[A/N: i'm back after my long hiatus, which was not a restful one, but a stressful one, and now i am again free to publish to the masses. as happens to many on this site, writer's block struck me like a deadly disease and ravaged my unguarded soul. what sprang me from my listless trance is something that has inspired the muse of many it seems. what do i write of? why, the now viral and infamous 'towel scene' of course! the following is my take on the scene. please review. it's open to anyone, even non site members. much love. peace.]
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HERE IN.. the towel made me do it, i swear...
Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes she had just spent on the phone having a furious, yet whispered fight with her boyfriend, defending her friendship with Derek to Kevin and trying vehemently to explain away all of his doubts and fears, and in one second or less Derek himself had just shattered her defence. Oh... dear... god... If there was a more appropriate curse word to describe her feelings in that moment, she would definitely have uttered it.
"J.J. Just called, we have a case", Derek spoke from her bedroom door, freshly showered, wearing nothing but a towel.. that was her towel! Of all the towels in her linen cupboard-! Her favorite-!
Miraculously, her brain managed to string together a few clever words despite the record amount of missed heart beats she was experiencing.
"Yes... Yes! She just called me too!", she lied surprisingly easily as this was usually a rather difficult task normally. "let's go!"
She bustled around her living room, gathering up her clothes which she'd tossed there the night before in an effort to escape an impending pillow fight, and picked up Derek's boxers before she realized what they were.
"Oh! That one's yours!", she exclaimed, letting go of the garment rather quickly, and snatching up the last of her outfit.
She grabbed her coat from it's hook on the wall, and turned back before she departed to offer Derek a good-bye. There was a small hiccup in her escape plan that she hadn't noticed yet, but again.. Derek Morgan.. in her apartment.. in a towel.. in her favorite towel.. Any women in her right mind would find herself scatter brained.
"See you there", she managed to squeak out before exiting the apartment, eager to get some distance between herself and Derek the drippy-wet eye-candy.
Derek's expression turned to concerned confusion as he watched her leave her own apartment like a scalded cat. He speed-dialed her cellphone and she answered almost right away.
"Yes?", she asked rather breathlessly.
"Um, baby girl", Derek hesitated, "Are you planning on getting dressed for work in your car or something? 'Cause you're still in the clothes you wore to bed last night.."
Penelope went crimson and was exceedingly glad that Derek couldn't see her. "Yes- No- You're right- That's silly- Of course I should get dressed before I head into work. 'Kay. See you- in a minute. Frig-"
Penelope walked quickly back to her apartment door and paused before re-entering to take a deep breath and calm her nerves. When she felt she was as ready as she'd ever be, she turned the handle and stepped inside.
"Hi", she waved awkwardly, perching nervously on the edge of her couch and trying to avert her eyes as best as she could from Derek's half-nakedness.
"Hey", Derek chuckled, still uncertain as to why she was acting so strange. "You okay, princess?"
"Oh yeah, I'm fine", she lied again, fiddling with the bundle of clothes in her lap anxiously. "It's just that-" she shut her mouth abruptly. She hadn't meant to say the last bit out loud, which started with the words 'It's just that' and ended with the words 'you're standing all smexy in my mother fucking living room and I'm having several heart attacks'.
Derek raised his eyebrows at her, which was a gesture that clearly stated 'It's just that.. what exactly?'
"It's just that- you're- standing-", but she couldn't bring herself to say the rest. This was a major problem. She had said naughtier things to him on several occasions to be sure, but suddenly she didn't want to risk playing the flirting game. Suddenly all her office bravado and wit was gone, and all that remained was the scared little school girl underneath. "-in.. my.. favorite towel."
"Sorry?", Derek asked in confusion.
"That's my favorite towel", she tried to explain. Yes. That was it. That's the reason she was so upset. Sssuuuurrrre it was... "It's my towel. No one uses it, but me." Well, that was partially the truth anyway. She was the only one that used that towel. It was hers and she usually guarded it with her life whenever Kevin would try and use it. "I know, it's weird, but..", she shrugged trailing off.
"No, that's okay", Derek shook his head, apologizing, (bless him.) "I totally get it. I swear I'll be more careful next time."
"Next..?", she breathed, sure in her belief that she was very close to an entirely blissful death.
"Never mind", she dismissed, having had way too many shocks to her system that morning to pile more on top of them by way of chocolatey daydreams of future maybe/what ifs. "We should get going. Unsubs wait for no one. Not even a supreme genius and her delectable house guest. You dress first. I'll wait my turn."
"Or we could get dressed at the same time. Save a few minutes", Derek suggested.
Penelope gave Derek an incredulous look. "Uh, hunny, I know you love me and all, but I totally think it'd be inappropriate to see each other naked."
Derek laughed and shook his head. "I meant, I'll get dressed out here", he gestured, pointing to the floor. "And you get dressed in there", he pointed to her bathroom, which was the only room in her apartment with a proper door.
Penelope found herself blushing again, to her utter shame. "Sure. Yeah. I knew that."
Derek chuckled, throwing her a sideways glance. "You sure you're okay, baby girl? You're all over the place this morning."
"Peachy", she sighed in a kind of strangled squeak, heading for the bathroom as fast as her weak legs could carry her. She was surprised she wasn't tripping over herself.
"Garcia", Derek nearly sing-songed, making her whip around on the spot.
"You have my boxers again", he pointed out, grinning patronizingly.
"What?" Garcia looked down at the pile of clothes she held in her arms. She had indeed added Derek's boxers back into the fold. "Sorry", she apologized, staring intently at the floor as she handed the boxers back to their owner. "No idea why I keep doing that..."
Derek just smiled, shaking his head. "Go. We're gonna be late, and I know you won't want me to have to explain why to Hotch."
Penelope blanched. "No. No. Definitely not", and with that, she spun on her heels, bolted into her bathroom, and busied herself getting ready at light speeds for work, trying desperately not to think of Derek Morgan beginning his own garment ritual mere inches away from where she stood.