Disclaimer: We sadly do not own Criminal Minds.


Penelope sat and twisted the new gift from Derek around and around, she stopped and looked at the lone pendent that fell from one of the links, Baby Girl, scrawled on one side, I Love You, on the other.

It was as she kept fiddling with the expensive metal that bolts and waves of emotions raced through her. Her wounds from Kevin were healed but had scarred, she wanted to love Derek with her every being but she didn't know if she could contemplate a whirlwind flirt and be dumped. She knew she loved him but she wasn't even entirely sure just how high that love ran, how far in her it was, how locked in her heart it was. She was happy when she thought about, she smiled more when he was on her mind, laughed more when she was talking to him. He had fixed her but she didn't know if she'd ever be ready for commitment, wondering if she'd be left in a heap when the man fell out of love with her.

She looked up at the flowers surrounding her, he was trying, he was wooing her in every essence of the word, he was trying to win her heart, to capture it but she knew full well he caught it when they first met, that much was real.

She hadn't had chance to talk to him about anything but statistics, stranger's lives and deathly details of the new murders, there were the normal flirtatious stress relievers but that was it. She needed a heart to heart with one man and one man only and she would get it, if it killed her. She needed to be entirely honest with him while he was in a game of winning her over, he needed to know how she felt and how she was handling all his attention. How she loved it in one way but didn't want to disappoint and chase him away in another.

The computer bleeped, another search done, she now had to put her head in the game and let her team know what she knew.

'What you go Garcia?' Hotch's voice came out tired, agitated.

'Search came up almost empty.'

'I'm guessing I'm going to like that almost?'

'Oh you are boss man, seems a certain Phillip Pollard lived in all key areas and on 2 of the 4 murders was a key witness, he has a history of schizophrenia and is known for his off the wall behaviour.' Penelope told them confidently. 'It's sent your phone and should be printing in 3, 2, 1...'

'Thanks Garcia.'

'No problemo.' She replied with a smile. 'Garcia out.' The line went dead, she then settled back and dug in the world of cyber more, following lead after lead, tag after tag, always finding more and getting ready to help the team.

Hours later, and multiple phone calls with nearly everyone, including Derek, she was exhausted, waiting on one more piece of information she decided she need some respite. Grabbing her mug, one that Derek had sent her among the gifts, she waltxed down to the break room, she headed back to office, a mug of coffee heavier and one ready and waiting and took her seat. Satisfied with ehr findings she grabbed her phone and called Hotch.

'Hotchner.'

'I have more info for you.'

'We have him Garcia.' Hotch told her and she sensed something was off.

'What's happened?' She said, her mind swimming with scenarios. 'Hotch...'

'Morgan took a bullet.'

'What?' She asked her voice shaking, her mind now panicking fully. 'I-is he okay?'

'He's being rushed to hospital, the bullet got caught in his shoulder, they said he needs surgery from the looks of it, Rossi's talking to Strauss about getting you here.'

'Screw Strauss, I'll be there as soon as.' She clicked her phone shut, threw it down and shut off everything that she didn't need before grabbing her things and near enough running from her office towards the downstairs garage.

Making it to her place she rushed in, got her laptop on to book a flight as soon as she could and flung clothes together in a bag, she was beyond panicking now and as he sunk in she felt herself breaking at the seams.

She stopped her haste of throwing clothes and cried, the feeling of dread and regret hitting her full throttle, she regretted not grasping the opportunities she had with Derek, she regretted not letting her love for him match his for hers, she regretted leaving it and now she didn't know how he was or if he was going to make.

The feelings all orchestrated splitting the hole in her open but then one was different, the Kevin Lynch wound forgotten, this one was a Derek Morgan one, and it wasn't heart break it was love that was consuming her, fire burning love that hurt so much her heart clenched as she thought of losing him.

Penelope stood up, she had one thing to think of now and that was being strong and making it to him, he was strong for her when she was shot and now she had to be strong for him and she would be, and as soon as she could she'd tell him everything she was feeling. Right down to the whole hearted I love you she needed him to know.

After what felt like a life time she walked into the hospital and straight into JJ's embrace, there was a look of ease on her friends face and she knew that that had to mean good news. Walking in silence they met the rest of the team and with them Fran. Penelope smiled but had to dismiss herself, she couldn't lose her best friend but standing in a cramped space with the feeling of death and illness around her didn't make her optimism shine. She just needed to hear two words and she could settle and begin to look ahead, she needed to hear, he's alive, before she could stop regretting everything she had done and hadn't done in the last couple of months.

'Penelope.' Hotch's voice sounded from behind her and she wiped her face of tears. 'He's alive.' Penelope stared at her boss, it was like someone had read her mind and she smiled but soon crumpled. 'Come here.' He told her and took her in his arms, never did Hotch do this, this was so out of character but here she was in her boss' arms crying. 'He keeps asking for you.'

'I can't see him like this.'

'I think he needs to; I think there's unfinished business between you two.' Hotch said and pulled her back inside and to the others, everyone looked at Penelope worriedly. 'I think you need to give the man what he wants Penelope.' Penelope nodded and looked at Fran.

'Maybe you should go first Mrs Morgan.'

'I think it'd be wise giving him his baby girl right now, I know my son's alive, I can live with that for now.' Fran told her with a genuine smile. 'Go to him.' Penelope nodded and walked to one of the nurses who took her straight to Derek, walking in she saw him sleeping on the bed, a bandage wrapping his shoulder.

She froze at the doorway watching him sleep, she remembered the feel of the drugs as they warmed her veins and took the pain away, she remembered the slow ebb of fire that pulsating from the wound and the soreness not even drugs could take away. She then remembered his face as he walked into the room the moment they had the chance to get to her, the worry etched in his normal features, the love that he had for her considering their argument.

Sensing someone near Derek opened his eyes and looked over, his eyes laying on Penelope, her eyes red and puffy, he frowned, she'd been crying, he put his hand out to get her to come closer. 'Baby girl, come here.'

Slowly Penelope edged forward, and took his hand. 'You ever do that again and I'll kill you myself.' She said and the tears began their torrent again. 'You had to take a bullet for me to realise everything didn't you.'

'Realise everything.'

'I'm in love with your crazy superhero arse and I can't stop the feeling that I messed up.'

'You didn't mess up baby.' He told her tiredly. 'You came here, didn't you?'

'How could I not eh handsome?' Penelope told him almost sadly and she looked down at their hands as they remained intertwined with one another and saw the bracelet. 'You woo me for months, fix me after I was left damaged goods and then to finish it off and really get me to face my fears you put yourself in a life threatening situation.'

'I'm sorry.' He told her and looked at thoughtfully. 'What's your fear baby?'

'You are.'

'Me?'

'Let's discuss this when your more awake yeah? I know right now you're as high as a kite and not with it.' She tried to joke but it didn't feel right with him lying in a hospital bed.

'Why am I your fear?'

'You're not going to give up are you?'

'No way.'

'I'm scared to love you, Kevin's done that to me, made me scared to do things for them to fall down on me but I don't want to be scared anymore, I want to love you like you've proven you love me.'

'Finally.' Derek said satisfied that he had won her, he shifted but groaned.

'Feels like you've been hit by a bus don't it?'

'More like a train.' He told her and she laughed, he looked at her, ready for more tears as her voice quivered but none appeared. 'I really, honestly, do love you Penelope.'

'I know you do, and I really, honestly love you to Derek.' She bent down and planted a soft delicate kiss on his lips, as she pulled away she watched him lick his lips. 'Get some rest handsome.'