Please make sure there's enough food for three this evening, Penelope. I'm actually going to be home, and I want there to be a nice time before we talk about a few heavy things that need to be discussed.

She frowned a little at the text on her screen, wondering what James could possibly mean. He hadn't been home for dinner in nearly three weeks now, and while they did see each other in passing, mostly for breakfast, or just after she or Alex had put away the dishes in the evening, she had missed talking to him as she had grown accustomed to. Their conversations, up until this point, had been airy, frothy, and didn't really have any depth, but it seemed like that was what James wanted. And now, the other shoe was about to drop, and she didn't know how she felt about that.

Shaking her head a little, she began to shut down her systems, knowing that she would need a little extra time to figure out what she was going to make for supper that evening. As she made her way down to the bullpen, Alex looked up at her, and she gave the woman a sweet smile before winking quickly. Alex arched an eyebrow, and she shook her head as she exited the room and went over to the elevators, pressing the down button.

Penelope wasn't surprised when she felt Alex come up behind her, the back of her neck prickling a little with the knowledge that she was there, as if her body chemistry had attuned enough with Alex to pick her out anywhere. Turning a little, she looked her up and down, taking in the fact that she had perhaps deliberately left an extra button undone that day for her, smiling placidly as she waited for the woman to speak. "You're leaving early."

"I have to stop by the grocery store before I make dinner this evening. James let me know that he plans on being there, and I don't think that I have enough to make something filling. I'll probably pick up a few bottles of wine, too. He mentioned that he wants to talk, and I have no idea about what."

"Your guess is as good as mine in this case, Penny. He hasn't texted me yet, so I am a bit clueless. Make certain that you get a good shiraz, I think tonight will definitely be a red wine night."

"Of course, darling." The endearment slipped out before she could recall it, and she heard a soft gasp escape Alex's lips and she hurriedly looked around to make certain that no one had overheard her. Thankfully, it seemed like the only people near them were thoroughly engrossed in their phones, and she let out a small sigh of relief. "I'll see you at home."

Alec gave her a tight nod and Penelope hurriedly turned and stepped into the elevator, letting someone else press the button for the floor that she needed as she tried to get her breathing under control. That had been incredibly close, and she knew that they would have to be a little more careful from that moment forward. In a daze, she made her way to the grocery store, picking up some salmon steaks and asparagus, along with a loaf of French bread and three bottles of shiraz.

By the time she arrived home, Penelope found herself thoroughly keyed up, and the first thing she did was open one of the bottles of wine, pouring herself a glass as she started to cook. James was the first one home, and she gave him a tight lipped smile as he began to set the table, trying not to overreact as she took another large sip of wine. "So, what is it that we need to talk about?"

"This one will be easy, since it concerns just the two of us. I know that you haven't put your apartment up for sale yet, and I was wondering if you'd like to sell it to me. I need a place to live, it's still within a reasonable drive from my hospital, and that way you wouldn't have to search for buyer."

She furrowed her brow in confusion as she looked at him, wondering why he had brought that up. "I thought that you were happy here?" she finally asked, hoping that he took it the right way.

"I am, but I'm not. There's also going to be a reason for this question, one that will become clear after our meal. I was just hoping that I could get an answer to this beforehand."

She nodded and reached out to pat his arm lightly. She still felt off kilter, but the soft smile on James's lips helped set her a tiny bit at ease. "All right, I suppose that it would be nice to have someone that I know take over my apartment." He nodded and then leaned in to kiss her cheek as Alex entered the house. "Alexandra! You're home just in time! The food is ready to be served."

Alex nodded warily as she sat down at the table. Penelope pulled out the pan from the oven, plating their food before taking her seat. The meal was stilted, since Alex kept glaring at the two of them, and it took everything in Penelope not to blurt out that James was buying her apartment, but somehow knowing that it wasn't the right time to drop that particular bombshell. Finally, she pushed her plate away from her and picked up her wine glass, turning it back and forth in her hand as she looked expectantly at James.

He took a deep breath and pulled out a large manila envelope from his bag. "I think that we all know this was a long time in coming, my Lexie Lou. I love you, but I'm no longer in love with you, and watching you and Penelope fall in love with each other over these last few months has just made that all the more clear. Whenever you're ready, please sign them, and know that I wish that we could have had an entirely different end to this chapter of our lives. Also, Penelope has graciously allowed me to purchase her apartment, so the transition between our households will go smoothly."

James rose to his feet and handed the envelope to Alex before turning on his heel and making his way upstairs to his room, leaving the two of them there to stare at each other. "I was not expecting this," Alex murmured as she allowed the envelope to slip from her hands into her lap. "If you'll excuse me."

Penelope watched wordlessly as Alex pushed away from the table, moving like a zombie towards the staircase. She reached out for her hand as she went past, and Alex brushed it off, which wounded her heart deeply. This was not at all how she had foreseen this night ending, and she got to her feet slowly as well, picking up the envelope and setting it on the counter before starting to clean up the remains of their meal, loading the dishwasher before finally allowing herself to cry for this sudden weird turn life had taken.