"I'll come pick you up tomorrow at 8 Baby Girl. Be ready."
"I was born ready Sweet Cheeks." She replied with a grin as she headed out the door with the girls.
The team were disbursing to their own Christmas plans as of the following day and had spent the evening out to dinner at one of their local haunts. They had exchanged presents with their not so Secret Santa's, shared holiday plans and planned a dinner at Hotch's after they all return. Emily, JJ and Penelope had planned to continue their partying at Emily's that evening, which was why Penelope had packed her bags the night before ready for a sleepover at Emily's and a week at the Morgan's for the holidays. The three of them had become a definitive trio. Everything they went through at work only brought them closer together, and though the whole team were close, there was a special bond between the three of them that they never took for granted.
"I don't know why we bother with Secret Santa, we always end up getting presents for everyone anyway." JJ said with a chuckle.
"Because it's fun, it makes that one present interesting."
"Says the person who tries to rig it every year." JJ teased.
"I resent that. I don't need to rig it, because we always end up getting each other something in the end."
"That is true. It's always fun to get Reid though,"
"In that give myself a migraine trying to find the genius the perfect gift kind of way Jayje?" Emily replied dryly
"That's because you haven't learned that the fun of it all is buying him something that will totally throw him off." Penelope stated amused,
"Last year Pen had picked out a pink vest for him, it was very Metro and he almost had a heart attack."
"Does he or does he not wear it?" Penelope asked smugly,
"I've seen that vest, it's nice. It is quite Metro and always thought that it seemed out of place, and un Reid like. That explains that anomaly." Emily piped in as she leaned back against her couch.
"See, you just need to spin it to your advantage. You did pretty well for your first round though Em." Penelope complimented referring to the first edition of Byron that she presented Reid with.
"It was no easy feat I tell you, seeing as I vowed not to buy him anything academic and end up buying him a book."
"Of one of his favourite authors, without knowing it,"
"Luck and desperation was on my side."
The BAU men headed to the bar for a couple of drinks at the local bar before heading home for the night. Derek still had to pack for Chicago, Reid was packing for LA to visit his Mom, while Rossi and Gideon were doing their own thing with their respective partners. Hotch and Hayley were staying local to celebrate with Jack. Everyone was looking forward to the dinner at the Hotchner's after the holidays, as it had been awhile since any of them, with the exception of Penelope had spent any time with Hayley and the baby. Penelope was Jack's favourite baby sitter, and the years at the BAU had made Hayley and Penelope friends.
"Baby Girl, must we go through this every year?" Derek asked amused as Penelope presented her luggage before him,
"If you insist on not learning every year, yes. I told you, I need a bag for my clothes, my laptop, and then I have my handbag because I am a girl. How hard is it to get through that gorgeous head of yours that every piece of my luggage is a necessity?" she answered sweetly handing him her suitcase of clothes. In truth her luggage wasn't much if any bigger than his, but he liked to tease her all the same.
"Not to mention I had to squeeze Christmas presents in there,"
"Hey, we always go shopping for Christmas presents together, it's tradition." Derek protested,
"And do you really expect me to shop for your present with you?" she enquired exasperatedly rolling her eyes.
"So what'd you get me?" without answering Penelope gave him a light shove towards the direction of the door, as she turned to say goodbye to JJ and Emily who were enjoying the show before them,
"It amazes me that they're not married," Emily observed with a grin,
"They may as well be with all that mushy gushy stuff."
"I'm standing right here girlfriends, leave the Penelope bashing till I'm out the door thank you."
"And the fun in that would be??" Em quipped earning a slap in the arm from Penelope before she hugged her goodbye.
"Call when you get there."
"I will, and both of you check in when you reach your destinations okay?"
"We will," JJ assured her when it came her turn to hug Penelope goodbye.
"Love you both,"
"Love you too." They replied in unison as they hugged her one last time,
"You take good care of her Morgan,"
"I will Prentiss," he promised dropping a kiss on both their cheeks before leading Penelope back to his SUV.
"My Darlings, you're home." Fran greeted them both with her arms open wide to receive them.
"Hey Mom," they replied as they walked into her embrace.
"I love how your Mom says welcome home like I grew up in your home." Penelope said to Desiree as she hugged her hello,
"I'd hate to break this to you, but our home is now your home, and has been since the moment she met you."
"And I love that." She confessed honestly. She knew that if her parents were alive, Derek, and anyone from their team would have the same reception in their home. As much as Penelope loved being with the Morgan's, it always left a somewhat bittersweet feeling in her heart. Being with them made her miss her parents that little bit more, but the comfort of having the Morgan's cancelled any negative feelings that may linger.
"Pen, I'm so glad you're here. I have so much to tell you, the phone just doesn't cut it." Sarah said coming between Desiree and Penelope.
"I'm looking forward to it,"
"Annual shopping night?" Desiree suggested,
"Yes! Definitely!" Sarah replied excitedly. Every year on the night that they arrive, Penelope and the Morgan sisters go shopping after dinner to give Derek some time alone with their mother. It was usually the time that the girls buy their presents for Derek because it was a lot more fun shopping for him as a collective.
"Ice skating?" Penelope threw in,
"Like of course!"
"Throw in a hot chocolate and your brother and I will meet you guys at the rink."
"Of course!" the three of them replied with a grin earning a chuckled from Derek. Truth was, he loved seeing Penelope with his sisters, he loved that she was so intertwined in his family. What other people may perceive as a complication somewhere down the line, Derek seemed oblivious to it.
Fran, as always cooked a feast for their arrival, in the last couple of years, she had began to incorporate some of Penelope's favourite dishes into the menu, which always made Penelope feel all choked up every time. As they did every year, Derek and Fran shooed them out of the house to do their Annual Christmas Shopping Spree while they cleaned up.
Wandering around the mall with Desiree, Sarah, Emily and JJ never failed to make Penelope feel like she was back in high school. They laughed and giggled as they tried on clothes, when they got bored doing that, they concentrated on the task on hand which was finishing up their Christmas shopping. By the time they made it to the Ice rink the three of them were caught up and reacquainted, they were already skating around by the time Derek and Fran arrived.
"She's looking well," Fran observed,
"Yeah, she's doing much better. Almost losing Reid really shook her up, it shook all of us up, but P…" It had only been a week and a bit since they had returned from the hell they went through with Tobias Henkle and it had taken a toll on all of them which was why Hotch had fought for all of them to have the holidays off. If Reid hadn't decided to head to Vegas to be with his mother, he would have insisted that he stay with them for the holidays. Penelope was skating between Sarah and Des, the three of them doing loops around the rink arm in arm.
"They never fail to make me think that they're teenagers when the three of them get together, it's so nice to see." Fran observed.
"She's like that with Emily and JJ too. The three of them when they get together remind me so much of growing up with those two."
"Why don't you join them for a bit, while I sit here and play with my camera." Derek grinned and gave his mother's cheek a quick peck. Fran took out her camera from its bag and began clicking away. She had always been interested in Photography, which is a passion she shared with Penelope who encouraged her to work on her skills. They had all put in for a great camera for her the previous Christmas, and her portfolio was becoming impressive. She took consecutive snaps of Derek colliding with them taking them all down. The sea of arms and legs up in the air, their laughter that echoed through to where she stood and the smiles on their faces made her heart warm with contentment. It was going to be another great Christmas.