Penelope stared at the man in front of her, shocked to the bones. His expression was arrogant and cold as he held her gaze, his eyes narrowed to slits and emotionless. Cruel was a word, which appeared in her mind, as Penelope observed the man for a second time.

"Derek is alive?" she whispered then, after what felt like an eternity, her voice barely recognizable. She felt her hands beginning to tremble at her sides, couldn't stop it, even if she would try.

But Penelope couldn't. There was no way she was able to control anything at this moment.

The man just smiled coldly at her, the smile not reaching his eyes. The way he observed her from head to toe while he did so made her shiver. If he'd said something more, Penelope didn't hear it, for she was too occupied with his earlier words towards her.

Derek could be alive. After that, she didn't hear anything. Nothing else in this moment was relevant, though.

Penelope needed clarity on these words but found herself unable to form a sentence as she opened her mouth and closed it right after that.

She heard the man in front of her laughing, and all she felt was pure disgust.

Clenching her fist's, she suddenly realized how blurry her view was, as she tried to glare at the man in fury.

But then she felt a hand on her shoulder, a comforting squeeze and turned around slightly.

"Let's get you out of here, Penelope."

Rossi.

Penelope looked at him and nodded shakily, leaving Hotch with the unsub behind her as she left the interrogation room with the older man.

"Come on, sit down."

Rossi helped Penelope to a nearby chair and left her for a moment to get her a glass of water. He put it into her trembling hand and helped her to take a sip.

"Talk to me, Kitten," Rossi said as he sat down beside Penelope.

She bent her head a little, her eyes still wide open, and watched him for a moment.

"Did...did you hear what that man just said? About Derek?" She stuttered, her hands still trembling, like the rest of her body. Penelope so severely wanted these words to be real.

If Derek was alive, she had to find him.

The sooner, the better.

Just the imagination of all the years Derek might have suffered like all those men who'd been found lately, made her stomach turn.

"I heard it, it seems like Derek is alive. But Penelope, don't set your hope too high. It could be a fake," Rossi said slowly, clearly not wanting her to get hurt more than she already had been for the last ten years. It was just now that he realized how shattered Penelope was because of Derek's loss. She'd always put a mask on herself in the afford to convince the whole team that she was okay. And she'd done an outstanding job...well, until now.

"But you do believe the man's words?" Penelope asked after she'd nodded a little, looking up at Rossi with so much hope in his eyes, it almost broke his heart. "That Derek is...or was there?" She added shakily, spilling some water over her colorful dress. Penelope just couldn't get control over her body back at this moment. She'd been searching for so damn long. And now, after all those years, she could be able to see her Hot Stuff again?

At least if he was alive.

"Yes. The man wasn't lying back there. And that's because we have to focus on finding their location. If Derek is still alive, I bet his condition might be very awful. I don't want to imagine how his physical and mental state will be. Do you think you can manage it, Penelope?" Dave carefully pulled the glass out of her hand and put it on the table beside them, as he held her hand in his. "We can always get you out of this case and let Lynch do your work if you feel like you're not able to..."

"No, it's fine, Rossi, I'm fine. And we both know that I'm the best, so that's not even a question. I'm needed here," she stated.

Penelope took a shuddering breath and nodded shakily, more to herself. She clearly wasn't okay and wasn't able to hide it. But hell, if she wouldn't fight it and do her work.

"I have to find him, Dave. I just have to," she whispered in a broken voice. Rossi took her hand in his and squeezed it in afford to give her much-needed comfort.

Penelope smiled weakly at Rossi and rose to her feet.

"Okay, enough of that. I'll go to my babies to run some checks on this guy. Give me any information you have about him," she told Rossi, trying to gain more control. Her voice was shaking, but hey, at least she managed to wipe away her tears as she took another shuddering breath. Her make-up was ruined by now, but Penelope couldn't care less. She had more important things to do now, finding the love of her life and father of her daughter alive, for example.

She poured herself a big cup of coffee and sat down in front of her babies only minutes later.

It took her less than an hour to get all the pieces of information she needed. A phone call later, the whole team sat down together to share the news they'd found out.

But it was Penelope's news that brought them closer to find their UNSUB.

"This...guy there in the interrogation room, his uncle has a few locations in and around Sacramento. I eliminated them from this one. It's big enough to hide men and to build several fighting areas. It's outlying enough. Maybe this is the right location, my furry friends," Penelope told them still shakily but in a firm voice. She'd gained enough strength to put herself through this.

For now.

Had forced herself to stop thinking about Derek and even more about his condition. IF he really was alive and out there, forced to fight, to take drugs and whatever else these people were doing to him.

Hotch nodded slowly, looking at the location for a while.

"You could be right, Garcia. We'll need backup. I'll talk to the local police, we'll be ready in at least an hour, get ready," he told them firmly and rose to his feet.

To Penelope, the hour felt like another 40 years of lifetime, and the whole Gand Canyon had been added to her shoulders. After the 60 minutes had passed, she felt like an emotional wreck.

"Okay, Penelope, you're not coming with us. If you're needed, an agent will come for you, alright?" Hotch asked her, to Penelope's surprise, very empathically. She nodded slowly and decided to take her laptop with her, just in case.

Penelope didn't even try to relax as she stepped into her hotel room twenty minutes later. She checked her cell every few seconds, sitting on the edge of her bed for the next two hours. Somehow, Penelope must have fallen asleep. Because, when her cell finally rang, with JJ's ID on it, Penelope found herself lying on her back, her cell clutched to her chest. Almost throwing the phone away in panic, she answered the call.

"JJ!" Penelope almost screamed as she finally managed to pick up the call.

"Penelope," JJ's stern voice made Penelope hold her breath. "He is alive. Barely. We need you here."

Penelope sat straight up, clutching her phone to her chest.

"Derek..." she almost whispered, her voice barely recognizable.

"He needs you, Penelope. Desperately. Do you think you can do that? He's in a dreadful condition."

"Of course, I can! It's Derek. He...I mean, is that even a question?" And even if Penelope weren't sure if she would be able to face Derek in the state he was, she would. Like she knew Derek would. Penelope would do anything to help her Baby Boy, even though she would have nightmares for the rest of her life. Penelope couldn't care less. Derek, the love of her life, needed her, and she would be there for him. No matter what. He meant the world to her. Still. After all this time.

"Okay, I just wanted to make sure. An agent is already on his way to the hotel, he'll be there in about five minutes. I'll await you there," JJ confessed sympathetically.

"Alright, Jayjie, I'll be there in a few," Penelope told her shakily and got herself ready and out of the hotel to wait for the agent.

JJ was waiting outside the building to bring Penelope over to Derek. The thought of her best friend seeing Derek, the love of her life like this brought tears to her eyes. Penelope and Derek didn't deserve that.

If Derek would make it through the night or, to JJ's surprise, get a second chance, he'd have a hard journey. JJ wasn't sure if she would ever forget the sight of her former mate, mentor, and friend. Grabbing herself in the effort to feel some comfort even if she stood there all on her own, she felt tears streaming down her face.

The sight of headlights approaching, JJ managed to wipe away her tears before a car stopped right in front of her. A door opened and revealed an almost frantic Penelope.

JJ hugged her tightly as soon as her best friend stopped in front of her.

"Penelope," she only managed to whisper, letting go of her feelings for a second. She'd never felt more devastated by something she had seen...and that had been a lot in all those years.

Penelope hugged her just as tightly. JJ felt the tremble in her best friend's body as she held her for a while longer.

"I have to update you on Derek's condition before you can see him," JJ whispered, feeling Penelope nodding.

They pulled out of the embrace and looked at each other for a moment.

"You're crying...JJ," Penelope whispered, watching JJ with wide eyes.

JJ was crying. Penelope had barely seen her best friend like that. Derek's condition must be horrible. Her heart sank, just thinking about that.

"Tell me everything, please," Penelope begged as she and JJ began to walk towards the building.

"Okay. But promise me, don't freak out. It's hard, and I know that, but Derek needs you. As calm as possible," JJ began, looking at Penelope, who only managed to nod in response. She couldn't talk right now, wasn't able to. All her thoughts were with Derek and what those men had done to him.

"He's chained to the wall," JJ began silently as they walked across the compound to reach the point where Derek was hidden. "With his legs and arms. He's malnourished. And...I'm so sorry, Penelope, so so sorry...it's not like anything I've seen before."

Penelope shuddered just at the mere thought of her Baby Boy being malnourished and weak. She couldn't even imagine him that way. It was...frightening to say at least.

"Okay," she stated, her voice shaking, tears already clouding her view.

And it clearly wasn't okay.

Penelope wasn't okay.

Derek wasn't okay.

Maybe would never be okay.

"I'm sorry," JJ whispered, gripping her hand, squeezing her in the effort to give her at least a little bit of comfort, something Penelope desperately needed.

"And it's not over yet. The UNSUB's made Derek addicted to drugs, just like the other victims before him. We don't know yet what they gave him, but Spence said...he said it's a wonder that Derek is still alive. And to say he's alive, he barely is. Derek didn't recognize anyone of us. He's panicking and calling your name."

JJ paused a moment, watching Penelope for a moment. Penelope was a shaking mess by now. She didn't know how she would be able to face Derek to comfort him.

"He's hurt. Spence said he must have had a fight in the last few days. But he further said that if Derek gets to a hospital as fast as possible, there is a chance for him to make it."

Penelope still wasn't able to say anything, not one word slipped out of her mouth as she tried to get her head around all the information's, JJ had given her.

"Is there more?" Penelope asked her friend the moment, JJ brought them to a halt in front of an iron door with many locks on it. These locks had been opened by force, Penelope just realized.

It was then that Hotch and Rossi stepped out of the room. Rossi pulled her in a tight hug, and Hotch patted her shoulder in the effort to give her some comfort. Penelope would never forget the look on their faces in her whole life. It was devastating.

"Just try to comfort him, Penelope. We need to enchain him, but he doesn't let us near him. He's calling for you, he needs you."

Penelope nodded. It was then that she heart a raspy, weak voice calling her name. Penelope froze for a second.

Could that be him?

Her energetic, beautiful Derek?

She took a deep breath and wiped away her tears, which had bee streaming down her face since JJ had started to tell her about Derek.

"Okay, I'll try," she whispered, taking a step forward.

She almost jumped when Spencer came out of the room as well, Penelope hadn't realized that he still must have been there.

And, to her surprise, Spencer pulled her into a big hug. Penelope could almost feel the tremble in his body.

This must be as hard on him as it was on her. Derek had always been like a bigger brother to Spencer, helping the younger boy whenever needed.

Penelope wrapped her arms around Spencer and squeezed him for a moment before she pulled out of the embrace and let Spencer step aside.

Taking another deep breath, Penelope finally stepped into the room, Derek was waiting for her.