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Penelope bounced into work Monday morning because she couldn't wait to show JJ and Emily how cute the outfit they helped her picked out looked. She exited the elevator and froze. There, in the hallway was Agent Michaels. He was looking out the window and his back was to her. She began to panic realizing that the outfit she couldn't wait to show off also showed off that she was indeed pregnant. She couldn't believe after all the precautions that had been put into place here she was alone with him. She texted Derek quickly hoping he would get the message and arrive before he realized she was there.

****by elevators Agent Michaels here, he hasn't seen me, please hurry. No one else is here.

Penelope began to inch her way towards the BAU as slowly and quietly as she could, but Michaels sensed someone's presence and turned.

He glared at her noticing immediately she was still pregnant like he had heard through the rumor mill. "You don't listen well, do you?"

She refused to acknowledge him or even make eye contact and continued towards her office.

"Hey, I'm talking to you." He moved closer to her.

"Hey!" Derek bellowed as he burst through the glass doors stepping between Agent Michaels and Penelope, then beginning to advance on Michaels. "Baby girl, go with JJ. Now!" He added when he realized she was paralyzed with fear.

JJ also realized Penelope wasn't moving and began to nudge her along.

Agent Michaels began to shout obscenities at her retreating form.

"Shut your mouth," Derek told him grabbing him and pushing him onto the elevator Emily was holding open.

JJ and Hotch escorted Penelope to Hotch's office. Hotch gently guided her to sit down. She looked up at him, giant tears welling in her eyes. "Derek is going to kill him. I don't want Derek to get in trouble. Oh… this is all my fault."

"Emily will make sure Derek doesn't do anything that will put his job in jeopardy. Try not to worry," JJ assured her.

"I am going to find Strauss and see who dropped the ball. This should not have happened," said Hotch.

JJ nodded as she handed Penelope a tissue.

"What floor do you belong on?" Derek asked angrily. He really wanted to kill the guy but he was trying his best to control himself as he knew Penelope would be mad at him if he got himself in trouble over this piece of garbage.

"Cyber crimes is 3 right?" Emily asked as she pressed the button.

"I have the right to talk to her," said Michaels

"I wouldn't call what you were doing talking," Emily said.

"Hey, I told that cow to get rid of it, but she is dense."

"Do not talk about Penelope like that." Derek gave him a shove for emphasis. "You hear me?"

"Settle yourself man, she is not worth fighting about," Agent Michaels said.

"Seriously, you used to date her and she's pregnant with your baby and you're going to act like she doesn't matter to you?" Emily asked stunned by just how big a jerk Michaels really was.

"I dated her as a joke! She was unwittingly part of a contest we had and I won, except I wasn't counting on her getting knocked up!"

"A contest? What kind of contest?" Emily asked angrily.

Agent Michaels could sense both agent's anger and he decided to push them to their limits in hopes he could get one of them in trouble as revenge on Penelope. He laughed evilly. "A dog fight; a contest of who could date the ugliest girl and an even bigger prize for sleeping with her." He made direct eye contact with Derek. "She made a great dog."

Derek lunged at him grabbing him by the neck. "I'm going to kill you."

"Go for it," Michaels replied.

Derek slammed him into one of the elevator walls.

"Derek, don't, it's what he wants. Don't give it to him." Emily tried to squeeze between them.

"Penelope gave me what I wanted."

"Derek, we should kill him," Emily said, stunned by Michaels' callousness.

Derek tightened his grip on the man's neck,

Emily came to her senses quickly, knowing that if they got fired there would be two less people in the building protecting Penelope from this ass.

"Derek, let go. He's not worth it. Penelope needs us."

"Consider yourself lucky," Derek told him as the doors opened and pushed Michaels out onto his floor.

Agent Michaels rubbed his neck. "Consider yourself lucky, that I am not going to press assault charges against you."

"Come again?" Derek stepped out of the elevator.

"Derek, ignore him, he's trying to bait you. Get on this elevator now."

Agent Michaels began to make barking noises enjoying the anger he was eliciting easily from Derek.

Derek backed his way onto the elevator never breaking eye contact with Michaels until the doors closed.

"Why didn't she tell us, about this contest?" Derek asked as they rode back to their floor.

Emily looked at him surprised. "Really, you think that was something she wanted us to know? This has been hard enough on her as it is. I think we should keep what he told us between us. She's been through enough, Derek."

"I know, but I really want to kill him."

"My friend, you are not alone. The list of people who wouldn't miss that guy keeps growing."

Penelope dabbed at her eyes, "What is taking them so long? I'm so scared. Derek is going to hurt him, I just know it."

JJ had given up trying to rationalize with Penelope as she didn't seem to hear anything she said, so she opted for just gently playing with Penelope's hair and replacing the tissue she was holding when necessary.

"How is she?" Aaron asked as he and Rossi returned from their meeting with Strauss.

"She'll be fine once Derek comes back intact."

"Me too," Hotch said checking his watch. He hoped Emily would be able to keep Derek from crossing any career ending lines.

A few minutes later, a very angry Derek and Emily returned.

"Hotch, this is ridiculous. How is he allowed to still be in this building? I don't care what case he is working. He needs to go, now!"

"Strauss is headed down to talk with his boss. Hopefully she comes back with good news."

"I hope so. That guy is crazed, you should have seen how he was trying to bait Derek into a fight and glaring at us. It was unsettling," Emily said.

"Derek, why don't you take Penelope home," said Hotch.

"Why?" Penelope asked finally having composed herself. "I'm not leaving because of him. He is not going to make me run scared. Nope, I am staying here," she said adamantly. "We have a case I'm about to present so let's go."

Everyone looked at each other for a moment. "You heard the lady, let's go," Rossi said.

The team was extremely disappointed to find they were headed out of town yet again and even more disappointed when Strauss returned with the news that Agent Michaels would be sticking around a little longer, but the case his was working was closer to being solved.

Strauss assured the team as they were leaving that the security for Penelope would be increased as much as possible without drawing extra attention to her, and that Strauss would double the security detail at her home. The team was gone for a few weeks and there was no further incidents with Michaels to speak of.

"What the hell case is that guy working on? This is ridiculous. They told us a few weeks. It's been a few weeks and then some," Derek lamented in the break room on their first morning back.

"It is strange, though cyber crimes are harder to solve," Reid offered in return.

"Maybe we should find out what we can about his case, and help to solve it," Emily said, also annoyed that the cyber case was still unsolved.

"Guys, change the subject," JJ said as she watched Penelope get off the elevator.

Emily followed JJ's gaze, "Wow, there is no doubting she's pregnant now. How long were we gone?"

"Too long," Penelope answered having heard Emily's question, "And yes, I'm huge I know," Penelope ran her hands over her belly.

"You look beautiful, baby girl," Derek placed a kiss on her cheek. "You also look like you shouldn't be on your feet," he gently guided her to a chair and helped her lower herself into it.

"We've got a bad one," Hotch called from outside the conference room summoning his team in.

Derek reached his hands out and pulled Penelope out of the chair he had just helped her into.

"Great," she muttered as she followed the team. She knew they were going to be headed out again. It was part of the job and she understood that, but the further along her pregnancy got, the more nervous she became about the baby's safety and Agent Michaels loomed heavy on her mind. Halfway through the briefing, Penelope had to excuse herself as she found herself unable to control her emotions, when she found out the team was headed to Washington State.

JJ found her in the restroom after the meeting was over, "Penelope?" JJ knocked gently on the stall door she knew Penelope was hiding out in. "I know you're in there." JJ could hear her sniffling.

"Can't a pregnant woman use the restroom in peace?" Penelope said as she came out of the stall, trying to hide the fact that she had been crying. Her watery eyes and red nose told JJ otherwise.

"If it makes you feel any better, we are all upset about having to leave again so soon. We will all be very worried about you and the baby while we are gone."

"It does help a little."

"Also, I would like to remind you of how awesome you are. You are doing this all on your own, under much less than ideal conditions."

"It wasn't by design. I can't change what happened, but I can love this baby." Penelope rested her hands on her belly.

"And that is why you are awesome," JJ smiled at her placing her hands on Penelope's stomach, then leaned her face in close to Penelope's belly, "Hey little one, just want to let you know, you have a great Mom."

"Thank you, I needed that," Penelope said as JJ pulled her into a hug. "I needed that even more. Be safe out there and return soon. Please."

"You got it."