I walk out of the bank, sighing, "we've got someone sweeping the building, they are on the move again," I tell Bill as I pocket my gun.

"Damn," He mumbles, "how many?" He asks me, pocketing his own gun now. I squint as Crime Scene rush inside.

"At least twenty, there's no definite count yet," I sigh.

"These sons of a bitches are on the move again, what the hell do they want,"

"They left another message, that's for sure," I nod.

"Blood again?" He asks and I hum in response as the rest of our team walk out slowly. "Shame."

We begin to climb into our respective cars, quiet at the fact we let this group go, again, We've been trailing them, this was the longest terrorist group we've had, and we were getting antsy and annoyed. Walking into headquarters I rip off my sunglasses as my phone dings.

I enter the elevator with the rest of my team as I pull it out, it was Edmund asking if I'm still sure I will be able to attend their very late and much overdue engagement party. I quickly texted back and let him know I'd be there soon, hopefully.

I left headquarters as quickly as I came in this morning, I was in dire need of a drink, and with Edmund's open bar situation I knew I was gonna be relaxed soon.

"Dude!" Edmund exclaims as I step into the party room of the building I had entered.

"Hey," I smile with a sigh.

"You look like you could use a drink," His fiancée, Savanna says with a chuckle.

"Yea we had another bomb situation," I tell them and they sulk back a bit.

"Well, I appreciate you coming in despite everything,"

"You and Penny are the worst with time management," Savanna chuckles with a sigh, I turn around a bit to see Penny Valentine, Savanna's best friend, coming in huffing running her hands through her hair. I didn't miss the dry paint on her hands.

"Sav, I'm so sorry," Penny says immediately stepping up beside me.

"It's good Pen, Alex just got in too," Savannah says and Penny glances up at me, I smirk at her.

"Ugh stop doing that," Penny groans and shoved me gently. I don't even stumble back.

"Pleasure to see you again Pens, you look good," I say checking her out. She had on a pair of brown boots and a white float dress.

"Stop checking me out," She mumbles smacking me. I chuckle and shove my hands into my pockets.

"Ed, why don't you get Alex a drink?" Savannah suggests, "but Alex please don't get too drunk, you are the best man."

"Sav, I won't embarrass you, I promise," I smile at her and she slowly nods before sweeping Penny away.

"You sure your good?" Edmund asks.

"Yea no, I'm fine, just fucking annoyed but what's new Huh," I shrug as we move into the room and towards the bar.

"They still in Virginia?" Edmund asks. I nod and he doesn't ask any more questions because, for one, I can't disclose anything that isn't in the news but Ed probably already knew about the bank bombing.

After downing my first drink, a very much needed one, I grabbed a second and did my rounds as a good best man to Edmund. Two hours later I walked up behind Penny, I glance down at her hands as they were tucked behind her back as she talked to someone in Savannah's family.

The woman spots me and I give her a charming smile before she excuses herself, I step beside Penny and hand her a champagne flute.

"Should I be worried if you spiked it?" She asks me. I roll my eyes.

"You know that's illegal right? And I'm apart of the FBI," I deadpan and she shrugs, taking it anyways.

"You know I love them both but who the hell puts an engagement party two months before their actual wedding?" I say to her as I turn and look over at Ed and Savannah smiling and talking at another couple.

"Oh stop, let them bask in the glory," Penny waves me off like always.

"You know you've got paint," I say turning back to her. She raises an eyebrow over the rim of her flute. I grab onto her right wrist and lift her hand, "paint Pens, you got down and dirty today didn't you?" I tease.

She rolls her eyes and slides her wrist out of my grasp "I was painting," she says.

"Yes, obviously," I nod.

"With clothes on before you ask," She snaps and I chuckle.

"You should still consider that nude art session I mentioned,"

"Ugh as if, you're disgusting Xander," She tells me, I roll my eyes at her nickname for me.

"I know, you've been saying that since we met,"

"And I'll be saying it until the day one of us dies,"

"Only for you Pens," I wink at her and she rolls her eyes. The two of us remain quiet as we stood in the corner of the room watching everyone else.

"I'm sorry about that bank attack," she says gently. I shove my hands into my pockets again and sigh.

"Yeah me too. The news?" I ask her and she nods. My phone buzzes and I pull it out. "Excuse me," I mumble as I answer the phone. The phone call ended as quickly as it started. I quickly turn and Penny nods.

"I'll tell them, you should go," She tells me. I thank her. Turning back around.

"Hey, Pens?" I ask, she looks at me. "Save me an hour or two for that nude art session later," I wink and she flips me the bird. I chuckle as I rush out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I check my watch, ten am now. I gulp down my coffee as I walk into the conference room.

"Again, I don't think this is meant for our task force, shouldn't we call someone else?" Dave questions our unit chief. I settle into a chair and stare at the board.

"Do you think he's mocking us with the art piece?" Lauren asks.

"Art piece?" I question confused. Lauren nods and hands me some pictures of an art piece. I stare at the two pictures in front of me. "Who's the artist?" I question.

"We don't know, but what we do know is that we have to be very careful about our next set of moves, they are fast," William says.

"Agents we've got a call from Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, they said it's a hostage take, could be yours," another agent says and soon we were standing, grabbing our jackets and sliding into our cars.

The hour drive from Quantico to Richmond felt shorter than anticipated, the museum was already blocked off when we got there, "status?" William asks.

"Held a couple of hostages as they robbed them, that's it," an officer says.

"No bombs?" Dave asks.

"Bomb squad is sweeping the museum," The officer says.

"Alex, Lauren go and check on the hostages, ask questions. We need whatever information we could," William says and we nod. I gesture for Lauren to head in first before following her.

I've been to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts a few times but I still marvel at the architecture of the building, how can you not. I duck under the tape, Lauren and I flash out FBI badges.

"Four hostages, three males, one female. One male head injury," an officer begins and I sweep the scene before looking at the hostages. My eyes widen slightly as I see Penny sitting with a paramedic.

"And female, small head injury and arm injury, that's it," The officer finishes. I look at Lauren and she nods at me. I walk over to the rest of them and flash my badge again.

"Mind if I take over?" I ask the paramedic, he nods and steps away.

"Penny," I say. She doesn't look at me but continues to stare at the wall in front of her. I step in front of her and crouch down, "Pens," I say and her eyes locked to mine.

"Are you guys alright?" Lauren asks stepping up behind me. The males grumble a response. I glance up at Lauren and she nods eyeing me and Penny.

"We're just here to ask a few questions," I begin and go over the normal procedure.

"He told me they'd be back," Penny whispers.

"What?" I ask her, her dry painted covered hands shake slightly and I grab ahold of one. "What did he say to you?" I repeat.

She sighs and blinks away a few tears, "when I was in the other room, he said they'd be back,"

"Be back here at the museum?" Lauren questions shocked. Penny nods. I stand up and shove my hands into my pockets.

"That's new," I mumble to Lauren and she nods. "The museum is cleared, we should get you guys to a hospital," I say and everyone nods. Lauren leads the males out and I turn to Penny.

"Penny," I say and she shakes her head standing up.

"I'm fine I don't need a hospital,"

"You really should," I begin.

"Please don't make me go," She begs. I stare at her. I sigh and nod, I outstretch my arm and she slowly walks towards me.

"I'm just gonna get another paramedic outside check you out okay?" I say and she nods. She was shivering under my arm. I flash my badge a few more times as we exit the museum.

"You enjoy that huh?" She asks me softly.

"I smirk every time I flash it," I joke and she shakes her head.

"Your an ass," she mumbles and I smile. My team was talking near the ambulances parked by the side of the museum. William walks over to me as I lead Penny towards one of them.

"Ma'am we are gonna need to know everything that male said to you," My unit chief says gently as I sit Penny down.

"He uh separated me away from the group, made me unlock the crate we just got in,"

"Crate?" I question her. She nods.

"We got a new shipment in, that's why we were done there," She explains. William and I share a look. "After I unlocked it, he tied me up,"

"Before you got hurt?" William asks.

"After," she sighs looking at her wrapped-up wrist. "Before they left he told me they'd be back,"

Spencer comes up to us, "bomb squad cleared the building," he says and we nod.

"That doesn't mean they won't plant one when they return," William tells us gently and we nod.

"Chief this is the first time they'll come back to one place they've already visited, there's got to be a significance," Spencer says as we move to the side as a paramedic comes over and checks Penny.

"What's so special about the museum?" I question out loud.

"And where the hell are they now, they must be here watching us," William says.

"Sir," The paramedic says and we turn back around. We watch the paramedic slowly lift a hand and reveal a rolled-up paper.

"Where the hell was that?" I question moving closer, I glance at Penny who had her head tilted so we could look at the gash on the back of her neck.

"Was that inside me?" Penny immediately exclaims. The paramedic hands it to William, he and Spencer move away.

"Ma'am I have to close the wound," the paramedic says.

I grit my teeth, "Xander," Penny says and I look down at her.

"I'm not leaving," I assure her as the paramedic grabs things for stitches. I crouch down and grab her hand.

I watch Penny as she slowly takes in my attire, "you can go ahead and tell me how hot I look in my uniform," I joke.

She scoffs, "I hate you," She mumbles squeezing my hand tighter for a second.

"Come on Pens, you wouldn't be saying that, especially since we're holding hands,"

"I'd rather slap you every time it hurts," she grumbles and I laugh.

"Don't worry I wouldn't be caught holding hands with you ever," I respond. She hits me with her foot.

"Please I'm hot," she says and I smile, my eyes glancing moving to the male paramedic who blushed.

"You don't have to tell me twice that your hot, I know," I wink and she hits me again. I take the time to let my eyes trail up from her feet and up to her face.

"You might experience some pain in your head but Tylenol should work for the pain," the paramedic says moving back. "And you should be woken up every two hours but I'm sure your boyfriend knows that," the male says.

"Boy-," Penny begins as she stands up slowly and I hold onto her elbow.

"Yea I'll make sure she gets some Tylenol and rest," I smile at the paramedic and he nods before walking back into the ambulance.

"If I wasn't in pain right now I would slit your throat Alex," Penny mumbles to me.

"Ouuu we're going with Alex huh?" I tease her and she punches me.

"Don't punch the FBI agent that will be driving you home," I say shocked a bit.

"I don't need to be driven home, I'm fine," She grumbles.

"Penny," I sigh. "You were held up and bashed in the head, I'm just gonna make sure you get home,"

"Do you do this to every victim?" She questions.

"Only for you, only you get the special treatment Pens,"

"Lord help me, I can't handle your flirting right now," She mumbles and I raise a hand in defense.

"Alexander," William says walking up to us, "do what you must and come back, we've got to head in."

"Course," I nod, "I'll buy some better coffee," I tell him and nods before tilting his head Penny. "Hand me your keys," I tell Penny as an officer hands her purse back to her.

"Xander," she sighs.

"I'm not taking no, give them Penny," I demand. She sighs and hands it to me. "Officer, take Ms. Valentine's car back to her house, you can follow me, I'll be driving her," I tell him and he nods. I lead Penny towards my car,

"When was the last time you slept?" She scoffs as I hold my passenger door out for her.

"Can't remember? Are you saying I look like shit Pens? May I remind you, that you were that one was tied up," I tease her.

"Xander," she says sliding into the chair.

"Yea pretty?" I ask leaning on the door.

"Shut the fuck up," she says. I laugh and close the door, twirling my keys as I round my car.