gotten up to leave. "I'll clean up the kitchen if you two want to head upstairs. I'll be waiting for you, Penelope, as I have a few questions to ask you about my email."

She could hear the subtle warning in her voice, and she nodded as she got to her feet, allowing Alex to guide her upstairs and into her bedroom. "I don't know why I opened up like that tonight, but it felt right, and now you know."

"I'm glad that I do, because it helps me realise the fuller picture of who you are and what's shaped you. And I know that this might be tempting fate, or playing with fire, but I would very much like to kiss you now."

Alex nodded, an almost shy look coming over her face as she tilted her head to one side and leaned in, her lips opening a tiny bit as Penelope closed the distance between them and gave her a petal soft kiss. As Alex buried her hand in Penelope's hair, they deepened the kiss, and she couldn't help but gently push her back on the mattress, one of her hands snaking upwards to cup one of Alex's breasts.

They both gasped in unison when Erin cleared her throat, and Penelope sprang away from Alex, sitting up and straightening her hair as she looked anywhere but at Erin. "I thought I told you to avoid this, Penny," she said wryly as she held out her hand. Penelope took hold of it, allowing herself to be pulled to her feet by the older woman. "Fire is something that none of us should be playing with, my darlings. Not until you tell James. Now come along, Penelope. I need you to talk tech to me for a few hours before we fall asleep."

Nodding almost reluctantly, she followed after Erin, giving Alex a long, searching, look before she left the room, trying not to focus on the fact that Alex looked so thoroughly stunning on the mattress. But a part of her knew that she had gone and done the absolutely worst thing for their current situation and fallen head over heels in love with her, and she was without a doubt the other woman in her marriage.