Disclaimer: I own nothing besides the plot. I guess the universe represented here is mine as well. Be prepared, we're all a little mad here. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

To say Derek was frustrated was an understatement. Before he, Hotch, and Reid had separated Reid gave both knights copies of the most recent pictures he had of his sister. The three also poured over all of the correspondence that Penny had sent to Reid, both before and after Gideon's death. Reid's eidetic memory proved most useful when he not only remembered every word of their phone conversations, he was able to write them down, word-for-word, so both knights would know everything he knew. The three of them had mapped out Penny's travels and her approximate location at the time she had ceased communications. Hotch decided to search the village where the last letter was postmarked from. It was a huge village and he was grateful when Reid offered to go with him to help search.

Derek had chosen to retrace Penny's travels. He spent his days driving and stopping at different villages, including the unincorporated ones between them, and visiting every place she had spoken or written about. He spent his nights studying the pictures and pouring over his copies of the letters and the transcribed calls and called Savannah every third night or so. She was cool and often distant during their conversations. It was her way of punishing him, although Derek didn't take it as that. He didn't miss her droning on and on about the hospital gossip and who was supposedly sleeping with whom. He thought it was odd she seemed to enjoy it when other people fought or when a relationship ended. She would ask about his mission every time they spoke, even though he reminded her every time he couldn't say where he was or what he was doing. She would always wrap up the call quickly after that. Derek found himself thinking more than once why he was still with her.

He called his mother more often than he called Savannah, also revealing nothing of his whereabouts or details. She knew all about his mission, of course, as she was one of the very few people in the world who knew of Princess Penelope's existence, and King David believed she had every right to know what was happening. Derek called the king every day, although he revealed as little as possible using generalized and vague terminologies and codes they used during the war, for they both knew that there were still rebels out there and that every phone and every wall had potential treacherous ears listening in. Everything he told David, the king would relay to Fran in private.

Derek always believed in following one's gut and his studies through law enforcement and then knighthood only boosted the instincts that came to him naturally. He had rented a room at an inn in a decent-sized village that Penelope talked about in a letter and during a couple of calls. She talked about staying at the very inn he was currently residing, a used bookstore, a coffee shop and a little store where the owner made or created everything she sold, from personal hygiene and household cleaning supplies to clothes and home and lawn decor. Penelope had raved about the lady's chocolate-covered strawberry flavored lip balm and lilac-scented lotion. She even sent Reid a jug of the lemongrass laundry soap and lavender fabric softener to try out. Reid actually recommended both products.

Derek chose to walk from the inn to the businesses. His brief surveillance of the village showed that during the daytime hours most people walked in the areas where most of the stores hung out their shingles. The village was large enough that a random stranger in the crowd wouldn't be out of place. He wanted to keep that level of anonymity if at all possible, which is why he left the SUV at the inn.

He first tried the bookstore. He was surprised to find a near-perfect copy of one of his favorite books as he browsed the shelves. He also bought a few books for his mother and sisters that he thought they might like and a couple of his favorite childhood books for Hotch's son, Jack. He couldn't believe how inexpensive the books were. The total of his purchases was what he would expect to pay for a single book in Quantico.

Derek stopped at the coffee shop and nursed a large cup of coffee while pretending to read his "new" book. He sat next to a window facing the street and watched everyone who walked past and studied each customer as they came in. He finally got up after the barista kept trying to catch his eye.

His next stop was the store. When he walked in his senses were pleasantly assaulted. He could smell numerous individual scents but they blended together well and doesn't give him an instant headache like some scent combinations did. The clerk explained she was the owner and showed him her goods. He bought the lilac lotion and bubble bath for his mom, and the clerk recommended a eucalyptus set for his older sister Sarah, who suffered from allergies, and then picked out a jasmine set for his younger sister, Desiree. He also bought them each a tube of the chocolate-covered strawberry lip balm. The owner/clerk was just as Penny described, lively and happy and eager to help.

It was getting dark very quickly by the time he finished at the store and Derek could no longer people-watch with stealth. He stepped through the door and immediately he felt someone crash into him. He manged to not lose his balance or his bags but the person who crashed into him teetered on towering heals and would have fallen had he not reach his hand out to steady her.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried out.

"I'm sorry," Derek replied. "I should've been paying more attention coming out of the store."

"Oh, I see." The woman looked over her bejeweled glasses and down at the bags in Derek's hand with a raised eyebrow.

"Gifts for my mom and sisters," he replied to her unanswered question.

"Ah." She nodded. "Their lilac lotion is very nice."

"I've heard that," Derek said. "I've also heard about their chocolate and strawberry lip balm."

"It is amazing," the woman agreed. "I love it." She shifted uncomfortably as Derek gazed her up and down. She glanced at her phone to check the time. "I have to go. She's getting ready to close for the night." She adjusted her glasses nervously.

"Oh, right," Derek replied, not realizing he had been checking the woman out. He normally wasn't into the goth-chic look but he liked it on her. "I'm sorry again for not paying attention."

"It's fine, really. I didn't fall or get hurt or anything." She waved a little and opened the door. "Bye."

Derek watched the woman from outside the window. When she turned and he saw her face in proper light he gasped. She had dark brown -almost black- hair and wore dark makeup but he was sure that he had just literally ran into Penny. Penelope. The princess. The little girl whose face he had burned into his memory. He had been staring at the pictures of her for weeks and he knew as sure as his name was Sir Derek Morgan that he had found his princess.

Derek looked around and ran into the nearest alley. He hid in the shadows and waited for Penelope to come out of the store. She came out after a few minutes and the "OPEN" sign in the window turned off.

He followed her, keeping far enough back to not look suspicious. They walked far enough away from the village center that the vehicle traffic had picked up significantly when she slowed and stopped in front of a man who stood waiting in front of a door. They spoke briefly before entering the building. Derek hid again and waited. It was fully dark when the door opened again. He was surprised to see only the man come out and lock the door behind him. He was about to get up and follow him but froze when he saw the door open again and Penelope step out. She walked briskly down the road. He followed her and hid again as she entered a convenience store, then emerged a few minutes later with a large cup of coffee in her hand. He held his breath as she approached his hiding place, then let it out slowly when she passed by without breaking her pace. He again followed her back to the building, hiding in his previous spot, and watched as she disappeared inside. He watched for hours but there was no more movement from the building and almost no traffic at all on the street. He stayed until his eyes became to tired to focus properly.

He walked back to his room at the inn, packed his belongings, and checked out. He drove to a different inn, this one much closer to Penelope's building. He called Dave from his new room but decided not to say anything about his progress, wanting to be absolutely sure that the lady he saw was indeed Princess Penelope before telling the king. He fell asleep and slept the first dreamless sleep he'd had in recent memory.

He woke after a few hours and set to work. He went to a thrift store and bought a pair of old jeans and threadbare flannel shirt. He donned them in his room and walked back to the alley where he had hid the night before and sat on the ground. He rubbed dirt on the jeans and on his face and put on a sock hat. It was a ruse he'd used a few times during the war. Nobody paid much attention to a "homeless" person sitting in an alley. He'd used it for both surveillance and undercover work. It worked then and it worked now; very few people paid him any attention. A few people offered him some spare change. He accepted, to keep up with his ruse. He was looking away when he heard the unmistakable click-click-click of heels grow closer, then stop. He looked up and it took every ounce of control to not change his expression. It was Penelope. She knelt down and pressed a bill into his hand.

"I'm sorry, I don't have much. Get yourself a hot meal," she said. Derek averted his eyes and nodded as he closed his fist around the bill. He did not trust his voice to not betray him and give him away. "Take care," Penelope chirped and walked away. Derek waited until the sound of her heels faded away before looking up again. He saw her retreating figure disappear into the same building she went into the night before. He looked at the crumpled bill in his hand. It was a ten-dollar bill. More than double the combination of the change he'd gotten throughout the day. He smiled at her generosity towards a complete stranger. He stuffed the money in his pocket and continued his surveillance.

Penelope didn't stay in the building long and she disappeared around the corner just as fast as she had appeared. Derek decided stay put to wait her out. Sure enough, she came back to the building, accompanied by the same man as the day before. She had a sack and cup of coffee already and did not emerge at all after the man left. Derek went back to his room and repeated his undercover act the next day. He didn't see Penelope at all and stayed out much later waiting for her.

The next day Penelope approached him again and gave him another ten-dollar bill. For over a week he stayed in the alley. Penelope showed up and went into the building all night almost every night. Every day she was there she give him some money. Sometimes she'd show up with two coffees. On those days she'd give him one and a couple of donuts in a bag along with a five-dollar bill. On the days she didn't have coffee, she'd give him a ten and go out after her male companion left to the store and get a coffee there.

On the tenth day of his surveillance, Penelope showed up at her same time. She did not have two cups of coffee in her hands, so Derek decided to test the waters. "You're too kind to me, Baby Girl," he said as she gave him the usual ten.

"'Baby Girl?'" she repeated, giving him an odd look.

"Forgive me, I just did know the real..." he started to explain.

"I've been called worse." Penelope smiled. "Ny name's Penny. Penny Garcia."

"Thank you, Ms. Penny," he smiled back. She still didn't recognize him from their rendezvous days before. He let both his hair and facial hair grow out, wore the same clothes every day and changed his voice to a country accent.

Derek knew he had to make his move soon. He now had her name, the name she'd been going by after fleeing Quantico as a young child. He watched as she entered the building and he went back to the inn. He formed his plan and gathered everything he needed. He put it all in a backpack and walked around the neighborhood wearing his nicer clothes. Nobody seemed to recognize him as the bum in the alley.

He finally saw Penelope show up with no coffee. She went to his usual spot and frowned and looked all around when she saw he wasn't there. She disappeared inside like always. He got into position and waited until the male companion left. He walked by the building a few times. On his third pass he heard the door open and close not long after he'd passed it. He kept going so not to arouse suspicion and hid as soon as he turned the corner. He watched as Penelope went to the store and got what he needed from his backpack and put on a ski mask. When she come back out with her usual coffee and pastry, he walked silently behind her. He planned his timing perfectly and caught up with her just as she unlocked the door. He lunged when he saw her stiffen up and clamped his hand over her mouth to keep her from yelling. He immediately stuck the syringe in her neck and pushed through plunger down. She put up a fight but he overpowered her and forced her inside and closed the door behind them. He felt her muscles relax and laid her on the floor. He took her purse from her, her plea cutting him like a knife. He hated to think she thought he was there to to hurt her but he forced himself to ignore it and crush her phone under his shoe. Her eyes were flickering slowly and she groaned as her body succumbed to the drugs. He knelt down and removed her glasses and brushed her hair from her face, then got up and found the key she had dropped before locking the door behind him.

Derek walked very quickly to the inn and brought his car back. The street was as deserted as always and he just as quickly re-entered the building and gathered the still-unconscious princess into his arms and put her into the backseat. He knew he had plenty of of time to get back to the inn before she woke up.

He carried her to his room and hung up a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the outside doorknob. He laid her on the bed and sat down next to her. He picked up his phone and finally told Dave everything that had been happening. The king ordered him not to tell the princess anything about her true identity. "Even if you have to bind her hand and foot, get her here as soon as possible," Dave ordered.

Derek didn't like it one bit but he knew the princess would be waking up soon and he couldn't trust her to not run away or scream. He used his handcuffs to cuff her hands to the headboard and and ripped up one of the pillowcases. He twisted part of it and put it in her mouth, then tied it behind her head to gag her. He then used another piece to tie her ankles together. He sat in a chair near the bed and turned the TV on and turned the volume up and waited.

It wasn't very long before Penelope started to stir. He watched as she opened her eyes, realize her predicament, and struggle against her bonds. He put her glasses back on her face. Her eyes focused, then widened as she instantly recognized him. He sighed. This was going to be a long night.

A/N: I thought about deleting this story. Still thinking about it, actually. Keeping going for the time being considering I already had most of the this chapter written out when I posted chapter 3. I have several ideas for this but if nobody likes it I won't bother continuing.

Pita(Quite Mad)Cake