Derek felt a sense of relief as he sent the large hammer into the wall. He found himself with time on his hands so, here he was beginning a project that had taken him almost a year to start. He'd found the old farmhouse while chasing down an unsub on a case. The, For Sale, sign seemed to call out to him as he sped by tackling an unsub on the front lawn. Two weeks later, he purchased the property and hadn't been back since.

Derek felt the pain in his left shoulder as he sent the hammer against the wall again...and again...and again. Finally, there was a hole large enough for him to step through to the other side. Rubbing his shoulder, he thought this would be a good time for a break and so, dropping the hammer on the floor, he surveyed his progress.

Derek grabbed a water from the ice chest near the front door and lowered his exhausted body to the floor. The hammering and ripping apart of the house had given him something to focus on. In some ways the project had saved his sanity after everything that had happened, and everything he had lost, his career, his reputation, and his family.

BAU Headquarters – Morning –

One by one the team arrived and headed toward the conference room. They'd gotten a case that would take them to Orlando, Florida and they'd be headed out soon, without one of their members.

"The Orlando PD has asked for our help on a serial murder case," Hotch began, "the bodies of three men have been found on skid row in downtown Orlando. Every victim had their eyelids removed, their ears cut off and their lips sown shut."

"See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil," Rossi thought out loud.

"See the evil, no one will hear you because you can't tell," Reid added.

"Okay kid, I get you," Rossi relented, shaking his head in amazement.

"It's too soon to say what our unsub is trying to say so let's keep an open mind," Hotch chastised.

The group reviewed the case photos in silence for a moment. Penelope typed away on her laptop; she'd been less talkative lately, withdrawn which wasn't at all like her. Hotch was aware of the somber mood of the team and why, but things had happened, and decisions had been made that had forced his and the bureau's hand. None of them liked it, but it was, what it was.

"Wheels up in thirty," Hotch barked.

One by one the team filed out of the conference room and headed to their individual offices to collect their things. JJ rushed to catch up with Garcia who had bolted from the room after they were dismissed.

"Hey, Garcie, hold up!"

"Not now, JJ," she replied picking up her speed.

JJ caught up with her friend and gently placed her hand on Garcia's arm, momentarily stopping her. "Are you okay?"

"No JJ, I am not okay."

"Have you talked to Morgan?"

"No. He won't return my calls or my text."

"I tried calling him too, but my calls go to voicemail," JJ added.

"Can you blame him, JJ? I mean he's given his life to this place, and they tossed him out like garbage!"

"Garcia, a woman and her son were killed!"

"JJ, you know Morgan and you know he didn't mean for that to happen! That was the unsubs doing! He's not a murderer!"

"Well, tell that to the bureau. Somebody has to be held accountable for what happened! The director had to get a handle on this before the public and the press got wind of it."

"So, Morgan was the sacrificial lamb; is that what you're saying? Well, it's not fair and he deserves better!"

Penelope yanked her arm out of JJ's grasp and stormed away leaving her friend standing alone speechless.

"She's still pissed, huh?" Said Reid.

JJ hadn't heard him come up; he'd heard everything.

"Pissed is an understatement," JJ answered.

Penelope slammed the door shut and collapsed in her chair. She grabbed her cell phone from her bag and dialed his number. Like before the call rang and rang until it went to voicemail.

"Derek, I know you're getting my calls. I know you're angry and hurt, but I'm here for you, okay Derek, I'm here. Please call me back. I need to know that you're okay...well...okay as you can be considering what's happened. Please Derek, call me back."

Derek's Restoration Project Site –

Derek saw her number on his screen. He wanted to hear her voice, but he couldn't. Not now. His heart was aching, and his feelings of betrayal kept him from answering her calls. Especially now. He'd been informed that the DA was considering prosecuting him for the murder of a woman and her child. He hadn't killed them, yet he was being blamed, nonetheless. No, he couldn't talk to her or any of his former team members. They were supposed to be family, but family doesn't believe the worst of you and family doesn't betray you in your time of need.

Derek tossed the empty water bottle in the trash and began sweeping up the trash he'd created. His plans had been approved by the city, so he was free to proceed with his work. The wall was the first in many projects before the house would be completed. He welcomed the distraction. It was something he could depend on. It still didn't fill the massive hole in his heart; nothing could fill that, nothing at all.

Rossi Mansion –

Fran pocketed her phone. Dave and the team were headed to Orlando which meant she'd be in the aggressively large house without him for a while. Perhaps she would call her daughters and invite them to fly in to spend some time with her. She needed a distraction from her constant worrying over her son. He'd been accused of the unthinkable and she was furious. She knew him and no matter what anyone said, she knew he was being scapegoated for someone else's benefit. He wasn't a killer, and he wasn't responsible for events that lead to someone's death; that she knew even if no one else knew it and even if no one else would speak on his behalf.

BAU Headquarters –

Penelope looked over the catwalk as her team stepped onto the elevator. Like always, she waved and admonished them to stay safe and to come back home to her. Derek should be on that elevator too, she thought to herself. It wasn't fair, none of what had happened was fair. Her heart wept, but she refused to cry until the elevator doors closed, then the flood gates came as she rushed back to her office.

Absentmindedly, she placed a light hand on her stomach and closed her eyes breathing in and out slowly to calm herself. She had so many plans to tell him; he would have been so excited. They'd talked about it for so long, but work and other things seemed to always get in the way of making things official.

"This was not how it was supposed to be. He needs to know but with everything that's happened, how do I tell him?"