My life decided to turn to garbage all at once. My very long term relationship broke up so I am working on moving. I was in the hospital. I am in physical therapy but they are now sending me for tests. I also had a biopsy done for a completely different medical reason. And my car broke down. And so did my hair straightener. (Btw the only thing I cried about was the hair straightener.) So anyway, that's why I have been too busy. If I haven't responded to you here, on Twitter or Tumblr I am sorry. I enjoy hearing from you. Love the reviews. I just haven't had the time. But I had this and a chapter of Signals ready so those two are getting updated today. Cash, When, Fog, and some of my one-shots aren't edited yet so idk when that will happen. Bear with me. And thanks for the support.

Once Luke was far enough up the stairs to be out of sight, he took them two at a time so he could get to her quicker. As soon as he stepped onto the final landing, he heard her full fledged sniffles, and his heart lurched. He hated that she was upset, and he hated that he was part of that. Even if the emotional scene downstairs set it off, if he never played his role in all this, she wouldn't be in this mess now. She wouldn't have had anything to cry over. He could only be her friend now, nothing more, and he was appreciative she gave him that much. He had been almost certain she never would again.

She was laying in the fetal position, facing away from the door as he walked in. He ran a hand over his head, before getting on the bed with her and curling up behind her.

"I swear to goodness, you better not tell me that you were right." Her voice was cracked from her sobs, but he could hear the faint mirth in her words.

He gave a small smile as he put his face to the back of her head. "No, Baby. I won't say that. I just wish you would believe me once in a while," he said to her.

"Well, how am I supposed to know when you're..." She paused. This was not the time to bring up any points of contention, not when they were back to being so good to each other again.

He took a deep breath. "I don't know, but I'm hoping one day my words are enough for you again." He said softly into her ear, making her breathing speed up as she felt his words heat her body.

She rolled her eyes. How could she be so damn emotional and still get turned on by him whispering words of comfort in her ear? "It's fine Luke. We've talked this whole subject to death. We both understand each other's point of view. We just don't completely agree yet. We have decided to forgive each other. That's all we need to know." She flipped around so she was facing him. He didn't move away, and she knew he wouldn't. "But I'm sorry I revealed something that we were apparently keeping to ourselves. I shouldn't have done that to you."

"Don't worry about me. I'm a big boy. I can take it. Even if they all decided to hate me for hurting you." He kissed the tip of her nose and wiped the tears away from her cheek.

"They won't hate you. I'm the only one who gets to be mad at you. That's my special privilege." She smirked at him.

He threw his head back laughing at her. "Okay, mi cielito. That's fine. I like it when you're feisty anyway." He knew she wasn't really that upset anymore. She'd gone to therapy and worked out her feelings about the past year - the tragic case and the tough personal things she went through. She was actively choosing to not let it make her scared or bitter, so he knew that he could joke with her. Even if everyone else was running to catch up, he was right beside her the whole time.

"Of course you do." She looked into his eyes that were just a couple inches away from hers, and she remembered what it was like to kiss him, to hold him, to know he was hers. She used to own him, hold his heart. No matter how briefly it was for, she did, and it was the most brilliant thing she had done. At least while it lasted. At least until it ended, the way she knew happiness would always end for her because it was too good to be true.

He was watching her eyes. He could see the wheels turning in there, see her contemplating what it would be like to be together again. He wondered, not for the first time, if she would ever forget the pain and try again, but he had no idea when she would. He was going to lean in and kiss her. He could write it off as a comforting kiss, but he knew, and she knew, it would always mean more. So he waited. He couldn't take anything else from her, so he didn't dare try.

She looked up into his eyes and held them for a moment. She wanted him. He must know that. But she didn't know if she could forget the pain that was now etched on her heart from what loving him did to her. She laid out on the line, and she got burned. It's just, at the moment, she couldn't remember why that mattered at all when what she loved about him should have been enough to forget what had happened. It was so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. She inched her face forward, her eyes fixated on his lips, not giving a damn about what she had talked herself in and out of over the past couple months. She was going to taste him again. She swore that to herself. She just had to wait until the pain lessened and the memory went away. But right here, right now, she forgot she ever felt pain as she anticipated kissing him for the first time all over again. As she leaned in closer, she watched his apprehensive eyes. In that moment, she was actually quite happy to allay his fears, until they heard footsteps. She saw his eyes close in annoyance and anger, and they studied each other's eyes again, trying to communicate before whomever was coming got there. He kept his hand on her hip where it had fallen when she flipped to him. It was just a familiar movement, a learned habit. They gave each other a knowing look and started to pull away when their guests arrived at the door.

"Oh. Uh, sorry." JJ said subdued.

"No worries, Jayge. Come in." Penelope sat up. Luke flipped to his back, propping himself on the pillows, looking at their guests. "You too, lover," she said to Derek who was standing in the doorway, much like he had earlier, but now with an odd question written on his face.

JJ came to sit at the foot of the bed, comfortable with both Luke and Penelope, while Derek took a seat on a small chair that was a companion to the vanity by the doorway. "We don't want to pry and make you feel uncomfortable. We just wanted to come up and say we're sorry we didn't notice or maybe you're welcome we didn't notice." JJ giggled. "I'm not really sure which one you'd like."

Penelope smiled at her. "Well, I'm just sorry I didn't listen to Luke. I thought he was full of shit and just trying to make me feel better about the whole thing." She hit Luke again on the chest.

"Hey. Why do I keep getting hit?" he asked playfully.

Penelope stuck her tongue out at him. JJ glanced to Derek who had the same question in his eyes that she did. "So you two really aren't together though?" she asked gently.

"I thought you didn't want to pry." Luke had a big smile on his face as he teased JJ so she knew he meant it in jest.

"Sorry. Sorry, it's just this is us trying to wrap our heads around something that you're already over. Just give us a minute to catch up, and then we'll be fine."

"Oh, Honey. Don't worry about it. I can see how this would all be overwhelming if you didn't know about it. But, no, we are not together." She smiled at Luke who smiled back.

JJ nodded, but Derek spoke finally. "Well, that's odd because I don't think I've ever gotten along this well with an ex." He gestured towards the two on the bed.

"What ex? One night stands don't count as relationships, even if you let them stay the whole weekend," Penelope teased him.

"Hey, hey, Crazy. Hush your mouth please." He smiled at her.

"Derek's point is valid, like I said downstairs." JJ glanced between the three different people in the room. "And I don't know if I'm the only one who ever thought this. I wanted you two to date, but it wasn't happening, so I let it go temporarily, but I did think if you ever did you wouldn't… break up." JJ turned up one side of her face trying to indicate she really wasn't trying to make them talk about a tough subject. "Not the why, but maybe the how?"

Penelope took a deep breath and looked to Luke who just shrugged his shoulders, indicating he never cared one way or the other. "Well we just were under a lot of pressure and made a couple of dumb decisions. We didn't mean to do anything to each other, but we did anyway. But we were friends, and we know each other well enough that we didn't hold on to the bad part just because we couldn't handle being together anymore." Penelope felt like she was sharing too much and being too vague all at the same time. She might talk to them about it one day, but today wasn't going to be that day.

Derek furrowed his brow trying to sort out what that meant. "Well, hey, it's just good to know that whatever happened, you two didn't break each other in pieces, so I guess, if you're casual about all this, then we will be too. No reason for all of us to be freaked out now." He wanted to know everything, but he could tell his Baby Girl was not going to be divulging anything until she felt well and ready to do so.

Luke heard his phone vibrating from his room, and he shifted off the bed to retrieve it. JJ noticed that his bag was very much in the other room. He picked up the phone, clearly talking to Layla.

"So, uh, I guess, can I just ask, maybe the when? So that I can try to figure out just how I missed all this." JJ gently laid a hand on Penelope's cross-legged knee.

"Uh, well, it actually makes sense now, what Luke said. We sort of hung out for a while. You know sometimes with you all, sometimes without. That was going on since… well, if I'm honest, since almost the beginning. But umm, the dating thing it just happened gradually, and I suppose when we were in the thick of it is when we were chasing the Challenger. Everyone was frazzled. You all were travelling back and forth. Most of you were separated from your children and families. People were scared and moving back and forth in between safe houses and chasing the guy. Instead of seeing if I left with Alvez every night, you were thinking about how you hadn't seen your babies in two weeks. I should've known Luke knew. He knows all sorts of things when it comes to people's feelings. I think he's empathic," Penelope said the last part contemplatively.

"Still, every night?" JJ said almost embarrassed.

"Oh, come on. Half the time we were the only ones who left since we didn't have any family nearby to worry about. I guess it makes sense that we always left when you all stayed there or were carted off in secret to see your loved ones. No matter what we had been through, we hadn't been through that," Penelope said comfortingly.

"I was around too, Sweetheart. I didn't notice either," Derek interjected.

"And you weren't distracted thinking about how you put your family in danger just by having a past in the FBI, that just because you quit didn't mean they were safe? Come on, you were under your own stress too." Penelope actually saw how much sense it made now. Thinking back, she remembered everyone was frayed and unravelling, and rarely did they have time to talk to each other even though they were always together.

"Okay, fair enough. So was it not that serious or something? I guess I still don't understand why you never said anything," Derek asked her. He knew he pushed too far when he saw her sigh.

"It's just I didn't want to talk about it. I thought you all felt like JJ did. I assumed everyone knew how much I liked him, and you saw straight through me, so I didn't want any of the heckling about how I finally gave in, and all of you were right," Penelope said, avoiding the question about the seriousness of the relationship.

JJ nodded. "Okay, I can understand that. It's nice to tell your friends something rather than have them already know."

"Believe me, if I'd known this was a secret, I would never have told you, just for the sheer happiness of successfully hiding something from you all." Penelope was trying to tease, but she hoped that they weren't truly hurt over her keeping things to herself.

Both Derek and JJ smiled at her.

Luke came back into the doorway, one hand on the wall as he leaned through, holding his cell to his chest. "Layla wants to know if you have a pair of black heels she can borrow or if she needs to bring two bags." Luke was already annoyed with his demanding sister.

"I have the Manolos and the Jimmy's," Penelope informed him.

"The who and the where?" Luke asked bewildered. Suddenly there was the loud voice coming through the phone. Luke rolled his eyes and brought the phone up to his ear. "Layla, I'm going to put you on speaker. Try not to embarrass yourself." He hit the button.

A giggly voice suddenly filled the room. "Long story short, my rash cleared up, and I no longer have to get tested every week. Oh, what? Did you say something big brother?" Layla started giggling like crazy.

"She's an emergency room surgeon, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you all feel safe at hospitals from now on." Luke raised an eyebrow at both JJ and Derek's laughing faces.

"Hey, fuck off. I'm so good at doctoring and shit," Layla said annoyed.

Penelope finally broke into the conversation. "Lay, Honey. I have the Manolos and the Jimmy's."

"Oh perfect! I need them, if I plan on wearing my dress that basically shows my vag-"

"Okay, that's enough, Sis. Everyone will see for themselves. Don't ruin the surprise." Luke was trying his hardest not to kill his sister through the phone.

"God. Fine. Whatever. Jeez, calm down, Bro. Penny and I are obviously much more fun than you are. No wonder she dumped you. Get the stick out of your ass." Layla scoffed at him.

"Lay, don't even try. He's not going to let his guard down because the only people here are the people we work with, and you know how that goes." Penelope rolled her eyes as if Layla was right there.

"I'm sorry. Everyone sees me here holding the damn phone, right?" Luke waved a hand around.

Both JJ and Derek laughed at the show they were watching. "Well, that blows. Why are you so chill with Phillip but a fucking tight wad with everyone you work with now? Too much vulnerability? Do you need to talk about it?" Layla asked condescendingly.

Penelope was giggling. "Okay Lay. Don't worry about it. You will have plenty of time to give him new ulcers when you get here. He's terrified that you're coming, so you can take comfort in that."

"I certainly didn't invite you," Luke agreed.

"Aww, I love you too, Lukey Boo. Well, I will say this. I am not looking forward to you making me tone it down, and I also heard there are children present, so does that mean I can't host the orgy this time?" Layla asked in a completely serious tone.

Luke put his hand to his forehead and held the phone out away from his body as if trying to distance himself from his sister. "Lay, there are children, and you will have to have to try and rein it in, Boo." Penelope gave Luke a smile as she said it.

"Fine, fine. I'll be an adult or something. Alright, I'm going to finish packing and head down to Phil's. I'll see you losers tomorrow. Are you two back together yet? And you told them? I thought I was supposed to keep it a secret." Layla asked her first genuine question.

"Don't worry about it. Conejito ran her mouth and didn't listen to me, and now everyone is aware we dated," Luke said sticking his neck out at Penelope who was sticking her tongue out at him again.

"Everything?" Layla asked slowly.

"Uh, no, so maybe just shut your face," Luke said to her.

"Geesh, fine. I was just asking to make sure I knew what I should tell Phil. You're the one that told us to say nothing, and now we can only say some things, and this is my fault? Yeesh."

"No, Boo. That's my fault, but thank you," Penelope told her.

"Okay. Well whatever. See you asshats tomorrow. Probably afternoon or evening. I mean, well, at some point. Whatever, I'll have Phil text you when we're close. Bye. Love you, Penny. You too, Bro, I guess. I mean, I wouldn't run into a burning building for you, but I'd fuck the firefighter who saved you so you didn't have to send a card."

JJ and Derek were full on laughing, and Penelope was giggling as well but more immune to Layla's antics. "Bye, Layla. If you get lost, don't worry about it. Just stay where you are, and never contact me again." Luke hit the disconnect before she could answer back. "Well, I'd hide your children if I were you." Luke spoke to the two chuckling people in the room.

"Your sister sounds like a riot, and, to be honest, I'm interested in seeing this fun different side of you." JJ teased.

Luke nodded, a smile across his face, accepting that these people were only just beginning to learn things about him this week. "Well, this is just going to go peachy, isn't it?"

"Don't worry, Baby. There's a ton of wine in the cellar. We can just get them all drunk, so they embarrass themselves, and don't remember anything about you." Penelope teased him.

"Thanks, Love. That makes me feel better. No, but really." He put his hand to his chest giving her a mock heartfelt look. Then he moved to sit next to her on the bed, and she looped her arm through his as she scrunched her nose at him. He let his hand fall on her knee as he smiled at her.

Both JJ and Derek were bewildered again at the seemingly lovely relationship that they were witnessing but had been told was no more. JJ opened then shut her mouth, before standing up. "Okay. Well, we'll be heading to bed now, so we can get up bright and early for the beach. I think I stayed up here long enough to make sure that Will had to put the kids to bed and not me."

"Good night, my lovelies." Penelope gave them a small wave of her fingers. She could see the wheels in Derek's head turning. "See you in the morning, Hot Stuff. You brought your speedo, right?"

Derek shook his head. "No wonder you get along so well with Layla. I almost forgot how naughty you were."

She gasped loudly and put her hand to heart. "Well, clearly I haven't been harassing you enough lately. Don't worry. I'll remedy that this week."

He laughed and walked out with JJ, both bidding goodnight to Luke before departing.

When the two of them got to the first landing between floors, JJ stopped to whisper to Derek. "What on earth is happening?"

"JJ, I have no idea. It makes no sense. They're not together, but they're perfectly fine with each other, but they still had a big enough fight to break up. Apparently, she had enough time to get close to his family and friends outside of us, so what the hell?" Derek arched an eyebrow at JJ.

"Hey, I hear ya. I'm so lost. But I'll say this. I've never been more convinced they should be together than I am now. I won't push her, but, damn it, I wish she would open up to me so I could at least know what's so unforgivable to actually break up." JJ shook her head, sighing at Derek before descending the stairs, completely miffed that even with more information they somehow knew less than they had known before they went up.