A/N: Hello to my amazing loyal readers! I'm sorry I'm super crazy late on the update on this wonderful weekend! I wasn't home with my laptop last night, but I've been working on this one for awhile today and I hope you LOVE IT! I could really use some oh so amazing reviews from you guys so if you would please please please be an amazing reader and review! I have so much love for you guys! And a HUGE THANK YOU to all of those of you who have reviewed and continue to review! So without further ado...
HERES CHAPTER FIFTEEN!
Chapter Fifteen:
Penelope was fast asleep in one of the many guest room at Fran's. She hadn't felt like going home to an empty house, so she called the dog sitter, and collected her go bag from the car. Her cell phone ringing woke her up. She jumped, and looked at the clock. It was almost midnight. The only people who'd call her this late was the team or Derek.
"Hello?" Penelope answered sitting up and putting on her glasses.
"Hey Baby Girl it's me, I'm sorry to wake you up like this Sweetness." Derek's voice was tight as it came through the phone.
"No, it's fine Hot Stuff. Is everything okay?" Penelope could tell something was wrong.
"Baby Girl. Please what I'm going to say is going to upset you, but please before you freak out let me finish okay." Derek said knowing how well this was going to go over.
"Okay." Penelope said taking a deep breath.
"The Unsub. He shot Reid." He heard Penelope take in a sharp breath, but she didn't say anything so he continued. "It hit him in the shoulder. He's in surgery, he's going to be fine, it's lodged in his clavicle, but they're removing the bullet now." Derek explained quickly, knowing she would be panicking internally.
"Oh my god. You're sure he's okay right? Is Jayje okay? How'd he get shot? Everyone else is okay right?" Penelope's mind was working a million miles a minute.
"Everyone else is fine Baby I promise. Reid's going to be fine Baby Girl I promise. Jayje is dealing, not well, but that's to be expected. Mostly she's doing what the rest of us are, and just waiting to hear how he is, and praying. I promise I'll tell you the whole story when we get home." Derek said sighing. He knew that that's not what she wanted to hear, but he didn't want to explain everything over the phone. Mostly right now he wanted to hold her.
"No. No I'm not waiting for you to come home. I'll fly out there." Penelope said getting up to grab her laptop.
"Baby Girl as much as I want you here, you know you can't fly out here right now, Strauss won't let you leave that easily." Derek sighed. He really did want her here with him right now.
"Trust me. I know exactly how to do handle this. By tomorrow afternoon I will be there. Don't even try to talk me out of it." Penelope said turning on her laptop.
"Baby Girl-" Derek started, but Penelope cut him off.
"Derek, no. The man who is like my brother has been shot, his wife the woman who is like my sister is having to deal with this, I haven't seen my sexy soon to be husband or most of my family in almost three weeks, and I know exactly how to handle this for me to able to be there, without getting into trouble. You're not talking me out of this okay?" Penelope said as she furiously typed away.
"Okay Baby Girl, if you're sure." Derek relented. He knew there was no talking her out of this one.
"I am Hot Stuff. Now give J.J. and Boy Genius my love, everyone else as well, and let me know as soon as you know anything okay?" Penelope said as she continued typing.
"Of course Angel, get some rest okay?" Derek said. He knew she hadn't been sleeping well since this case started.
"I'll try. I love you Hot Stuff." Penelope said smiling.
"I love you too Baby Girl." Derek said as he hung up.
Penelope put her phone back on the charger, and continued typing away. She was sending an official request to Strauss to allow her to fly to Fort Bragg and have her assist the team in filling out the reports and logging their case files 'while it was fresh on their minds' to appeal to Strauss' need for everything to be official. She knew with all the heat the BAU had been under lately Strauss' wouldn't want to wait until the team was back to write up their case files. After she finished the request, she knew there was no way she could lay down just yet. Deciding to go make some tea she quietly exited her room, and made her way down to the kitchen. She heard someone as she approached the kitchen.
"I love you too Dave. Give everyone my love, and tell Jennifer I'm praying for her and Spencer." Penelope heard Fran say.
"Hey Mama." Penelope said as she walked in. Fran jumped a little bit.
"Oh hey Sweetie. Did Derek call you?" Fran asked as she turned around.
"Yeah he did. I'm so worried about Reid." Penelope said sitting down at the island.
"I know I am too. How did Derek sound? I know Dave sounded so exhausted." Fran said as she moved about the kitchen gathering the kettle and tea bags.
"He seems exhausted too. I sent in a request to fly out there tomorrow morning. I just have to check in with Strauss when I go in, in the morning." Penelope said getting up to grab the cups.
"Do you think she'll approve it? I've heard about how difficult she tries to make everything. I remember when Dave and I got married she tried to transfer Derek back to the bomb squad." Fran asked pouring the water in the cups.
"Trust me I remember that. Derek had to stop me from wiping her off the grid. I think she'll approve my request. I made it strictly business. I told her how it would benefit the team best if I flew out there and assisted them in completing the case files while everything is still on their minds. That way I can fly out there, type everything up for them, log all of the case files, and I can be there for everyone." Penelope said dunking the tea bag in the cup.
"I think that would be great. I just pray she'll approve it." Fran said getting up to grab the sugar.
"She really has no choice." Penelope said smiling.
"What do you mean?" Fran asked, handing her the sugar.
"Well when I emailed in the request form I C.C.'d the director in it." Penelope said taking a sip of her tea.
"Really? Why?" Fran asked in confusion.
"Well lately they've been complaining about how were not going strictly by the book. Well if I'm flying out there to help them complete the files, log all the files, and make sure everything is finished with the case then they have nothing to complain about. I mean I'm making sure it's strictly by the book while everything is still fresh in their heads. That way it's also can't be said that thing's got mixed up or forgotten since it took them a bit to write up the files. And who else better to do so than the person who handles all the finished case files anyway? I mean honestly I really feel like this will work, and if not then I have other ways." Penelope said with a yawn.
"I don't think I want to know." Fran said with a small laugh.
"Nope probably not Mama. I think I'm going to head up to bed. I want to try to be out the door by seven, so I can get there when Strauss does." Penelope said finishing off her tea.
"Okay Honey. I'll see you in the morning. Call me when you find out okay?" Fran said coming around the island to hug her.
"Of course Mama. Get some rest too okay?" Penelope said hugging her back.
"I'll try. It's hard to sleep without Dave." Fran said putting her cup in the sink.
"I know what you mean." Penelope said putting hers in the sink as well.
Soon Penelope was back up in bed and asleep. It was a restless night though. When Derek called at four to tell her Reid was out of surgery and doing well she decided to get up and start the day. There was no way she was going to be able to go back to bed now. After showering and getting ready she made her way down stairs to see Fran up and making breakfast for them all. She'd heard from Dave around the same time Derek had called Penelope. After breakfast with the boys and sticky syrup kisses she was out the door and making her way to the office. She was determined to make Strauss agree. Arriving just before eight she quickly walked in, grabbed her coffee and made her way to Strauss' office. Walking in she was just in time to see Strauss walking in as well.
"Miss Garcia, you're hear rather early." Strauss said unlocking her office door.
"Yes ma'am. I was wondering if you had a chance to look over my request." Penelope said hopeful.
Strauss paused for a second and said with her same stoic face that gave nothing away. "Yes I have."
"Oh wonderful ma'am." Penelope said giving her a polite smile, hoping for a response.
Strauss said nothing as she walked in her office. Penelope followed closely behind her. She waited a few moments for a response.
"Ma'am may I ask you about your decision?" Penelope asked when she still didn't get a response.
"Take a seat Miss Garcia." Strauss said sitting behind her desk.
"Yes Ma'am." Penelope said cautiously as she took a seat in the available chair.
"Miss Garcia, do you think I'm ignorant?" Strauss said sipping her coffee.
"No Ma'am of course not." Penelope said confused.
"Good answer. Then I have to ask. Why would you C.C. the Director of the FBI in your request to me?" Strauss asked raising an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry if I offended you Ma'am that was not my intention. I wasn't sure if you would be able to approve my request or if I needed to send it to him directly. And with everything taking place at such a late hour that thought did not occur to be until after I had drew up the official request. So to cover all of my bases I thought it would be a good idea to C.C. him on it as well. I'm sorry if my intentions did not seem honorable. My only thought was to help with the current situation." Penelope said trying to keep her sentences polite, and professional.
"Well in future situations please know that I will be able to approve all requests." Strauss said with an exasperated tone.
"Yes Ma'am of course." Penelope said politely.
"Good." Strauss said again, then began to look down at the paperwork on her desk. Penelope waited a few minutes. She hadn't said one way or the other about her decision.
"Miss Garcia, what are you still sitting there for? I do believe you have things to do before the jet picks you up." Strauss said without looking up.
"Oh yes Ma'am of course. When will the jet be here Ma'am?" Penelope asked cautiously.
"It should be at the air strip just after ten. The pilot is expecting you by ten thirty." Strauss said finally looking up slightly annoyed.
"Got it! I'll be ready! Thank you ma'am!" Penelope said hurriedly walking out of the office.
She had less than two hours. Quickly making her way back to her office, she gathered both of her work laptops, and all of the necessary files. Penelope made her way down to the elevator and out to the parking garage so she could go home and swap the clothes out of her go bag for some fresh ones. On the way she figured she needed to call Fran and Derek.
"Baby Girl, how is my brilliant sexy soon to be wifey?" Derek said in his low sexy voice.
"Very happy since at ten thirty I'll be hopping on a jet and making my way to California to see my Chocolate God of a fiancé!" Penelope said happily as she pulled out on the road making her way to her house.
"Really?" Derek said getting excited.
"Of course! I told you last night that I would have it all worked out. Did you really doubt the All Knowing Oracle?" Penelope said in mock hurt driving down the familiar path to her house.
"No of course not Baby. I just didn't think Strauss' would be so gracious. Wait Penelope you didn't do something bad did you?" Derek said thinking about what could possibly make Strauss let her fly out here.
"If I did will you spank me when I get there?" Penelope said in her breathy voice, as she turned on to their street.
"Oh you know I will. As soon as I can get you alone Goddess." Derek said smiling.
"Good, I'm going to hold you to that, and no I didn't do anything bad, even though now I wish I had. I'll explain it all when I get there I promise. Unfortunately Hot Stuff, I have to go and pack me a fresh go bag, and call Mom before I head to the air strip. Do you need anything from home my love?" Penelope asked parking Esther.
"Just you Baby Girl." Derek said smiling.
"Awh I love you! I'll see you soon!" Penelope said unlocking her door.
"I love you too Sweetness. Text me when you're about to land and I'll come pick you up." Derek said.
"Of course Angel Fish!" Penelope said hanging up and quickly dialing Fran's number. After a quick chat, and promises to call her when I got there with updates, she quickly packed her a new go bag and made her way back to Esther. Penelope made it to the air strip with no problems, boarding the jet she pulled out a copy of Shirley (a book that follows Jane Eyre), but before she could even read a page she had fallen asleep.