Disclaimer: I hate saying it but I do not own Criminal Minds

READ THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE! TIS IMPORTANT!

A/N: Right, this is going to be confusing! Yes you HAVE read this chapter, I forgot to add chapter 8 in! So I skipped a part of the story!

So go back! :D

It's there now!

Apologises!

I hardly moved the next few days.

I accepted drugs as and when they were offered.

Slept as they swam my veins and all because it was better than aggravating my pains.

When I did see Derek, I ended up sleeping and so by day 4 of that rhythm I stuck where I was.

In the hard lumpy bed and just stared out of the window.

Sleeping when it was needed, watching the life go by with each minute when it wasn't.

Call me crazy or depressed or suffering post traumatic stress.

I saw it as my way of recuperating.

My own way of giving my mind and body a complete rest.

'She not moved yet?' Derek asked as he managed to sidle of the bed for the first time in days, he paused as he winced.

'She's sleeping a lot.'

'That's got to be a good thing right?' Derek asked hopeful.

'I think everything's hitting her now.' Fran said as she stood near her son. 'It's taken it all out of her... she whispers for you in her sleep to.' Fran continued as Derek finally stood up wincing. 'Is this safe?'

'I need to get mobile again, I'm dressed, thank God and I want to see Pen.'

'We aren't stopping you are we?'

'No way.' Derek said with a cheeky grin. 'It's not that far anyway, you've said that.'

'Fine, come on then.' Hotch said and led the way out of the room, he then waited for Derek, knowing that he could flank Derek more supportively than Fran. Not long after they made it to Penelope's room, they all hovered by the door while Derek went in, he went to the other side of the bed and smiled.

'Hey handsome.' Penelope said sleepily but with an evident smile.

'Hey baby girl... thought I'd surprise you seeing as I haven't seen you for a day.'

'Having withdrawal symptoms?'

'Something like that.' He said sitting down gingerly, before pulling the chair closer to the bed and taking her hand. 'How you doing?' He watched her shrug.

'I'm just tired, that's all. It'll pass.' Penelope and smiled even more as Derek took her hand in his. 'I'd rather pay you visit than see you in pain.'

'The sooner I get mobile the sooner I get out; I've asked to leave the same day as you.' He smiled at her and saw her move with closed eyes. 'You sure you're okay?'

She nodded. 'I just ache like hell that's all.' She saw him press her for more; he really wanted to know all he could. 'My ribs are killing me.' She admitted. 'I'm sore all over, but I'm sure it'll pass, maybe if I just walked a bit.'

'No, you are staying there for a bit, I brought people with me.'

'Let me guess, Hotch, Fran, Des and Sarah…'

'You'd be correct.' Derek said and looked at them; they took that as their cue and entered the room with smiles as Penelope sat upright.

'Isn't it going to be a little hectic what with us both off?'

'We'll cope Penelope.' Fran said as she sat on the bed. 'You look a little flushed, bit like Derek did when he got up.'

'He has more of a reason to be resting up...' Penelope said and looked at Derek. 'How about you go back and I'll come down?'

'Na uh baby girl... I'm here now.' Derek replied relaxing into the seat more. 'So how hard headed have you been?'

'I'll vouch for her here... she hasn't been.' Hotch said, he had stuck by Penelope the most. 'She's using the drugs wisely, it's good to see.'

'It's good to hear that too... you going to be less hard headed from now on?'

'What do you think?' Penelope said with a slight grin on her lips, she saw Derek smile back at her. 'You know the answer to that.'

'I do... and if I have anything to say about it, you'll be less hard headed for the rest of your life.'

'Oh is that a promise?'

'Okay! Before this chat goes further we are leaving to get lunch... we'll bring back decent food but have that chat alone yeah?

Penelope and Derek watched everyone leave the room, Hotch shutting the door as he went. 'Well that was easy.'

'Just make a nauseating scene for everyone to watch.' Penelope teased. 'And they leave.'

'I'm glad they did, I do want to have a chat.'

'Should I be worried?'

'No... well it depends, but I'd say no don't be.'

'Well what is it then?'

'Will you lay down first?'

'I'm fine and if we're talking I want to look at you properly so I'm staying put.' She told him and shifted to look at him more. 'Go on... where is this chat going?'

'I want to know are you still blaming yourself?' He watched her look down. 'Penelope... my mom told me that you've been saying my name in the night, even Hotch told me.'

'I just keep reliving it, I see him getting you on repeat and I feel the heaviness of him on me and I can't breathe and I panic... I just feel if I'd try harder back when he first came, like maybe if I hadn't gone to lunch with him I wouldn't have opened the door to let him in.'

'You do know that you shouldn't feel guilty for doing what you thought was right don't you?'

'Now I do... it'll take some time to truly believe it but I do and I guess I've got enforcers from all angles whether I like it or not.'

Derek smiled. 'I'm your hardest one... no getting rid of me!' She smiled at him as he said that. 'I know we've only started this type of relationship recently but I thought I'd lost you, I was scared that I'd never get you back and I want to stake my claim on you baby girl... I want to be the only one with the right to protect you through and through, to wake up to you curled into my side, head on my chest, your breath tickling me as you sleep, I want you to be my last sight at night.' Derek said with a smile. All the while Penelope's eyes watered.

'Thank you.'

'For what?'

'Making me realise a few things.'

'It's the truth baby girl.' Derek said grabbing her hand. 'What happened wasn't an omen that we aren't meant to be here, in this type of relationship, it's a test to show our love for one another.'

Penelope gasped as she looked at him. 'You think?'

'The way I see baby girl is that you underestimated our fate.' He then stood up slowly, and kissed her, she knew then that he was telling the truth, he'd never lie to her, and right there she remembered the saying she was brought up to believe, everything happens for a reason.

Underestimated our fate.

What a sentence.

That summed everything up. It made me feel whole.

Made me realise that everything we had gone through was worth it.

We needed the tests of time, the tests of the past to gain in strength, become one.

We needed to become dependent on one another as much as we needed to become independent on each other.

Underestimated fate sealed it for me.

I was wrong. Too wrong and in the end I nearly ruined it all.

Not just for me.

But for Derek too.

Underestimated Fate.

A/N: So there's the END! Finito! Complete! Done and dusted!

Hope you enjoyed it!