The next few weeks prove to be equally amazing and trying for our relationship. Penelope and I try to find time every day to spend together. A part of that is because we don't want the honeymoon period of our relationship to go to waste just because we can't be seen together, but a much larger reason is that I find it hard to make it through the day without seeing her. She's brought so much joy to my life and I don't understand how I survived before her. I was so miserable and didn't fully realize it until she came along.

It feels like we're finally starting to get the hang of this relationship now. We developed a system to see each other between her classes, and occasionally she'll "accidentally" run into me so that we get some physical contact in that day. We try to spend time together every day, but between our busy schedules, that can be a challenge. I will say that I've gone to more basketball games in the past three weeks than I ever thought I would attend in my life. And two weeks ago after one of the games, we couldn't help it anymore. We went back to my place after the game and didn't leave the bed for a long time.

For the first time that I can remember, my life has become about more than just work, work, work. I'm finally enjoying being where I am and doing what I'm doing. Or who I'm doing, in this case.

The only problem that I've been having is trying to keep it together when we're in class. Sometimes she likes to try and push the boundaries, whether it's through wearing exposing clothing, or licking her lips obscenely when she knows I'm looking, she always tries to get me aroused during class. And most of the time it works. We're getting dangerously close to me taking her back to my office and having sex on the desk, consequences be damned. The temptation is very real.

I'm drawn away from my ponderings by my phone buzzing on the counter next to me.

Just got out of practice. On my way.

I turn the stove on and begin warming up our dinner. Penelope has been spending more and more time at my apartment, even if it's just eating dinner with me, although it's almost always eating dinner and then spending the night. I wonder what she's telling her roommate. Before I can get too lost in my thoughts again, the door opens and Penelope walks in like a breath of fresh air.

"Hey, baby," she says, walking into the kitchen and throwing her keys down on the counter. "What's for dinner?" She leans up and attempts to give me a quick kiss, which I instantly deepen. When we pull away, she's clinging on to me and completely flushed.

"You, if you're not careful."

"That doesn't sound like much of a threat, Mr. Hotchner."

"So I'm Mr. Hotchner now, huh?"

"Only when you're delusional enough to think that sex with you is a punishment."

"I see that I've finally lost my ability to frighten you."

"I'm not sure that you ever had it," she responds, lightly smacking my ass before going to set the table for dinner.

"Pen, I was thinking before you came in," I begin a moment later and she looks away from the table to me. "What do you tell your roommate, Emily? About us, I mean. I mean, where does she think you spend all of your time? And all of the nights that you don't come home?"

She looks back at the table and I see a blush rising in her face before she responds. "I'm not sure that you're going to like the answer to that, Aaron."

"Try me."

"Emily's used to me not being around. We kind of have an understanding and it's worked out well for us the past two years."

"What kind of understanding?" She still refuses to meet my gaze, so I turn off the stove and go over to the table to still her hands and bring her chin up until our eyes meet, trying to let her know that she can tell me the truth.

"Well, Emily usually has someone over to the room. Pretty much every night. So I try to not spend my nights there. She's not quiet. And I like my sleep."

"Did you try talking to her about it?"

"No, I never felt the need to. I don't care that she wants to have sex and I don't want to keep her from her sex life. I only really cared the first few weeks before I found somewhere to stay."

"At a friend's room?"

"Yep," she responds quickly and continues working on the table.

"Ah. Derek."

She looks up at me in surprise and I wish that I had it in me to laugh at the startled look on her face. "Yeah, Derek," she finally responds. I take a few steps away from her and turn around, trying to keep my jealousy from oozing out. "Aaron," she says, coming up behind me. "Derek is just a friend. He's my best friend. And if our situation was different, I would want you to get to know him and become friends with him yourself. I think you two would really get along."

"Penelope, you can't just tell me that you've spent the past two years in another man's bed and then tell me that you want him and I to become friends. It doesn't work that way."

"Aaron, you know that it's not like that between me and Derek. I slept on his futon or on his roommate's bed when his roommate would be with his girlfriend. You need to stop worrying about Derek."

"It's just hard for me to accept that."

"Why?"

"Because of the way you two act with each other. You flirt all the time and seem to have feelings for each other."

"I can't speak for Derek's feelings, I only know mine."

"And what are they?"

"I love you, Aaron." At her words, I can't help myself any longer. I turn around and face her and see a look of fear and worry on her face.

"Do you mean it?"

"Of course I mean it!" With that, I move toward her and carry her off to bed.

Lying in bed after, making patterns across his chest with my finger while he runs his fingers through my hair, I feel so much contentment.

"I love you too, you know. In case the sex didn't clear that up," he begins.

"I got the message loud and clear, loverboy," I respond, a huge smile on my face. He leans down to kiss me before moving off the bed to go to the bathroom. As soon as the door shuts, I hear someone knocking at the front door. I wrap the sheet around myself before moving to answer it.

"Pen!" I hear Aaron call from the bathroom.

"Just a minute, I'm getting the door."

"Pen!" He yells again, but before I understand why, I open the door and my jaw drops.