Author's Note: This is a Valentine story written in response to the challenge on CCOAC; it's a gift for Carmel . Tart. I hope you enjoy it, and that you're safe wherever you are! My pairing was Emily & Derek, and the prompts I used were I Will Always Love You (Houston), teddy bear holding a love heart, and special red lace lingerie. This is a friendship fic.

There are spoilers for the end of The Bodyguard if you haven't seen it. Enjoy, and Happy Valentine's Day, all! – Angie

"Pe-nel-ope Garcia," Derek Morgan said appreciatively. "Is that really what you got to wear tonight?"

Penelope nodded sadly as she pressed a button on her phone, the display disappearing. "Yep. I spent eighty-five dollars on a stupid piece of sexy black lingerie that no one will ever see because my stupid boy-toy decided to go shopping in the Barbie department," she practically spat. Being broken up with just before Valentine's Day was the pits!

"Awww, Princess," Derek said, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close to his side. "You can model it for me if you want to."

"I'd love to Hot Stuff," she said, cuddling up close to him. "But I'm afraid it would ruin you to all other women forever."

Derek chuckled. "What about you, Prentiss? Is Valentine's a bust this year for you, too?" he asked.

Prentiss pulled her gaze away from the window to look at Derek. "What?" she asked.

"I asked if you had Valentine's plans," he said again.

She shook her head. "Uh-uh," she said, returning her gaze to the view outside of the jet.

Derek cleared his throat. "I'd like to see you in one of those things, though, Prentiss," he said.

"One of what things?" she asked distractedly. She'd been engrossed in her own little world for the past few weeks.

"A sexy little nighty," he answered. "What do you say?" He perused her slowly from head to toe. "I think red is your color."

She turned to study his face once more. "I say you're a pig, Morgan," she finally snapped, pushing Reid's legs to the side so she could get up.


The team made it back to the BAU, most of them staying to finish up paperwork. Prentiss had left the minute they'd arrived in Quantico, clearing it with Hotch so she could go home. Derek was worried. Something was bothering her, but in true Prentiss style whatever it was, she kept it bottled up. That comment about the red nighty was something that wouldn't usually rile her, yet she hadn't spoken another word to him on the plane. So what was the difference today? Derek knew one thing—he had to get their friendship back in working order.


Emily sighed, smirking as she opened her second beer of the evening. The ambassador would not be impressed to see her daughter sipping off a longneck bottle; that only strengthened her craving for the beverage. She was just headed back to her living room when there was a knock on her door. She froze and then forced herself to breathe. "Stop being so paranoid, Emily," she scolded herself, turning around and walking back down the long hallway. She looked out the peephole and grinned as she opened it. "Hey, guys. Good to see you," she said to Reid, Garcia, and Morgan. She laughed when she saw Derek's purposeful pout. "Yes, even you, Morgan," she teased.

He stepped forward and pulled her reluctant body into a hug. "Sorry I was a dick, Prentiss," he said.

She pulled away and lifted an eyebrow at him. "You weren't a dick. But my apologies for being a bitch," she said, lips twitching.

Derek grinned charmingly. "Apology accepted," he said, moving past her and into the apartment.

"Hey, Emily," Penelope said excitedly as she walked into the spacious hallway.

Emily's brows furrowed as she studied the three of them. "Why…are you all wearing trench coats?" she asked shrewdly.

Reid sighed. "You can blame Morgan for this one," he informed her.

With a grin, Derek pulled his coat off and Emily burst out laughing. "You have got to be kidding me," she said as she wiped at the tears of mirth streaming down her face.

Derek looked down at himself. "What?" he asked innocently. "Haven't you ever seen anything this sexy before?"

Emily laughed some more. "Sexy? Morgan, newsflash. You need more than pecs…to hold that thing up," she told him, pointing to the red lacey nighty he was wearing. The straps were so tight they were digging into his shoulders and the fabric below the V where a woman's breasts should be holding it up was a little loose. It was tight again at the waist, however, and Emily had to hold in another peal of laughter as she followed the fabric to wear it stopped just above his knees. "What…what is that?" she asked.

He gave her a half grin. "It was supposed to be a peace offering," he answered. "But you forgave me so quickly. Oh, but just incase, I also brought you this," he said, snagging the little white teddy bear out of Reid's hands.

"Hey!" Reid said. "That was from me!"

Emily took the teddy bear and looked at the little red heart it was holding. It simply said Love. She grinned at Reid, his entire face—including the tips of his ears were raspberry red. "Thanks, Reid," she said sweetly.

"You're welcome," he muttered, looking away uncomfortably.

"So…what's on the agenda for tonight?" Emily asked, changing the subject in an attempt to calm the young doctor.

"Derek rented a movie," Penelope told her.

"Oh, good! Movie night. Why don't you guys take off your coats and get comfortable?" she suggested.

Penelope untied the belt at her waist and let the coat fall down her shoulders.

Derek let out a low whistle. "Well, hello mama," he said appreciatively.

"Thank you very much," she said, managing a curtsy in her ensemble. Penelope's blonde hair was swept up into a messy bun; there was a huge glittering diamond at her throat, obviously costume jewelry, but fun and striking nonetheless. And she was wearing what had been the topic of conversation earlier in the day—her sexy black nighty, simple silk with spaghetti straps the fabric draping perfectly against her curves before the hem swept the floor.

"Glad that thing didn't go to waste," Derek remarked.

Emily turned to Reid expectantly, and with a flush, he took his own coat off to reveal a set of flannel pajamas, and a pair of Dumbo slippers she hadn't noticed before. He was wearing glasses she hadn't seen him in since he'd begun wearing contacts, and his hair was rumpled as if he'd been roused from sleep. She grinned at the sight before turning back to Derek. "So, what did you rent?" she asked.

He reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled a movie out. She frowned as he held it up. "The Bodyguard?" she said distastefully.

"It was the only one left on the Valentine's display by the time I got to the movie rental place," he said by way of excuse.

Prentiss grinned. "We'll make it work."


"Another tissue please," Penelope said through her sobs a little over two hours later.

Wordlessly, Emily handed her one as the strains of 'I Will Always Love You' filled the air while the end credits of the movie played.

"I can't believe they don't end up together," she said miserably.

"Haven't you seen this before?" Reid asked with a confused frown. "Surely you weren't surprised by the ending."

"Of course I know how it ends, Reid!" Penelope said impatiently. "But it doesn't make it any easier. How can someone expect us to watch this entire movie and think we're going to like it when they don't end up together? They kept feeding us all of these bread crumbs and then…nothing."

"Well, at least they slept together," Prentiss said, reaching into her bowl for some more popcorn.

Penelope gave her a disbelieving look. "Not everything revolves around sex, Emily," she said.

Emily grinned. "Maybe it should."

Derek smirked. "There's the Emily I know and love," he said cheerfully.

Emily laughed, glad that he'd accepted her apology so quickly. Surrounded by her friends, she couldn't help but think how lucky she was.

And in this moment, she was confident that everything was going to be OK.

***THE END***