Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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18 months later

Emily slumped on the bed with a wince. 'You look happy.'

'I am happy.' Penelope replied. It had been 18 months since she had had her talk with Hotch, it was 18 months since she had wanted so bad to give up but wasn't allowed. She looked back and praised the two men that kept her going. She looked back and she smiled that she had beaten her demons and was feeling like life was great. Her and Derek had not rushed a wedding but didn't want to wait too long, so 3 months later Hotch walked her down the aisle passed the team and Derek's family to Derek and now 13 months after that had happened she was laid up 8 months pregnant with twins.

'It would take a fool to not realise that but how you feeling?' JJ said as she eased herself down on the other side.

'Enclosed.' Penelope quipped; she had been on bed rest now for the third week since she had collapsed with high blood pressure.

'I bet... want us to get you anything?'

'A laptop?'

'Nice try Pen but you know that not only Derek would have our heads but Hotch as well.' Emily replied quickly, knowing full well the two husbands would not take lightly. She then picked a pillow off the floor and nestled into it in a relaxed position next to Penelope on the place left nearby.

'Yes Pen you get that, you lose us.' JJ said smiling sweetly but truthful.

Penelope laughed at the inquisition. 'Aw they wouldn't be that horrible... you girlie have to keep me relaxed remember so they would keep you around until after the birth of these two and then there it would be just cruel to snatch them of their aunties, I can't be the only female influence on them in Quantico... the men would offer too much testosterone.'

'Well we're only off because she got shot in the shoulder and I broke my leg.' JJ said as she finally stabilised herself enough to hitch her bad leg up.

'Well ladies I will not say grace and thank you for doing that.'

'Although all four men would agree that it was cleverly devised by fate if anything to keep an eye on you.'

'Yeah you and yourself Pen are just dangerous alone.'

'Am not!'

'There's a certain list out there, doesn't that ring a bell?'

'Okay fair enough.' She looked at the pair and laughed, her attention settled on Emily. 'Hurts like a bitch doesn't it to get shot?'

'That's an understatement... mine was through and through, you had to keep yours inside didn't you.'

'Yeah I did that on purpose.'

'Pen...'

'I'm joking with you Em, lighten up yeah? I'm restrained to a bed for 28 more days I need some fun. Sometimes my minds not good when all I have is myself and cheese on television.'

'How do you mean?'

'Do you think about what happened with McClusky?' Penelope nodded. 'Ahh honey, he's gone.'

'I know but it doesn't make me feel better to remember that he took me again and that oh yeah you were there too.'

'We got out.'

'I know but sometimes my mind just dances on the past and then Derek comes home and saves me from that downhill spiral and I feel like the biggest release is given to me again, that I can breathe and cope... like his my breath of fresh.'

'That's because he is.'

'Like you're his.' Emily said taking Penelope's hand, she shook his comfortingly and then laughed. 'Look at us, the infirmed.'

'Hey... whoa... no! I could easily get up and walk out fine.' Penelope defended.

'You do and I will not be scared to restrain you to the wall.'

'Okay fair do's I won't do that but I am not infirmed, I am nesting and resting for the pair that reside in my belly.'

'That adorable belly.'

'Did you just call my belly adorable?'

'I did... what!' JJ near enough shouted as both women gave her a look. 'That's my nieces or nephews in there... if their current home is adorable I will profess it!'

'Okay fair enough but it's an expanded belly, not a home... I'm like a doss house at the moment, they pay no rent.' The two ladies laughed. 'Seriously though, pregnancy isn't all that great.'

'You proved that when you collapsed on us Pen.'

'Don't remind me.'

'I think if Derek had hair, it would've gone grey... his heart probably weakened though.'

'That's an over exaggeration!'

'No Emily's right Pen... he seriously didn't know what to do that day, all that was going round his head was that his wife, his pregnant wife had collapsed on him and he knew nothing.'

'Well I get that but think how I was supposed to be kept calm when I'm told oh one of your best friends had been shot and then a week later the others involved in car accident.'

'Okay we get it! We'll leave it there, battle done.' JJ said laughing. 'You do know that I think we all got closer after you were arrested Pen.'

'Nothing like an arrest to regroup us all.' Penelope commented with a smile, she agreed.

'Well I do think we were all drifting apart at that point in life and that seemed to put into perspective our lives and the people involved and pull us bad together.'

'I think you would right.'

'Well I may have listened in on interrogations before but my own made me realise that arrests never keep the past the past but I must admit it felt so good you lot knowing.' Penelope replied with a smile and that had the God's honest truth to it, without that arrest she would have probably harboured the secrets for another lifetime and would have felt like she had acted in deceit for them not to know. Now in life, she had no secrets, no ghosts, no demons, no skeletons. She only had a husband, awaiting children, family that loved her and that she loved back and a future. Her past was her past and she wasn't going to let it destroy her present again like it almost had done. She would never let it get to her again.

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The End!

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