Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Here's yet another emotional chapter...sorry! I like this one, though. Some mother/daughter interaction. Thank you for the reviews!

"Thanks for offering to watch Lindy and Raya, Jayje," Penelope said as she started putting her jacket on. She smiled sadly. "I appreciate it. Lindy is able to stay home alone, but I just don't want them to be alone."

JJ nodded and smiled. "It's no problem at all," she said. "And Henry is thinking of stopping by with some pizza." She lowered her voice some. "Do you know how long the session will be?"

Penelope shook her head. "I don't," she murmured. "Dr. Janson wants to see if we'll make any progress in getting her to talk. She cleared her schedule for the afternoon just in case it takes a little longer." Tears filled her eyes. "What am I going to do, JJ? I don't think I've ever been as lost as I am now. And Derek...he's having a hard time. Just talking is hard for him. I'm so scared he'll shut down like Tala did."

Shaking her head, JJ said, "Hon, he certainly hasn't shut down. I heard Strauss complaining about how he refused to come back to work. She was livid. He hasn't shut down. He just feels the pain as much as you and Tala do. And when Derek feels pain, well, you know better than anyone how he gets. He gets quiet, but he doesn't shut down. He's here for you, Tala, and the little girls. He'll never leave you for his own mind."

Nodding, Penelope rubbed her eyes. "I know, I know," she mumbled. "I'm just...just exhausted."

Putting her hand on her arm, JJ said, "I know you are." She was quiet for a moment before adding, "How are you and Derek? Are things tense or are you guys...well, yourselves again?"

"We're doing - it's like we're us again," she murmured. "We've got our connection back. When he holds me at night, I feel how much he cares, how much he loves us. I don't know how I could ever have doubted him. I can't help but think that this might be my fault. I told Derek to leave, I let Kyle into this house. Maybe if I hadn't, he wouldn't have told Keith about her."

"This is not your fault," JJ said firmly. "There is no one to blame but that son of a bitch."

Before Penelope could respond, Derek came into the kitchen and looked towards his wife and JJ. "You ready to go?" he asked, coming over and putting his hand on the middle of her back.

Difficultly, she nodded and looked at him. "Ready when you are," she said softly, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Tala's in the car already," he said. "Let's get going." He nodded to JJ. "Thanks again, JJ."

JJ nodded her head. "I'll see you when you get back," she said compassionately.

XXXXX

Penelope, Derek, and Tala sat in the waiting room of the therapist's office. Tala was staring blankly at the walls in between her parents. It took all she had not to get up and leave. But she was doing this for them. She wanted nothing more than to do everything her parents told her. She was trying to be the perfect child. Despite her best efforts though, she was failing miserably. She had chopped every inch of her hair off, couldn't control her drinking, and was having a hard time saying any words at all. Even eating was making her nauseous.

The door to Dr. Janson's office opened and the kind therapist came out into the waiting room, gesturing into her room. Tala liked her well enough, but she didn't trust her. She couldn't trust her. So most of her sessions consisted of silence and Dr. Janson studying any movement she made, any expression that crossed her face.

"Come on in," the doctor said.

Penelope and Derek nodded, neither of them letting go of the others hand. They looked over at Tala and waited for her to follow them in. She rose and entered first, sitting down on the couch she sat on in her weekly appointments. The therapist closed the door and sat in her usual seat. Penelope and Derek sat on the couch beside Tala.

"I'm glad all three of you could come," she said, crossing her legs in front of her. She took out her legal pad that recorded notes on and wrote something down momentarily. Her focus shifted to Tala. "Tala, do you know why I asked your parents to sit in on this one?"

Tala merely shrugged. She knew exactly why, she just didn't muster up the energy to answer. Looking at the worried looks on her parents' faces though, her heart broke, more than it already had. So she opened her mouth. "You think they'll get me to talk," she said, her voice almost inaudible.

Dr. Janson nodded. "Yes, exactly," she said with a nod. "And apparently they have already. Most sessions you don't say a word. This one you've already said six."

Tala rolled her eyes. "Maybe," she muttered. "Who knows? Maybe I'm just feeling a little more talkative today."

"Do you really believe that?" the therapist asked pointedly. It was clear to everyone in the room that Derek and Penelope's presence was what was making her say something. She was only doing it for their sake, but it was still something in the way of words. So she didn't answer. "Well, what I want to do know is have your mother talk to you."

Penelope's eyes went wide. "Wh - what do you want me to say?" she asked nervously. It was obvious she was afraid she would say something to make things worse.

"From what Derek has told me, you are usually the one who gets Tala to talk the most," she explained. "And I think you can do that now. She'll need a way to release what she's holding back and you're the best person to do it. No matter what distance has been between you both for the last few months, you'll always be her best friend, her mother, her confidante. You're her best hope."

"You going to talk about me like I'm not in the room some more?" Tala asked dryly. Closing her eyes, she glanced at Penelope softly. "Sorry, Mom. I'll shut up."

With her eyes still wide, Penelope took a deep breath. She turned away from Dr. Janson and Derek so that her back was to them and she was only facing Tala. "Tala, Baby," she started, reaching out to take both of Tala's hands. They were so cold that they felt like ice. But at least she didn't try and pull them away. For that, Penelope was grateful. "You know, when you were just a little girl, you never backed away from anything. A scraped knee, a bruised elbow, the time you broke your arm climbing that tree at Uncle Dave's cabin. You remember all those times, don't you?"

She hoped Tala would say something, but she merely nodded, looking down at her mother's hands in hers.

Tears filled Penelope's eyes and she went on. "All those times, each and every one of them, you never cried. No tears at all. You've always been so strong, Baby Doll. You've always held your head high and defended people who needed it. That's your father in you. Every part of you is so full of life. Every single part.

"And I know you. You're my daughter, my baby...I can sense your pain and your anger and I feel each and every one of those emotions. I know...I know how much you hurt. But you are are so strong. You radiate strength." She sniffled and choked on her next words. "That's how I know you'll get through this, because nothing can keep you down. You know that...right?"

Tala kept her eyes trained down, refusing to look up.

Penelope touched Tala's cheek and begged, "Baby, please talk to me. I just want to hear your voice. Dr. Janson said that if you let it out and talk, you'll - you'll feel better. You can't keep everything bottled up."

After a few moments, Tala finally looked up at Penelope. Her eyes were blood shot, red rimmed, and swollen. Next her gaze flicked to Derek and Dr. Janson. "Um, could - could I talk to Mom alone...please?"

Derek looked at Dr. Janson. "Where should we go?" he asked.

Rising from her seat, she motioned for Derek to follow her. "My colleague is out of town right now," she said. "We can go in there and wait."

They headed out the door, leaving Penelope and Tala alone in the therapy room together. Tala's lower lip trembled and she took a shaky breath. "I'm so sorry, Mom," she said hoarsely. "I can't figure out how to say anything right now. I can't figure out how to think anymore. It's like he took everything from me. I couldn't move because he strapped me into that chair. I couldn't get out because he locked the door. I couldn't tell him to get the hell away from me or the girls without him hitting me. I can't even hear my own name without remembering him calling me little wolf!"

"I know," Penelope whispered. She used her thumb to wipe away some of Tala's tears. "I know you can't. But it'll get better. You can overcome anything." Tucking a strand of hair behind her daughter's ear, she added, "You know, when I got shot - the first time, anyway - I was scared of everything. But time healed me. And it'll heal you too. I'll be here to help you every step of the way."

Tears silently flowed down her cheeks and Penelope pulled her into her arms. "I just don't want it to hurt anymore," Tala murmured against Penelope's chest. She looked up momentarily though. "But Dr. Janson was right...I do feel a little better after talking to you."

Penelope kissed the top of her head and rested her chin on top of it. "I'm glad," she whispered, stroking Tala's short hair. "And if you keep talking, you'll find it feels better and better each time."