Three days later
Penelope pulled into the gate that led to the Teller-Morrow garage and found a spot not easily visible from the street to park. She shut off the engine and stepped out into the night. Grabbing her bag she quickly made her way across the lot and stepped inside the building.
"I wondered when you'd be getting here lass," Chibs greeted her before grabbing her in a hug, "It's been too long, Penny."
Penelope returned his hug and offered him a weak smile, "It's good to see you too, Chibs."
"Quit hogging all the attention," Bobby grumbled shoving the Irishman out of the way so that he could wrap Penelope in his arms.
Penelope laughed, "There's still plenty of me to go around, Bobby."
"Not according to my son," Gemma stated from the doorway.
Penelope locked eyes with the older woman that she thought of like a mother before closing the distance between them. Penelope swallowed hard as she felt Gemma wrap her arms tightly around her. "How is he," Penelope asked quietly?
Gemma shrugged silently as Clay came to stand beside her, Abel held tightly to his chest. Clay wrapped his arm around Gemma's shoulders as he took in Penelope's weary face. "You can see for yourself tomorrow, kiddo. For now you look exhausted, when was the last time you slept?"
"A couple of days ago."
"Uh-huh, I thought so. Why don't you come back to our place and try to get some sleep. You can't get into the hospital to see him until tomorrow, anyway."
Penelope nodded her head, "Okay, but we need to do something with my car. It shouldn't be traceable but…."
"I'll take care of it," Juice stepped up and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek as he took the keys from her hand.
Penelope smiled her appreciation before turning back to Gemma and Clay, "Is this Abel?"
Gemma nodded and smiled with pride, "This is my beautiful grandson."
Penelope bit her bottom lip nervously then asked, "May I hold him?"
Clay grinned, "Of course," he replied handing over the blond haired tot. Abel stared at her curiously before settling comfortably against her chest. She nuzzled his head, inhaling his sweet scent then looked up at Gemma, "He looks just like Jax."
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Aaron looked around at his team, his family, as they sat gathered together in his living room. As Penelope had left a note the bureau's official position was that she had taken a leave of absence – whereas the team considered her to be a missing person. They had decided to work together off the clock to find out what happened to their tech – a woman they all considered to be an integral part of their family.
"I just don't understand why she didn't come to one of us. She has to know that any one of us would do anything for her," JJ commented from the couch where she was cuddled against Rossi's side.
Hotch sighed, "I think that whatever Penelope is involved in – she was worried about involving us. What concerns me the most is that it has already been four days without a word."
Derek nodded in agreement, "Even if we're mad at each other, Pen and I don't go this long without at least checking in with one another."
Natasha Simmons cleared her throat from her seat next to Derek, "I realize that I haven't known you all very long, but I'd like to say something here." She looked around the room and waited for Hotch to nod at her before proceeding.
Natasha stood and tucked a loose curl behind her ear, "When Derek and I first started dating, I was very concerned about his relationship with Penelope. I hated how close they were and I was sure that I was going to hate Penelope. Except that I found that I couldn't hate her, she was just too nice. She called me when Derek and I had been dating for about three months and asked me if we could meet for lunch. I reluctantly agreed." She met Derek's eyes and smiled.
"We met for lunch and margaritas and she told me that Derek was a very special man. Then she told me that he was her best friend and that while she loved him she was not in love with him." Natasha swallowed hard, "She offered to step out of Derek's life if it would make me more comfortable. I knew in that moment how special of a woman she really was. I told her that she absolutely needed to stay in Derek's life, but that I hoped that she and I could become friends as well."
Derek closed the distance and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as a tear rolled over her cheek. "Penelope went out of her way to make me feel comfortable and welcome in her and Derek's little world." Natasha brushed the tear away, "You all are very close, which is why I was hesitant to say something before now, but I noticed a change in Penelope in the last couple of months. When we'd all go out, she'd come for a little bit but then she'd leave early. She stopped doing movie nights at her place and maybe it was just me, but her smile seemed a little forced lately."
Emily sighed, "You're right 'Tash." Emily looked at Aaron, "How'd we miss it?"
Hotch shook his head, "I don't know. We've been so crazed lately, we've spent more time in the field than home."
Spencer looked at Austin who sat next to him then back at Hotch, "I'm afraid that it's more than that Hotch. Look back over the last year. I got together with Austin, Derek met Natasha, Dave and JJ are a couple and finally you and Emily."
Rossi wrinkled his brow, "Are you saying that Penelope felt left out?"
Spencer shrugged his shoulders, "I'm just saying that she and Kevin split up and none of us even knew it."
A knock at the door drew Hotch's attention and he crossed the living room. He opened the door to find Kevin Lynch. The tech scratched his cheek nervously, "I'm sorry to bother you Agent Hotchner."
Hotch stepped back to allow the younger men entrance into his apartment. Lynch stepped in and froze as he saw the entire BAU and their significant others staring at him curiously. Hotch was the first to speak, "What's on your mind, Kevin?"
"Um I know that you all are searching for Penny on your own, so I thought I'd try to help." He pulled a manila folder from his messenger bag and handed it to Hotch, "I tried tracking her cell phone, bank cards, and credit cards. I got nothing – and I do mean nothing. I'm thinking that she went in and wiped out all of the information. Also I checked to see if there were any other vehicles registered in her name but came up empty."
Hotch flipped through the folder then glanced at Lynch, "We appreciate your help, Kevin."
The younger tech nodded then turned towards the door, he took a few steps then stopped. He straightened his back and turned back to face the room, "I know that none of you really like me or thought that I was good enough for Penny. I really loved her," he stopped and let out a deep breath, "I still love her. I knew that she'd never love me the way that I loved her." He looked away, "I knew that she was in love with someone else," he looked at Derek, "I thought it was one of you. Then one night she called out for someone named Jax."
With those final words Kevin turned back towards the door and this time he didn't look back. Hotch laid a hand on the younger man's shoulder, "Thank you, Kevin."
Lynch nodded his head, "I hope that you find her and that she's okay."
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