Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the little plot bunny (kinder!)
A/N: So I graced you the first steps towards a HEA! Hope you enjoy what's to come! Thanks as always!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- When The Sky Falls -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Derek had sat by Penelope's bedside watching her sleep well after the surgery was over. He knew it was a success and in a couple of days they would leave the hospital and find some form of living. However, seeing his wife in a hospital bed didn't keep at bay the negative feelings that manifested within him that he couldn't ignore.
He watched her breathing change slightly and her face grimace a little as her eyes opened enough to seek him out next to her. He stood the moment he saw her smile and sat on the edge of the bed. All negative emotions dispersed now.
"Hey you," He whispered, "How you feeling?" Derek asked her calmly, his tone lowered and considerate.
Penelope breathed deeply for a moment before opening her eyes a little more, "Ouch," she breathed out and closed her eyes tightly, listening to him laugh a little. "Missed me much?" She asked him moments later, opening her eyes again.
Derek could read that she was teasing him and he smirked, "You betcha, Sweetness," Derek told her and kissed her cheek. "Missed me?"
Penelope shook her head slowly at him, "I had the best dream. I can't escape you."
"You wouldn't have it any other way," Derek teased her and she laughed tiredly. "You get some more sleep and I'll tell a nurse you've woken up." He bent down and kissed her, "Love you, Princess."
"Mmm, don't I know it," she whispered as she fell back asleep.
Derek took a look at her as he stepped back and if it wasn't for the heart monitor and IV he would've thought she was just naturally sleeping. He went to find a nurse and quickly call his mom and Hotch before resuming his spot in the chair by her bed.
He thought back to that morning when they learnt their baby was still alive and again absolute joy filtered his system and made him smile lightly. He had held Penelope while she had cried in relief and let all the pent up emotions she had had out. He had cried with her that they were one of the luckiest people in amongst all the chaos going on outside.
Thinking about it, he and Penelope had been parents well before they knew it. When the nurse had told Penelope she was just over three and half months, neither had believed her until she triple checked it. The size and development of their unborn baby was a clear indicator that the nurse wasn't lying to them.
All they needed to focus on was the fact that their baby was completely unharmed by what had happened to Penelope the day before and if everything went okay, would remain that way for the entire pregnancy.
Now Derek was left to think about the upcoming months. He was beyond excited to watch Penelope's stomach grow with life and he was more than a little excited to count down the days. Except he wouldn't let anyone know that. That idealism of what was to come was a part of Derek that he wanted to keep secret and private between him and Penelope, just until he knew a life changing moment was upon them.
In a little more than five and half month's time, they would welcome a newborn into the world. A child that would be a glimpse of hope for what was left of America and what it was becoming.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- When The Sky Falls -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Derek sat opposite Penelope on her bed, his back propped up on the foot board by multiple pillows and he smiled at her as he thought of his next move, "Three queens."
Locking gazes with him, she smiled, "Bull shit," She told him back and watched him.
"You do this all the time, Baby Girl. Are you sure?" Derek asked her and leant forward a little, waiting for her reply. She nodded, "Doubly sure? One hundred percent sure?"
"I said bull shit, Handsome, so man up and turn those babies over," She replied with a little attitude. She watched him intently as he leant forward and turned the cards over to show that he had lied about his set and she laughed.
"How do you do it?" Derek asked admitting defeat and picking up the cards, "That's all I wanna know."
Penelope sorted through her cards, "It's called being a profiler's wife," She said teasingly back and looked over her set of cards. "Plus, I gotta keep some of my awesome magical powers under wraps."
"No fair," Derek told her in a half groan, "All secret keeping was off the chart the moment you swapped last names."
Laughing slightly at him, her eyes lit up with mischief, "It's called having two queens," she said turned her cards around to prove him.
"You little devil," Derek said as he threw his cards down, "I knew I shouldn't trust playing that game in pairs."
"You don't have enough faith in the deck of cards left over," Penelope teased him further as she threw her cards on top of his and grabbed the remaining cards that were on the side. "Don't be a sore loser, Baby. It's not a good look."
Derek stuck his tongue out at her and she giggled as she relaxed back down slowly.
"Well I didn't expect to see you like this, only hours after surgery," Derek's sister, Desiree said as she entered the room, "But I'm glad I am."
"She's full of surprises lately," Derek said warningly, "Beware."
"When isn't she?" Desiree asked as she went and gave Penelope a hug. "How you really feeling?"
"Surprisingly amazing, Honey. Exhausted, but amazing. My foot's a little uncomfortable, but Mr. Worry Wart got that checked over and it's supposed to feel like that for the time being."
"Husband's prerogative," Derek said without looking up from the deck of cards he was shuffling.
"Mum will make sure he worries less," Desiree replied as she perched on the bed, "Now I hear I'm going to be an auntie soon?"
"Best believe it," Penelope replied happily, "Bubba got the all clear this morning." Penelope watched Desiree smile and get a glint of excitement in her eyes, "So what is the outside world like?"
"A right mess," Desiree answered immediately and Derek agreed immediately. "Mom's sorting a hotel out so everyone's in the same place, but whoever's organising it is trying to keep it systematic. So because we got here first we don't get to change."
"This is Fran Morgan, she'll get her way," Penelope quipped and yawned.
"Plus she has Sarah so it's a double attack," Desiree continued and looked over her shoulder at Derek, "So have you actually done anything useful since getting here?"
"Useful as in?" Derek asked quizzically.
"Getting your wife some flowers, magazines, you know the basic hospital necessities," Desiree teased him and kept her eyes on Penelope showing she was playing up being the little sister.
Derek didn't move, "Sorry if I felt like my place was next to my wife, you know as she lay unconscious, Kiddo."
"You're such a sucker!" Desiree said as Penelope lost her ability to keep a straight face.
A knock calmed her a little and she looked over at the door and couldn't help but feeling a bit more of her settle as the last of her family streamed in. Proving again that they really were the lucky ones in all of this.
"Aha and here are all my superheroes," Penelope said calmly as she watched them filter in and her eyes glued to Reid and Emily who appeared to be closer than usual.
"There's one thing I forgot to tell you, Baby," Derek said and looked over at Reid and Emily and noticed the same vibes; "Boy genius and Emily finally got it on."
Penelope's jaw dropped then, "I told ya!" She quickly said at Derek, "I told you that they were smitten with one another, but you were like 'ah hell no, Baby Girl. Not pretty boy and Prentiss'. Well there ya have it, Hot Stuff. I do believe I deserve some sort of reward." She winked at him and her pale lips curved into a satisfied grin.
"Really I preferred you post-surgery," Derek teased her back, "Sleepy and almost inaudible."
Penelope stuck her tongue out at Derek.
"Whodda thought we went through what we did with the pair of them around," JJ quipped as she felt the most at ease after seeing Derek and Penelope banter with one another.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- When The Sky Falls -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-