Many thanks for your patience these last few weeks... I'm trying to get back on track with my posting...but real life is interfering a bit. Rest assured, I'm doing my best!

This is one that a few people have been asking for... We're jumping in with Ms. Penelope Garcia for it.

Happy reading =)

"You're not the first … who came but for friendship and took away love." – Thomas Moore, Temple to Friendship

"Hey, lady," I say as I plop down beside Emily.

"Hey," she says quietly.

I frown slightly at her tone. She sounds a little down. "You okay, gumdrop?"

"Yeah," she says with a nod, turning her head to face me. "Just thinking."

"What about?"

"The team," she says, dropping her gaze to her lap as she begins twisting her hands.

"Don't you dare feel guilty, Emily Prentiss," I say firmly.

"I don't," she replies. I shoot her a look, letting her know that she's doing a very poor job of hiding it. "I mean, not really," she amends.

"You better not. You did what was best for you. And as much as it pains me to say, I think you've been happier since you left."

"I have?"

"Your smile is starting to reach your eyes again," I point out. I think back to the night not so long ago that she'd tried to banish her demons with a bottle and had explained that she couldn't do it anymore. The look in her eyes that night had been frightening. It was like she'd resigned herself to a life of unhappiness.

"I don't know when it stopped doing that," she answers honestly.

I reach over and grab her hand, giving it a squeeze. She looks up and meets my gaze. "I've missed you, Em. We gotta start regular coffee dates now that I don't see you as often."

"Okay."

"I mean it, missy. I am so not letting you drift outta my life like Wilson floated away from Tom Hanks. Not going to happen. Just accept it now, you're in my life 'til death do us part."

"I wasn't aware our friendship came with marital type vows," she quips, and I see a spark in her eye. She may feel a little guilty tonight, but on the whole she really is a much happier person since she left the team. I hate that she had to leave to find happiness, but if anyone deserves a little peace and happiness, it's Emily Prentiss. She's been through more than her fair share of darkness.

I grin. "You're not escaping me that easily, Emster."

"I wouldn't dream of it. My credit score would not survive."

"Good, you've learned something in your years of knowing me."

We both turn around when we hear some loud shrieks of laughter. My eyes quickly find the source of sound – my godson is being tickled mercilessly by Derek. I smile widely at the grins on both their faces. If that man doesn't have at least one munchkin, then there is something seriously wrong in this world.

I open my mouth to make a comment just to that effect, but I find myself staying silent as I watch Emily watch Derek. Her whole body seems to lighten, as though the guilt has dissipated, and her smile reaches her eyes this time. Hell, her eyes even seem to twinkle a bit.

Wait.

Twinkling in her eyes? My gaze narrows as I scrutinize her carefully. The soft smile, and the serene look of genuine happiness about her both serve to make me begin to suspect something is afoot between my raven-haired warrior and Chocolate Adonis.

And the way she's looking at him? That is not the stare of a former partner, nor the stare of a good friend. No, that is most definitely the stare of someone who is completely and utterly under his spell. Smitten, if you will. I hold in a squeal of excitement – it's not often Em gives up much of anything about her life, let alone her love life, so this is like scoring unexpected free shipping on an online order.

Seeing her like this makes my heart happy. She'd spent all that time completely alone, hiding out from a man with a decidedly evil plan, and constantly checking over her shoulder to make sure her own personal boogeyman hadn't come calling for her. When she came back, she tried so hard to get things to go back to normal, but that kind of thing changes everyone involved, and I think she knew that before all of us did. I think maybe she knew she had to leave before she even got back.

I decide to gather a little more intel before I confront the two of them. I want to make sure I don't do anything to spook them, even if it's taking everything in me to remain calm and not squeal with excitement.

"See ya Monday, Jayje."

"Yeah," she agrees, shifting Henry slightly in her arms. "See you Monday."

She walks off, heading toward the car that Will has pulled up by the house, and I grab my purse to fish out my keys and head home myself, having already said my goodbyes. I frown when I can't find them. I give my purse a shake, listening carefully for the telltale sound of my large keychain, but I don't hear anything. I let out a light sigh and turn back into the house, immediately heading toward the backyard to check the chair I'd spent the last couple hours glued to as Henry and I toasted marshmallows over top of the fire pit.

I slide the door open and head straight to the fire pit, grateful for the bit of heat it provides as the chill of the summer night creeps into my bones again. After a couple of minutes, I still haven't found them, and decide I'm better off trying to find Derek, since I vaguely recall him taking my keys to move Esther when he had to pop out to grab more marshmallows.

I hadn't heard him in the house when I was seeing off Jayje, and when we'd said our goodbyes, he'd been in the backyard, so I know he's more than likely out here somewhere. I take a quick peek around, and find his form on the swing at the edge of the property, and immediately head toward him.

But as I get closer, I realize he's not alone on the swing. In fact, he looks rather cozy with whoever is next to him. I stop in my tracks. Could it... Do I dare to hope that it's…

"OH. MY. GOD!" I squeal when I spy the two of them locking lips.

They jump apart suddenly, like two teenagers caught in a compromising position, and I struggle to contain a giggle. Two federal agents who face off against some of the worst baddies the world has to offer and don't even blink…but catch them sharing a kiss and it's like they've been caught red-handed.

"Baby Girl? Is that you?" Derek asks as he turns around. "I thought you'd gone home."

"You two!" I say, ignoring his question. "How long has this been going on?"

"Um, well-" Derek begins as he gets up. He trails off and swallows.

"Well?" I demand.

"Six weeks," Emily answers for him, stepping forward. Her voice is tentative. Like she's not sure I'll approve. As if I could ever disapprove of them. They're perfect for each other. Okay, not perfect, because let's be real – no one's perfect, but they're pretty much as close as you can get these days.

"Six weeks?!" How had I not noticed this? I really need to start leaving my lair more often. Or maybe tapping into the security cameras. Or maybe looking at the cameras near-

"Yeah," Derek answers, interrupting my thoughts. "We wanted to keep it quiet while we…you know…figured things out."

"Figured things out?"

"Well, we couldn't very well say anything while Em was still on the team, now could we?"

"You could have told us. You could have told me."

"Baby Girl, don't take it personally. We haven't told anyone. Not even my mother."

Em opens her mouth as though she's going to dispute that fact, but I speak first. "Why not?" I ask with a frown. They can't possibly think this is bad news. The squeal factor here is too damn high for them to think this would be a bad thing to share.

Derek stays quiet and looks to Emily for some help. She lets out a slow breath. "There's a lot at stake," she says finally. "He's…he's one of my best friends, and well…you know me…" She pauses and licks her lips as she looks down at the ground and lets out another slow breath. "I just-"

"I get it," I say, stepping toward her. "You don't have to explain."

She smiles gratefully, and I see Derek give her hand a squeeze.

"But you do have to give me a hug! This is hug worthy news!" I say as I step toward her. Her arms slip around me and I squeeze tightly, trying to will every ounce of love I have for her into the hug.

We break apart and I turn my attention back to my Chocolate Adonis. "Don't think this means I'm stopping any of our flirty banter," I say with a grin. He chuckles heartily and wraps me up in his arms. I squeeze him tightly, overjoyed that he's found someone that understands him.

"So how did this happen? Who asked who? Oh, did he sweep you off your feet, Em? It was romantic, wasn't it? He seems like a closet romantic. Any man who grows up with three women is bound to know a thing or two about romance."

"I think I'll leave you ladies to talk details," Derek says with a smile. "I've got some cleaning to do," he finishes, nodding toward the tables and chairs covered in dishes, napkins, and containers of snacks.

"Aren't you worried I'll make you out to be decidedly unmanly?" Emily quips, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Not a bit," he says with a grin before flexing his arms. "Because there isn't anything that these can't fix in that regard." He leans in for a kiss and she shoves him away as she scoffs. God, the two of them are already rivalling JJ and Will for being utterly adorable.

As soon as he's headed back toward the house I turn to Emily and find her looking a little bit unsure.

"What's with the face, Em?"

"You're his Baby Girl," she says with a shrug.

My eyes widen in realization. Did she actually think I wouldn't approve of this? Didn't we just finish hugging this out? I let out a sigh. "Emster, I thought you were a better profiler than this," I tease. "You have nothing to worry about. Everyone on the team is going to be beyond thrilled about this. I know I am."

"You are?"

"You think I shriek like that for everyone? Not even Jayje and Will got that."

She laughs lightly. "So is the interrogation now, or are you going to wait until Jayje is here to help you out?"

"Now, I think," I say with a grin, gesturing to the swing. We get settled and I try to pick just one question to start with. There are so many possibilities…and so much I want to know! "How did this happen? I mean like, was it something you'd been thinking about?"

"No," she answers with a shake of her head. "It was definitely not a thought out thing, at least not on my part. A few days after JJ's wedding he asked me to help him out on a property he was working on – well, this one, actually – and we spent the whole day here painting. We got to dinner time and he went to go grab some takeout, while I stayed here. I wandered around a little, looking at a few rooms I hadn't gotten to really take a good look at, and then I stumbled upon the piano."

"Oh my god. You started playing, didn't you?" I could make a fortune writing a book about their lives.

"Yeah. I didn't realize how much time had passed, but suddenly I was aware that he was back, and when I tried to stop playing he wouldn't let me. He asked me to play him something, so I played a little more and then he kissed me."

"WHAT?" I shriek. "Oh my god. That's so- Holy crackers. He's totally a big teddy bear, isn't he?"

She laughs lightly again. "It gets better."

"How can that possibly get better?!"

"Then he asked me to stay."

"Oh my god. That is just…my god. Puppies and kittens and baby pandas combined cannot reach that level of adorable."

"And then he kissed me again."

"Did you swoon? I would've swooned. I'm pretty sure I'm swooning now."

"We came out here after that and ate dinner on a blanket."

"You had a picnic? Under the stars? Good lord, your love story could make me millions. MILLIONS, I tell you. Someone tell Nicholas Sparks he's got some serious competition."

"He put this swing up for me," she says, her eyes drifting to the rope holding the wooden bench up.

"He did?"

She nods as her gaze drops back to me. "I told him he should put a swing here. It just seemed like the perfect spot."

"It is," I agree. "Wait," I say as something occurs to me. "You guys were still on the team together for like 3 weeks after JJ's wedding."

She nods. "Yeah, but we couldn't tell anyone. I know Strauss is a little more human seeming nowadays, but it's not just her – relationships between agents is frowned upon pretty strongly."

"So that's what the tension was all about."

"Tension?"

"Yeah, Jayje and I couldn't figure out if you guys had some weird fight, or if it had something to do with your meeting in Hotch's office, or with that look of sadness you had on during JJ's wedding."

"Oh," she says slowly.

"But this is infinitely better," I say, interrupting her likely guilt-ridden thoughts. "My Chocolate Adonis and my raven-haired warrior. God, your children are going to be beautiful."

"Children?" Emily says, her voice rising in anxiety.

"Not that I'm saying you have to have kids, but I mean, look at you two. Not procreating would be a disservice to the world."

"Riiiight," she says with a shake of her head and a raised brow.

"That's not a no," I say happily, excitement rising at the prospect of a little Morgan-Prentiss munchkin running around.

"Pen, we've only been dating for a month and a half."

"And?"

"And I think that talk of children might be a little bit premature."

"Oh, you're right. Silly me. We have to plan a wedding first! Unless you're not going traditional – which, babe, by the way, you do whatever your little heart desires, ya feel?"

"You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"So everyone keeps telling me," I say with a grin. "So how good of a kisser is he?" I ask, pressing for more details.

"Garcia!"

"What? Don't tell me you're a prude. Now spill."

She lets out a half-chuckle and half-scoff before she replies. "Practice has made perfect."

"I knew it!"

We fall into a brief silence as I let the significance of the moment wash over me. I'm happy for both of them. The two of them deserve to have a bit of happiness and peace in their lives after everything they've been through. Truly.

"Hey, Em?" I say quietly, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, PG?"

"I'm happy for you. Like, really, truly, and honestly happy for you. You deserve this. Believe that."

She reaches over and gives my hand a squeeze. "I think I'm finally starting to, Pen."

So...did you laugh at Garcia's squealing? Did you like their honest and open conversation? Let me know! I appreciate all those who take the time to give me a few of their thoughts.