Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

----------------------------------------------------

Come Wednesday they didn't know how to take Penelope, she seemed to wilt before their eyes the moment she exerted some energy. Derek made her sit more to regain some liveliness, no one had to step in, she just listened to the man that loved her the most.

'Right so the plan?'

'Me and Derek are going to 'take' the pair out.' Penelope said, after being told she had the less strenuous stuff to contend with. 'Andy, JJ, George and Jimmy are going to where the reception is, Emily and Hotch are on getting the outfits for he pair done, Carl, Joel and Rossi are on seeing if the church looks good and Fran and Desiree can do what they like.'

'We'll help out at the church.' Fran spoke up with a smile. 'Needs a woman's touch after all.'

Desiree laughed. 'I'll join her... we want everything perfect.'

'See everything fits in.' Penelope replied happily as everything seemed to be fitting into place. She nuzzled Derek excitedly as the door went and it meant it could only be two people.

'I think that's us baby girl.'

'Let's get going then.' She said sitting up right and edging towards the edge of the couch before realising Derek was already up with his hands out for her. 'You're quick.'

'I have to be.' He joked and looked up to see Lance and Owen squeeze into the room, they smiled as they saw Penelope.

'Well, well, well Doris... who are you dressing up for?'

'Aw have to look good for you Pickles.' She quipped making him laugh.

'I think Petal its time you had one of those milkshakes that you used to love.' Lance said remembering the nights they used to sit and talk over milkshakes.

'Our pensive milkshake nights?'

'Except... this is a reminiscent milkshake morning!' He said happily and looked at Derek. 'But this time we have Derek... to... hmm... embarrass you in front of.'

'Oh God.'

'Sounds fun.' Derek said quickly after Penelope's reaction, making everyone laugh, he looked at Hotch who winked their signal to text when everything was done and ready.

'Bye guys!!' Was all they heard as the foursome vacated the room and then everyone counted to ten before springing into action.

'There you go Doris... enjoy.' Lance said as a glass of strawberry milkshake was put in front of her. He watched her take a leisurely sip. 'Yup, honey things don't change.' Penelope laughed as she finished but soon regretted it as a pain rippled out from the incision mark on her side. 'Pen?'

'I'm okay.' She batted. 'Just sore...' She saw all three men look at her worriedly. 'It's to be expected so stop worrying.'

'Baby girl, if you're in pain let it out.'

'I just did.'

'P... how long?' Derek prompted knowingly.

'Since I got dressed.' She admitted but shot them a serious look when she saw Derek's face drop, she was yet to take pills for the pain. 'I take them, I end up asleep, I don't want to sleep, so heat packs and hot water bottles will do.' She then smiled. 'So I am fine!'

'We'll let this slip Pen... next time we won't let up.' Owen told her and looked up as the door opened. 'Oh and Sarah and co have just entered.' He said as Sarah Gascoigne walked past, smiled at Lance and Owen.

'I'll pop back in a moment.' She told them and carried on with the 5 children with her, to an empty booth.

'You weren't kidding.'

'And let's just say high school sweetheart's is a major no, no with that pair.' They saw Penelope survey the woman that had been on and off with them for years but who seemed on one level now go, they saw her smile as Derek took her hand and squeeze it.

'Not like you, you mean?' She whispered quickly as Sarah made her way back to their table.

'Guys its good to see you again.' She looked at them. 'Sorry if I'm interrupting.' She looked Derek and Penelope and gasped. 'Penelope?'

'Hey.' She said raising her left hand to wave at her and then scratched her head nervously.

'It's lovely to see you... it's been too long.' She looked at Derek and pulled her posture into a seductive one. 'And who's this handsome man?'

'Derek Morgan.' Derek said smiling, his hand on Penelope's, his wedding band evident.

'Penelope's husband.' Lance added and watched Sarah's posture disperse and her clam up embarrassed.

'Really?'

'Yes... you sound slightly surprised by that?'

'Well it's Penelope.' She said and it was then that they realised she hadn't changed at all.

'If you've got nothing nice to say then I think you shouldn't speak at all.' Derek said slightly angered at the insult implied. 'You know nothing about me and for that matter Penelope so you don't understand us.'

'Fine.' Sarah said and left in a huff.

'I'm gonna get some air.'

'Pen?'

'It's alright handsome...' She smiled. 'I'll be right back.' She got up and left the diner, all three men sat worriedly as they saw her disappear around the corner.

'You want to go or me?' Derek asked Lance, noticing him raring to go.

'Mind if I go? I think Penelope needs a little reinforcement old school style.' Lance joked. 'I know you can do it.'

'I understand... so yeah we'll tag time.' Derek said and pressured him to go to Penelope. Lance got up and sauntered out of the diner with his usual determined swagger. When he got out he saw Penelope holding her side, tears slipping out intermittently from her eyes.

'Doris.' He saw her stand straight and look at him, not bothering to wipe the tears; she knew he had seen them from the tone of voice she had just heard him use. 'Don't listen to her.'

'I'm not.'

'Then what's wrong?'

'I get it all the time... I just get insecure; I need to take a few minutes.' He made an agreeing noise and waited for her to continue. 'When me and Derek were 'just best friends' we would go to movies, dinner, drinks, funfairs, he'd hold my hand, push the small of my back so I'd go in the right direction, always have his arm around me but when he went to the loo or to get drinks or what not the comments would start.'

'Like what?'

'That Derek must be with me because I was rich, or he was desperate which is ridiculous I mean look at him, or that I was pregnant so he was with me through guilt.'

'But you know that's all bullshit right?'

'I do... but I just worry that one day Derek will hear and he'll wake up and smell the roses and I'll be the mistake of his life.'

'I could slap you here.' He said and stepped in front of her. 'Derek loves you Pen... more than you know, he looks at you nonstop, he made out that he was married in there, he didn't once look down from Sarah's face, he knows what he wants in life and he got it.'

'I just love him so much; I just don't want to lose him.'

'And you won't baby girl.' Derek said with Owen by his side. 'Now come here, this is never going to go goddess.' He said taking her in a hug and then looking into her eyes. 'I've heard the comments before P... that's why I always made you dance or made an excuse to hug you. They're all lies.'

'Aw... O it's exactly like a love story.' Penelope burst out laughing at that point only to be cut off by Derek kissing her and that was all the assertion of his love she needed.

'How much did you hear?' Penelope asked once they had recovered.

'I'd say well over 50% of it.'

'Oh.'

'Just don't worry that precious little head of yours okay?'

'Got it.'

'Good... now men, we have a surprise for you.'

'A surprise?' Both Lance and Owen said together but got a look that told them that no hints or tips would be given so just followed the pair to the SUV, and got in and waited the ride out trying to get answers through trickery.

'I should have known... Penelope Garcia was always good at guessing these things and amazing at keeping it mom when she was on the surprise giving side.'

'Well then you'll know I won't let up and Derek's even better at me.'

'Oh really?'

'She's never guessed wit me... she tries her hardest.'

'But admittedly fails.' She finished and looked back the best she could without twisting her body too much. 'Now put these on Pickles and Owen.' She chucked back 2 blind folds.

'Hmm... reminiscent of someone's 18th birthday this is.'

'Hold it there sugar pop!' Penelope cut Lance short and Derek couldn't help but laugh. 'I'll give you the answers later handsome.'

'I'll hold that to you!'

'Knew you would.' She looked at the pair. 'What can you see?'

'Jack Shit.'

'Here, here.' Owen agreed, and Penelope laughed again, a saying she hadn't heard in a while. The next ten minutes was used to bat away question and answer time, and when the car stopped, the back doors opened immediately and Lance and Owen knew it wasn't Derek or Penelope, for one it was too quick and secondly, Penelope didn't have the strength or oomph to do it. Instead as Jimmy and Carl lead the pair off, Hotch helped Penelope out of the car.

'You look like you've been crying.' He asked concerned.

'I'm fine.'

'She has been.' Derek said as he waited for Penelope and Hotch to meet him on the sidewalk, he took her hand. 'Some girl they knew, questioning how I could love Penelope.'

'Oh and I hope you know its absolute bullshit right?'

'I do... you're the fourth one to say it.'

'Well it is.' Rossi said going down the stairs of the church.

'Okay fifth.'

'Okay so... this is your idea Penelope, so here are the flowers for theirs suits, go to them, no one else is going to tell them what is happening, you're outfit is in with Emily and JJ, Derek yours is with Reid's... you've got 15 minutes.' Hotch said ushering them away. 'Is that enough time?'

'More than enough time, I can be done in 5 minutes.'

'5 minutes! You need to teach Emily that trick.'

'I've tried.' She shouted back as her and Derek rushed inside. No lie be told, Penelope sauntered out and down to Owens room with a small red rose, she knocked and pulled her crisp new dress down. She walked in and smiled. 'Well don't you look gorgeous honey?'

'Penelope! What the hell is going on?' He asked as he surveyed the hot red wrap round dress she was wearing, her cleavage and curves defined to perfection.

'This sugar pop is your wedding.' She said stepping forward and inserting the rose to his jacket.

What?'

'We all moved your wedding forward.'

Carl cleared his front. 'It was Penelope's idea; we all didn't want her to stress out so we all sorted everything.'

'It's you day Owen!' She pinched his cheek. 'Now you look handsome as ever, so I'm going to your fiancé.'

'Thank you.' He said grasping her hand.

'I'd do it again for you Owen...' He kissed her forehead before watching her leave the room.

'You knew?' He asked Carl who nodded silently. Penelope carried the journey on to where she was told Lance would be, when she entered she saw him pacing manically, Joel not quite knowing what to do.

'Well look who's a stud.' She said and leant against the door to close it. 'You going to stop and look at me.' She twiddled the rose in her fingers innocently.

'I knew you had something to do with it!'

'Little ole me?'

'You're face Penelope Garcia! You could never hide anything with those beautiful brown eyes of yours.'

'Aw... well Lance Cartwright! We've taken those fine tuned details and arrangements and moved them to today.'

'Why?'

'Because its your wedding silly!'

'I get that but why would you do that for me?'

'For the same reason you gave up life to help me when Benny went and why you tried to pull me from going underground when I did and although you didn't succeed I knew you loved me.'

'It's hard not to love you.'

'You too stud.'

He laughed at her and watched her pin the rose to him. 'I really love you Doris, like the sister I never had.'

'And you Pickles are like the brother I have many of... now let's get you married.'

'Thank you.'

'No problems.' She said and left the room oblivious to what she had actually done. Lance stared at the wooden panels of the closed door astounded.

'Did you...'

'We just put into action what she was the mastermind of, we needed her to rest.' Joel replied happily. 'Now Lance, let's get you to your wedding, everyone awaits.'