This story is more complicated than I originally thought—I've written most of the present day but the flashbacks are the challenge because of they in turn affect—he present day. If I knew how to use the beta reader I would – I hope you enjoy it.

Author's note: Jackson looks like Keanu Reeves if you need a visual and in Love Makes Things Happen he was Garcia's best friend—now he is dating Emily.

Present Day

How could this be? Beth thought. Out of the entire team, she was closest to Penelope, well besides Reid. She never let on that anything was bothering her, or that their marriage was in a rocky place. She was always silent when the ladies talked about their relationship—she asked questions but never offered her own antidotal advice. Well once, she said – once you lose the desire to argue, you're only left with silence. Silence can be the most haunting sound she said, because you've given up the fight. She was talking about a movie then, but maybe she was really talking about her. Beth understood why she'd want to keep her feeling to herself. When your family is your husband's colleagues who do you vent to about him. Being a part of a family profilers can be daunting, they never truly stop working—they never truly stop reading you. The last thing that you want to do is to vent to someone's boss or colleague, which is what made their friendship so special, Beth thought. They could vent to each other which the often did. They gave each other insight—like when Derek was mentally out of it for a month or six; it was Beth, who told her about Carl dying in prison and the case. Beth was surprised that Derek didn't share it, but like Aaron when cases hits home they retreated into their heads. Recently, Penelope became so focused on the kids and school – she should have known something was up. She rarely talked about Derek unless it was group girl talk – y'know a sex and the city brunch gathering.

"I should go up there and talk to her." Jackson said as he was getting up.

"No, you shouldn't" Emily said squeezing his hand "there is a reason, they didn't tell us."

"Did anyone know they hit a bump in the road?" Will asked the table.

"I knew they were in a weird place, but I didn't know they'd separated," Reid said matter of factly. "We, Penelope and I, stopped talking about their relationship, maybe a year ago. After Tamara Barnes, she said that it felt weird that to vent about Morgan knowing how close we were and she didn't want to put me in that awkward position – since I am close to both. I assured her nothing was going on but—"

"He so wasn't having an affair," Emily said. "Morgan wasn't having an affair with Tamara – I mean are we in high school and can't have friends outside of the relationship?"

"I wonder what happened." JJ asked thoughtfully as her daughter, Amelia jumped off her lap and headed to play with the boys.

"I think it's the stress of being promoted to Unit Chief did it. It was a huge strain on my marriage to Haley. Maybe I should ask him to come back to our team."

"He needed to grow, Hotch. I think leading a team is something he was destined to do but, we all know the BAU doesn't promote the best relationships—says the man whose been married 3 times."

"Do you think there is someone else? I mean their newlywed phase lasted for like 5 years—"JJ asked

"Derek does get pretty involved in his cases, especially Tamara Barnes—did you know she still comes around? I didn't think anything of it till today." Emily said questioning her previous statement.

"Well what do we know?" Hotch said "We know they have been pretending or acting because they didn't want us to know. Did you notice that when they talked about their summer plans she held and squeezed his hand – that was to make us see a level of intimacy that is no longer there. Derek wants to fix it—that is obvious because he is counting the days since the separation started."

Reid added "Well, after 2 months the likely hood of getting back together diminishes 60%. The push pull of the relationship weakens and memories of love that we see every day when we look at our significant other lessens. Basically, absence doesn't always make the heart grow fonder."

"When Chris called her told her she sucks—it was as if she heard that before or something similar—the ways she said yes, I am the bad mommy implies that Morgan is the good guy. I think she is struggling with being both parents to the kids and since they see Morgan less they project all of their emotions on to her—the good and the bad. She is always the bad cop and Morgan is always the good cop. Remember when Henry went through that phase when you did everything wrong Will. It can be emotionally draining on the bad cop." JJ added.

"I hope you guys don't sit around and profile me like this" Will said with a smile.

Jackson and Beth said, "You know they do," Jackson and Beth in unison.

"The question is what can we do to help. We did vow to keep them on track or Fran will have our asses," Rossi said grimly.

"Maybe, I could help him out with Team B so he would have more time with his kids or at least train someone to help him," Emily said hopefully.

"Maybe we can create a position for him within our team – where we alternate being Chief—because he needs to spend more time at home," Hotch suggested.

"Hotch you would do that—that is so sweet," Beth said dreamily.

"Well I am being selfish too—I would like to spend more time with my family too," Hotch added.

"That could work—Let me work on Strauss," Rossi added.

Reid, "you still have that magic touch with her."

Rossi just smiled and nodded.

"Maybe we are focusing too much on Derek what about Penelope? What is she going through? We had drinks about a month ago and she said the most peculiar thing—she said it is hard being a single mother—we were like 3-5 drinks in but, if that is how she really feels in her marriage that speaks volumes as to what needs to be repaired," JJ sad sadly.

"Garcia, would ask not to go all super heroes on her and let them work it out," Jackson

"But if Morgan is already out of the house it becomes a matter of paperwork—does it not?" Emily said once again not being sympathetic to Garcia.

"Wow, after all this time you're still team Morgan?" Jackson asked.

"No, but Penelope knew what we did for a living, she knew the hours, she knew the life—you can't feign ignorance or have buyers remorse now, when you've built a family. It obvious who is leading the charge here—she is."

"Emily people evolve—it not always black or white." Jackson retorted defending his best friend

"Did you know?" Emily asked accusingly.

"Of' course not" he said quickly and frustrated.

"Could we be too late?" JJ asked.

Christopher returns outside and apologizes to Mr. Rossi.

A couple of moments later come Derek and Penelope emerge from the house.