complete summary:

A year after the death of David Rossi's wife's death he's just trying to keep his family together. Emily has turned to drugs and partying, JJ is ignoring everyone. Spencer doesn't understand why his dad won't let him graduate early. Aaron can't wait to get out the house and go to college. Matthew wants to know more about the death of his biological parents.

Meanwhile the new kid Luke, has taken a sudden interest in Penelope, to bad she can't stand him. The weight of her mother's death weighing heavily on her and to make matters worse she's losing her best friend, Derek. [Penelope centric, but everyone plays a big part. Eventually Garvez.]

So this is the brainchild of insomnia. Aaron, Emily,JJ, Spencer, Penelope and Matthew are Rossi's kids. Derek is a close family friend, who is closest to Penelope and Spencer. Aaron is the oldest, a senior in high school. Followed by Emily and Matt, who are Juniors. Matthew was adopted by David and Erin after his parents died on a case David was working. JJ is a sophomore and Penelope and Spencer are the youngest, who are twins but they are in the same grade as JJ because of skipping a grade. Lastly Luke moved in next door to them and Penelope can't stand him. Also posted on archive of our own.

Penelope sighs, looking at her best friend after the bomb he just dropped.

"Are you sure it's yours?"

"Yes." Derek voice calls out brokenly from his spot on the bed. "She said I was her first."

Sighing again Penelope collects her thoughts. Maybe it was selfish of her to want the child not to be his. Derek is her best friend, and she loves him. In that moment Penelope realizes what she had been trying to push aside for years. Penelope Grace Rossi was in love with her best friend.

She'd known Derek for forever. She remembers fighting for his attention with her youngest brother Spencer. The three of them were always up to no good; and now he was having a baby with Savannah.

"What are you going to do about?"

"I don't know Gracie, I don't know."

Penelope realizes it's getting late and decides to go home. Not that dad would notice, she thinks angrily. Ever since her mom died David Rossi became a workaholic again. Letting her thoughts consume her she doesn't realize she's ran into someone on the sidewalk.

"Hey watch it."

"Sorry Chica." Of course on a day like today she'd run into Luke Alvez, new kid and the reason for fifty percent of her headaches.

"Why are you even here." She grumbles.

"I live here." He says pointing to the house next to hers. "Or did you forget?"

Of course she didn't forget, he'd moved into Uncle Gideon's house. The house that had been empty for so many years that she thought it was cursed.

"I'm having a really bad day, so if you could so kindly move from my drive way that would be appreciated."

"Hey wait, are you crying?"

She is saved from answering when Aaron, he oldest sibling comes out.

"Penelope where have you been?"

"Derek needed me."

"I told you she was with, Derek, she's always with Derek."

"Jealous, he likes me better." Spencer scuffs.

"Who's Derek?" Penelope looks over at Luke, who she's forgotten was even there, glaring at him.

He doesn't get an answer; instead Penelope slams the front door in his face. Luke can still hear the bickering voices behind the door and smiles wistfully at the place where Penelope had been standing previously.

Aaron Rossi had a lot on his plate. Don't get him

wrong he loved his five siblings but sometimes he just needed a break. When your dad is a famous writer and FBI agent, you grow up knowing the sun doesn't always shine. Aaron knew firsthand what a dark place the world could be.

"Where's dad?" Penelope asks, already knowing the answer, "Wait where is JJ ."

"At Lacrosse practice." Aaron says. "Why?"

"Nothing, never mind it's just girl stuff." Being the youngest out of her sibling was hard, she grew up idolizing Jennifer and they had always been close. Until recently when she started hanging out with the other athletic girls at school, girls Penelope had nothing in common with. Suddenly Penelope felt very alone, Aaron would be going to college soon, JJ had Will and her friends, Emily was nowhere to be found, Matt was out finding himself, and Spencer well he was Spencer. Penelope had never felt so alone.

"You okay Kiddo." Penelope turns around so fast David is afraid she'll get whiplash.

"Dad," she cries out holding onto him tightly. "Aaron said you had a case."

"We did, but I needed to here." Over the corner of her head David can see Emily walk in. He can smell alcohol on her but decides to let it go in favor of holding on to Penelope.

Sitting in his office later that night David wonders how he's going to continue on. The one year anniversary of Erin's death weighing heavily on not only him but all six of his children.