"Hey, give me kiss." Penelope gave Chris and Isabella a hug and dropped them off at Pre-school. She then head drove to Potomac Park for her morning run—as she is on her run, Strauss' assistant Frank calls to push her meeting back to 12pm. Penelope cuts her run short, and heads home to get ready for the meeting – she forgot about the meeting.
At the BAU
"Penelope, I'll have Frank work out the details but I would like you to teach Digital Profiling workshop the first two weekends in August."
"Ok, and maybe I could have Rossi or Reid with me to give the overview of how the worlds meet."
"I will send you the workshop's schedule and while I am here I will tour the new classrooms."
"Great, sounds fantastic Penelope. I do look forward to our meetings. Would you like to grab lunch?"
"I normally would but I'm taking Derek out – since he is in town."
"He works so hard – you should be proud of him."
"I am – He is a rock star."
Penelope walked over to Rossi's office to see if he would be interested in co-teaching a class with her and he was excited.
"So kitten, how are things?"
"Things are good – no complaints," she said with a smile.
"I know it isn't my place but I hope you two can work this out. You guys are my love heroes," he said with a genuine smile.
"Well I am trying – matter of fact, I am surprising my husband today and taking him out to lunch – off campus. We used to love going to Katie's - the French Café, about 5 minutes from here."
"Let me know if there is anything, I can do," Rossi said.
"As Derek would say—this only a sun shower right," she said again that forced smile reappeared.
She gets up and walks towards the door—"Thanks again!"
As she approaches Derek's office, she overhears him saying, "She keeps on saying I need to see her point of view and I do—I just don't understand the anger. It's like you know what my job is and what it entails. Am I supposed to quit?"
He continues "I feel like that would make her happy— but I know I would just resent her you know."
"Have you tried explaining this to her? You shouldn't have to quit your job to make your marriage work. Would she quit her's? If she is a career woman like me she should've expected this," the woman says.
I should've expected this she thought—where does she get off. Am I being selfish she wondered? The kids missed him and she knew she could power through—maybe she was seeking a level of perfection that can't exist.
"My brother's wife was kind of like Penelope—she found it hard to juggle a career and motherhood, but trust me once the kids are in school. It will be easier," the woman followed up with.
Brother's wife? Is this Tamara? I seriously hate this bitch, Penelope thought.
"If I have to wait till then I don't know what Penelope I'll have left—she has just changed – no evolved into—"
"A crazy woman right?" Penelope finished.
"Hey Derek," Penelope said artificially happy.
"Afternoon, Tamara," she said not taking her eyes off Derek.
"Were you telling your buddy, Tamara here, about your crazy wife. You know we are separated right—of' course you do—I mean he tells you everything," she said super sweetly.
She shook her head "—I came here to make an effort like Dr. Frankel said – to take you to lunch and rekindle the friendship. Tamara did you know we see a couple's therapist who gives us assignments like—have a date night, do something nice for each other, tell your partner what you love about them—I mean you get the gist right, Tamara. It's sad when a doctors has to tell your husband to take you out to dinner," she said thoughtfully as if she was really debating the task.
Penelope returned her eyes to Derek and said, "Well this crazy lady is going to head on out. Tamara maybe you can take my husband out to lunch you look free and definitely willing."
She slammed the door and proceeded to walk towards the elevator bank. To her surprise, Derek did not follow her.
As Derek got up to follow her, Tamara grabbed his hand.
"You should let her cool off," Tamara suggested, "She'll blow off some steam and when you get home, you can make-up" she said moving her thumb across his knuckles.
He was lost in his thoughts, he never knew Penelope to be like this. Her emotions were like a light switch—and she flipped whenever she felt like it.
"Making up is actually the best part."
"I wouldn't know—I'm staying at the Hyatt."
"What?" she asked surprised by this news.
"We've separated," he said removing his hand from hers.
"I should call her," he said getting up and heading towards his desk. He dialed her number and she sent him straight to voicemail. He didn't leave a message—what could he say. I'm tired of you acting like a bat shit crazy wife—who didn't trust him anymore. He hung up the phone and started rubbing his head.
"Hey" she said touching his bicep, "let me take you out to lunch – you need fresh air and a set of fresh eyes - I'm a set of fresh eyes."
"I have a bunch of work I should do"
"But you aren't going to get any of that done unless you decompress—You've helped me so much. Let me help you."
He looked at her and smiled, "Fine."
As they made their way out JJ, Reid and Emily watched him go.
"I wonder what that's all about" JJ asked, "Do you think he is actually…"
"No," Emily said defending her former partner.
Rossi walked by and asked what they were gossiping about.
"Derek and –" JJ started.
"Yeah, Penelope just surprised him—they are going out to lunch. What did I tell ya—Love conquers all"
"You're a hopeless romantic Rossi—who knew." JJ said
"Well, why is he heading out with Tamara?" Reid asked
"What," Rossi said looking towards the door, "She was just here and—"
"Guys, is this the end of an era?" Emily asked.
Two Days later at Therapy
"Why did you expect him to chase you? If you wanted to continue the conversation why didn't you just stay," asked Dr. Frankel.
"Well she was in the room and they were talking about me. What would you have done?" She asked frustratedly.
"You had many options instead of running and expecting him to chase you. Tell me what those options were," he countered. Frankel was king of the counter question—she wished she could do that to her kids, she thought.
"Well I could have, asked her to excuse us and asked him to lunch-But I was so angry—why can't he just leave her alone," she wondered aloud. "What am I lacking that she provides?"
"Have you asked him that?" Frankel asked.
"I am tired of defending the castle—he makes me feel insane because I think she is a problem—but if this was a smoking hot guy who looked like Blair Underwood—he would find an issue with 'our friendship.' I feel like we are beating a dead horse -His dedication to this marriage is shown through his chronic lateness to our sessions why don't you ask him about that."
"This isn't about sides Penelope," Dr. Frankel said as Derek opened the door.
"Sorry, I'm late—I couldn't find parking and it was hard to leave the office," he said as he sat on the couch.
"No problem, we were just talking about Penelope's impromptu lunch date," Dr. Frankel stated.
"Oh Tamara," he said shaking his head, "I just don't understand - a marriage is built on trust and I told you nothing is going on yet you have a panic attack every time you see her like you caught us in the act."
"Is there an act I can catch you in?"
Penelope looked at Dr. Frankel, "I think we should open the relationship, so you can feel free to explore your feelings for her and vice versa—since I am tired of you denying them. If there was someone who you felt I was having an inappropriate relationship with I would end it because how you feel is paramount and if I felt insecure or was questioning us," she sighed, "Why does this become an issue of principle?"
"And we return to trust" he said shaking his head. "I don't want to be with someone who doesn't trust me or have faith in me. I have those things in you. It shouldn't matter whom I talk to, eat with, or drink with. I'm your husband not a child that needs to be monitored."
"Well why are you talking about me to her?"
"You don't see me going to your classes looking for lovelorn students. When she was at MIT her students loved her and she had a few admirers but who cares—we chose each other. Tamara isn't a lovelorn woman – she was someone who I met on a case who transitioned to being a friend—simple as that. I am tired of talking about this and her. Of' course I talk to my friends about us. Don't you talk to Reid about me, come on now." Derek said annoyed
"I don't – why would I do that, he is our mutual friend. It would be unfair to any of team if I discussed you, because they are your work colleagues too."
"Well, who do you talk to?"Dr. Frankel asked.
She shrugged "I manage—I don't need to speak to anyone about this because I know what I want. I want us to get pass this I want us to be in love again. I am tired of fighting." She said exasperated.
"That's what I want too." Derek added
"Wel,l why are we here?" she asked
They both looked at Dr. Frankel.
"Have you had a date night?" Dr. Frankel asked.
"No, I think we have one planned before we drop of the kids to Fran's. Was thinking we could go to Gio's and then maybe dancing at Adobe Blue," she said
"Penelope let Derek plan it," said Dr. Frankel.
"Derek are you up for planning a date night," Dr. Frankel asked
"Yup." Derek said.
"How does that make you feel Penelope – having Derek plan the evening?"
"I over plan things, so it would be nice to do something laid back," she said.
"Ok, how have the end of day conversations been going," Frankel asked.
"We haven't had one since I imploded in his office," she said with a warily smile.
"I've left messages though," Derek said as if he was trying to earn points in the game.
"Well you need to get back on track with the calls. This is your weekend with the kids right Derek."
"Yes," Derek affirmed.
"Penelope you should get out and do something for you. Treat yourself and have a Penelope day. Sometimes you have to nurture your soul and pamper yourself. Remember you aren't a superwoman."
"So the assignments are going ok, but I need you both to invest more time in cultivating instead of blaming. How can we achieve that?" Frankel asked.
"I've been thinking of transitioning myself back to my old team. They may expand our unit and the hours would be similar but I wouldn't be focused on crimes against children—which would help us mentally get back to who we were," Derek said.
"You would resent me for that" she said.
"I would not," Derek said.
"I heard you tell Tamara that you would and I know you!" she added
He sighed and looked at Dr. Frankel "See what I mean—I know what I want."
"That's time," Frankel said.
We are like 2 or 3 present day chapters away from a transition from this sadness. Bear with me. I like a long windy road to happiness. I am so geeked for this weeks episode! I can't believe Rossi pulls out a gun on Derek.