Some Burned Bridges Can Be Repaired
Chapter 3
Day Three

AN: Thanks for all the reviews I don't own anything and as asked a fight will happen, but it will be in a later chapter.

Derek and Penelope had stayed at his mom's house instead of at the hotel with the others since Sarah had gone and got the twins the day before, since the way things were looking it would be Fran's birthday before the case was over, and they wanted to spend some time with her and the kids before they went home. They had four days before Fran's birthday and the team had decided to stay if they finished in time to celebrate with her, since she had said she wanted her son's friends and family there. Sarah had offered for the others to stay at her house since Eric and the kids were at his mom's, but they'd taken a rain check.

It was five in the morning when Derek got up, he'd set the alarm for six, but he shut it off having no plans of going back to bed. He was trying to think why he'd let Penelope and his mom talk him into staying here, he'd wanted to see the kids for couple hours then go to the hotel, but Pen had been pushy and it was close to a fight so he'd just let it go. He hated fighting with her, and they'd only done it couple times a year, every time they came here.

He grabbed some clothes before going to get shower, once he was out he checked on the kids who were in Sarah's old room, his mom had put baby beds in there few months back when they'd come to visit for the twins birthday.

"I already checked on them," Fran Morgan said, "They are asleep," she replied, "I guess you're heading out soon?" She asked.

"Yeah, just gotta wake her up," Derek said, "Mom, I know what you want for your birthday, but I can't promise you that," he said.

"I should known I wouldn't get it in this century," Fran said with sad smile, "I just want the two of you to get along again," she replied it was hear breaking watching her son and husband be so distant, "Just be save, Derek," she replied giving him a hug before going back to her room.

Penelope had gotten up after Derek had left the room and was in the kitchen trying to figure out how the coffee maker worked, she'd been staring at it for five minutes, and she knew it was on a timer, but it was driving her nuts.

"Derek, can you help me?" She asked hearing somebody come into the kitchen, but when she turned around it was his so called dad. She didn't say anything instead she went back to staring at the coffee pot. She was being stubborn, but served the man right, she'd thought of calling him so many things since she'd found out he didn't give a damn about his only son, let alone pretty much abandoned Derek when he needed him the most.

Derek walked into the kitchen few seconds later, "Baby girl we've talked about the appliances," he said with a smile before helping her, "There, it'll be done in couple minutes, you want grab something on the way to the station or waffles here?" he asked completely ignoring William who was watching them, but he hadn't said a word.

"Donut shop block from the station, I'm craving them, and no I'm not pregnant, although donuts with hot sauce, lemon juice and jalapeño's are sounding good right about now," She commented.

"You making a fire, woman, or trying to kill yourself?" Derek teased, but he remembered the cravings from being pregnant with the twins, and that had been what she'd just named off, "If you're pregnant I want to know now, that way I can spend next week in a bed with you," he replied kissing her.

"We need to get out of here before I push you against that fridge," Penelope replied taking his hand and leading him towards the bedroom. They got their stuff and took off out the door; soon as she got out there she couldn't stop laughing.

"What?" Derek asked.

"I got so good at ignoring him last two days I forgot he was there, and I just about did you in front of him, remind me somebody's there next time," Pen said.

"Like I care, we could had sex there and he wouldn't said a word, now if my mom walked in there, different story," Derek said opening the SUV door for her.

"Derek Morgan, you better not even try that, I will spank you so hard," she said.

"Hey, don't give me that look, he can just leave like he's always done," he replied before closing the door not seeing the hurt that flashed in her eyes.

Penelope bit her lip to keep from saying something back when he got in the vehicle. "Guess the car ride in the mornings was silent?" She asked.

"Jeff might be getting up there, but trust me he knows how to have fun, I was about deaf when we got to the station in the mornings," Derek said with smile, "Most nights I just stayed there when I was on days before I transferred to the bomb squad," he replied, "Deb refused to let us leave without a decent breakfast, I left before my mom got up, so I just ate there," he said before pulling out the driveway.

Penelope was shocked, she could have sworn that Fran said Derek rode with William, guess they just lied to her, or Derek did to keep it from her. God she wanted to slap William so hard that his stubbornness and damn pride would just disappear. She was just glad that Derek had Jeff, he might not have had his dad, but he had the closest thing to one after everything that happened.

Jeff was wonderful man, and for few months after everything came out he'd stayed there not wanting Derek to be alone, he'd refused to tell his mom and sisters what had happened, and William was so damn involved in his work he didn't even notice his son's pain. Deb and Jeff didn't have any children of their own, but Derek was like a son to them so was Desiree and Sarah.

Later that day the team was in the conference room, there had been another murder during the night and they had gotten the call at seven that morning, everybody was out in the field except for Penelope. She had opted to stay behind, if the victim had computer Derek was going to bring it to her. JJ was taking care of the leak that one the local newspapers had published in the morning addition. Things had started to get heated at one point when one the cops had claimed they were doing horrible job. He'd said it to somebody else not them, but JJ and her had over heard.

Derek was standing outside the house of the latest victim, he was trying to stop himself from punching something at the moment. Three days in and he thought it was possible to do this and not even pretend that the man existed, but it wasn't going to happen.

"I got the computer," Reid said, "You want to take it back to her now?" he asked.

"No, I'm not going to leave now, I'll take it in little," Derek said.

"I can't imagine what it would be like to live with somebody that doesn't acknowledge you are alive either, but don't let it get to you," Reid said before going back inside once Derek took the laptop.

Derek stuck it in the SUV before going back inside, Jeff had been playing the buffer for two days, but Deb wasn't feeling good so he was her at the moment, and he really wanted him here too, it was just easier that way.

"You never said your son was in the FBI," one the cops said, "Let alone the BAU, I would proud him instead of ignoring him," the guy said before walking off, "Hey Derek," the guy said before leaving the room.

William didn't even look up when he heard his son's name, "Jimmy if you have that second computer give it to Agent Morgan," he said before walking off himself.

Gideon looked over and he could see the anger in Derek's eyes, the computer was right beside William but he just told somebody else to do it. "Outside," Gideon said knowing what was coming picking up the CPU and the external hard drive moving to Derek couldn't go after his dad even though he wanted to, they could go at it later when there wasn't a crime scene or hundred witnesses.

"If you need me I'll be with Penelope going over this stuff," Derek said when they were outside.

"You have been doing this for over a decade now, you don't need his approval to do your job, just do it," Gideon said, "Keep ignoring him and when this is over and you still want to throw a punch then be my guest, I'll hold him if you want, but don't do this here," he said.

Derek didn't say anything he just left, seventeen years of silence he should know by now not to let it get to him, but didn't mean it didn't hurt, one word, just one or rather three them strung together, to this day the only three people that heard those words from Derek was Penelope and their girls.

The last person he'd ever said it to was his dad when he was ten, right before he walked out the house to go under so many years ago. First time in years he let tear slip out; he wanted those days back when his dad actually gave a damn about him, instead of pretending he didn't exist. He'd never understood what had happened, he'd been through more hell than he'd ever wish on a person, but it was like it didn't matter to his dad, and that hurt the most.

Derek shoved it back down turning the radio on flipping through the stations before he found one, it was playing Penelope's favorite song, well not really favorite, but she loved it this week, and he couldn't help but leave it, even though it made the ache that much worse, but it was like he couldn't turn it. George Strait's The Best Day. The song filled the speakers of the vehicle as he was turning into the station; he turned it off before the last course could start.

After six more hours they finally had a break, and were going to the suspect's house. Hotch was breaking down the assignments so they knew what to do while the others went to get the guy. He hadn't noticed how he'd broke things down, he hadn't meant to do it, but the only three people left in the room were Derek, William and him. He'd planned on helping Penelope with the last part of what they needed, but he didn't want to put Derek and William together either.

"Derek," Hotch started.

"Will be in the vehicle," he replied walking out the room, he didn't give a damn he was going there, no if ands or buts about it was going to stop him.

"Okay," Hotch said watching Derek leave the room once the door was shut he added, "For the love of god, be civil and talk to him, because I don't give a damn if you ignore him or not, but if he gets hurt because you can't get along, you'll be telling his mother," Hotch said not caring that he wasn't in charge there, he wasn't going to have Derek hurt.

"And if you say one more time that he's not your damn son, it will be hell for you the rest the time you are alive," Penelope said, from the laptop she was working on.

William just looked at them, "I invited you here, I never said he was," he replied before leaving the room.

Hotch had half mind to punch the man, "If I ever get that way, you have my permission to punch me, slap me, whatever, just don't let me get that bad," he said looking over at Penelope.

"I will be honored, boss man, now can I punch him?" She asked.

"I think Derek gets those honors first," Hotch said before they got back to work.

Derek was trying his hardest to work with this, he knew that Hotch hadn't planned it like this, Gideon and Reid had went to the woman's office, Emily and JJ went to their suspects work, that had been half hour ago, the only three that had been there was William, Hotch, Pen and him, and he wasn't taking his wife with him, no way in hell. Hotch was going over everything again with Penelope, it wasn't like he couldn't have, but he'd asked Hotch for this, to arrest the bastard, and if that meant being stuck here like this then he'd do that.

Now if he could just get some kind of words out, he was sitting in the SUV waiting until the so called dad of his got his ass here, he knew Hotch and probably Penelope had said something to the man. Jeff had called him earlier seeing if he was okay, he'd played it off, said he'd live, but he was far from living.

It was like living with a stranger, he didn't know anything about his once best friend, now Penelope was that person, and the last three half years with her had healed that part of him, it was there, but it wasn't a gapping hole anymore. He heard the door shut beside him and about jumped. He'd been so lost in thought he hadn't even noticed the door opening or him getting inside.

"Wait, I thought he was coming?" Derek asked looking over at Hotch with laugh.

"Changed my mind, I don't trust him enough to do this, I'm just hoping your wife doesn't kill him, I left them alone together," Hotch said buckling his seatbelt before the left heading towards their suspects house.

"I'm sure Penelope can restrain herself, two years married she hasn't killed him yet," Derek said, "However, I never leave them alone in the same room, she has a temper if you push her," he laughed.

"I know, that's why I asked her to behave, and later when we're not in front of witnesses she can swing all she wants," Hotch said.

He'd let William get to the door when he realized that he couldn't let the man go if he criticized every thing that his son said; let alone go to a suspects house to maybe make an arrest. The thought of having to explain to Fran what had happened in case something went wrong and Penelope asking him was he sure he wanted to let them go together had him sitting in the passenger seat instead.

"Thank you," Derek said.

"Just promise me that you want go at it until this is over and that's all I need," Hotch replied.

"Gideon said the same thing," Derek said with laugh, "Seventeen years, I'm pretty sure it will last for the rest our lives," he replied.

Hotch didn't say anything, because he knew that if things didn't come to blows soon, that it would, they wouldn't speak to each other ever, and that was not only a horrible reality, but something that he knew one them would regret later down the road, when it really mattered.

However, this relationship seemed beyond repaired, but maybe there was some hope, but so far not even the twin granddaughters that William had hadn't sparked any attention in changing the way it stood between them.

TBC

AN: Hope you enjoyed, more to come soon and I took you all's advice and I'm going to have the blow up between them, but it will be between them with only the team and Derek's family around.