Hope everyone had a great holiday season! Back to writing before school starts again! Recovery Ranch is a real place in Tennessee. I have no idea how long the drive time would be so I guessed...sorry if I'm totally off.

I own nothing but the plotline

Hotch, Carly and Derek all exchanged a look before turning back to watch Penelope frantically stuff her suitcase with clothes.

"Penelope," Carly started carefully. "Running away won't solve anything. You won't be able to run far enough, or fast enough, to escape these demons. You need to work this out with the people that are here to support you."

"You misunderstood me," Penelope told her. "I'm not running from my demons, I'm running to them. For once in my life I need to be selfish. I need to focus on my feelings, not everyone else's. I won't be able to turn that off when I'm with you guys. I wanna go somewhere that can help me, you know, like a rehab clinic for trauma victims. I know they exist."

All eyes turned to Carly, who had to search for the right words. "Yes, they do exist and I know an excellent one not too far from here. There is a place, in Tennessee, called Recovery Ranch and they have programs for people suffering from trauma, addiction and PTSD. They use a combination of therapies, including group and Equine therapy, to help people overcome what they've been through."

Derek interrupted her angrily, "Hold on a second, you're on board with this?" He asked, incredulously. "Baby Girl, we can help you through this, we are your family. Don't leave, stay with us. I don't care if you yell at me every minute of every day. I don't care if you destroy everything in my house. Hell, burn it down if it will make you feel better. Whatever it takes to help you I will do it, just don't run from us…don't run from me."

In his panicked state Derek forgot and moved towards Penelope quickly and tried to pull her into his arms to hold on to her. Unable to stop herself, Pen jerked backwards trying to escape his touch. She collided with the lamp on the bedside, knocking it to the floor. When she saw the stricken look on Derek's face she looked at Hotch and Carly and asked if she could have moment alone with him.

Penelope set the lamp back on the table and turned to Derek. "I know that you are perfectly willing to let me take my pain out on you, but I'm not ok with that. I'm not running away from you because I find you deficient in any way. I'm running to keep from hurting you anymore. It's the only way to protect myself and everyone else I love from enduring more pain then necessary. I can't concentrate on the things I need to if I'm feeling guilty for snapping at you or hitting you. I don't want to see the hurt in your eyes that I just saw when I flinch because I wasn't expecting your touch. "

She stepped closer to Derek and put her hand on his face. "I will come back to you and we will have that discussion we… I have been putting off. I need to be whole before I can discuss our future and right now I'm a bunch of broken pieces. Please support me in this decision; I really do think it is the best option for me."

Derek sighed and said, "I will always support you, Penelope. You are my everything and if you truly think this will work better for you… then I'm 100% with you. You just have to promise me that you will come back, that you won't fall in love with the horses and leave me alone."

"That's never gonna happen Hot Stuff. You are stuck with me for the rest of our lives. I will be back before you know it, and we can move on with our lives. Now, help me please so I can finish packing. Sooner I start, sooner I'm done and can come home."

Derek nuzzled his face into Penelope's hand and looked at her with a smirk on his face. "Uh, Baby Girl? Aren't you forgetting something? You have to have somewhere to go before you can leave."

Pen paused, tilted her head, and called out, "Carly, can you come back in here?"

Within seconds Carly and Hotch appeared in the doorway. When Derek raised his eyebrow at their quickness, Carly said sheepishly, "We stayed close in case we were needed. Which, look at that, you needed me."

Penelope giggled at Carly's sarcasm and three sets of astonished eyes turned toward her.

"I've missed that giggle," Derek said softly.

"I've missed being able to giggle," Penelope replied. "Carly, that place you were talking about...How soon can I go?"

"Give me five minutes and I will tell you," Carly said, slipping out of the room. Penelope returned to packing her bag, although much more carefully now. She had Hotch retrieve her other luggage from the closet and Derek helped gather her toiletries.

Carly returned to the room and said, "Penelope, you are all set. The ranch is about a two-hour drive from here and they are expecting you tonight."

"Thank you Carly." Pen said as she zipped up her third bag. She turned to look up at Derek and Hotch. "Before you two hit the roof, hear me out. I know that either or both of you would take me out there, but I want to go on my own."

Both men opened their mouths, but before they could say anything Penelope continued. "I want to do this, I am perfectly capable of driving and it's not that long of a drive. This will give me a chance to clear my head before I'm surrounded by people. It's a beautiful fall day. I can see the leaves changing color and jam to the radio. I promise that if it turns out to be too much I will stop and call. I also promise that I will call the minute I get there."

She looked at Derek with pleading eyes. Derek knew this was something she really wanted; and even though he didn't like it, he decided to go along with it. "I want a pinky promise, Baby Girl," Derek said, with a wink. "You call as soon as you get there, if you need anything on the way there, or even if you just want to complain about the slow little-old-lady doing twenty mph, not letting you pass."

Penelope snickered as she held up her pinky for Derek. "I pinky swear to call you when I get there…and for little-old-ladies."

Hotch and Derek picked up her suitcases and carried them down to Esther. When the bags were in the trunk and Penelope had her keys in her hand, she turned to the three watching her. She smiled at their apprehensive looks and said, "It will be ok, guys...I pinky swore to call for anything and I promised to come back. Have faith in me."

Penelope slid behind the wheel and Derek stepped up to push her door closed. He leaned in through the window and said, "I always have faith in you, Penelope Garcia. It's the one thing I have no doubts about. Be safe, and remember your promises to me and I will be here waiting for your return."

Derek pressed a kiss to his hand and then slowly brought it to her cheek. He stepped back and stood with Hotch and Carly as Penelope backed out of the drive way and disappeared down the street, the radio already blaring.