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Penelope heard the ringtone she’d set for him. She paused for one second but knew he’d just lost his best friend. He probably needed one now.
“Hello.” She answered tentatively not knowing what to expect.
“Lisa left.” He said quietly.
“What?” Penelope was confused but it was quickly followed by fury. How could she leave Luke right now, like this?
“What do you need, Luke?”
“Can you..” he sniffed, “come over? Please?”
The please broke her.
“Of course. Do you need anything?”
“No, just you.”
Penelope’s breath got caught in her throat.
“I’ll be right over.” She said breathlessly.
She went through the drive through at the nearest coffee shop getting Luke’s usual and herself a green tea. Hoping the tea would calm her nerves. She hurried to the door and before she could figure out how to knock with her hands full, she heard a quick bark from Roxy notifying Luke she was at the door. When Luke pulled open the door Penelope’s heart dropped. The normally handsome man was disheveled, looking miserable.
“Oh Luke.”
Penelope quickly shuffled inside and set down the drinks. She turned and opened her arms for him. Her heart seized in her chest when one of the strongest people she knew broke down in her arms.
After a while they moved to the couch and sipped their drinks. She was so often the one with the solutions and the positive advice but for some reason everything got stuck in her throat. She was deeply saddened by Phil’s death as well. But if she was being honest there was a part of her that was happy that Lisa was gone. She felt terrible for the thought and was angry that Lisa chose now to leave him when he was hurting. As her train of thought went down that path, she didn’t realize she started speaking out loud.
“I cant believe she left you in the middle of all this.”
Luke chuckled.
“You know the funny thing. I’m not even upset about her. Moving in together was a mistake. I realized something that last breakfast with them both. I didn’t tell her everything, anything really. And I know why. It wasn’t going to ever work.”
“I’m so sorry, Luke.”
“No I’m sorry Penelope. I lied to you. Phil did ask about you, all the time actually. I don’t know why I didn’t tell you and I’m so sorry. He was such a great guy.”
“It’s okay. He was a great guy.” She said softly.
Penelope wiped her own tears before grabbing his hand. She looked around at a few bare spots in the apartment where Lisa must’ve taken her things. She saw the painting she got them as a moving in present leaning against a chair. Luke noticed where she was staring.
“That’s the only thing we disagreed on.”
“Let me guess you hate it?”
“No, I mean I’m not going to pretend I get it. I’m not really an art guy but Lisa actually loved it just like you said she would.”
“So what was the disagreement?”
“I wouldn’t let her take it.”
“Why not? Like you said you’re not an art guy.”
“It’s from you.”
Penelope’s face warmed up.
“Oh.”
“Thank you, Penelope.”
She squeezed his hand.
“Of course, Luke.”
After that afternoon the two of them steadily got closer and closer. With Luke on desk duty they worked closely together at Quantico while the team went out on cases. Penelope forced herself to get over her ridiculous prejudice against the good-looking newbie. It wasn’t his fault that he joined the team at a bad time, or that Penelope took Derek’s leaving so hard, or that Luke was extremely handsome. She had to remind herself often of the last one when he would do something so cute that she wanted to punch him in his chiseled jaw. She could be his friend, just his friend. She wouldn’t get out of control with hope or expectations like she did with Derek. But Luke was always professional and never gave her any indication of being interested in her as more than a friend.
It turned out they worked well together on cases. He complimented her tech skills with his profiling knowledge. They often had leads ready for the team before they could even ask. He was in awe of her speed and intelligence. Soon they were having dinners together in the office while the team was gone. Penelope admitted she like having someone there with her. Staying back sometimes got lonely. She knew Luke missed being out in the field but he assured her that like being her lackey.
Everyone on the team was busy with their lives so the two were constantly together it seemed. Reid was gone on another sabbatical teaching for the semester. JJ and Will were busy with the boys. Matt was trying to be home more for their son. Tara was working on a paper with an old colleague. Rossi was busy planning his wedding. And Emily had a lot on her plate with the team as well as a new boyfriend.
Before she knew it, they were spending time together outside work. Starting with just drinks every once in a while, but shifted to evenings and weekends. They tried new things that the other insisted on. Penelope convinced Luke to join her at the foreign film festivals she enjoyed and in return she’d go on short hikes with him and Roxy. They even slowly got into a routine of Chinese food on Friday nights and the farmer’s market on Saturday mornings.
It was after one of those mornings Luke spoke up.
“I have to admit something.”
“What? That I was right about these flowers looking fabulous in your kitchen. You’re welcome.”
“No Penelope. I’m not happy.”
“What do you mean?” She stopped messing with the flowers to turn around looking at him straight on.
“I’m talking about us.”
Penelope froze.
“You’re not happy? If you didn’t want to go to the farmer’s market you could’ve just said so.” She moved towards the door but Luke reached out his hand on her elbow stopping her.
“That’s not what I said, Penelope.” His arm held her in place up against his hard body as he continued. “I’m not happy being your friend.” He turned her to look her straight in the eyes. “I’m not happy just being your friend anymore. I want more. More of this. I want it all the time.”
“You want me?” Penelope was trying to make sense of his words.
“All the time. I want to do everything with you but I don’t want you to leave afterwards. I'll go to every single farmer's market you want to if I get to go with you. I want to hold your hand while you argue about flowers. I want to hug you when we get off work. I want to kiss you, well all the time actually.” He smirked down at her. “May I?” He asked softly.
Penelope nodded with wide eyes that fluttered shut as he leaned down and slowly pressed his lips to hers. His large warm hands ran up her back to the back of her neck titling her so he could deepen the kiss. When he pulled back Penelope had to giggle at the pink lipstick smeared on his lips. Reaching up to wipe it off he smiled fondly down at her. After a moment or two of looking at each other with goofy smiles Luke shook his head with a laugh.
“What?” Penelope asked what made him laugh.
“Phil would give me so much shit.”
“For this?” She referred to them still in each other’s arms.
“Yeah, because I never told you about him asking about you. Even back then I wanted to keep you to myself.”
Penelope blushed.
“I’d like to think he’d be happy for us.”
“Yeah he would.”