Hi Everyone,

Thanks again for the great comments and reviews. I'm glad that the last chapter gave many of you a good laugh. I have to admit it made me laugh too.

It goes without saying but I'll say it anyway, I don't own Criminal Minds or its characters. I just borrow them, use them gently and then put them back where I found them.

Chapter 3

God always answers our prayers, but sometimes the answer is no.

~Author Unknown

God is good, God is great and He answers prayers. Fran Morgan felt like raising her hands to the heavens and dancing a jig.

Sitting before her was a true messenger of God in the unlikely form of one brown eyed stony-faced Aaron Hotchner. He was like her own personal Archangel Barachiel sent to Chicago to not only return a lost child to her parents but to impart the blessings of marriage and children on her own son.

With one simple statement he had effectively removed the last imagined barrier to her boy's happiness and for that on Sunday she would drop an extra $50 in the offering box and say a nine-day novena to the Holy Spirit in thanksgiving.

After taking it upon herself to answer for Derek with an enthusiastic, "Of course, he wants to make it work!" she rested her chin on one fist and with a blissful sigh began to daydream about the impending wedding.

Would it be in Chicago or Virginia or maybe the bride would like to return to her native sunny California? Hmm…a beach wedding could be nice but a traditional ceremony in the Catholic Church would be better.

Don't push your luck, she silently chastised herself. Derek, at times, still struggled with his faith and would most likely reject the idea of having a church wedding. To be safe it was probably best to let the youngsters decide on the venue. After all, the last thing she wanted to do was to seem pushy.

She imagined Penelope wearing her hair adorned with fresh cut flowers just as she had done some 43 years ago at her own wedding. White Orchids elegant in their simplicity were always a good choice but so were Lilies Of The Valley. Perhaps a single pale pink spray rose would add a nice splash of color and….

Before Fran could finish her thought Aaron's next words drop kicked her back to the present.

"Of course we'll have to establish some basic ground rules," he began in a tone that brooked no argument. "To start, when out in the field the two of you are to stay in separate hotel rooms."

Although his words were directed at both members of the tongue-tied couple he made sure to fix his steely gaze on Morgan. His technical analyst, albeit not a stickler for the rules, was too skittish to risk being discovered skulking down hallways in search of a late night rendezvous but Morgan, well he was Morgan. Knowing him, he would make his way to the roof, repel down the outside wall and climb into her window if he thought he'd get away with it.

As team leader it was Hotch's job to make sure that his agents had their heads in the game at all times and this included keeping distractions to a minimum. And the constant banging of a headboard against the shared wall of hotel room was one distraction he didn't want to experience.

Separate rooms! Fran didn't like the sound of that. Separate rooms could slow down the baby making process and that just wouldn't do.

The neurons of her brain firing on all cylinders, Fran searched for a loophole in his command. "But once they're married they'll be able to stay together, right?"

"Dibs on the room farthest from Morgan and Garcia!" Rossi called out fast as lightening.

"I call the one across from Dave but only because since giving birth to Henry I've turned into a light sleeper," JJ explained with an innocent shrug hoping the others would take pity on a new mom. She figured she could use the "new mom excuse" for another what…5-6 years, at least.

"I'll sleep in the rental car." Emily grumbled mad at herself for not thinking faster on her feet. As the saying goes you snooze you lose and now all the safe rooms were taken.

Hoping to keep the peace among his agents, Hotch came up with what he believed to be the best possible solution. "We'll put Reid next to them."

Dropping his fork with a clang, the young man's head snapped to attention. "No way! I have an eidetic memory and anything I hear might stick with me. For life. And maybe even beyond." He whined his facial expression a cross between terror and nausea.

Contrary to popular belief he wasn't a virgin but understanding on an intellectual level that your best friends engage in coitus is one thing but having the auditory proof could feasibly trigger his headaches and he hadn't had one of those in months.

"My God, Derek what kind of freaky deaky stuff are you into?" Sarah accused horrified by the reactions of his friends.

"Ew gross! My mind's eye is burning. Momma, make them stop. Make them stop!" Desiree begged. She wasn't a prude but no sister wanted to think about her brother in that way.

"Enough, already!" Derek bellowed throwing his arms up in frustration. "Okay you win. I'll ask her out if it will finally get everyone off our backs."

Acting as if he was being dragged to the gallows, he begrudgingly faced the person he loved most in the world and was also the most afraid of.

Her beautiful eyes peered back at him from behind her vintage cat-eye glasses and what he saw there gave him pause. Usually sparkling with humor and mischief they now held what could only be described as vulnerability mixed with confusion mixed with something he didn't want to name but found it impossible to ignore -sadness.

He was going to end up disappointing her, it was inevitable and he'd rather cut off his right arm than do that. Penelope was his God-given solace; reparation sent to him to make amends for being left alone all those years ago to battle a monster in that isolated cabin by the lake.

She deserved better than his broken self and everyone, except for his mother, knew it too.

Feeling backed into a corner, Derek resisted the urge to run out the door. Laying his heart open in front of so many made him feel naked and defenseless and he wanted to be anywhere but here.

"Garcia, will you go out with me?" He snapped the tension setting his jaw as hard as steel.

A declaration of undying love it was not. Gone was her best friend and in his place sat a pissed off man who looked ready to punch holes in the walls.

In her dreams of dreams never did she imagine her noir hero to look at her with such anger. Never did she envision that he would allow anyone, but especially not his mother, to bully him into doing something he obviously didn't want to do. Never did she predict that he would break her heart so absolutely and so publicly.

Without warning the air became thick and heavy causing Penelope to gasp for breath. Lightheadedness quickly turned to dizziness and in a matter of seconds her breathing changed from slow and deep to quick and shallow.

She recognized the symptoms for what they were but was helpless to stop them. Penelope was having a panic attack, something she hadn't endured since the night her parents died. This time, if she was lucky she'd expire on the spot and come back as a ghost and haunt Morgan and his crazy family.

Sweet Lady Liberty, she was going to pass out! Thankfully Derek realized this too and caught her before she tumbled to the floor. Pulling back the chair with her still in it, he pushed her torso forward and down until her head was between her knees.

"Breathe baby, breathe," he coaxed as he slowly rubbed her back.

"Mom, look at what you've done," he yelled his anger at his mother warring with his concern for Penelope.

"Me? I'm only doing what you should have done years ago," she spat back making her way around the table to see to the young woman.

Dear Lord, what had she done? This wasn't how she planned for things to go. Not only was her baby boy understandably upset with her but poor Penelope, who didn't deserve any of this, was stuck in the most undignified position -her head under the table with only her panties to look back at her.

All she ever wanted for her children was for them to be happy. To find spouses who would love them unconditionally and stand by them during life's many unexpected ups and downs.

Of course she was looking forward to spoiling her future grandchildren but even if babies were not part of God's plan she wanted her daughters and son to know the kind of love she experienced with their father.

And for the woman who had stolen her son's heart? She wanted to give her a family.

Shrugging off Derek's hand Penelope stumbled to her feet and glared at him. With eyes blazing she shot him a look that could only be interpreted as "touch me again and die."

"I can't believe this! You asked me out because your mommy made you. How desperate do you think I am? I may not have men throwing themselves at my feet but I get plenty of offers, believe me."

Still recovering from the effects of her attack, Penelope braced her hand on the back of her chair to steady herself.

"For your information, Mr. Momma's Boy, I'm smart, pretty, kindhearted, have an awesome personality and comedic timing that puts Ellen DeGeneres to shame. I'm the total package and I don't need a pity date from you or anyone."

"Baby Girl I would never…" Derek made a move to close the physical gap between them.

"Don't you Baby Girl me. I'm neither a baby nor a girl I'm a woman. A woman who can't stand to look at your face right now so I suggest that you back the freck up."

And to everyone's amazement Agent Derek Morgan, a black belt in Judo and the lead instructor of the FBI's self-defense training program did just that. He stepped back just outside of striking distance.

"And you!" Penelope jabbed her index finger at the older woman. "You see me as a broodmare only good for popping out babies. Despite what you may think my name is not Secretariat!"

"Actually Secretariat was male. A better analogy would be Secrettame. She was Secretariat's daughter. In her lifetime Secrettame produced 15 foals including Gone West, voted England's leading broodmare sire in 2005. His offspring have earned approximately $15 million and counting."

A fast learner Reid protected his head with his arms ready to block any and all projectiles heading is way. Unfortunately, this left his bottom half open and at the mercy of two well-timed kicks to the shins.

Wincing he reached down to rub the bruises surely forming beneath his mismatched socks. Morgan was right, his sisters were dangerous.

Raising her eyebrows JJ mumbled something under her breath causing Emily to nod in agreement. Her words mostly drowned out by Spencer's moans and Desiree's taunts for him to stop acting like a big baby, Fran could only make out a couple or phrases: "genetically perfect offspring' followed by "fetching top dollar.'

Feeling claustrophobic Penelope stomped around Morgan and headed for the front door.

"I need some air. And no I won't go far. And no I don't want company," her tone daring anyone to defy her.

Knowing that he messed up big time and fearing that he would lose her forever, Derek said the only thing he could think to say.

"Penelope, I love you."

Not breaking stride she continued across the room.

"Yeah, yeah I know but not as much as you love yourself."

And with that she walked out into the warm Chicago night and let the door swing shut behind her.

TBC

Once again I thank you for reading. If you have a moment please feel free to leave a comment or a review below.