Chapter 9

"Um… that's all you're going to say?" JJ blurted out. She couldn't help staring incredulously at her friends as they cuddled on the sofa sharing popcorn.

"What else do you want me to say?" Morgan asked her.

"Well, you know… you could start with an explanation of ending the longest relationship you've ever had. She lives with you, Derek! This can't have been an easy thing to deal with." JJ almost shouted at him.

Kate looked between all the people involved slightly nervously. Their desire for the scoop may be venturing into way too personal territory now.

Derek looked at her with a grimace. "What makes you think that my personal business is your business?"

She scoffed at him, "Seriously?" Rolling her eyes at him, "oh you know, just the last decade of us working together, being close friends, saving each other's asses on a regular basis and you know, being family."

"Hot stuff, just answer her questions. Rooftops, remember?" Penelope whispered to him and she rested her hand on his chest to reassure him, her eyes filled with love providing the solace he always sought from her.

"Ok, Momma." He replied back quietly as he put his hand over hers as it rested on his chest, holding it there to calm him. The guilt of hurting Savannah was still very prevalent, even if being with Penelope was what he truly wanted.

Turning to JJ, "Ok, so what do you want to know?"

"Look, guys. I'm not trying to invade your personal life or pry. I just want to understand. I think this weekend is about reconnecting. I want to be there if you need something. Obviously something is up, if the size of the new hickey on Garcie's neck is any indication." She finished with a sly smile and a wink. Kate did her best to stifle her laugh, but wasn't doing that great of a job.

Penelope hid her face in Derek's shoulder, trying to hide her flame red face. All Derek could do was chuckle to himself.

"What about Garcia's hickey? Are we actually going to acknowledge that we all know it's there now?" Reid asked as he, Rossi and Hotch walked into the media room. "Oh and that it wasn't there when we had lunch." Reid added for good measure.

Rossi and Hotch just stared at each other with wide-eyed, slightly amused expressions as they could hear Penelope's groan of embarrassment, muffled from her face still being buried in Derek's chest.

Taking a deep breath, Derek decided to just face it all head on. "Why doesn't everyone just get comfortable, and I'll tell you what happened and answer your questions…. Unless I feel they are too personal." He finished with a pointed stare in JJ's direction. She blushed slightly under his gaze and gave him a slight head nod.

With a smirk, Rossi sat. "Fair enough. Enlighten us, please."

"The short version...well….after even just the briefest of kisses on Friday night, I couldn't deny anymore that I'm completely in love with my best friend." He looked down at Penelope as she finally picked her head up to look at him. No one could deny the tender gaze they had for each other.

"And the long version?" Reid asked.

"We do sort of work in the details." Kate threw in with a slight smirk.

Derek chuckled slightly. "Yeah, I guess we do. Long version is actually not that much longer. I stayed at Garcia's last night and forgot to even let Savannah know where I was. Nothing happened, so get your minds out of the gutter. Sam called early this morning, and I answered her phone by mistake. I was asleep when he called. They fought and broke up. I realized I couldn't be without her anymore. I left so that I could confront my issues with Savannah. Who was upset, naturally. We broke up. She's moving out of the house this week. And I'm doing everything I can to not be more of the bad guy here than I already am."

The group nodded as they acknowledged that Derek and Penelope were feeling guilty about the collateral damage the recognition of their love has caused.

JJ looked at her friends, so obviously in love with each other, smiling she asked, "Yeah, so the hickey?"

Derek and Penelope both laughed lightly. "Girly, you better be glad I like you." Penelope admonished her.

"Oh please, like I won't get the details later." JJ winked back at her.

"Let's just say that Derek and I discussed our feeling and the future, and we sealed it with a kiss….or two." She answered, blushing slightly at the memories of their earlier encounter.

"You would tell me if I needed to do laundry in any of the upstairs rooms?" Rossi asked, trying to be delicate, but also implying they could have done more than kiss.

Derek rolled his eyes at Rossi's suggestion. "Don't be an ass. We just made out a little. Now can we start the movie already? I'd like this day to be over so I can take my girl home."

"A little? From the size of that hickey…" before Reid could even finish his thought, Kate had smacked him with a pillow. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Because it's time to watch our movie. Dave, could you get it started?" Hotch asked, taking control of the situation and hoping to prevent any further embarrassment for Penelope or Derek.

Text from Rossi to Anderson 7:35 pm
Done deal. Together as of today. Confirmed.

Text from Anderson to Rossi 7:38 pm
Consummated?

Text from Rossi to Anderson 7:39 pm
They said no. Serious make out but that's all I know.

Text from Anderson to Rossi 7:39 pm
You really asked them that?

Text from Rossi to Anderson 7:40 pm
Yes. We're all close and apparently nosy.

Text from Anderson to Rossi 7:42 pm
I'll notify the winner.

Text from Rossi to Anderson 7:45 pm
Who won?

Text from Anderson to Rossi 7:52 pm
Director. He had whole week.

Text from Rossi to Anderson 7:55 pm
I think he had some inside information.

Text from Anderson to Rossi 7:57 pm
?

Text from Rossi to Anderson 7:59 pm
Trust me…there are lots of ?

"Baby Girl, it's time to wake up." Derek whispered into Penelope's ear as he went to lift her up. When she didn't respond, he added several kisses to her neck and a light kiss to her lips.

"mmmmm… don't wanna wake up." She mumbled sleepily.

"Come on, sweetness. Wake up so we can go home." Derek prodded.

"Oh… ok… I'm up. Wait, did I sleep through the whole movie?" Penelope asked confused. "Where is everyone?"

"Yeah, you slept through both of them. I didn't have the heart to wake you. I know you're exhausted. And everyone else is in the kitchen getting ready to head out. Apparently they didn't want to see me kiss you awake."

"Seriously? They want details but don't want to witness it? I don't buy it." She laughed.

"Yeah, come on. I'll drive you home, and we'll get Esther tomorrow."

Suddenly worried, she looked at him with uncertain eyes, "Are you staying with me?"

"You couldn't get rid of me if you wanted to." He smiled at her.

"Good."

"We haven't talked about it, but can I stay with you this week? I wanted to give Savannah some privacy while she moved out. I think the last thing she'll want to see is how ridiculously happy I am…. And the last thing I want is to wake up anywhere other than wrapped around you." Now it was Derek's turn to look uncertain.

"You know you can. I don't want you anywhere else either. Now get me home before I jump you here in Rossi's media room." She added playfully as she let her hands roam across his chest.

Derek growled at her playfully, "We've already tainted one of his bathrooms. What's one more room?"

"Morgan, Kitten, don't take this the wrong way, but get out of my house." Rossi interrupted them.

"Got it, my Italian Stallion! I'll just leave the rest of the pie for you." She winked at him as she and Derek quickly left the room, leaving Rossi there to shake his head at them while laughing.

"It's about time, you two. It's about time." He said to their retreating figures and an empty room.

"You let Anderson know?" Hotch asked Rossi as he helped him take out the trash.

"I did. Apparently I'm the official source." Rossi replied slightly bemused.

"Well, you are the biggest gossip." Hotch teased him.

"I'm wounded, Aaron." He looked at him with mock pain. "You know it takes help being a gossip. And apparently our winner had some inside information."

All Hotch could do was laugh. "So the Director won, huh?"

"Yeah, he had the whole week." Rossi looked at him trying to get a read on the Unit Chief.

"The whole week? I guess he wanted to cover his bases."

"I guess he did." After a minute, Rossi came to his conclusion, "So are you splitting the pot or banking favors?"

Hotch smirked at his wise friend, "Banking favors. They are worth way more than cash!"

"You can say that again, my friend!" Rossi laughed as he patted his friend on the back. "You can say that again."

"You betting on the wedding or Fran's grandbabies?" Hotch added.

"Both!"