Disclaimer: I do not own CM as much as I wish I did.

A/N: Okay so I know you guys want me to finish my current story but this one is taking over my head for now. I hope you like this one just as much.

"Can we have a talk?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"First, I would like to say I love you…and the thing I love the most about you is how you care about other people."

"Garcia, what? What's going on?"

"I think you need to cut contact with Tamara Barnes."

"I didn't make contact with her; she was at the police station."

"Yeah, Okay, look me right in the eye and tell me the first break in this case, you don't run and tell her yourself."

"Penelope, she lost her brother, she just wants answers."

"Oh, I get it. I volunteer counseling these families. I think I know what she is going through."

"Then where is this coming from?"

"Okay, let's just ignore the whole ethical dilemma cause that's just too big and if you were to testify on this case, the whole thing would unravel if anybody were to find out that you were involved with a member of the victim's family.

"Whoa, whoa, stop, I love you and I respect you, you know that, but right now you are way out of bounds. I'm not involved. "

"The team was here working on a case and you're with her, you're involved."

"For your information, she lost it back at the station so I drove her home, end of story."

"But not for her Derek, she's so sad, and so confused, and angry, and desperately looking for anyone to swoop in and make it all better, and unless you are all in, and can be there for every stage of the grieving process, you are just another reason for her not to trust the world."

"She's simply trying to understand why this happened."

"There is no why and she'll make herself crazy trying to find one."

"Don't tell me."

"Bar Southeast, two dead. They're waiting for you."

"Baby, I got to go."

"Yeah," Garcia said as she watched him walk away trying not to let him see how much his words effected her and avoiding JJ's questioning gaze she made her way back to her computers. Shutting the door that separated her from the rest of the world, she sat down and let the tears fall. Wishing she could just pack up and head home, but she knew that they still needed her, so she sat there and waited for the call, hoping and praying that it would not be Derek on the other end of the line.

Derek's head was still reeling from his conversation with Penelope. Where did she get off telling him not to get INVOLVED with Tamara Barnes? It wasn't any of her business really; she wasn't his boss, his mother, his sister or his priest. He ignored it when the voice in his head that said she was his best friend and she did not want to see him hurt, as he turned the SUV in the direction of Tamara apartment, he ignored the voice that said he should really be apologizing to his Baby Girl. He even managed to ignore the replay of her words as he knocked on Tamara's apartment door.

Garcia knew Derek didn't come back with the rest of the team and she had a good idea where he went, but she didn't saying anything because even though it hurt to see Derek get in trouble with Hotch or Strauss, so she kept her mouth shut. She knocked oh Hotch's door not long after their return.

"Hey Boss Man, can I talk to you a minute?"

"Sure, Garcia, What's wrong?"

"Nothing really, I just would like to head home ahead of the rest of the team if that is okay."

"Sure, Penelope, are you sure there is nothing wrong?"

"Yeah, I am sure. I just want to get back to my bunker and finish some work for the other teams before the weekend."

"Penelope, you work hard enough those other teams can use the other techs in the tech pool."

"I know, sir, but the rest of the pool is not near as fast as I am. I would really like to help get all the teams home for the weekend, sir."

"Okay, Penelope, take Monday off, no arguments."

"Yes, sir."

Hotch shook his head as he watched he leave. He would love to get into that head of hers and find out what really was going on with her, but he didn't have time. He had to make some major decisions and soon if he was gonna get Haley and Jack back; he just hoped the team understood his decision.

Derek rode back to the office with JJ and Emily, and he had hoped Penelope only to find out she left ahead of them.

"What do you mean Penelope already left, How did she get back to the office?"

"One of the officers took her shortly after we got back, Hotch said she had work to do and wanted it done before the weekend."

"Yeah, right," Derek muttered as he hopped into the car.

"Derek is there something wrong between you and Garcia," JJ asked quietly.

"No, it's nothing."

"Okay, if you say so, but just so you know, she didn't look to happy when you guys left yesterday."

"Damn it," Derek cursed as he took off in his truck. Pen gave him the brush off when she tried to speak to him and there was only one place he could go and he turned toward Tamara's, his mind replaying is conversation with Penelope the whole way.

"Pen, we need to talk," he said as he pushed his way into her office.

"Whoa, Derek, knock much." She said as she whipped around to look at him.

"If I had knocked would you have let me in?" He asked frankly.

"Right now probably not because I am very busy with work, and I don't have time for chit chat, so if you want it you will have to find it elsewhere."

"Baby Girl,"

Derek, don't okay I am in the middle of 3 cases right now and I am expecting a phone call from a fourth team any minute now and it looks like instead of getting them home by the weekend, I will be working all weekend. She turned around and focused on her computer screens. She felt him put his hands on her shoulders and she flinched and he turned and left without another word.

Penelope left the BAU well after midnight, her cell phone had been ringing off the hook for hours between Derek and Kevin, neither of whom she felt like talking to right now. She shot them both a text message saying she was leaving work and she would call them soon.

Derek stared at his phone for several minutes before shutting it. She was still at work and she cc'd him on a text message to Kevin. He knew what that meant, He was losing his best friend and there was nothing he could do to change that.