Can Love Really Conquer All?

Disclaimer: I do not own CM

A/N: I know Solace is not done but this idea came to me yesterday and I just had to write it so here it is

"Morgan," Derek answered his phone and looked at the clock 2 AM, he knew this could not be good.

"Derek, Can you come get me?"

"Pen," Derek asked looking at his phone, knowing full well she wasn't calling from her cell or he would have known it was her before he picked up. "Where are you Baby Girl?"

"Virginia Memorial Hospital, can you come get me?"

"What? What's wrong?"

"No questions, Derek. I don't have time. Can you come get me or not?"

"I will be there in 10 minutes. Where should I pick you up?

"The ER entrance and Derek?"

"Yeah," he didn't know what was going on, but he could tell she had been crying and he didn't like it.

"Hurry, and be careful."

"I will Baby Girl don't you worry about me. See you soon." He hung up and rushed out the door.

Penelope sat in the ER waiting room wearing the scrubs that the nurse had given her, trying hard not to fall apart. She knew she made a mistake in calling Morgan, but JJ had just gotten home from a big case and she needed time with Will and Henry, she had tried Emily, but she was not picking up, and Reid well, he was Reid. She had no other options left.

"Miss Garcia," the nurse interrupted her train of thought. "Have you got a ride home?"

"Yes, he should be here any minute."

"Good, is someone staying with you tonight? The doctor wants to know. He says with the broken ribs and concussion you have sustained it would be for the best."

"Yes," she lied, because she knew if she said no they would want her to stay and that was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Good, here are your pain meds. We will call you with the results of your tests as soon as we know."

"Thank you," she said as she watched the nurse walk away. Just then Morgan burst into the ER, she looked at him and tried to smile, but it hurt.

"Baby Girl, you ready to go," he took one look at her and knew she shouldn't be leaving at all, her face was bruised, her lip was busted, she had a cut over her eye, and that was what he could see. He could tell as she stood up there were other issues going on beneath those scrubs she was wearing, but he knew this wasn't the place to get into all of this, so he took her arm gently and guided her out the door to his truck. Once he got her settled and her seatbelt on he got into the drivers side and drove out of the parking lot.

Pen gave Derek a worried glance and he just smiled and took hold of her hand and gave it a squeeze and continued driving. He knew one thing for sure there was no way he was taking her home. She needed to be taken care of and that was what he was going to do whether she liked it or not.

"Derek, you missed my turn."

"Pen, you are coming home with me no arguments."

"Derek, I just want to go home take a shower and go to bed."

"And you can do that at my place, Baby Girl. I promise no questions. I just need to make sure you are okay for my own sanity okay?"

"Okay, but I have no clothes."

"It's okay, I got you covered." They pulled into the parking lot of Morgan's apartment building and Derek squeezed her hand before getting out and helping her. He went in ahead of her and grabbed Clooney before he could jump up on her. "Down, boy, Pen is not feeling good. Pen, you want to go ahead and get a shower. I will put the clothes on the bed for you. You know where I keep the towels and washcloths. I am gonna take him out. I will be back in a few."

"Okay," she said as she headed for the bathroom, she heard the front door shut. She shut the bathroom door and locked it. Getting out of the scrubs with her ribs broken was a challenge but somehow she managed. She had bruises all over, her face was swollen, and all she wanted to do was cry. She turned on the shower and stepped in, standing under the hot spray, she finally let the tears fall.

Derek came back in and went into the bedroom. He grabbed a pair of his sweat pants and a shirt and put them on the bed for Pen. He grabbed the sheets and blankets from the top of the closet and went to make up the couch. He had just put water on for tea, when he heard the bathroom door open.

"Derek?"

"Yeah, Baby Girl," he said as he turned around to find her standing in the doorway of the bedroom.

"I hate to ask this, but I need some help."

"It's okay, Pen. What do you need help with?"

"I need some help wrapping my ribs. I tried to do it myself and failed.

"Okay Baby I will be right there." He took the kettle off the stove, made her a cup of her favorite tea, and headed to the bedroom. He found her lying on her side clutching his pillow for dear life. "Sit up for a minute. I will be as gentle as I can," he said as he lifted her shirt and got a look at her side. She heard his sharp intake a breath and knew it looked as bad as it felt. "Oh, Baby Girl," he said in a whispered.

"Derek don't."

"Pen, I promised no questions tonight and I will keep that promise, but you should still be in the hospital."

"Derek," she pleaded.

Okay, well hold on this is going to hurt like hell." By the time he finished there were tears running down his cheeks and hers. He went and got her pain meds out of the bag she brought with her and gave it to her. She reached up and wiped the remaining tears off his face as he helped her settle into the bed. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and left the room, turning the light off as he went. As Pen laid there in the dark, she tried to think what she would tell Derek tomorrow when he asked what happened. One thing she knew was she wouldn't tell him, the truth. How could she tell him she was raped and beaten because of him, well not because of him exactly, but that would be the way he saw it. She knew that there were some things your best friend shouldn't know.