Penelope calmly applied the cold cream to her face to clean off her makeup as soon as she got home. Unless she was going out that night or expecting a guest, this was all part of her routine when she got home. She put her bags on her dresser, removed her makeup, braided her hair and slipped into her comfy pajamas. Occasionally she took a shower at night, if the case they had worked on was especially grimy. Like computer routines and protocol, this process calmed her. It let her know that she was home, she was safe and whatever ugliness she faced through the day was over for the time being.

Comfort. Calm. She thought as she started her first braid, I can do this. I'm going to be okay. I'm… She hit the edge of her bathroom sink…so fucking angry.

Her hand throbbed, but for five seconds it helped to ease the face that her best friend had been taken away from her. She was mad at so many people. Strauss for letting this happen in the first place. Hotch for not fixing it. She was even mad at JJ for not telling her. Penelope didn't care about any laws she had to bend or break if it meant keeping her family together. Mostly she was mad at the people, the Powers That Be, The big-bad, pencil-pushing G-men that thought their wants were more important that keeping together a team that worked. Penelope had been on teams ranging from hacker groups to rock bands. She knew how hard it was to find the magic that was created by a functioning team. Her team loved each other, supported each other and for someone to break apart something so precious didn't make any sense to her.

Working through the pain, she finished her last braid and went into her room to slip into her comfy baby panda pajamas. She booted up her computer on her bed and logged into her cheezburger account. Hopefully pictures of cute animals with funny phrases would lighten her mood. She couldn't do anything about JJ anyway. It was over. She and the whole team would have to move on. A few dozen kittens later, Penelope realized it wasn't working. The cuteness only inspired a handful of half-hearted chuckles. She closed her computer and wandered restlessly for something to do, something to keep her mind off of her heartbreak.

Suddenly her phone rang, shocking her out of her sour mood. She dug through her black hole of a purse and managed to find her cell right before it went to voicemail. See, this is why she had a headset at work.

"Garcia, here," she said into the phone.

"I must have the wrong number," Morgan's voice said flirtatiously into her ear, "I was expecting the Empress of All Knowledge. Or the Oracle of Supreme Genius."

"Off the grid, I'm just Penelope, babe."

"You're not just anything, Goddess, on or off the grid," Morgan replied.

Penelope smiled her first real smile since she found out about JJ.

"This is why I love you," she sighed, "So what's up?"

"You, currently. 2nd floor, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, beginning to get suspicious.

"And are you decent?"

She moved to her door, "Not on any day ends with y."

Morgan laughed. Penelope moved the phone away from her ear. Sure enough, she was right.

"Babyboy, why are you at my door?"

"You know why."

She rolled her eyes and looked through the peephole. There he was, in all of his milk chocolate glory.

"I'm fine," she said with exasperation, "You don't have take care of me."

"Tough, I'm on the job whether you like it or not," he replied, bringing her back to their time in Alaska when she needed him most.

"Is that your stalker, unsub impression?" she asked sarcastically, still hoping he'd go away despite the comfort he provided. This situation reminded her that families aren't forever, no matter how much love you put out there. Despite 6 years within the BAU, she still wasn't used to leaning on people and depending on others. She was at her best when she gave support, not when she received it.

"No. It's my expression of a man who loves you and who is not going to let you face this by yourself."

"Derek, this is not a life or death situation. No one's dead, or dying or injured. I'm okay. I'll be back to work, bright and early, as perky as ever," she replied with false brightness.

"If you were really okay, you wouldn't be trying so hard to stop me from coming in. In more ways than one."

Penelope groaned, "Argh. I hate profilers."

"You're hurting right now, babygirl, we all are. Families take care of each other. Let me take care of you, please" he said sincerely, with warmth and love blanketing every word.

Penelope put her head on the door as Derek's words sank into her, breaking the dam of emotions that had built up since she got home. She hadn't cried since she walked through her front door, but as a few tears started to escape, she was scared that she'd never stop.

"Come on, woman," Morgan pleaded, "I brought Thai food and Finding Nemo."

Penelope laughed into the phone between her tears, "Derek Morgan, you don't play fair."

He smiled and closed the phone as she opened the door. He walked in and opened his arms up to her.

"All's fair in love and war."

She stepped up to him, "I would like a lot more love and little less war."

She wrapped herself in his arms and held on tight.

Derek stroked her hair as she clutched on to him, "As you wish, princess, as you wish."