Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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

It was just turning four that afternoon and only Derek was left in the hospital room, Fran had gathered everyone together to go home and get some proper food and rest before coming back for a couple of hours. Fran and Hotch both knew Derek and Penelope had a lot to talk about and in order to do that they needed privacy; Hotch had warned Derek he would be the first back but would give him 2 and half hours to talk, if Penelope woke up. Derek now sat with his chair lined up with the bed, him facing Penelope, looking at her, so small and fragile, reminiscent of a china doll, delicate and breakable. He had the happiness of having her hand in his again but the looming feeling that she could be snatched cruelly from his life again. That he wasn't prepared for.

He was staring at the ceiling when he thought the hand in his twitched into a weakening grip that released the moment it started. His head shot up to meet Penelope's open eyes. 'Hey.' He whispered as he leant forward.

'Hey.' She said in a dry raspy whisper. 'Where is everyone?'

'My mom's taken them home to feed.'

Penelope laughed slightly but stopped and closed her eyes against the pain. 'Your mom did what I had prayed she would do.'

'What was that baby girl?'

'Bring me back my life.'

'Well you've got it back.' She nodded slightly, and pulled the mask down.

'You...' She swallowed. 'You kept me going.' She said closing her eyes, and coughed again, the sticky sound still partially there when she breathed in. 'I thought of you every day handsome.' Derek smiled and a tear ran down his cheek, this didn't go unnoticed by Penelope. 'I want home now though.'

'I know you do goddess, and you will have it but for now we need to get you to some level of strength.'

'But I walked to your moms.'

'No you practically hiked baby girl, hiked missions to get to safety.'

'I wanted your mom... I didn't know how long I was walking for.'

'Well however long it took everything out of you.'

'I know... I'm paying for it now.' Derek laughed slightly. 'I missed that.'

'Missed what?'

'You're laugh... I've missed it...I've missed hearing baby girl... I've missed you.'

'I've missed you too baby girl.'

'I really do love you... I was so happy to hear you say it to me...'

'Hey don't worry, I really love you too P. Like madly deeply in love with you love love.' That evoked a smile on Penelope dry lips, Derek leaned across and grabbed the small sponge and wetted it before running it over her lips.

'Thank you.' She said looking at him.

'Nonsense baby girl... I'll do anything for you.' She nodded slightly. 'How's the headache?'

'Still here... but not so bad.'

'Want me to get someone?'

'No just stay here... with me... I don't want to be alone.'

'Okay baby... whatever you want, I'm willing to give. When you get out I am taking vacation to look after you, you are staying at mine as well baby girl, no arguments.'

'No arguments.' She repeated in a louder voice, she looked at him but put the mask back over her face. 'I'm so scared.' She said a little muffled.

'About what sweetness?'

She pulled the mask down. 'About everything, all of this, the wires, the tubes, they're... they're foreign.'

'And temporary.' Derek pointed out, knowing full well that Penelope was getting to the point that she had tubes in places that they should be. 'I know it's all daunting but it's to help.'

'I know... I just can't believe all this is because I walked out.'

'Do not blame yourself.'

'I don't, I would happily do it again but when he would come down the stairs he would talk about when we were younger, how I always went to him with my problems but I betrayed him and just left.' She looked at him. 'That was his reason, betrayal.'

'You betrayed no one P... and you do not need to justify yourself.' She nodded, her reactions getting slower. 'How about you get some more sleep? I'm not leaving you.'

She looked at him and tears fell from her eyes. 'Thank you for coming to me.' She said as her weakened body succumbed to its yearn of sleep and she fell back to a slumber. Derek just looked at her; the new tears just shed now making a careful trail down her bruised cheeks. He vowed to never let her go again, he would make her his life, so that he could protect her as possibly a husband could do. In an instant he made decisions, ones he had been toying with now had the answers.

Derek stared for too long at Penelope, as though if he blinked it wouldn't matter she would be gone, that his grasp on her hand was a figment of his own crazy imagination. But when he did blink, and she was still there he lost the fear each and every minute, she wasn't going to disperse into air and no longer be on the bed, he wasn't going to blink to find that when his eyelids retracted he would be in his apartment, fears running wild of her whereabouts. She was going to be there each and every time he reopened his eyes. So Derek blinked, and then found himself drifting off into a sleep where his thoughts were of his baby girl being safe in his arms.

When he awoke he found Penelope still asleep, he looked to his left and found Hotch, his eyes portrayed such a different story to his face. They screamed empathy, and worry, and sadness, and joy, and happiness, they screamed everything his face solemnly kept hidden.

'Finally you wake up.'

Derek smiled. 'How long you been here?'

'About 20 minutes... everyone should be here at around seven... did you get your chat?'

'Indeed with we did.'

'Everything okay?'

'Well she told me she was scared... of everything, of how she is now with all the tubes and wires, its scaring her and she wants to be home.'

'I bet she does... did she say anything about walking?'

'She knew my mom would bring her world back to her.' Derek said with a smile, Penelope was right but not only had his mom brought Penelope's life back, she had also brought Derek's, and brought a big part of the rest of the teams. 'I keep thinking all the times I was in Chicago, she was so close.'

'We weren't to know.'

'I know we weren't but it just seems ironic, the one place I harbour safe to my heart, is a place she was getting hurt in.'

'She'll go back to your mom's Derek, she will because Fran's given her everything she possibly needs at the moment and that's a mother to look after her like she's a daughter, and she's got you.'

Derek nodded. 'I want to use my vacation up Hotch.'

'No... sorry Morgan.' Last name, Hotch meant business. 'I'll put you on a leave of absence but you don't know when you'll need you vacation so keep it, I know Penelope's going to need a lot of looking after when she eventually gets out so I'm more than happy to help with that.'

'Thanks Hotch.'

'No thanks necessary.' Hotch said allowing a smile to curl the end of his lips. 'We need her back to full health and I know you can be the one to help her the best.'

'I saw you speaking to the doctor earlier...'

'I asked if he could predict when she is likely to be released, and he said unlikely for over a month due to the extent of starvation and her other injuries... but he has allowed to move her to Quantico, but we have to wait until she has the strength to lift things on her own.'

'Over a month? That's not going to bode well with Pen.' Hotch shook his head. 'What about her eating?'

'She'll have to keep the tube in for a majority as they need to let her throat heal with fluids which I'm guessing is what the sponge and water is for besides keeping her lips hydrated.'

'Well it works, we did it earlier.' Derek said, and Hotch shot a look that said thank you for already stepping up his game to look after her. 'Hotch you don't have to worry about whether or not I'm going to look after her, I cherish her way too much to not help.'

'I never doubted it Derek.'